Department of State
270 Articles
Can the International Criminal Court Hold the Trump Administration in Contempt?
On June 11, President Donald Trump issued an executive order authorizing the imposition of sanctions targeting International Criminal Court officials. This article assesses the…
Why We Oppose the Pompeo Commission on Unalienable Rights’ Draft Report
The letter, signed by 230 organizations, scholars, former officials, and advocates, explains five faulty conclusions central to the report’s thesis. It concludes by noting that…
An Exercise in Doublespeak: Pompeo’s Flawed “Unalienable Rights” Commission
The panel's report clearly seeks to provide a foundation for a regressive, harmful approach to human rights and foreign policy.
Questions the Senate Should Ask State Legal Adviser Nominee CJ Mahoney
The State Department Legal Adviser is the most senior U.S. lawyer responsible for ensuring the United States upholds its international legal obligations, which is now, more than…
Trump Administration’s Women, Peace and Security Plans: Blueprint for Action or Empty Promises?
The president and his officials take many actions diametrically opposed to these plans. But Congress and civil society can keep the pressure on.
Suing Foreign States in U.S. Courts
Since the enactment of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) in 1976, foreign sovereigns have become subject to a number of statutory exceptions to immunity in U.S. courts.…
Patriotism and Justice on an Unusual Independence Day
Former Acting Attorney General, who served in George HW Bush and Clinton administrations and as an advisor to several Presidents, calls for officials to resist unethical directives,…
Trump’s ICC EO Will Undercut All U.S. Sanctions Programs—Is That Why Treasury Isn’t Conspicuously on Board?
The risks posed by the new U.S. sanctions program aimed at the ICC extend beyond the Court, its employees, and its supporters.
Dissecting the Executive Order on Int’l Criminal Court Sanctions: Scope, Effectiveness, and Tradeoffs
An expert breakdown of what's in President Trump's executive order, how it works exactly, and what comes next.
The Growing Irrelevance of State’s List of Countries Not Cooperating on Counterterrorism
Any certification that labels countries as not cooperating fully on counterterrorism and includes only the five countries listed by the State Department last month is less about…
Pompeo’s Personal Stake in the International Criminal Court’s Afghan Investigation
It is no secret that the Trump administration, in general, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, specifically, are hostile toward the International Criminal Court (ICC), particularly…
A Bipartisan Push in Congress to Fight the ‘Parallel Pandemic’ of Human Rights Abuses Abroad
Legislation would improve US support to rights defenders, journalists, and marginalized groups fighting authoritarian abuses of emergency powers abroad.