America Is on the Verge of Catastrophe in the Middle East U.S. intervention in Iran would be a terrible gamble.

In my latest piece for @foreignaffairs.com, I explain why “U.S. intervention in Iran would be a terrible gamble.”

“Even if a limited U.S. operation goes according to plan with no retaliation, a decision to intervene in the conflict would…make a sustainable solution harder to achieve.”

YouTube video by Kim Dozier 6.17.25 | CNN News Central | Kim Dozier and Andrew Miller on Israel/Iran

Good discussion about Israel-Iran conflict on @cnn.com about Israel-Iran conflict with @kimdozier.bsky.social.

To fight antisemitism, we need to understand it. The DC and Boulder attacks were antisemitic, yet instead of calling them what they are, Trump uses them as pretexts for implementing an authoritarian agenda that harms Jews and other minorities. More in my newsletter today: conta.cc/3SFsUq8

President Trump’s Gulf Trip Is Heavy on Theatrics, Light on Policy President Trump’s Middle East trip was a wasted opportunity to secure major progress on a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear program and resolving the war in Gaza.

The major themes of President Trump’s visit to the Arab Gulf states are rooted in his personal biases rather than any coherent vision for U.S. policy, let alone one that delivers for the American people. The latest from CAP's @andrewpmiller.bsky.social‬:

Trump Should Not Give Israel a Pass on Gaza Blockade By doing so, he makes Palestinian suffering U.S. policy.

In @foreignpolicy.com, @philgordondc.bsky.social and I show how Trump has made Palestinian suffering U.S. policy. We we in the Biden administration failed to meet Palestinian needs, Trump shouldn’t get a pass for backing a humanitarian siege of Gaza.

foreignpolicy.com/2025/04/29/t...

What Just Happened: Trump Admin’s State Dept Reorganization If implemented, Rubio's State Department reorganization will reflect a significant shift in how the United States engages with the world.

The Trump admin’s proposed State Department reorg is a realignment of diplomatic priorities that seems set to constrain US soft power & reduce institutional capacity in key areas.

Dani Shulkin, @tessbridgeman.bsky.social & @andrewpmiller.bsky.social unpack the proposal & its likely consequences.

What Just Happened: Trump Admin’s State Dept Reorganization If implemented, Rubio's State Department reorganization will reflect a significant shift in how the United States engages with the world.

The Trump admin’s proposed State Department reorg is a realignment of diplomatic priorities that seems set to constrain U.S. soft power & reduce institutional capacity in key areas.

Dani Shulkin, @tessbridgeman.bsky.social & @andrewpmiller.bsky.social unpack the proposal & its likely consequences:

Opinion | Former Top Pentagon Spokesperson Details ‘Month From Hell’ Inside the Agency The total chaos at the Department of Defense is becoming a major distraction for the Trump administration, writes John Ullyot.

1. As someone who served for a number of years at the Pentagon, words cannot express how totally messed up and dangerous the current situation is at DOD. SecDef’s front office staff plays an absolutely vital role and right now they’ve all been fired. www.politico.com/news/magazin...

#Trump calling @vanhollen.senate.gov a grandstander is comical. Grandstanding is literally all Trump does. It’s not the pot calling the kettle black; it’s the pot calling the kettle a pot. Meanwhile, Senator Van Hollen is fighting for our constitutional right to due process.

The Trump Administration’s Responsibility for the Failed Ceasefire in Gaza The Trump administration’s failure to enforce the terms of the January 15 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has wasted the best opportunity to achieve a permanent end to the war in Gaza.

The Trump administration’s failure to enforce the terms of the January 15 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has wasted the best opportunity to achieve a permanent end to the war in Gaza. The latest from CAP's @andrewpmiller.bsky.social:

The Trump Administration’s Responsibility for the Failed Ceasefire in Gaza The Trump administration’s failure to enforce the terms of the January 15 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has wasted the best opportunity to achieve a permanent end to the war in Gaza.

My latest for @americanprogress.bsky.social

I explain that #Trump wasted the best oppty to end the Gaza war by making no real effort to negotiate an agreement on the 2nd phase of the Biden administration’s January 15 ceasefire.

www.americanprogress.org/article/the-...

