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.

× Clear Filters
4,799 Articles

The Epstein Files and the Seven Member Rule

In a polarized Congress, discharge petitions and the Seven Member Rule preserve a limited but vital role for the minority, strengthening oversight.
Picture of fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex

International Law and the U.S. Military and Law Enforcement Operations in Venezuela

Experts survey the international law issues of Operation Absolute Resolve.
Screenshot of the Joint Resolution proposing the 22nd Amendment, from the General Records of the U.S. Government National Archives

No Indispensable Man: The Democratic Foundation of the 22nd Amendment

To violate the 22nd Amendment would be to discard the wisdom of those who sought to preserve U.S. democracy against the last rising tide of authoritarianism.

Hypothetical Legal Review on Judge Advocates Serving as Immigration Judges

A hypothetical legal review examining the OLC's legal basis for having Judge Advocates serve as immigration judges.
Aerial view of the Pentagon

The International Law Obligation to Investigate the Boat Strikes

Operation Southern Spear’s lethal boat strikes are unlawful under IHRL and, even on the administration’s own terms, trigger binding LOAC and DoD duties to investigate.
U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) sit across from each other at a long table, each flanked on the right and left side of the image, respectively, by other officials, with three flags each of the United States and China, alternating along the back wall at the far end of the table.

Trump’s Chip Strategy Needs Recalibration

Facing the challenge from China, U.S. technological leadership in the century ahead requires a focused and disciplined strategy coordinated with allies.
U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung talk to reporters before an Oval Office meeting at the White House on August 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. During Lee's first official visit to the White House, the two leaders are set to discuss trade and military cooperation to counter North Korea and China, South Korea's top trade partner. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Legal and Policy Options for a U.S-South Korea Nuclear Submarine Program

Trump’s announcement 'approving' a nuclear-powered submarine plan with South Korea contradicts U.S. law requiring specific terms, agreements, and congressional review.
The U.S. Supreme Court building stands in Washington, D.C., U.S.

A SCOTUS Bench Memo for Trump v. Slaughter, the FTC Removal Case: Stare Decisis, Historical Practice, and Original Intent

Trump’s attempt to fire FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter without cause forces the Court to revisit Humphrey’s Executor and the future of independent agencies.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrives to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on June 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.

U.S. Boat Strike Campaign: Questions Congress Should Ask Executive Branch Officials

A list of questions that should be answered by U.S. government officials regarding the lethal campaign against suspected drug trafficking individuals, groups, and vessels.

Help Support Just Security on Giving Tuesday

This Giving Tuesday, you can help us inform a more just and secure world.
The Just Security Podcast Cover Image

The Just Security Podcast: Murder on the High Seas Part IV

Co-hosted with RCLS, a panel of experts discuss the Trump administration's continued campaign of lethal strikes against suspected drug traffickers.
President Donald Trump meets with Argentina’s President Javier Milei at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on Saturday, February 22, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

What Tariffs and the Argentina Bailout Can Tell Us About the Perils of Financial Statecraft

When the U.S. doesn't appreciate the role of finance in geopolitics, it risks mismanaging its responsibilities—and in the process creating economic and political instability.
1-12 of 4,799 items

DON'T MISS A THING. Stay up to date with Just Security curated newsletters: