Trump administration first term
480 Articles
When the Abnormal Becomes Typical: Clinging to Memories of Normalcy Three Years into the Trump Administration
"Three years ago tonight, I took one last look back at the White House, lit brilliantly against the night sky, as I walked out the front gates onto Pennsylvania Avenue. It’s…
The U.S.-Taliban Accord: Can the Afghan Government Rise to the Occasion?
Intra-Afghan talks are set to start March 10, leaving little time for the Afghan government to organize a negotiation team, even though they've had months to prepare.
As Trump Returns from India, Others in U.S. Must Press Modi on Rights in Kashmir and Across the Country
It is critical that a broad and diverse group of powerful actors in the United States not ignore the Indian government’s turn toward authoritarianism.
When Professionalism Mattered: Dissent Against U.S. Policy on Landmines
President Trump's retaliation against principled dissenters and his jettisoning of longstanding U.S. policy on landmines converge in a look back to see how another administration…
As ISIS Regroups, No Time to Cut U.S., U.N. Assistance to Iraq
Iraq is teetering, and the U.S. presence is uncertain. All the more reason to retain the kinds of U.N. and other civilian programs that prevent backsliding.
Never Mind “America First” — Trump’s Newly Expanded Immigration Ban Puts Americans Last
Nationality-based restrictions will separate families and are the wrong tool to promote public safety and national security.
Fear and Loathing on the Border: A First-Hand Look at the Travesty
Far from the loophole-ridden sieve described by the administration, the asylum system we saw was a Kafka-esque labyrinth designed to punish migrants who dare to exercise their…
The Once and Future Threat of Nuclear Weapon Testing
Some Trump administration officials have signaled hostility to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and an interest in the United States resuming nuclear weapon testing, which could…
Unsealed Documents in Special Counsel Mueller’s Investigation [Updated]
Special Counsel Robert Mueller has prosecuted the Russia investigation by bringing charges against a number of former Trump campaign officials and their associates, and against…
Congress Will Ignore Trump’s Foreign Affairs Budget Request. Others Will Not.
President Donald Trump’s proposal to make massive cuts to the Fiscal Year 2020 U.S. foreign affairs budget has not attracted much attention in Washington, reflecting confidence…
Annie Donaldson is Not the President’s “Alter Ego”
It could almost be a bar exam question. Under the Executive Branch theory that the president’s senior aides are “absolutely immune” from appearing before Congress, which…
Trump’s Preference for Acting Officials Puts National Security at Risk
This article is cross-posted on Lawfare. President Trump recently announced that his intended nominee for secretary of defense will be Patrick Shanahan, who became—way back…