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
Can Trump Unravel Obama’s Rules of War?
For eight years, the Obama administration has pursued a tough-minded war against al Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups that has eliminated their leaders from Somalia to Afghanistan…
International Law and the US Response to Russian Election Interference
On Thursday, Senator McCain will hold hearings of the Armed Services Committee on the Russian election hacking. Several aspects of Russia’s election interference raise issues…
The DHS/FBI Report on Russian Hacking was a Predictable Failure
Russian cyber espionage against American political targets has dominated the news in recent months, intensifying last week with President Barack Obama’s announcement of sanctions…
Five (Overlooked) Decision Points for the Trump Administration in National Security
What are the decision points that the President-elect’s transition team and incoming administration will likely face over the horizon in the national security arena? News media…
The Office of Special Counsel’s Oversight Role in National Security: A Home for Whistleblowers
To function efficiently and effectively, the government must promote whistleblowing by its employees. This is especially true in the national and homeland security contexts, where…
Congressional Oversight in the Trump Era: Strategic Choices
Republican congressional leaders face stark strategic choices as Donald Trump assumes control of the White House. A period of acrimonious divided government will be supplanted…
U.S.-Russian Relations After the Russian Hacking Affair
Russian President Vladimir Putin has defied the long-standing, hard rules of the game in handling espionage affairs by failing to follow the Russian Foreign Ministry’s recommendation…
Full List of All Gov’t Docs in US Response to Russian Election Hacking–with summaries
Below is a list of all the U.S. government documents released on Thursday as part of the Obama administration’s announced response to Russian interference in the U.S. election…
White House Retaliation for Russian Hacking
This afternoon the White House announced several actions against Russia in retaliation for Russian interference in the U.S. election. Key among them is the use of the cybersecurity…
Recommended Reading: Kristen Eichensehr on Classifying the Election System as “Critical Infrastructure” in Response to Russian Hacks
Several news outlets are reporting that the Obama Administration is likely to announce very shortly a packet of measures it will pursue in response to Russian cyber activities…
The ICRC Survey and Torture: A Glass Two-Thirds Full?
As indicated by Ryan Goodman in a recent Just Security post, the report, “People on War: Perspectives from 16 Countries,” by the International Committee of the Red Cross, provides…
State Responsibility for Assisting Armed Groups: A Legal Risk Analysis
Last month, the US State Department’s Legal Adviser Brian Egan highlighted one of the most significant legal issues on the horizon: US and coalition forces’ handling of large…