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The Israeli strike this morning on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure marks a clear turning point—not just for Iran, but for the Trump administration. This is the first major geopolitical escalation of the administration’s second term, and while Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted the United States was … The Israeli Strike on Iran the U.S. Saw Coming, but Couldn’t StopRead more

Israel’s preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 13 are not a solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis. Prior to Israel’s strike, Iran was on the threshold of nuclear weapons, but the U.S. Intelligence Community consistently assessed that Tehran was not engaged in weaponization. Israel’s strike may … Israeli Strikes Risk Driving Iran Toward Nuclear WeaponsRead more

Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news: ISRAEL’S ATTACK ON IRAN  Israeli strikes on Iran are ongoing, with reports of a strike on Iran’s key Natanz nuclear site, … Early Edition: June 13, 2025Read more

Over the past several days, the Trump administration has taken increasingly drastic steps in response to protest activity and unrest in Los Angeles — including federalizing 4,000 National Guard troops and sending hundreds of Marines, against the objections of California’s state and local leadership. As events unfold on … The Just Security Podcast: The Situation in Los Angeles and the U.S. MilitaryRead more

On June 2, 2025, the German Bundestag disclosed the level of military support Germany has provided Israel over the past 19 months. The report states that “from October 7, 2023, to May 13, 2025, individual export licenses for the final export of military equipment to Israel with a … The Fall and Rise of German Arms Exports to Israel: Questions for the International Court of JusticeRead more

Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news: IRAN  Israel appears to be preparing to attack Iran, European and U.S. officials say. Israeli officials say the IDF has been … Early Edition: June 12, 2025Read more

When Russian intelligence officers hacked the Democratic National Committee in 2016, they weren’t identified in headlines as Russian intelligence officers. They were called Fancy Bear. When hackers from the People’s Liberation Army were discovered burrowed deep inside U.S. critical infrastructure to launch disruptive attacks in the event of … Call Them What They Are: Time to Fix Cyber Threat Actor NamingRead more

On March 16, President Donald Trump announced that the United States (U.S.) military would conduct a new, more intense air campaign against the Houthis in Yemen. The President’s stated goal was to restore “Freedom of Navigation” in the Red Sea and protect U.S. shipping. On May 6, 52 … A Strategic Pivot is Needed for Long-term Peace and Stability in YemenRead more

The reshaping of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) is happening with intent—even if it is not always with strategy—and increasingly out in the open. Since President Donald Trump’s return to office, senior intelligence personnel have been removed, clearances revoked, offices reorganized and analytic teams reassigned, and the infrastructure … When Intelligence Stops Bounding Uncertainty: The Dangerous Tilt Toward Politicization under TrumpRead more

On Wednesday afternoon, I am testifying at a Senate spotlight forum titled “Cruel and UnAmerican:  The Abuse of Immigrants to Attack our Constitutional Order.”  From the executive order purporting to limit the 14th Amendment right to birthright citizenship, to the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to remove … Mass Deportation Policy and the Constitution: My Testimony Before the Senate Spotlight ForumRead more

We are co-hosting a YouTube Live event (including audience Q&A) on the situation in Los Angeles and the use of the U.S. military. When  Thursday June 12, 2025  | 11am ET Where  YouTube Live: https://youtube.com/live/M24S3Rcgon0?feature=share Description Over the past several days, the Trump administration has taken increasingly drastic … June 12 YouTube Live Event: The Situation in Los Angeles and the U.S. MilitaryRead more

From September 2022 to September 2023, at least 500 people were killed by Iranian security forces, tens of thousands were arrested, nine men were executed after sham trials, and thousands of people, including children, were tortured. Their crime: peacefully participating in the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. The protests … Safeguarding Evidence: The Coalition that Preserved Content from Iran’s “Women, Life, Freedom” ProtestsRead more

On June 7, President Donald Trump issued a memorandum federalizing 2,000 California National Guard troops to quell immigration protests in and around Los Angeles pursuant to an obscure provision in federal law–10 USC §12406–which has not been used since 1970, when President Richard Nixon federalized the Guard to … The Mounting Crisis of Militarizing Immigration EnforcementRead more

Authors’ Note: The members of the Fact-Finding Mission were appointed by the President of the UN Human Rights Council; they are not U.N. staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights Office provides support in the Fact-Finding Mission, the members serve … A Roadmap for Justice in Iran: An Update from the UN’s Fact-Finding MissionRead more

Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news: U.S. PROTESTS RESPONSE  Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass yesterday imposed a curfew in downtown L.A., in a bid to avert looting … Early Edition: June 11, 2025Read more