Education Dept. layoffs cut half the staff investigating campus antisemitism Experts say the Office for Civil Rights, which probes discrimination at K-12 schools and universities, may have to change tack with the shuttering of more than half of its regional offices

As we said last fall, if the Project 2025 plan to shut the Department of Ed is implemented, so goes the office conducting the campus antisemitism investigations. Half the staff doing that work now gone. jewishinsider.com/2025/03/educ...

1. This decision to cut millions in funding to Columbia is dangerous and not going to help counter antisemitism on campus. If anything it might just make the problem worse.

“The desire for personal wealth and power” is the key point. Everything they do is motivated by their own narrow self-interest. And what’s good for them is seldom good for the American public.

Fourth, and finally, refrain from pushing for early elections and instead focus on supporting the development of a new constitution guaranteeing civil and minority rights, with a particular emphasis on electoral laws.

Third, engage freely with the interim Syrian government and other relevant political actors, but withhold formal legal recognition of that government until it demonstrates control over all Syrian territory and takes tangible steps to govern inclusively.

Second, prioritize the need for immediate economic relief by lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria that targeted the now-deposed regime of Bashar al-Assad

First, use all available tools, up to and including sanctions, to prevent external spoilers from hindering democratic progress.

In this report, I lay out the following four lessons I derived from my experience working on the Arab Spring/Uprisings during the Obama administration that I believe are relevant to Syria’s transition.

Re-upping my @americanprogress.bsky.social report on #Syria published yesterday. 🧵

www.americanprogress.org/article/syri...

Syria’s Transition and the Shadow of the Arab Uprisings While the Syrian people should ultimately determine their own future, the United States must learn from its mistakes during the Arab uprisings to best facilitate a democratic transition.

My latest for @americanprogress.bsky.social is a report on U.S. policy toward #Syria’s transition. The United States will almost certainly make mistakes but it can at least avoid repeating the same mistakes from the 2010s Arab Uprisings.

www.americanprogress.org/article/syri...

Here’s my view:

JD Vance is in no position to call for the reinstatement of a DOGE employee while he’a callously cutting thousands of jobs on no objective basis whatsoever. Show the same empathy for govt employees and their families that you show for “this kid.”

Protect #federalworkers

This is the man who is acting as the Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy. Interesting message to send to a world that is majority non-white and/or female. The next time Trumpists say they support meritocracy, remember this.

To my former #USAID colleagues, please know that I and so many in and outside of government stand with you. USAID isn’t perfect but your patriotism, humanitarianism, and professionalism represent the very best of America. Dark times are ahead but this shadow will pass. 🗽🇺🇸

Can the President Dissolve USAID by Executive Order? Congress established USAID in statute, and the president may not unilaterally override a statute by executive order.

The #USAID website has just gone dark, amidst reporting #Trump may try to dissolve it completely.

But #Congress established USAID in statute, and Trump can't unilaterally override a statute by executive order.

Read my latest via @justsecurity.org:

www.justsecurity.org/107267/can-p...

More rank hypocrisy from Trump and his enablers. Apparently, they have no problem with unelected, non-confirmed officials as long as they do their bidding. Remember that the next time they rail against “Deep State” bureaucrats.

Trump: "'The FAA, which is overseen by Secretary Pete Buttigeig' -- a real winner. Do you know how badly everything has run since he's run the Department of Transportation. He's a disaster ... he's got a good line of bullshit."

Just to be clear, while we went off on a wild goose chase about a nonsensical claim by #Leavitt of $50 million in condoms for Gaza, the White House suspended funding for healthcare and free school lunches for millions of poor American children. Shameful.

Fact check: $50 million for condoms in Gaza? Five big reasons to be skeptical Trump’s story is true | CNN Politics During her first official White House briefing as President Donald Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt announced that Trump had prevented a “preposterous waste of taxpayer money.” Trump’s team, ...

The $$$ Trump claims was for condoms in Gaza was likely for performing ~30 lifesaving surgeries per day, delivering ~20 babies per day, running an emergency room receiving up to 200 patients per day, and operating one of Gaza’s only neonatal intensive care units. www.cnn.com/2025/01/29/p...

White House: Biden earmarked $50M for Gaza condoms; Biden official calls claim a ‘feverish dream’ * * *

No, the Biden Administration did NOT spend $50 million on condoms for Gaza. White House either can’t read a simple spend table or it’s lying. My quotes in @timesofisrael-bot.bsky.social @jacobmagid.bsky.social

www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_ent...