Outside the Beltway

President Trump’s nominee to be the next Director of National Intelligence is quite simply not qualified for the position he has been nominated to.

Dan Coats is stepping down as Director of National Intelligence, and President Trump wants to replace him with an inexperienced, obsequious toady.

While much of the talk about Robert Mueller’s testimony has focused on the Trump campaign, there was another part to his testimony that brings attention to a far more serious threat.

Mark Esper has been confirmed and sworn in as the next Secretary of Defense, ending a period of nearly 100 days during which the Pentagon was headed by a succession of Acting Secretaries.

Starting at 8:30 a.m. this morning, the eyes and ears of Washington and much of the nation will be focus on one thing, the testimony of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

President Trump and the Congressional leadership have reached agreement on a multi-year budget deal that that busts through all remaining controls on spending.

A strangely under-publicized story.

An Army appellate court has rejected an appeal filed by Bowe Bergdahl that argued that the President’s attacks on him while a candidate unfairly influenced his court martial.

Tensions are increasing in the Persian Gulf thanks to a collection of actions by Iran, the United States, and United Kingdom.

Just over nine years after retiring from the Supreme Court, former Associate Justice John Paul Stevens has passed away at the age of 99.

The Trump Era is raising doubts about many things, including America’s most important alliance.

The House of Representatives passed a defense spending bill that seeks to limit Presidential authority when it comes to striking Iran and aideing the Saudi war on Yemen.

The Federal Budget Deficit passed the $700 Billion mark with three months still to go in the Fiscal Year.

Last night New York City experienced what turned out to be a short-lived blackout mostly limited to Manhattan’s West Side, but it brought back memories of much bigger events.

Trump’s self-congratulatory July 4th nonsense bankrupted the District of Columbia’s security fund, now they’re seeking reimbursement.

Joe Biden delivered his first major foreign policy address of the campaign. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than what we have right now.

In a move sure to ruffle feathers, the President is bypassing all of the Navy’s four-star admirals for the next service chief.

Iran announced that it was exceeding another limitation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, upping the already tense situation in the Persian Gulf

Adm. William Moran had been set to become Chief of Naval Operations in three weeks.

Whether he knows it or not, Donald Trump is assisting the Russian leader in his goal of undermining the foundational institutions of democracy and freedom.

Can the commander-in-chief’s tweets be unlawful command influence?

Just over a year after the United States repudiated the JCPOA, Iran has surpassed a limit on uranium enrichment set by the JCPOA

Realistically, President Trump has very few options when it comes to dealing with Iran and its nuclear program.

Is the United States finally ready to give up on the fantasy that North Korea will surrender its nuclear weapons?

President Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un met at the Demilitarized Zone for what amounts to their third summit in a year. As with the previous two, there was nothing of substance accomplished.

President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to resume trade talks, but Trump’s ill-advised trade war will continue.

The Kaine-Udall amendment has met its predictable end.

Not content with taking a wrecking ball to America’s trans-Atlantic alliances, the President is attacking our trans-Pacific allies as well.

Another poll is out showing that Americans overwhelmingly oppose the President’s decision to ban transgender troops from serving in the military.

The Pentagon has been headed by Acting Secretaries for an unprecedented period. Does it really matter?

Eight months later, the President and his Administration continue to refuse to acknowledge the truth about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

The Trump Administration unveiled new sanctions against Iran yesterday. They’re unlikely to accomplish the entirely unrealistic goals the President claims to have in mind.

Evidence appears to clearly established that Russia used many of the same social media efforts it used in the United States in 2016 to interfere in the recent European Parliament elections.

A possible way forward?

Former Congressman Joe Sestak is the 24th Democrat to enter the race for President.

Trump and Iran.

Just days after being named the next Acting Secretary of Defense, the President is appointing Mark Esper to be full Secretary of Defense.

As if the situation in the Persian Gulf weren’t already tense enough, the Iranians shot down an American reconnaissance drone late yesterday

Democrats are trying to rein in President Trump. It won’t work.

As Conservative MP’s continue winnowing down the list of candidates for party leader, Boris Johnson remains the overwhelming leader. However, a surprise challenger may be on his heels.

Patrick Shanahan is out as nominee to be Secretary of Defense after questions were raised during his background investigation.

As we head toward a potential crisis in the Persian Gulf, the consequences of the President’s lies are coming home to roost.

Tensions are increasing in the Persian Gulf as the Iran war hawks seem to be winning the battle for the President’s support.

A new report in The New York Times raises both national security and Constitutional concerns.

An idea that’s both long overdue and problematic.

Bret Stephens (and others) are overreacting.

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg laid out his foreign policy platform in a speech this week. It’s certainly an improvement over the current President.

This time on Venezuela

The Democratic-controlled House has settled on the worst possible option.

Congressman Duncan Hunter Jr’s defense of campaign law violations against him suffered a big setback yesterday when his wife and co-Defendant entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors.