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.

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Presidential Seal President USA Coat Of Arms

Word-Searchable Version of Mueller Report

Please find below Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller’s Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election. Word-searchable PDF versions:…

The (Redacted) Mueller Report: First Takes from the Experts

A roundup of leading experts' views on the publicly released — and redacted — Mueller report.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr speaks with a clenched fist about the release of the redacted version of the Mueller report as U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and U.S. Acting Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Ed O’Callaghan stand behind him at the Department of Justice April 18, 2019 in Washington, DC.

On Mueller Report, Barr Says No Executive Privilege Redactions. But Look for Assertion Later.

The release of the redacted version of the Mueller Report may not signal the end of debates over Executive Privilege, and is likely only the beginning of congressional activity…
A women participates in demonstration against U.S. President Trump's travel ban as protesters gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court following a court issued immigration ruling June 26, 2018 in Washington, DC. Her sign reads, “We will not be banned.”

The ‘NO BAN’ Act: A Needed Check on Presidential Decision-Making

The NO BAN Act ensures that presidential orders to bar or restrict people from entering the United States are the product of proof rather than prejudice.
A sign reading, "Office of Military Commissions Expeditionary Legal Complex Guantanamo Bay, Cuba" stands close to where pre-trial hearings are being held for the detainees at the military prison on June 25, 2013 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Al-Nashiri III: A No Good, Very Bad Day for U.S. Military Commissions

A stunning, unanimous opinion of the DC Court of Appeals throws out every single pretrial order issued over the past 3 1/2 years in case of Al-Nashiri. What this says about the…
Russian journalists watch a TV showing U.S. President Donald Trump shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the press center of Presidential Palace on July 16, 2018 in Helsinki, Finland.

Is Trump a Russian Agent?: Explaining Terms of Art and Examining the Facts

Former member of the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service explains why CIA would never try to recruit someone with Donald Trump's profile, and what may also give the Kremlin pause…
U.S. Attorney General nominee William Barr testifies at his confirmation hearing as his image is shown on a television monitor behind him January 15, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Barr’s Redaction Process, cont’d

Attorney General William Barr testified at length last week, in the House and the Senate, about his ongoing process of redacting the Mueller Report in anticipation of sharing it…
Attorney General nominee William Barr (C) is sworn in prior to testifying at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee January 15, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Barr’s Playbook: He Misled Congress When Omitting Parts of Justice Dep’t Memo in 1989

When Bill Barr was head of Office of Legal Counsel, he gave Congress the legal conclusions and reasoning of an important Justice Department memo but left out major portions of…

The International Criminal Court Decision on Afghanistan: Time to Start a New Conversation

I did not anticipate waking up Friday morning to news that an International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber had rejected the Prosecutor’s request to authorize an investigation…
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir delivers a speech to the nation on February 22, 2019, at the presidential palace in the capital Khartoum.

Julian Assange and Omar al-Bashir: What Comes Next for Two Global Fugitives?

Yesterday was a breathtaking one for global criminal justice. First, British police arrested Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London and then, just hours later, the…
Activists rally against the transgender military service ban at the Reflecting Pool of the U.S. Capitol April 10, 2019 in Washington, DC. Their signs read, “Stand with transgender service members, recruits and their families.”

How the Pentagon Made Transgender Rights Disappear

The Pentagon's new limits on transgender military service amount to a ban that is anything but "gender-blind."
Julian Assange gestures to the media from a police vehicle on his arrival at Westminster Magistrates court on April 11, 2019 in London, England.

Assange Indictment Is Shot Across the Bow of Press Freedom

"The indictment seems to have been drafted not just to justify the prosecution of Assange but to tar legitimate journalistic activities by association with Assange’s alleged…
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