Jean Galbraith
@jeangalbraith.bsky.social
Professor, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
International law / U.S. foreign relations law / economic justice. A generalist at heart.
International law / U.S. foreign relations law / economic justice. A generalist at heart.
In which Larry and I point out that formal exit isn't as easy as the Trump Administration would like it to be.
I'm glad the WHO is pushing back.
I'm glad the WHO is pushing back.
With the World Health Organization Executive Board poised to take up the question, international law professors Jean Galbraith and Laurence Helfer analyze the purported U.S. WHO withdrawal.
They conclude the US attempt at withdrawal was likely not successful as a matter of international law:
They conclude the US attempt at withdrawal was likely not successful as a matter of international law:
Has the U.S. Actually Withdrawn from the World Health Organization?
International law experts analyze the purported US withdrawal from the WHO and conclude it is likely not binding under international law.
www.justsecurity.org
January 29, 2026 at 3:24 PM
In which Larry and I point out that formal exit isn't as easy as the Trump Administration would like it to be.
I'm glad the WHO is pushing back.
I'm glad the WHO is pushing back.
Reposted by Jean Galbraith
Coining "war in the constitutional sense" was such a deeply pernicious OLC wrong turn.
RAND PAUL: If a country bombed our air defense missiles, captured & removed our president, & blockaded our country, would that be considered an act of war?
RUBIO: We just don't believe this operation comes anywhere close to the constitutional definition
PAUL: Of course it would be an act of war!
RUBIO: We just don't believe this operation comes anywhere close to the constitutional definition
PAUL: Of course it would be an act of war!
January 28, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Coining "war in the constitutional sense" was such a deeply pernicious OLC wrong turn.
One added irony of Trump's scorn for NATO: The U.S. right to have military bases on Greenland at all is conditioned on U.S. membership in the North Atlantic Treaty.
January 22, 2026 at 8:15 PM
One added irony of Trump's scorn for NATO: The U.S. right to have military bases on Greenland at all is conditioned on U.S. membership in the North Atlantic Treaty.
Great post. And this is just on the international law front. As a matter of domestic law, acquisition of territory for the United States would require an Article II treaty or a congressional statute.
Teamed up with the great @mikeschmitt.bsky.social on why international law would not allow (& States must reject) any acquisition of Greenland:
-following the threat or use of force
-without respecting the self-determination rights of the people of #Greenland
www.justsecurity.org/129374/legal...
-following the threat or use of force
-without respecting the self-determination rights of the people of #Greenland
www.justsecurity.org/129374/legal...
Legal Obstacles to U.S. Acquisition of Greenland
Any acquisition of Greenland by the United States would directly violate fundamental principles of international law.
www.justsecurity.org
January 22, 2026 at 7:40 PM
Great post. And this is just on the international law front. As a matter of domestic law, acquisition of territory for the United States would require an Article II treaty or a congressional statute.
The Chagos Islands are in the news (due to Trump's recent screed). It's worth remembering just how many years of international legal advocacy it took to persuade the UK to return the islands to Mauritius.
Philippe Sands told this story in a brilliant book:
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-c...
Philippe Sands told this story in a brilliant book:
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-c...
The Last Colony: A Tale of Exile, Justice, and Courage|Hardcover
The moving, inspiring David-and-Goliath true story of freedom and justice involving one tiny nation in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, and the extraordinary woman, a descendant of slaves, wh...
www.barnesandnoble.com
January 21, 2026 at 2:37 PM
The Chagos Islands are in the news (due to Trump's recent screed). It's worth remembering just how many years of international legal advocacy it took to persuade the UK to return the islands to Mauritius.
Philippe Sands told this story in a brilliant book:
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-c...
Philippe Sands told this story in a brilliant book:
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-c...
Another interesting development in international agreements: the World Health Organization is pushing back on U.S. efforts to withdraw from it. Predictably, the Trump Administration hasn't paid off the dues owed by the U.S. to the #WHO.
healthpolicy-watch.news/member-state...
healthpolicy-watch.news/member-state...
Member States To Discuss US Withdrawal From WHO As Failure To Pay 2024-25 Fees Violates Legal Obligations - Health Policy Watch
When and how the United States withdraws from the World Health Organization (WHO) is an “open question” for member states to discuss, according to Steven
healthpolicy-watch.news
January 16, 2026 at 1:06 PM
Another interesting development in international agreements: the World Health Organization is pushing back on U.S. efforts to withdraw from it. Predictably, the Trump Administration hasn't paid off the dues owed by the U.S. to the #WHO.
healthpolicy-watch.news/member-state...
healthpolicy-watch.news/member-state...
Some good news in international treaties. The multilateral biodiversity treaty for oceans enters into force tomorrow (although the U.S. is not a member). news.un.org/en/story/202...
Game-changing international marine protection treaty comes into force
Almost two decades in the making, an international agreement to protect marine life in international waters and the seabed is due to come into force on Saturday, marking a major step forward in effort...
news.un.org
January 16, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Some good news in international treaties. The multilateral biodiversity treaty for oceans enters into force tomorrow (although the U.S. is not a member). news.un.org/en/story/202...
Reposted by Jean Galbraith
Sue Biniaz, the United States’ former lead climate lawyer, and public international law professor Jean Galbraith analyze legal and practical issues around US withdrawal from the foundational global #climate treaty – as well as the possibility of future rejoining:
Legal and Practical Implications of the U.S. Withdrawal from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change
The U.S. withdrawal from the UNFCCC is a further blow to climate cooperation and a demonstration of U.S. foreign policy volatility.
www.justsecurity.org
January 14, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Sue Biniaz, the United States’ former lead climate lawyer, and public international law professor Jean Galbraith analyze legal and practical issues around US withdrawal from the foundational global #climate treaty – as well as the possibility of future rejoining: