Responding to AI Distillation Without Panic
Before locking in new restrictions on AI models, policymakers should ask how much distillation actually contributes to the threat.
Implementing Universal Jurisdiction in Ukraine
Ukraine can now prosecute Russian soldiers for crimes committed in Syria—but its 2024 law leaves the practical mechanics unresolved.
Takeaways for Iran a Year After the Syria Sanctions Rollback
Trump has said he will remove sanctions on Iran if a peace deal is reached. But the case of Syria suggests it won’t be easy.
Driven by AI, the Future of Cybersecurity Will Resemble the Past
AI in the near term may drive cybersecurity back to its roots, when widespread vulnerabilities, not deceptive intrusions, drove incidents.
U.S. v. Ullah and the Problem With the ‘Lone Wolf’
A federal appellate court limited a key asset in the Department of Justice’s counterterrorism toolkit.
GAO Goes After State (Again) for Treaty Practice
Government Accountability Office finds State Department delayed in reporting U.S. international agreements to Congress and the public.
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Donate today!Highlights
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Responding to AI Distillation Without Panic
Before locking in new restrictions on AI models, policymakers should ask how much distillation actually contributes to the threat. -
Implementing Universal Jurisdiction in Ukraine
Ukraine can now prosecute Russian soldiers for crimes committed in Syria—but its 2024 law leaves the practical mechanics unresolved. -
Takeaways for Iran a Year After the Syria Sanctions Rollback
Trump has said he will remove sanctions on Iran if a peace deal is reached. But the case of Syria suggests it won’t be easy. -
Driven by AI, the Future of Cybersecurity Will Resemble the Past
AI in the near term may drive cybersecurity back to its roots, when widespread vulnerabilities, not deceptive intrusions, drove incidents. -
U.S. v. Ullah and the Problem With the ‘Lone Wolf’
A federal appellate court limited a key asset in the Department of Justice’s counterterrorism toolkit. -
GAO Goes After State (Again) for Treaty Practice
Government Accountability Office finds State Department delayed in reporting U.S. international agreements to Congress and the public. -
The U.S.-Iran MOU and the Future of Maritime Shipping Through the Strait of Hormuz
The memorandum of understanding leaves Hormuz dangerously ambiguous, inviting disputes over transit fees and navigation. -
The Purge: How the White House Broke the NSC and How to Fix It
Dismantling the machinery that coordinates U.S. foreign policy led to disaster, from ill-conceived tariffs to the calamitous war with Iran. -
The Week That Was
Your weekly summary of everything on the site. -
Faithful Execution and the Removal Power
President Trump is exercising his removal power in ways that defeat his duty to faithfully execute the law. -
From How Africa Works to How It Will Transform
A review of Joe Studwell, “How Africa Works: Success and Failure on the World’s Last Developmental Frontier” (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2026). -
Supreme Court Undermines Section 702
The latest edition of the Seriously Risky Business cybersecurity newsletter, now on Lawfare. -
Intern with Lawfare!
Lawfare is now accepting Fall 2026 internship applications. -
Data Journalism Fellow/Associate Fellow
The Lawfare Institute—publisher of information and insight at the intersection of national security, law and policy—seeks two motivated full-time data journalism fellows or associate fellows. -
The Unbearable Lightness of a Todd Blanche Confirmation Fight
If the Senate doesn’t confirm Blanche, he can still run the Justice Department.
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With every new administration comes new promises and new actions on national security. But what’s “new” has often been proposed or even tried before—which means there’s a good chance Lawfare has already analyzed some of the legal and policy implications they present. So we’re making that past content readily accessible as it becomes newly relevant.
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The Return of Schedule F
The Trump administration has proposed new rules to remove due process protections for thousands of federal employees. -
Donald Trump and the Department of Justice
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Trump’s Attacks on Justice Department Independence, Then and Now
What the first Trump administration carried out slowly, the new administration is doing at once.
Documents
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White House Releases Executive Orders on Quantum Computing
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White House Releases Executive Order on AI
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Former Cuban President Raúl Castro Indicted
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Trump Administration Releases 2026 Counterterrorism Strategy
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Southern Poverty Law Center Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges
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U.S. Government Agrees to $1.25 Million Settlement in Michael Flynn Suit
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Trump Signs Executive Order Purporting to Restrict Mail-in Voting
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ODNI Releases 2026 Threat Assessment
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Lawfare Daily: What Do the Russians Actually Think About the War?
How have the Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy sites shifted attitudes towards the war inside Russia? -
Lawfare Daily: AI Targeting Systems Are Coming—But Not as Fast as You Think
Steve Feldstein argues that the conventional wisdom about AI warfare has it backwards. -
Lawfare Daily: Taking Stock of the Ukraine-Russia Talks
Has has Ukraine's position in the negotiations changed?
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Join the Lawfare team at 4 pm ET for a discussion of the litigation surrounding the Trump administration.
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