If you have Sirius/XM, you should listen to @zerlinamornings.bsky.social in the morning. Today we had an in-depth discussion of how the poorly-worded MOU Kushner & Witkoff drafted has led to conflict over who controls the Strait of Hormuz, thus delaying its opening and talks on all other issues.

Appearing on C-SPAN, EVP @mattduss.bsky.social discussed the damage already done by the war with Iran — and what it means for America's standing in the world: "This war has been a catastrophe for the United States, for the region." www.c-span.org/program/wash...

Trump and Bibi’s war will push 33 million people into poverty. Let that sink in. A war for no reason that accomplished nothing will ruin the lives of 33 million people around the world, far from the war zone. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/23/b...

We told you so. Over and over.

Trump and Bibi’s war will push 33 million people into poverty. Let that sink in. A war for no reason that accomplished nothing will ruin the lives of 33 million people around the world, far from the war zone. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/23/b...

Don’t exaggerate

“America’s strategic performance was nothing short of appalling—its alienation of allies…its failure to protect Gulf States, its rough handling of an ally that had fought alongside it…were all signs of ineptitude and even incompetence.” (gift article) www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

“Being a superpower has not enabled us to impose our will on the world. The desire to be a superpower has led us to make terrible policy and asset allocation decisions,” says @djrothkopf.bsky.social. davidrothkopf.substack.com/p/trump-iran...

I’ve been quiet this week. I’m out hiking in the Rocky Mountains. I’ve got to say, it’s great to be out of Washington.

If you only read one essay today, make it this. A brilliant break with decades of false thinking that has distorted so much of our analysis. davidrothkopf.substack.com/p/trump-iran...

My latest on where the MOU and talks with Iran leave the US. It is not pretty. The bottom line is Iran has every incentive to drag out the talks and is getting paid without having to do anything on the nuclear issue. open.substack.com/pub/thinking...

For decades, many Israeli leaders have used military force in an attempt to solve problems that required political decisions. 1/2

“Historians will judge that this was a war of choice decided upon almost only by one person, Donald Trump, and his Israeli ally, Benjamin Netanyahu. That they did so without a clearly enunciated goal. They will also note that Iran was ultimately victorious,” says Fitzpatrick.

Read Albright's retraction demand, then read @jongambrell.bsky.social's article. 5 ¶s of grievances ("irresponsible," "misleading," "false facts," and a take-down demand) over a fact-check of a Netanyahu claim, citing @odnigov.bsky.social 's assessment that "Iran is not building a nuclear weapon."

Trump’s latest claim that Iran has agreed to the “highest level Nuclear Inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!)” is utter nonsense. Not only does Iran deny it, but there is no such thing as “highest level nuclear inspections,” esp. ones that last forever. www.nytimes.com/live/2026/06...

“The political and financial cost of ending this war must fall on those who aided and profited from it. The question is whether we build the safeguards to make it last,” writes @nancyokail.bsky.social @cipolicy.bsky.social. www.commondreams.org/opinion/how-...

It's widely thought that this MOU is weak, if not disastrous. But Trump's allies are trying to figure out WHY it is so weak. And WHO to blame. @joecirin.bsky.social says it's weak because we lost the war. bit.ly/Click-2-Listen YouTu.be/Se4-LG4GqYE

Trump and his enablers in Congress and the Media are pointing to Iran’s promise to produce a nuclear weapon as a major victory. It was not. Iran has been saying that for a very long time. bit.ly/Click-2-Listen YouTu.be/Se4-LG4GqYE

Exactly right. The Abraham Accords are a bust. The Gaza Peace Plan is an empty promise. The Iran deal is not a deal and may never be. It’s all made-for-TV diplomacy.

First Hegseth said the cost was 29 billion. Now the Pentagon says 80 billion. But that’s not even close to the real cost, as @joecirin.bsky.social explains. bit.ly/Click-2-Listen YouTu.be/Se4-LG4GqYE

@joecirin.bsky.social says to the extent Iran wanted a nuclear weapon, it was to prevent any other country from taking down the regime. But now, as a result of Trump’s war, they have two new strong deterrents. bit.ly/Click-2-Listen YouTu.be/Se4-LG4GqYE

The problem is not a single president or party. It is the power structures that ensure those who profit from war never pay its cost, regardless of who holds office, writes @nancyokail.bsky.social of @cipolicy.bsky.social.

“Trump’s catastrophically stupid, and now hopefully concluded, war on Iran is a vivid display of how that obsession has distorted our foreign policy and ended up dramatically diminishing rather than advancing Americans’ safety and prosperity.” @mattduss.bsky.social www.thenation.com/article/worl...

