Charles Blanchard
@fmrairforcegc.bsky.social
Former Air Force General Counsel and The Aerospace Corporation Trustee. Now Senior Counsel in Arnold & Porter's national security practice. Read my Substack https://notesfortheperplexed.substack.com/
Revenge of the Ham Sandwich Part II: A Grand Jury Once Again Saves the Day open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Revenge of the Ham Sandwich Part II: A Grand Jury Once Again Saves the Day
The Washington Post is reporting that the Department of Justice attempted to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a video reminding military service members of their obligation to reject illegal order...
open.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Revenge of the Ham Sandwich Part II: A Grand Jury Once Again Saves the Day open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Opening the Aperture: Immigration Reform open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Opening the Aperture: Immigration Reform
With the federal onslaught on Minnesota (and now Maine as well) underway, now may not seem the right time to discuss a possible compromise on differing views on immigration reform, but the death of Al...
open.substack.com
January 28, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Opening the Aperture: Immigration Reform open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Minnesota and the Federal Onslaught open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Minnesota and the Federal Onslaught
There are about 3,000 federal law enforcement agents in Minneapolis and St.
open.substack.com
January 25, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Minnesota and the Federal Onslaught open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Trump's Lawfare Comes for the Federal Reserve open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Trump's Lawfare Comes for the Federal Reserve
Over the weekend, the New York Times reported that the U.S.
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Trump's Lawfare Comes for the Federal Reserve open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Long-Term Consequences to Trump's Foreign Policy open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Long-Term Consequences to Trump's Foreign Policy
With the military attack on Venezuela, and the direct threats to Denmark over Greenland, it is clear that we are entering into a new approach to U.S.
open.substack.com
January 12, 2026 at 3:29 PM
The Long-Term Consequences to Trump's Foreign Policy open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Trump confirmed what we already suspected. He does not feel constrained by international law in the use of military force, but only by his "own morality." And Stephen Miller reinforced this by stating that the world is "governed by strength", not "international niceties. 1/14
January 10, 2026 at 7:50 PM
Trump confirmed what we already suspected. He does not feel constrained by international law in the use of military force, but only by his "own morality." And Stephen Miller reinforced this by stating that the world is "governed by strength", not "international niceties. 1/14
With Trump demanding caps on credit card interest, getting equity in corporations and stopping investors from buying homes, it appears that Trump's problem with Democratic Socialism is the Democratic part.
January 10, 2026 at 4:24 AM
With Trump demanding caps on credit card interest, getting equity in corporations and stopping investors from buying homes, it appears that Trump's problem with Democratic Socialism is the Democratic part.
The Best Way to Secure Greenland open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Best Way to Secure Greenland
When friends ask me about differences between the different military services, I love to tell this joke: If you tell the various services to “Secure the Building”, here is what they will do: The Army ...
open.substack.com
January 9, 2026 at 7:41 PM
The Best Way to Secure Greenland open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The "Might Makes Right" Alternative to International Law: A Cautionary Tale from Thucydides open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The "Might Makes Right" Alternative to International Law: A Cautionary Tale from Thucydides
In my last post, I made the case that it was in the national interest of the United States to comply with international law—in particular the limitations on the use of military force in Article 2(4) o...
open.substack.com
January 7, 2026 at 7:24 PM
The "Might Makes Right" Alternative to International Law: A Cautionary Tale from Thucydides open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Why Should We Care About Following International Law? What Is It Anyway? open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Why Should We Care About Following International Law? What Is It Anyway?
Many of my posts about the Trump Administration’s military action have focused on principles of international law.
open.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:39 PM
Why Should We Care About Following International Law? What Is It Anyway? open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
No one loved Maduro so there is a pervasive "ends justify the means" mentality in response to very serious legal problems with the operation. Admittedly, past Administrations have also violated international law, but they at least offered colorable legal arguments. 1/8
January 4, 2026 at 8:16 PM
No one loved Maduro so there is a pervasive "ends justify the means" mentality in response to very serious legal problems with the operation. Admittedly, past Administrations have also violated international law, but they at least offered colorable legal arguments. 1/8
The Attack on Venezuela open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Attack on Venezuela
The U.S.
open.substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 5:14 PM
The Attack on Venezuela open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Kennedy Center Fiasco: Some Institutions Should Not Be Politicized open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Kennedy Center Fiasco: Some Institutions Should Not Be Politicized
While I am a political junky, and take my politics very seriously, I am also a strong believer that we need American institutions that are above politics.
