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.

Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson Eligible for Baseball Hall of Fame

A lifetime ban now ends with death.

Cutting Generals Won’t Be Easy

A 20% reduction would require massive changes in law and approach.

The free high-resolution photo of america, china, commerce, communication, business, concept, country, currency, distribution, earth, economy, exchange, export, global, globe, goods, hand, import, industry, information, international, investment, logistic, map, market, message, rate, shipping, tariff, trade, transfer, transportation, war, blue, text, cartoon, flag, art, font, illustration, line, graphic design, clip art, graphics, human behavior @Mohamed Hassan , taken with an unknown camera 08/04 2018 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. The free high-resolution photo of america, china, commerce, communication, business, concept, country, currency, distribution, earth, economy, exchange, export, global, globe, goods, hand, import, industry, information, international, investment, logistic, map, market, message, rate, shipping, tariff, trade, transfer, transportation, war, blue, text, cartoon, flag, art, font, illustration, line, graphic design, clip art, graphics, human behavior @Mohamed Hassan , taken with an unknown camera 08/04 2018 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0.

US-China Suspend Tarrifs Amid Talks

A temporary respite that doesn’t solve fundamental disagreements.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hosts a teleconference with NFL players Aaron Jones and Elijah Higgins during their visit to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing in Kuwait from the Pentagon, April 2, 2025. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hosts a teleconference with NFL players Aaron Jones and Elijah Higgins during their visit to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing in Kuwait from the Pentagon, April 2, 2025.

DEI Dies at DOD

A series of orders impacting military education.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks on 'Investing in America', Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in the Cross Hall of the White House. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on 'Investing in America', Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in the Cross Hall of the White House.

Trump: Ending Wars is Hard

Who could have known?

Pentagon’s Purge of Trans Servicemembers to Begin

Roughly a thousand will be discharged forthwith.

The free high-resolution photo of music, halloween, usa, musician, profession, performance, crazy, police, event, guitarist, trend, theme, performing arts, up to date, penalty, terrible, offender, assault and battery, evil clowns, fear and loathing, punishable, horror clowns, barmy, scare and injure people, without scruple, unscrupulously , taken with an unknown camera 04/06 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. The free high-resolution photo of music, halloween, usa, musician, profession, performance, crazy, police, event, guitarist, trend, theme, performing arts, up to date, penalty, terrible, offender, assault and battery, evil clowns, fear and loathing, punishable, horror clowns, barmy, scare and injure people, without scruple, unscrupulously , taken with an unknown camera 04/06 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0.

Clowns Criticizing the Clown Show

They wanted chaos but not this chaos.

Leo XIV: An American Pope

Robert Francis Prevost has been elected to head the Catholic Church

Joseph Nye, 1937-2025

The scholar-statesman best known for coining “soft power” has died at 88.

Kashmir Crisis Escalates

India and Pakistan are playing a dangerous game of tit for tat.

EnergyGuide label Energy Star EnergyGuide label Energy Star

Trump to End EnergyStar Program

For reasons.

Supreme Court Allows Trump Transgender Ban to Proceed

They’ve reversed a lower court ruling. For now.

Hegseth Orders Big Cuts to General and Flag Officer Ranks

Whether it’s a good policy will depend almost entirely on execution.

An M1A2 SEP v2 Abrams assigned to Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, fires at a target during a zero range at Rodriguez Live-Fire Complex, South Korea, Aug. 5, 2024. The unit is participating in a deployment readiness exercise in support of Operation Pacific Fortitude, which supports long-standing agreements to the Republic of Korea by deploying forces, drawing and transporting equipment to validate unit readiness and the U.S. commitment to the alliance. An M1A2 SEP v2 Abrams assigned to Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, fires at a target during a zero range at Rodriguez Live-Fire Complex, South Korea, Aug. 5, 2024. The unit is participating in a deployment readiness exercise in support of Operation Pacific Fortitude, which supports long-standing agreements to the Republic of Korea by deploying forces, drawing and transporting equipment to validate unit readiness and the U.S. commitment to the alliance.

