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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4,799 Articles
U.S. President Donald Trump (C) and Vice President JD Vance meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Negotiations at Gunpoint: Does U.S. Pressure on Ukraine for a Minerals Deal Amount to Unlawfully Procuring a Treaty by Use of Force?

Coercion leveraged by the U.S. to secure Ukrainian mineral resources could be deemed use of force, rendering any resulting treaty void.
Visualization of Data and U.S. Congress

Vanishing Accountability? The Need to Preserve U.S. Federal Financial Transparency

As threats to open data and financial accountability grow in the United States, it is essential to protect transparency at all costs.
Screenshot of Form G-325R Biographic Information (Registration)

The Immigration Registration Trap Goes Live

When a court finally addresses the merits of the rule, there are strong procedural and substantive grounds to challenge its implementation.
A demonstrator expresses concerns over the sharing of private personal data by DOGE, at a "Hands Off!" protest

DOGE’s Growing Reach into Personal Data: What it Means for Human Rights

Congress should update the Privacy Act to prevent DOGE from violating U.S. international rights obligations.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is seen on the podium

What Just Happened: The Trump Administration Repealed Zero Tolerance Policy for Rogue Gun Dealers

The Trump administration's repeal of a zero tolerance policy for rogue gun dealers will threaten US public safety and relations with Mexico.
Cloud-based Integration and Integration Platform as a Service Concept

Enabling a Thriving Middleware Market

For middleware to flourish, policymakers must align market incentives, address regulatory barriers, and encourage platform cooperation.
Signage for US broadcaster Voice of America is seen in Washington, DC

Unpacking the Voice of America Litigation

Recent rulings by federal judges provide templates for opposing the destruction of congressionally-created agencies like the Voice of America.
Drafting the Declaration of Independence in Antique Illustration (Getty Images)

No, the President Cannot Issue Bills of Attainder

Trump orders functioning as bills of attainder are prohibited by the Constitution and repugnant to its separation of powers.
The photo shows four very long, shallow docked boats arrayed next to each other diagonally across the image, seemingly made of iron or metal, carrying belongings and one with a number of adults and children in it. Other people are on land at the back of the image, next to a dirt road beside fields stretching into the distance.

Visa Revocations Disregard South Sudan War Risks, Overlook U.S. Communities’ Embrace of Refugees

The breadth and depth of support for South Sudanese across red and blue states has origins in evangelical backing for the young country.
Bosnian Muslims carry caskets containing remains of 66 bodies, during a mass burial ceremony in the Eastern Bosnian town of Visegrad

Bosnian Serb Separatist Leader’s Defiance of Arrest Warrant Stirs Wartime Memories

A war survivor says the response to Dodik's separatism must be firm and unequivocal for the sake of regional and European security.
The photo shows a red Chinese flag with gold stars flying over a disaster scene -- a building partly collapsed and leaning, with a pile of rubble at its base and a crowd of rescue workers and civilians around it.

America’s Absence in Myanmar’s Early Earthquake Response: A Moral and Strategic Failure

US foreign aid gutting hampers humanitarian response to Myanmar's earthquake toll, leaving gaps filled by China for its strategic gain.
(L) US vice president JD Vance speaks during the 61st Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2025 in Munich, Germany (R) President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a plenary session at the Artificial Intelligence

Truth and Consequences: The Post-Election Regulatory Landscape for Big Tech

After recent elections, deregulatory winds are blowing on both sides of the Atlantic when it comes to platform governance and Big Tech.
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