Section: The Atlantic (USA)
Trump’s Reckoning Arrives
“Gradually and then suddenly.” That was how one of Ernest Hemingway’s characters described the process of going bankrupt. The phrase applies vividly to the accumulating failures of President Trump’s foreign-policy initiatives.Donald Trump entered office with more scope for initiative in foreign policy than any of his recent...
The U.S.-China Confrontation Takes On a New Dimension
If China’s intentions in the South China Sea weren’t quite clear, this month should have removed doubt. News reports said China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on the disputed Spratly Islands—and had also built 400 buildings that can accommodate its military forces on a reef there. Then,...
John McCain’s Greatest Fear
Let me stipulate at the outset that I am like many journalists in my fondness for Senator John McCain; let me also stipulate that this fondness derives in part from happy memories trailing McCain through Hungary and Germany and Ohio and the Middle East; and I will further note that this fondness also derives from a belief that McCain represents,...
Trump’s Business Schemes Warrant Their Own Investigation
Roughly one year ago, special counsel Robert Mueller was charged with investigating any links or coordination “between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump,” as well as any “matters” or “federal crimes” that “may arise directly from the investigation.”That probe now divides the...
How Iran Can Evade Sanctions This Time
On paper, the 16 companies registered to the 15th-floor office-tower suite of a building in Hong Kong appeared indistinguishable from the thousands of humdrum firms operating within the glass-and-steel high-rises of the city. But according to the U.S. Treasury Department, all these firms, with names like True Honour Holdings and Alpha Effort...
In Europe, Standing Up to America Is Now Patriotic
The United States and Europe have had serious foreign-policy disputes before—notably during the Iraq war, when France and Germany split with the U.S. over the invasion. But since he took office in January 2017, President Trump’s decisions, including his withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and his imposition of steel and aluminum...
The Lingering Mysteries of a Trump-Russia Conspiracy
The day after Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel to lead the investigation into Russia’s election interference, it seemed to some that President Trump’s “worst nightmare” had come true. A year and nearly 20 indictments later, there’s no sign it’s winding down.Dozens of dizzying developments and near-daily news...
The Atlantic Daily: Until They Lose
What We’re FollowingJerusalem and Gaza: Israeli and American officials celebrated the opening of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, even as Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza, killing dozens. Here are photos of the scene in Gaza. While President Trump has expressed hope that his decision to move the embassy from...
Trump’s Two Biggest Scandals Converge In a Single Tweet
The attorney for adult-film performer Stormy Daniels made an explosive claim on Tuesday, merging the two biggest scandals of Donald Trump’s presidency in a single tweet—and setting off a frenzy of fresh speculation about the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia.On Tuesday evening, Avenatti upped the ante further, publicly alleging...
The Alternate Future Hinging on Trump’s Iran Decision
Last fall, a group of Israeli and American experts simulated what could happen next if Donald Trump were to do what he may well do Tuesday afternoon: reinstate sanctions lifted as part of the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran. When the simulation concluded after nine hours, it wasn’t with a triumphant United States and a submissive...
