Executive Functions is a newsletter authored by Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith, devoted to analysis of presidential and broader executive power issues.

Bauer served as White House Counsel to President Barack Obama and now teaches at New York University School of Law. Goldsmith served as Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Office of Legal Counsel during the George W. Bush administration and now teaches at Harvard Law School. In their book After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency (2020), they argued that “a powerful, vigorous presidency is vital to the proper functioning of American democracy,” but that it must be balanced by an equally strong system of accountability.

Executive Functions offers informed, fair-minded assessments of executive branch actions in legal, political, and historical context. The newsletter publishes weekly essays, responds to breaking news, and features video discussions, podcast interviews, and daily roundup summaries of news developments and commentary related to executive power. All content is free, with optional subscriptions available to support its work.

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