Confusion + Confrontation = Trump Foreign Policy

by Walter Pincus

President Donald Trump may be the only world leader impressed with the impact of the recent United States use of Tomahawk missiles in Syria and later the giant, GBU-43/B MOAB bomb in...

Are Ivanka’s Personal Interests Influencing China Policy?

by Walter Pincus

On April 6 – the same day Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner dined with President Xi and his wife at Mar-a-Lago – the Chinese government provisionally approved three of the trademarks, according to...

Unclear What Trump Learned from Ordering the Syrian Strike

by Walter Pincus

The lessons Donald Trump takes away from last Thursday’s U.S. Tomahawk missile strike against Syria’s Shayrat Air Base are more important than the ones learned by Bashar al-Assad. For President...

Trump Administration Emulating Putin’s ‘Active Measures’ Domestically

by Walter Pincus

President Donald Trump and his White House team are using some of the same “active measures” to manipulate the American people today that Russian President Vladimir Putin employed trying to...

Everyone Wants to do Business with the Trump Family

by Walter Pincus

President Donald Trump and his family’s myriad financial activities are unique for a White House occupant. Prior to becoming Defense Secretary, James Mattis on January 5 signed an ethics agreement...

Trump Supplemental Budget to Fight ISIS, Build the Wall

by Walter Pincus

The Trump administration is building up American ground forces available in Kuwait to fight against Islamic terrorists in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. At the same time, the White House is stepping...

Nuclear Posture Review: Response to Russia?

by Walter Pincus

Pressure is growing for development of a new, U.S., low-yield, land-based or air-launched, tactical nuclear weapon as a response to Russia’s recent deployment of a nuclear-capable,...

Watching a Three-Ring Circus

by Walter Pincus

I’ve covered many political scandals over the past 50 years, including Watergate, Iran-contra, and the Clinton impeachment, but the past few weeks have convinced me this country may be on the verge...

Mattis Needs Luck to Explain ISIS Options to Trump

by Walter Pincus

President Trump wanted a military plan from his generals to “totally obliterate ISIS.” Instead, he is getting a series of political-military options put together not just by the Defense...

The More Said, the More Questions Raised in Flynn Firing

by Walter Pincus

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, during three Sunday television interview programs, gave different and sometimes confusing stories about what activities led to President Trump’s firing of...