Deborah Pearlstein
@debpearlstein.bsky.social
Director, Program on Law & Public Policy, Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs. Charles & Marie Robertson Visiting Professor of Law & Public Affairs. Still teaching Con law, still aiming to get out of the new social media market.
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
The Justice Manual states that DOJ personnel should refrain from expressing “Any opinion as to the defendant's guilt, or the possibility of a plea of guilty to the offense charged, or the possibility of a plea to a lesser offense.”
bsky.app/profile/anna...
bsky.app/profile/anna...
January 5, 2026 at 7:35 PM
The Justice Manual states that DOJ personnel should refrain from expressing “Any opinion as to the defendant's guilt, or the possibility of a plea of guilty to the offense charged, or the possibility of a plea to a lesser offense.”
bsky.app/profile/anna...
bsky.app/profile/anna...
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been dissolved, ending its 58 years as the primary funder for PBS, NPR and local TV and radio stations
Corporation For Public Broadcasting Is Dissolved After 58 Years Of Service
www.huffpost.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:00 PM
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been dissolved, ending its 58 years as the primary funder for PBS, NPR and local TV and radio stations
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
NEW: More than 300 judges — including 33 appointed by Trump himself — have now rebuffed the Trump administration’s bid to dramatically expand efforts to lock people up while they fight deportation.
www.politico.com/news/2026/01/05/trump-administration-immigrants-mandatory-detention-00709494
www.politico.com/news/2026/01/05/trump-administration-immigrants-mandatory-detention-00709494
January 5, 2026 at 11:51 AM
NEW: More than 300 judges — including 33 appointed by Trump himself — have now rebuffed the Trump administration’s bid to dramatically expand efforts to lock people up while they fight deportation.
www.politico.com/news/2026/01/05/trump-administration-immigrants-mandatory-detention-00709494
www.politico.com/news/2026/01/05/trump-administration-immigrants-mandatory-detention-00709494
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
A major use-case for AI is reality destabilization.
This video, viewed millions of times on TikTok, Facebook and X, claims to show Venezuelans taking to the street to thank the US for detaining Maduro.
But the video is a combination of four AI-generated clips and was first posted on TikTok by a user who frequently shares AI videos. It's not real.
But the video is a combination of four AI-generated clips and was first posted on TikTok by a user who frequently shares AI videos. It's not real.
January 4, 2026 at 11:00 PM
A major use-case for AI is reality destabilization.
Hard to tell, but this may really be the case...
It seems increasingly clear that the President of the United States just made up a bunch of stuff about the future of Venezuela and the American role in its governance after he extracted Maduro and his wife, and now his cabinet secretaries are having to walk it all back.
BRENNAN: To be clear, there is no plan for US occupation of this country of nearly 30 million people?
MARCO RUBIO: The president always retains optionality on anything and on all of these matters
MARCO RUBIO: The president always retains optionality on anything and on all of these matters
January 4, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Hard to tell, but this may really be the case...
1. POTUS begs to differ w/this characterization. 2. Even the wildly pro-exec OLC doesn't think full-on invasion is the test; cong'l authority is req'd for any operation of war-like "nature, scope & duration." Indefinite "control" of a foreign state thru, e.g., naval blockade? Sounds a lot like...
STEPHANOPOULOS: Why wasn't congressional authorization necessary?
RUBIO: It wasn't necessary because this was not an invasion. We didn't occupy a country. This was an arrest operation.
RUBIO: It wasn't necessary because this was not an invasion. We didn't occupy a country. This was an arrest operation.
January 4, 2026 at 7:13 PM
1. POTUS begs to differ w/this characterization. 2. Even the wildly pro-exec OLC doesn't think full-on invasion is the test; cong'l authority is req'd for any operation of war-like "nature, scope & duration." Indefinite "control" of a foreign state thru, e.g., naval blockade? Sounds a lot like...
