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.
4,603 Articles
The US Must Help Fight the Criminalization of Activism in Central America, Not Make It Worse
Without safeguards, promoting private-sector investment to slow migration risks fueling a crisis for human rights defenders.
Seditious Conspiracy vs. Insurrection: Assessing the Evidence Against Trump
The Justice Department’s current investigation of criminal efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election apparently is taking two paths. One investigative…
Trump Associate’s Stated Plan to Publicly Release “Declassified” Documents
New revelations "could have significant legal implications for the Justice Department’s ongoing criminal investigation."
Oversight Reports Raise Questions About Value of DHS Counterterrorism Efforts
Twenty years after DHS was cobbled together in the wake of 9/11, it’s time to seriously examine which of its programs really protect us.
Myths & Misunderstandings Relating to Mar-a-Lago Documents Investigation
Five myths broken down by J. William Leonard who, in government service, was responsible for the oversight of classified information for the entire executive branch.
Five Years After “Unite the Right”: Reflections on Charlottesville for Today’s Threat Landscape
Charlottesville was a watershed moment in US politics and a wake-up call to the counterterrorism community. What lessons have been learned on how to counter white supremacist extremism?
DHS IG Cuffari’s Actions Exhibit Clear Pattern: Unwillingness or Inability to Meet the Mission
President Biden may be tempted to let the inspector general community police their own, but that might tacitly approve inferior performance.
Lessons from Petraeus’s Guilty Plea for Trump’s Classified Docs Investigation
In the retired general's case, the FBI executed a search warrant at his home and seized notebooks allegedly containing classified material.
Expert Backgrounder: Criminal Statutes that Could Apply to Trump’s Retention of Government Documents
The DOJ obtained a search warrant for Mar-a-Lago. What underlying crimes might have justified the search? Experts survey the possibilities.
What Was the International Legal Basis for the Strike on al-Zawahiri?
Serious questions need to be addressed in order to establish that both the killing of Zawahiri, and the use of force against Afghanistan, were not violations of international law.
Declaring a Climate Emergency Won’t Save the Planet — Energy Security Could
The Biden administration should shift messaging on climate change by sharpening the focus on economic gains and national security.
Biden’s Weak Stand in Saudi Arabia Could Kick MBS’ Repression Machine Into Overdrive – But It’s Not Too Late to Act
The US could still change course to salvage the relationship, advance mutual interests, and expand overlapping values.