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.
4,711 Articles
DHS’s Portland Follies: Tracing the Official Public Narrative and Internal Communications
Jeffrey Michaels examines the rhetorical frameworks used by the Department of Homeland Security in describing protest events in Portland and beyond.
In the Drive to Curb Police Abuses, Rein in Their Tech Too
Local groups in a national movement are pressing for oversight of how and when law enforcement agencies use technology to monitor citizens.
US Iran Envoy to Step Down—Ahead of Key U.S. Move on Nuclear Program
The move comes as the Trump administration is expected to try to 'snapback' UN Iran sanctions, collapse nuclear deal
An Open Letter to Connecticut U.S. Attorney John Durham
"I urge you to comply with the Department’s longstanding policy."
New Technologies, New Problems – Troubling Surveillance Trends in America
The rapid advent of powerful digital surveillance technologies raises questions about the U.S. ability to maintain a balance between security and citizens' rights. Several troubling…
AFRICOM’s Improved Civilian Casualty Reporting System Still Leaves Gaps for Somalia
Only with more ways to submit reports and the proper followup can the U.S. military start to rebuild trust among communities harmed by its actions.
Exploring Some Limitations to the ICC’s Ability to Charge US Officials with Contempt
"One potential method by which to explore the possibility of disincentivizing measures by non-member states to frustrate the institutional independence of the ICC is to consider…
Police Violence at Home Requires a Rethink of U.S. Foreign Policy and Assistance Abroad
When police brutalize and murder unarmed Black Americans, the effectiveness and legitimacy of the United States – including its ability to support justice abroad – crumbles.…
Opportunism, COVID-19, and Cambodia’s State of Emergency Law
Editor’s Note: This piece is part of Just Security‘s Assessing Emergency Powers During #COVID-19 series, which aims to highlight and give voice to legal and civil society…
Treaty Banning Cluster Munitions Turns 10, but Without the US
This November, Switzerland will convene the milestone Second Review Conference for the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Lausanne, but the U.S. is likely to be absent, as usual.
Can the International Criminal Court Hold the Trump Administration in Contempt?
On June 11, President Donald Trump issued an executive order authorizing the imposition of sanctions targeting International Criminal Court officials. This article assesses the…
Why We Oppose the Pompeo Commission on Unalienable Rights’ Draft Report
The letter, signed by 230 organizations, scholars, former officials, and advocates, explains five faulty conclusions central to the report’s thesis. It concludes by noting that…