Posts by James Joyner

James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is a Professor of Security Studies. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Fixing the Redistricting Mess

It won’t be easy.

Trump Job Approval Sinks Further

An unpopular war and sagging economy are driving down already low ratings.

President Donald J. Trump greets President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China at Zhongnanhai in Beijing, China, Friday, May 15, 2026 President Donald J. Trump greets President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China at Zhongnanhai in Beijing, China, Friday, May 15, 2026

A Summit About Nothing

Winging it is seldom a sound diplomatic strategy.

Trump Revenge Tour Continues

Even as a lame duck, he still holds domination over the party.

Democrats Supporting Non-Democrats to Block Republicans

A desperate but plausible gambit made necessary by a flawed system.

TRUMP-VANCE 2026?

Paid for by Never Surrender, Inc.

Stream of Consciousness Truthing

Yet more gems from the Commander-in-Chief.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent and CBP representative discuss U.S. Customs and Border Protection pedestrian border barrier requirements near Lukeville, Arizona, May 7. USACE is supporting the Department of Homeland Security's request to build pedestrian fencing, construct and improve roads, and install lighting within the Yuma and Tucson, Arizona, U.S. Border Patrol sectors following the Feb. 15 national emergency declaration on the southern border of the United States. The Department of Defense has the authority under Section 284 of Title 10, U.S. Code, to construct roads and fences and to install lighting to block drug-smuggling corridors across international boundaries of the United States in support of counter-narcotics activities of federal law enforcement agencies. A U.S. Border Patrol agent and CBP representative discuss U.S. Customs and Border Protection pedestrian border barrier requirements near Lukeville, Arizona, May 7. USACE is supporting the Department of Homeland Security's request to build pedestrian fencing, construct and improve roads, and install lighting within the Yuma and Tucson, Arizona, U.S. Border Patrol sectors following the Feb. 15 national emergency declaration on the southern border of the United States. The Department of Defense has the authority under Section 284 of Title 10, U.S. Code, to construct roads and fences and to install lighting to block drug-smuggling corridors across international boundaries of the United States in support of counter-narcotics activities of federal law enforcement agencies.

10,000 Losses (and Counting)

The Trump administration has been repeatedly rebuked by the courts, to little avail.

Blue Democratic Donkey, Dupont Circle, Washington DC Blue Democratic Donkey, Dupont Circle, Washington DC

Playing By Their Own Rules Puts Democrats at a Disadvantage

It’s hard to win a street fight under Marquess of Queensberry rules.

What Occupies The President’s Mind?

More than any of his predecessors, we know in real time.

The Elephant is the traditional symbol for the Republican party. The Donkey is the traditional symbol for the Democratic party. The Elephant is the traditional symbol for the Republican party. The Donkey is the traditional symbol for the Democratic party.

Taking Extreme Measures to ‘Win’ the Midterms

Republicans are winning the gerrymandering wars thus far.

Virginia Supremes Strike Down Voter-Approved Gerrymander

A significant blow to Democrats.

Iran Can Take Several Months More of This

Leaked estimates are at substantial variance from administration claims.

Spirit in the Sky

The Iran War’s latest victim.

Ted Turner, 1938-2026

The one-time media mogul has passed at 87.

The free high-resolution photo of landscape, car, vintage, antique, building, transport, truck, vehicle, nostalgia, gas station, quaint, hdr, playground, cars, gasoline, gulf, petrol, service, pumps, automobile make , taken with an IQ3 100MP 03/16 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required. The free high-resolution photo of landscape, car, vintage, antique, building, transport, truck, vehicle, nostalgia, gas station, quaint, hdr, playground, cars, gasoline, gulf, petrol, service, pumps, automobile make , taken with an IQ3 100MP 03/16 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required.

Gas Prices Up 50% Since War Started

Making an unpopular war less popular.

2028 Primary Stupidity

A dumb way to choose candidates? Or the dumbest way?

Losing Survivor Benefits Upon Remarriage

A reasonable if perverse policy.

Voting Without Democracy

Only 32 of 435 House seats are competitive.

