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
The US-Philippines Defense Treaty and the Pompeo Doctrine on South China Sea
A major statement by Sec. Mike Pompeo on U.S. coming to the military defense of the Philippines against China. A legal expert explains the implications.
I Helped Write the Exec Order on Public Reporting of Lethal Operations. Here’s What Trump Has Undone.
"Multiple press accounts have cited some of the key problems with the rescission, the backlash from transparency advocates, and why, unsurprisingly, the Trump administration has…
Homeland Security’s Intelligence Overreach: Two Cases Illustrate Risks to Civil Society
The Department of Homeland Security is deploying its intelligence apparatus against activists, journalists, and human rights lawyers, with no guard rails against abuse in place.…
President Trump’s Cronyism and Excesses Should Prompt Security Clearance Reform
The Trump years threaten to become a boiling point for numerous simmering constitutional conflicts, but one of the most innocuous-looking might end up being one of the most important.…
Trump’s Revocation of Reporting on Lethal Strikes: All Eyes on Congress, Now
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order revoking a section of President Barack Obama’s Executive Order on civilian casualties that required annual reporting…
The Ripening: The House Judiciary Committee Investigation Will Bear Fruit
The House Judiciary Committee sent out document requests to 81 parties associated with President Donald Trump in its wide-ranging investigation into “allegations of corruption,…
The White House Counsel’s Flawed Response to Congress on Security Clearances
Intensifying congressional oversight activity prompted President Donald Trump to accuse Democrats of “presidential harassment.” He complained — falsely — that President…
BREAKING: United States Supports Germany’s International Arrest Warrant for Accused Syrian War Criminal
"On Tuesday, the United States government issued a statement supporting Germany’s request to Lebanon to extradite a high-ranking Syrian official accused of war crimes and crimes…
Counterterrorism and Homeland Security Are Not the Same Thing
Counterterrorism and homeland security are not the same thing. It is not surprising though that the two get intertwined and conflated. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)…
Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in February 2019
Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of those norms in reactions…
The Missing Khashoggi Report: A President Can’t Choose to “Decline” His Constitutional Role to Accommodate Congressional Oversight
Trump's decision to ignore Congress' deadline on responsibility for Jamal Khashoggi's murder misunderstands congressional oversight. In the complex dance that is the accommodations…
The Seven Step Program for Fighting Disinformation
A full-spectrum strategy is needed to proactively prepare for the next wave of social-media and internet-based psychological disinformation operations.