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
Bostonians hold quick-reaction protest against regime's kidnapping of Venezuelan president, his wife
www.universalhub.com/2026/bostoni...
#Boston #Venezuela #war
www.universalhub.com/2026/bostoni...
#Boston #Venezuela #war
January 3, 2026 at 9:29 PM
Bostonians hold quick-reaction protest against regime's kidnapping of Venezuelan president, his wife
www.universalhub.com/2026/bostoni...
#Boston #Venezuela #war
www.universalhub.com/2026/bostoni...
#Boston #Venezuela #war
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
The Chicago protest against the U.S. attack on Venezuela has stepped off to march through the downtown area. Hundreds have joined the march.
January 3, 2026 at 11:51 PM
The Chicago protest against the U.S. attack on Venezuela has stepped off to march through the downtown area. Hundreds have joined the march.
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
Always important to read @jackgoldsmith.bsky.social, but to the extent he's suggesting there's any presidential practice or OLC precedent supporting sustained occupation of a foreign nation w/o congressional authorization, I'm not aware of it (& he cites none). /1
January 3, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Always important to read @jackgoldsmith.bsky.social, but to the extent he's suggesting there's any presidential practice or OLC precedent supporting sustained occupation of a foreign nation w/o congressional authorization, I'm not aware of it (& he cites none). /1
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
I’m at Times Square, where an emergency “No War On Venezuela” protest just took to the street. Easily a thousand people here in real-feel 20°F weather.
“No more coups, no more wars, Venezuela’s not yours!”
“No boots on the ground no bombs in the air, U.S. out of everywhere!”
“No more coups, no more wars, Venezuela’s not yours!”
“No boots on the ground no bombs in the air, U.S. out of everywhere!”
January 3, 2026 at 8:02 PM
I’m at Times Square, where an emergency “No War On Venezuela” protest just took to the street. Easily a thousand people here in real-feel 20°F weather.
“No more coups, no more wars, Venezuela’s not yours!”
“No boots on the ground no bombs in the air, U.S. out of everywhere!”
“No more coups, no more wars, Venezuela’s not yours!”
“No boots on the ground no bombs in the air, U.S. out of everywhere!”
Always important to read @jackgoldsmith.bsky.social, but to the extent he's suggesting there's any presidential practice or OLC precedent supporting sustained occupation of a foreign nation w/o congressional authorization, I'm not aware of it (& he cites none). /1
January 3, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Always important to read @jackgoldsmith.bsky.social, but to the extent he's suggesting there's any presidential practice or OLC precedent supporting sustained occupation of a foreign nation w/o congressional authorization, I'm not aware of it (& he cites none). /1
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
Moulton: "When we had briefings on Venezuela, we asked, 'Are you going to invade the country?' We were told no. 'Do you plan to put troops on the ground?' We were told no. 'Do you intend regime change in VZ?' We were told no. So in a sense, we have been briefed, we've just been completely lied to"
January 3, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Moulton: "When we had briefings on Venezuela, we asked, 'Are you going to invade the country?' We were told no. 'Do you plan to put troops on the ground?' We were told no. 'Do you intend regime change in VZ?' We were told no. So in a sense, we have been briefed, we've just been completely lied to"
Unreal.
Trump: "I think Cuba is gonna be something we'll end up talking about, because Cuba is a failing nation. It's very similar"
January 3, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Unreal.
