Outside the Beltway

The cruelty isn’t the point.

Stop me if you have heard this before, but he is unqualified for the job.

The Congressman and Green Beret colonel will head Trump’s national security team.

Trump’s foreign policy team is taking shape.

My concerns about a second Trump administration.

An oft-told tale turns out to be bullshit.

Trump’s second term would be much worse than his first.

A relatively strong performance doesn’t change the narrative.

The President’s demand that Democrats shut up and rally behind him is going unheeded.

His party got destroyed in EU elections, so he’s doubling down.

The Russian autocrat is emboldened.

It’s more than competition but less than war.

Are we avoiding facing hard truths?

Yesterday’s New Jersey speech was something to behold.

An interesting analysis by The Economist.

A win for the good guys and a loss for Trump and Putin.

The Western sphere widens.

While the West dithers, Russia is doubling down.

The “courage of the white flag” is a horrible idea.

The state of the union is apparently fiery.

In the Trump era, it’s all politics.

Yet more evidence the man is unfit to serve as Commander-in-Chief.

The BBC’s security correspondent thinks so.

The cease-fire will end. What follows is not at all clear.

It’s . . . complicated.

The tables have turned.

Will taking the war to Moscow change Putin’s calculus?

The trend shows no sign of abating.

Our pacing threat is hiring military veterans with special skills.

Yet more leaked intelligence gives a gloomy forecast.

President Biden has again made history.

Must every topic be viewed through that lens?

Turkey’s Erdogan has agreed to drop his objection.

Finally, a rationale that makes sense.

Membership is stalled by more support is coming.

A bad idea fueled by desperation.

Well, that de-escalated quickly.

A stupid move by a crackpot? Or a turning point?

The Biden Administration is pushing for a half measure.

A bad idea backed up by worse reasoning.

Normal diplomacy with an abnormal ally.

Leaked intelligence intercepts take us inside the Ukrainian war room.

Don’t get your hopes up.

The city once known as Koenigsberg is now Krolewiec, at least in Polish government documents.

The Pope is siding with evil.

A weird twist to the online leak story.

The problem has intensified—and spread beyond Ukraine secrets.

Russia is circulating doctored versions of plans for a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

A refreshing instance of normal democratic politics amid interesting times.

The would-be President is floundering as he tries to position himself.