Policy
McMaster: I’m Here to Serve, Not ‘Control the President’
The national security adviser says his job is to help the commander-in-chief by providing options and executing decisions to advance Trump’s agenda.
Ideas
The Trump Administration Must Stop Being Unserious about North Korea
Off-the-cuff and over-the-top threats have accelerated Kim's nuclear efforts. It's time to think, plan, coordinate — and open talks with Pyongyang.
Ideas
A Presidential Misunderstanding of Deterrence
But Trump’s bellicosity undermines his ability to deter the Kim regime’s nuclear weapons and missiles programs.
Ideas
Trump Is Trying to Hoodwink Us into War with Iran
We’ve seen this movie before, complete with trumped-up charges of WMD. Americans must speak out now to head off another disastrous military adventure.
Threats
In Fiery UN Speech, Trump Delivers The Far-Right Goods
The black-helicopter crowd, and the president’s base, should love this Bannon-esque, undiplomatic speech, filled with ‘America First,’ ‘radical Islamic extremism,’ and cries for sovereignty over collective security.
Ideas
Memorandum to President Trump on the Iran Nuclear Deal
Here's what the U.S. president should know going into his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who wants to scuttle the agreement.
Science & Tech
Trump's Tech Crackdown on China Has Begun
The White House just blocked a $1.3 billion plan to sell an Oregon-based semiconductor company to a Chinese equity firm, citing possible technology risks to national security.
Ideas
How Trump Is Ending the American Era
For all the visible damage the president has done to the nation’s global standing, things are much worse below the surface.
Business
Searching for $1 Billion: Inside the Pentagon’s Struggle to Match Trump’s Air Force One Boast
Details emerge about Boeing’s cost-saving pitches at Mar-a-Lago, and what Air Force leaders are really planning to cut. First to go: aerial refueling.
Policy
Former State Dept. Cyber Coordinator Says It Was a Mistake to Close His Office
Chris Painter worries the United States is stepping back from its role as a global cyber leader.
Ideas
South Korea Is Right
Trump has characterized its policy as “appeasement.” But Seoul’s approach is far more sensible than Washington’s.
Ideas
How Mattis May Get Himself in Trouble With Trump
The secretary of defense could run afoul of his boss if his review of the policy on transgender troops follows the facts to their conclusion.
Ideas
Congress Should Do Its Job, and Get Us Out of Yemen’s Civil War
American support for the Saudi-led coalition is getting us nowhere good.
Policy
Trump Directly Counters Mattis, Military, In Tweet on North Korea
‘Talking is not the answer!’ says president, after threatening ‘all options’ following North Korean missile-launch over Japan.
Ideas
Trump Doesn't Have the Authority to Attack North Korea Without Congress
The decision to engage in armed conflict rests with the legislative branch, a requirement that is neither a formality nor outdated.
Policy
Ordered to Ban Transgender Troops, Pentagon Plans A New Look at Three Factors
The courts will take their own look, thanks to a trio of lawsuits filed in the wake of Trump’s Friday-night memo.
Ideas
How James Mattis Tried to Explain Trump to the World
Just as Mattis sought to reassure nervous allies, back home there were numerous reminders that the populist and intemperate impulses of his boss will not be tamed.
Policy
Trump Cybersecurity Advisers Resign In 'Moral' Protest
Board members also condemned the president’s response to racist violence in Charlottesville, Va.
Policy