Ted Bromund
As seen in:
CNN,
Forbes,
MSN,
Newsweek,
U.S. News and World Report,
POLITICO,
The Hill,
National Review,
The Epoch Times,
Washington Times
and
Senior Research Fellow, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, The Heritage Foundation. Retweet ≠ Endorsement.
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Ted Bromund
Foreign Threats to U.S. Elections Are Maturing Faster Than the Defenses to Counter Them
Nothing in the public record suggests that a foreign government is poised to carry out an election-altering operation this upcoming November. U.S. officials told the New York Times in September that the intelligence community has found no evidence of attempts to compromise the voting process through attacks on voting machinery. The foreign activity reported so far involves online influence operations, including fabricated videos, primarily by Russian actors.
Reflections from Today’s Judiciary on the Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence
Americans commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year. As many in the United States and around the world reflect on the words in the solemn document, it will be readily apparent how the actions of the monarch that prompted the “grievances” of the settlers are echoed by the actions taken by the current presidential administration in its first year and a half.
Beyond the Vanishing Point? What the Destruction of Civilian Infrastructure in Armed Conflicts Reveals about the State and the Role of IHL Today
At the end of May, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres released his annual report to the Security Council on the protection of civilians (PoC) in armed conflict. As in previous years, the report’s findings – recently debated at a Security Council meeting – reveal the extensive scale of human suffering and destruction across conflicts such as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Sudan, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Ukraine.
As U.N. Secretary-General Candidates Make Pitch to be Mediator-in-Chief, Will Peacebuilding End Up On the Cutting Room Floor?
For 12 grueling hours in late April, and six further hours last week, the six candidates competing to become the next United Nations secretary-general were grilled by U.N. member States and civil society in open interactive dialogues.
Interpol General Assembly Inches Forward on Transparency, Still Needs Reform Strategy
This year’s Interpol General Assembly went surprisingly well for democratic member States. Unexpected defeats for Russia and the United Arab Emirates at the top of the organization showed what the democracies can achieve in this global police-coordination agency.
Britain's Brexit Delay is Ridiculous
Britain’s House of Commons has voted to request a delay in Britain’s exit from the European Union. It’s like a kid who removes a band-aid slowly hoping it’ll hurt less. Far better to rip it off and be done with it. The people of the United Kingdom voted in June 2016 to leave the EU. Both major parties pledged to support that in June 2017.
As Interpol Gets New Secretary General, What are the Risks of Abuses Over Reforms?
Interpol’s supreme governing body, the General Assembly, will formally elect the organization’s new secretary general at its next meeting Nov. 4-7 in Glasgow, Scotland. The incoming secretary general, who is responsible for Interpol’s day-to-day operations, should be prepared to advance a reform agenda, because while the improvements Interpol has made to its institutions and procedures over the past eight years are significant, they are insufficient.
Trump’s UK Visit Was a Glowing Success
It’s not too much to call President Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain, which concluded on Wednesday, a big success. The curious thing is that much of the American media went out of their way to ignore that fact. The New York Times stands in for a lot of the U.S. coverage. “Trump Insults London Mayor as ‘Loser’ as He Pays Tribute to the Queen,” it blared on Monday as the state visit began.
The Perils of Presidential Success
Success is a dangerous thing for presidents. Few have resisted the temptation to apply the approach that led to one supposed success to other problems. And most of them have gotten burned as a result. From North Korea, President Donald Trump has moved on to Russia. That’s not a good pattern. It’s hard to have a success as president, especially in the realm of foreign policy. The world is an intractable place that we don’t understand well.
We Are Only As Powerless As We Want to Be
The poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English town of Salisbury is the work of the Russians. We know it, and when they bluster in denial, they are lying. This is not the first of their political murders. The time for proportional responses to Russia is over. By one count, Skripal’s poisoning is the 15th death, or near-death, related to Russia in Britain since 2006 — and that doesn’t include the suspicious deaths in Skripal’s family.
