If you're teaching, researching, studying, or practicing IHL, check out this new syllabus supplement, annotated with discussion prompts, thanks to @bechamilton.bsky.social and Danae Askar:

Complete abdication of responsibility by Senator Wicker: 1) The most basic Qs about the campaign - on legality and strategy - are unanswered. Start with what acts constitute an “armed attack” or justify the existence of an armed conflict? Which 24 cartels & gangs are we supposedly at war with?

My latest - on the Venezuela Blockade. With my friend, Commodore (RAN ret'd) and Professor Rob McLaughlin. With thanks to the ever-professional team at @justsecurity.org

This this this. And if you, the public, cease to care, why should the President?

Blockading Venezuela: The International Law Consequences By top experts Mike Schmitt and Rob McLaughlin “Execution of the blockade would constitute an act of aggression, which by definition is an unlawful use of force. It would also qualify as an armed attack by the United States on Venezuela.”

This is a dangerous escalation, and this administration must come before Congress for public hearings and explain to the American people why they are risking pulling us into another forever war. 2/2

Massie: "This is about oil and regime change"

A thread based on Q&A with @mikeschmitt.bsky.social and @rgoodlaw.bsky.social before the speech tonight: bsky.app/profile/tess...

In advance of Trump's speech tonight, a few things to make clear (from Q&A with @mikeschmitt.bsky.social and @rgoodlaw.bsky.social): 1) US military strikes in or against #Venezuela would be unlawful. There is no self-defense justification to use force to dislodge #Maduro, or otherwise. 1/4

In the briefing yesterday, the Admin didn't even pretend the strikes were designed to stop the fentanyl trade to the U.S.. Of course - because Venezuela produces no fentanyl. They transport cocaine - bound for...wait for it...Europe. So this is The War On European Cocaine.

Starting at 2 pm — "Crisis in the Caribbean: Breaking Down the Trump Administration’s Dangerous Actions in Latin America." Join our online audience: https://www.americanprogress.org/events/crisis-in-the-caribbean-breaking-down-the-trump-administrations-dangerous-actions-in-latin-america/

The Reiss Center was a hub for war powers expertise & research in 2025. As attention focused on US lethal strikes in the Caribbean, we offered: ☑️War Powers Resolution Reporting Project: 125+ 48-hr reports & 80+ periodic reports ☑️Sought-after analysis ☑️Real-time facts distilled ☑️Expert podcast series

At year’s end, we’re reflecting on all that’s happened in 2025. Our @rcls-nyu.bsky.social programs & research mapped growing faultlines in national security law and policy. Check out the work we did to meet the moment: www.lawandsecurity.org/annual-highl...

2/2 "Any of the following acts, regardless of a declaration of war, shall ... qualify as an act of aggression: ... The blockade of the ports or coasts of a State by the armed forces of another State" - Definition of Aggression, United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXIX).

It is international law 101 that a military blockade is not just a violation of the UN Charter, but a crime of aggression. Unless that blockade is in response to an 'armed attack.' None of President's Trump's list of complaints come close to an armed attack. 1/

“All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.” UN Charter Art. 2(4)

“A blockade of the ports or coasts of a State is generally regarded as a measure involving force against that State for the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations.” DOD Law of War Manual 13.10.2.1

It’s not at all clear what is being threatened in this embarrassing word salad, but if it is a US naval blockade of Venezuela, this sure is a threat of an illegal use of force, also known as aggression. It’s never been about the drugs. It’s always been about Maduro.

Thank you @chrismurphyct.bsky.social for stating this so clearly 👇 1) There's no national security reason to spend billions blowing up cocaine headed to Europe 2) The President labeling any person or group a "terrorist" (or any other label) does not somehow authorize him to kill those people

With the killings continuing, Qs for Trump-Hegseth-Rubio-Bondi-Leavitt: - Who was killed? (admin hasn't made public which groups we're in a fake war against) - What drugs were they allegedly carrying? (unlikely to be fentanyl) - What was the destination? (Rubio said most bound for Europe, not US)

In other words, these murders rise to the level of crimes against humanity. Grave crimes under international law that other countries can prosecute in their courts. Charlie Trumbull (former colleague at State Dept.) explains in depth here: www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...

This Timeline of Boat Strikes and Related Actions (including international reactions) is now updated due to 3 strikes on Monday Overview as of December 16, 2025: 25 strikes; 95 reported killed; 2 known survivors

Updated timeline with 3 more strikes, killing 8 more people 👇 Reminder: all of the strikes are extrajudicial killings that #Trump ordered and the military is carrying out. They aren't war crimes (we're not at war), they are murder and crimes against humanity. www.justsecurity.org/124002/timel...

Donation going in today. Grateful for the work @tessbridgeman.bsky.social & @rgoodlaw.bsky.social and their team do based out of my alma mater. Their insights are particularly vital in present times. @justsecurity.org

This is the big story: 1) The President ordered a killing campaign outside of the law. 2) He got OLC to make up a fake war to justify killing real people. 3) And he got the military to carry out the killings. Purporting to justify those killings is aiding in covering up that plain reality 👇 2/2

Corruption is corrosive. Whether at the state, local, or national level, it causes Americans to lose faith in our government.   That is why we must fight against corruption everywhere we find it and deliver a government that works for you, not against you.

6/ Want to understand this issue better? See updated answer to #10 in this Expert Q&A (with links to all the sources of authority). Q&A by @tessbridgeman.bsky.social, @mikeschmitt.bsky.social and me.

