Lawfare Live: Trials of the Trump Administration, Jan. 16
Join the Lawfare team at 4 pm ET for a discussion of the litigation targeting actions from President Trump.
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America's History of Fear-Based Governance
A review of Patrick G. Eddington, “The Triumph of Fear: Domestic Surveillance and Political Repression from McKinley to Eisenhower” (Georgetown University Press, 2025).
The U.S. Heel Turn on International Cooperation
The U.S.’s withdrawal from international multistakeholder fora undermines human rights, global governance, and U.S. strategic interests.
China Fights Scam Compounds … For China
The latest edition of the Seriously Risky Business cybersecurity newsletter, now on Lawfare.
The Situation: A Temper Tantrum in a Legal Brief
Even when the Justice Department is right, it manages to behave with wild impropriety.
Zelensky Announces Government Overhaul
The Ukrainian president appoints a new chief of staff and defense minister, pledges reforms.
Highlights
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The Week That Was
Your weekly summary of everything on the site. -
America's History of Fear-Based Governance
A review of Patrick G. Eddington, “The Triumph of Fear: Domestic Surveillance and Political Repression from McKinley to Eisenhower” (Georgetown University Press, 2025). -
The U.S. Heel Turn on International Cooperation
The U.S.’s withdrawal from international multistakeholder fora undermines human rights, global governance, and U.S. strategic interests. -
China Fights Scam Compounds … For China
The latest edition of the Seriously Risky Business cybersecurity newsletter, now on Lawfare. -
The Situation: A Temper Tantrum in a Legal Brief
Even when the Justice Department is right, it manages to behave with wild impropriety. -
Zelensky Announces Government Overhaul
The Ukrainian president appoints a new chief of staff and defense minister, pledges reforms. -
Minnesota Can Prosecute Jonathan Ross—But It May Not Be Easy
States can prosecute federal officials for violating state law, depending on the specific facts and laws. -
Before and After the Trigger Press That Killed Renee Good
Regardless of whether deadly force was legally justified, Renee Nicole Good’s death was preventable. -
American Power, Half-Built
Congress expanded the Development Finance Corporation’s reach but hardwired caution, leaving it half-built for competition. -
Public Attitudes on U.S. Intelligence (2023-2024)
Final Biden-era surveys affirm continued strong public support for the U.S. intelligence community but also signal increasingly entrenched partisanship. -
The Situation: Extortion as Governance
How criminal investigation becomes an instrument of monetary policy. -
Explaining Trump’s Oil Grab
There’s a reason why countries don’t go to war over oil. The Trump administration miscalculated the costs. -
Priorities for U.S. Participation in International AI Capacity-Building
The U.S. risks exclusion from the collaborative frameworks shaping AI governance across the majority of the world's population. -
The Trump Administration Targets Europe’s Content Moderation Laws
New U.S. visa bans against Europeans over content moderation likely will elicit an EU response. -
The Situation: We Agree
Finding points of common ground on Jan. 6 with the White House
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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.
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Using Force Against Mexican Drug Cartels: Domestic and International Law Issues
Executive branch lawyers could argue that using force against cartels would be consistent with past presidential uses of force, but it would be very difficult to defend under international law. -
My Lloyd Cutler Rule of Law Lecture: "Law and the Use of Force: Challenges for the Next President"
Read John Bellinger's Lloyd Cutler Lecture on Rule of Law at the Supreme Court. -
Lawfare Daily: DOGE’s Attack on the Treasury Department
Why is it so alarming to have political appointees accessing BFS systems?
Documents
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Trump Administration Releases Legal Opinion on Maduro Capture, Attacks on Venezuela
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Sen. Kelly Sues Department of Defense Over Disciplinary Actions
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Trump Orders U.S. Withdrawal from International Organizations and Treaties
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Justice Department Unseals Superseding Indictment in Maduro Case
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House Judiciary Committee Releases Jack Smith Deposition Transcript
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Executive Order Designates Fentanyl as Weapon of Mass Destruction
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Trump Signs Executive Order to Preempt State AI Laws
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OMB Releases Guidance on Trump’s ‘Woke AI’ Executive Order
The Lawfare Podcast 
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Lawfare Daily: Entrepreneurial Federalism and the New National Security, with Ashley Deeks and Kristen Eichensehr
How are states engaging with foreign policy and national security? -
Lawfare Daily: The U.S. Foreign Service at a ‘Breaking Point,’ with John Dinkelman
Why is a robust foreign service is vital to U.S. national security? -
Scaling Laws: How AI Can Transform Local Criminal Justice, with Francis Shen
Discussing the intersection of neuroscience, AI, and criminal justice.
Other Lawfare Podcasts
Other Podcasts
Videos & Webinars
Lawfare Live: Trials of the Trump Administration, Jan. 16
Join the Lawfare team at 4 pm ET for a discussion of the litigation targeting actions from President Trump.
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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.
