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.

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4,604 Articles
An activist of Vesna (Spring) youth movement fills a bag with two thousand paper planes, as a symbol of Telegram, during a flash-mob near the Roskomnadzor building in Saint Petersburg on April 13, 2018, as they protest against the blocking of the popular messaging app "Telegram" in Russia, after it refused to give state security services access to private conversations.

Telegram: A Growing Social Media Refuge, for Good and Ill

It is used in some quarters as a tool of constructive political resistance, and in others abused to spread disinformation and illicit content.
Members of the security forces walking at the site of a NATO airstrike which destroyed two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in northern Kunduz on September 4, 2009.

Kunduz Airstrike Before European Court of Human Rights: Future of Jurisdiction and Duty to Investigate

The future of European Human Rights Court's jurisdiction and the future of States' duty to investigate civilian casualties in wartime.
People walk down a flooded street as they evacuate their homes after the area was inundated with flooding from Hurricane Harvey on August 28, 2017 in Houston, Texas. A number of people use rowboats and small motorized boats as well. The flooding appears to be up to people’s waists in some areas of the street and to their knees in the more shallow areas.

Is Climate Change a National Emergency?

Declaring a national climate emergency would convey a powerful signal from the White House about the urgency of the climate crisis —while also activating several legal authorities…
Demonstrators from several environmental groups including Extinction Rebellion and Sunrise Movement demand broad action at a youth-led climate strike near City Hall on December 6, 2019 in New York City. A large banner reads, “Climate Change” but “Climate” is crossed-out and “System” is written in its place to read “System Change.” Youth carry additional signs reading, “Respect your mama” with an Earth symbol; “We cannot say we did not know;” “Hey Exxon, stop burning my future;” “No more excuses;” and more.

How Domestic Civic Movements Could Reshape US Foreign Policy

Nonviolent and inclusive, they can provide the energy, dynamism, and power-shifting ability needed to address the world’s interconnected crises.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks as he meets with Jewish community leaders at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center to discuss the nuclear deal reached with Iran on September 3, 2015 in Davie, Florida. He looks down at the table and rests his mouth in closed hands. A person appears to place a hand on his shoulder from next to him.

Biden Risks Playing into the Hands of Iranian Hardliners

President Biden still has not made a demonstration of good faith by tangibly diverting from Trump’s maximum pressure approach on Iran. By not doing so, he is falling into the…
Nobel peace laureate Leymah Gbowee, head of the Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET), stands in front of a sign calling for peaceful elections in Monrovia on October 5, 2017. The sign reads, Don’t Touch Our Peace.”

Biden Needs a Foreign Policy Focused on Sustainable Peace

War and weapons cannot solve today’s most urgent challenges. They require peacebuilding, diplomacy, and conflict-sensitive development.
Side-by-side photos of Biden and Trump

Trump’s War Powers Legacy and Questions for Biden

Will Biden rein in near-limitless claims of presidential authority to use force without congressional authorization and commit to restoring the balance of war powers between the…
White House Counsel Don McGahn stands behind Trump during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room at the White House October 17, 2018 in Washington, DC.

Unpacking Biden Administration vs. Congressional Tension in the McGahn Case

Awkward transitions to “unified government” and what it portends.
Workers extinguish flames at a warehouse, after it was reportedly hit in an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition, in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on July, 2, 2020.

Fulfilling Biden Campaign Pledge on Saudi-UAE Policy Will Require a Full Overhaul

Regular and direct US criticism of Saudi and UAE human rights abuses should be a fundamental part of a Biden administration reassessment.
Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa addresses the nation as Airforce Chief Sumangala Dias, Army Chief Shavendra Silva, Navy Chief Piyal De Silva look on during the Sri Lanka's 72nd Independence Day celebrations in Colombo on February 4, 2020.

US Can Restore Leadership on Human Rights by Promoting Accountability in Sri Lanka

The Biden administration should press the UN Human Rights Council for action and impose its own measures, including further sanctions.
Sargent Forrest Huckabey from Neodesha, Kansas with the U.S. Army's 2nd Battalion 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division stands guard with a gun in front of a billboard which encourages women to vote in Afghanistan's April 5th presidential election during a patrol outside of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Shank on March 29, 2014 near Pul-e Alam, Afghanistan.

Women, Peace, and Security: Is DOD Turning a Human Rights Corner?

The push to protect women and girls in conflict and involve women in security decision-making increases attention to human rights in military operations.
US President Joe Biden speaks about foreign policy at the State Department in Washington, DC, on February 4, 2021. An American flag and a US President flag stand behind him.

Leaving the War in Yemen: The Mostly Good, the Bad, and the Muddled

An assessment of President Joe Biden's new approach to Yemen, including the remaining uncertainties about the new policy.
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