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
Of Laws, Not Men
Those old enough to remember Watergate will recall that “we are a government of laws, not men” became a mantra. It was repeated so often as to risk banality. But we are a nation…
Norms Watch: Democracy, the Trump Administration, and Reactions to It (June 2-June 9)
Editor’s Note: 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…
Neither Facially Legitimate Nor Bona Fide–Why the Very Text of the Travel Ban Shows It’s Unconstitutional
As the litigation over the travel ban moves to the Supreme Court, the most important passage in the Fourth Circuit’s en banc opinion may be a tangential footnote finding “yet…
The Silly “Comey-the-Criminal” Meme–a.k.a. Why Claims that Comey’s a “Leaker” Ring Hollow
The strangest claim to emerge from yesterday’s Senate intelligence committee hearing is the one first suggested by President Trump’s personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz,…
Five Times Comey Said Trump Was Lying
Former Director of the FBI James Comey came to Thursday’s briefing with the Senate Intelligence Committee ready to say the Trump administration had lied to the American people…
The Biggest Bombshell Line from Comey on Obstruction of Justice
Beginning on May 10, we have written about whether President Donald Trump engaged in an obstruction of justice in pressuring and firing James Comey. I published a deep dive on…
Ask a Law Professor: Was it Obstruction?
With former FBI director James Comey’s hearing today, we heard it straight from the horse’s mouth that Comey interpreted President Trump’s “hope”…
Just Security Roundup of #ComeyHearing
Here is a roundup of Just Security’s live tweeting from Thursday’s Senate Intelligence Committee hearing with former FBI Director James Comey. We’ve also included…
Why I Want Comey to Say More about Att’y Gen. Jeff Sessions
When it comes to the question of obstruction of justice in the Flynn and Russia investigations, many focus on President Donald Trump’s actions, and skeptics then wonder what…
Loyalty and Quid Pro Quo: The Defining Themes of Comey’s Conversations with Trump
Two intertwined themes run through former FBI-Director James Comey’s hot-off-the-presses written testimony: loyalty and quid pro quo. Neither is appropriate for the relationship…
Five Major Highlights in Comey Testimony
The full text of James Comey’s prepared testimony for Thursday’s hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee is now publicly available. Here are five major highlights…
To Whom Should Comey Have Reported His Interactions with Trump?
When former FBI Director James Comey testifies on June 8, he can expect to get this question (especially from some Republican senators): If you thought President Donald Trump was…