In recent years, the United States has sustained some of the most severe cyber threats in recent history– from the Russian-government directed hack SolarWinds to China’s prepositioning in U.S. critical infrastructure for future sabotage attacks through groups like Volt Typhoon. The Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is responsible for responding … The Just Security Podcast: A Conversation with Jen Easterly — Cybersecurity at a CrossroadsRead more

Following two days of turbulent protests over ICE raids in Los Angeles County, President Trump issued a memorandum on Saturday night purporting to authorize the federalization and deployment of the National Guard, as well as the deployment of active-duty-armed forces, “at locations where protests against [ICE] functions are … “The Insurrection Act” by Any Other Name: Unpacking Trump’s Memorandum Authorizing Domestic Deployment of the MilitaryRead more

Russian forces have used more than a dozen types of antipersonnel mines since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, causing thousands of civilian casualties and contaminating vast tracts of agricultural land. The antipersonnel mines have been emplaced by hand, delivered by rockets, and—as a report … Russia’s Drone-Dropped Landmines Threaten Human Lives and Hard-Won Humanitarian ProtectionsRead more

On Jan. 22 , 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration was designating Ansar Allah, the name used by the Houthi Islamist terrorist movement, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Since 2023, in response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza, the Houthis had been … Terrorism and the Threat of Weak StatesRead more

Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news: L.A. PROTESTS RESPONSE  The Pentagon yesterday mobilized a battalion of 700 Marines and 2,000 additional California National Guard troops in what … Early Edition: June 10, 2025Read more

We are thrilled to welcome Danae Askar to the Just Security team as a Legal Editor. Askar comes to us most recently from the Department of State’s Office of the Legal Adviser, where she served as an Attorney-Adviser. Prior to that, she was Counsel for a global, pro … Welcoming Danae Askar, Legal EditorRead more

In response to the growing problem of plastic pollution, the United Nations Environment Assembly launched negotiations in 2022 to draft a treaty to “end plastic pollution.” But three years and five rounds of negotiations later, agreement remains elusive. The negotiations were supposed to conclude late last year in … Getting to Yes on the Plastics Agreement: Time for More Plasticity?Read more

Last month’s argument in Trump v. CASA provided the Supreme Court with its latest confrontation with nationwide injunctions. The underlying case challenges an executive order aimed at eliminating birthright citizenship. But the issue before the Court concerns whether a single federal district court may stop the enforcement of … Relocating Nationwide InjunctionsRead more

Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. A curated guide to major news and developments over the weekend. Here’s today’s news: L.A. PROTESTS RESPONSE  National Guard troops began arriving in Los Angeles yesterday after President Trump signed a memorandum authorizing the deployment of at least … Early Edition: June 9, 2025Read more

Anyone who has ever tried to get a sundae at McDonald’s knows the disappointment of hearing, “Sorry, the ice cream machine is broken.” But behind those words lies a deeper truth: Until recently, the company that made McDonald’s machines had exclusive rights to repair them. So, when a … If McDonald’s Can Fix Its Own Machines, Why Can’t the U.S. Military?Read more

Since 2020, Just Security has been at the forefront of analysis on rapid shifts in AI-enabled technologies, providing expert commentary on risks, opportunities, and proposed governance mechanisms. The catalog below organizes our collection of articles on artificial intelligence into general categories to facilitate access to relevant topics for … Just Security’s Artificial Intelligence ArchiveRead more

On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump began his term with presidential actions including 26 executive orders, with more expected to follow. Just Security is covering key developments, including in concise “What Just Happened” expert explainers, legal and policy analysis, and more. Originally published Jan. 21, 2025, and frequently … Collection: Just Security’s Coverage of Trump Administration Executive ActionsRead more

The massive Ukrainian drone attack on Russian military bases on June 1, followed by the blast on Russia’s Kerch Strait Bridge to occupied Crimea two days later, filled Ukrainians with pride. The audacious assaults demonstrated the country’s willingness to fight on in what Ukrainians know is an existential … Can Trump Seize a Win in Ukraine?Read more

Azerbaijan has recently moved to strike a peace deal with Armenia after violently recapturing the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. But continued fighting between the two countries might be more likely than peace, and other transnational threats continue to lurk beneath the surface. For one, Azerbaijan’s President … Threats Lurk Behind the Scenes in Azerbaijan’s Talk of Peace With ArmeniaRead more

Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news. RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR — U.S. RESPONSE During a meeting with Germany’s chancellor yesterday at the Oval Office, President Trump compared Russia and … Early Edition: June 6, 2025Read more