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
The Trump Administration Fails Tillerson’s Test
In recent weeks the Trump administration has approved the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain and warmly welcomed Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to the White House,…
Apples and Oranges–Obama’s and Trump’s Plans to Strike Syria for Chem Weapons Use
One of the most important policy and legal questions moving forward is whether the Trump administration needs to seek congressional approval for military strikes in response to…
The Use of Force in Response to Syrian Chemical Attacks: Emergence of a New Norm?
The April 6 cruise missile strikes against Syria in response to its chemical weapon attacks on Khan Sheikhoun have generated considerable commentary on Just Security and elsewhere. …
Trump’s Muddled Message on Human Rights and Security
It seems that President Donald Trump and his Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, have their wires crossed yet again. The president, despite strong objections from human…
Reading the Tea Leaves of Trump’s NSC Shakeup
The announcement on Wednesday that President Donald Trump had removed political advisor Stephen Bannon from his guaranteed seat on the National Security Council’s (NSC) Principals…
What Do Top Legal Experts Say About the Syria Strikes?
I asked several of the very top legal minds about their views concerning Thursday night’s airstrikes by the United States in response to the Syrian government’s reported…
Not Illegal: But Now The Hard Part Begins
I am no fan of the Trump Administration, which in its short life has attempted many illegal acts. But neither do I automatically conclude that everything it does is illegal, as…
Why the strikes against Syria probably violate the U.N. Charter and (therefore) the U.S. Constitution
[UPDATED] The Pentagon has issued the following statement about the U.S.’s use of 59 Tomahawk missiles against the Shayrat Airfield in the Homs governorate of Syria this…
The U.S. Public Deserves More than Trump’s Silence on Afghanistan
When I graduated from West Point in 2009, the war in Afghanistan was one of the hottest topics. President Barack Obama’s campaign and young presidency had been defined, in large…
Why Trump Associates Should Worry A Lot More About the Logan Act
In a Washington Post Op-Ed, I look into the history of the law that forbids Americans engaging with foreign governments to undermine official policies of the United States. The…
‘America First’ Leaves the Border Behind
Border security is a concept that, among Americans, usually conjures up images of dusty, desert expanses in our southwest. Maybe it includes a cactus or a dark-green clad Border…
President Trump’s Careless Rhetoric, Unlawful Command Influence, and the Bergdahl Court-Martial
Plenty of ink has already been spilled on the extent to which statements by President Trump and his advisers can and should be used as evidence of illicit motive in the context…