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.
4,623 Articles
Comparing the Trump Indictment and the January 6th Select Committee’s Final Report
A principal author of the January 6th Select Committee’s report examines the Special Counsel’s indictment for significant new evidence.
Department of Defense Issues Update to DoD Law of War Manual on Presumption of Civilian Status and Feasible Precautions to Verify Military Objectives
Commentary by Department of Defense General Counsel Caroline D. Krass
National Security Implications of Trump’s Superseding Indictment: A Damage Assessment 2.0
The alleged attempt to delete surveillance camera footage at Mar-a-Lago poses its own significant concerns for U.S. national security.
The Year of Section 702 Reform, Part III: Why Congress Should Not Exempt Warrantless “Foreign Intelligence” Queries
A cramped approach to protecting Americans’ privacy would be a mistake, both as a legal matter and a practical one.
The House Closed a Key Loophole in Court-Martial Appeals. Will the Senate Follow?
The Senate should support the draft NDAA section that finally drops unfair limitations on GI access to the United States' highest court.
A Close and Critical Look at the ‘Five Things’ the ACLU Says You Need to Know About ‘NSA Mass Surveillance’
The most compelling national security question this year is whether Congress will reauthorize Section 702 and, if so, what form that reauthorization will take.
From ‘Island of Democracy’ to ‘Consolidated Authoritarian Regime’: The Need to Reverse Kyrgyzstan’s Slide
Effects of internal corruption and opaque institutions spill beyond borders, even to the war in Ukraine. Cases show the risks and the hope.
Senator Tommy Tuberville’s Dangerous Military Promotion Ploy
The U.S. military already faces a recruitment crisis. Senator Tommy Tuberville's politicization of the promotions process over abortion makes things worse, violating civil-military…
Civilian Protection Gains Stagnate in FY24 House NDAA
As the Senate considers the NDAA, U.S. policymakers should rally around the passed House amendments poised to make progress for civilians.
Unpacking the “Surprise” Crime in DOJ’s Target Letter to Trump
What does that law say? How has DOJ used it in past? What alleged Trump conduct meets the elements of the crime?
Why Say Who Did What? The Ethiopia Case and the Power of US Atrocity Determinations
Are they meaningful if condemnation is followed blithely by economic engagement with the same actors who committed the violations?
Burning Threats: How Wildfires Undermine U.S. National Security
Climate change impacts like wildfires will affect readiness for the next war — from missed training exercises to drained resources.