Matt Duss

“Dems don’t need the Trump administration to explain their reasoning. This isn’t a mystery to be solved. We already know all their reasons for war are bullshit.”

-Matt Duss, in this piece. Note skewering of Hegseth claim about Iran's "offensive capabilities." 5/

newrepublic.com/article/2072...

The Imperial Presidency and the Iran War Matt Duss on why Congress is reluctant to stand up to illegal and stupid war.

I talked to @mattduss.bsky.social about dangers of the Iran war and the fecklessness of the bipartisan foreign policy elite that got us here www.thenation.com/podcast/arch...

On Saturday, @mattduss.bsky.social told ABC News that Trump offered no real justification for the attack on Iran:

"This is a war of aggression – a grave offense of international law and U.S. law."

Attacks on Iran: US and Israel are committing 'a crime of aggression,' says Bernie Sanders' former adviser An influential voice in the progressive camp and former advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, Matthew Duss harshly criticizes Donald Trump's actions following Saturday's strikes, stating that 'this war i...

The failure to hold past presidents liable for war crimes and related violations of our own laws has helped lead to this dangerous moment, with a seemingly unrestrained president endangering millions of lives with impunity.

My interview in @lemonde.fr www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...

Trump’s Reckless Decision to Pursue Regime Change in Iran And the risks Democrats face if they fail to strongly oppose his war.

Matt Duss, the executive vice-president at the Center for International Policy and a former foreign-policy adviser to Senator Bernie Sanders, discusses why the U.S. has decided to embark on another conflict in the Middle East. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/KjAEik

Trump’s Reckless Decision to Pursue Regime Change in Iran And the risks Democrats face if they fail to strongly oppose his war.

"It seems like Israel’s regional security doctrine, now backed by the United States, is not just that Israel has the right to defend itself but that only Israel has the right to defend itself in the region," says @mattduss.bsky.social. www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...

Trump’s Reckless Decision to Pursue Regime Change in Iran And the risks Democrats face if they fail to strongly oppose his war.

"There are multiple arguments that Democrats need to be making, including the fact that he’s acting illegally, and the fact that he’s acting strategically stupidly. So make all of those arguments. Don’t just ask for a briefing," says @mattduss.bsky.social. www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...

Trump’s Reckless Decision to Pursue Regime Change in Iran And the risks Democrats face if they fail to strongly oppose his war.

I talked to @ichotiner.bsky.social about Trump’s reckless and illegal war, the Democratic leadership’s lame response, and how fixing our foreign policy will require fixing our broken politics. www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...

This is a crisis moment, and any Democratic leader who won’t step up should be asking why they’re in the role. The rest of us should be asking why we let them stay there.

War With Iran Would Be Illegal and Stupid. Democrats Should Care. Now is the time for Democratic leaders to stand firm against the risk of a catastrophic conflict.

Pleased to speak to @mattduss.bsky.social about a potential US war on Iran.

"There’s no plausible legal basis for the Trump administration to attack Iran."

foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/27/d...

War With Iran Would Be Illegal and Stupid. Democrats Should Care. Now is the time for Democratic leaders to stand firm against the risk of a catastrophic conflict.

An unpopular president is about to drag the country into an unpopular war. Democratic leader should be out front in opposition, not politely asking for a briefing.

My piece in @foreignpolicy.com foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/27/d...

CIP EVP @mattduss.bsky.social laid out the implications of a U.S. war with Iran on the region on ABC News, arguing that this time, the consequences of military action would not be in the United States’ favor:

Trump Admits War Would Be Disastrous for Ordinary Iranians as He Weighs Military Assault | Common Dreams "The stakes are clear," said the National Iranian American Council. "There’s a chance to avert war and disastrous outcomes for the people of Iran, but time may be running out."

“Like the June 2025 bombings that failed to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, another US strike would be an illegal act of war.”

