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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4,596 Articles
A woman is detained by federal agents

The U.S. Deportation Industrial Complex: Arrests and Detention by the Numbers

Detaining citizens & immigrants without a public safety rationale is inconsistent with American values and wastes of taxpayer money.
Gavel on a table in front of a chair with a military uniform

Could Trump Use the Uniform Code of Military Justice to Stifle the Protected Speech of Military Retirees?

The concerns expressed about the possible application of UCMJ's Article 88 to the protected speech of retired military officers aren't theoretical.
A scale in front of shipping containers

Rethinking IEEPA Accountability and Oversight

Congress can take steps now to revise IEEPA & strengthen accountability & oversight when the executive branch leverages U.S. economic powers.
US Marines' Lockheed Martin F35-B jets arrive in formation to José Aponte de la Torre Airport

Murder by Drone: The Legal and Moral Stakes of the Caribbean Strikes

If allowed to go unchecked, the Caribbean strikes could encourage additional unlawful executions by the United States and other leaders.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on September 1, 2025, that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Asserting a License to Kill: Why the Caribbean Strike is a Dangerous Departure from the “War on Terror”

An absence of credible legal basis for the Caribbean strike suggests the Trump admin is asserting a prerogative to kill outside the law.

Book Release – Perpetual War and International Law: Enduring Legacies of the War on Terror

Introducing a new OUP book interrogating how precedents set in the post-9/11 era continue to shape contemporary conflicts.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City

The Many Ways in Which the September 2 Caribbean Strike was Unlawful … and the Grave Line the Military Has Crossed

A deep dive into US domestic authority and law most relevant to the US strike on alleged Venezuelan drug boat.
The Just Security Podcast

The Just Security Podcast: Murder on the High Seas? What You Need to Know about the U.S. Strike on the Caribbean Vessel

Rebecca Ingber and Brian Finucane join Tess Bridgeman to unpack what you need to know about the U.S. strike on a purported drug trafficking vessel in the Caribbean.
Visualization of a quantum chip

A Strategic Bet to Advance America’s Quantum Leadership

By prioritizing quantum sensors, the Trump administration can catalyze defense breakthroughs and secure the U.S. lead in the quantum era.
Crew members of the US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) are pictured at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on September 1, 2025, that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Using Labels, Not Law, to Justify Lethal Force: Inside the Venezuelan Boat Strike

Applying a new label to an old problem does not transform the problem. Nor does it grant the U.S. president or the U.S. military expanded legal authority to kill civilians.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on September 1, 2025, that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Legal Issues Raised by a Lethal U.S. Military Attack in the Caribbean

The Trump administration’s extraordinary lethal attack on a purported drug smuggling vessel – and its vow that it is the start of a campaign – raise significant legal issues.
Seal of the Foreign Malign Influence Center (Wikimedia Commons)

What Just Happened? Dismantling the Intelligence Community’s Foreign Malign Influence Center

Director of National Intelligence Gabbard is dismantling the last government unit tracking and analyzing State-sponsored interference in U.S. institutions, elections, and society.
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