The Washington Post—for which I wrote editorials for nearly a decade—has closed its Kyiv bureau. @lawfaremedia.org has not—and we will not. We now employ more people in Kyiv than the Washington Post. Let me tell you about what we have done in Ukraine over the past year and why we are not leaving

Now up on @lawfaremedia.org: my extraordinarily deep dive with @alexzerden.bsky.social into how the Trump administration is handling Venezuela's oil revenue. Long story short, the scheme they've set-up—and the short-term fix they pursued through Qatar—both make more sense than they might seem.

After removing dictator Nicolas Maduro from power, President Trump issued an executive order setting up a mechanism for managing Venezuelan oil revenue. @sranderson.bsky.social and @alexzerden.bsky.social explore why the administration is channeling the revenue from the first oil deal through Qatar.

Re: Venezuela resolution, this could set a precedent that would generally limit the availability of WPR expedited procedures outside ongoing hostilities. Resolutions like those Congress passed in 2019-2020 re: Yemen and Iran could no longer be eligible. www.politico.com/live-updates...

A busy day at @brookings.edu talking Venezuela. First, this phenomenal podcast conversation with @proftalmadge.bsky.social for The Current (recorded yesterday but just published): www.brookings.edu/articles/wha...

A note on today’s announcement on Maduro’s capture: insofar as the Trump admin is relying on the consent of Venezuela’s opposition (and U.S.-recognized gov’t) as an international legal justification, that would be new — not even clearly supported by the Panama precedent.

In a recent Lawfare Research Report, @sranderson.bsky.social outlines a strategy—called the “de facto authorities rule”—for addressing scenarios where sanctioned terrorist groups take control of government social media accounts and act as local de facto authorities.

Last chance to get these in (as I'm assembling the list for tomorrow's recording)! Get them in ASAP to [email protected] (or just DM me)!

Rubio is correct that that was his position when he was in the Senate! But it was wrong then too... From a piece I wrote for @washingtonpost.com in 2020: www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/five...

This is an immensely important step in removing a statutory authorization that had long outlived its original intended purpose, and was primed to be used in unexpected and potentially problematic ways. Great to see bipartisan leadership from Sens. Kaine and Young yield results like this.

@sranderson.bsky.social and @nkorpett.bsky.social analyze the legality of the Trump admin's airstrikes and find that, even if you accept its flawed in'l legal justification for the broader campaign, Pete Hegseth's alleged order to "kill them all" and the resulting second strike are unlawful.

Now up on @lawfaremedia.org: @nkorpett.bsky.social and I on the lingering legal problems still surrounding the second strike on alleged drug smugglers that killed 2 survivors, and how it reflects legal problems with the broader military campaign. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...

It's the "Tyler's Revenge" edition! On Rational Security, @sranderson.bsky.social, Ari Tabatabai and @tylermcbrien.com discussed the week’s news in national security, including President Trump's meeting with President Xi Jinping, the U.S. military build-up in the Caribbean, and more.

Join @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org and @annabower.bsky.social at 8 pm ET for a live discussion of Bower’s article about her Signal exchange with EDVA U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan. youtube.com/live/SZZyccE...

EXCLUSIVE: One Saturday afternoon in October, my phone lit up with a notification. I glanced down at the message. “Anna, Lindsey Halligan here,” it began. So began my text exchange with the woman who is prosecuting the president's perceived political enemies. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...

On Thursday, the Senate unanimously endorsed amendments to the NDAA and seem set to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Iraq AUMFs. To better understand the arguments for repeal, revisit Senior Editor @sranderson.bsky.social's two-part series, "How the 2002 Iraq AUMF Got to Be So Dangerous" below ⬇️

In today's hearing in Widakuswara v. Lake re: the dismantling of Voice of America, Judge Lamberth just indicated he intends to issue an order later today enforcing his prior preliminary injunction, which—if as requested by plaintiffs—would pause RIFs there. www.courtlistener.com/docket/69846...

Joined @gregsargent.bsky.social of @newrepublic.com on his "The Daily Blast" podcast to talk through the big legal questions raised by President Trump's recent lethal strike on Tren de Aragua. Listen here:

Did the president's Venezuelan "boat strike" violate the law? By applying the tools of war to civilians, writes @sranderson.bsky.social, the Trump administration is entering unprecedented—and deeply problematic—legal territory. Read the piece here: www.lawfaremedia.org/article/did-...

In 1 hour, join @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org, @sranderson.bsky.social, @annabower.bsky.social, James Pearce, Loren Voss, and @qjurecic.bsky.social will discuss the legality of the White House canceling $4.9B in foreign aid, this morning's hearing over Fed gov. Lisa Cook's firing, and more.

RSVP today to join Lawfare on Sept. 19 to celebrate our 15 year anniversary—a decade and a half of rigorous analysis, trusted insight, and independent journalism at the intersection of national security, law, and policy! givebutter.com/lawfare15

In 1 hour, watch @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org, @annabower.bsky.social, @rparloff.bsky.social , @sranderson.bsky.social, and @chrismirasola.bsky.social discuss today's hearing in D.C.'s suit challenging the Trump admin's take over of the police department, the hearing in Newsom v. Trump & more.

