Story highlights The travel ban has been blocked for over three weeks

How exactly the administration plans to comply with the Constitution remains to be seen

Washington (CNN) More than two weeks ago -- and less than 30 minutes after a federal appeals court refused to reinstate his travel ban -- President Donald Trump signaled he was poised to act quickly.

"SEE YOU IN COURT," he tweeted in all caps.

SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

But that go-fast approach seems to have been eclipsed by lawyers at top levels of government going back to the drawing board and taking a very close and cautious look at the legal issues involved.

One reason for the slowdown is the strong admonition from the three appellate court judges who castigated the government for failing to provide the court with any national security information justifying the ban -- even under seal.

In a blunt footnote, the judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said that while the government "identified the seven countries in the executive order as countries of concern in 2015 and 2016," it had not "offered any evidence or even an explanation" for how the national security concerns justified an "urgent need" to reinstate the executive order.

Read More