-(1).jpg?sfvrsn=af0bd5fc_5)
The U.S.-Iran War: Fighting From ‘Neutral’ Territory
When war is fought from permanent overseas bases, international law struggles to explain what host states may allow and what belligerents may lawfully strike.
Diamond Hands, War Plans
Prediction markets, fragmented regulation, and national security risk
Lawfare Live: The Trials of the Trump Administration, May 29
Join the Lawfare team at 4 pm ET for a discussion of the litigation surrounding the Trump administration.
Cyber Offense: How Far Can Private Organizations Go?
The line between cyber offense and defense is disappearing—but the law still treats them very differently. That gap is getting costly.
What Is a Cybersecurity Legal Practice, 2.0?
Cyber operations in the gray zone between war and peace put infrastructure and businesses at risk. Cyber lawyers have never been more vital.
AI Governance by Phone Call
An executive order so deferential to the AI industry that it disclaimed any mandatory authority still couldn't survive a few last-minute calls.
Keep Lawfare Paywall Free
Donate today!Highlights
-
The U.S.-Iran War: Fighting From ‘Neutral’ Territory
When war is fought from permanent overseas bases, international law struggles to explain what host states may allow and what belligerents may lawfully strike. -
Diamond Hands, War Plans
Prediction markets, fragmented regulation, and national security risk -
Cyber Offense: How Far Can Private Organizations Go?
The line between cyber offense and defense is disappearing—but the law still treats them very differently. That gap is getting costly. -
What Is a Cybersecurity Legal Practice, 2.0?
Cyber operations in the gray zone between war and peace put infrastructure and businesses at risk. Cyber lawyers have never been more vital. -
AI Governance by Phone Call
An executive order so deferential to the AI industry that it disclaimed any mandatory authority still couldn't survive a few last-minute calls. -
Will the War Change Iran’s Way of War?
The United States is degrading Iran’s military capabilities. Will Iran rebuild them? -
The Invisible Frontline of National Security Governance
Democratic defense begins before the courtroom. -
The Week That Was
Your weekly summary of everything on the site. -
R.I.P. Chicago Protester Prosecution (2025-2026)
How a felony case against the “Broadview Six” dwindled to a misdemeanor charge against the “Broadview Four”—and then suddenly died. -
The Anti-Weaponization Fund and the History of Abusive Federal Settlements
The Anti-weaponization fund may be just the latest misuse of Justice Department settlement authority, but it still has distinctive legal flaws. -
Politicians to Ditch Signal for Homegrown Apps
The latest edition of the Seriously Risky Business cybersecurity newsletter, now on Lawfare. -
Has Russia Overplayed Its Hand in UN Cyber Negotiations?
Russia is winning UN cyber governance—procedurally. Democracies must start leading on a new, positive agenda or lose the game entirely. -
Pressure Without Pause: Iraq’s Role in the Postwar Iran Settlement
Operation Epic Fury has ended; the Iraqi front of the Iran war has not. U.S. pressure on Tehran’s militia infrastructure in Iraq must hold. -
The President Who Sued Himself
The Trump administration settles Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS with $1.776 billion for his allies and blanket immunity from government suits for the Trumps. -
Advice and Consent for Major Governmental AI Deployments
Before the executive branch deploys advanced AI systems in its most abuse-prone functions, it should receive congressional approval.
.jpg?sfvrsn=d7b2f221_7)
Featured Podcast
Live Coverage
For real-time updates of Lawfare’s coverage of the Trump administration’s legal challenges, follow on Bluesky or below:
What's Old Is New Again
With every new administration comes new promises and new actions on national security. But what’s “new” has often been proposed or even tried before—which means there’s a good chance Lawfare has already analyzed some of the legal and policy implications they present. So we’re making that past content readily accessible as it becomes newly relevant.
-
Donald Trump and the Department of Justice
On the loyalty of lawyers and the attitude of voters -
Trump’s Attacks on Justice Department Independence, Then and Now
What the first Trump administration carried out slowly, the new administration is doing at once. -
What Do Trump’s Weaponization and Censorship Executive Orders Actually Do?
It’s not clear. But that’s not exactly reassuring.
Documents
-
Former Cuban President Raúl Castro Indicted
-
Trump Administration Releases 2026 Counterterrorism Strategy
-
Southern Poverty Law Center Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges
-
U.S. Government Agrees to $1.25 Million Settlement in Michael Flynn Suit
-
Trump Signs Executive Order Purporting to Restrict Mail-in Voting
-
ODNI Releases 2026 Threat Assessment
-
U.S. Submits Article 51 Letter on ‘Operation Epic Fury’ to UNSC
-
Anthropic Challenges the Pentagon’s Supply Chain Risk Determination
The Lawfare Podcast 
-
Lawfare Daily: How Ukraine Is Winning the Drone War
Jimmy Rushton discusses how the balance of power has shifted in the Russia-Ukraine War. -
Lawfare Daily: Russia’s ‘Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks,’ with Sean Wiswesser
Sean Wiswesser on his new book, “Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence and Putin’s Secret War” (U.S. Naval Institute, 2026) -
Lawfare Daily: Investigating the Investigators: Sophia Yan on Journalism in the PRC
Sophia Yan shares her experience of being surveilled by the Chinese government.
Other Lawfare Podcasts
Other Podcasts
Videos & Webinars
Lawfare Live: The Trials of the Trump Administration, May 29
Join the Lawfare team at 4 pm ET for a discussion of the litigation surrounding the Trump administration.
.jpg?sfvrsn=e1000919_5)
Explore
Congress
Armed Conflict
The Lawfare Institute:
Hard National Security Choices
Lawfare is a non-profit multimedia publication dedicated to “Hard National Security Choices.” We provide non-partisan, timely analysis of thorny legal and policy issues through our written, audio, and other content—all of which you can find here.
