Trump and Jerusalem: Will his “hard power” realism backfire bigly?
Like much of Trump’s foreign policy, the Jerusalem decision recognizes ugly facts about the U.S. role in the world Clarity is preferable to ambiguity even when the clear picture is grim. So I have found in many circumstances, and so…
Trump Begins to Feel His Way Toward a Post-American World
Whether or not by design, Trump seems to recognize that Xi’s dynamically emergent China has to be accommodated, not resisted. My articles here harp just short of ad infinitum on America’s changing place in a changing world. No apology. Our…
Trump’s foreign policy is confused — but it isn’t really Trump’s
Trump had one consequential moment during his Asia trip — and everyone in the rudderless American media missed it No sooner did Donald Trump return a week ago from his 12-day escapade in Asia than the bickering began. Did the…
Trump Goes to Asia—but the Pentagon Gets There First
Mattis confirms policy with Manila, Tokyo, and Seoul before the president’s first trip across the Pacific. At the end of this week our president is to set off on an 11–day sweep through Asia—five nations plus two regional forums, one…
Dumb and dumber: Trump’s foreign policy repeats decades of American mistakes
Trump’s foreign policy is entirely incoherent. But it’s just a stupider continuation of everything since 1945 Topic of the week seems to be Donald Trump’s foreign policy. This is about right. Annual reviews of a president’s record managing America’s conduct…
Donald Trump Has Had a Lot of Help in Sabotaging the Iran Deal
Washington is just not equipped to negotiate its way into the 21st century. In a midday speech on Friday, President Trump fulfilled another of his campaign promises—the kind one wishes he would fail to keep. As widely reported over the…
Why Trump’s NAFTA Strategy Is a Surefire Failure
Long-awaited talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement began in Washington Wednesday. And it doesn’t look good for President Trump and Robert Lighthizer, his special trade representative and leader of the U.S. delegation facing Mexican and Canadian officials. This is…
Why the Escalating Threats Between Trump and Kim Won’t End in War
The supercharged threats volleyed between President Trump and Kim Jong Un this week bring us closer to war with the North Korea than at any time since Pyongyang tested its first nuclear device in 2006. If you live in Los…
New US Sanctions Could Drive Russia and China Even Closer Together…
…And drive a deeper wedge between America and the European Union The House passed a new sanctions bill Tuesday, and the Senate’s going to pass it soon. This one toughens existing sanctions against Russia and adds new ones against North Korea…
Trump Has Just Raised the Stakes With Moscow and Tehran in Three Risky Moves
President Trump made three big moves on Syria and Iran this week. They crisscross and contradict one another, but the administration’s game plan in the Middle East just got a lot clearer. In Syria, it has been evident since Russian-backed government…
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