The Trump-Kim Summit Was a Great Photo Op, and Maybe Nothing More
The meeting in Singapore fulfilled both men’s desires for respect and media attention, but the actual work lies ahead.
Jonah Shepp
Most Recent Articles
Trump’s Plan to Wing It at North Korea Summit Is Already Going Poorly
As he declared “attitude” beats prep work, aides made contradictory remarks that could potentially derail talks and undermine his goals.
Italy’s Political Crisis Is Rattling Europe. Here’s What You Need to Know.
A standoff between Italy’s populist parties and the country’s president shook markets around the world, and is now threatening European stability.
Trump’s Credibility Problem Is Now America’s
The president’s propensity for breaking agreements and surprising our allies is damaging America’s international reputation and ability to lead.
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Is Trump Getting Played by North Korea?
Kim Jong-un’s hot-and-cold behavior is messing with the administration’s already disjointed strategy for the upcoming talks.
Trump’s Iran-Deal Exit Has Raised the Risk of War, Even Faster Than Expected
Israel and Iran are running out of reasons not to escalate their low-key conflict in Syria into a broader regional catastrophe.
Trump Buys Netanyahu’s Bad Case for Abandoning the Iran Deal
The Israeli prime minister’s alleged bombshell offered no evidence of Iranian noncompliance and ample reason to keep the nuclear agreement in place.
Syria Strikes Show, Once Again, That We Can’t Police the World by Bombing It
Friday’s missile attack will join a growing list of failed attempts by the U.S. to conduct foreign policy from the air.
Trump’s Syria Reversal Reveals He Never Had a Coherent Plan
After blaming the Syria situation on Obama’s dithering, Trump finds himself in a similar conundrum.
Trump Doubles Down on a Trade War He Can’t Win
More tariffs on China may sate the president’s ego, but won’t do anything to help Americans.
Trump Announces We’re Leaving Syria ‘Very Soon.’ Hopefully, He Didn’t Mean It.
Government officials were caught off guard by talk of speedy withdrawal, which would leave the situation in the hands of Assad, Erdogan, and Putin.
Trump Is Sabotaging His Chance for a Peaceful North Korea Solution
Antagonizing China and appointing John Bolton, a notorious hawk, to lead national security bodes ill for May’s planned summit with Kim Jong-un.
Trump’s Effort to Purge Disloyal Civil Servants May Already Be Underway
Leaked emails that identify “turncoats” and “troublemakers” for “cleaning” suggest that the State Department “brain drain” was intentional.
No, Mike Pompeo Isn’t Going to Save the State Department
Even if Pompeo is capable of restoring the State Department to its former glory, it doesn’t appear that’s what Trump wants him to do.
Italy’s Election Shows European Populism Isn’t Dead Yet
Anti-Establishment parties carried the day, but can they govern?
Are Putin’s New Nukes a Real Threat?
“Invincible” nuclear weapons sound scary, but don’t really change the balance of power.
North Korea Supplying Syria’s Chemical-Weapons Program Is Horrific, Yet Unsurprising
The shipments identified in a U.N. report violate sanctions on both countries and demonstrate just how good these rogue regimes are at evading them.
Why Are U.S. Troops Staying in Syria? The Trump Administration Won’t Say
Officials argued the military can remain there indefinitely, with no new authorization from Congress — but wouldn’t explain the long-term objectives.
The American Gun Glut Is a Problem for the Entire World
Illegal trafficking, military aid, and small arms exports make U.S. guns available to buyers around the world — including terrorists and drug cartels.
White House Objects to Russian Hacking That Doesn’t Benefit Trump
The Trump administration’s vow to punish Russia for a ransomware attack last year contrasts with its blasé approach to its meddling in our elections.