Washington Journal #CSPAN #CSPANWJ Skeet at @c-span.bsky.social and cspanwj.bsky.social Brookings Institution's Scott Anderson @sranderson.bsky.social on Constitutional authority Presidents have to deploy National Guard, role of Armed Forces in domestic situations. LIVE: tinyurl.com/ye924826

Come work for Lawfare! We are hiring a new associate editor. Associate editors work with authors to edit articles, host podcasts, have opportunities to write articles, and more! The deadline to apply is Sep. 2, 2025. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/come...

Today's Lawfare Daily is 2 conversations @sranderson.bsky.social had at the Aspen Security Forum. First he spoke with @shashj.bsky.social discuss the new dynamics surrounding European security. Then he sat down with Iris Ferguson (@csis.org) to discuss the strategic significance of the Arctic.

It's the "Live from Aspen edition! @sranderson.bsky.social sat down with @shaneharris.bsky.social, @markleongoldberg.bsky.social, and @alexward.bsky.social live from the Aspen Security Forum to discuss what foreign ministers were talking about, the hottest topic at the form, AI, and more.

I'm in @lawfaremedia.org on DOJ's new citizenship-stripping initiative. Will they try to denaturalize Mamdani, Musk, Rosie O'Donnell? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But there's a long history here, and (for now) real legal limits. BONUS: I link to a relevant Mamdani rap track. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/what...

My friends and former colleagues at the State Department are some of the most committed public servants I know. They've committed careers to our country and in many cases put their lives on the line for it. They deserve so much better than this arbitrary and capricious nonsense.

1/I’ve obtained a farewell note a person in the human rights bureau sent out to his colleagues after being fired from the State Department today. A few tidbits from it:

I'm about as concerned as one can get about efforts to unlawful efforts to dismantle federal agencies. But a lot of the coverage of today's Supreme Court decision is, in my mind, seriously overstating its significance. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...

A heartbreaking account of the forced end of the FBI career of @michael-feinberg.bsky.social. Mike will soon be starting as our newest public interest fellow at @lawfaremedia.org, so we can all still benefit from his deep expertise in national security. And you can help us do more…

A few weeks ago, an important — and largely private — chapter in my life ended; I’m incredibly thankful to @lawfaremedia.org for giving me a forum to write the next one.

Now up on FixGov at @brookings.edu: a piece from me orienting you to the legal debate around the troop deployments in Los Angeles—and what it might mean for domestic military deployments in the future. www.brookings.edu/articles/how...

Important thread from my law school classmate @sergioperez.bsky.social.

That administration officials chose to attack a DIA assessment, instead of noting that it's an early, low-confidence, single-agency judgment (iow something they didn't need to respond to with a flamethrower) suggests that the story of the damage, not the damage itself, is what matters most to them.

Well, this is acutely relevant a bit sooner than expected…

Now up on @lawfaremedia.org: my deep dive into the domestic and international law surrounding whether the Trump administration can join Israel’s war against Iran. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...

Don't miss today's Lawfare podcast where @sranderson.bsky.social spoke to 3 legal experts on domestic military deployments on President Trump's decision to deploy U.S. troops to L.A.

On Rational Security, @sranderson.bsky.social spoke to @mollyereynolds.bsky.social, @qjurecic.bsky.social, and @chrismirasola.bsky.social about President Trump's deployment of National Guard and Marines to L.A., the Trump admin's request to formally rescind federal spending, and more.

Last week, the en banc D.C. Circuit laid out how it is going to review Trump’s efforts at dismantling the federal government. It’s a big deal. But no one seems to have noticed. I piece it all together in my latest piece for @lawfaremedia.org. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...

Fourth Cir. in National Association of Immigration Judges v. Owen considers whether IJs can challenge a policy that requires IJs to obtain permission before speaking publicly. Remands the case to consider the jurisdictional issue because MSPB lacks a quorum. 1/6 www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/232...

@mollyereynolds.bsky.social with a What Just Happened?! CRA deep in the weeds explainer over at the Yale JREG blog 🤩: www.yalejreg.com/nc/the-senat...

These conversations with Joel are not only some of my favorite podcasts to record, but among the most informative and invaluable conversations I get to have. Do not miss it.

When the attorney general makes a factual claim about law enforcement, it's important to take it seriously. So I contacted the DOJ and ran the numbers. New from yours truly for @lawfaremedia.org

The new Pope’s last (re)Tweet speaks volumes.

On Rational Security, @sranderson.bsky.social sat down with @mollyereynolds.bsky.social and James Pearce to talk through the week’s news, including what President Trump has done in his second first 100 days in office and the legal challenges he has faced. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/rati...

Everyone at @lawfaremedia.org has been working hard to provide essential analysis of all of the national security and legal issues coming out of the Trump admin so far. Check out a thread of some of our work so far and if you have found our work useful, consider supporting Lawfare:

ICYMI: Watch this week’s Trials of the Trump Administration where @BenjaminWittes.lawfaremedia.org, @sranderson.bsky.social, @AnnaBower.bsky.social, Preston Marquis, @rparloff.bsky.social, and James Pearce discussed the arrest of a WI state judge, the Alien Enemy Act removal cases, and more.

My latest for @lawfaremedia.org: the limits of how far President Trump can go in accepting Russia’s annexation of Crimea without Congress. Hint: it’s not as far as he seems to think. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...