The Army’s ‘New’ China Strategy

The Asia pivot is happening very slowly.

Trump to Gut Intelligence Agencies

Thousands of job cuts are envisioned.

President Donald Trump speaks with Secretary of Commerce Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz in the Oval Office, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks with Secretary of Commerce Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz in the Oval Office, Wednesday, April 30, 2025.

Michael Waltz Out as National Security Advisor [But in as UN Ambassador!]

A major reshuffling of the foreign policy team 100 days into the administration.

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The AI Is Taking Our Jobs!

Machines have been eliminating blue collar jobs for decades. Now they’re coming for white collar jobs.

The Poll is a Census

The country is not happy with Trump. Except for Republicans.

Americans See Presidential Overreach

Even Republicans are balking at some Trump policies.

We’re Deporting US Citizens, Including Children

Apparently, this is who we are now.

Democrats Less Popular Than Trump

The polls are showing a really weird dynamic.

emergency exit sign green emergency exit sign green

The Emergency

There may be no exit.

The free high-resolution photo of man, person, people, audience, religion, italy, church, profession, christian, senior citizen, vatican, religious, catholic, rome, faith, bishop, christianity, pope, holy, greeting, believe, catholicism, theology, st peter's square, francis, papal, clergy, pope francis, pontiff , taken with an Canon PowerShot SX280 HS 02/21 2017 The picture taken with 48.0mm, f/5.6s, 1/1000s, ISO 400 The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. The free high-resolution photo of man, person, people, audience, religion, italy, church, profession, christian, senior citizen, vatican, religious, catholic, rome, faith, bishop, christianity, pope, holy, greeting, believe, catholicism, theology, st peter's square, francis, papal, clergy, pope francis, pontiff , taken with an Canon PowerShot SX280 HS 02/21 2017 The picture taken with 48.0mm, f/5.6s, 1/1000s, ISO 400 The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0.

Pope Francis, 1936-2025

The 88-year-old Bishop of Rome has died.

Trump Openly Defying the Courts

It’s good to be king.

America 250 Statue of Liberty America 250 Statue of Liberty

America’s 250th Celebration on Hold

Perhaps it’s just as well.

The free high-resolution photo of america, china, commerce, communication, business, concept, country, currency, distribution, earth, economy, exchange, export, global, globe, goods, hand, import, industry, information, international, investment, logistic, map, market, message, rate, shipping, tariff, trade, transfer, transportation, war, blue, text, cartoon, flag, art, font, illustration, line, graphic design, clip art, graphics, human behavior @Mohamed Hassan , taken with an unknown camera 08/04 2018 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. The free high-resolution photo of america, china, commerce, communication, business, concept, country, currency, distribution, earth, economy, exchange, export, global, globe, goods, hand, import, industry, information, international, investment, logistic, map, market, message, rate, shipping, tariff, trade, transfer, transportation, war, blue, text, cartoon, flag, art, font, illustration, line, graphic design, clip art, graphics, human behavior @Mohamed Hassan , taken with an unknown camera 08/04 2018 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0.

Skewed Incentives

An increasingly muddled tariff system.

American Exceptionalism

USA! USA! USA!

SCOTUS Takes a Stand

A unanimous Supreme Court has ordered the administration to comply with a lower court order.

Thursday’s Forum

‘An Experiment in Recklessness’

What could possibly go wrong?

April 5, 2025 - Rally in downtown Boston, Massachusetts to express outrage at President Trump, his policies and his minions. April 5, 2025 - Rally in downtown Boston, Massachusetts to express outrage at President Trump, his policies and his minions.

The Backlash Has Begun

Nationwide protests yesterday show a growing outrage over Trump 2.0.

‘The Economic Version of the Iraq War’

We are about to find out the degree to which trade wars are good and easy to win.

