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.
4,605 Articles
Let’s Not “Fight Like Hell” Without a Strategy: At the VA, Put First Principles First
As the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reels from scandal, President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for secretary of veterans affairs, Denis McDonough, promises to “fight like…
Pardongate 2.0: Prosecutors and Congress Investigated Clinton’s Pardons. The Same Should Happen to Trump.
There's ample precedent (the investigations of Bill Clinton's pardons) and ample reason for Congress and the Department of Justice to launch investigations into President Trump's…
Shifting Norms About Secretary of Defense Has Long-Term Consequences: On the Austin Nomination
Even if retired Gen. Lloyd Austin handles the job of defense secretary perfectly, his nomination alone still has long-term consequences, eroding the norm of civilian control by…
Criminalizing Foreign Relations: How the Biden Administration Can Prevent a Global Arrest Game
The U.S. President is undoubtedly the chief U.S. diplomat, but is he or she also the chief prosecutor? Donald Trump clearly thinks so, stating once his grave misunderstanding that…
Important Context Missing from the Austin Nomination Debate
Civilian control of the military is an essential part of our constitutional fabric, but that doesn’t mean that recently retired officers are inevitably inappropriate defense…
Are Blanket Pardons Constitutional? A Reply to Bowman
If news reports are to be believed, President Trump is considering issuing blanket pardons (“for any and all offenses”) to many of his family-members and associates. In an…
How Biden Can Defeat Strategic Corruption
An incoming president can designate strategic corruption as a national security threat, giving the Treasury Department the task of managing an interagency anti-corruption task…
Pandemic Consequences: The Acceleration of Confrontational Politics
The disruptive potential of this trend will remain a core challenge to political stability as the world staggers toward post-pandemic life.
A Roadmap for Reform: How the Biden Administration Can Revitalize the Office of Legal Counsel
As President-Elect Joe Biden announces his picks for cabinet positions, the Nation’s focus has increasingly turned to the challenges facing the incoming administration. One such…
To Prevent Atrocities, Break Bureaucratic Silos, Don’t Build A New One
Attempts to reduce risks of mass atrocities will be stronger if they are integrated with policy efforts to prevent conflict, address fragility, and counter extremism.
Reviving the US Commitment to Women’s Rights and Gender Equality: The UN Commission on the Status of Women
The Biden administration should use the March gathering to highlight policies or programs to advance gender equality at home and abroad.
The Bosnian Constitution, Marking 25 Years, Needs an American Reboot
The US has a historic opportunity to return to the country of its greatest post-Cold War triumph and mark its own homecoming to the international community.