Laura Rozen
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Reporting on foreign policy. Current: Diplomatic Substack, Just Security ed bd. Al-Monitor Politico Foreign Policy alum. lkrozen threads, lkrozen.bsky, at gmail
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Articles by Laura Rozen
‘We’re in a huge war. Inflation is still high. The economy’s bad’
Voters sour on Trump, threatening GOP hold of Congress, and even seats in redder, midwest farm states. Republican Kansas Senator Roger Marshall (right) was booed at a forum with Democratic Senate candidate pastor Adam Hamilton (left) at at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson on Sept. 12, 2026. The Cook Political Report moved the race into the toss up category on Oct. 6, 2026.(Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector).
Iran floats 7-day plan to reopen Strait
Iran has proposed a new seven day plan for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear talks with the United States, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday. The proposal, a kind of compressed version of a June ceasefire deal that subsequently collapsed, was conveyed to the United States through Qatari mediators this week, officials said.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Oh joy. The media has finally called Trump’s bluff. On Monday afternoon, Pres. Trump stood in the drizzle at what was supposed to be the unveiling of his new White House helicopter pad, visible but unable to be heard in video clips. “LMFAO -- Trump is holding an event at the White House right now but there’s no audio because the press pool isn’t there,” Public Notice’s Aaron Rupar reported.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Photo of evening sky over Washington, D.C. on September 8, 2026, posted to Twitter by @9Joe9. With the short post-Labor Day week, the flood of policy/event/work/news scheduling that bursts on September, family commitments/new school year, and cooking for a crowd for the high holidays this weekend, it is crazy busy.
Reentry: Ode to books and the joy of summer holiday reading
British Prime Minister Asquith in Ireland on the eve of war, 1914. Twitter is not all bad. I happened to see a query go by a couple weeks ago from the editor of War on the Rocks, asking for recommendations for historical fiction, not about war. Two people I admire respondedwith books recs by Robert Harris. I dashed out to Politics and Prose and got the one that most intrigued me, Precipice, and left on a late August holiday a couple days later. Wow.
‘Go for the win’: Trump urged to cut Iran losses, boost support to Ukraine
Amid reports that the U.S. is running dangerously low on stocks of missile defense interceptors and precision munitions due mostly to the Iran war, President Trump should cut his losses in the Iran war and step up support to Ukraine, some former American officials and foreign policy experts said today. “We blew all our air defense in a stupid war that we lost,” former Republican congressman and U.S. Air National Guard Lt. Colonel Adam Kinzinger wrote on Twitter today.
Trump approval craters as Iran war drags on
Presidential approval rating as of July 29, 2026 graphed from gathering multiple US polls by the website 50plusone. President Donald Trump’s approval rating has sunk to all-time lows, and his disapproval rating has hit all-time highs, in multiple polls released today, as more Americans believe that the Iran war will drag on, and with it high prices, and inflation.
Trump ‘stuck’ in Iran war doom loop
President Donald Trump attended a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base on July 22, 2026 in Dover, Del. of Army 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, Army Staff Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, Army Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad and Army Pvt. Isabella Gonzales who were killed in action in Iraq and Jordan. Kevin Dietsch, Getty Images.
Passengers on a Rocket Ship: Laura Rozen on Trump, Iran and a Region Spinning Out of Control
n this episode of the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, I am joined once again by veteran Washington diplomatic correspondent Laura Rozen for a wide-ranging discussion of the renewed confrontation between the United States and Iran, the danger that Israel could be drawn back into the fighting, and the growing political uncertainty in both Washington and Jerusalem.
Why is Trump resuming war on Iran?
President Trump arrived to speak at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Penn., on July 15, 2026. SAUL LOEB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Why has President Trump chosen full-fledged escalation to respond to a few Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, rather than try to recover the 60-day ceasefire Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached in June?
Vance warns U.S. strikes will continue if Iran targets ships in Strait
President Donald Trump holds a press conference at Beştepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 8, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Photo Credit: Burak Kara/Getty Images. President Trump has told the Iranians that the Strait of Hormuz “is going to be open,” or Iran will face continued strikes from the U.S. military, Vice President JD Vance told reporters today.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Photo of the graduating class at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, on June 22, 2026. USMMA photo. Living in Washington, D.C., one could be inclined to let Donald Trump spoil the official 250th anniversary of the United States celebrations and 4th of July holidays, as he spoils much of what he seizes for personal glory and self-enrichment.