Gerrymandering and Disenfranchisement

Race and partisanship collide once again.

The Elephant is the traditional symbol for the Republican party. The Donkey is the traditional symbol for the Democratic party. The Elephant is the traditional symbol for the Republican party. The Donkey is the traditional symbol for the Democratic party.

Is Partisanship Merely a Proxy for Race?

Disentangling the two is challenging, if not impossible.

The Toothless War Powers Resolution

What happens at the 60 day mark of the Iran War? Nothing.

Supreme Court Strikes Down Majority Minority Districts

Partisan gerrymandering just got a bit easier.

Calling Trump a Tyrant is Not a Call for—But May Lead—to Violence

Free speech is not always met with more speech.

Two-Hour Marathon Barrier Broken

A monumental achievement—with a huge asterisk.

Whither the World Order

A requiem for something lost.

Iran Offers to Re-open Strait

A way out of the mess.

Another Trump Assassination Attempt

A gunman got off shots at the White House Correspondents Dinner.

The 79th Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable John C. Phelan, delivers a speech during the USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. ship commissioning at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, April 11, 2026. The 79th Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable John C. Phelan, delivers a speech during the USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. ship commissioning at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, April 11, 2026.

Navy Secretary Fired

The ousting of top Defense leaders continues.

Virginia Passes Radical Gerrymander

Fighting autocracy with autocracy.

America’s Oligarchs

The state of being too big to care.

NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!

A warning from the Commander-in-Chief to the crazy bastards.

The free high-resolution photo of desk, black and white, technology, white, money, market, blue, business, black, monochrome, chart, statistic, monitor, bw, bank, display, graph, stock, digital, currency, dollar, trade, information, sell, economy, server, financial, management, data, finance, cost, analysis, profit, investment, exchange, ticker, rate, accounting, funds, earning, trading, forex, personal computer, monochrome photography, index, electronic device, personal computer hardware, electronic instrument, foreign exchange , taken with an unknown camera 03/17 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required. The free high-resolution photo of desk, black and white, technology, white, money, market, blue, business, black, monochrome, chart, statistic, monitor, bw, bank, display, graph, stock, digital, currency, dollar, trade, information, sell, economy, server, financial, management, data, finance, cost, analysis, profit, investment, exchange, ticker, rate, accounting, funds, earning, trading, forex, personal computer, monochrome photography, index, electronic device, personal computer hardware, electronic instrument, foreign exchange , taken with an unknown camera 03/17 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required.

Why Stocks Are Up When the Economy Is Down

Some people say there’s a woman to blame.

Formal group photograph of the Supreme Court as it was been comprised on June 30, 2022 after Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson joined the Court. The Justices are posed in front of red velvet drapes and arranged by seniority, with five seated and four standing. Seated from left are Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., and Justices Samuel A. Alito and Elena Kagan. Standing from left are Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Formal group photograph of the Supreme Court as it was been comprised on June 30, 2022 after Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson joined the Court. The Justices are posed in front of red velvet drapes and arranged by seniority, with five seated and four standing. Seated from left are Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., and Justices Samuel A. Alito and Elena Kagan. Standing from left are Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Thomas and Alito Not Expected to Retire

The two oldest members of the Supreme Court are taking a big gamble.

Dueling Blockades

Iran has fired on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

How Swalwell Got Away With It For So Long

His clean-cut image was belied by years of rumors.

Trump Meets His Meme Match

We can forgive the raping, graft, election stealing, and warmongering. But this goes too far!

Trump Agrees To Cease Fire on Iran’s Terms

No significant U.S. war aims were achieved.

Trump: ‘A Whole Civilization Will Die Tonight’

The President has threatened massive war crimes.

Negotiating With Crazy Bastards

The Madmen Theory doesn’t work when both sides are using it.

Trump’s Easter Message to Iran

Praise be to Allah, you crazy bastards!

American Pilot Shot Down Over Iran Rescued

A great thing, precipitated by a questionable thing.

President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa.

Trump Approval at Historic Lows

Only Nixon has been lower.

Iran War at 5 Weeks

So much winning.