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
Looking to 2020: A Presidential Pledge for Gender Parity in National Security Appointments
Fifteen of the Democratic candidates running for president have signed a pledge that they will seek gender parity in their national security appointments.
Annie Donaldson is Not the President’s “Alter Ego”
It could almost be a bar exam question. Under the Executive Branch theory that the president’s senior aides are “absolutely immune” from appearing before Congress, which…
Top Expert Backgrounder: Aborted U.S. Strike, Cyber Operation Against Iran and International Law
"It is difficult to definitely conclude that the proposed U.S. kinetic strikes would have been valid exercises of self-defense."
Asking the Right Question on Iran, Al-Qaeda and the AUMF
The President and senior members of his administration are trying to skew a critical public debate by framing it inaccurately. The stakes—including a potential new war in the…
The State of Play with US-Iran and How We Got Here: Q&A with Laura Rozen
We asked Just Security’s Laura Rozen for her assessment of the current tension between the United States and Iran. Two key questions follow.
Journalist Watchlist Raises Specter of Civil Rights-Era Secret Surveillance
Throughout his campaign and now his presidency, historians have drawn parallels between President Trump’s treatment of the news media and the Nixon White House’s efforts to…
U.S. Cyber Command, Russia and Critical Infrastructure: What Norms and Laws Apply?
Emplacing malware in critical infrastructure on which the civilian population depends is a decision States must not take lightly. It may also violate international law, but 'responding…
Tom Lantos Commission: Enhancing U.S. Ability to Pursue Accountability for Atrocities
I had the honor of testifying last week before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at a hearing devoted to “Pursuing Accountability for Atrocities.” My written testimony…
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…