He was last seen telling us that everything is fine and that his plan is going swimmingly on every dimension.
Ariane Tabatabai@atabatabai.bsky.social · 14h agoAnyone seen Bridge Colby around recently? www.foxnews.com/opinion/iran...
Richard Nephew
@richardmnephew.bsky.social
Senior Research Scholar at Columbia U. Former Anti-Corruption Coordinator at Dept of State (among other things), White House and Dept of Energy. Personal acct. Author of "The Art of Sanctions" (2018)
Ariane Tabatabai@atabatabai.bsky.social · 14h agoWell, that's alright then. If you need me, I'll be at the beach.
I am legitimately surprised that everyone was talking about the US-Iran MOU today.
Worth reading for professors, like me, who are concerned about how to get students' attention in an age of AI slop. I Let My Students Watch Me Struggle With a Masterpiece. It Changed Everything. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/o...
Opinion | I Let My Students Watch Me Struggle With a Masterpiece. It Changed Everything.
Teachers need to model the passion they want to see.
nytimes.com
I can only hope that someone in Navy procurement watched "The Pentagon Wars" and learned things.
The Wall Street Journal@wsj.com · 6d agoPresident Trump has directed the Navy to tear out a complex system for launching jet fighters from its aircraft carriers and instead go back to using steam catapults. 🔗: on.wsj.com/4i2qDD6
What approach should the Trump administration take toward negotiating a new deal with Iran? @richardmnephew.bsky.social examines the lessons for future rounds of direct negotiations. Read more: www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...
Trump has made a complete hash out of US Iran policy, not least because he listens to an echo chamber formed to oppose the JPOA/JCPOA. But, there are still things he and his team can learn from the JPOA. From me. www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...
What the Next Iran Deal Can Learn from the JPOA
The June MOU and the 2013 JPOA are not perfect analogues, but the deliberately limited terms and careful specificity of the latter agreement hold prudent lessons for both Washington and Tehran as they...
washingtoninstitute.org
This is getting some roasting and, on one level, I agree with the critique: crowdsourcing war strategy is not ideal and reads badly. On the other hand, asking people working this day in and out for their opinions and ideas isn't intrinsically stupid. 1/3 www.cnn.com/2026/08/03/p...
Exclusive: US military asks troops for ‘creative and unconventional’ ideas to punish Iran | CNN Politics
The request from a senior officer at the US military command carrying out President Donald Trump’s war with Iran came in an email: We need ideas.
cnn.com
Honestly, not lots to say about the 4th (5th?) sequel to this movie. We remain stuck up a strategy tree by the "gang that couldn't shoot straight". Whole maneuver cost a lot of money too. Well done, Team Trump's outside enablers! Your boy done good! www.wsj.com/world/middle...
Trump Calls Off Planned Attack on Iran, Citing Diplomatic Progress
The region had been preparing for another escalation after Washington and Tehran made new threats.
wsj.com
Important work by Sen Schumer and colleagues to develop the proposed Anti-Corruption Bureau, and good to see that lessons from similar mechanisms abroad are embedded here. Our past combo of norms and laws aren't working; change is needed. www.democrats.senate.gov/imo/media/do...
democrats.senate.gov
Personally, I think it's a good thing the president is using his time to post AI slop. It's a healthy sign that in no way suggests he's completely lost his grip on reality.
Shipwreck@shipwreck75.bsky.social · 3w agoTrump on Iran 🤦♂️
And, of course, the problem with secret side letters is that folks will fill in the details, some of them making it up! In the end, you'll end up probably putting them out because what folks will conjecture will probably be worse. Better, in my view, to just make it public in one go.
Matthew Bunn@matthew-bunn.bsky.social · 4w agoIf the protocols are secret, it’s reasonable to expect the administration believes they would be embarrassing if made public. Congress should consider the pros and cons of making them public.
A few initial thoughts on "Saudis Reach Deal With U.S. That Could Let Them Enrich Nuclear Fuel" 1/10 www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/u...
Trump Administration to Announce Deal That Could Let Saudis Enrich Nuclear Fuel
U.S. lawmakers and Israeli officials have expressed opposition to such a plan, to be announced Wednesday, fearing that the kingdom could use a civilian nuclear project to develop nuclear weapons.
nytimes.com
Did a Secret "Stargate" in Iran Cause Trump's Endless War? (This was a lot of fun.) youtu.be/vey4Rnid1QU?...
