The Rule of Law Brief

The debate over birthright citizenship has produced no shortage of historical quotations—but are those quotations being interpreted correctly? In this episode of The Rule of Law Brief , attorney Nate Charles examines one of the most frequently cited statements from Senator Jacob Howard, the principal Senate sponsor of the Fourteenth Amendment. Rather than arguing politics, he applies traditional c...

This episode concludes my four-part Run-up to the 250th series with what I believe is the most important lesson of all: survive. The challenges facing the United States were decades in the making. Rebuilding trust, restoring constitutional norms, and strengthening our institutions will take decades as well. That means thinking beyond election cycles, avoiding burnout, making strategic decisions, a...

For years, the debate over NATO has been framed almost entirely around one question: Are America’s allies spending enough on defense? That question misses one of the alliance’s greatest strategic assets. In this episode, I argue that the Third Amendment—although not directly applicable to NATO—captures an enduring principle about sovereignty: the presence of foreign troops on a nation’s territory...

What do asymmetric warfare, domestic violence, Hannah Arendt, George Washington, and immigration law have in common? More than you might think. In this birthday fundraiser, I explain how my experiences as a Navy SEAL, my work in national security, my time prosecuting domestic violence cases in Washington, D.C., and my career as an immigration attorney all led me to the same conclusion: The definin...

What happens when government officials seek a warrant to search a citizen’s entire cell phone? Most Americans assume there must be evidence of a serious crime. In this episode, attorney Nathan M. F. Charles examines the actual search warrant affidavit used to authorize the forensic search of Kimberly Baylor’s phone and asks a simple question: Where is the crime? The affidavit describes social medi...

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and enforced the emancipation of enslaved people more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. In this episode, we examine why Juneteenth is more than a historical observance. We discuss the life of Peter Mills, one of the last verified Americans born into slavery, who died in Pittsburgh in 1972 after...

As America approaches its 250th birthday, it is worth remembering a lesson that history teaches again and again: no successful political movement is built by heroes alone. From the American Revolution to the Civil Rights Movement, meaningful change has always depended on ordinary people making contributions according to their abilities, resources, and circumstances. Some lead. Some organize. Some...

President Trump has announced what many are calling a peace deal with Iran. But is it actually a peace agreement? In this episode, attorney Nathan Charles examines the public facts surrounding the announcement and explains why the arrangement appears to be a temporary ceasefire rather than a comprehensive peace settlement. The central issue of the conflict—Iran’s nuclear program—remains unresolved...

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, this is not merely a time for celebration. It is a time for reflection, stewardship, and resolve. In this episode, Nate Charles examines a recurring pattern throughout American history: the people who improved society were often viewed as troublemakers in their own time. From the American Revolution to abolition, women’s suffrage, labor reform, and the...

As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, many Americans find themselves conflicted. This is not a moment for blind celebration, nor is it a moment for despair. After visiting the new Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I found myself reflecting on what it means to be an American citizen during difficult times. Thaddeus S...

What do King Henry VIII and modern American counterterrorism policy have in common? More than you might think. In this episode, attorney Nathan M. F. Charles examines the history of England’s treason laws, the persecution and execution of Sir Thomas More, and the Framers’ deliberate decision to place a narrow definition of treason directly into the U.S. Constitution. The Founders understood a recu...

Last week, I apologized for profoundly underestimating the degree to which racism, bigotry, and discrimination remained active forces in American life. This week, I want to answer the question that many viewers asked: How could I not have seen it? In this episode, I reflect on my upbringing in south-central Pennsylvania, the influence of a uniquely abolitionist and human-dignity-centered conservat...

Fifteen years ago, I considered myself a conservative Republican, and I genuinely believed that America’s long struggle for civil rights had largely succeeded. When the Supreme Court decided Shelby County v. Holder in 2013, I agreed with the decision. I believed racism, religious intolerance, sexism, and anti-LGBTQ prejudice still existed, but I thought they had been pushed to the margins of Ameri...

When does speech cross the line from protected expression into a criminal threat? In this episode, immigration attorney Nate Charles examines the federal case against Nicholas Matthew Scelfo, who allegedly threatened to kill an ICE officer and the officer’s family during a protest outside the Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. If the allegations are true, the First Amendment do...

Americans often hear that the United States is a constitutional republic rather than a direct democracy. That’s true—but many people miss the implications. A republic depends on citizens electing representatives to govern on their behalf. Those representatives negotiate, compromise, and make countless decisions outside direct public observation. The public cannot sit in every committee meeting, at...

The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly considering shutting down Customs and Border Protection processing at certain airports and redirecting international travelers elsewhere. The issue is not whether DHS has authority over customs and immigration. The issue is whether it can use that authority for openly political purposes. In this episode of The Rule of Law Brief, attorney Nate Charl...

As many of you know, in addition to my legal practice, I previously taught in the criminology department at American University in Washington, DC. Although my schedule no longer consistently supports university teaching, I have always believed that professionals have a responsibility to help educate and mentor the generations that come behind them. That philosophy is a large part of why I create t...

In this short video, Nate Charles shares a firsthand experience with TSA PreCheck Touchless at the Philadelphia International Airport. The system was fast, seamless, and undeniably convenient—but it also served as a stark reminder of how deeply facial recognition and surveillance technology have become integrated into ordinary life. TSA PreCheck Touchless is incredibly convenient. It is also a viv...

In this Memorial Day episode of The Rule of Law Brief, attorney and former Naval officer Nate Charles reflects on the meaning of military sacrifice, constitutional government, and civic responsibility. Drawing from the loss of his father, Captain Curtis Edward Fifer of the United States Air Force, as well as friends and teammates lost during the Global War on Terror, Charles discusses why Memorial...

For decades, Americans have been told to fear “Sharia law” without ever receiving a serious explanation of what Sharia actually is. In this episode, attorney Nathan Charles breaks down the reality behind one of the most misunderstood and politically weaponized phrases in modern American discourse. This discussion explains: * what Sharia actually means in Islam, * why it is not a single unified leg...

The Department of Justice has announced the creation of a new “Anti-Weaponization Fund” tied to claims by Donald Trump and his allies that they were victims of politically motivated investigations. In this episode of The Rule of Law Brief, attorney and former DOJ counterintelligence prosecutor Nate Charles explains why this fund is historically unprecedented, legally amorphous, and politically dan...

In 1775, King George III issued “A Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition,” accusing the American colonists of being manipulated by “dangerous and ill-designing men” engaged in “open and avowed rebellion.” In 2025, the Trump administration issued NSPM-7, “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence,” framing modern political extremism through similarly broad ideolog...

Christian nationalists often claim that the United States was founded as a Christian nation because the Declaration of Independence references “Nature’s God” and a “Creator.” But that argument collapses once you examine the historical, philosophical, and constitutional foundations of the American system. In this episode of The Rule of Law Brief, Nate Charles breaks down:• Why the Declaration of In...

In this short Rule of Law sidebar, Nate Charles reacts to reports of a new presidential task force focused on declining fertility rates in the United States. The core issue is simple: political leaders cannot simultaneously argue that America faces a looming demographic and workforce crisis while also insisting on mass deportations and aggressive anti-immigration policies. This episode examines th...

After the Civil War, the former Confederate states were not automatically restored to the Union. Congress imposed conditions for readmission — and the central condition was ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. In this episode of The Rule of Law Brief, Nate Charles examines a provocative constitutional question: If acceptance of the Fourteenth Amendment was the legal condition for restoration...