Civitas Outlook
Topic
Constitutionalism
Published on
Contributors
Richard Epstein
Charles C.W. Cooke
Episode 5
The Libertarian

Posse Comitatus: Trump, Troops, and the Limits of Presidential Power

About this episode

Richard Epstein analyzes Justice Breyer’s ruling on Trump’s use of federal troops in Los Angeles. They explore the Posse Comitatus Act, the limits of presidential emergency powers, and why the courts often avoid tough factual questions—raising big issues about federal vs. state authority and executive overreach.

All other episodes on

The Libertarian

Trump and Executive Power

Episode #2 of the The Libertarian with Richard Epstein, hosted by Charles C.W. Cooke.

EP2

Israel vs. New York Times

Episode 3 of The Libertarian with Richard Epstein and Charles C.W. Cooke.

EP3
Aug 7, 2025

Surf’s Up: Roman Law and Beach Houses

Episode 4 of The Libertarian with Richard Epstein and Charles C.W. Cooke

EP4
Aug 21, 2025

The End of Hamas? Richard Epstein on Israel’s Path Forward

Richard Epstein discusses Donald Trump’s surprise ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

EP7
Oct 14, 2025

Join the newsletter

Receive new publications, news, and updates from the Civitas Institute.

Sign up
More on

Constitutionalism

Amicus Brief: Hon. William P. Barr and Hon. Michael B. Mukasey in Support of Petitioners

Former AGs Barr and Mukasey Cite Civitas in a SCOTUS Brief

Michael Toth
Constitutionalism
Sep 22, 2025
Rational Judicial Review: Constitutions as Power-sharing Agreements, Secession, and the Problem of Dred Scott

Judicial review and originalism serve as valuable commitment mechanisms to enforce future compliance with a political bargain.

John Yoo
Constitutionalism
Sep 15, 2025
Amicus Brief: Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish

Civitas Research Fellow Michael Toth's work was cited in a Supreme Court brief.‍

Michael Toth
Constitutionalism
Sep 11, 2025
Epstein & Yoo: Amicus Brief in Supreme Court of Maryland

Civitas Senior Research Fellows Richard Epstein and John Yoo, alongside the Mountain States Legal Foundation, filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court of Maryland.

Richard Epstein, John Yoo
Constitutionalism
Jul 24, 2025
What’s Wrong with a Military Campaign Against the Drug Trade

Trump’s boat strikes against the cartels risk crossing the line between law enforcement and war.

John Yoo
Constitutionalism
Sep 24, 2025
The Long History of Presidential Discretion

The Framers did not expect Congress to preauthorize every use of force or to manage military campaigns.

John Yoo
Constitutionalism
Sep 19, 2025
Why Trump’s ‘Emergency’ Tariffs Won’t Fly

The trade deficit isn’t a sudden surprise, short in duration, and great in harm: the usual characteristics of an emergency.

John Yoo
Constitutionalism
Sep 2, 2025
Democracy in Britain: The Lords’ Work

Part 2: How the “hereditary peers” enhance lawmaking and support the soft power of the UK.

David L. Leal
Constitutionalism
Aug 6, 2025

The Libertarian

The inimitable Richard Epstein offers his unique perspective on national developments in public policy and the law.

View all
** items

Law Talk

Welcome to Law Talk with Richard Epstein and John Yoo. Our show is hosted by Charles C. W. Cooke.

View all
** items

Epstein: Executive Power & Authoritarianism

Constitutionalism
Sep 17, 2025
1:05

Epstein: Tim Kaine’s Misunderstanding of Natural Rights

Constitutionalism
Sep 15, 2025
1:05

Why Postliberalism Is Gaining Ground: Phillip Muñoz on America’s Founding Values

Constitutionalism
Aug 7, 2025
1:05

Richard Epstein: The Constitution, Parental Rights, and More

Constitutionalism
Jul 7, 2025
1:05

Yuval Levin on How the Constitution Unified our Nation – and Could Again

Constitutionalism
Mar 27, 2025
1:05
No items found.
The Constitution and the National Guard

This area of the law should be overhauled to better conform to the Constitution.

Robert G. Natelson
Constitutionalism
Oct 20, 2025
Have We All Misunderstood Enumerated Powers?

The author carefully states that his goal is to unsettle the orthodoxy of enumeration.

Johnathan O'Neill
Constitutionalism
Oct 9, 2025
Free Speech and the American University: A Proposal

We need the restoration of a moral framework for regulating speech, a framework that we, as a people, once had no trouble in understanding.

Hadley Arkes
Constitutionalism
Oct 7, 2025
Speech on Campus Must Build the Academic Community

Disagreements at a college are not only inevitable, they are standard. But learning is not combat or any form of lobbying or demonstration.

Larry Arnn
Constitutionalism
Oct 7, 2025
No items found.
No items found.
Join the newsletter

Get the Civitas Outlook daily digest, plus new research and events.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.