Ivan Eland
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Ivan Eland is Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Peace & Liberty at @IndependentInst and author of No War for Oil
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Articles by Ivan Eland
Saving Lives at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon
On October 15, I published a post arguing that true “sensitive places” where guns are banned must have armed protection. The same day, a murderer broke into a “gun-free-zone” school in Oregan and began shooting children and teachers. A dad of two girls at the school just happened to be driving by and grabbed his pistol, rushed into the school, and “neutralized” the killer with several shots. He was a concealed pistol licensee.
Sizing Up the $40 Trillion National Debt
The U.S. government’s 2026 fiscal year ended on September 30, 2026. At the end, the federal government’s total public debt outstanding stood at $40,171,825,101,340.31. Because that’s an insanely big number, let’s spell it out in pieces. The U.S. total national debt at the end of September 2026 was 40 trillion, 171 billion, 825 million, 101 thousand, 340 dollars and 31 cents.
What The United States Can Learn From Ancient Civilizations – OpEd
The article argues that Rome’s long success rested on the rule of law and the capacity to incorporate foreign peoples, ideas, and technologies, advantages the United States historically shared but has recently seen erode. It cites declines in global indices of freedom and rule of law, falling institutional confidence, rising crony capitalism, high tariffs, and aggressive immigration enforcement without due process as signs of systemic decay.
What the United States Can Learn from Ancient Civilizations
The Roman world lasted 2,000 years, transforming from a kingdom to a republic and finally to an empire. At 250, what can the United States, which has been through its own stages, learn from Rome? As Americans prepare for what seems like a pivotal election—amid not just rising prices but, more seriously, rapid systemic decay—they may profit from an examination of what made the long-lasting Roman and Chinese civilizations so successful. Rome was far from perfect.
Whose Side Is Trump Really On In The Ukraine-Russia War? – OpEd
The United States and Russia have agreed to an “energy ceasefire” under which Ukraine and Russia would refrain from targeting each other’s energy infrastructure, a measure Ukraine originally proposed to block Russian attacks on its civilian power stations this winter.
President’s Guide to Purging Hispanic Heritage
Mr. President, I want to express my admiration for your ability to find time, amid trade wars, the threat of an AI apocalypse, and escalating global conflicts, to address what you consider America’s most pressing issue: purging Hispanic roots from the nation’s map. You gave this the highest of priorities when, on your very first day back in office, you wisely changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
Republican Candidates Break with Trump on Tariffs
Trailing in Michigan’s Senate race, Mike Rogers has broken with Trump to call for ending the 50% tariff on Canadian goods. Michigan conducted nearly $95 billion in trade with Canada in 2025, and tariffs threaten its just-in-time auto supply chain. The average Michigan household faces $5,619 in cumulative tariff costs, the highest in the nation. Republicans in Ohio, Maine and Kansas face similar tariff-driven economic and political headwinds.
Whose side is Trump really on in the Ukraine-Russia war?
The United States and Russia have apparently agreed that Ukraine and Russia will undertake an “energy ceasefire,” according to which the two belligerents will abstain from targeting each other’s energy infrastructure. Ukraine originally proposed such a ceasefire to stymie Russia’s repeated effort to freeze Ukraine’s population this winter by targeting civilian power stations.
Whose side is Trump really on in the Ukraine-Russia war?
The United States and Russia have apparently agreed that Ukraine and Russia will undertake an “energy ceasefire,” according to which the two belligerents will abstain from targeting each other’s energy infrastructure. Ukraine originally proposed such a ceasefire to stymie Russia’s repeated effort to freeze Ukraine’s population this winter by targeting civilian power stations.
Whose side is Trump really on in the Ukraine-Russia war?
The United States and Russia have apparently agreed that Ukraine and Russia will undertake an “energy ceasefire,” according to which the two belligerents will abstain from targeting each other’s energy infrastructure. Ukraine originally proposed such a ceasefire to stymie Russia’s repeated effort to freeze Ukraine’s population this winter by targeting civilian power stations.
