Boat strike campaign facing continued scrutiny as death toll climbs
On November 9, 2025, the United States struck two boats in the Pacific Ocean suspected of carrying narcotics, killing six people. This latest strike is part of an ongoing campaign beginning in September of 2025, and recent reporting has found that even “junior officers have been looking for legal assurances” before initiating airstrikes such as the one on Nov. 9. Relating […]
Fulfilling promises to Afghan Allies Act necessary to protect those who supported US efforts in Afghanistan
Senator Amy Klobuchar and CERL Executive Board Member General Joseph L. Votel write for the Minnesota Star Tribune that many Afghan families who supported America’s war effort in Afghanistan are still stuck in uncertainty regarding their immigration status four years after the withdrawal. Senator Klobuchar and General Votel advocate for the passage of the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act, which would […]
Time to repeal the Caesar Act sanctions on Syria?
CERL Executive Board Member General Joseph L. Votel writes for the Middle East Institute that as Syria attempts to develop and reunify in the wake of the collapse of the Assad regime, it is necessary for the United States to lift the Caesar Act sanctions imposed on Syria in 2019. These sanctions are currently preventing the new […]
President Trump discusses using more than the National Guard in US cities
On a recent trip to Asia, President Trump talked to reporters about his authority to use United States Military forces beyond the National Guard in American cities if he thought it necessary. Professor Geoffrey Corn, a member of CERL’s Advisory Council, is quoted by Knewz discussing the president’s authority to use the military to supplement existing law enforcement entities […]
UN Global Commission publishes report on AI in the military domain
On September 24th, 2025, the UN Global Commission on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (GC REAIM) published a report on the use and governance of AI on the battlefield. In a follow-up event to this publication with the Global Commission on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain members and the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, […]
Rapidly changing warfare and what the US is doing to keep up
In this conversation on the Council on Foreign Relation’s podcast The President’s Inbox, CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Professor Michael Horowitz discusses the changing technology of the battlefield and how the Pentagon is trying to adapt to the changes in warfare that are playing out in real time in Ukraine and the Middle East. Michael C. Horowitz […]
Airstrikes against suspected drug boats is a clear War Powers Resolution issue
In this article on The Cipher Brief, Professor Geoffrey Corn, a member of CERL’s Advisory Council, argues that even though the campaign against alleged narco-terrorist groups currently does not risk high levels of causalities for United States military personnel, and according to the Trump administration, does not qualify as a large-scale war, it is exactly this […]
Brief filed by Martin Lederman likely prompted Court to ask for more information in Trump v Illinois
On Wednesday, October 29, the Supreme Court asked for an additional briefing as they considered President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Chicago. The request for additional information is probably a direct response to a brief filed by Professor Martin Lederman, a member of CERL’s Advisory Council, according to an article in The Seattle Medium. Professor Lederman argues that the law […]
More Strikes in Gaza as both sides claim the other has broken the ceasefire
On October 28, 2025, the Israeli military conducted strikes in Gaza after accusations that Hamas had attacked Israeli forces and had failed to return the remains of hostages to the Israelis. Hamas denied any involvement in the attacks, but they have been accused of staging fake recoveries of hostages’ bodies by the Red Cross. Professor Mary […]
International leaders condemn US airstrikes in the Pacific
On October 27, 2025, the United States launched airstrikes on four boats suspected to be involved in the drug trade. In response, leaders from Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela condemned the airstrikes. Professor Mary Ellen O’Connell, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, is mentioned in this article at SNMI News Channel as having stated that suspected drug traffickers are entitled to […]
Supreme Court must act on the deployment of US troops to American cities
CERL’s Benjamin R. Farley, Claire Finkelstein, Brenner M. Fissell, and Mitt Regan argue at Just Security that the Supreme Court must rule against the Trump administration’s ability to unilaterally deploy U.S. troops to American cities such as Chicago in Trump v. Illinois. They write that power over the military is not exclusive to the president. Furthermore, […]
To de-escalate tensions in the wake of strikes, US and Iran should look to Geneva Conventions
Following Operation Midnight Hammer launched by the United States against Iran in June 2025, Professor Kevin Govern, member of CERL’s Executive Board, writes in Jurist News that the United States should embrace diplomacy and de-escalation through the use of “smart power.” He also advises both nations to look to international humanitarian law, especially the Geneva Conventions, as a framework to work away from […]
National Guard deployments threaten system of federalism
Claire Finkelstein, faculty director of CERL, is quoted by Stateline, where she points out that the use of one state’s National Guard units in another state without the say-so from the second state’s governor raises serious 10th Amendment issues. She goes further by likening such actions to a foreign invasion, highlighting the seriousness of the situation. Claire Finkelstein is the Algernon […]
Serious ethical concerns with Trump’s request for millions in damages from DOJ
Claire Finkelstein, faculty director of CERL, is quoted by Axios. She states that this potential request by the Trump administration would be a fundamental test of the Justice Department’s integrity. Any payment from the DOJ to the president would demonstrate that there is very little daylight separating the interests of the president and the Department of Justice. Claire Finkelstein is the Algernon […]
Indictment of former Trump advisor John Bolton is ‘troubling’