On the podcast today I asked our own foreign policy guru, @JoeCirin.bsky.social, what wins the United States achieved in Trump’s war with Iran. His answer was chilling. bit.ly/Click-2-Listen YouTu.be/Se4-LG4GqYE

Senator Jack Reed pointed out a reality many experts agree on: The terms of the new MOU between Iran and the US are weaker than the JCPOA that President Trump tore up. In response, Trump called for Reed’s impeachment. 1/2 thehill.com/homenews/adm...

Expert uncorks blunt advice for Trump on MS NOW as Iran deal slips away: 'Just shut up!' That would be me. www.rawstory.com/trump-iran-2...

That must be the same "conflict" [illegal war] Trump started, and part of the same plan Obama already had in place before Trump tore it up.

Another Trump first! The most unpopular war in US history . Way to go, big fella! We knew you could do it. open.substack.com/pub/stephens...

JD Vance says it's a big win for Team Trump that Iran has agreed to let nuclear inspectors in. Of course, the inspectors were in Iran years ago before Trump canceled Obama's nuclear deal.

As Netanyahu sinks, take a look at the man who could become the next leader of Israel. www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026...

It was a pleasure to have a thoughtful conversation with Alex Witt today @ms.now. I hope you have a chance to watch. www.ms.now/weekends-wit...

Peace talks between the U.S. and Iran had a rough start Sunday after President Trump threatened Iran again as his own U.S. officials were trying to negotiate peace. Council on Foreign Relations Member @joecirin.bsky.social joins Alex Witt to share his insights. www.ms.now/weekends-wit...

It was a pleasure to have a thoughtful conversation with Alex Witt today @ms.now. I hope you have a chance to watch. www.ms.now/weekends-wit...

I will join Alex Witt at 3 o’clock today @ms.now to discuss the latest on Trump‘s failed war and his floundering negotiations.

It is so hard to talk about Trump’s Iran deal in the normal frame of foreign policy. Trump doesn’t care about Iran or nuclear weapons or the Gulf or Israel or anything beside his power, money and image. So the deal only makes sense as his way to cut his loses and move to more profitable pursuits.

Great show!

It is so hard to talk about Trump’s Iran deal in the normal frame of foreign policy. Trump doesn’t care about Iran or nuclear weapons or the Gulf or Israel or anything beside his power, money and image. So the deal only makes sense as his way to cut his loses and move to more profitable pursuits.

"A fig leaf for surrender." Nuclear policy expert @joecirin.bsky.social argues the US fundamentally misread the balance of forces with Iran. With the MOU already unraveling, how did Tehran emerge stronger? New episode of Frontlines & Backrooms out now: open.substack.com/pub/frontlin...

Elon Musk says while the advocacy of mass murder technically violates X.com platform rules, the Israeli police minister gets a special pass to do it just the same.

Bingo. “The lesson to be learned from this debacle is to avoid starting needless wars, to temper our hubris that everything will work out perfectly and to rely far more on diplomacy to solve global problems.” @nickkristof.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/06/20/o...

In Canada? I will join Aaron David Miller on @cbcradiocanada.bsky.social Sunday morning at 8am ET to break down Trump’s agreement with Iran. www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday...

Excellent breakdown by @joecirin.bsky.social “Any further comparison of the two agreements would be like comparing a fully constructed house with the concept of a new building.”

Absolutely not. Terrible move from GWB, who otherwise had some good instincts on nuclear arms control. But money is money. The 2002 Nuclear Posture Review - at least the unclassified parts we know about - was crap written by contractors. You could practically see the 703 area code on every slide.

Must read from @joecirin.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/th...

One of the earliest things I did to get excommicated from my conservative bros, long before Trump, was to argue against SDI and call for steep nuclear reductions. I also wrote a book warning against preventive wars and arguing that we had to shore up the UN. That went over like a Led Zep, too.

The Swamp Metaphor Eating the Trump Presidency. I went down to the Reflecting Pool today to see for myself. It’s often been scummy but I’ve never seen it this bad. It was absolutely NOT blue. Crews had been cleaning all day but the algae still covers the bottom of the pool like a green shag rug.

There is no nuclear deal. It is an illusion. Like Trump's failed Gaza Plan, it was a way to end a war gone disastrously wrong. It may never come to fruition. open.substack.com/pub/joecirin...

This is beyond symbolic coincidence. There is something almost cosmically ironic that Trump’s reflecting pool is not American Flag Blue but Iranian Flag Green.