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.
4,711 Articles
‘Forever War’ Symposium Offers Timely Perspective on Trump’s Policies
The Columbia Human Rights Law Review, in collaboration with the Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute, recently published a symposium edition dedicated to the relationship…
The United Divided States: San Francisco Sues Donald Trump for Sanctuary Cities Order
Amidst the well-placed outrage over Trump’s Executive Order selectively banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries – including an array of critiques, lawsuits,…
Trump’s Muslim Ban & the Propaganda Value of Violence Against Women
There has been much well-deserved criticism of President Trump’s Executive Order imposing a Muslim Ban on entry into the United States and the chaotic and non-deliberative process…
Questions for Neil Gorsuch’s Confirmation Hearing
Here’s a list of questions I hope will be asked of Judge Neil Gorsuch, the President’s nominee to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat, at his Senate confirmation hearing. Most…
Norms Watch: Tracking the Erosion of Democratic Traditions (Feb. 3-10)
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of…
Targeted Killing Under Trump: Law, Policy, and Legal Risk
A recent Presidential Memorandum directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a preliminary plan to defeat ISIS. The plan “shall include . . . recommended changes to any United…
Trump and the Immigration Bureaucracy: Should We Expect Civil Servants to Dissent?
President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) barring entry from seven Muslim majority countries and suspending the refugee resettlement program has sparked public outcry, caused upheaval…
Tallinn Manual 2.0 on the International Law of Cyber Operations: What It Is and Isn’t
This week marked the release of Tallinn Manual 2.0 on the International Law of Cyber Operations, the result of the follow-on project that led to the publication of the Tallinn…
Yemen’s consent for U.S. counterterrorism operations: Questions for the Trump Administration
On Thursday, the New York Times reported that Yemen had withdrawn its consent from US Special Operations ground missions in the country, following a commando raid Jan. 29, which…
Slow Justice is No Justice: Sexual Exploitation in Military and Civilian Operations
The conflict and long-term crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) is characterized by its inter-ethnic cleavages and deepened by scattered surges of violence and state disintegration.…
How to Unmask Trump’s Detention Plans: Ask about the Yemen Raid
On Wednesday, we received news from the New York Times of a revised draft Executive Order that would require the Secretary of Defense to “maintain and continue to use” Guantanamo…
The Trump Administration’s Draft EO on GTMO—Strategic, Legal, and Financial Implications
On Wednesday morning, the New York Times published a revised draft of a proposed Executive Order (EO) concerning the detention of enemy combatants. The draft EO reflects the…