NEW: What did the Iran war that the US and Israel started cost Americans, Iranians and many others? More than 7,000 people have been killed in Iran and Lebanon, along with 13 US military members. The cost to the US is at least $132 billion, Moody's said. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/u...

NEW: What did the Iran war that the US and Israel started cost Americans, Iranians and many others? More than 7,000 people have been killed in Iran and Lebanon, along with 13 US military members. The cost to the US is at least $132 billion, Moody's said. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/u...

NEW: A US official read out the text of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding to journalists on a conference call. Here is a gift link to the full text from the NY Times. Let the analysis begin. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/17/u...

NEW: Trump praised Xi and Putin in an NYT interview for helping get the US and Iran to an agreement. What he didn't mention: the State Dept. has imposed sanctions on companies for sending Chinese arms to Iran. And Russia has given intelligence aid to Iran. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/u...

NEW: Trump praised Xi and Putin in an NYT interview for helping get the US and Iran to an agreement. What he didn't mention: the State Dept. has imposed sanctions on companies for sending Chinese arms to Iran. And Russia has given intelligence aid to Iran. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/u...

NEW: China arrested a US citizen after Trump met with Xi in Beijing and accused him of endangering national security — a rare charge against an American. The detainee, U Min Zin, is a graduate student at UC Berkeley who researches Myanmar. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/u...

So much for Rubio’s attempt to mend ties with India on his recent trip there. The Trump administration continues to take actions that infuriate India — notably a recent military strike on a commercial ship near Oman that killed three Indian sailors. Now Rubio delivers a warning to India.

USA vs. Paraguay in Mt. Pleasant, DC

Paperback of THE HAVES AND HAVE-YACHTS arrives this week, alongside history's first trillionaire—a fortune 5 million times the median American family’s net worth. Thanks to @scribnerbooks.bsky.social @newyorker.com and everyone who has spent time with these stories.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmed our story about the arrest of a US citizen on a rare national security charge. A spokesman said after we posted this story that U Min Zin, an American scholar from Myanmar, had been arrested on suspicion of "espionage activities."

NEW: China arrested a US citizen after Trump met with Xi in Beijing and accused him of endangering national security — a rare charge against an American. The detainee, U Min Zin, is a graduate student at UC Berkeley who researches Myanmar. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/u...

Mamdani had planned to meet in NY this week with Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia. But the US told Colombia to cancel the meeting. It said Petro couldn't visit NY outside the UN since Rubio had revoked his visa after he spoke at a pro-Palestinian rally. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/10/w...

“These think tanks traffic in political and corporate opinion. They build consensus so journalists start to spout opinions as if they’re facts.” Relevant lines from “Dark Arena,” a spy novel by former DGSE officer Jack Beaumont

NEW: Trump's Beijing bromance with Xi was a year in the making. Their aides held talks to forge "constructive strategic stability" after Rubio first mentioned that in Malaysia and the Caribbean. Now Trump seeks accommodation with Xi on trade and Taiwan. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/09/u...

CIA officer David Rush, who was found with $40 million of gold bars in his home, created a fake spy program to funnel federal money to himself, said two US officials. He has been charged with getting pay by making a false claim he was a Navy reservist. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/06/u...

CIA officer David Rush, who was found with $40 million of gold bars in his home, created a fake spy program to funnel federal money to himself, said two US officials. He has been charged with getting pay by making a false claim he was a Navy reservist. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/06/u...

Hamilton al fresco in Adams Morgan

Happening now

NEW: Trump's trip to China and wooing of Xi Jinping raises concerns in India. Trump had already wrecked US-India ties with tariffs — setting back decades of US policy — after Modi refused to help him get a Nobel Peace Prize. Now Rubio tries to do repairs. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/23/u...

NEW: Trump's trip to China and wooing of Xi Jinping raises concerns in India. Trump had already wrecked US-India ties with tariffs — setting back decades of US policy — after Modi refused to help him get a Nobel Peace Prize. Now Rubio tries to do repairs. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/23/u...

NEW: Rubio spent years in the Senate criticizing China for human rights abuses and security activities. But he now emphasizes "cooperation" with China — changing his tone to align with Trump. In Beijing, he marveled inside a hall of Communist leaders. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/u...

NEW: Rubio spent years in the Senate criticizing China for human rights abuses and security activities. But he now emphasizes "cooperation" with China — changing his tone to align with Trump. In Beijing, he marveled inside a hall of Communist leaders. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/u...

NEW: Trump's summit with Xi is the latest in a half-century of leadership meetings that built on a gamble by Nixon: trade and diplomacy with China were good for the US, and would push Beijing to change. Now, some Chinese officials see an America in decline. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/u...

The mission: “Open up” China to more commerce with the US. It’s the language of 1990s-style engagement.

NEW: Astronomy crashes into earthly politics. As Trump prepares to meet Xi, the US-China rivalry unfolds in the stars. Argentina quietly halts a radio telescope project with China after US pressure. US officials also pushed Chile on a similar telescope. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/10/w...

NEW: Astronomy crashes into earthly politics. As Trump prepares to meet Xi, the US-China rivalry unfolds in the stars. Argentina quietly halts a radio telescope project with China after US pressure. US officials also pushed Chile on a similar telescope. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/10/w...