Booker Breaks Thurmond’s Record

He filibustered nothing for a very long time.

Val Kilmer, 1959-2025

A great actor is gone at 65.

Marine Le Pen Barred From 2027 Election

The courts have ruled the far-right leader ineligible to run.

The free high-resolution photo of thought, symbol, blackboard, think, business, lamp, black, light bulb, lighting, lightbulb, material, bubble, circle, education, chalkboard, jewellery, font, meditation, creativity, philosophy, psychology, vision, inspiration, concept, school, studying, learning, problem, idea, imagination, solution, innovation, analysis, invention, brainstorm, chalk board, brain storm, mental image , taken with an ILCE-5000 04/06 2017 The picture taken with 50.0mm, f/2.8s, 1/50s, ISO 100 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 thought, symbol, blackboard, think, business, lamp, black, light bulb, lighting, lightbulb, material, bubble, circle, education, chalkboard, jewellery, font, meditation, creativity, philosophy, psychology, vision, inspiration, concept, school, studying, learning, problem, idea, imagination, solution, innovation, analysis, invention, brainstorm, chalk board, brain storm, mental image , taken with an ILCE-5000 04/06 2017 The picture taken with 50.0mm, f/2.8s, 1/50s, ISO 100 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.

Reverse Brain Drain

America’s edge in innovation, built over a century, is being squandered in weeks.

The free high-resolution photo of america, china, commerce, communication, business, concept, country, currency, distribution, earth, economy, exchange, export, global, globe, goods, hand, import, industry, information, international, investment, logistic, map, market, message, rate, shipping, tariff, trade, transfer, transportation, war, blue, text, cartoon, flag, art, font, illustration, line, graphic design, clip art, graphics, human behavior @Mohamed Hassan , taken with an unknown camera 08/04 2018 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. The free high-resolution photo of america, china, commerce, communication, business, concept, country, currency, distribution, earth, economy, exchange, export, global, globe, goods, hand, import, industry, information, international, investment, logistic, map, market, message, rate, shipping, tariff, trade, transfer, transportation, war, blue, text, cartoon, flag, art, font, illustration, line, graphic design, clip art, graphics, human behavior @Mohamed Hassan , taken with an unknown camera 08/04 2018 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0.

All-in On China

A natural evolution in American foreign policy, albeit a concerning one.

President Joe Biden puts on his aviator sunglasses after making a joke about the “Dark Brandon” persona at the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, Saturday, April 29, 2023, at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden puts on his aviator sunglasses after making a joke about the “Dark Brandon” persona at the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, Saturday, April 29, 2023, at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.

WHCA Dinner Cancels Comedian After White House Complains

The Nerd Prom chickens out.

The free high-resolution photo of people, auditorium, meeting, sitting, student, education, classroom, indoors, study, university, school, learn, lecturer, studying, campus, class, lecture, college, convention, seminar, academic conference , taken with an unknown camera 03/24 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 people, auditorium, meeting, sitting, student, education, classroom, indoors, study, university, school, learn, lecturer, studying, campus, class, lecture, college, convention, seminar, academic conference , taken with an unknown camera 03/24 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 War on Higher Ed

Elite American universities are surrending at an astonishing pace.

Rules for Thee, Not For Me

Unequal treatment for senior officials is the norm, like it or not.

Israel’s Next Move

Will the Netanyahu government double down on its weakening of Iran?

Trump Orders Proof of Citizenship to Vote

Yet another test of Executive power for the courts to resolve.

The Dual State

First thing we do, let’s intimidate all the lawyers.

George Foreman, 1949-2025

The boxing great and grill pitchman is gone at 76.

Trump Deporting 530,000 Legal Immigrants, Shuttering DHS Due Process Offices

Then process gets in the way of efficiency, kill the process.

Now Is It a Constitutional Crisis?

We are at least on the precipice.

We’re Back?

Our long national nightmare (may be) over.