Greatly expanded Q & A regarding Operation Southern Spear, potential operations against Venezuela, tanker seizures, and more. With @justsecurity.org colleagues @tessbridgeman.bsky.social & @rgoodlaw.bsky.social. Feel free to send more questions via the link at the end of the piece.

Joined @thebrianlehrershow.bsky.social @wnyc.org this morning (along with Prof. William LeoGrande) to discuss: - The Trump administration's pressure campaign against #Venezuela - The illegal killings of suspected drug traffickers at sea - Accountability ...and more👇 www.wnyc.org/story/us-esc...

Must read by @marknevitt.bsky.social on why killing survivors at sea is a moral & strategic disaster for all of us: "If America chooses a path where killing defenseless survivors becomes acceptable, American servicemembers will pay the price for that choice." www.justsecurity.org/125998/boat-...

Obedience to the law isn't just about making moral and honorable choices (it's that too) - it's what enables our country to have a professional military at all. Abandoning compliance with the law is a reckless decision that will risk service members' lives and vital US interests the world over:

Here, however, his inexplicable acceptance of that absurd idea caused him not only to engage in that first patently unlawful strike--which violates murder statutes, IHRL, and longstanding DOD norms--but also to leave him helplessly at sea (sorry) in deciding whether to take the second strike. [4]

At any other time before 2025, a seasoned and sophisticated commander such as Bradley, and the JAGs he consulted, would have immediately dismissed any such notion as palpably mistaken (indeed, incoherent), & thus it would have been obvious that he couldn't strike the boat in the first instance. [3]

The full @kqedforum.bsky.social episode with host @mina-kim.bsky.social, NYT's @julianbarnes.bsky.social and me on the boat strikes at sea, #Signalgate, threats to #Venezuela, and more is available here (or wherever you get your podcasts): www.kqed.org/forum/201010...

With national implications: "Defendants have sent California Guardsmen into other states, effectively creating a national police force made up of state troops." DOJ's claim that re-federalization is "completely, and forever, unreviewable by the courts ... is contrary to law."

The first paragraph of Judge Breyer‘s opinion granting an injunction in the California National Guard case is a banger.

It was a pleasure to join @mina-kim.bsky.social & @julianbarnes.bsky.social on @kqedforum.bsky.social to talk about the US boat strikes, #Signalgate, and accountability. Here are the Qs Congress should be asking about the boat strikes that we discussed: www.justsecurity.org/126322/boat-...

🎙️ON AIR: We're talking to @julianbarnes.bsky.social, @slotkin.senate.gov and @tessbridgeman.bsky.social about the impact and legality of the U.S.'s strikes on boats in the Caribbean, along with other controversies at the Pentagon. ❓What Qs do you have about the strikes? 📻 Listen:

Daily reminder that the laws of war don't apply when we're not at war, and all of the killings President Trump has ordered are not war crimes, they are murder:

Check the @justsecurity.org litigation tracker for the latest developments in the courts - all facts, no spin: www.justsecurity.org/107087/track...

Awful: Trump just admitted in a new interview that he knows "very little" about the Honduran ex-president he pardoned. This guy trafficked a gazillion times more drugs into the US than anyone Trump has executed. Wrecks his case for the boat bombings. New from me: newrepublic.com/article/2041...

With Hegseth, Caine and Rubio set to brief the Gang of 8, re-upping this detailed list of questions (with @rgoodlaw.bsky.social and Margaret Donovan via @justsecurity.org ) that Congress should be asking about the killings of suspected drug traffickers 👇 www.justsecurity.org/126322/boat-...

Like I was saying… Defending the boat strikes is accepting that Trump can misuse the military however he wants, no limiting principles or need to justify his actions in law. It is accepting the rule of one man over the rule of law. Hegseth is saying it out loud: apnews.com/article/hegs...

(1/4) Catch up on our recent analysis: • U.S. strikes / Venezuela • Book recommendations • Ethiopia • Trump executive actions • Supreme Court • Economic diplomacy • Civil society • Emerging technologies www.justsecurity.org/125922/diges...

Excellent reporting from @charliesavage.bsky.social and @julianbarnes.bsky.social starting with the "plain reality" that there was no warship, and no fighting going on, in the Sept. 2 strike, or any of them: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/u... 1/2

Here we go -a few reminders to those covering this: - These are killings outside of armed conflict - There is no self-defense justification for the killings - That makes them extrajudicial killings under int'l law; murder under domestic law - No label ("narcoterrorist" or "DTO") changes any of that

Re-upping this Q&A from our explainer on the "duty to try to rescue the survivors of the Sept. 2 attack" In peacetime (the law that actually applies) or in war (the law the US is pretending applies). Full Q&A w/@rgoodlaw.bsky.social & @mikeschmitt.bsky.social: www.justsecurity.org/126156/exper...

Important facts on the Sept. 2 strike survivors👇 And of course, the most important fact is that the shipwrecked men *were never "in the fight" to begin with* (because this is a fake war taking real lives). Again, applying the laws of war when we are not at war is an exercise in absurdity.

U.S. Boat Strike Campaign: Questions Congress Should Ask Executive Branch Officials By @tessbridgeman.bsky.social, Margaret Donovan, @rgoodlaw.bsky.social www.justsecurity.org/126322/boat-...

When would a shipwrecked person radioing for help not involve a “hostile act” since always possibility rescuers could retrieve drugs? Did Hegseth issue verbal order, pre- or post- contingency plans, to kill everyone? Post-strike, any reason to believe some of 11 people were trafficked migrants?