Trump administration first term
486 Articles
Fear and Loathing on the Border: A First-Hand Look at the Travesty
Far from the loophole-ridden sieve described by the administration, the asylum system we saw was a Kafka-esque labyrinth designed to punish migrants who dare to exercise their…
The Once and Future Threat of Nuclear Weapon Testing
Some Trump administration officials have signaled hostility to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and an interest in the United States resuming nuclear weapon testing, which could…
Unsealed Documents in Special Counsel Mueller’s Investigation [Updated]
Special Counsel Robert Mueller has prosecuted the Russia investigation by bringing charges against a number of former Trump campaign officials and their associates, and against…
Congress Will Ignore Trump’s Foreign Affairs Budget Request. Others Will Not.
President Donald Trump’s proposal to make massive cuts to the Fiscal Year 2020 U.S. foreign affairs budget has not attracted much attention in Washington, reflecting confidence…
Annie Donaldson is Not the President’s “Alter Ego”
It could almost be a bar exam question. Under the Executive Branch theory that the president’s senior aides are “absolutely immune” from appearing before Congress, which…
Trump’s Preference for Acting Officials Puts National Security at Risk
This article is cross-posted on Lawfare. President Trump recently announced that his intended nominee for secretary of defense will be Patrick Shanahan, who became—way back…
McGahn’s Chief of Staff, Annie Donaldson May Be Congress’ Prized Witness
Don McGahn's chief of staff had a front seat at the Trump White House during the Russia investigation, and has reasons to comply with Congress' subpoena.
US Counterterrorism Under the UN Spotlight
A United Nations team is visiting Washington this week to conduct its first review of U.S. counterterrorism policy.
Mueller Report Illustrates Trump’s Authoritarian Rhetorical Tactics
One way to evaluate Trump objectively is to examine the Mueller Report for the president’s rhetorical strategies -- ad baculum, ad hominem, and paralipsis, among others.
Gutting the Substance of a Security Council Resolution on Sexual Violence
The United States has abandoned any meaningful commitment to victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, in the interest of appeasing domestic anti-abortion constituencies.…
Deconstructing the Int’l Criminal Court’s Decision on Afghanistan
The decision of the International Criminal Court’s Pre-Trial Chamber II refusing to open an investigation into crimes committed in Afghanistan establishes a new Rome Statute…
Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in March 2019
Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of those norms in reactions…