Tess Bridgeman
@tessbridgeman.bsky.social
Co-Editor-in-Chief, Just Security (@justsecurity.bsky.social) | NYU Law RCLS Sr. Fellow | Berkeley Law | Stanford CISAC | Former NSC Deputy Legal Adviser, White House Associate Counsel & Special Assistant to the President | Former State Department
The President is announcing more extrajudicial killings today.
A reminder that the administration has provided no limiting principles and these killings are completely untethered from the law (there was no "armed attack," there's no "armed conflict," and these aren't "unlawful combatants").
A reminder that the administration has provided no limiting principles and these killings are completely untethered from the law (there was no "armed attack," there's no "armed conflict," and these aren't "unlawful combatants").
October 14, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The President is announcing more extrajudicial killings today.
A reminder that the administration has provided no limiting principles and these killings are completely untethered from the law (there was no "armed attack," there's no "armed conflict," and these aren't "unlawful combatants").
A reminder that the administration has provided no limiting principles and these killings are completely untethered from the law (there was no "armed attack," there's no "armed conflict," and these aren't "unlawful combatants").
Secretary Rubio has this wrong.
The US is not currently engaged in hostilities with Houthis or Iranian proxies, so there's no termination required.
And the resolution specifically states it does NOT prevent the US "from defending itself from an armed attack or threat of an imminent armed attack"
The US is not currently engaged in hostilities with Houthis or Iranian proxies, so there's no termination required.
And the resolution specifically states it does NOT prevent the US "from defending itself from an armed attack or threat of an imminent armed attack"
October 8, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Secretary Rubio has this wrong.
The US is not currently engaged in hostilities with Houthis or Iranian proxies, so there's no termination required.
And the resolution specifically states it does NOT prevent the US "from defending itself from an armed attack or threat of an imminent armed attack"
The US is not currently engaged in hostilities with Houthis or Iranian proxies, so there's no termination required.
And the resolution specifically states it does NOT prevent the US "from defending itself from an armed attack or threat of an imminent armed attack"
Four more people were killed this morning.
To repeat:
- If it can happen at sea, it can happen anywhere
- Trump has offered no definition or limiting principle for who can be labeled a "terrorist" and summarily killed
- And no plausible legal theory for why an armed conflict exists
To repeat:
- If it can happen at sea, it can happen anywhere
- Trump has offered no definition or limiting principle for who can be labeled a "terrorist" and summarily killed
- And no plausible legal theory for why an armed conflict exists
October 3, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Four more people were killed this morning.
To repeat:
- If it can happen at sea, it can happen anywhere
- Trump has offered no definition or limiting principle for who can be labeled a "terrorist" and summarily killed
- And no plausible legal theory for why an armed conflict exists
To repeat:
- If it can happen at sea, it can happen anywhere
- Trump has offered no definition or limiting principle for who can be labeled a "terrorist" and summarily killed
- And no plausible legal theory for why an armed conflict exists
We can't be sure what Hegseth's meeting with senior military officers next week will entail - all the more reason to prepare for plausible contingencies.
Start with Eugene Fidell's new Q&A:
www.justsecurity.org/121421/hegse...
Start with Eugene Fidell's new Q&A:
www.justsecurity.org/121421/hegse...
September 26, 2025 at 10:30 PM
We can't be sure what Hegseth's meeting with senior military officers next week will entail - all the more reason to prepare for plausible contingencies.
Start with Eugene Fidell's new Q&A:
www.justsecurity.org/121421/hegse...
Start with Eugene Fidell's new Q&A:
www.justsecurity.org/121421/hegse...
Read this by leading expert and former JAG Geoff Corn on the speed boat attack last week.
Crucial insight on the right Qs - how did this order make it down the chain of command? - and the dangers for the rule of law and potential abuse of military power:
👇
www.thecipherbrief.com/a-dangerous-...
Crucial insight on the right Qs - how did this order make it down the chain of command? - and the dangers for the rule of law and potential abuse of military power:
👇
www.thecipherbrief.com/a-dangerous-...
September 10, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Read this by leading expert and former JAG Geoff Corn on the speed boat attack last week.
