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.
4,622 Articles
Questions for Confirmation Hearings for Jeff Sessions as Attorney General
Attorney general nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions will face the Senate Judiciary Committee for two days’ worth of confirmation hearings, starting tomorrow at 9:30 am. Just Security’s…
Trump Calls for Congressional Investigation of his Administration-in-Waiting
On Friday, President-elect Donald Trump tweeted: “I am asking the chairs of the House and Senate committees to investigate top secret intelligence shared with NBC prior to…
The Troubling Application of the Political Question Doctrine to Congressional Force Authorizations
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Nov. 21 dismissed the suit brought by U.S. Army Captain Nathan Michael Smith challenging the legality of the military campaign…
Top 10 Gender and Security Developments of 2016
These developments and issues are not in any hierarchical order. They represent a broad swath of gender-related practices, actions, opportunities and setbacks that emerged in 2016.…
And Dan Coats Makes Five–Senior Policymakers in a Trump Administration Who Would Take a Hard Line on Russia
President-elect Donald Trump will reportedly name former Indiana Senator Dan Coats to replace James Clapper as Director of National Intelligence. Coats would become the fifth…
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…