Trump intensifies push for voter restriction bill ahead of midterms
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), shown at the White House on June 14. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo). “Change the voters, change the country,” top Trump aide Stephen Miller wrote on Twitter Wednesday. The stark message from a senior White House aide came after President Trump held a contentious meeting with Senate Republicans on Wednesday, at which his central demand was to pass legislation to restrict the ability to vote, known as the Save America Act.
Trump says he took Iran deal to avert economic calamity
US President Donald Trump takes questions during a press conference at the end of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Credit: Vadim Ghirda/AP. In a rare moment of candor amid a rambling press briefing, Donald Trump said he took a deal to end the Iran war to prevent economic calamity.
Text of the US/Iran ‘Understanding’
Here is the text of the Memeorandum of Understanding reached by the United States and Iran, according to my transcription of what a senior U.S. administration official read to reporters on a Zoom call today. Vice President J.D. Vance is currently expected to lead a delegation to a signing ceremony to be held in Switzerland this weekend with the Iranians, as well as the Pakistani mediators. The Islamabad Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Revisiting a voter in Pittsburgh
Photo of McKees Rocks Bridge, (2008-2015). West end of the McKees Rocks Bridge looking into McKees Rocks near Route 51. St. Marks Roman Catholic, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Holy Ghost and St. Mary's Ukrainian Orthodox Church are visible beyond the arches. Photo by Herb Ferguson, posted to HistoricPittsburgh.org, University of Pittsburgh Library System. One thing I have come to realize is that you can’t generally get someone else to change their mind. A person can change their own mind.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Ernest Hemingway and cats. Internet photo credited to Image via Instagram/marielhemingway. One silver lining of the political awfulness of the current era and an allergy to the news is I have submitted to the joy of long books, works I was previously intimidated from starting because it seemed they would take too long to read. No more. What I have discovered is that the real hurdle is not length, but the initial effort it takes to get into it. But once in, one is absorbed.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Arab states ‘want the war over,’ Israel does not want the U.S. and Iran to reach a deal, and Trump may feel somewhat insulated from political pressure to end war because of court redistricting wins. President Trump meets with his cabinet at the White House on May 27, 2026. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty).
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Battle of Moscow (Borodino) 7th Sept 1812 by Louis-François Lejeune. It’s balmy late May and I seem to have the adult version of senioritis. I can barely summon interest in Trump’s latest utterings, including about Iran. I am deep into the audio book of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. (The best part: It’s endless. Am currently in Volume 3, Chapter XV, and there are still 28 hours left. The longer, the better).
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
President Donald Trump spoke with reporters before departing the White House for China on May 12, 2026. Photo by Andrew Leyden. President Donald Trump departed for a trade-focused trip to China tonight saying that he is not concerned about how his unpopular and stalemated war with Iran is hurting Americans financially. Asked to what extent Americans’ financial hardship is motivating him to make a deal, Trump said not at all.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Iran is reviewing a proposed U.S. memorandum on ending the war that, if accepted, would lead to 30 days of negotiations to try to work out remaining sticking points to reach a broader deal, a period which could be extended. The U.S. and Iran are working with Pakistani mediators to streamline various versions of documents that have been sent back and forth in recent days into a one-page memorandum of understanding that would include about 14 points, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
The Trump administration has rejected an Iranian proposal to end the chokehold on the Strait of Hormiz if America ends its blockade (Meysam Mirzadeh/Tasnim News Agency via AP). President Trump today indicated that he is satisfied with sticking to a U.S. naval blockade of Iran for now, suggesting he is waiting for economic pressure on Iran to cause it to capitulate to U.S. demands on its nuclear program.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
This handout photo provided by the Office of Iranian Parliament Speaker on April 16, 2026 shows Iran Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (C) speaking with Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir (L) during their meeting in Tehran. AFP. President Donald Trump today announced that he was extending the ceasefire with Iran, that was due to expire tonight.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (left) greets Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Field Marshall Asim Munir after the Pakistani delegation landed in Tehran on April 15, 2026. Photo credit Pakistan’s ISPR. The White House said today that more U.S. and Iran talks could be held in Pakistan, amid some signs the parties could be closing in on a framework deal.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Vice President JD Vance said the United States and Iran held substantive, face to face talks but were unable to reach an agreement after more than fifteen hours of meetings in the Pakistani capital Islamabad that stretched overnight. He suggested that the Trump administration demand Iran give up the right to enrichment was a key stumbling block to a deal.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
