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.
4,605 Articles
Defense Policy Bill Should Require Reporting of Ex Gratia Payments
Without mandatory reporting on condolence payments in the National Defense Authorization Act, Congress—and the public—may remain in the dark about whether and how the Defense…
Marik String Appointment as State Department’s Top Lawyer Raises Questions
As a former senior State Department official put it, “The idea that someone so few years out of law school, and not even practicing law for all that time, is in the office occupied…
Focusing on Armed Non-State Actors: Protecting Education in Armed Conflict
While States have formal opportunities to commit themselves to the protection of schools, ANSAs do not, even though it is crucial to acknowledge the role they play in education…
Take Back: How Congress Can Reclaim Its Power
Early in the Clinton administration, I served on the National Security Council staff when former Rep. Howard Berman, a California Democrat, called me one day to tell me that the…
The Next Wave of Congressional Subpoena Litigation: Oversight Power vs. Executive Privilege
The next phase of Congress’ trying to enforce its supboenas in court is getting underway. Why the litigation over executive privilege is about to get ... . complicated, and how…
The Snowden Effect, Six Years On
Six years ago, the world was introduced to a previously unknown government contractor who revealed the National Security Agency (NSA) was conducting an unparalleled level of warrantless…
An “Emergency” Arms Deal: Will Congress Acquiesce in Another Blow to Its Authority?
If Congress can’t stand up to protect its own prerogatives on arms sales, then its chances of being heard on anything else will be permanently diminished.
EXCLUSIVE: Draft Charter of Pompeo’s “Commission on Unalienable Rights” Hides Anti-Human Rights Agenda
Just Security has obtained the draft Charter for the Commission. Professor Hamilton writes: If the Commission follows the ideological roots of the "natural law" theory it is grounded…
A Side-by-Side Comparison of Barr’s vs. Mueller’s Statements about Special Counsel Report
"Some of the differences involve near complete contradictions—in other words Mueller’s statement and Barr’s statements cannot both be true."
Cooking the WMD Books: Politicizing the 2019 State Department Compliance Report
"I know. I used to work in State Department’s Bureau of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance and then in the Office of the Under Secretary responsible for this report.…
No Oligarch Left Behind: Trump’s Title III Cuba Policy
After the Revolution, Cuba expropriated the property of U.S. nationals and Cubans, including those who (like my family) came to the United States. In May, the Trump administration…
The Missing Bill Barr Obstruction Analysis
"The American public and Congress should demand that the Attorney General disclose his analysis."