Executive Branch
Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis of the U.S. executive branch related to national security, rights, and the rule of law. Analysis and informational resources focus on the executive branch’s powers and their limits, and the actions of the president, administrative agencies, and federal officials.
4,799 Articles
Hegseth’s Intellectual Purge is an Insult to His Officer Corps
"I am also a registered Republican and a gun owner. I did not arrive in Cambridge confused about my political identity. I did not leave with it erased or chastened."
At the 60-Day Mark, the Iran War is Triply Illegal
Under the War Powers Resolution, Trump must now terminate the hostilities against Iran he began two months ago. He seems set against doing so.
Legal Foundations of Honorable Military Service
As former judge advocates, it was our responsibility while on active duty to advise on the legal demands of and limits on senior officers’ authority and responsibility.
Pioneering Plunder: How to Stop Modern Profiteering in Public Office
An examination of Trump-era profiteering and a bold proposal to ban presidential self-enrichment, arguing systemic reform is needed to curb corruption and rebuild trust.
The United States-Cuba Oil Embargo and International Law
Experts on naval warfare examine the international law dimensions of the United States campaign against Cuba.
Collection: ICE and CBP Operations in Minnesota and Other States
Following two civilian deaths in ICE raids in Minneapolis, protests and legal concerns mount. This collection examines the law, facts, and calls for accountability.
Former FBI General Counsel Weissmann on FISA Reforms
Ryan Goodman sits down with Andrew Weissmann, former FBI General Counsel and DOJ veteran, to unpack FISA reauthorization.
The Constitution’s Forgotten Term Limit on Military Power
Most constitutional experts have never given the Two-Year Clause a second thought. The circumstances that made that neglect tolerable are in the process of dissolving.
The Presidential Records Act is Constitutional
Presidents have complied with the Act without serious objection, and there is essentially no scholarly or other commentary questioning the Act’s constitutionality.
The International Legal Consequences and Imprudence of U.S. Assistance to Kurdish Rebels in Iran
U.S. policies of funding rebel groups to achieve shared strategic objectives while turning a blind eye to ideology and international law has proven to be myopic time and again
Separating Fact from Fiction in FACE Act Enforcement
The Trump administration’s new report claims DOJ’s enforcement of the FACE Act unfairly targeted religious Americans. Each of its claims fail against the enforcement record.
The Trump Administration’s Fraud Problem
The Trump administration invokes “fraud” to justify freezing Medicaid, SNAP, and family aid, sidestepping legal safeguards and turning vital programs into political weapons.