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.
4,595 Articles
The Just Security Podcast: ‘The Presidents and the People’ Book Talk
Corey Brettschneider discusses his new book "The Presidents and the People" and the lessons it offers for American democracy.
Does a “Presumptive” Privilege Protect President Trump from Prosecution for Pressuring Pence?
Prosecuting Trump for pressuring Pence to refuse to count valid electoral ballots would be a well-founded prosecution for a serious offense.
Frictionless Government and the National Security Constitution
Layering different kinds of friction is crucial. Checks that may restrain a unilateralist Executive, such as empowering Congress structurally to push back effectively, can still…
Much Ado About Nothing: Recent Changes to Department of Defense Directive 5240.01
Recent changes to this Defense Department directive do not reflect any change in policy and provide no new authority to deploy the military domestically or to use lethal force…
The U.S. National Security Memorandum on AI: Leading Experts Weigh In
Leading experts unpack the Biden administration's National Security Memorandum on AI.
Confronting the War on International Law in the United States
Widespread ignorance and even fear of international law only cede the territory to those willing to wield it. For the interests of the United States, it is essential that Congress,…
Symposium on Harold Hongju Koh’s ‘The National Security Constitution in the 21st Century’
Just Security is pleased to hold a symposium of leading experts engaging with Professor Harold Hongju Koh's recently-released The National Security Constitution in the 21st Century.
Heat Map of January 6th Defendants Across the United States
An interactive public resource.
Proud Boys Threat Assessment: From the Planning of January 6th to Future Scenarios
The Proud Boys, more than any other organized extremist group, planned the January 6th attack on the US Capitol and led the charge. If they can harness the capacity to do it again,…
Lifting Russia Sanctions – What Can a President Do Unilaterally?
Congress has imposed significant constraints on the president's ability to unilaterally lift sanctions imposed on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine in increasingly specific…
Trump’s Record, Rhetoric Suggest Second Term Could Prove Fatal to Nuclear Nonproliferation
US presidents of both parties have agreed for 60 years on the need to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. Trump has signaled he’s not so sure.
The “War Game” Documentary, and Simulating a Worse January 6th
How would – and how should – our most senior government leaders respond?