open.substack.com
December 31, 2025 at 5:28 PM
The Kennedy Center Fiasco: Some Institutions Should Not Be Politicized open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Attack on ISIS in Nigeria open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Attack on ISIS in Nigeria
On Christmas, the U.S.
open.substack.com
December 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM
The Attack on ISIS in Nigeria open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Don't Underestimate the JAGs open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Don't Underestimate the JAGs
When the Trump Administration announced that it would use uniformed military lawyers—Judge Advocates (JAs or JAGs)— many of my progressive friends expressed horror.
open.substack.com
December 23, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Don't Underestimate the JAGs open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Trump Plays the National Security Card In His Attack on Renewable Energy open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Trump Plays the National Security Card In His Attack on Renewable Energy
In a previous post, I noted that while I was not happy that the Big Beautiful Bill eliminated various tax incentives for renewable energy such as solar and wind, I was confident that the economics of ...
open.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Trump Plays the National Security Card In His Attack on Renewable Energy open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The "Warrior Dividend: A Deceptive Rebranding of Money Already Going to Military Members open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The "Warrior Dividend: A Deceptive Rebranding of Money Already Going to Military Members
When Trump announced last night a $1776 bonus called “Warrior Dividend”, I had two reactions.
open.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The "Warrior Dividend: A Deceptive Rebranding of Money Already Going to Military Members open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Reposted by Charles Blanchard
Trump has been speaking for a couple of minutes now and he hasn't yet said a single true thing.
December 18, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Trump has been speaking for a couple of minutes now and he hasn't yet said a single true thing.
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: How the U.S. Organizes the Command of Military Forces open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: How the U.S. Organizes the Command of Military Forces
There are news reports about a major reorganization of the Department of Defense’s Combatant Commands.
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: How the U.S. Organizes the Command of Military Forces open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Was the Seizure of the Oil Tanker Lawful? open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Was the Seizure of the Oil Tanker Lawful?
It must be a joy teaching national security and international law this year.
open.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Was the Seizure of the Oil Tanker Lawful? open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: The NDAA open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: The NDAA
I started my “Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington” series as a tongue-in-cheek way to explain the often strange ins and outs of how the federal government operates.
open.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: The NDAA open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Supreme Court May Soon Eliminate the Independence of "Independent Agencies": A Primer of the last Days of Humphrey's Executor open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Supreme Court May Soon Eliminate the Independence of "Independent Agencies": A Primer of the last Days of Humphrey's Executor
The Supreme Court today is hearing a case this afternoon that could upend a basic premise of the administrative state that has been in place for over 100 years.
open.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:38 PM
The Supreme Court May Soon Eliminate the Independence of "Independent Agencies": A Primer of the last Days of Humphrey's Executor open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
A must read deep dive on the lethal strikes on alleged drug boats by three highly respected Law of Armed Conflict experts who cut their teeth on these issues by advising the military and senior national security leaders.
www.justsecurity.org/126553/opera...
www.justsecurity.org/126553/opera...
Operation Southern Spear: Why the Crews, Drugs, and Boats are Not Targetable
A deep dive on the international law applicable to the U.S. military's lethal operations against suspected drug boats
www.justsecurity.org
December 7, 2025 at 5:53 PM
A must read deep dive on the lethal strikes on alleged drug boats by three highly respected Law of Armed Conflict experts who cut their teeth on these issues by advising the military and senior national security leaders.
www.justsecurity.org/126553/opera...
www.justsecurity.org/126553/opera...
Don't Get Distracted by the Bright Shiny Object: All Four Strikes on the First Drug Boat Were Unlawful open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Don't Get Distracted by the Bright Shiny Object: All Four Strikes on the First Drug Boat Were Unlawful
The has been an intense focus on whether the second strike on two survivors of an initial attack on an alleged drug boat violate the law of armed conflict.
open.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Don't Get Distracted by the Bright Shiny Object: All Four Strikes on the First Drug Boat Were Unlawful open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Folkways of Political Washington: Limits on Appointment of "Acting" Officials open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Folkways of Political Washington: Limits on Appointment of "Acting" Officials
I was not surprised when law of war issues became a hot topic during the Trump Administration.
open.substack.com
December 3, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Folkways of Political Washington: Limits on Appointment of "Acting" Officials open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...