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
2/ I rely on important work and analysis by:
@bcfinucane.bsky.social
@martylederman.bsky.social
@curtbradley.bsky.social
@edswaine.bsky.social
@debpearlstein.bsky.social
Ted Cruz, then TX Solicitor General
Louis Henkin
Restatement (Fourth) of Foreign Relations Law
@bcfinucane.bsky.social
@martylederman.bsky.social
@curtbradley.bsky.social
@edswaine.bsky.social
@debpearlstein.bsky.social
Ted Cruz, then TX Solicitor General
Louis Henkin
Restatement (Fourth) of Foreign Relations Law
January 3, 2026 at 5:17 PM
2/ I rely on important work and analysis by:
@bcfinucane.bsky.social
@martylederman.bsky.social
@curtbradley.bsky.social
@edswaine.bsky.social
@debpearlstein.bsky.social
Ted Cruz, then TX Solicitor General
Louis Henkin
Restatement (Fourth) of Foreign Relations Law
@bcfinucane.bsky.social
@martylederman.bsky.social
@curtbradley.bsky.social
@edswaine.bsky.social
@debpearlstein.bsky.social
Ted Cruz, then TX Solicitor General
Louis Henkin
Restatement (Fourth) of Foreign Relations Law
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
AP: Across the Venezuelan capital, there were no signs that the U.S. had taken over control of Venezuela’s government or military forces. The Miraflores Palace and military bases remained guarded by Venezuela’s armed forces
Live updates: Trump says US is ‘going to run’ Venezuela in interim. No immediate signs of US control
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been captured by the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration says he'll face charges on a New York indictment.
apnews.com
January 3, 2026 at 5:13 PM
AP: Across the Venezuelan capital, there were no signs that the U.S. had taken over control of Venezuela’s government or military forces. The Miraflores Palace and military bases remained guarded by Venezuela’s armed forces
Ludicrous, nonsensical statement. Taking over a country is not a law enforcement operation. But no matter what you call it, it's illegal as matter of both U.S. and int'l law - and far beyond what any previous American president has done or claimed the authority to do in the post-WWII era.
marco rubio is calling this a law enforcement operation; not a congressional one.
January 3, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Ludicrous, nonsensical statement. Taking over a country is not a law enforcement operation. But no matter what you call it, it's illegal as matter of both U.S. and int'l law - and far beyond what any previous American president has done or claimed the authority to do in the post-WWII era.
"We're there now" - who's we? Still troops on the ground? Are they in danger? Are "we" in control of Venezuelan forces?
Trump: "We're there now, but we're going to stay until such time as the pop -- proper transition can take place. So we're gonna stay until such time as -- we're gonna run it essentially."
January 3, 2026 at 5:14 PM
"We're there now" - who's we? Still troops on the ground? Are they in danger? Are "we" in control of Venezuelan forces?
👇
"We're there now," Trump says of Venezuela, insisting the U.S. will run the country.
Who is "we"? Does the U.S. have military forces in the Miraflores Palace or elsewhere in Venezuela? How many? Are we saying Vice President Delcy Rodríguez isn't de facto in control?
Huge, huge open questions.
Who is "we"? Does the U.S. have military forces in the Miraflores Palace or elsewhere in Venezuela? How many? Are we saying Vice President Delcy Rodríguez isn't de facto in control?
Huge, huge open questions.
January 3, 2026 at 5:04 PM
👇
Truly indistinguishable legally from Russia's Ukraine invasion, down to a planned occupation. Staggering. Per Trump in NYT: "Trump put no time limit on the American occupation. It would be up to the US to decide when to return the country to Venezulan control....” www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Venezuela Live Updates: Trump Speaks on U.S. Capture of Maduro
www.nytimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Truly indistinguishable legally from Russia's Ukraine invasion, down to a planned occupation. Staggering. Per Trump in NYT: "Trump put no time limit on the American occupation. It would be up to the US to decide when to return the country to Venezulan control....” www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
By way of agreement and amplification: a pending indictment, or even a successful prosecution, also does not cure illegality in the attack or capture under DOMESTIC law.
Don't rely on (conveniently far off) criminal proceedings to address the basic legal issues.
Don't rely on (conveniently far off) criminal proceedings to address the basic legal issues.
It's crystal clear: a pending criminal indictment does NOT cure the clear illegality of this attack under int'l law. It violated the UN Charter in just the same way Russia's attack on Ukraine did. And unlike our 1989 Panama invasion, there seems not even a pretense of a threat to Americans there.
