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
Exigent Circumstances: iOS 12’s USB Restricted Mode and Warrantless iPhone Access
Apple recently confirmed the introduction of a new feature called “USB Restricted Mode” in the latest version of the iPhone’s mobile operating system, iOS 12. If enabled…
The Government Has Yet to Produce Evidence Showing the Travel Ban is About National Security
The very first thing that Solicitor General Noel Francisco told the court at oral argument in Hawaii v. Trump was: “After a worldwide multi-agency review, the President’s acting…
“Zero Tolerance” and the Detention of Children: Torture under International Law
The Trump administration will continue to run afoul of refugee and human rights law unless and until it stops criminalizing refugees and ends the unjustified detention of children.
Dangerous Drone Bill Emerges from Senate Committee
It’s rare that a congressional committee tasked with overseeing homeland security approves a bill that would not only authorize sweeping surveillance, but also could pose a significant…
Just Security Authors and Yemeni Human Rights Leaders Detained–now Released–by Saudi-Led Forces
Monday, two prominent human rights advocates, Radhya Almutawakel and Abdulrasheed Alfaqih, the founders of the NGO Mwatana for Human Rights, were detained at Seyoun airport by…
Not the Final Word
Can a sitting president be indicted? The public should be skeptical of the argument that a president can’t be, which frequently relies on two opinions by the Justice Department’s…
Paul Manafort = Evidence of Collusion
"The following facts essentially speak for themselves. Simply put, any fair reading of the public record would surely come to the conclusion that there is significant evidence…
The Complicated Truths of the DOJ IG Report
The DOJ IG report forces readers to hold multiple competing thoughts in your head at the same time.
Letter to the Editor: Why Larger Defense Budgets Don’t Need to Come at the Expense of “Soft Power”
In his recent post (“The National Security Threat of Trump’s Defense Budget”) Bishop Garrison argues that the Trump administration’s proposed increases to the defense budget…
The Department of Defense’s Report on Civilian Casualties: A Step Forward in Transparency?
While the Pentagon's new report on civilian casualties is a step in the right direction, future DoD reports should include more detail on specific incidents, including discrepancies…
Testimony from the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Hearing on Election Interference
Ryan Goodman, Just Security‘s co-editor-in-chief, is testifying on Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of its hearing on, “Election Interference:…
Letter to the Editor: A Perilous Peace Between the Koreas
The peace initiatives involving the United States and the two Koreas are rightly welcomed given the long history of conflict and division. There are however certain unspoken realities…