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.
4,542 Articles

“When the Guardrails Erode” Series
Bringing together expert analysis that traces this erosion, assesses the risks for democratic governance, and outlines pathways to rebuild or even reinvent these safeguards.

Congress Shrinking from the World: the Constitution’s Article I in the Shadow of Trump 2.0
Congress has revealed itself less as a coequal branch and more as an accomplice in the marginalization of its own constitutional role in foreign and national security policy.

The Anti-Corruption Tracker: Mapping the Erosion of Oversight and Accountability
This Anti-Corruption Tracker focuses on the erosion or dismantling of oversight and accountability systems within the United States Executive Branch.

When Guardrails Erode: An Anti‑Corruption Series
This series aims to document how erosion is happening, what it reveals, and what it demands from those committed to rebuilding and rethinking our systems of accountability.

Understanding DHS’s and ICE’s New Powers in Comparative Perspective
Highlights of podcast discussion by experts on DHS, DOJ and Congress.

The Trump Administration’s AI Action Plan Is Coming. Here’s What to Look For.
From export controls to the U.S. workforce, the plan’s decisions will have major consequences for the country’s AI development & deployment.

The Just Security Podcast: What Just Happened, The Budget Bill and the Future of DHS and ICE
Host David Aaron is joined by Steve Cash to discuss institutional constraints on the FBI and law enforcement agencies compared to DHS.

The Legal Fig Leaf: The US-El Salvador Detainee Diplomatic Notes
Declassified U.S.–El Salvador documents expose a shaky legal cover and continued U.S. control over detainees in CECOT, raising questions about complicity in potential abuses.

A Warm Welcome to Mark Nevitt as a Just Security Editorial Board Member!
We are thrilled to welcome distinguished scholar and Emory law professor Mark Nevitt, Commander, JAGC (ret.), as a new member of Just Security's Editorial Board.

Court of International Trade’s Flawed Ruling in Striking Down Trump’s Tariffs
On May 28, the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled Trump's tariffs exceed IEEPA's scope; the court's analysis is weak. These cases show limits of constitutional avoidance.

Whistleblower Documents Implicate Emil Bove in Criminal Contempt Order by Chief Judge Boasberg
Email released by whistleblower would presumably implicate Bove in the “contumacious conduct” identified by Chief Judge Boasberg.

The Trump Administration’s Multi-Front Assault on Federal Research Funding
Costs for scientific progress and the public could be profound if the Trump administration succeeds in significantly cutting research funding.