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.

Less Than Meets the Eye?

Trump’s style may obscure a lack of substance.

Trump Reaches Greenland Deal

It’s huuuuge!

Friendship between the United States and Canada was developed and strengthened by the signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, on August 9, 1842, in the old State Department building which stood on this site (wherever that is). This treaty established the north- eastern boundary between the two countries. This tablet paced by the Kiwanis Club of Washington in Cooperation with the committee on marking points of historic interest April 30, 1929. Friendship between the United States and Canada was developed and strengthened by the signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, on August 9, 1842, in the old State Department building which stood on this site (wherever that is). This treaty established the north- eastern boundary between the two countries. This tablet paced by the Kiwanis Club of Washington in Cooperation with the committee on marking points of historic interest April 30, 1929.

When You’ve Lost Canada . . .

Our closest ally and trading partner is balancing against us.

North American Aerospace Defense Command F-35 Lightning II aircraft with the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 115th Fighter Wing, F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft with the South Carolina Air National Guard's 169th Fighter Wing fly over Greenland Oct. 7, 2025. Operating in the Arctic provides the flexibility and adaptability needed to overcome logistical hurdles in a dynamic and unforgiving environment. Greenland, as part of the Kingdom of Denmark has long played an important role in the defense of North America, which strengthens NORAD's ability to protect the continent from today's threats and emerging challenges from all approaches. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by 2d Lt Cameron Lewis) North American Aerospace Defense Command F-35 Lightning II aircraft with the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 115th Fighter Wing, F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft with the South Carolina Air National Guard's 169th Fighter Wing fly over Greenland Oct. 7, 2025. Operating in the Arctic provides the flexibility and adaptability needed to overcome logistical hurdles in a dynamic and unforgiving environment. Greenland, as part of the Kingdom of Denmark has long played an important role in the defense of North America, which strengthens NORAD's ability to protect the continent from today's threats and emerging challenges from all approaches. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by 2d Lt Cameron Lewis)

Greenland Follies

A slow-moving disaster.

Federal agents ram a man's vehicle and demand identification at Park Avenue and 35th Street in Minneapolis on January 12, 2026. The Latino man says he was let go once they realized he was a US citizen. While doing so, a crowd as well as more officers continued to arrive before releasing tear gas and pepper spraying members of the media and their cameras. Federal agents ram a man's vehicle and demand identification at Park Avenue and 35th Street in Minneapolis on January 12, 2026. The Latino man says he was let go once they realized he was a US citizen. While doing so, a crowd as well as more officers continued to arrive before releasing tear gas and pepper spraying members of the media and their cameras.

Mess in Minnesota

Going from bad to worse.

Virginia Swears in First Woman Governor

Abigail Spanberger made history this afternoon.

Scott Adams, 1957-2026

The legendary cartoonist turned MAGA influencer is gone at 68.

The Department of Wars

The quest for the elusive Peace Prize continues.

United for Iran - Global Day of Action July 25, 2009 United for Iran - Global Day of Action July 25, 2009

Iran at an Inflection Point

We may be closer to regime change than any point since the 1979 Revolution.

Invasion of Greenland Would End NATO

So says Denmark’s prime minister.

The first of the new anniversary quarters features the Mayflower Compact. The first of the new anniversary quarters features the Mayflower Compact.

Semiquincentennial Coins Rolling Out

A somewhat obsolete commemoration of a somewhat tepid celebration.

Just Following Orders

An oft-misunderstood legal principle.

President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026. President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026.

The Legality of the Maduro Raid

“When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”

U.S. Invades Venezuela, Captures President

We’ve seen this movie before.

Walter Cronkite on Television During Ford-Carter Debate by Thomas J. O'Halloran, 1976 (LOC) Walter Cronkite on Television During Ford-Carter Debate by Thomas J. O'Halloran, 1976 (LOC)

A New Day at CBS News

Fewer lies! Fewer experts!

United for Iran - Global Day of Action July 25, 2009 United for Iran - Global Day of Action July 25, 2009

Another Wave of Anti-Government Protests in Iran

The economy sparked this particular uprising.

An employee with ink-stained hands poses with a final print edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the printing press at Metro Market Media in Gainesville on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. It was the final print run for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, after 157 years. An employee with ink-stained hands poses with a final print edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the printing press at Metro Market Media in Gainesville on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. It was the final print run for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, after 157 years.

Atlanta Becomes Largest City Without Print Newspaper

An era slowly fades away.

Venezuela Shadow War Escalates

Where’s Congress?

high-resolution photo of watch, hand, male, luxury, accessories, rolex, to watch, arm clock high-resolution photo of watch, hand, male, luxury, accessories, rolex, to watch, arm clock

Rolex Protecting its Brand By Selling Secondhand Rolexes

The crazy world of luxury timepieces.

President Donald Trump participates in a bilateral meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Monday, August 18, 2025, in the Oval Office President Donald Trump participates in a bilateral meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Monday, August 18, 2025, in the Oval Office

Trump and Zelensky to Discuss Peace Plan

Ukraine’s president is trying to negotiate a deal that Russia will surely reject.