Vance pushes back and says this was not illegal, arguing "Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism. You don't get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas."
January 3, 2026 at 4:39 PM
By way of agreement and amplification: a pending indictment, or even a successful prosecution, also does not cure illegality in the attack or capture under DOMESTIC law.
Don't rely on (conveniently far off) criminal proceedings to address the basic legal issues.
Don't rely on (conveniently far off) criminal proceedings to address the basic legal issues.
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
In the Maduro capture operation, the Trump administration relies on Bill Barr’s (discredited) 1989 memo claiming a President can disregard the UN Charter (CNN report).
That is a loaded gun. The legal analysis is utterly flawed.
My assessment just published:
www.justsecurity.org/127962/madur...
That is a loaded gun. The legal analysis is utterly flawed.
My assessment just published:
www.justsecurity.org/127962/madur...
Maduro Capture Operation and the President’s Duty to Faithfully Execute U.N. Charter: Assessment of 1989 OLC Opinion
A decades-old Office of Legal Counsel memorandum claiming the President can disregard the UN Charter does not withstand serious scrutiny.
www.justsecurity.org
January 3, 2026 at 4:39 PM
In the Maduro capture operation, the Trump administration relies on Bill Barr’s (discredited) 1989 memo claiming a President can disregard the UN Charter (CNN report).
That is a loaded gun. The legal analysis is utterly flawed.
My assessment just published:
www.justsecurity.org/127962/madur...
That is a loaded gun. The legal analysis is utterly flawed.
My assessment just published:
www.justsecurity.org/127962/madur...
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
The House Armed Services Committee also was not briefed, I've confirmed.
News: Gang of Eight in Congress were only notified about Trump's Venezuela operation after it began, source familiar tells me. That means the heads of the Intelligence Committees in Senate and House were *not* consulted. Just crazy.
January 3, 2026 at 3:58 PM
The House Armed Services Committee also was not briefed, I've confirmed.
Reposted by Deborah Pearlstein
Scathing response from @schiff.senate.gov:
"“Acting without Congressional approval or the buy-in of the public, Trump risks plunging a hemisphere into chaos and has broken his promise to end wars instead of starting them...Congress must bring up a new War Powers Resolution and reassert its power."
"“Acting without Congressional approval or the buy-in of the public, Trump risks plunging a hemisphere into chaos and has broken his promise to end wars instead of starting them...Congress must bring up a new War Powers Resolution and reassert its power."
January 3, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Scathing response from @schiff.senate.gov:
"“Acting without Congressional approval or the buy-in of the public, Trump risks plunging a hemisphere into chaos and has broken his promise to end wars instead of starting them...Congress must bring up a new War Powers Resolution and reassert its power."
"“Acting without Congressional approval or the buy-in of the public, Trump risks plunging a hemisphere into chaos and has broken his promise to end wars instead of starting them...Congress must bring up a new War Powers Resolution and reassert its power."
It's crystal clear: a pending criminal indictment does NOT cure the clear illegality of this attack under int'l law. It violated the UN Charter in just the same way Russia's attack on Ukraine did. And unlike our 1989 Panama invasion, there seems not even a pretense of a threat to Americans there.
Vance pushes back and says this was not illegal, arguing "Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism. You don't get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas."
January 3, 2026 at 4:13 PM
It's crystal clear: a pending criminal indictment does NOT cure the clear illegality of this attack under int'l law. It violated the UN Charter in just the same way Russia's attack on Ukraine did. And unlike our 1989 Panama invasion, there seems not even a pretense of a threat to Americans there.
Holy cow, yes.
This lede makes no sense: "Congress learned some hard lessons about the limits of its power during the first year of the second Trump administration..." They did not in fact learn any lessons about how powers they entirely declined to exercise might have worked.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/u...
A Diminished Congress Weighs Whether to Reassert Its Power
www.nytimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 12:10 AM
Holy cow, yes.