Outside the Beltway

It’s been a bad week for U.S.-Russian relations.

Donald Trump seems to be surprised that being President requires actual work.

Inconceivably, Steve Bannon thought that clashing with President Trump’s daughter and son-in-law was a good idea. He’s likely learned his lesson now.

A warning to North Korea.

It’s not at all clear that there is a useful strategy at work here.

An apparent terrorist attack in Russia’s second largest city.

Despite American air strikes, ISIS is expanding its power amid the chaos in Libya.

Two big admissions from the Director of the F.B.I. today are likely to lead to real political headaches for the Trump Administration.

Iowa Congressman Steve King is causing controversy yet again with his comments in support of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders.

Scotland’s First Minister is calling for another independence vote in the wake of the beginning of the Brexit process, but she’s unlikely to get it.

Rex Tillerson, “the phantom of Foggy Bottom.”

South Korea removes a corrupt leader by peaceful means.

I am going to construct a complicated mathematical model of the economy, and then I’m going to calibrate it using some actual data, and in the end I will be able to tell everyone how much better or worse off they are given various changes in the economy. And it will be totally and completely true. Trust me, it’s math and therefore science.

President Trump has issued a revised ban on travel from six predominantly Muslim nations.

Trump’s attempt to fix the balance of trade will almost surely end up leaving us all worse off.

My latest is out at RealClearDefense.

The President gathered supporters around him, and blatantly lied to them, so as to increase support for his policies.

North Korean Intrigue…….

Trump’s combination amateur hour/tough guy approach is not going to make the world a safer place, nor will it advance US national interest.

By the end of last night’s oral argument, at least two of the three judges hearing the appeal of the stay on the President’s Muslim travel ban appeared to be skeptical of the Federal Government’s arguments.

An initial setback for the Federal Government in its appeal of the ruling putting President Trump’s Muslim travel ban on hold.

Yet another example of why Trump and his views on Trade and the economy are contradictory and even incoherent. Not only should Trump be building his Great Trump Wall™ in Mexico he should be furiously working against any and all foreign investment in the U.S.

There are two ways (at least) to have cars in America.

As with so many things, the President is demonstrating that he really doesn’t know what he is doing.

Yet more incoherent economic policy from the Tweeter in Chief. A border tax will mean that Americans will undoubtedly pay for at least part of the Great Wall of Trump™.

Nice work, Mr. President.

Trump’s tweet may have been casual bluster posted while sitting at the breakfast table (presumably eating Wheaties®—The Breakfast of Champions). We can’t know. And finally it matters not because what really matters is that it was taken at face value by President Peña Nieto.

Despite campaign promises, President Trump appears to be putting off any immediate decision on the location of the U.S. Embassy to Israel.

This will get people killed. Quite likely, including American citizens.

The reality of global climate change made itself evident again in 2016.

The mystery of what happened aboard Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 may remain at the bottom of the Indian Ocean forever.

British Prime Minister Theresa May made it clear that she intends to move forward with Brexit.

In a break with President-Elect Trump, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said Congress would block any effort to increase tariffs.

Secretary of State John Kerry’s speech on Middle East peace was largely correct, but his words are pointless given the fact that neither Israel nor the Palestinians seem serious about peacefully resolving their differences.

While you were celebrating Christmas, Israel was blasting the Obama Administration and cozying up to the incoming Trump Administration.

It seems as though 2016 has taken many more celebrities lives than past years.

Big news in the war against a horrible virus.

Ambassador Karlov is mostly likely not a modern day Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Another attack in what has been a bloody 2016 for Europe.

The situation in the Middle East just potentially became much more complicated.