Will Trump’s Iran Strategy Work?
In his first major policy speech as secretary of state — delivered Monday at the Heritage Foundation — Mike Pompeo set out the Trump administration’s Iran strategy. It’s heartening that the United States has a plan: ditching the nuclear deal is well and good, but it’s not a strategy. But is the plan a good one? In many respects, it is. The administration’s plan begins with two reasonable arguments.
With Her Chequers Plan, Theresa May Is Repeating the Mistakes of Former Tory Prime Ministers
It’s probably a mistake to devote much mental or emotional energy to the Chequers Plan. The Plan is unlikely to survive the Commons, and even more unlikely to be acceptable to the EU. If it is designed to fail in order to pitch Britain back into the Customs Union and the Single Market, it has been well-crafted.
British Conservatives Are Growing Weary of Their Own Leaders
The annual party conference of the British Conservative Party wrapped up on Wednesday in the city of Birmingham. It’s been years—almost 20 years, in fact—since Conservative Party conferences were actually a genuine meeting of party members. Over those years, the conference has been more and more tightly controlled, with lobbyists and companies taking the place of actual conservative voices.
A very British shock result and what it may mean
I’ve studied Britain for 20 years, but this last week gave me an appreciation for its politics I’ve never had before. Over the last seven days, I followed Conservative candidates in Darlington, Bradford West and Brent Central as they canvassed and addressed the public. All worked hard; all were worthy, and all were in tough constituencies. In the end, none won. Like every other commentator, I failed to predict accurately the outcome of the election. I thought the Tories would win 280 seats.
Will Italy Be Next European Domino?
Eight years ago, the euro and the European Union were rocked by the near-collapse of Greek finances. Since then, migrants and Russia have crowded Europe’s banks from the headlines. But as events in Italy over the past two weeks have shown, the European peril is not dead. It is only resting. The proximate cause of the danger is political. The Italian elections in March resulted in victory for the so-called populist parties — the League and the Five Star Movement.
Why China Shouldn’t Run Interpol
The disappearance and enforced resignation of Meng Hongwei, the Chinese secret policeman who headed Interpol until early October, has provoked a wave of handwringing about whether China is fit to lead international organizations. All of a sudden, deep thinkers have begun to doubt the wisdom of welcoming China into every nook and cranny of international society in the hopes that the delight of being welcomed would cause the Chinese Communist party to reform itself.
U.S. Right to Quit Human Rights Panel
The UN Human Rights Council is a disgrace. No democracy should listen to the council, much less participate in it. The Trump administration’s decision to quit this rotten body was not merely right. It embodies the way we should treat failed international institutions. Criticism of the council often begins with its record on Israel. There is a good reason for this: the council spends a wildly disproportionate share of its time on Israel.
Bad Ideas Led to Libya Civil War
In 2011, the United States led an intervention that deposed Libyan dictator, terrorist, and crackpot Muammar Gaddafi. Since then, U.S. and Western policy toward Libya has embodied every big, bad idea in our arsenal. The new civil war in Libya gives us a welcome opportunity to abandon our errors. In 2016, then-President Barack Obama conceded that NATO’s intervention in Libya “didn’t work,” and said that his “worst mistake” was “failing to plan for the day after” the intervention.
Understanding American Security
For the Founding Fathers, a primary and central duty of the federal government created by the Constitution is to “provide for the common defence.” The reason is simple: If we are not secure, we cannot be free. As long as Americans value independence and liberty, the U.S. will need powerful armed forces to deter and defeat its enemies. But what we have to do to stay secure changes over time. A hundred years ago, we did not need an air force. Today we do.
An EU Industrial Policy Is Bad News for the U.S.
The European Union is afraid. It’s afraid that it’s not the home of the world’s largest and leading companies, and it’s afraid that it’s falling behind China and the United States. In its fear, it’s moving toward a policy of creating European champions that will only poison relations with the United States. Over the past decade, Europe’s share of the world’s largest firms has declined precipitously. According to The Economist, in 2006, 17 of the world’s 50 largest firms were European.
