Recent articles
April 6, 2026
Democrats Already Have an Affordability Agenda
They should reclaim key parts of Joe Biden’s record, rather than run from it.
foreignpolicy.com
March 30, 2026
Wartime Budgets Are an X-Ray of Presidential Priorities
By choosing escalation in Vietnam, Lyndon Johnson’s plan to fund both guns and butter unraveled.
foreignpolicy.com
March 23, 2026
George H.W. Bush Won His Middle East War and Still Lost At Home
When voters sense the president is more focused abroad than on the economy, they punish him for it.
foreignpolicy.com
March 16, 2026
From Vietnam to Iran, War Is the Reason Americans Don’t Trust Their Government
Presidents cannot ignore the long-term costs of dismissing the truth in pursuit of national security.
foreignpolicy.com
March 9, 2026
David Halberstam’s Warning Is More Urgent Than Ever
‘The Best and the Brightest’ chronicles the mistakes presidents make when sending Americans to war.
foreignpolicy.com
March 2, 2026
How George W. Bush Created ICE
The national security apparatus built after 9/11 transformed the country in unpredictable ways.
foreignpolicy.com
February 23, 2026
Trump’s Midterm Threats Recall a Bleak Chapter in American History
Illiberalism has been part of the national culture since the founding.
foreignpolicy.com
February 16, 2026
The Ongoing Legacy of President Ford’s Pardon of Richard Nixon
Now Trump has pushed a controversial element of presidential authority even further.
foreignpolicy.com
February 9, 2026
The United States’ 250th Birthday Has Become a Test for the Nation
How to present history was also a roiling debate during the bicentennial.
foreignpolicy.com
February 2, 2026
What It Took for George H.W. Bush to Invoke the Insurrection Act
The president’s decision to send troops to Los Angeles received broad national, bipartisan support.
foreignpolicy.com
January 26, 2026
What Kent State Taught the Country About State Violence
Renee Good and Alex Pretti’s killings in Minneapolis have brought back memories of government escalation.
foreignpolicy.com