A woman sits in the ruins of her home in Tehran. Photograph by Maryam Saeedpoor. Posted to Twitter by Kev Joon. Five weeks in, the Iran war is not going well. It is particularly not going well for President Trump. A United States Air Force F-15E fighter jet went down in southwestern Iran on Friday; one of its crew was rescued, while a second crew member remained missing as of Friday at 5pm. A second US combat plane, an A-10 10C Warthog also was downed by Iranian fire, but reportedly went down in Iraq.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Cabinet members listen to special envoy Steve Witkoff speak during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, March 26, 2026. Jim Watson/AFP.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Iran responded with skepticism and bravado to President Trump’s declaration this morning that he had postponed a weekend threat to target Iran’s power infrastructure following what he claimed were “very good and productive” conversations with Iran. Amid wildly shifting Trump threats and conciliatory noises seemingly timed to calm panicked energy and stock markets, many analysts expressed skepticism that the US and Iran were close to end of war negotiations, or even a ceasefire.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
Black smoke rises following an airstrike in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Friday, March 13, 2026. AFP/Getty. Iran’s top diplomat today denied that he had been in contact with the Trump administration since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
This image released by the Royal Thai Navy shows the Thai cargo ship, Mayuree Naree, that was struck and set ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Royal Thai Navy/AP. As President Trump and US military leaders touted that the U.S. military campaign had successfully hit thousands of targets in Iran over the past twelve days, the prospect of the war not achieving long-lasting security from Iran seemed to be dawning on him as he weighed when to end it.
Laura Rozen and Sonny Bunch: War and Dystopia
Before the bombs and the missiles started falling on Iran, Trump sent Jared and Witkoff to try to cut a deal with Tehran. But his two favorite emissaries with no expertise in world affairs fundamentally misunderstood the Iranian mindset, and Trump grew impatient. Now, while Israel is likely trying to create a failed state in Iran, the U.S. seems to be looking for the quickest exit.
Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen
A woman walks on the street in Tehran on Monday March 2, 2026, following an Israeli strike on a state TV communications tower that also damaged nearby buildings including a hospital. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA/Reuters) As the Trump administration has struggled to explain its sudden decision to go to war against Iran, it has vilified the Iranian regime as having rejected reasonable offers for peace at recent nuclear talks.
No imminent threat: Experts dispute Trump admin claims for striking Iran
Discover more from Diplomatic, by Laura Rozen Reporting on foreign policy, Washington, and the U.S. administration. Already have an account? Sign in A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. AFP photo.
U.S. mum after Iran talks in Geneva
Jared Kushner leaving a Geneva hotel to attend a second round of talks with the Iranians hosted by the Omani foreign minister in Geneva, Switzerland on February 26, 2026. Photo posted by Sophie Garratt of Sky News to Twitter. The United States has so far said little about the latest round of U.S./Iran talks held in Geneva today that the Omani mediator described as having achieved “significant progress,” and the Iranian foreign minister as one of the most serious rounds held to date.
Iran willing to make deal as soon as possible, negotiator says, as Trump’s nebulous aims questioned
‘The U.S. president is not threatening to attack Iran because of any imminent threat or in response to any act of Iranian aggression,” former U.S. negotiator Nate Swanson wrote.
Vance says Iran talks went well, but Iran not agreed to all Trump red lines
The United States described “progress” but remaining “open gaps,” after talks with Iran held in Geneva, Switzerland, today, even as more U.S. war planes and material arrived in the Middle East. Vice President JD Vance, after speaking with US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, said in some ways the negotiations went well, but the Iranians have not yet agreed to some of Trump’s red lines.
Trump signals interest in Iran deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to leave Washington Feb. 12, 2026, after President Trump told him at a meeting Wed. Feb. 11 that he wants to try to reach a deal with Iran. Photo by Avi Ohayon, Israel Government Press Office. President Trump said today that he prefers to see if he can reach a deal with Iran, and said he would be willing to give talks at least a month or so.
