Max Boot
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Articles by Max Boot
Why Republican eye rolls could turn into action against Trump First
Why Republican eye rolls could turn into action against Trump First (washingtonpost.com) Why Republican eye rolls could turn into action against Trump First By Max Boot 2026110914560500 Donald Trump has pursued the most idiosyncratic and unsuccessful foreign policy in living memory.
Hegseth just showed again why he needs to go
Hegseth just showed again why he needs to go (washingtonpost.com) Hegseth just showed again why he needs to go By Max Boot 2026110211310500 At the start of President Donald Trump's second term, there was a spirited debate over who would turn out to be the worst pick in a historically awful Cabinet. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem? Attorney General Pam Bondi? Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.? Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard?
Brace yourself, GOP. Trump’s Iran war and tariffs are going to sting.
Foreign policy seldom has much impact on domestic politics. In 1992, President George H.W. Bush lost his reelection bid despite having presided over the end of the Cold War and the U.S. victory in the 1991 Gulf War. In 2004, his son George W. Bush won his reelection bid despite having mired the country in two unwinnable wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But this midterm election promises to be different.
Brace yourself, GOP. Trump’s Iran war and tariffs are going to sting.
Brace yourself, GOP. Trump’s Iran war and tariffs are going to sting. (washingtonpost.com) Brace yourself, GOP. Trump’s Iran war and tariffs are going to sting. By Max Boot 2026102615331400 Foreign policy seldom has much impact on domestic politics. In 1992, President George H.W. Bush lost his reelection bid despite having presided over the end of the Cold War and the U.S. victory in the 1991 Gulf War. In 2004, his son George W.
November/December 2014
Since its founding in 1922, has been the leading forum for serious discussion of American foreign policy and global affairs. The magazine has featured contributions from many leading international affairs experts.
Zelensky has figured out why Trump loves Putin
Zelensky has figured out why Trump loves Putin (washingtonpost.com) Zelensky has figured out why Trump loves Putin By Max Boot 2026101913250400 Donald Trump's second-term relationship with Volodymyr Zelensky got off to a disastrous start. On Feb.
Trump está descubriendo que la “diplomacia del dólar” no funciona
La apuesta de la Casa Blanca por ofrecer inversiones y acuerdos económicos a cambio de concesiones políticas choca con la resistencia de Rusia, Irán, Corea del Norte y Hamas, cuyos líderes priorizan la preservación del poder sobre los beneficios financieros Suscriptores Donald Trump apuesta por acuerdos comerciales e inversiones para conseguir concesiones políticas de sus adversarios, pero sus iniciativas con Rusia, Irán y Corea del Norte no lograron los resultados esperados WASHINGTON.–...
La guerra con Irán pone en duda uno de los pilares históricos de la supremacía militar de EE.UU.
El conflicto expuso la vulnerabilidad de las bases estadounidenses frente a drones y misiles y plantea un desafío de fondo ante una eventual guerra con China 30 de septiembre de 202600:006'minutos de lectura WASHINGTON.- En un sentido, el ataque japonés a Pearl Harbor cambió las reglas del juego. Pero, en otro, no lo hizo. Al hundir o dañar los acorazados de la Marina estadounidense el 7 de diciembre de 1941, los japoneses obligaron a Estados Unidos a recurrir en cambio a los portaaviones.
Putin recibe una invitación tácita a una confrontación mucho más peligrosa
Operaciones de “zona gris” se multiplican en Europa mientras Washington evita una respuesta contundente y el Kremlin tantea hasta dónde puede avanzar sin enfrentar mayores costos 7 de septiembre de 202612:096'minutos de lectura WASHINGTON.- El líder bolchevique Vladimir Lenin probablemente nunca pronunció la máxima que suele atribuírsele: “Avanza con las bayonetas. Si encuentras algo blando, sigue; si encuentras acero, retrocede”.
Las purgas de Hegseth en el Pentágono amenazan la seguridad nacional
WASHINGTON.- Desde el principio era evidente que nombrar a Pete Hegseth —un expresentador de fin de semana de Fox News— como secretario de Defensa era una idea espectacularmente mala: era, por lejos, la persona menos calificada que jamás hubiera estado al frente del Pentágono.
