How to Stop a War
Congress has a number of tools it can—and should—wield to rein in the president.
The Battle For The Constitution
A special project on the constitutional debates in American life, in partnership with the National Constitution Center
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This work was commissioned, produced, and edited by The Atlantic's editorial staff. Support for this work was provided in part by the organizations listed here.
Support for this project was provided by the Madison Initiative of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Law in War Isn’t as Irrelevant as People Fear
But it still should matter more than it does.
The Soleimani Strike Defied the U.S. Constitution
If Congress fails to respond effectively, the constitutional order will be broken beyond repair, and the president will be left with the unmitigated power to take the country to war on his own—anywhere, anytime, for any reason.
America Is Now the Divided Republic the Framers Feared
John Adams worried that “a division of the republic into two great parties … is to be dreaded as the great political evil.” And that’s exactly what has come to pass.
The Legal Questions Still Unanswered by Trump’s Impeachment
What exactly is abuse of power? And, for that matter, what is “obstruction of Congress”?
How Trump Is Warping the Military’s Place in the Constitutional Order
The country’s armed services can be an important check against lawlessness in the civilian executive. But correcting bad presidential policy is a job the Constitution leaves to Congress.
America’s Most Under-Appreciated Right
Groups of citizens regularly exercise the right to assemble, but too often American political and cultural leaders ignore it.
How TV Taught America Bad Constitutional Law
The Twenty-Fifth Amendment was never meant to be used to remove a terrible—albeit alert—president from office. But that’s not what the country has learned from Hollywood.
Madison’s Notes Don’t Mean What Everyone Says They Mean
The Founding Father’s account of the Constitutional Convention includes a famous conversation about causes for impeachment. But the relevant portion of his notes isn’t what it seems.
Why Republicans Are Refusing to Testify
Dishonesty and disinformation have become regular features of America’s national discourse, but under oath, truth still matters.