Donald Trump
Specters of Revenge
The distinction between the private and the public, the personal and the national, has broken down in Trump’s second term. The president’s personal psychology and how he understands his own interests and well-being are now critical factors in how the U.S. conducts itself in the world.
What Next for Haitians in the US?
The Trump administration is ending the program that allows many Haitians to live and work in the U.S. A Haitian American reflects on the damage the move will do to communities, the economy and the country’s ethos — and the underlying hostility that appears to have guided Trump’s decision.
Why the Church of Rome Is Not Afraid of Trump
Six months before the midterm elections, Pope Leo called President Trump’s threat to destroy Iran “unacceptable” and urged Americans to call on their representatives to oppose the war. Trump’s enraged reaction has since proved useful to the Vatican. The first American pope will not back down.
UFC Freedom 250 and the Limits of MAGA Spectacle
Trump’s turn from wrestling to mixed martial arts suggests he is done pretending the performance is for his supporters’ benefit. MAGA thought they were in on the con. Instead, Trump put them in their own signature hold and called for the bell.
Friend, Rival, Trap
In his recent summit with Donald Trump, Xi Jinping invoked the “Thucydides trap,” framing China’s rivalry with the United States in terms that serve Beijing — and laying an actual trap for the U.S. president.
The Strange (Future) Death of Christian Zionism
The rise of Christian nationalism and isolationism poses a direct challenge to Christian Zionism. As the Iran war alienates much of the MAGA-verse and pushes many young conservatives into more extreme orbits, a breaking point is coming in a GOP already fractured over the Trump administration’s “Israel-first” foreign policy.
The Last Temptation of Trump at the End of a Failed War
Trump has backed himself into a corner with Iran. Any deal risks appearing, in his eyes, like a humiliating failure, one his opponents will mock. He knows this. His opponents know this. The weight of that constraint presents a dangerous equation as the president threatens escalation.