Brian Finucane
@bcfinucane.bsky.social
Senior Adviser, US Program, International Crisis Group. Editor at Just Security. Non-Resident Senior Fellow at Reiss Center on Law and Security at NYU Law. Ex State Dept Lawyer. War Powers| Use of Force| Counterterrorism| Law of War| War Crimes| Arms Sales
Pinned
Upending the International Order
Through both word and deed, President Trump has been aggressively undermining the rule of law internationally.
www.justsecurity.org
As I wrote last spring:
"In short, the United States behaving as a predatory hegemon unconstrained by the UN Charter and threatening other states with territorial conquest...may spur more countries to acquire their own atomic insurance policies."
www.justsecurity.org/109537/upend...
"In short, the United States behaving as a predatory hegemon unconstrained by the UN Charter and threatening other states with territorial conquest...may spur more countries to acquire their own atomic insurance policies."
www.justsecurity.org/109537/upend...
Tapping the sign
One point I’ve been banging on about in interviews the last few weeks is that the mere threat of the use of force by the U.S. President is illegal both under Article 2(4) of the UN Charter but also the U.S. Constitution by virtue of the Take Care Clause.
February 13, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Tapping the sign
Administration operating so smoothly
Firing a pilot for leaving Kristi Noem's blanket behind. Berating staff when she's not on TV enough. Inside the constant chaos at DHS.
A Pilot Fired Over Kristi Noem’s Missing Blanket and the Constant Chaos Inside DHS
Secretary faces fire for confrontational immigration crackdown and self-promotional style; White House to wind down Minnesota operations.
on.wsj.com
February 13, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Administration operating so smoothly
Reality aside, the administration’s victory narratives are notable.
Leavitt: "Homan was able to achieve a level of cooperation w/local police to arrest left-wing agitators when they engage in unlawful behavior, which has led to a calmer situation. You are no longer seeing videos of them breaking up ICE operations are continuing. Nothing will stop President Trump."
February 13, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Reality aside, the administration’s victory narratives are notable.
Reposted by Brian Finucane
Why keep thousands of people alive when you can instead make one man feel safe and special?
Exclusive: White House uses USAID funds for budget director Vought's security, documents show
The White House budget office is using millions of dollars from the former U.S. foreign aid agency to pay for the security detail of Russell Vought, President Donald Trump's budget chief and an archit...
www.reuters.com
February 13, 2026 at 2:01 PM
Why keep thousands of people alive when you can instead make one man feel safe and special?
Reposted by Brian Finucane
Given news that US forces will (finally) withdraw from al-Tanf garrison in Syria, reposting my @foreignaffairs.com essay from 2022 on how multiple US administrations played games with the law to conduct military operations in that country.
www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/syr...
www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/syr...
An Unauthorized War
The list of adversaries U.S. forces are fighting in Syria raises questions about the underlying legal rationales for the U.S. deployment.
www.foreignaffairs.com
February 12, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Given news that US forces will (finally) withdraw from al-Tanf garrison in Syria, reposting my @foreignaffairs.com essay from 2022 on how multiple US administrations played games with the law to conduct military operations in that country.
www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/syr...
www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/syr...
Reposted by Brian Finucane
Yesterday we learned that the Department of Justice is monitoring and tracking members of Congress’s searches of the Epstein files. There’s no sugar coating it: the administration is spying on lawmakers as they exercise their constitutional oversight responsibilities. 1/10
February 12, 2026 at 6:56 PM
Yesterday we learned that the Department of Justice is monitoring and tracking members of Congress’s searches of the Epstein files. There’s no sugar coating it: the administration is spying on lawmakers as they exercise their constitutional oversight responsibilities. 1/10
When politics dictates the science
BREAKING: The EPA revokes scientific finding that greenhouse gases endanger the public health, removing a key basis for the climate change fight.
Live updates: Trump's EPA revokes scientific finding that underpinned US fight against climate change
The Trump administration revoked a scientific finding at the center of U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change, a significant rollback of regulations.
bit.ly
February 12, 2026 at 7:45 PM
When politics dictates the science
👀
JUST IN: Judge BOASBERG has ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of Venezuelan men illegally deported under the Alien Enemies Act and who are currently in countries other than Venezuela.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
February 12, 2026 at 4:27 PM
👀
🧵
"The Trump administration covertly sent thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran after the regime’s brutal crackdown on demonstrations last month, U.S. officials said, an effort to keep dissidents online following Tehran’s stifling of internet access." 1/n
www.wsj.com/world/middle...
"The Trump administration covertly sent thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran after the regime’s brutal crackdown on demonstrations last month, U.S. officials said, an effort to keep dissidents online following Tehran’s stifling of internet access." 1/n
www.wsj.com/world/middle...
Exclusive | U.S. Smuggled Thousands of Starlink Terminals Into Iran After Protest Crackdown
The Trump administration covertly sent terminals into Iran in an effort to keep dissidents online following Tehran’s stifling of internet access.
www.wsj.com
February 12, 2026 at 4:12 PM
🧵
"The Trump administration covertly sent thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran after the regime’s brutal crackdown on demonstrations last month, U.S. officials said, an effort to keep dissidents online following Tehran’s stifling of internet access." 1/n
www.wsj.com/world/middle...
"The Trump administration covertly sent thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran after the regime’s brutal crackdown on demonstrations last month, U.S. officials said, an effort to keep dissidents online following Tehran’s stifling of internet access." 1/n
www.wsj.com/world/middle...
US Senator apparently unsure about this whole Bill of Rights thing.
RON JOHNSON: Did you ever encourage people to go out there and exercise their First Amendment rights?