Why Trump’s erratic approach to the Iran war is guaranteed to fail
Why Trump’s erratic approach to the Iran war is guaranteed to fail (washingtonpost.com) Why Trump’s erratic approach to the Iran war is guaranteed to fail By Max Boot 2026081016140200 The unnecessary war with Iran continues to drag on, with no end in sight, more than five months after it started. There are many reasons for this quagmire, but a significant part of the explanation is President Donald Trump's schizophrenic approach.
The Long View, from Max Boot
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Is Wokism as Big a Threat as Trumpism?
I have great respect for Andrew Sullivan as a writer and thinker, and I agree with many of his views. In particular, I agree with him that “the cult of Trump and the cult of Woke” are both an abomination—the former a manifestation of the far-right, the latter a manifestation of the far left. Where he’s lost me is by engaging in what looks like moral equivalence by suggesting, as he does in his latest Weekly Dish, that these twin cults are an equal danger to the republic.
What’s tucked inside the Senate’s Russia sanctions bill
What’s tucked inside the Senate’s Russia sanctions bill (washingtonpost.com) What’s tucked inside the Senate’s Russia sanctions bill By Max Boot 2026073110012100 On Friday, the Senate voted 86-11 to pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, named after the late South Carolina Republican who co-authored the legislation. I'm a staunch supporter of Ukraine, and I have long argued for ramping up sanctions on Russia.
The Long View, from Max Boot
There are many appalling spectacles in Washington these days but, for sheer grotesquerie, it is hard to beat yesterday’s Senate hearings in which one Republican senator after another competed to see who could make the most far-fetched and offensive allegations against Dr. Anthony Fauci. He is a true American hero who has been on the frontlines combatting every major epidemic since AIDS. Presidents of both parties once lined up to praise him.
Marco Rubio wants to defend America — from largely imaginary threats
Marco Rubio wants to defend America — from largely imaginary threats (washingtonpost.com) Marco Rubio wants to defend America — from largely imaginary threats By Max Boot 2026072710160100 Secretary of State Marco Rubio is either the luckiest or the shrewdest member of the Trump Cabinet — maybe both.
Zelensky se equivocó: los ucranianos demostraron cómo funciona una sociedad civilizada
WASHINGTON.– De los líderes de los casi 200 países del mundo, no hay ninguno al que admire tanto como Volodimir Zelensky. Desde los tiempos de Winston Churchill, pocos han mostrado un perfil de coraje comparable al suyo. Es posible que su país ya no existiera si hubiera seguido el consejo de algunos aliados y hubiera huido cuando las tropas rusas estaban a las puertas de Kiev, en febrero de 2022.
The Long View, from Max Boot
Captain Bryan Adam speaks about the incident. Last week, a Blue Angels jet buzzed a crowded beach in Pensacola, Florida. Typically the Navy’s elite flight-demonstration squadron does not fly lower than 500 feet over people on the ground. In this case, the jet was probably less than 100 feet from the beachgoers. Normally the leadership of the Defense Department would have nothing to say about a breach of flight rules, leaving the handling of the incident to the Navy chain of command.
Cómo interpretar los vertiginosos giros de Trump sobre Irán y Rusia
WASHINGTON.– El presidente Donald Trump no es precisamente conocido por su coherencia, pero, incluso para sus propios estándares, dio dos giros de 180 grados sorprendentes en la cumbre de la OTAN en Ankara, Turquía, la semana pasada: uno sobre Irán y otro sobre Ucrania.
Trump’s Iran Deal Has Collapsed, Leaving the U.S. With Few Good Options | Council on Foreign Relations
7 hours ago The United States is the world's leading oil producer. Of the oil we do import, only 8% comes from the Middle East. Why, then, have domestic oil and gasoline prices gone through the roof? Oil prices spiked again on July 13 as renewed military strikes between the United States and Iran reignited …
Pete Hegseth’s purges claim one of the military’s superstars
Pete Hegseth’s purges claim one of the military’s superstars (washingtonpost.com) Pete Hegseth’s purges claim one of the military’s superstars By Max Boot 2026062910310300 To hear those who know Army Gen. Christopher "CD" Donahue tell it, he is one of the military's superstars, or "water walkers." As the commander of Delta Force, the Army's top Special Operations unit, Donahue was on the front lines of fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Iran, Iran war, regime change, Strait of Hormuz, critical minerals
IRAN WARWas It Worth It? The True Cost of Trump’s Iran War Published 23 June 2026 The war ended with a deal that gives Iran sanctions relief, reconstruction funds, and the ability to charge tolls on the world’s most critical waterway. While the White House may call it a victory, the costs suggest otherwise. With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday, the Iran war is over, at least for now. The full ramifications are not yet obvious.