Mark Zaid, member of CERL’s Executive Board, spoke with CNN about the indictment of John Bolton, former national security advisor to President Donald Trump. He explains the practice of writing books, whereby some senior government officials bring classified information home, is being challenged. Zaid addresses questions about why Bolton stands accused of these charges now and […]
‘Profound consequences’ to invoking war powers to target Venezuelan drug cartel
President Donald Trump has once again launched a strike against a vessel suspected of transporting drugs in the Caribbean Sea. At War on the Rocks, Professor Geoffrey Corn, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, argues there are far-reaching consequences to invoking wartime powers to address what is by all measures a law enforcement problem. These attacks […]
Experts question Trump’s legal arguments for his war against drug trafficking
CERL’s Professors Geoffrey Corn and Claire Finkelstein are quoted in reporting by the Associated Press on the Trump administration’s legal justifications for targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and the recent authorization of covert CIA action in Venezuela. They contend President Trump’s invocation of war powers rests on dubious grounds. Geoffrey S. Corn is […]
Fundraising efforts for new White House ballroom put companies in a tough spot
President Donald Trump hosted dozens of business leaders at the White House on Wednesday evening for a dinner in connection with his efforts to construct a multimillion-dollar ballroom that would seat over 650 individuals. CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein is quoted in exclusive reporting by the Wall Street Journal discussing the dinner affair and the pressure […]
Trump-Hegseth messaging will have ‘corrosive effect’ on commitment to rule of law values
Addressing over 800 military leaders at Quantico last month, President Donald Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth presented a new vision for the future of U.S. warfighting, casting the rules of engagement as “stupid” and “overbearing.” Professor Geoffrey Corn, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, spoke with NPR’s Meghna Chakrabarti on the program On Point about how […]
Trump’s approval of CIA operations in Venezuela raises concerns about compliance with international law
The Trump administration has authorized the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to carry out lethal action in Venezuela. The move comes after President Donald Trump targeted six ships in the Caribbean with alleged involvement in drug smuggling. Professor Mary Ellen O’Connell, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, wrote in a statement to Newsweek that Venezuela would have […]
Reaction to immigration tactics being used as ‘pretext’ for National Guard deployments
Benjamin Farley, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, spoke with NPR about President Donald Trump’s deployments of the National Guard to aid in immigration enforcement. He explained the reaction to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics is being used as a “pretext” for sending the National Guard to U.S. cities. Benjamin Farley is a member of […]
Will President Trump invoke the Insurrection Act?
President Donald Trump has indicated he is not opposed to invoking the Insurrection Act if necessary. CERL’s Claire Finkelstein is quoted in an article by Josh Meyer of USA Today addressing the history of this 19th century Act which gives presidents the power to use federal troops to quell domestic civil unrest. Claire Finkelstein […]
Courts weighing legality of National Guard deployments are setting a ‘clear record’ of conditions on the ground
Judges assessed on Thursday whether President Trump exceeded his authority in ordering the deployment of federal troops to Chicago, Illinois and Portland, Oregon. CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein joined Here & Now‘s Robin Young to discuss what is being tested by the courts and how the ruling in California’s National Guard lawsuit could shape these and […]
Orders to deploy federal troops to Portland are ‘clearly illegal’
On Oct. 5, the Pentagon announced President Donald Trump had ordered the deployment of troops from California’s National Guard to Portland, Oregon to aid federal personnel, including those in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A judge has temporarily blocked this order. CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein told Deutsche Welle that using the military for domestic […]
Future of federally funded scientific research is on the line
At the MIT Press Reader, Professor Jonathan D. Moreno, member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty, discusses the fragile relationship between science and government. Federal funding of research has led to such advancements as atomic power and the internet, expanding both the hard and soft powers of the United States on a global scale. Today, skepticism about […]
Calling drug smugglers ‘unlawful combatants’ goes too far
The Trump administration told Congress confidentially this week that drug smugglers are to be designated as “unlawful combatants” in an “armed conflict” between the United States and drug cartels, the New York Times reports. Professor Geoffrey Corn, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, explains at the Times that targeting civilians who are not actively engaged in […]
Finkelstein, Roosevelt discuss Trump’s NSPM-7 memo
Days after deeming Antifa a domestic terrorist organization, President Trump issued a memorandum, “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence,” known as “NSPM-7,” that lays out a law enforcement strategy to disrupt groups involved in efforts to instigate political violence. At the Daily Pennsylvanian, Professors Claire Finkelstein, faculty director of CERL, and Kermit Roosevelt, member […]
Case against Comey ‘isn’t a serious’ one
Just days after President Trump told Attorney General Pam Bondi to more vigorously investigate his political opponents, a federal grand jury charged former FBI Director James Comey on two counts, one relating to making a false statement to a Senate committee and the other to obstruction of Congress. Robert Kelner, member of CERL’s Executive Board, […]
Simmons elected 2025-26 president of APSA
Join us in congratulating Professor Beth Simmons, member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty, on her election as president of the American Political Science Association (APSA), a leading political science association serving over 11,000 members. She will serve a term from 2025-2028. Beth Simmons is Andrea Mitchell University Professor of Law and Political Science at the University […]