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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4,605 Articles
A facility believed to be a re-education camp where mostly Muslim ethnic minorities are detained, north of Akto in China's northwestern Xinjiang region.

Policy Options in Response to Crimes Against Humanity and Potential Genocide in Xinjiang

The international community can unite in myriad ways to end the stunningly sweeping abuses China is committing against Uyghurs.
The U.S. Supreme Court at night.

The Supreme Court’s Attack on Habeas Corpus in DHS v. Thuraissigiam

Refugees are the primary target of the Court’s decision in DHS v. Thuraissigiam, but the the opinion endangers everyone – U.S. citizens included – by reopening settled questions…
Manafort, Johnson, and Giuliani

Manafort’s Reward: Sen. Ron Johnson and the Ukraine Conspiracy Investigation: Part II

How Senator Johnson’s efforts have worked in tandem with Paul Manafort’s efforts — as the former Trump campaign chair has likely remained silent in exchange for a pardon.
The headquarters of the United States Postal Service (USPS) is seen in Washington, DC, August 18, 2020.

Timeline: The Trump Administration and the U.S. Postal Service

A timeline of the pivotal events shaping the U.S. Postal Service that brought us to today's crisis.
Migrants walk after crossing the border between the U.S. and Mexico at the Rio Grande river, as they walk in El Paso, Texas, on June 27, 2019 as taken from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Border Justice in the Age of Pandemic

"As the dynamics of closure continue, we should push ever more strongly to build a legal and political agenda against violence and discrimination at our borders. The new agenda…
Somali soldiers enter Sanguuni military base, where an American special operations soldier was killed by a mortar attack on June 8, about 450 km south of Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 13, 2018.

House and Senate Chart Different Courses on US Clandestine Support of Foreign Militias

Special Operations Forces are a prized US military asset that requires careful oversight to prevent abuses, strategic miscalculations, and mission failures.
US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark Milley hold a press conference in the briefing room at the Pentagon on March 2, 2020 in Washington, DC.

A Military Litmus Test? Evaluating the Argument that Civilian Defense Leaders Need Military Experience

There are several reasons to reject blanket assertions that military service acts as a general qualifier for running or contributing to national security affairs in non-military…
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo looks over his papers while testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Capitol Hill February 28, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Exclusive: Obstruction At All Costs: The State Department’s Petty Document Fight with Congress

The State Department is refusing to comply with a House subpoena for documents that it's already shared with Senate Republicans.
Trump and William Barr

Executive Absolutism on Trial

"President Trump ... had the sense that, as president, he should be allowed to do whatever he wanted, with no fear of consequences and no checks to his will from other branches.…
Polish lawyer Adam Bodnar and the institution he leads, the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, stand on stage after receiving the Rafto Prize 2018 for the important stance taken in the face of current political developments in Poland, at a ceremony in Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway on November 4, 2018.

Political Attacks on Eastern Europe Watchdogs Compound Threats to Democracy

Ombudspersons face similar risks across the region, as autocratic ruling parties seek to remove independent checks on their control.
State Dept PM’s Marik String speaks at annual To Walk The Earth In Safety event.

A Conflict of Interest Raises Questions for State Department’s Top Lawyer

Did Marik String successfully stymy inspector general investigation into his own actions?
US Park Police with full riot gear but no face masks over their mouths and noses stand on the grass as Black Lives Matter protestors march past.

I Resigned from U.S. Government After My Own Leaders Began to Act Like the Autocrats I Analyzed

I have seen up close the president’s disdain for democratic values, and recent events should be put in the context of a continuous slide toward authoritarianism.... Each day,…
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