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.
4,757 Articles
Reading Between the Votes: 53 Senators Say Trump Guilty on the Facts
"Remember this: A bipartisan majority found that the factual allegations for Trump’s impeachment were proven."
Deciphering the FISC’s Order on the Carter Page FISA Application
What will the Justice Department do in response to what it's learned about the FBI’s flawed application to wiretap Carter Page?
Afghanistan Papers, the Miniseries, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bombshell
The Washington Post describes the story as uncovering a widespread effort by U.S. officials to “conceal the truth” about the war. A close reading shows that's not the case.
Pentagon Deployment of New, “More Usable” Nuclear Weapon Is a Grave Mistake
DoD now acknowledges it has deployed a new, sea-based nuclear warhead capability. But the administration’s stated rationale for the new weapon is deeply flawed, and the decision…
The “Virtual Wall”: Mexico, Part 1
The Trump administration has established its wall on the U.S.- Mexico border without putting one brick in place.
William Barr: A Failed Attorney General Unfit to Serve
William Barr has repeatedly abused his office as attorney general to provide personal and political protection for President Donald Trump at the expense of the integrity and credibility…
The Most Serious Obstruction of All: The Vote to Block Witnesses and the Public’s Right to Know
What makes the Republican leadership’s actions particularly galling is that they wrapped their rush to acquittal in the cloak of “letting American voters decide.” That was…
Republican Senators’ Short-Sighted Justifications for Acquitting Trump
Why Senator Ted Cruz's approach, rather than Lamar Alexander's, creates vulnerabilities for the White House and Republican Senators down the line.
Counterterrorism Laws Punish Legitimate Asylum Seekers
Exclusions to refugee status in U.S. law -- originally developed to prevent Nazi war criminals from attaining asylum -- have dramatically expanded in scope, preventing many innocent…
John Bolton’s Silence — Here’s how he could lawfully break it
"If he wanted to, Bolton could this afternoon ..."
Timeline: Trump, Giuliani, Biden, and Ukrainegate
A comprehensive chronology of events involving "Ukrainegate" and President Trump and Rudy Giuliani's efforts to persuade the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President…
Explainer: Prepublication Review and How it Applies to Bolton
An explainer of the key features of the prepublication review process and the significant discretion it gives the government to suppress protected speech—potentially including…