Trump administration first term
486 Articles
Gina Haspel’s Nomination to Head the CIA: Why the Controversy & What is at Stake?
The Senate has recently confirmed Mike Pompeo to be Secretary of State, after Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) dropped his objections and several Democrats indicated that they would support…
DOD’s Guantánamo Report: An Opportunity for Detainees Already Cleared for Release
On January 30, President Donald Trump issued an executive order instructing the Secretary of Defense to within 90 days, after consultation with the heads of other relevant…
Trump Administration’s New Weapons Export Policies Stress Benefit to U.S. Economy
After months of anticipation, the Trump administration recently released a new conventional arms transfer (CAT) policy and a new unmanned aerial systems (UAS) export policy. Both…
Travel Ban III: Why the Court Does Not Have to Second-Guess Any (Nonexistent) Presidential National Security Decisions
[Cross-posted at Balkinization.] There’s already been a great deal written about yesterday’s oral argument in Trump v. Hawaii. Most observers have focused on whether, for…
A Tale of Two Branches at Today’s Oral Arguments in the Travel Ban 3.0 Case
Sitting in the packed courtroom for today’s Supreme Court argument in Trump v. Hawaii, our own Joshua Geltzer was reminded of watching a movie in which the plots for two main…
The Politicization of Our Security Institutions
The politicization of the FBI has been swift and extreme. According to Reuters polling, just two years ago, 84 percent of Republicans viewed the FBI favorably. By February 2018,…
Just Security Podcast: Ex National Security Council Official Joshua Geltzer on Supreme Court Travel Ban Case
Above: Zainab Ahmed of Dearborn, Michigan chants during a protest of Muslim Ban 3.0 on the campus of Wayne State University on October 4, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Stephen…
Comey’s Book and Prepublication Review
Tomorrow, Flatiron Books will publish former FBI Director Jim Comey’s book, a much-anticipated memoir in which Comey will reportedly share striking new details from his two decades…
Kurdish-Held Detainees in Syria Are Not in a “Legal Gray Area”
Kurdish troops from the Syrian Democratic Forces stand in a forward operating base overlooking the frontline near the ISIL-held town of Hole in Rojava, Syria. (Photo by John Moore/Getty…
The High Hurdle for Aiding and Abetting Unlawful Attacks in Yemen
This is piece is the the latest article in our forum on the Yemen crisis and the law. The Alien Torts Statute (ATS), a jurisdictional statute that allows non-U.S. citizens to…
‘I Won’t Torture’ is Not Enough: Question Pompeo on US Rendition Policy
Numerous concerns have been raised about Mike Pompeo, President Trump’s nominee for secretary of state. Though the US Senate confirmed him as the Central Intelligence Agency…
Can Bolton Actually Deliver an America First National Security Policy?
In his first week as National Security Advisor, John Bolton has walked into the first of what will be countless crises over the course of his tenure: whether to strike Syria in…