Trump administration first term
476 Articles
White House Offers Zero Credible Evidence to Backup Assertion that Morale Was Low at FBI
One of the reasons the White House gave for firing FBI Director James Comey was that “most importantly, rank and file of the FBI had lost confidence in their director.”…
Rosenstein’s Reputation Now Rests on His Appointment of a Special Counsel in Russia Investigation
When he began his job as deputy attorney general two weeks ago, Rod Rosenstein had a sterling reputation as a longtime U.S. Attorney in administrations of both political parties.…
The Knives Are Out for Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster
This story is being cross-posted with Foreign Policy. Inside the White House, opponents of Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, President Donald Trump’s second national security adviser,…
National Security-Related Congressional Hearings, May 8-May 12
Monday, May 8 2:30pm – Senate Judiciary Committee – Russian Interference in the 2016 United States Election (here) Tuesday, May 9 9:30am – Senate Committee on Armed Services…
Norms Watch: Tracking the Erosion of Democratic Traditions (Apr. 29-May 5)
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of…
Reminder by Charlie Savage of Surveillance Implications of ISIS AUMF
Charlie Savage, correspondent for The New York Times and author of “Power Wars,” was a speaker at a recent Heritage Foundation event entitled, “Is it Time for…
Trump’s Army Secretary Nominee Does Not Embody Army Value of Respect
The Army inspires its soldiers to embody certain values. Chief among them is the idea that all members of the team should be appreciated for their contributions, dedication to…
Trump Isn’t Fighting Human Trafficking, He’s Facilitating It
In an interview with Bloomberg on Monday, President Donald Trump argued that we need his border wall to fight human trafficking, which he described as “probably worse than it…
Standards for Opening an FBI Investigation So Low They Make the Statistic Meaningless
Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly recently told an audience that terrorism is “as threatening today” as it was on 9/11. As evidence, he used the oft-repeated…
The Trump Administration’s Homeland Security Record – and What Lies Ahead
It has been an eventful first 100 days for the Trump team in the realm of homeland security. In his first full week in office, the president made a major splash by issuing three…
Wallet as Weapon: the Coming US Assault on the International Human Rights System
These days, the Trump administration is not just threatening human rights with executive orders, tomahawk missiles and tweets. It is also wielding the government’s wallet as…
Norms Watch: The 100 Days Edition (Apr. 21-28)
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of…