Trump Foreign Policy
June 4, 2026 — John Hinderaker
John Bolton reportedly will plead guilty to a single count of retaining classified information, and will pay a $2.25 million fine to avoid jail time. From the indictment that gave rise to the current plea: “From on or about April 9, 2018, through at least on or about August 22, 2025, BOLTON abused his position as National Security Advisor by sharing more than a thousand pages of information about his
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June 4, 2026 — John Hinderaker
I have often expressed puzzlement over the Trump administration’s cease fire in Iran and its strategy going forward. In general, my views align with Scott’s, as expressed earlier today. However, for a more optimistic view, check out Condoleezza Rice’s op-ed in the Wall Street Journal: The war against Iran has been a limited war, and its outcome is likely to be inconclusive. But it has achieved enough to produce a
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June 4, 2026 — Scott Johnson
Once upon a time during the heyday of the Vietnam War, Johnny Carson had William F. Buckley on the Tonight Show as a guest. For his opening question, Johnny asked Buckley something to this effect. United States Ambassador to Vietnam Henry Cabot Lodge says that the war may not come to a defintive conclusion, but that it may just fade away. What do you think? In his slowest British drawl,
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June 2, 2026 — Scott Johnson
It is difficult to understand the alleged ceasefire that President Trump claims to have obtained with Iran. Iran seems to keep on keeping on. "I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there will be no Troops going to Beirut… I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop." – President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/DJhysrmVnO —
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May 30, 2026 — John Hinderaker
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is one of the heroes of President Trump’s remarkable cabinet. Yesterday he delivered a speech at the Reagan National Economic Forum that everyone should watch or read. Here is the speech, which consists of the first 16:32 of the video. The rest is conversation with Larry Kudlow: The complete text is here. Bessent diagnoses the problems that have been caused by the delinking of economic policy
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May 29, 2026 — Scott Johnson
Looking for an up-to-the-moment summary of where we are with Iran, I turn to the Hill’s Sophie Bram in her story “Trump on Iran: ‘They’re very good negotiators.’” Yes, they are stringing out the ceasefire in which they seem to have given up nothing in exchange for a cessation of hostilities. According to this story: Trump announced on Saturday that the U.S. and Iran were closing in on a deal
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May 27, 2026 — John Hinderaker
Today President Trump expressed confidence about the situation in Iran, and unconcern about the midterm elections: President Trump has said he does not care about the midterm elections and is willing to “outwait” Iran after the White House rejected the latest ceasefire deal proposed by Tehran. At a cabinet meeting in the White House, Trump said that his government was “not satisfied” with the Iranian proposals and reiterated his threat
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May 21, 2026 — John Hinderaker
Events are moving forward in Cuba, to what end we do not yet know. Federal prosecutors have indicted Raul Castro, the Tyrant’s younger brother, now 94 years old, for murder. The charge goes back to 1996, when Castro allegedly ordered the downing of two airplanes occupied by American citizens. There is generally no statute of limitations on murder. The indictment obviously raises the prospect of Castro being placed under arrest
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May 19, 2026 — John Hinderaker
The conflict in Iran has, in a sense, united Americans across ideological divides. Liberals are rooting for the mullahs and are delighted that so far, they have been able to hang on. Not the original mullahs–they are mostly dead–but their successors. Conservatives are frustrated because we don’t understand why President Trump has allowed third-generation mullahs and the IRGC to stall for over a month, while ostensibly engaging in negotiations. But
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May 19, 2026 — Scott Johnson
President Trump said Monday that he’d planned to strike Iran “tomorrow” (i.e., today), but was persuaded to give peace a chance, or one more chance. He atttributed this decision to the request of Arab leaders in the region. “I have been asked by the Emir of Qatar, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the President of the United Arab Emirates to hold off on our planned Military attack of
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May 17, 2026 — John Hinderaker
Transportation of goods between Asia and Europe is, obviously, of great importance. There are basically three routes, or potential routes: Our goal, and Europe’s, is to identify a route that does not go through Russia or Iran. That is now becoming feasible, as Armenia is swinging toward the West. The Telegraph has a long piece that you should read in its entirety. I will try to convey the gist: To
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May 15, 2026 — John Hinderaker
The press is spinning President Trump’s visit to China, but there is no point in reading spin. The best account you will see of what transpired comes from President Trump’s impromptu press gaggle on Air Force One. For better or worse, Trump is probably the most transparent president in American history. Reporters ask questions, and he answers them. The video is worth your time. Trump responds sharply to left-wing reporters
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May 15, 2026 — John Hinderaker
I did a brief appearance on the Rowan Dean Show last night. We talked about President Trump’s visit to China and the 2028 presidential race; specifically, the fact that Kamala Harris is currently leading in polls for the Democratic nomination. It is a short but, I think, fun segment:
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May 13, 2026 — John Hinderaker
Last night on the Rita Panahi Show, we covered some of the hot topics of the day, including the Nicholas Kristof scandal, President Trump’s visit to China, Mayor Katie Wilson’s deconstruction of Seattle, and more. The segment starts with Lefties Losing It (starring The View) and I come on after the video that is introduced at 4:00:
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May 11, 2026 — Scott Johnson
President Trump waited 10 days for the response of the powers-that-be in Iran, whoever they are, to the proposed one-page memorandum setting forth terms acceptable to the United States. It looked like fool’s gold to me, but the Iranians rejected it in a letter that Trump has declared “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” Now what? "I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called 'Representatives.' I don’t like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! Thank
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May 10, 2026 — John Hinderaker
Like Scott, I confess to puzzlement over what the administration is up to in Iran, and concern that President Trump may have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Roger Kimball, ever the optimist, notes good news on a number of fronts. He is clearly right about the U.K. (question: why is politics so much more volatile in the U.K. than in the United States?) and trends as we approach
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May 7, 2026 — Scott Johnson
As Aaron MacLean writes on X below, President Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran contingent on Iran opening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran did not open the strait, but it got the ceasefire anyway. What gives? Aaron argues that Trump blinked in the linked Free Press column (behind the Free Press paywall). He has condensed the predicate of his argument in the series of X posts below. I assert in
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