Executive Functions
@execfunctions.bsky.social
A Substack newsletter devoted to analysis of presidential and broader executive power issues, by Bob Bauer and @jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social
What are we living through? David Pozen joined @jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social to discuss Pozen's recent Boston Review essay with Jedediah Britton-Purdy exploring three competing narratives of Trump 2.0. www.execfunctions.org/p/what-are-w...
November 12, 2025 at 8:48 PM
What are we living through? David Pozen joined @jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social to discuss Pozen's recent Boston Review essay with Jedediah Britton-Purdy exploring three competing narratives of Trump 2.0. www.execfunctions.org/p/what-are-w...
In case you missed it yesterday — Jack Goldsmith writes on the significance of the classified OLC opinion for the Trump administration's boat strikes in the Caribbean: execfunctions.org/p/the-venezu...
October 28, 2025 at 4:30 PM
In case you missed it yesterday — Jack Goldsmith writes on the significance of the classified OLC opinion for the Trump administration's boat strikes in the Caribbean: execfunctions.org/p/the-venezu...
"This is not a tenable situation." Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith on why, in this political moment, constitutional reform has to be on the table. www.execfunctions.org/p/decision-m...
October 16, 2025 at 9:59 PM
"This is not a tenable situation." Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith on why, in this political moment, constitutional reform has to be on the table. www.execfunctions.org/p/decision-m...
Bob Bauer gives his take on the Oregon National Guard case, arguing that President Trump's false claims about the situation in Portland matter a great deal in evaluating the legal basis for a military deployment in Portland—and in other cities.
October 9, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Bob Bauer gives his take on the Oregon National Guard case, arguing that President Trump's false claims about the situation in Portland matter a great deal in evaluating the legal basis for a military deployment in Portland—and in other cities.
Bob Bauer and @jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social discuss the Comey indictment, covering the lawfulness of Halligan's appointment as interim U.S. Attorney and the implications of Trump’s weaponization of DOJ. 🔗 www.execfunctions.org/p/the-comey-...
September 29, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Bob Bauer and @jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social discuss the Comey indictment, covering the lawfulness of Halligan's appointment as interim U.S. Attorney and the implications of Trump’s weaponization of DOJ. 🔗 www.execfunctions.org/p/the-comey-...
After the Comey indictment, Bob Bauer outlines the “all systems” approach needed to defend against the systematic politicization of federal law enforcement.
September 26, 2025 at 6:09 PM
After the Comey indictment, Bob Bauer outlines the “all systems” approach needed to defend against the systematic politicization of federal law enforcement.
Will the Supreme Court look past pretext in Trump’s firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook—or accept the government’s stated “cause” at face value? Bob Bauer explores the stakes today.
September 24, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Will the Supreme Court look past pretext in Trump’s firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook—or accept the government’s stated “cause” at face value? Bob Bauer explores the stakes today.
What do the "ethics of service" mean for Trump political appointees at the DOJ? In a new post,
@jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social
reflects on the question in light of recent events at the department.
@jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social
reflects on the question in light of recent events at the department.
September 22, 2025 at 4:55 PM
What do the "ethics of service" mean for Trump political appointees at the DOJ? In a new post,
@jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social
reflects on the question in light of recent events at the department.
@jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social
reflects on the question in light of recent events at the department.
Bob Bauer disagrees with Jack Goldsmith about the Federal Circuit decision on the Trump tariff program and argues that the court was correct to find that the Trump tariff program is illegal.
September 15, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Bob Bauer disagrees with Jack Goldsmith about the Federal Circuit decision on the Trump tariff program and argues that the court was correct to find that the Trump tariff program is illegal.
Bob Bauer argues that in construing the “cause” requirement for a Fed dismissal, the courts in the Lisa Cook case should consider the administration’s use of a “weaponization” strategy for developing the grounds for removal.
September 4, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Bob Bauer argues that in construing the “cause” requirement for a Fed dismissal, the courts in the Lisa Cook case should consider the administration’s use of a “weaponization” strategy for developing the grounds for removal.
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring the Federal Circuit's decision on Trump's tariffs, a D.C. district court's grant of stay against the government's expansion of expedited removal, and the Trump administration's plan to rescind $4.9 billion in foreign aid via "pocket rescission."
September 2, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring the Federal Circuit's decision on Trump's tariffs, a D.C. district court's grant of stay against the government's expansion of expedited removal, and the Trump administration's plan to rescind $4.9 billion in foreign aid via "pocket rescission."
Bob Bauer argues that President Trump's attacks on voting machines and mail-in voting, as well as the push for gerrymandered districts in Texas, sets up a partisan loyalty test for election officials around the country.
August 21, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Bob Bauer argues that President Trump's attacks on voting machines and mail-in voting, as well as the push for gerrymandered districts in Texas, sets up a partisan loyalty test for election officials around the country.
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring updates in District of Columbia v. Donald J. Trump, an appellate opinion vacating a preliminary injunction against the CFPB, and commentary by Jack Goldsmith on the Supreme Court's use of interim orders during Trump 2.0.
