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.
4,623 Articles
What Military Actions Are Trump’s vs. Obama Holdovers?
President Donald Trump has been in office for 83 days, and almost everywhere you look, the US military is escalating its operations. US warships are steaming toward North Korea,…
A Microsoft Ireland Fix: Time to Act is Now!
It’s been almost a year since the Second Circuit issued its decision in the Microsoft Ireland case, ruling that U.S. warrant authority pursuant to the Electronic Communications…
Canary in the Coal Mine: Trump Administration Undermines a Global Anti-Corruption Initiative
Those nervously watching to see whether the United States will uphold its existing international commitments to protect human rights and address corruption have had their eyes…
International Law is Failing Us in Syria
Recent events in Syria –President Bashar al-Assad’s horrific chemical weapons attack on civilians in Idlib, and the Trump administration’s subsequent missile strikes –…
How High Was the Bar for Getting a FISA Warrant to Monitor Carter Page?
During summer of the 2016 presidential campaign, the FBI obtained a warrant from a secret court, known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, to monitor a Donald Trump…
Tracking the White House’s Reasons for Bombing Syria
The Trump administration has offered a handful of reasons why it decided to bomb a Syrian government airfield last week. The Department of Defense says the strike damaged or destroyed…
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…