Whose side is Trump really on in the Ukraine-Russia war?
The United States and Russia have apparently agreed that Ukraine and Russia will undertake an “energy ceasefire,” according to which the two belligerents will abstain from targeting each other’s energy infrastructure. Ukraine originally proposed such a ceasefire to stymie Russia’s repeated effort to freeze Ukraine’s population this winter by targeting civilian power stations.
Whose side is Trump really on in the Ukraine-Russia war?
The United States and Russia have apparently agreed that Ukraine and Russia will undertake an “energy ceasefire,” according to which the two belligerents will abstain from targeting each other’s energy infrastructure. Ukraine originally proposed such a ceasefire to stymie Russia’s repeated effort to freeze Ukraine’s population this winter by targeting civilian power stations.
Whose side is Trump really on in the Ukraine-Russia war?
The United States and Russia have apparently agreed that Ukraine and Russia will undertake an “energy ceasefire,” according to which the two belligerents will abstain from targeting each other’s energy infrastructure. Ukraine originally proposed such a ceasefire to stymie Russia’s repeated effort to freeze Ukraine’s population this winter by targeting civilian power stations.
Whose side is Trump really on in the Ukraine-Russia war?
The United States and Russia have apparently agreed that Ukraine and Russia will undertake an “energy ceasefire,” according to which the two belligerents will abstain from targeting each other’s energy infrastructure. Ukraine originally proposed such a ceasefire to stymie Russia’s repeated effort to freeze Ukraine’s population this winter by targeting civilian power stations.
A Leaner Gulf Presence Can Keep Presidents Out Of Middle Eastern Entanglements – OpEd
President Trump has escalated from earlier veiled nuclear rhetoric, such as the 2017 “Fire and Fury” warning to North Korea, to explicit 2026 threats at the UN to “annihilate” Iran and end its civilization, language that past international bodies have treated as potentially criminal.
Trump Must Own the Cause of High Fuel Prices: News Article - Independent Institute
In an attempt before American mid-term elections to shift blame for high U.S. fuel prices from his unnecessary and now counterproductive attack on Iran, President Donald Trump recently Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to ask him to quit targeting Russia's oil refineries in retaliation for Russia's aggressive war on his country. The call came after perhaps the biggest Ukrainian attack on Russia since it attacked Ukraine four-and-a-half years ago, which damaged a big Russian refinery.
Opinion: Make Congress great again
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By Ivan Eland InsideSources.com President Trump attacked Iran without approval from Congress, as was the Framers’ intent regarding offensive warfare, made plain in the debates at the Constitutional Convention. Trump also violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973 by not withdrawing U.S. forces within 60 to 90 days when Congress hadn’t declared war, given its legal approval or extended the statutory deadline — none of which happened.
Make Congress Great Again
President Trump attacked Iran without approval from Congress, as was the Framers’ intent regarding offensive warfare, made plain in the debates at the Constitutional Convention. Trump also violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973 by not withdrawing U.S. forces within 60 to 90 days when Congress hadn’t declared war, given its legal approval or extended the statutory deadline — none of which happened.
Is A Desperate Trump Trying To Sell Out Ukraine To Get Russia’s Help On Iran? - OpEd - Eurasia Review
11 hours ago The Justice Department has brought charges against five suspected Russian intelligence operatives for allegedly plotting attacks against the Kremlin's perceived enemies around the world, including the murder-for-hire of at least one prominent dissident in the U.S. The indictment, which was unsealed …
Is A Desperate Trump Trying To Sell Out Ukraine To Get Russia’s Help On Iran? – OpEd
The author reads Witkoff and Kushner’s back-to-back visits to Putin and Zelenskyy, plus Trump’s “imminent ceasefire” line, as a possible swap: Ukraine makes big concessions so Moscow eases help to Iran in the U.S. war. Past Trump pressure—limits on Ukraine’s forces, land Russia has not won, less Western arms—is cited. Biden, the piece says, would not trade a democracy-leaning state for a kleptocracy; Trump is called soft on autocrats and on Putin.
