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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4,603 Articles
People stand on a railing overlooking the Chinese Dongfeng missile. The missile looks like a large white rocket with a pointed tip.

Anti-Asian Prejudice Undermines U.S. National Security: Revisiting the U.S. Government’s Deportation of Qian Xuesen

The U.S. deported a scientist who then built missiles for China. His legacy shows the cost of racial discrimination.
Trump leaves the Manhattan Supreme Court where he serves on jury duty on August 17, 2015 in New York City. Reporters gather around him with cameras and microphones.

When, Where and For What Mar-a-Lago Crimes Should Garland Indict Trump?

The Justice Department would be on strongest legal ground to indict former President Trump for MAL crimes in Washington, D.C., not Florida.
A Chinese military helicopter flies past Pingtan island, one of mainland China's closest points from Taiwan, in Fujian province on August 4, 2022, ahead of massive military drills off Taiwan following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the self-ruled island. The military drills were the largest-ever Chinese military exercises encircling Taiwan, in a show of force straddling vital international shipping lanes. The photo also shows an unidentified vessel that appears to be a cargo ship between the helicopter and the island. (Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)

Strategic Ambiguity Isn’t Working to Deter China on Taiwan – It Will Invade Anyway. It’s Time to Commit

A game theorist with experience as a fighter pilot says the US should rally other countries to expand the commitment to the island’s defense.
The illustration depicts pages from the government's released version of the F.B.I. search warrant affidavit for former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. The pages contains black redactions that cover many portions of the affidavit. On the bottom right page, there is a signature by Judge Bruce E. Reinhart.

A Damage Assessment of Trump’s “Declassification Defense”

"It should be shocking to the American public and to jurors in a courtroom to hear such a line of defense to allegations of mishandling national defense information."
Taliban fighters, in the backs of trucks, hold weapons in a celebratory convoy on a road. The cars carry white Taliban flags with a black Shahada.

Terrorism Might Be the Least of Our Problems a Year After America’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Beyond counterterrorism, Afghanistan remains a key theater for great power competition and U.S. security interests.

Rebooting Bosnia’s Constitutional Reform Process

A recent election law debacle calls for a major rethink of Western policy in Bosnia, rooted in genuine democratic principles.
On left, a portrait of U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon of the Southern District of Florida, who is considering former President Donald Trump's request to appoint a special master to review documents recovered from his Mar-a-Lago estate. On right, a photo of a male police officer wearing sunglasses and police uniform, standing next to two vehicles on August 9, 2022, in front of the ornate tan and gold gates of Mar-a-Lago, with an American flag flying to the left of the gates. Palm trees wave in the background against a stormy sky.

Assessing Trump’s Claim of ‘Executive Privilege’ on FBI Access to MAL Docs

"In short, the notion that a former president can block his successor from accessing presidential records that the incumbent believes he needs for purposes of carrying out executive…
US President Joe Biden addresses the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate from the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next to the White House, in Washington, DC on June 17, 2022. - Biden hosts the virtual summit of major economies.

The Biden Administration Should Begin its “War on Secrecy” by Releasing Key War Powers Reports

Providing a meaningful report to Congress - and the American public - on legal and policy frameworks governing the use of force and related national security operations is not…
Man in Saudi dress, a member of the Saudi delegation, stands in foreground, Jared Kushner in suit in background, picture of historical figure on wall, taken in the Oval Office of the White House.

Need for US Ethics Reform Is Far from History: Kushner-MBS Deal Reflects Broken System

Recommended reforms include a two-year post-employment ban preventing senior and very senior officials from working on behalf of foreign governments, plus exploring options for…

The Curious Case of Alvin Bragg — Reconsidering the DA’s Trump investigation

An expert analysis of how Manhattan' District Attorney Alvin Bragg may be playing a multi-level chess game in prosecution of Trump entities and associates.
A child stands near two US army vehicles, which carry American flags. Nearby is a male American military officer.

How the FY23 NDAA Can Strengthen U.S. Efforts to Prevent and Respond to Civilian Harm (Part I)

Overhauling U.S. policies for preventing and responding to civilian harm will require sustained engagement from Congress.
US Vice President Kamala Harris (L) looks on as US President Joe Biden holds up a pen to Ambassador Mikko Hautala, of the Republic of Finland, and Ambassador Karin Olofsdotter, of the Kingdom of Sweden, during a signing ceremony for the Instruments of Ratification for the Accession Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty for the Republic of Finland and Kingdom of Sweden, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. Behind them are the American, Finish, Swedish, and NATO flags.

America Resurgent: From Afghanistan to Ukraine

Ambassador Wolosky's essay describes his thoughts entering, serving, and exiting the Biden administration and the future of the international order.
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