August 18, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring updates in District of Columbia v. Donald J. Trump, an appellate opinion vacating a preliminary injunction against the CFPB, and commentary by Jack Goldsmith on the Supreme Court's use of interim orders during Trump 2.0.
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring an order requiring ICE to supply sleeping mats to people detained in Lower Manhattan and commentary on the State Department's newly released report on human rights abroad.
August 14, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring an order requiring ICE to supply sleeping mats to people detained in Lower Manhattan and commentary on the State Department's newly released report on human rights abroad.
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring the latest legal ruling on the suspension of USAID and commentary on the use of the military to supervise migrants detained at Guantanamo Bay.
August 13, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring the latest legal ruling on the suspension of USAID and commentary on the use of the military to supervise migrants detained at Guantanamo Bay.
Read today's Executive Functions roundup, featuring some news and commentary on President Trump's federalization of D.C. police and deployment of the D.C. National Guard.
August 12, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Read today's Executive Functions roundup, featuring some news and commentary on President Trump's federalization of D.C. police and deployment of the D.C. National Guard.
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a DOJ motion to sanction an immigration attorney, and negotiations between the White House and one of America's largest public school systems.
August 7, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a DOJ motion to sanction an immigration attorney, and negotiations between the White House and one of America's largest public school systems.
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring a decision by the GAO, reporting on a forthcoming executive order pressuring big banks, and legal analysis on the so-called pocket rescission.
August 6, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Roundup, featuring a decision by the GAO, reporting on a forthcoming executive order pressuring big banks, and legal analysis on the so-called pocket rescission.
Read today’s Executive Functions Roundup, featuring certification of people seeking refugee status as a class, a judicial order demanding answers from "cagey" Trump officials, and a deal between the White House and another Ivy League school.
July 31, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Read today’s Executive Functions Roundup, featuring certification of people seeking refugee status as a class, a judicial order demanding answers from "cagey" Trump officials, and a deal between the White House and another Ivy League school.
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup, featuring SCOTUS's foreign assistance ruling, commentary from @jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social and @nicholasbednar.bsky.social, a new Trump timeline from @rgoodlaw.bsky.social and Audrey Balliette, and more. executivefunctions.substack.com/p/executive-...
March 5, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup, featuring SCOTUS's foreign assistance ruling, commentary from @jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social and @nicholasbednar.bsky.social, a new Trump timeline from @rgoodlaw.bsky.social and Audrey Balliette, and more. executivefunctions.substack.com/p/executive-...
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup, featuring the D.C. U.S. Atty's reported efforts to indict Sen. Schumer, commentary from @kateshaw.bsky.social on Musk and the Appointments Clause, and more (first two stories below). executivefunctions.substack.com/p/executive-...
March 4, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup, featuring the D.C. U.S. Atty's reported efforts to indict Sen. Schumer, commentary from @kateshaw.bsky.social on Musk and the Appointments Clause, and more (first two stories below). executivefunctions.substack.com/p/executive-...
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup, featuring one account of the state of CFPB, commentary from Bob Bauer, @ilyasomin.bsky.social, Adrian Vermeule, @jadler1969.bsky.social, and Josh Blackman, and more (the news stories below). executivefunctions.substack.com/p/executive-...
March 3, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup, featuring one account of the state of CFPB, commentary from Bob Bauer, @ilyasomin.bsky.social, Adrian Vermeule, @jadler1969.bsky.social, and Josh Blackman, and more (the news stories below). executivefunctions.substack.com/p/executive-...
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup: the next round in the battle over the admin's effort to fire Hampton Dellinger, more demotions for DOJ prosecutors, commentary from @sranderson.bsky.social and @elenachachko.bsky.social, and more (first three stories below). tinyurl.com/a9pz5834
March 2, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup: the next round in the battle over the admin's effort to fire Hampton Dellinger, more demotions for DOJ prosecutors, commentary from @sranderson.bsky.social and @elenachachko.bsky.social, and more (first three stories below). tinyurl.com/a9pz5834
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup, featuring two orders that permit the Trump admin to move forward with the firing of federal workers, commentary from @stevevladeck.bsky.social, Josh Blackman, and @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social, and more (first four stories below). tinyurl.com/2p9mffu6
February 28, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup, featuring two orders that permit the Trump admin to move forward with the firing of federal workers, commentary from @stevevladeck.bsky.social, Josh Blackman, and @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social, and more (first four stories below). tinyurl.com/2p9mffu6
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup: the Chief's administrative stay of an order for the govt to disburse foreign aid, helpful commentary from @nicholasbednar.bsky.social and Christopher Moore, and more (see the first three stories below). executivefunctions.substack.com/p/executive-...
February 27, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Read today's Executive Functions Morning Roundup: the Chief's administrative stay of an order for the govt to disburse foreign aid, helpful commentary from @nicholasbednar.bsky.social and Christopher Moore, and more (see the first three stories below). executivefunctions.substack.com/p/executive-...