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
Trump’s So-Called Withdrawal from Paris: Far From Over
On Thursday, President Trump announced his intent that the United States “withdraw” from the Paris Agreement, the landmark climate change treaty that establishes national greenhouse…
Campaign Finance Law: When “Collusion” with a Foreign Government Becomes a Crime
Commentary on Russian intervention in the 2016 elections has included one confidently expressed and perhaps growing view: that there may be a scandal there, but no conceivable…
Army Chief is Fired in South Sudan: A Turning Point for Peace?
South Sudan President Salva Kiir surprised both South Sudanese citizens and regional analysts by firing Army Chief of Staff Paul Malong — arguably the most divisive public figure…
The UAE’s Military and Naval Reliance on Eritrea Makes the War in Yemen Even Riskier for the U.S.
The Saudi-led coalition’s near three-year conflict in Yemen appears to be converging on the Houthi-controlled city of Hodeidah. Foreign diplomats, international humanitarian…
Pence’s Troubling Advice: Follow the Chain of Command “Without Exception”
After thinking about Vice President Mike Pence’s remarks last Friday at the United States Naval Academy’s commencement, I found one part of his speech particularly alarming:…
New Atrocities Prevention & Response Legislation Introduced
I posted earlier about a new bipartisan bill to advance accountability in Syria: the Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2017 (current status is here). Two additional pieces…
Delegating Commander-in-Chief Powers–Where to strike the balance
The Trump Administration is busy reconsidering the United States’ approach to counterterrorism, and its revised policies will assuredly reflect President Trump’s desire to…
Recap of Recent Posts on Just Security (May 20-26)
I. Foreign Policy Michael Posner, Tillerson’s Degradation of Human Rights Mustn’t–and Can’t Yet–be Executive Branch Policy (Monday, May 22) Sydney Blumenthal, What…
Norms Watch: Democracy, the Trump Administration, and Reactions to It (May 19-26)
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…
Glowing Orbs and Glimmers of Hope: Trump’s baby steps to countering violent extremism
The most iconic photo of President Trump’s first foreign trip may end up being the one that mushroomed into an internet meme last weekend — the American leader, huddled…
Important Features of Senators Kaine and Flake’s Proposed War Authorization for ISIS–with Annotations
Just Security serves as a space for discussion of whether now and how exactly Congress should tailor legislation authorizing the Executive Branch to wage war against ISIS. On…
Russia and a Divided United States: What Comes After Trump?
While the United States, along with its Western allies, became preoccupied with post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, global counterterrorism operations, and the aftermath of…