NEW: The US is selling thousands of Patriot interceptor missiles worth $17 billion to UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain — despite a US stockpile depleted by the Iran war. It said last week it was selling $4 billion of the missiles to Qatar. This takes years to make. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/u...

NEW: The US is selling thousands of Patriot interceptor missiles worth $17 billion to UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain — despite a US stockpile depleted by the Iran war. It said last week it was selling $4 billion of the missiles to Qatar. This takes years to make. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/u...

NEW: Democratic lawmakers sent Rubio a letter asking about the sway of a conservative group, the Ben Franklin Fellows, inside the State Dept. The group boosts career diplomats with Trumpian ideas — despite the non-partisan culture of the foreign service. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/06/u...

NEW: China is trying to shaping an outcome to the Iran war that it will benefit from. It's pushing Iran to talk with the US. But it's also allowing companies to export material that the Iranian military can use. The war could overshadow the Trump-Xi summit. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/03/u...

NEW: Trump aides declared an emergency to bypass Congress to sell arms valued at $8.6 billion to Israel and Arab nations. That means less weapons for the US since munitions take years to make. Pentagon officials are alarmed at low supplies and war risks. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/02/w...

NEW: Trump aides declared an emergency to bypass Congress to sell arms valued at $8.6 billion to Israel and Arab nations. That means less weapons for the US since munitions take years to make. Pentagon officials are alarmed at low supplies and war risks. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/02/w...

Join me and Jonathan Cheng, Beijing bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, as we talk about his new book on North Korea tonight at Politics and Prose at the Wharf in DC. In "Korean Messiah," Cheng documents the Christian roots of the Kim dynasty and probes the cult of personality.

NEW: The Trump administration turns up the pressure on Iraq to crack down on militias supported by Iran. It has halted security cooperation with Iraq, including training, financial backing and other support. It also demands a pro-US prime minister. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/w...

CNN: “It’s a blowout… not even close… Pope Leo absolutely crushing Trump when it comes to how popular they are.”

I'd say that this applies to anyone traveling in a car in any city. Being in a car versus walking, riding, or taking transit fundamentally changes how you view a place and your relationship to it. I wish more leaders set this kind of example. www.npr.org/2026/04/16/n...

Here's the shortlist for this year's Baifang Schell Book Prize for non-fiction on China selected by @chinabooksreview.com and @asiasociety.org. The subjects range across Chinese identity, adoptions, delivery workers, Xi Jinping's father and, yes, King Lear. chinabooksreview.com/2026/04/02/s...

"Magyar wasn't engaging in a policy debate... His framing was Viktor Orbán and Fidesz are a criminal organization and we need to dismantle this... he connected the impact of the criminal organization to these rural Hungarians' experience." @ambpressman.bsky.social on how Magyar beat Orbán.

Vance wasn’t the only top Trump aide who went to Hungary to try to boost Orban before the election. Rubio traveled there in February and promised more economic support to Hungary if Orban remained in power. Here’s my story from Budapest: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/w...

Wow. This is a well-crafted and insightful paragraph by Katie Rogers. “Mr. Trump sat and impassively watched blood and saliva sprayed out from the fighters beating each other silly in front of him.”

NEW: The Trump administration aims to use the tools of counterterrorism to go after what it calls antifa and leftist groups. It lists antifa as a priority in an internal intelligence document. Some US officials worry this means more domestic surveillance. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/u...

NEW: The Trump administration aims to use the tools of counterterrorism to go after what it calls antifa and leftist groups. It lists antifa as a priority in an internal intelligence document. Some US officials worry this means more domestic surveillance. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/u...

NEW: Trump and his aides aim to try to get concessions from Iran in upcoming talks because they've failed to meet most of the five war goals he stated on Feb. 28. That included total obliteration of Iran's missiles and regime change, which haven't happened. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/08/u...

The NY Times reports the White House signed off on the post by PM Sharif of Pakistan asking Trump to delay by 2 weeks any action on his threat to wipe out Iranian civilization. Sharif’s next post announced a ceasefire, including Lebanon — which Israel keeps bombing. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/08/w...

Front page of the print NYT: Trump Revels in Making Emphatic Threats to Commit War Crimes. He said he'll send Iran back to the "Stone Ages." Today he argued he can destroy Iran's civilian infrastructure to pressure the government because "they're animals." Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/05/u...

Colleagues Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman have new insider details of how Trump decided to go to war with Iran, including Netanyahu's hard sell that Iran was ripe for "regime change." That's also the title of their upcoming new book on Trump. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/u...

Front page of the print NYT: Trump Revels in Making Emphatic Threats to Commit War Crimes. He said he'll send Iran back to the "Stone Ages." Today he argued he can destroy Iran's civilian infrastructure to pressure the government because "they're animals." Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/05/u...

War. And after that? War. And now? War. War. History might as well be water, chastising this shore. -Carol Ann Duffy, The Wound in Time, written on the occasion of the centenary of the first World War. #everynightapoem

NEW: Trump revels in threats to commit war crimes by destroying Iran's civilian infrastructure and sending it back to the "Stone Ages." He and his aides scorn laws on using force — obvious from strikes on civilian boats to Hegseth's talk of "no quarter." Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/05/u...

NEW: Trump aides gutted offices that aimed to counter anti-American disinformation by foreign powers. Now the US finds itself embattled in an info war with Iran, Russia and China. The State Dept. tells diplomats to use X and work with Pentagon psyops teams. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/b...