KEITH ELLISON: I freely admit being in favor of the First Amendment
KEITH ELLISON: I freely admit being in favor of the First Amendment
February 12, 2026 at 3:25 PM
US Senator apparently unsure about this whole Bill of Rights thing.
So, taking the caravan of domestic political repression back on the road.
Homan: "Operation Metro Surge is ending. In the next week, we're going to deploy the officers here on detail back to their home stations or to other areas of the country where they're needed."
February 12, 2026 at 2:31 PM
So, taking the caravan of domestic political repression back on the road.
My "we're not disappearing people and denying people their civil rights" T-shirt has people asking a lot of questions already answered by my shirt.
Homan: "ICE is a legitimate federal law enforcement agency. We're not out scouring the streets to disappear people or deny people their civil rights or due process."
February 12, 2026 at 2:30 PM
My "we're not disappearing people and denying people their civil rights" T-shirt has people asking a lot of questions already answered by my shirt.
Given news that US forces will (finally) withdraw from al-Tanf garrison in Syria, reposting my @foreignaffairs.com essay from 2022 on how multiple US administrations played games with the law to conduct military operations in that country.
www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/syr...
www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/syr...
An Unauthorized War
The list of adversaries U.S. forces are fighting in Syria raises questions about the underlying legal rationales for the U.S. deployment.
www.foreignaffairs.com
February 12, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Given news that US forces will (finally) withdraw from al-Tanf garrison in Syria, reposting my @foreignaffairs.com essay from 2022 on how multiple US administrations played games with the law to conduct military operations in that country.
www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/syr...
www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/syr...
Glad to hear GTFO Al Tanf may have finally carried the day.
February 12, 2026 at 3:19 AM
Glad to hear GTFO Al Tanf may have finally carried the day.
Accountability is necessary to restore the rule of law.
Vows of accountability are an important step.
Vows of accountability are an important step.
@crow.house.gov: “I’m taking names”
A federal grand jury declined to indict six Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Jason Crow, on sedition charges tied to a video urging service members to refuse unlawful orders. Crow, who has accused Trump of weaponizing the DOJ, joins The Weeknight.
A federal grand jury declined to indict six Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Jason Crow, on sedition charges tied to a video urging service members to refuse unlawful orders. Crow, who has accused Trump of weaponizing the DOJ, joins The Weeknight.
February 12, 2026 at 2:51 AM
Accountability is necessary to restore the rule of law.
Vows of accountability are an important step.
Vows of accountability are an important step.
“Read my lips: lots of new (illegal) taxes.”
Has any president celebrated raising taxes on Americans the way Trump has?
February 12, 2026 at 1:47 AM
“Read my lips: lots of new (illegal) taxes.”
Back when I first saw them in 1998, the Dropkick Murphys had a solid following of SHARPs (anti-racist skinheads) who had a strict stomp-on-sight policy towards Nazis.
Commentary: Boston Irish punk band the Dropkick Murphys could pass for Proud Boys. But look again.
Commentary: Boston Irish punk band the Dropkick Murphys could pass for Proud Boys. But look again.
Dropkick Murphys singer Ken Casey keeps up the resistance.
www.latimes.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:35 AM
Back when I first saw them in 1998, the Dropkick Murphys had a solid following of SHARPs (anti-racist skinheads) who had a strict stomp-on-sight policy towards Nazis.
Biden administration: We’re going to engage in some ridiculous balloon shoot down shenanigans.
Trump 2.0: Hold my beer.
Trump 2.0: Hold my beer.
February 12, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Biden administration: We’re going to engage in some ridiculous balloon shoot down shenanigans.
Trump 2.0: Hold my beer.
Trump 2.0: Hold my beer.
Such a shame she’s not in a position to have informed views on the subject which she could share with the people’s elected representatives.
“The news is reporting”
February 12, 2026 at 1:12 AM
Such a shame she’s not in a position to have informed views on the subject which she could share with the people’s elected representatives.
TFW you might have broken a digit ice climbing and are considering the advisability of the middle finger splint.
February 12, 2026 at 1:10 AM
TFW you might have broken a digit ice climbing and are considering the advisability of the middle finger splint.
The administration was hoping for the theater of its paramilitaries squaring off against black bloc street fighters.
And instead it got this.
Hard to label the lady in a bathrobe as a “terrorist.”
And instead it got this.
Hard to label the lady in a bathrobe as a “terrorist.”
Every photo from Minneapolis looks like this. Cops decked out with guns and full tac gear facing off against people in bathrobes, parkas, and sweatpants armed only with whistles and cell phones.
Yet every verified MAGA chode on X dutifully calls it a riot or violent insurrection.
Yet every verified MAGA chode on X dutifully calls it a riot or violent insurrection.
February 12, 2026 at 12:43 AM
The administration was hoping for the theater of its paramilitaries squaring off against black bloc street fighters.
And instead it got this.
Hard to label the lady in a bathrobe as a “terrorist.”
And instead it got this.
Hard to label the lady in a bathrobe as a “terrorist.”
Government running like a well-oiled machine
Man, I didn’t think there was a way for this story to get dumber but…
“DoD loaned the high-energy laser weapon to DHS, who promptly shot down some mylar balloons with it without telling anyone, resulting in the FAA closing airspace and disrupting air travel nationwide”
…sure did the trick
“DoD loaned the high-energy laser weapon to DHS, who promptly shot down some mylar balloons with it without telling anyone, resulting in the FAA closing airspace and disrupting air travel nationwide”
…sure did the trick
What is going on???
February 12, 2026 at 12:11 AM
Government running like a well-oiled machine