Is a Desperate Trump Trying to Sell Out Ukraine to Get Russia's Help on Iran?: News Article - Independent Institute
A visit by perennial Trump administration negotiators Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, followed immediately by one to
Trump Iran War Outlook Faces Pushback from His Own Generals: News Article - Independent Institute
A rare leak of significant opposition among top U.S. military brass to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's intention to keep more than 50,000 American forces on alert in the Middle East reports a "more dire" outlook for the Iran conflict's effect on U.S. military readiness globally.
Exorbitant And Rising Debt Is A National Security Threat – OpEd
U.S. deficits and a national debt that has passed $40 trillion (and is projected toward ~$62 trillion over the next decade) get little campaign attention because both parties prefer high spending and relatively low taxes. Economically, rising debt can crowd out private investment, push up interest rates, raise the cost of government borrowing, and shift repayment burdens onto future generations.
Exorbitant and rising debt is a national security threat Original
In the current American political circus, in which both political parties stoke their supporters by attacking the other on polarizing social issues—abortion, DEI, transgender rights, etc.—more boring issues, such as huge budget deficits and the ballooning national debt, have long been forgotten. The last time these topics became a major issue in a presidential campaign was during the 1992 election, thanks only to a very successful independent candidacy by budget hawk Ross Perot.
Trump’s ‘Low-Key’ Economic Strategy Won’t Work – OpEd
President Trump appears to be shifting from direct military pressure on Iran to a longer-term strategy of economic coercion focused on maintaining sanctions, the naval blockade and frozen assets in an effort to extract concessions, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s ‘Low-Key’ Economic Strategy Won’t Work - OpEd - Eurasia Review
As you're probably aware, Monterey Car Week just concluded, and as you could probably guess, I'm tired as hell after four days of running all over …
Trump's 'Low-Key' Economic Strategy Won't Work: News Article - Independent Institute
Although President Donald Trump is unable to publicly admit that "mistakes were made" in his war with Iran-as American leaders sometimes describe their own blunders-he seems to be implicitly acknowledging that the military strategy he pursued has failed. He's moving to a new strategy of extracting concessions from Iran via economic coercion, rather than bombing. Trump has described this as a " low-key" and longer-term approach to the conflict.
Trump’s ‘Low-Key’ Economic Strategy Won’t Work
Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Although President Donald Trump is unable to publicly admit that “mistakes were made” in his war with Iran—as American leaders sometimes describe their own blunders—he seems to be implicitly acknowledging that the military strategy he pursued has failed. He’s moving to a new strategy of extracting concessions from Iran via economic coercion, rather than bombing.
Why Donald Trump Should Just Declare Victory In The Iran War – OpEd
Despite repeated threats to escalate, indications suggest the U.S. military was preparing strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure (power grid and oil refineries) aimed at pressuring the regime by disrupting services to its population.
Why Donald Trump Should Just Declare Victory in the Iran War: News Article - Independent Institute
Although President Donald Trump has once again threatened to escalate the conflict with Iran and then backed away from the abyss (for the ninth time), troubling indications are that the US military was planning to strike Iran's energy infrastructure. Those targets would likely include hitting the Iranian power grid and oil refineries-aimed at renewing the administration's initial goal of regime change by impeding Iran's government from providing services for its supposed restive population.