Crucial insight on the right Qs - how did this order make it down the chain of command? - and the dangers for the rule of law and potential abuse of military power:
👇
www.thecipherbrief.com/a-dangerous-...
Crucial insight on the right Qs - how did this order make it down the chain of command? - and the dangers for the rule of law and potential abuse of military power:
👇
www.thecipherbrief.com/a-dangerous-...
I hope Congress is asking for the Trump memo authorizing military force against... suspected criminals.
Sure seems likely it sets up a program of extrajudicial killing (designating a cartel a "terrorist group" doesn't create a legal basis to use force):
CNN: www.cnn.com/2025/09/05/p...
Sure seems likely it sets up a program of extrajudicial killing (designating a cartel a "terrorist group" doesn't create a legal basis to use force):
CNN: www.cnn.com/2025/09/05/p...
September 6, 2025 at 1:51 AM
I hope Congress is asking for the Trump memo authorizing military force against... suspected criminals.
Sure seems likely it sets up a program of extrajudicial killing (designating a cartel a "terrorist group" doesn't create a legal basis to use force):
CNN: www.cnn.com/2025/09/05/p...
Sure seems likely it sets up a program of extrajudicial killing (designating a cartel a "terrorist group" doesn't create a legal basis to use force):
CNN: www.cnn.com/2025/09/05/p...
Here's the full text of the report.
A few initial observations:
1: It doesn't say who was targeted.
This is *highly unusual* and raises huge flags.
Does the administration know who it was targeting? If yes, why not say so in the formal report to Congress? If no, on what basis was it lawful?
A few initial observations:
1: It doesn't say who was targeted.
This is *highly unusual* and raises huge flags.
Does the administration know who it was targeting? If yes, why not say so in the formal report to Congress? If no, on what basis was it lawful?
September 5, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Here's the full text of the report.
A few initial observations:
1: It doesn't say who was targeted.
This is *highly unusual* and raises huge flags.
Does the administration know who it was targeting? If yes, why not say so in the formal report to Congress? If no, on what basis was it lawful?
A few initial observations:
1: It doesn't say who was targeted.
This is *highly unusual* and raises huge flags.
Does the administration know who it was targeting? If yes, why not say so in the formal report to Congress? If no, on what basis was it lawful?
Finally, our chart on Foreign Terrorist Organization (#FTO) designations: who they can apply to, what the designations do and don't allow once made
Upshot: they don't create or authorize a state of armed conflict or the use of any wartime authorities for things like detention or lethal strikes
👇
Upshot: they don't create or authorize a state of armed conflict or the use of any wartime authorities for things like detention or lethal strikes
👇
June 2, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Finally, our chart on Foreign Terrorist Organization (#FTO) designations: who they can apply to, what the designations do and don't allow once made
Upshot: they don't create or authorize a state of armed conflict or the use of any wartime authorities for things like detention or lethal strikes
👇
Upshot: they don't create or authorize a state of armed conflict or the use of any wartime authorities for things like detention or lethal strikes
👇
Our Q&A is complete with handy charts.
Here's one on the Alien Enemies Act (AEA): who it applies to and when, what it does and doesn't allow, why the law even exists 👇
Here's one on the Alien Enemies Act (AEA): who it applies to and when, what it does and doesn't allow, why the law even exists 👇
June 2, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Our Q&A is complete with handy charts.
Here's one on the Alien Enemies Act (AEA): who it applies to and when, what it does and doesn't allow, why the law even exists 👇
Here's one on the Alien Enemies Act (AEA): who it applies to and when, what it does and doesn't allow, why the law even exists 👇
Are you a fan of @justsecurity.org's litigation tracker?
You can now get updates on important developments in litigation against Trump administration executive actions delivered to your inbox every weekday by signing up for “Today on Just Security”👇
www.justsecurity.org/newsletter-s...
You can now get updates on important developments in litigation against Trump administration executive actions delivered to your inbox every weekday by signing up for “Today on Just Security”👇
www.justsecurity.org/newsletter-s...
May 21, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Are you a fan of @justsecurity.org's litigation tracker?
You can now get updates on important developments in litigation against Trump administration executive actions delivered to your inbox every weekday by signing up for “Today on Just Security”👇
www.justsecurity.org/newsletter-s...