Betty Boop, Nancy Drew, and Others Entering Public Domain

Thousands of works from 1930 will lose copyright protection with the New Year.

Sporting Cultures

A clash between American and European models.

The Affordability Conundrum

The fixes people want won’t help and those that will help, people don’t want.

President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd after delivering remarks on the economy at the Rocky Mount Event Center in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on Friday, December 19, 2025. President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd after delivering remarks on the economy at the Rocky Mount Event Center in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on Friday, December 19, 2025.

US Struck ISIS Targets in Nigeria on Christmas

(More than) 12 Tomahawks a-bombing.

Boxing Day Forum

Legal Extortion

A bad year for OTB.

Another Brick Out the Wall

Don’t tell me there’s no hope at all

Shifting Vibes?

If the politics of cruelty has peaked, what follows?

Long-Term Consequences

Gone, gone, the damage done.

U.S. Congresswoman and United Nations Ambassador nominee Elise Stefanik speaking at the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. U.S. Congresswoman and United Nations Ambassador nominee Elise Stefanik speaking at the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

Stefanik Drops Out of Governor’s Race, Leaving Congress

Everybody knows you never go full MAGA.

high-resolution photo of silhouette, sky, sunrise, sunset, morning, dawn, airplane, plane, aircraft, military, dusk, transport, waiting, evening, reflection, army, vehicle, aviation, flight, men, cargo, soldiers, cargo plane, us army high-resolution photo of silhouette, sky, sunrise, sunset, morning, dawn, airplane, plane, aircraft, military, dusk, transport, waiting, evening, reflection, army, vehicle, aviation, flight, men, cargo, soldiers, cargo plane, us army

Radical Reorganization of Military Commands

The biggest reform in generations is being proposed.

Tuesday’s Forum

Rob Reiner at the Montclair Film Festival 2016. Rob Reiner at the Montclair Film Festival 2016.

Rob Reiner, 1947-2025

The great director and actor was killed, along with his wife, apparently by their son.

photo of cute, child, pink, toy, product, textile, kids, infant, toddler, skin, babies, twins, stuffed toy photo of cute, child, pink, toy, product, textile, kids, infant, toddler, skin, babies, twins, stuffed toy

Baby Farming

The most bizarre report I’ve seen in some time.

Sunday’s Forum

photo of architecture, structure, building, sign, entrance, facade, care, room, medicine, health, modern, stadium, hospital, clinic, nurse, doctor, emergency, medical, sick, illness, ambulance, surgery, treatment, patient, healthcare, physician, operation, surgeon, urgency, urgent, emergency room, operating, surgical photo of architecture, structure, building, sign, entrance, facade, care, room, medicine, health, modern, stadium, hospital, clinic, nurse, doctor, emergency, medical, sick, illness, ambulance, surgery, treatment, patient, healthcare, physician, operation, surgeon, urgency, urgent, emergency room, operating, surgical

The GOP’s ObamaCare Dilemma

They hate the program but have no viable alternative.

Referee, American football game, stadium. Referee, American football game, stadium.

Who’ll Make the College Football Playoff?

The Committee has some hard choices to make.

An America First Security Strategy

With a heavy dose of Christian nationalism.

Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace

I guess this means it’s open again.

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 Wants ‘Garbage’ Somalis Out

The President minced no words.

photo of landscape, sand, rock, person, woman, bench, old, alone, monument, looking, female, sitting, grandma, grandmother, relaxing, outdoors, sculpture, geology, temple, ruins, badlands, age, senior, elderly, granny, adult, retired, mature, ancient history, setee photo of landscape, sand, rock, person, woman, bench, old, alone, monument, looking, female, sitting, grandma, grandmother, relaxing, outdoors, sculpture, geology, temple, ruins, badlands, age, senior, elderly, granny, adult, retired, mature, ancient history, setee

Getting Old in America

It beats the alternative but it ain’t for sissies.

It’s a Very, Very Mad World

I find it hard to take.

Hegseth Ordered ‘No Quarter’ for Drug Boats

A clear violation of the laws of war. But do they apply?

photo of person, suit, black and white, people, military, soldier, army, monochrome, weapon, camouflage, war, shooting, gun, bullets, dangerous, troop, afghanistan, combat, cartridge, monochrome photography, machine gun, militia, camouflage battledress, projectiles, battledress, camouflage photo of person, suit, black and white, people, military, soldier, army, monochrome, weapon, camouflage, war, shooting, gun, bullets, dangerous, troop, afghanistan, combat, cartridge, monochrome photography, machine gun, militia, camouflage battledress, projectiles, battledress, camouflage

DC Shooter Was Part of CIA-Directed Unit

A childhood friend claims he had PTSD from his actions.

Trump to ‘Permanently Pause’ Immigration from Poor Countries

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for.

Rubio Orders Pressure on Mass Migration

The State Department will be pressing our closest allies to control their borders.

Two National Guardsmen Shot in DC

A suspect, an Afghan national, is in custody.

Trump Bows To Reality, Says Release Epstein Files

After months of demanding Republicans resist, he says “We have nothing to hide.”