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.
4,507 Articles
Big Tents and Collective Action Can Defeat Authoritarianism
The journey from individual angst to collective action and shared humanity takes time, vision, and commitment. Cases around the world show it is also the pathway to victory.
Too Big to Be Lawful: A Federal Court Halts Mass Layoffs Across the Civil Service
A recent court decision has made clear that reorganizing the federal government can't proceed through backdoor executive planning.
What are “Wartime Authorities” and When Can the President Use Them? An Expert Q&A
It is essential to understand the line between war and peace, scrutinize the application of wartime powers, and interrogate the president’s assertions when he triggers them.
Civil Society is Mounting a Resistance to Trump—Business Leaders Must Follow Suit
Business leaders face now face a pivotal choice: unite to defend democracy or stay passive. They should look to civil society for inspiration on how to take meaningful action.
What Just Happened: The Trump Administration’s Dismissal of Voting Rights Lawsuits
Retreat from voting rights enforcement and efforts to tighten access to the ballot mark a rupture with the Civil Rights Division’s traditional role.
How Trump’s Law Firm Settlements Circumvent Congress and Violate Federal Spending Laws
The Trump administration has operated outside the appropriations process and congressional oversight through its law firm settlements.
The Just Security Podcast: What’s Next for U.S. Diplomacy and Foreign Assistance?
Expert panel considers the proposed restructuring of the State Department and unpacks the implications for U.S. foreign policy, what's at stake, and what lies ahead.
Just Security’s Climate Archive
A catalog of articles analyzing the diplomatic, political, legal, security, and humanitarian consequences of the international climate crisis.
The Law Already Supports AI in Government — RAG Shows the Way
Retrieval-Augmented Generation offers federal agencies a way to build AI systems today within legal frameworks that already exist.
When the Executive Defies the Judiciary: How Federal Courts Can Enforce Their Orders Without the Marshals
Federal courts possess a number of tools to ensure the U.S. government is held responsible for failing to enforce or execute court orders.
Is the U.S. Abandoning the Fight Against Foreign Information Operations?
The Trump administration's policy shift paves the way for foreign propaganda to flourish, leaving Europe to step into the breach.
Ambiguity Is Not Authorization: The Neutrality Treaty Does Not Justify U.S. Military Intervention in Panama
U.S. Military intervention in Panama would violate fundamental international norms and find no justification in the Neutrality Treaty.