Iran War: Yes, We Can Cut And Run – OpEd
Escalation Reflects Psychological Difficulty Admitting Failure: The author argues that President Trump is intensifying the war with Iran rather than cutting losses, driven by a reluctance to be seen as a “loser,” a pattern shared by previous U.S. presidents in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
Iran War: Yes, We Can Cut And Run - OpEd - Eurasia Review
Now Two senior U.S. officials tell NBC News that military commanders are allowing some Iranian missiles and attack drones to get through air defenses amid an effort to preserve the Pentagon’s shrinking supply of missiles to shoot them down. NBC News’ Courtney Kube reports.July 24, 2026
The Case For A Managed U.S. Exit From NATO – OpEd
Trump has escalated criticism of NATO allies, not only for chronic under-spending on defense (despite pledges of 2% and later 5% of GDP), but also for failing to support the recent U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran. The article argues that jawboning allies is ineffective because the U.S. nuclear and conventional umbrella removes their incentive to spend more, while Europe’s combined economy is now far stronger than Russia’s.
How the Party‑Coordination Ruling Will Shape U.S. Politics: News Article - Independent Institute
Although other term-ending Supreme Court decisions, such as on mail-in voting or birthright citizenship, have gotten greater media attention, the Court's overturning of limits on the amount of money political parties can spend in coordination with any one candidate is a very important one for the future health of the American political system. The Court, in National Republican Senatorial Committee v.
Trump Should Welcome EU To Ukraine-Russia War Peace Talks – OpEd
The U.S.-Iran War and the Israel-Gaza War have diverted the world’s attention from the still ongoing brutal Ukraine-Russia War. Western media reports, which tend to be more favorable to Ukraine, indicate that the country now has longer-range missiles, kamikaze drones, and decoy drones that have allowed Ukraine to hit oil refineries, other energy targets, and missile bases deeper inside Russia, including near Moscow and in Russian-occupied Ukrainian Crimea.
Trump Should Welcome the EU to the Ukraine-Russia War Peace Talks: News Article - Independent Institute
The U.S.-Iran War and the Israel-Gaza War have diverted the world's attention from the still ongoing brutal Ukraine-Russia War. Western media reports, which tend to be more favorable to Ukraine, indicate that the country now has longer-range missiles, kamikaze drones, and decoy drones that have allowed Ukraine to hit oil refineries, other energy targets, and missile bases deeper inside Russia, including near Moscow and in Russian-occupied Ukrainian Crimea.
El Congreso debería eliminar para siempre el espionaje bajo la Sección 702
Según Stephen Miller, subjefe de gabinete de la Casa Blanca, en X, “Una exigencia libertaria de que Sec War [el secretario de Guerra Pete Hegseth] reciba la aprobación de jueces liberales de DC (los que atacaron a Trump) es una locura.” Dirigió el cargo a siete senadores republicanos que, junto con demócratas, se oponían a renovar la autoridad de vigilancia sin orden judicial bajo la Sección 702 de la Ley de Vigilancia de Inteligencia Extranjera (FISA).
Congress Should Nix Section 702 Spying For Good – OpEd
According to Stephen Miller, the Deputy White House Chief of Staff, on X, “A libertarian demand to make Sec War [Secretary of War Pete Hegseth] get approval from liberal DC judges (the ones who targeted Trump) is madness.” He directed the post at seven Republican senators who, along with Democrats, opposed renewing the warrantless surveillance authority under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
Congress Should Nix Section 702 Spying for Good: News Article - Independent Institute
According to Stephen Miller, the Deputy White House Chief of Staff, on X, "A libertarian demand to make Sec War [Secretary of War Pete Hegseth] get approval from liberal DC judges (the ones who targeted Trump) is madness." He directed the post at seven Republican senators who, along with Democrats, opposed renewing the warrantless surveillance authority under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
Sink The Battleship (Program) – OpEd
One of the principles of the MAGA movement has been a disdain for “experts.” The most obvious example is that experts of all stripes, from neo-conservatives and liberal interventionists to restrainers and non-interventionists, warned President Donald Trump, mostly through the media, that if he went to war with Iran, he could expect that the regime, threatened with extinction, would pull out all the stops to threaten traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and attack vulnerable U.S. allies in the region.
