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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National Security Advisor John Bolton and Donald Trump

Questions for the Government in the Bolton Book TRO Hearing(s)

Goldsmith and Lederman deliver up a series of questions that will expose the strengths and weaknesses of the government's claims.

Assessing the Government’s Lawsuit Against John Bolton [UPDATED after Wednesday’s filing of a TRO motion]

An explainer about some common misconceptions, and how the litigation will likely play out.
Protesters take video and photos of police in helmets and respirators on June 14, 2020 in Richmond, United States.

Black Lives Matter Might Just Rescue American Democracy

The movement forces Americans to recognize and confront the deep and longstanding connection between racist and authoritarian violence.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) holds a joint news conference on the International Criminal Court with US Attorney General William Barr, at the State Department in Washington, DC, on June 11, 2020.

Trump’s ICC EO Will Undercut All U.S. Sanctions Programs—Is That Why Treasury Isn’t Conspicuously on Board?

The risks posed by the new U.S. sanctions program aimed at the ICC extend beyond the Court, its employees, and its supporters.
An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during a developmental test, Feb. 5, 2020, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

The Potential U.S. Security Threats in Letting New START Lapse

Almost every problem that critics say this nuclear-weapons pact doesn't solve would be aggravated if the treaty expires.
The president of the Human Rights Council, Austrian Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, wearing a protective facemask attends a press conference during the resuming of a UN Human Rights Council session after it interruption in March over the coronavirus pandemic on June 15, 2020 in Geneva.

The UN Should Establish a Commission of Inquiry on Systemic Racism and Law Enforcement in the United States

A strong call from the U.N. Special Expert on Contemporary Forms of Racism, professor E. Tendayi Achiume.
A demonstrator walks in front of a row of military police members wearing riot gear as they push back demonstrators outside of the White House, June 1, 2020 in Washington D.C.

Statement of Homeland and National Security Leaders

Former Republican and Democratic cabinet members and other senior officials speak out about protests, use of the military, racial justice, and policing.
a stack of coins

Dissecting the Executive Order on Int’l Criminal Court Sanctions: Scope, Effectiveness, and Tradeoffs

An expert breakdown of what's in President Trump's executive order, how it works exactly, and what comes next.
Members of the D.C. National Guard stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as demonstrators, who are not seen in the image, participate in a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 2, 2020 in Washington, DC.

The Strength of America’s Apolitical Military

A statement by former U.S. ambassadors, Generals and Admirals, senior officials on the response to nationwide protests for racial justice.
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Robert Redfield (C) speaks about the COVID-19 (coronavirus) alongside Vice President Mike Pence and members of the Coronavirus Task Force in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC, March 9, 2020.

Redactions in CDC Communications Policies Leave Key Questions Unanswered

Newly released CDC documents — via FOIA — confirm Office of Vice President’s involvement in CDC COVID-19 communications, leave important details concealed, and raise First…
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (C) holds a joint news conference on the International Criminal Court with (L-R) US Attorney General William Barr, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper and National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien, at the State Department in Washington, DC, on June 11, 2020.

The Self-Defeating Executive Order Against the International Criminal Court

"I know because I used to make this theoretical international law argument...on behalf of the U.S. Government many years ago."
Nominee John L. Ratcliffe testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee nomination hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office building on Capitol Hill on Capitol Hill on May 5, 2020 in Washington, DC.

The Intelligence Community, Transparency, and Today’s Threats To American Security

The world has arguably become a more dangerous place for America over the course of these last three years, and looking no further than our own streets reflects a need to reassess…
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