Amazon locks man out of account due to allegedly racist doorbell Original
Just before Memorial Day, Amazon customer and Microsoft engineer Brandon Jackson found himself unable to interact with his smart home through his Amazon Alexa after an Amazon delivery driver thought he heard Jackson’s doorbell make a racist remark.
The Left was wrong, wrong, wrong on cluster munitions
For well over a decade, the Left has waged war on cluster munitions. Left-wing nongovernmental organizations and other groups have demonized them, liberal U.S. administrations have downplayed them, and the left-leaning media have exaggerated the civilian casualties they cause. But now, in a complete about-face, the U.S. has agreed to supply cluster munitions to the embattled forces of Ukraine in its war against Russia. That’s the right decision.
The Left Was Wrong, Wrong, Wrong on Cluster Munitions
For well over a decade, the Left has waged war on cluster munitions. Left-wing nongovernmental organizations and other groups have demonized them, liberal U.S. administrations have downplayed them, and the left-leaning media have exaggerated the civilian casualties they cause. But now, in a complete about-face, the U.S. has agreed to supply cluster munitions to the embattled forces of Ukraine in its war against Russia. That’s the right decision.
Top Five Priorities for U.S. Policy Toward Europe in 2016
January 8, 2016 4 min read Download Report Authors: Ted Bromund and Daniel Kochis U.S. policy toward Europe in 2015 failed to rise to the significant challenges that confront it.
The Brexit Blame Game
Commentary Seven years ago, on June 23, 2016, the British people voted to leave the European Union. That departure didn’t happen until early 2020, and even now, Britain isn’t completely out. That hints at the fundamental problem: Although a majority of British voters chose to leave the EU, a majority of British politicians—and an even larger majority of the British elite—did not. As a result, the British system has fought Brexit tooth and nail. Brexit was mostly an end in itself.
The Brexit Blame Game
Must Reads Big Tech Border Crisis China Critical Race Theory Election Integrity Letters Podcasts Seven years ago, on June 23, 2016, the British people voted to leave the European Union. That departure didn’t happen until early 2020, and even now, Britain isn’t completely out. That hints at the fundamental problem: Although a majority of British voters chose to leave the EU, a majority of British politicians—and an even larger majority of the British elite—did not.
Race-conscious admission isn't always bad
The University of North Carolina is a state-run institution, and Harvard University receives millions every year in federal subsidies. Thus, it’s a pretty clear-cut case that these colleges are not allowed to practice race-based admissions, considering the text of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 reads: When Harvard rejects a Korean-American applicant who would have gotten in had she been an African-American student, Harvard is excluding that woman from participation on the grounds of race.
Democrats, Republicans, and independents increasingly say sports participation should be dictated by birth gender: Poll Original
The public increasingly believes that birth gender should determine sports participation, according to a new poll . People across party affiliations believe more so in 2023 than in 2021 that transgender people should play on sports teams that align with the gender they were born with.
Library book controversy in a Virginia county sparks debate over community values
A crowd of concerned parents and citizens in Front Royal, Virginia , gathered to make their voices heard to the Warren County Board of Supervisors last week. The subject that took center stage at the meeting , and continues to drive local news , is the books that Samuels Public Library keeps on its shelves. Speakers from the group CleanUpSamuels and its supporters arrived to protest sexually explicit books being made available to children at the taxpayer-funded library.
In UK relations, Biden administration substitutes ‘declarations’ for action
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak—the U.K.’s third prime minister in the past year—visited the White House on Thursday in his first official trip to the U.S. This is the fourth time that Sunak and President Joe Biden have seen each other in the past four months. But familiarity isn’t breeding much in this relationship.