Trump’s deal with Iran is awful. But what’s the alternative?
Trump’s deal with Iran is awful. But what’s the alternative? (washingtonpost.com) Trump’s deal with Iran is awful. But what’s the alternative? By Max Boot 2026061916380200 President Donald Trump has long complained that "we don't win wars anymore," a problem he has blamed on "wokeness" and "political correctness." Last year, he set out to do something about it by rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War.
Was It Worth It? The True Cost of Trump’s Iran War
Max Boot is a historian, bestselling author, and foreign-policy analyst. His latest book, a biography of Ronald Reagan titled Reagan: His Life and Legend, is his third New York Times bestseller. With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday, the Iran war is over, at least for now. The full ramifications are not yet obvious.
Max Boot (@maxboot)
I would not waste a lot of energy freaking out over the $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran that is supposedly included in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This is vaporware, just like all the promises of countless billions in aid to rebuild Gaza. It’s the kind of thing that Trump likes to say but the US will never pay up, and it’s doubtful anyone else will either.
Trump struggles to end a war he never should have started
On May 23, President Donald Trump said a deal to end the war with Iran was almost finalised and would be "announced shortly". Yet more than two weeks later no deal has been unveiled, and US and Iranian forces continue to exchange fire regularly. Last week, an Iranian drone attack heavily damaged Kuwait's international airport. On Sunday, Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel, and Israel struck back. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed for all but a trickle of traffic. So what happened?
100 days of the Iran war: a Gordian knot?
The Iranian regime is benefiting from the war, writes La Vanguardia: “Iran is the big winner right now. ... On the domestic front, it has crushed the uprisings under the pretext of defending Islam against an external enemy. ... With the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz it has discovered a strategic tool that gives it power it never realised it had before. ... Under these circumstances, it suits Iran perfectly if the conflict simply drags on.
100 days of the Iran war: Gordian knot in the Mideast?
Trump's influence over Netanyahu is waning, observes La Stampa: “The president, who backed Israel in its offensive against Iran, now finds himself in the opposite position: he is no longer merely a political and military instigator of the escalation but a desperate mediator in a conflict that is taking on the hallmarks of a never-ending war. ... One promises a final agreement with Tehran, the other invokes self-defence. ... 'The Donald' can ring up, get angry, issue warnings.
The Long View, from Max Boot
Almost every day, Pete Hegseth offers fresh proof of why he should never have been appointed secretary of defense (or, as he prefers to call it, secretary of war). The latest example came on what should have been a solemn and sacred occasion: the commemoration of the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. This was one of the turning points of World War II. The courage and sacrifice of the American, British and Canadian troops who landed on the beaches of Normandy made possible the liberation of Europe.
Netanyahu's effort to remake the Middle East is backfiring
"First of all let us rid ourselves of the foolish error that with the Army alone we can maintain the security of the State," warned Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, in 1951. "Security rests on a foreign policy of peace: a sincere intention to be at peace with our neighbours, and with all the nations." Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, once heeded his predecessor's warning. Though Netanyahu was always a hawk, he was a cautious one.
Guerra de Estados Unidos e Israel contra Irán, en vivo: tensión en Medio Oriente hoy, martes 26 de mayo Original
Trump amenaza con volver al “frente de batalla” El presidente Donald Trump habla en el Rockland Community College El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, elevó este lunes la presión sobre las negociaciones con Irán y afirmó que cualquier entendimiento con Teherán deberá ser “grandioso y significativo” o, de lo contrario, no habrá acuerdo, en momentos en que Washington y la república islámica discuten un marco para extender el cese del fuego, reabrir el estrecho de Ormuz y encaminar una...
