Department of Defense (DoD)
328 Articles

Can the Secretary of Defense Remove Admirals from a Promotion List?
The legal questions raised by these removals ultimately extend far beyond the careers of the officers involved.

Congress Can Act Now on U.S. DoD Inspector’s Report Revealing Violations of Civilian Harm Policy and Law
A Defense Department Inspector General report shows the Pentagon’s failure to prioritize congressionally mandated civilian protection mechanisms amid U.S. military action.

Timeline of Boat Strikes and Related Actions
A timeline that chronicles major events in the Trump administration’s campaign of lethal strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

The Historic U.S. Defense Budget Request Needs a Sound Indo-Pacific Policy
The Trump administration's proposed $1.45 trillion defense budget for fiscal 2027 comes up short in three key ways for U.S. security in the Indo-Pacific.

Is the United States (Still) at War? How Wars Begin and End
Armed conflict is not a matter of political branding, rhetorical convenience, or domestic law positioning. It is a legal status that turns on objective facts.
The Just Security Podcast: Reporting at a Crossroads
A panel hosted by the Reiss Center and Just Security explores challenges facing national security journalism, legal risks, and newsroom leadership in a polarized landscape.

The Armed Forces Need the Military Justice Review Panel
Rather than some new handcrafted DoD entity, it is crucial that the Military Justice Review Panel (MJRP) be restored as required under statute.

Lessons from the Pentagon’s Empty Case Against Mark Kelly
Expert on civil-military relations writes on what's behind Secretary Pete Hegseth’s "hollow pursuit" of Senator Mark Kelly.

What the Iran War Reveals About the War Powers Resolution and How Congress Can Act
It is Congress’s responsibility to assert its constitutional prerogatives with respect to the use of force and to rein in a lawless executive.

What A War Game Already Told Us About Iran
A war game exposed the risks of fighting Iran with assumptions instead of strategy, and its lessons echo in today’s conflict.

Hegseth’s Intellectual Purge is an Insult to His Officer Corps
"I am also a registered Republican and a gun owner. I did not arrive in Cambridge confused about my political identity. I did not leave with it erased or chastened."

Legal Foundations of Honorable Military Service
As former judge advocates, it was our responsibility while on active duty to advise on the legal demands of and limits on senior officers’ authority and responsibility.