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
Fragmented Wars: International Law and Multi-Territorial Conflict Against Non-State Armed Groups
The legal issues surrounding military operations against non-State armed groups abroad are continuing to generate policy and legal debates. In an article just published in International…
Giving CVE a Chance
Last week’s announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of a revised list of awardees of the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Grant Program generated many headlines…
US-UAE Partnership and Alleged Torture: Recommended Next Steps for the Administration and Congress
An important foreign military partner in our armed conflict against al-Qaida in Yemen—the United Arab Emirates—has faced a series of allegations that it is engaged in systematic…
International Cyber Law Politicized: The UN GGE’s Failure to Advance Cyber Norms
On June 23, after years of slow yet meaningful progress in developing State consensus regarding the application of international law norms to cyberspace, the UN Group of Governmental…
Mixing Politics with Business: A Master List of Trump’s Conflicts of Interest
Remember that giant pile of manila folders? They were stacked high at Donald Trump’s press conference on Jan. 11. While no one was allowed to take a closer look at them, the…
Seriously? The Court Intended to Exclude Grandmas from the Preliminary Injunctions? [UPDATED with Hawaii motion]
I just wanted to add a brief follow-up to the excellent posts by Leah Litman and by Ryan Goodman and Adam Cox on the absurdity of the Administration’s interpretation of the…
House Appropriations Committee Passes Amendment to Repeal 2001 War Authorization–Here’s What They Said
Whoa is right. On Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee adopted an amendment that would repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). Congresswoman Barbara…
Trump Definition of “Family” Is in Contempt of Supreme Court Travel Ban Ruling
On Monday, the Supreme Court held that the administration must not enforce its Travel Ban Executive Order against foreign nationals who have “a credible claim” of a “close…
A Clash in Syria Could Jeopardize the Iran Nuclear Deal and More
As the Trump administration enters its sixth month, fears that it would unilaterally rip up its predecessor’s landmark Iran nuclear agreement are beginning to fade. But the chances…
A Test Case for Guantánamo’s New Convening Authority
The latest Guantánamo military commission case to make headlines—the new charges against Encep Nurjamen (a.k.a. Hambali)—is shrouded in an unusual amount of secrecy. But when…
Rethinking US Security Assistance Beyond the Leahy Law
An American special operations soldier observing Burkina Faso troops practice clearing a vehicle. I just had the pleasure of speaking alongside Colonel Carl Kelly, Chief of Staff…
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Supreme Court’s Entry Ban Decision
Many close observers of the Court are still scratching their heads, trying to figure out just exactly what the Court did yesterday in Trump v. IRAP–and why. With the luxury…