El intento de Netanyahu de rediseñar Medio Oriente se le está volviendo en contra
NUEVA YORK.- “Ante todo, librémonos del error absurdo de creer que solo con el Ejército podemos mantener la seguridad del Estado”, advirtió en 1951 el primer ministro israelí, David Ben-Gurion. “La seguridad se apoya en una política exterior de paz: una intención sincera de estar en paz con nuestros vecinos y con todas las naciones”. El actual primer ministro de Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, alguna vez prestó atención a la advertencia de su antecesor.
The Long View, from Max Boot
Fascinating new research on who serves autocrats (actual and aspiring) and why. There are few sensations more pleasurable than having one’s prior assumptions confirmed with new evidence. It has always seemed to me that a prime imperative behind revolutionary regimes is the desire of marginalized individuals who were not succeeding in the ancien regime to find better career prospects by defenestrating the old elites (sometimes literally so).
A Trump no le quedan buenas opciones militares para “terminar el trabajo” en Irán
El presidente Donald Trump regresó previsiblemente de su cumbre con el líder chino Xi Jinping sin haber conseguido ayuda para reabrir el estrecho de Ormuz. Ahora Trump debe encontrar la forma de salir de una guerra que había presentado como un conflicto de “cuatro o cinco semanas” y que ya entra en su tercer mes. Muchos generales de sillón le aconsejan “terminar el trabajo” retomando los bombardeos contra Irán.
Che cosa rivela un ex analista della Cia su uno scontro con la Cina
John Culver spiega come si è trasformato l’esercito cinese, il timore più grande di Xi Jinping e le zone sicure che non ci sono John Culver è una delle massime autorità mondiali sull’esercito cinese, un tema che ha iniziato a studiare come analista della Cia nel 1985. Dal 2015 al 2018 ha ricoperto il ruolo di direttore dell’intelligence nazionale per l’Asia orientale. Da quando è andato in pensione dalla Cia nel 2020, è senior fellow presso la Brookings Institution.
John Culver: “Los chinos siguen a nuestros portaaviones cada hora de cada día”
John Culver es una de las máximas autoridades mundiales en el ejército chino, un tema que comenzó a estudiar como analista de la CIA en 1985. Entre 2015 y 2018 se desempeñó como oficial nacional de inteligencia para Asia Oriental. Desde que se retiró de la CIA en 2020, es investigador senior no residente en la Brookings Institution.
The Long View, from Max Boot
The conservative majority on the Supreme Court recently issued a 6-3 ruling rolling back the Voting Rights Act, ruling that Louisiana had engaged in an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. That will now allow Republican-dominated legislatures in the South, and other regions, to engage in political gerrymanders that will erase districts currently represented by African American Democrats.
„Frelsisaðgerð“ Trumps mun ekki skila árangri við að opna Hormússundið
Donald Trump Bandaríkjaforseti tilkynnti á sunnudag að Bandaríkin ætluðu að hefja sérstaka aðgerð til að aðstoða olíu- og vöruflutningaskip, sem hafa setið föst á Hormússundi, við að komast um siglingaleiðina. Tveir bandarískir tundurspillar sigldu inn á Persaflóa á mánudag og tvö bandarísk flutningaskip var fylgt eftir í gegnum sundið. Íranar brugðust við með því að ráðast á skip og beina eldflaugum og drónum að Sameinuðu arabísku furstadæmunum í fyrsta sinn frá því að vopnahlé tók gildi 8. apríl.
The Long View, from Max Boot
In my Washington Post column on Monday, I wrote about the recent increase in the Trump administration’s illegal boat strikes—which amount to killing criminal suspects without trial—after a lull following Maduro’s capture. (Gift link: https://wapo.st/4tWMj6M.) I want to add something here that I didn’t have room to mention in this column, regarding the chances of holding anyone accountable for this lawless killing at sea.
Orbán's defeat shows Achilles' heel of populist power
What's the biggest danger facing Europe? I would argue it's not Russia, China, Iran or even the United States. It's the threat of homegrown illiberalism - of right-wing populists who will mismanage economies, undermine democracy, victimise minorities, corrupt the government and cosy up to dictators such as Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
Trump puede fingir que sus amenazas funcionan, pero esto no es una victoria para EE.UU. Original
WASHINGTON.– El martes fue uno de los días más extraños en la historia diplomática de Estados Unidos. Comenzó con la advertencia del presidente Donald Trump de que, si Irán no reabría el estrecho de Ormuz, “toda una civilización moriría esa noche”. Terminó con Trump proclamando un alto el fuego de dos semanas y abriendo negociaciones con Irán basadas en la “propuesta de 10 puntos” de Teherán.