There’s Good History, and Not-So-Good History
In June, Teddy Fischer, a reporter for a high school newspaper in Mercer Island, Washington, scored an interview with Defense Secretary James Mattis. During that interview, Mattis remarked that, no matter what you want to do, “I don’t think you can go wrong if you maintain an avid interest in history.” I agree. But there’s good history, and there’s not-so-good history. Fortunately, there’s at least one way to tell them apart. The tip off: simplicity.
More Brexit vs. Remain
Contrary to popular myth, Britain does have a constitution. Unlike the American one, it’s not written down in one place. But Britain has Magna Carta, the 1628 Petition of Right, and the 1689 Bill of Rights. It also has centuries of precedent governing how business in Parliament is to be done. And Brexit’s opponents are trashing that constitution. Joining the European Union was the first assault on Britain’s constitution. It meant that, by vote of Parliament, Parliament itself was no longer supreme.
U.S. Fighting an Old Trade Tussle
President Donald Trump has threatened to impose more tariffs on European trade with the United States. This is not the first time he has made this threat, and it is not an idle one. It is, however, bad economics and bad policy. Worse, it is a distraction from a better trade agenda and the true trade threats from Europe.
Putin Clever at Sowing Fear, Confusion
There is no mystery about what Vladimir Putin’s Russia seeks to achieve through its propaganda. It doesn’t want to make you love Russia. It wants to make you distrust America. And thanks to the panic about Russia’s influence in the 2016 election, it’s enjoying brilliant success. Long before last November, experts who followed Russia’s propaganda efforts had come to a consensus about the goal of its campaign.
Protecting the U.S. Judicial System from A Politicized Interpol
The modern history of Interpol began with an airplane hijacking and an argument about refugees. Interpol’s predecessor, the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC), was founded in 1923 in Vienna, Austria, but after Germany annexed Austria in March 1938, the president of the ICPC was thrown in prison and replaced by a Nazi. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) cut off contact with the ICPC three days before Pearl Harbor. After World War II, the ICPC was refounded.
Ahead of 2023 NATO Summit, U.S. Policy in Europe Must Advance Prosperity and Security
July 7, 2023 16 min read Download Report Authors: Ted Bromund and Daniel Kochis Summary The U.S. does not have a serious policy for Europe: The Biden Administration’s claim that foreign and domestic policy are now one is intended to excuse its failings abroad and justify its progressive policies at home.
Osborne Has a Long Way to Go, But At Least He's Started
ACCORDING to the Left, there is never a good day to cut government spending. When the economy and tax revenues are growing, the Left wants to spend more because it can. When the economy is stagnant and tax revenues are shrinking, the Left argues it has no choice but to spend more, in order to cushion the blow. The result is that progressive governments transfer money from savers to spenders, from the productive economy to the unproductive state, and from the unborn to the living.
It Could Be a Great Year for America’s Gun Owners. And for Gun-Makers, Too.
LAS VEGAS—One of the nation’s largest gatherings of gun owners, hunters, and sports shooters was bigger and better than ever, and again set the tone for the year in firearms—and for the people who love and work in the industry. In previous years, the tone at the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trades Show, known as the SHOT Show, had been buoyant but concerned. Buoyant because in the years after 2009, fears about what President Barack Obama would do drove gun sales to unprecedented heights.
Is an EU Army Possible?
In 1862, Abraham Lincoln asked, “If I should call a sheep’s tail a leg, how many legs would it have?” His wise answer: the sheep still has only four legs, “for my calling the tail a leg would not make it so.” So yes, Europe can have an army. But calling a thing an army does not make it one. An army must draw on a military culture. European cultures are profoundly unmilitary.
U.K.’s Commitment to Boost Defense Spending Shows Britain Still a Major Power
The British government, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, announced a major step forward Thursday in modernizing Britain’s armed forces by committing to increase defense spending by 24.1 billion pounds over the next four years. The British armed forces needed this help badly. Since 2000, when the world looked a lot less dangerous, British defense spending has barely kept up with inflation, much less grown. Indeed, as a share of gross domestic product, it’s shrunk.