@mattduss.bsky.social explains why going to war with Iran would be a disaster for the United States and the Iranian people:
www.commondreams.org/news/trump-w...

Pentagon Flags Risks of a Major Operation Against Iran The warnings have been led by Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, within the Defense Department and during meetings of the National Security Council.

The Pentagon is raising concerns to President Trump about an extended military campaign against Iran, advising that war plans being considered carry risks including U.S. and allied casualties, depleted air defenses and an overtaxed force. on.wsj.com/40vkhly

Would a War Against Iran Be Legal? An Expert Explains David Janovsky is the acting director of the Constitution Project at the Project on Government Oversight, a non-partisan watchdog group.

Does Trump Have the Legal Authority to Strike Iran?

Short answer: No.

Longer answer: Also no.

@mattduss.bsky.social on the other site said, "If you’re telling me that Iran poses such a dire threat to the US that war is necessary, but also there’s no need for Congress to debate and vote on that war, you’re telling me you don’t actually believe the first thing." 1/5

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I shared some thoughts with @jewishcurrents.bsky.social on the “coalition” that’s pushing a war with Iran.

As the US political class discusses if/how/when Trump should strike Iran, just a reminder that no one has yet offered a remotely plausible legal justification for it. It’s just based on a presumption that the US has a special privilege to do violence wherever, whenever.

Democrats Should Reclaim the Anti-War Mantle From Trump By backing Israel’s attack on Iran, Trump violated his anti-war pledge. Will his opponents take advantage of it?

With Trump about to drive the US into another round of unnecessary, illegal, and politically unpopular war with Iran, Democrats should be falling over each other to oppose it.

Re-upping my @foreignpolicy.com piece from June. foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/17/d...

The neat thing about embracing class-based internationalism is that … well, billionaires already have.

That’s right.

YouTube video by Carnegie Endowment How a President AOC Would Change The World

President Trump dominates conversations in the U.S. and around the world – for now. But a progressive might succeed him in office. What could that president's foreign policy look like?

@mattduss.bsky.social explained on today's World Unpacked with Jon Bateman: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aZh...

"The key vote here remains Vladimir Putin."

CIP EVP @mattduss.bsky.social told @nytimes.com that despite renewed negotiations, Putin's goal remains the same: undermining Ukraine's independence and bringing it under Russian control.

Trump weighs major new strike on Iran as nuclear discussions show no progress | CNN Politics President Donald Trump is weighing a major new strike on Iran after preliminary discussions between Washington and Tehran over limiting the country’s nuclear program and ballistic missile production f...

7 reporters on this story and not one of them bothered to ask “hey, is any of this actually legal?” www.cnn.com/2026/01/28/p...

As the US political class discusses if/how/when Trump should strike Iran, just a reminder that no one has yet offered a remotely plausible legal justification for it. It’s just based on a presumption that the US has a special privilege to do violence wherever, whenever.

YouTube video by The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder Mark Carney Bodies Trump Without Even Saying His Name | Matt Duss | TMR

linking my favorite majority report interviews 🧵

starting with Mark Carney Bodies Trump Without Even Saying His Name with Matt Duss, former foreign policy advisor for Bernie Sanders

"If you want to understand why Trump doesn't fear accountability, look at the guest list for Dick Cheney's funeral."

So, yikes. Lucky to have @mattduss.bsky.social back on After America this week.

Trump Is Running a “Global Mafia” Liberal foreign policy expert Matt Duss describes why Trump’s foreign moves are so erratic and how the next Democratic administration should approach foreign affairs.

You have got to listen to this. Excellent analysis from @mattduss.bsky.social and @newrepublic.com newrepublic.com/article/2053... via @newrepublic.com

Transcript: Trump Is Running a “Global Mafia” Matt Duss, executive vice president for the Center for International Policy, says there is no coherent strategy to Trump’s foreign policy beyond showing power and enriching the president and his allie...

Trump Is Running a “Global Mafia” newrepublic.com/article/2053... via @newrepublic.com