In his second term in office, President Donald Trump has already taken sweeping measures on immigration, the environment, the U.S. military, and the structure of the federal government.

With so many executive orders, policy changes, and novel actions, it’s easy to wonder, “What just happened?” In this podcast mini-series we help to answer exactly that question.

On each episode of “What Just Happened,” we’ll talk with leading experts, from former government officials to professors – the people who understand how government works from the inside and have studied the issues for years. They will explain the legal background and implications of how the Trump administration’s actions affect how the U.S. government operates in Washington, across the country, and around the world. 

This is not a political podcast. We are explaining the meaning and consequences of policy changes that may not be immediately apparent. Any opinions expressed are those of the speaker.

Today, we will focus on President Trump’s potential deployment of the U.S. military. Trump has said that he intends to use more military resources to support border and immigration enforcement. Joining the show is Mark Nevitt. Mark is a professor at Emory University School of Law. Mark was previously a Commander in the Navy, where he was a tactical aviator and a JAG officer.

This mini-series is co-hosted by David Aaron, Tess Bridgeman, and Ryan Goodman. 

Show Notes: 

• David Aaron (LinkedIn – X)
• Tess Bridgeman (LinkedIn – BlueSky – X)
• Ryan Goodman (Bluesky – LinkedIn) 
• Mark P. Nevitt (Bluesky – LinkedIn – X) 
• Mark’s Just Security article “What Just Happened: Unpacking Exec Order on National Emergency at the Southern Border” 
• Just Security’s coverage of the Trump administration’s executive actions 
• Music: “Broken” by David Bullard from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/david-bullard/broken (License code: OSC7K3LCPSGXISVI)