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...

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...

NEW: Trump has met only a couple of the 5 goals he laid out for the Iran War. The US and Israel have destroyed much of Iran's navy and missiles. But Iran still has nuclear material and coordinates with regional militias. And there hasn't been regime change. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/u...

NEW: US intelligence assessments say Iran isn't willing yet to engage in substantial talks with the US over ending the war. That could complicate any US plans for an endgame. Iran thinks it has the upper hand, and doesn't trust Trump after earlier attacks. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/u...

NEW: Regime change has occurred in Iran. Or it hasn’t. It is a goal of the war. Except it isn’t. Trump brags about having done "regime change" in Iran, but other US officials are doubtful. It's personnel change — Iran remains theocratic and authoritarian. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/31/u...

NEW: Trump officials are rushing to collect decade-old FBI files on Rep. Eric Swalwell, Democratic candidate for governor of CA, and Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese spy. The Justice Dept. never brought charges. Scores of FBI agents are working on it. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/28/u...

NEW: Trump officials are rushing to collect decade-old FBI files on Rep. Eric Swalwell, Democratic candidate for governor of CA, and Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese spy. The Justice Dept. never brought charges. Scores of FBI agents are working on it. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/28/u...

NEW: Elon Musk was on a call between Trump and Modi this week. The two leaders talked about the Iran War started by Trump and Israel and the resulting energy crisis. Musk has business interests in the Middle East and wants a foothold in India. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/u...

NEW: Trump aides weigh designating two criminal groups in Brazil foreign terrorist organizations, against the wishes of Lula. The sons of Bolsonaro, now in prison, are lobbying the US on this. It could help son Flávio Bolsonaro in his run against Lula. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/w...

Before flying to France to meet with US allies, Rubio said partner nations need to do more to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. But other countries were not consulted by Trump on the war he and Netanyahu started with Iran. Now Trump needs help. Story: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/w...

NEW: Trump vowed to make the China challenge a priority. But by getting mired in war with Iran, he has given China a stronger hand and has shaken the confidence of Asian allies. He's sending Marines from Japan and missiles from South Korea to the Mideast. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/u...

NEW: Trump vowed to make the China challenge a priority. But by getting mired in war with Iran, he has given China a stronger hand and has shaken the confidence of Asian allies. He's sending Marines from Japan and missiles from South Korea to the Mideast. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/u...

NEW: Netanyahu embraced a Mossad plan to ignite a regime change uprising in Iran for a quick victory. He used it to help convince Trump to start the war — despite doubts among some senior US and Israeli officials. It was a critical flaw in war plans. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/22/u...

NEW: Trump aides declare an emergency over the Iran War to bypass Congress to sell $23 billion of arms to Arab nations. NYT obtained a list with weapons the State Dept. hasn't announced, including Chinook helicopters to the UAE. The US did this with Israel. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/u...

NEW: The Trump administration is seeking to oust the president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, in its talks with Cuban political leaders. It plans to allow the Castro family to keep power if they agree to economic changes, creating a client state for the US. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/w...

A group seeking donations for Trump sent out an email showing the president watching the somber transfer of US troops killed in the Iran War. The email says donors can get "private national security briefings and "the inside scoop DIRECT" from Trump. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/u...

A group seeking donations for Trump sent out an email showing the president watching the somber transfer of US troops killed in the Iran War. The email says donors can get "private national security briefings and "the inside scoop DIRECT" from Trump. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/u...

NEW: Trump and Rubio's doctrine of destroy and deal — On wars and foreign policy, they combine neoconservatism with transactionalism. They prefer regime compliance, not change. They attack weaker powers while courting China and Russia. But Iran retaliates. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/u...

NEW: Before the Iran War, Trump ignored warnings that Iran could retaliate across the region and stop oil shipments. Now, with energy markets in chaos, some aides are pessimistic about the lack of a strategy to end the war. But they haven't told Trump. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/u...

NEW: Before the Iran War, Trump ignored warnings that Iran could retaliate across the region and stop oil shipments. Now, with energy markets in chaos, some aides are pessimistic about the lack of a strategy to end the war. But they haven't told Trump. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/u...

NEW: The State Dept. has ordered diplomats in Saudi Arabia to leave. It's the first mandatory ordered departure issued by the agency during the US-Israel war on Iran, and indicates US officials fear more violence. Iranian drones hit the embassy in Riyadh. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/08/w...

NEW: Trump aides declared an emergency over Iran to bypass Congress to sell more than 20,000 bombs to Israel valued at $660 million. The State Dept. hasn't publicly disclosed info on half of the bombs. US gives $3.8 billion of arms aid to Israel annually. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/06/u...

NEW: Trump appointees in the State Dept. failed to urge Americans to leave the Middle East even though the US & Israel had been planning their war for weeks. Thousands are now frantic amid missile barrages. Rubio pushed out many veteran diplomats last year. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/u...

Breaking: The State Department says the US and Venezuela have reestablished diplomatic relations. A State Department official tells me the embassies in DC and Caracas have not reopened yet. Here is the official announcement:

NEW from @nytimes: Senior Iranian clerics are close to anointing Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in a US-supported Israeli attack, as the next leader of Iran. He’s the favorite candidate of the IRGC, a powerful military group. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/w...

Biden’s unequivocal support for Israel in its war in Gaza split the left and weakened the Democratic Party in elections, including against Trump. We’re about to see what happens to the right as Trump wages a war on Iran because of Israel — a rationale Rubio has now openly stated.

NEW: The definitive story of how Trump took an almost inevitable path to a new Middle East war: Netanyahu repeatedly urged him to attack Iran with Israel, and no aides voiced opposition. Netanyahu also undermined diplomacy. Regime change became the goal. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/u...