Trump Foreign Policy
January 18, 2026 — John Hinderaker
I have often said that, while Donald Trump sometimes says dumb things, he rarely actually does dumb things. His current policies toward Greenland, sadly, are an exception to that rule. Trump wants to acquire Greenland, and has explicitly or implicitly threatened to do so by force if we can’t buy it from Denmark. This is Trump’s most recent pronouncement: Wanting Greenland is understandable: its location makes it strategically important, and
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January 17, 2026 — John Hinderaker
The administration’s brilliant operation to arrest Nicolas Maduro has echoed far beyond Venezuela. In the London Times, a professor of global history at Oxford writes that the seizure of Maduro is having serious consequences in China: More details have started to emerge about the American raid that spirited Nicholás Maduro out of Venezuela two weeks ago. There have been reports that US forces used new weapons, including sonic devices or
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January 15, 2026 — John Hinderaker
Liberals like Chuck Schumer tried to promote the line that “Trump always chickens out.” After the bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites and the apprehension of Nicolas Maduro, they have given up on that theme. But did Trump chicken out on Iran? The Telegraph says that Trump was “talked out of Iran strike at last minute.” Donald Trump was persuaded not to strike Iran on Wednesday night by the last-minute diplomatic
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January 14, 2026 — Scott Johnson
The thugs of the Iranian regime have murdered protesters in untold thousands. This appears to cross — or, as of a few days ago, was “starting to cross” — the “red line” that President Trump laid down at the start of the protests. “Starting to cross” is like being a little bit pregnant, but I get the point and President Trump wants to get it right. Eve Barlow’s Blacklisted post
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January 10, 2026 — John Hinderaker
The popular revolt against Iran’s Mullahcracy now extends across that country, with protests going on in hundreds of cities and towns. The regime has shut off the internet and has warned that protesters will be shot in the street. This long Telegraph story is some hours old, but a good place to start. (It is behind a paywall, but that is a gift link that should work.) Iran’s supreme leader
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January 5, 2026 — John Hinderaker
That has been the Democrats’ mantra regarding the Trump administration’s brilliantly executed arrest of Nicolas Maduro. Last night, I was on Sky News Australia with James Morrow talking mostly about the legal issues surrounding the Maduro operation. It is a pretty brief segment, but worth your time:
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January 4, 2026 — John Hinderaker
The London Times reports that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is making plans to flee to Russia if protests against his misrule continue: Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has a back-up plan to flee the country should his security forces fail to suppress protests or desert, according to an intelligence report shared with The Times. Khamenei, 86, plans to escape Tehran with a close circle of up to 20 aides and family, should
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January 4, 2026 — John Hinderaker
In the last days of the Biden administration, our State Department increased the reward for the “arrest and/or conviction” of Nicolás Maduro to $25 million. Anthony Blinken said: In solidarity with the Venezuelan people, the U.S. Government and our partners around the world are taking action today. The Department of State is increasing the reward offers to up to $25 million each for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions
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January 4, 2026 — Scott Johnson
General Dan “Raizin” Caine is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He briefed the press on Operation Absolute Resolve to apprehend Venezuelan tyrant Nicolás Maduro. The operation involved more than 150 aircraft from around the Western Hemisphere. He said it represented the “culmination of months of planning and rehearsal.” General Caine’s performance reminded me of Colin Powell’s when he served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs in the immediate
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January 3, 2026 — John Hinderaker
They are this predictable. From the New York Times Editorial Board, one of the world’s least distinguished assemblages: Of course they do! Whether a military or law enforcement action by the U.S. government is “legal” or “illegal” depends on whether the president is a Republican or a Democrat. So, bombing Libya, creating massive civil disorder and thus driving Qaddafi out of power was A-OK. Killing American citizens with missile strikes
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January 3, 2026 — Scott Johnson
Fox News reports that our armed forces carried out a “large-scale strike” in Venezuela early Saturday morning and took Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife into custody. President Trump relate on Truth Social that the operation was successful and Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the country.” Trump said the operation was conducted with U.S. law enforcement and added that a news conference will take
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January 2, 2026 — John Hinderaker
Protests against the mullahs’ regime have broken out across Iran. At least seven demonstrators have been killed. The protests are driven in the short term by economic conditions, which are terrible, but mostly reflect long-festering discontent with Iran’s repressive government. Is the day when the mullahs will be overthrown finally at hand? President Trump is trying to help: Would the administration really take action if Iran’s rulers continue to suppress
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December 25, 2025 — John Hinderaker
This afternoon, President Trump announced that he had ordered strikes against Islamic terrorist groups in Nigeria: I haven’t seen any word yet on damage done by the airstrikes. The Department of War says they were coordinated with the government of Nigeria: The Pentagon coordinated with the Nigerian government ahead of the strikes. “The Department of War worked with the government of Nigeria to carry out these strikes,” a War Department
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December 15, 2025 — John Hinderaker
At the end of last month, the Trump administration promulgated a new National Security Strategy. Michael Anton, former Director of Policy Planning for the State Department, reportedly was a lead author. Marco Rubio, as both Secretary of State and National Security Adviser, no doubt played a major role. But the strategy is Trump’s. The document is short, only 29 pages, and eminently readable. I encourage you to follow the link
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December 10, 2025 — John Hinderaker
Today the U.S. Coast Guard seized a Venezuelan oil tanker in the Caribbean. This unclassified video shows the operation, as American forces rappelled down from a helicopter: President Trump made a brief statement and answered a few questions from reporters about the operation today, without giving much away. I don’t know what the legal basis for seizing the tanker is. By executive order, President Trump has designated the Venezuelan gang
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December 9, 2025 — Scott Johnson
Today Politico — the designated outlet for the Deep State 51 — named President Trump the most influential figure shaping European politics in the year ahead, a recognition previously conferred on leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. In anticipation of the recognition, Trump gave Politico’s Dasha Burns a 45-minute interview in the White House. Alexander Burns reports on the
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December 3, 2025 — Scott Johnson
In its morning newsleter, Jewish Insider flags Marc Rod’s story “Influencers, politicians, media execs flock to Qatar despite its baggage.” Access to the story is free but requires submission of an email address and maybe the creation of an account. It’s an important story. This is the summary provided in the newsletter (emphasis and links omitted). * * * * * Qatar, whose ties to the Muslim Brotherhood have drawn
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