Trump endgame unclear as U.S. and Iran head to talks in Oman
Photo from the historic bazaar in the Iranian city of Rasht that human rights groups say Iranian security forces attacked and burned down, trapping and killing many people, during anti regime protests in Iran in January, 2026.
‘We’re watching the President unravel.” Trump is spiraling
A local resident kneels as she cries while visiting a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP via Getty Images) The atrocities are mounting. The killings by US federal immigration agents of VA ICU nurse Alex Pretti last week, and mother of three Renee Nicole Good on Jan.
Trump’s failed first year
Federal ICE agents illegally detained U.S. citizen ChongLy Thao at gunpoint at his St. Paul, Minnesota home and forced him into the streets in his underwear on Sunday January 18, 2026, before realizing he was a U.S. citizen. Photo by Reuters. Last night, I was on a Zoom with a woman who could not get a delivery of propane to heat her home in upstate New York during a severe cold spell because of a late payment.
Trump, Netanyahu, and the Absence of Process: Laura Rozen on Power, Personality, and a World Out of Balance
In this wide-ranging and unsparing conversation, Marc Schulman is joined once again by veteran Washington correspondent Laura Rozen, whose reporting on U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East spans two decades. What begins as a discussion about Trump’s latest diplomatic theatrics quickly becomes a deeper examination of how global decision-making now works—or no longer works—when power is concentrated in the hands of a few leaders and stripped of institutional process.
Trump pledges to act on ‘significant’ death toll in Iran protests
Iranian protesters demonstrated in Tehran, Iran on January 10, 2026. ZUMA Press Wire via Reuters Connect. President Donald Trump said tonight that he would be getting an updated assessment of the death toll in Iran following over two weeks of massive anti-regime protests, that appeared to have subsided the past few days amid an unprecedentedly violent regime crackdown. Trump said he would then decide what actions he will order.
Trump faces growing bipartisan pushback in Congress
House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries spoke to reporters Thursday after the House voted to extend expired Affordable Care Action healthcare subsidies for three years. EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS.
‘Complete fabrication’: Zelenskyy denies attack on Putin residence, Kremlin threatens to escalate
A day after President Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago for what they described as a productive meeting, the Kremlin went into overdrive, alleging that Ukraine had tried to attack one of Putin’s residences overnight. Kremlin officials today vowed to escalate attacks on the Ukrainian government in response, while insisting that Trump agreed with their version of events.
Trump willing to seek Senate ratification for Ukraine security guarantees
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz greeted the US president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and US special envoy Steve Witkoff for talks on Ukraine in Berlin on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025.
Zelenskyy presses U.S. for stonger security guarantees
Jared Kushner, US envoy Steve Witkoff, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, U.S. Federal Acquisiton Service chief Josh Gruenbaum, US military officers on a virtual call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his team on Thursday December 11, 2025, in a photo posted to Twitter by Zelenskyy.
After Putin meeting, US envoys to host Ukraine advisor in Miami Original
As is his habit, Vladimir Putin made Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son in law Jared Kushner wait three hours before meeting with them in Moscow on Tuesday evening. And there was apparently no major breakthrough reached in their five hour meeting, which both sides nevertheless called constructive.
Leaked phone calls throw scrutiny on Witkoff’s pro-Kremlin positions
Steve Witkoff, left, attends talks in St Petersburg, Russia, on 11 April 2025, as Russian President shakes hands with Kremlin economic advisor Kirill Dmitriev. Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushkov standing behind Putin. Photograph: Vyacheslav Prokofyev/AP Leaked phone calls between top Kremlin aides and Trump peace envoy Steve Witkoff suggest the Russians believed they could launder their positions into U.S. draft peace plan without the Kremlin committing to it.
Leaked phone calls throw scrutiny on Witkoff’s pro-Kremlin positions (updated)
Steve Witkoff, left, attends talks in St Petersburg, Russia, on 11 April 2025, as Russian President shakes hands with Kremlin economic advisor Kirill Dmitriev. Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushkov standing behind Putin. Photograph: Vyacheslav Prokofyev/AP Leaked phone calls between top Kremlin aides and Trump peace envoy Steve Witkoff suggest the Russians believed they could launder their positions into a U.S. draft peace plan without the Kremlin committing to it.
‘Glimmers of Lame-Duckism’
After months of near total subservience, Republican lawmakers are starting to push back on President Trump as his popularity falls to all-time lows.
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