Hegseth’s firing of a top general is the latest sign of Pentagon turmoil
Hegseth’s firing of a top general is the latest sign of Pentagon turmoil (washingtonpost.com) Hegseth’s firing of a top general is the latest sign of Pentagon turmoil By Max Boot 2026040322470200 In the early morning hours of Feb. 28, President Donald Trump announced the biggest U.S. war in more than two decades. What was Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth doing the day before?
Ukraine’s drone army has done the incredible
Ukraine’s drone army has done the incredible (washingtonpost.com) Ukraine’s drone army has done the incredible By Max Boot 2026033010011100 KYIV — When I first visited Kyiv in May 2023, Ukraine's capital experienced what was then one of the largest air attacks of the war: Russia fired 25 missiles and nine drones. I could hear the blasts outside my hotel room as Ukrainian air defenses shot down all the projectiles.
Don’t blame Trump’s stupid war on Israel
Don’t blame Trump’s stupid war on Israel (washingtonpost.com) Don’t blame Trump’s stupid war on Israel By Max Boot 2026032310470400 When a nation starts a war for dubious reasons and then suffers the consequences, there is inevitably a search for scapegoats. Conspiracy theories abound. It happened after World War I, when the favorite villains were "merchants of death" and international bankers.
En la guerra de Irán habrá dos ganadores, y ninguno de ellos será EE.UU. Original
WASHINGTON.– La primera vez queMedio Oriente fue preponderante para la política de defensa de Estados Unidos fue en la década de 1970, la época del embargo del petróleo árabe, la crisis de los rehenes en Irán y la invasión soviética a Afganistán.
Trump’s mini-me ambassadors are insulting and alienating U.S. allies
Trump’s mini-me ambassadors are insulting and alienating U.S. allies (washingtonpost.com) Trump’s mini-me ambassadors are insulting and alienating U.S. allies By Max Boot 2026030613510300 President Donald Trump is pursuing an ambitious foreign-policy agenda, which ranges from regime change in Iran to peacemaking in Ukraine. Normally U.S. ambassadors would be on the frontlines of such efforts.
No hay razones para pensar que esta guerra de Trump contra Irán sea necesaria Original
WASHINGTON.- Mi gran conclusión de la invasión estadounidense de Irak en 2003, que lamento profundamente haber apoyado, es que Estados Unidos solo debe ir a la guerra cuando tenga que hacerlo. No debe participar en guerras preventivas contra amenazas nebulosas basadas en inteligencia sospechosa y sin un final claro. En un momento, pensé que el presidente Donald Trump había llegado a conclusiones similares.
There is no reason to think this war with Iran is necessary
There is no reason to think this war with Iran is necessary (washingtonpost.com) There is no reason to think this war with Iran is necessary By Max Boot 2026022817520400 My big takeaway from the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq — which I deeply regret having supported — is that the United States should go to war only when it has to. It should not engage in preventative wars against nebulous threats based on suspect intelligence and without a clear endgame.
Hasta los ultraderechistas de otros países están hartos de las intromisiones de Trump Original
WASHINGTON.– El presidente Donald Trump basurea diariamente tantas normas que muchas veces pasamos por alto lo lejos que llegan sus excentricidades. Tomemos por ejemplo su costumbre de apoyó formalmente a candidatos presidenciales de otros países. Ya lo hicieron ocasionalmente presidentes anteriores, y por lo general se arrepintieron: Bill Clinton apoyó al ruso Boris Yeltsin en las elecciones de 1996, y Barack Obama criticó al primer ministro Benjamin Netanyahu en las elecciones de 2015 en Israel.
America is alienating what could become a superpower
8 hours ago Precious metals continued to lose ground this Monday following steep declines last week, with investors piling out of the safe haven assets after US President Donald Trump picked Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve. Also in this edition: French tech giant Capgemini plans to sell off the US …
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