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Michael Glennon

Michael Glennon

Professor of Constitutional and International Law

Contact Information

Research/Areas of Interest

Constitutional law
International law and United States foreign relations law
Role of Congress in foreign affairs
Presidential power
Separation of powers
Use of force
International agreements
United Nations

Education

  • JD, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, United States
  • BA, Political Science, University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, United States

Biography

Michael J. Glennon is professor of constitutional and international law at The Fletcher School at Tufts University. His research focuses on constitutional law, international law, use of force, international agreements, U.S. foreign relations law, the role of Congress in foreign affairs, and the separation of powers. He teaches courses on the international legal order, public international law, foreign relations and national security law, and freedom of speech. In 2025 he received The Fletcher School's James L. Paddock Teaching Award.

Glennon is a leading scholar of constitutional and international law, and he draws upon his extensive career experience in his work. Prior to joining the faculty at Fletcher, Glennon served as legal counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee where he handled legal matters involving the War Powers Resolution, the Panama Canal treaties, the Salt II treaty, the Saigon evacuation, arms export controls, treaty termination, the Taiwan Relations Act, and intelligence oversight. Afterwards, he served as a consultant to various congressional committees, the U.S. State Department, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. In 1985 he led an investigation of human rights violations by the contras in Nicaragua and testified about it before the International Court of Justice.

Glennon is a member of the Board of Editors of the American Journal of International Law, the American Law Institute, and the Council on Foreign Relations. He is a trusted source on U.S. and international law in the media, and his research appears in countless academic journals. He has been a visiting professor and fellow at several institutions, including at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the University of Paris II (Panthéon-Assas), and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

He is the author of "Free Speech and Turbulent Freedom: The Dangerous Allure of Censorship in the Digital Era" (Oxford University Press) as well as "National Security and Double Government" (OUP), "Foreign Affairs Federalism: The Myth of National Exclusivity" (OUP, co-author), "United States Foreign Relations and National Security Law" (West Publishing Company. co-author), "The Fog of Law: Pragmatism, Security, and International Law" (Stanford University Press), "When No Majority Rules: The Electoral College and Presidential Succession" (CQ Press), and "Constitutional Diplomacy" (Princeton University Press).

Selected Publications

Glennon, M. J. (2025). Where Have All the (War) Powers Gone?. American Journal of International Law, 119(4), 806-815. doi:10.1017/ajil.2025.10117

Glennon, M. (2025). The U.S. Attack on Iran Was Unconstitutional. Just Security. Retrieved from https://www.justsecurity.org/115931/us-attack-iran-unconstitutional/

Glennon. (2023). Free Speech and Turbulent Freedom.

Glennon, M. (2022). The NATO Treaty Does Not Give Congress a Bye on World War III. Lawfare. Retrieved from https://www.lawfareblog.com/nato-treaty-does-not-give-congress-bye-world-war-iii

Glennon, M. (2020). Dire Straits: Should American Support for Taiwan Be Ambiguous?. Foreign Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2020-09-24/dire-straits

Glennon, M. J. (2016). National Security and Double Government. Oxford University Press, USA.

Glennon, M. J., & Sloane, R. D. (2016). Foreign Affairs Federalism: The Myth of National Exclusivity. Oxford University Press.

Glennon, M., Franck, T., Murphy, S., & Swaine, E. (2011). United States Foreign Relations and National Security Law (4th ed. ed.). West Publishing Company.

Glennon, M. J. (2010). The Fog of Law: Pragmatism, Security, and International Law. Stanford University Press, The Woodrow Wilson Center Press (co-published).

Glennon, M. J. (1991). Constitutional Diplomacy. Princeton University Press.