Did a Secret "Stargate" in Iran Cause Trump's Endless War? Josh Johnson Finds Out | The Daily Show
YouTube video by The Daily Show
youtu.be
Crucial reporting. All of this seems not just plausible, but likely. Again, this is why I simply cannot believe the dismissive attitude toward Iran's large stock of HEU that this war has not sufficiently addressed or casual statements that Iran remains years off a bomb. www.wsj.com/world/middle...
Exclusive | Israel Believes Iran Moved Nuclear Centrifuges Into Pickaxe Mountain
The U.S. has reviewed the assessment, and President Trump has threatened to attack the site.
wsj.com
UPDATE: it's not just me. danieldrezner.substack.com/p/the-united...
The United States Has Always Been At War With Eastasi-- I Mean, Iran
The chair of the House Foreign Relations Committee goes full Orwell
danieldrezner.substack.com
Daniel Drezner@dandrezner.bsky.social · last mo.Is it me or does this description of “the status quo for decades” bear zero resemblance with reality? www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/u...
Sheer lunacy. I'll let others comment on the tariff substance. But, the underlying idea is bonkers. To restate: we're sanctioning Canada for air pollution. Setting aside targeting an ally, do we -- the US -- think this is a smart precedent to set? www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/b...
Trump to Impose 50% Tariff on Many Canadian Goods
The administration will use an untested legal provision to put significant duties on Canadian exports, reigniting a clash with one of America’s biggest trading partners.
nytimes.com
Not just intel folks, @marieharf.bsky.social. Burn bags are literally used in all secure spaces of the USG. They contain secrets but are not secret. (I, for one, am glad I was watching old episodes of "Andor" with my son during this speech; a far more compelling and factual spy story.)
Marie Harf@marieharf.bsky.social · last mo.OMG HE IS EXPLAINING BURN BAGS (this is for my fellow ex-intel friends) 🤣
"And Lucy picked up the note, which read 'sometimes, even things unambiguously good, like a detainee release, doesn't mean more good things are coming. Bigger issues may remain. But, a president who is looking for a way out might seize upon it nevertheless.'"
Yep. And just to emphasize from this: he keeps saying "I am doing the madman theory" and...uh...there are plenty of Iranians who speak English, watch newsclips, and read...so maybe they're not buying it?
Daniel Drezner@dandrezner.bsky.social · last mo.He keeps thinking that the madman theory will work on Iran and he keeps getting it wrong. foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/28/t...
Yeah. Well done to those US voters and enabling politicians who thought this would be a good idea to run back after our 2017-2021 experience.
AgnesOfTheDogs@agnesofthedogs.bsky.social · last mo.The man has access to WMD.
Seriously, this is a warning sign. He's immensely frustrated, unbound by any morality than his own interests, confronted with yet another loss that he doesn't understand, and enabled by sycophants always prepared to tell him how he's such a smart boy.
Richard Nephew@richardmnephew.bsky.social · last mo.Good luck with this, Mr. President. As much as this won't happen, this shouldn't be ignored. It is a sign of Trump's frustration and awareness that he has squandered leverage through this deeply flawed campaign. Every step has been mismanaged and misadvised (both from within and outside the USG).
Good luck with this, Mr. President. As much as this won't happen, this shouldn't be ignored. It is a sign of Trump's frustration and awareness that he has squandered leverage through this deeply flawed campaign. Every step has been mismanaged and misadvised (both from within and outside the USG).
George Pearkes@peark.es · last mo.The President just announced a 20% toll on all cargo shipped through Hormuz, payable...to the US>
I managed to get "hornswoggled" into CNN, so I think I'm done here.
Jennifer Hansler@jmhansler.bsky.social · last mo.After Trump signed MOU with Iran, Witkoff tried to reassure skeptical Republicans that talks were making progress & negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program were expected to begin immediately Now, technical talks have only barely begun & MOU itself appears to be in tatters www.cnn.com/2026/07/09/p...
Can't wait to read @skyeperryman.bsky.social's new book, "Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times." Democracy is a team sport and everyone can, and should, play. Pre-order it here: ordinarypeopleextraordinarytimes.com
Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times
How to Reclaim Your Power, Fight for Freedom, and Reimagine Democracy
ordinarypeopleextraordinarytimes.com