Stablecoins Won’t Save Us From Fiscal Folly
A stablecoin rulemaking sprint is underway across five federal agencies. They are translating the GENIUS Act, which created a comprehensive regulatory framework for stablecoins—a type of cryptocurrency tied to a stable asset—into operational rules that will shape American payment systems for a generation. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s comment period closed May 1; others are not far behind. The political coalition behind stablecoin rules is striking.
Is the FDA’s War on Vaping Coming to an End?
In his non-consecutive terms, President Trump has worked with four FDA commissioners: Scott Gottlieb, Stephen Hahn, Robert Califf, and Marty Makary. Dr. Makary is the second to step down, and this could mean sweeping changes—and the end to one of the most spectacular failures in the agency’s history. On May 12, 2026, Marty Makary resigned as FDA Commissioner after weeks of tension with the White House. The sticking point: flavored vaping products.
Is The U.S. Capable Of Being Cautious About Foreign Interventions? – OpEd
The United States loves to remember the Second World War and the Gulf War, because they resulted in the United States smashing the huge conventional armies of diabolical adversaries such as Adolf Hitler, the Imperial Japanese, and the former American ally Saddam Hussein. Yet most recent U.S. wars haven’t gone all that well.
Sink the Battleship (Program)
One of the principles of the MAGA movement has been a disdain for “experts.” The most obvious example is that experts of all stripes, from neo-conservatives and liberal interventionists to restrainers and non-interventionists, warned President Donald Trump, mostly through the media, that if he went to war with Iran, he could expect that the regime, threatened with extinction, would pull out all the stops to threaten traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and attack vulnerable U.S. allies in the region.
Academic Armageddon Advances
Robert Kelchen of the University of Tennessee, writing in the Chronicle of Higher Education recently, described the most dire problem facing higher education today: “The list of institutions trimming academic programs, implementing furloughs, and laying off employees is long and growing…” A massive financial crunch has hit many schools because of sagging tuition revenue growth (reflecting falling enrollment or more aggressive discounting of tuition fees) and reduced public financial support...
Is the U.S. Capable of Being Cautious About Foreign Interventions?
The United States loves to remember the Second World War and the Gulf War, because they resulted in the United States smashing the huge conventional armies of diabolical adversaries such as Adolf Hitler, the Imperial Japanese, and the former American ally Saddam Hussein. Yet most recent U.S. wars haven’t gone all that well.
Does Poverty Cause Crime — Or Does Crime Cause Poverty?
The relationship between poverty and crime has been a longtime policy debate. A common narrative—particularly on the left—is that poverty drives people to crime, positing that those who live in tough neighborhoods have little choice but to survive through lawbreaking. This treats crime as a passive outcome of economic hardship—almost like a disease—rather than a choice. But a deeper look at the data, and differences across communities, suggests the opposite: that crime instead causes poverty.
Washington’s Cuba Delusion
Although the president ran on a , the Trump administration has kept the Department of War quite busy between the removal of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in January of this year and the continued military action against Iran. Although these operations have drawn sharp criticism, many have praised these interventions. The operation to remove Maduro drew support from many , with others describing the operations as “surgical,” “clean,” and precise.
The U.S. Should Cut Its Losses In The Iran War – OpEd
The United States currently spends almost a whopping trillion dollars a year on the U.S. military (a level higher than the next nine highest-spending countries combined). Donald Trump wants to increase it to almost a staggering $1.5 trillion per year. Plus, there will be supplemental war spending for a conflict of choice, which the Trump administration estimated at $25 billion but has now increased to $29 billion, a figure that did not pass the straight-face test.
Bullet Train or Bay Bridge?
California’s high-speed rail project has surged from the original $33 billion to a staggering $231 billion. As Katy Grimes of the California Globe explains, that markup started in 2008, when voters approved Proposition 1A. Nearly 20 years later, the vaunted “bullet train” has yet to carry a single passenger.
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