You can now get updates on important developments in litigation against Trump administration executive actions delivered to your inbox every weekday by signing up for “Today on Just Security”👇
www.justsecurity.org/newsletter-s...
Read to the end:
March 11, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Read to the end:
They explain: "The central norm at stake here is the prohibition of the use of force."
What kind of world order will we fight for? This is about sovereignty and independence for #Ukraine, but it's also about much more:
What kind of world order will we fight for? This is about sovereignty and independence for #Ukraine, but it's also about much more:
February 26, 2025 at 5:07 PM
They explain: "The central norm at stake here is the prohibition of the use of force."
What kind of world order will we fight for? This is about sovereignty and independence for #Ukraine, but it's also about much more:
What kind of world order will we fight for? This is about sovereignty and independence for #Ukraine, but it's also about much more:
Yes - contact your members of Congress! Any replacement requires confirmation, and for Caine in particular it is possible both chambers would need to act to grant exceptions to the law, as @marknevitt.bsky.social explains here:
February 24, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Yes - contact your members of Congress! Any replacement requires confirmation, and for Caine in particular it is possible both chambers would need to act to grant exceptions to the law, as @marknevitt.bsky.social explains here:
A sober assessment of the moment we face, and a call to action on what to do now with the long view in mind:
February 18, 2025 at 12:46 AM
A sober assessment of the moment we face, and a call to action on what to do now with the long view in mind:
Congress - This is a big deal at the National Nuclear Security Administration
- Federal employees, probationary or not, aren't expendable
- Their knowledge & expertise are often irreplaceable
- Our national security depends on stopping the hemorrhaging now across the agencies you fund & authorize
- Federal employees, probationary or not, aren't expendable
- Their knowledge & expertise are often irreplaceable
- Our national security depends on stopping the hemorrhaging now across the agencies you fund & authorize
February 14, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Congress - This is a big deal at the National Nuclear Security Administration
- Federal employees, probationary or not, aren't expendable
- Their knowledge & expertise are often irreplaceable
- Our national security depends on stopping the hemorrhaging now across the agencies you fund & authorize
- Federal employees, probationary or not, aren't expendable
- Their knowledge & expertise are often irreplaceable
- Our national security depends on stopping the hemorrhaging now across the agencies you fund & authorize
The Congressional Research Service has a helpful primer out called #USAID Under the #Trump Administration
crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/...
Key passage, consistent w/my earlier analysis:
crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/...
Key passage, consistent w/my earlier analysis:
February 4, 2025 at 4:51 PM
The Congressional Research Service has a helpful primer out called #USAID Under the #Trump Administration
crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/...
Key passage, consistent w/my earlier analysis:
crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/...
Key passage, consistent w/my earlier analysis:
A lot wrong here, but this quote alone raises big Qs:
Rubio: "I'm the acting director of #USAID. I've delegated that authority to someone..."
- Is Rubio acting administrator?
- To *whom* has he delegated *what* authority?
- Have USAID's functions, as provided by Congress, been retained?
Rubio: "I'm the acting director of #USAID. I've delegated that authority to someone..."
- Is Rubio acting administrator?
- To *whom* has he delegated *what* authority?
- Have USAID's functions, as provided by Congress, been retained?
February 3, 2025 at 6:16 PM
A lot wrong here, but this quote alone raises big Qs:
Rubio: "I'm the acting director of #USAID. I've delegated that authority to someone..."
- Is Rubio acting administrator?
- To *whom* has he delegated *what* authority?
- Have USAID's functions, as provided by Congress, been retained?
Rubio: "I'm the acting director of #USAID. I've delegated that authority to someone..."
- Is Rubio acting administrator?
- To *whom* has he delegated *what* authority?
- Have USAID's functions, as provided by Congress, been retained?
Thank you, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Dems, for treating what's going on with #USAID and #DOGE as a serious threat to the rule of law and national security 👇
www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/do...
www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/do...
February 2, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Thank you, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Dems, for treating what's going on with #USAID and #DOGE as a serious threat to the rule of law and national security 👇
www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/do...
www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/do...