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.

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3,309 Articles
Judge gavel with american flag on wooden table

When the Executive Defies the Judiciary: How Federal Courts Can Enforce Their Orders Without the Marshals

Federal courts possess a number of tools to ensure the U.S. government is held responsible for failing to enforce or execute court orders.
Sen. Patrick Leahy sits in front of a poster with examples of Russian-created Facebook pages

Is the U.S. Abandoning the Fight Against Foreign Information Operations?

The Trump administration's policy shift paves the way for foreign propaganda to flourish, leaving Europe to step into the breach.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth talks with Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez in front of a Panama Canal sign.

Ambiguity Is Not Authorization: The Neutrality Treaty Does Not Justify U.S. Military Intervention in Panama

U.S. Military intervention in Panama would violate fundamental international norms and find no justification in the Neutrality Treaty.
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The Just Security Podcast: Discussion of Stephen Miller Remarks on Suspension of Habeas Corpus & Path Ahead

An assessment of Stephen Miller's recent remarks on the suspension of habeas corpus and the path ahead for courts and members of Congress.
A cherry tree in bloom near the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

A Pyrrhic Victory: Initial Supreme Court Gain for Trump on Alien Enemies Act May End in Administration’s Loss

An emerging consensus among federal judges on the AEA's application increases the odds for the Trump administration's loss at the Supreme Court.
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), accompanied by Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) (L) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) (2nd-L)

In Congress, a Welcome, But Flawed, Step to Stop Trump’s Transfers to Torture

The El Salvador 502B resolution risks falsely drawing distinctions about the applicability of human rights based on immigration status.
Bitcoin cryptocurrency on the U.S. flag

How Congress Can Stop the Looming Crypto Disaster

Legislative and administrative accommodation of the crypto industry pose fundamental challenges to control over money and credit.
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele

The Dirty Deal with El Salvador

What’s known about the agreement between the United States and El Salvador when it comes to CECOT prison, and why sworn testimony may be needed to fill in the gaps.

The U.S.-Ukraine Agreement: Legality and Transparency

The recently announced mineral deal is likely a lawful “sole executive agreement” that the president need not submit to Congress, but subsequent implementing agreements are…

The Just Security Podcast: Keeping Track of the Big Picture–Challenges to Press Freedom and Beyond

A discussion with Rebecca Hamilton about the use of State power and how to identify linkages between individual developments and broader trends in press freedom and beyond.

The Trump Administration’s Use of State Power: Keeping Track of the Big Picture

Tracking the use of State power requires systematically identifying linkages between individual developments and broader trends. This graphic offers one method.
This combination of pictures created on April 09, 2025 shows US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff (L) and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L)

Creating the Conditions for a Nuclear Deal with Iran

The Trump administration should focus on messaging pragmatic objectives for a deal and de-emphasizing U.S. efforts to exert “maximum pressure” on Iran while talks are ongoing.
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