Is it Back to Basics with North Korea?
A viable U.S. policy toward North Korea starts with recognizing basic facts. North Korea is a nuclear state. It has worked hard for five decades to become a nuclear state. Wooing Pyongyang with sweet words will not lead it to denuclearize. Since 1992, North Korea has promised four times to never build nuclear weapons, then agreed four subsequent times to give up its weapons. It has broken every agreement. There have been two-party talks, three-party talks, four-party talks and six-party talks.
The Problem With Brexit Isn’t Britain
Several decades of studying Britain’s relations with the European Union and its predecessor organizations have left me pessimistic about the U.K.’s ability to secure exit from the E.U. on the terms that appear clearly to be in everyone’s best interests. And a few days in Brussels have led me to conclude that the prospect of a negotiated exit is growing more remote.
Europe Paves the Way for Its Decline
Europe is declining. It’s getting richer too slowly — so slowly that it’s being left behind by the rest of the world. Strangely, that’s the result Europe prefers. Britain has a chance to escape from the European trap, but even if it does, Europe’s decline is a defeat for the United States. There is no escaping the fact that Europe produces a smaller share of the world’s output today than it did a decade ago. To an extent, this is inevitable, and it is happening to the United States, too.
Who Pays for the Arms Trade Treaty? You Do
The nations that ratified a global Arms Trade Treaty are gathering for their third annual conference this week in Geneva, Switzerland. As always, this conference features many nations declaring unwavering commitment and support for the treaty, which purports to require nations to regulate the conventional arms trade.
Conservatism Across the Atlantic
In the era of Trump, it would be easy to conclude that the greatest challenge facing conservatism in the United States is its tendency to fratricide. That is a challenge not unknown in Britain. But in the US, the more serious challenges come from shifts in the underlying political and ideological structure of the nation. These challenges, too, have their parallels in the United Kingdom. That said, conservatives in Britain have something that their American brethren lack: a political party.
It’s No Surprise that Congress is Unproductive and Unpopular
Congress is unpopular. It’s also widely perceived as ineffective. Regrettably, I share that perception. But the problem rests not in who serves in Congress, or their staff, or in the resources at their disposal. It rests in Congress’ retreat from its role as a deliberative and legislative chamber. Here’s an example. A few years ago, I had an appointment with a House of Representatives staff member.
Cracking Down on Presidential Power
The power of the presidency has grown at the expense of Congress. President Donald Trump’s trade policy is the latest illustration of the fact that the chief executive in the United States is over-mighty. Unfortunately, the progressive left likes it that way. The founders meant the presidency to be a powerful yet limited office.
What Not to Do About Khashoggi
The death of Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of Saudi Arabia offers a terrible temptation to the United States: We can indulge our outrage at the expense of our interests. We have few good options, but giving in to that temptation would be the worst thing to do. Everyone involved in this scandal has performed poorly, if not disgracefully. Saudi Arabia has been caught lying about Khashoggi’s death.
A Mistake to Conflate Trump, Brexit
Americans have never fully grasped why Brexit — Britain’s exit from the European Union — matters to them. That’s made it easy for the EU’s friends to lump Brexit together with President Donald Trump as symbols of all that’s wrong with the West today. The truth is that Brexit shows what’s right with it. If you follow Brexit casually, you might think the British public is having second thoughts about leaving the European Union. Not so.
Macron Gas-Tax Retreat Is No Surprise
The latest riots in Paris — the most extensive since 1968 — show that while Europeans may pay higher gas taxes than we do, they don’t enjoy it. But the riots aren’t just about the price at the pump. They reflect the irrelevance of Emmanuel Macron, France’s latest man on a horse, to the problems that led to his election — and those problems are not uniquely French. True, France has a tradition of ugly protests.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Ted
Contact Ted, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack