No, Trump Isn't 'Paying' Iran $24 Billion To End the War
There’s a lot of confusion about sanctions relief and the U.S.-Iranian deal on the table. Hawks are exploiting it to sabotage the peace.
Foreign Policy
What 1976 Got Right About America
Matt Welch discusses the forgotten reality of the bicentennial, the cultural impact of Roots, and why America doesn't need a single national story.
The Trump Administration Seriously Considered Unilaterally Suspending the Writ of Habeas Corpus
The proposal was nixed only after White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf explained why it was legally dubious.
Even an AI-Sparked Economic Miracle Will Not Save the Federal Budget
Congress cannot sit by and hope for AI to fix the deficit.
Trump Sees World Cup Visitors as a Threat, But America Sees a Chance for Hospitality
Plus: How the UFC and MMA went from outsiders to the sporting and political establishment—to the point where they’re being used for “diplomacy.”
Trump's Ceasefire Definition Sounds Wrong. History Sadly Suggests Otherwise.
The history of ceasefires is plagued by continued violence, ranging from "moderate shooting" to full-scale offensives.
Bernie Sanders Is Wrong About Trillionaires
Plus: the Supreme Court's biggest pending decisions, renewed court-packing debates, and the economic fallout from the Iran war
The Iran War Is Over, For Now
The U.S. and Iran have moved to the next stage of the peace process. Hawks on all sides are terrified that it will succeed.
The Art of the Deal
Plus: Anthropic vs. the government, Knicks win, bread and circuses, and more...
An Unconstitutional War Results in a Bad Deal
Trump's failure to secure constitutionally required congressional authorization for his war with Iran helped ensure the US lacked the staying power necessary to prevail.
Terrorists and Criminals Reportedly Got $37.5 Billion From COVID Relief and Other U.K. Aid Programs
Britain has long wasted taxpayer money on frivolous projects. A secret dossier suggests it has now outdone itself.
'VERY HARD'
Plus: SpaceX's initial public offering, L.A. taking S.F.'s place, matchmaking reinvented, and more...
Marco Rubio's 'Cage Fights for Diplomacy' Are Another Form of Crony Capitalism
Instead of dismantling the cultural exchange bureau, the State Department wants it to sponsor sports leagues.
Inflation Reaches 4.2% as Prices Outpace Paychecks
The Iran war and Trump's tariffs are pushing prices higher, and neither will be easy to undo.
President Trump Storms Out of NBC Interview
Pressed on election fraud claims and a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, the president abruptly ended a tense exchange with NBC’s Kristen Welker.
Trump's Position in the White House Ballroom Case Reflects His General Resistance to Judicial Review
The president has repeatedly argued that courts have no business deciding whether his actions are legal.
Israel Tests Iran
Plus: Trump watches the Knicks, H-1B fee ruling, Mormons off the list, and more...
The Pentagon's New War - Canceling American Religion and American History
A guest post by Prof. Paul Finkelman.
Trump's Middle Eastern Ceasefire: Fiery But Mostly Peaceful
The White House keeps insisting that peace is around the corner. Meanwhile, Israel, Iran, and the United States keep shooting at each other.
Trump and Bibi Are Fighting
Plus: L.A. mayoral race updates, stabbing at Penn, Jon Ossoff thirst, and more...
This Attempt by the Trump Administration To Cripple Legal Immigration Is Illegal, Judge Rules
The government had imposed an indefinite pause on adjudicating asylum petitions and applications for green cards, work permits, and citizenship for legal immigrants from certain countries.
The Debate Over Israel Aid Is Coming. Congress Wants To Future-Proof the Relationship First.
The Israeli government is willing to phase out U.S. financial grants. But Mike Rogers and Tom Cotton want to lock in other forms of aid—without a debate in Congress.
How Do You Define Ceasefire?
Plus: Lunchtime bullying, the decline of H-1B visas, orgy mating, and more...
Republican Hawks Don't Want an Iran Deal—and Opportunist Democrats Are Helping Them Along
Bipartisan pressure is keeping the war alive.
As Rubio Declares Iran War 'Over,' Lawmakers Prepare War Powers Vote
Rubio offered more information than the president, but the hearings still offered little clarity on the war.
The Draft Is Unpopular. Registration Becomes Automatic in December Anyway.
The federal government will now dig through databases to register 18-year-olds for conscription.
Trump's Self-Promotion Is Always Shameless and Sometimes Illegal
The president tramples the rule of law in his rush to glorify himself.
How To Sell a War
Presidents use a web of private influence to garner support for foreign invasions.
My New Article Making "The Case Against Mass Deportation" [Updated with link]
It was published on the Society for the Rule of Law's Checks and Balances substack.
Shame on the U.K. for Censoring Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur
"This ban is completely unfounded and must be reversed," writes Shabbos Kestenbaum.
Spiraling Out of Control
Plus: Jerome Powell talks, courtpacking watch, medical advancements, and more...
Psychic Soldiers, Mind Readers, and Dolphin Drones: The Cold War's Weird Paranormal History
How Soviet séances and CIA remote viewers sparked a decades-long arms race no one was supposed to know about
The Least Surprising Headline Ever: 'Blowing Up Boats Hasn't Slowed Cocaine Traffic to U.S.'
After nine months of murdering suspected cocaine smugglers, the Trump administration has no evidence that the strategy is working as advertised.
Iran Is Turning America's Sanctions Playbook Against It
The U.S. Treasury is trying to fight the kind of trade embargo that it usually imposes on other countries.
A 'More Decisive' Response
Plus: when the city government starts covering Ozempic, Jill Biden's lies, and more...
Does Reporting Bad News About the Iran War Make You a Foreign Agent?
The Trump administration invokes the notoriously vague FARA to threaten a critic.
Escalation in Iran
Plus: NDAs for federal employees, standardized test standards slipping, SpaceX IPO, and more...
250 Years Later, Benjamin Franklin's Warning Is Still Relevant
He famously said the Founders had created "a republic, if you can keep it." How have we kept it? And can we continue?
Does Anyone Know What's Happening in Iran?
Plus: Spencer Pratt’s mayoral campaign rattles Los Angeles, Trump’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund" sparks backlash, and the editors revisit Project 2025
Why Has Trump Stopped Selling Weapons to Taiwan?
The administration is avoiding conflict with China to focus on war in the Middle East. Taiwan’s democracy hangs in the balance.
How to Make Sure AI Doesn't Spy on Us or Kill Innocent People
If we want powerful AI systems to respect liberty, now is the time to train them to be more libertarian.
The Foreign-Born Heroes Who Chose America
Immigrants have fought for America's founding promise because they understood it, not because they inherited it.
War Powers Vote Is the Latest Embarrassment for House Speaker Mike Johnson
Johnson is seemingly incapable of standing up to the Trump administration, even when one of Congress' core responsibilities is at stake.
Review: A Sci-Fi War Movie About the Pentagon's Inscrutable Budget
The Pentagon's budget is so vast that a soldier believes the extraterrestrial machine shooting lasers at them might be taxpayer–funded.
Why Does Trump Keep Bringing Up Decades-Old Foreign Grievances?
Instead of making the case for war in Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba, the White House has been digging up conflicts from long ago.
Trump's Approval Rating Is Cratering. Tariffs Are a Big Reason Why.
They cost each American household roughly $1,000 in 2025, with more coming in 2026.
