Outside the Beltway

Another day, another Court ruling against the Trump Administration.

Why does the U.S. continue to pursue the seemingly impossible goal of denuclearization with regard to North Korea? In part, it’s because we’re still locked into thirty-year-old rhetoric.

Expecting North Korea to agree to diplomatic talks that are aimed at getting rid of their nuclear weapons is asking for the impossible, and ensuring there will be no progress on the diplomatic front for the foreseeable future.

My latest for RealClearDefense.

They’re right. And there’s precious little they can do about it.

My latest for The National Interest takes a contrarian view on the new National Defense Strategy.

The military options thus far presented for dealing with the DPRK have not been satisfying.

When it comes to foreign policy, Donald Trump has no over-arching philosophy and little knowledge, so don’t expect anything approaching a coherent doctrine from his Administration.

Two weeks later, it’s still unclear what caused a false missile alert to be sent out in Hawaii.

The President talked about national unity last night, but given his own rhetoric as a candidate and as a President, it’s a call that seems to be hypocritical.

The recent cooling of relations between North and South Korea has led to some talk of eventual reunification, but for many South Koreans that idea is a non-starter.

President Trump has alienated America’s allies and friends, and they are acting accordingly.

President Trump is apparently pressuring the President of South Korea to give him the credit for talks between North and South Korea that the United States isn’t involved in at all.

While everyone is paying attention to the government shutdown, the Trump Administration is preparing for a never-ending, unwise, and unauthorized military commitment in Syria.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear the Government’s appeal of the Trump Administration’s revised Muslim Travel Ban

One year after his Inauguration, Donald Trump is the most unpopular new President since the invention of modern polling. However, his numbers are generally the same that they’ve been for some time now.

Fortunately, yesterday’s missile alert in Hawaii was a false alarm. However, it is raising questions about the early warning system that’s in place and the state’s preparedness in case of an actual attack.

Some progress on easing tensions between North and South Korea.

Donald Trump’s irrational tweets are once again focused on the leader of North Korea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is extending an olive branch of sorts to South Korea while simultaneously claiming success in achieving a nuclear deterrent.

2017 was quite a year. 2018 promises to be just as interesting.

Late yesterday, a panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling striking down the latest version of Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban.

Yesterday was the seventy-sixth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. For most Americans, though, it was just another day. That’s only natural.

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is floating the idea that the U.S. might not take part in the Olympics due to safety concerns. This would be a foolish decision.

Russia has been barred from participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics after an investigation uncovered extensive evidence of cheating.

The Supreme Court is allowing the latest version of Donald Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban to go into effect.

It appears that Rex Tillerson’s days at the State Department may be numbered, but his proposed replacement leaves a lot to be desired.

North Korea tests another missile, and sends another message to the United States and its allies in Asia and the Pacific.

The Washington Post exposes another James O’Keefe fraud.

A recent defection from North Korea gives us a peek inside the DPRK, and it’s not pretty.

Is it time to reexamine Presidential authority to launch a nuclear strike?

President Trump returns home from an Asian trip that wasn’t exactly impressive.

A preemptive attack on North Korea would be illegal, immoral and, most importantly, insane.

Even during an overseas trip, President Trump continues to try to undermine the Russia investigation.

On North Korea, there are two options, deterrence and war. And only one of those options makes sense.

President Trump remains the most unpopular newly elected President since the end of the Second World War, and there’s no sign that will change.

Due mostly to cowardice and naked self-interest, you shouldn’t expect many other Republicans to speak out against Trump in the near future.

Americans as a whole are becoming less religious and some people are panicking about it.

America has become involved in conflicts around the world, largely without the knowledge of the American people or the consent of their representatives, and it doesn’t appear that’s going to end anytime soon.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s decision to call a snap election pays off big time.

Two Federal Judges have issued orders blocking the latest version of President Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban.

New polling shows increased support for gun control measures in the wake of Las Vegas, but it’s not likely to last and it won’t lead to any significant action by Congress.

Donald Trump continues to be as astoundingly ignorant about the most powerful weapons the U.S. military possesses as he was as a candidate.

Reports are indicating that President Trump will decertify the nuclear weapons deal with Iran. This would be a foolish and potentially dangerous mistake.

Tensions continue to rise between the White House and Foggy Bottom.

Donald Trump is undermining his own Secretary of State’s efforts on North Korea, and he doesn’t seem to care.

Most Americans don’t support President Trump’s statements about the protests by N.F.L. players, but it’s just another example of him using hateful rhetoric to pander to his base.

Donald Trump’s increasingly confrontational rhetoric regarding North Korea is leading to similar rhetoric from the DPRK, and concern among top diplomats.