Stephen Wertheim

I joined ABC Australia's Radio National Hour to analyze Trump's penchant for deadline diplomacy — the hallmark of Trump the performer beating out Trump the realist. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

American Prestige | Bonus - The Unwinnable War in Taiwan w/ Jennifer Kavanaugh and Stephen Wertheim (Preview)

On @amprestigepod.bsky.social, @jekavanagh.bsky.social and I talked U.S. strategy toward Taiwan, arguing that in the event of a cross-strait invasion, the United States should assist Taiwan's self-defense but plan not to fight China directly. americanprestige.supportingcast.fm/listen/ameri...

History As It Happens: Trump and the Structures of 'Forever War' Since 1945, has there been an antiwar U.S. president? Is it even possible to be an antiwar president when one has at his disposal history's most powerful war machine and is expected to maintain Americ...

I joined History As It Happens to expand on my argument that Trump faces a structural bind that inhibits him from being a peacemaker. Thanks for the fun conversation, @martindicaro.bsky.social. sites.libsyn.com/317972/trump...

History As It Happens: Trump and the Structures of 'Forever War' Since 1945, has there been an antiwar U.S. president? Is it even possible to be an antiwar president when one has at his disposal history's most powerful war machine and is expected to maintain Americ...

Presidents can promise to be peacemakers, but the structures of U.S. primacy tilt toward war and violence.

My conversation w/ historian @stephenwertheim on why it's so difficult for the U.S. to avoid "entanglements."

Podcast: historyasithappens.libsyn.com/trump-and-th...

The Good and the Bad of Having a Foreign Policy Amateur in the Oval Office July 30, 2025 - Stephen Wertheim backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

A pleasure to join @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social to discuss Trump's foreign policy vision and record to date: on.soundcloud.com/MCtkADMbEhka...

Gaza Hunger Presents Trump With Moral Test Familiar to Past Presidents

I told @nytimes.com: “It’s not that other parties are engaged in atrocities and the question is whether the United States will use its righteous power to stop [them]. In this case, the issue is that the United States is complicit in Israel’s conduct.” www.nytimes.com/2025/07/30/u...

The Good and the Bad of Having a Foreign Policy Amateur in the Oval Office July 30, 2025 - Stephen Wertheim backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

We speak with @stephenwertheim.bsky.social about the good and the bad of having an amateur in the Oval Office and how Trump's lack of ideological vision is impacting our foreign policy. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Donald Trump’s Foreign Policy Betrayal Podcast / The Time of Monsters / Jul 28, 2025 Donald Trump’s Foreign Policy Betrayal On The Time of Monsters: Stephen Wertheim on how Trump is blocking real change to the status quo. Jeet Heer Share C...

President Trump’s M.O., especially in foreign policy, is to criticize the status quo. But, says @stephenwertheim.bsky.social, he's still stuck in it.

Stephen breaks down why this is with ‪@jeetheer.bsky.social‬ for @thenation.com: www.thenation.com/podcast/worl...

Donald Trump’s Foreign Policy Betrayal Podcast Episode · The Nation Podcasts · 07/27/2025 · 43m

Donald Trump's Foreign Policy Betrayal: really enjoyed talking with @jeetheer.bsky.social about why Trump keeps criticizing the status quo and then failing to change it. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...

Opinion | Trump Is a Situational Man in a Structural Bind

"At the start of Mr. Trump’s second term, history didn’t merely repeat; it doubled down" www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/o...

Opinion | Trump Is a Situational Man in a Structural Bind

OPINION | Trump Is a Situational Man in a Structural Bind www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/o...

Opinion | Trump Wants to Put America First. He Has No Idea How. At the bottom of the president’s foreign policy is a curious void.

“At the bottom of the president’s foreign-policy vision is a curious void. Mr. Trump is famously all about putting American interests first. Yet he has never figured out what he thinks America’s most basic interests are,” Stephen Wertheim writes.

Trump gets way too much credit for talking about peace without delivering it. (And much of what he says — "peace through strength," no nation-building wars — is nothing new.)

Full podcast here: youtu.be/TvXCbfwQfKM?...

President Trump governs by instinct – and those instincts are “unconventional,” says @stephenwertheim.bsky.social, but a lack of a coherent strategy isn’t an asset in today’s complex geopolitical structure.

Stephen explained on @morningjoe-msnbc.bsky.social 👇

I joined Morning Joe to discuss Trump's failure to end wars and avoid new ones — the standard he set for himself in his inaugural address.

Opinion | Trump Wants to Put America First. He Has No Idea How. At the bottom of the president’s foreign policy is a curious void.

Well-written, cogent, and articulate.

“At the bottom of the president’s foreign-policy vision is a curious void. Trump is famously all about putting American interests first. Yet he has never figured out what he thinks America’s most basic interests are,” Stephen Wertheim writes.

Opinion | Trump Wants to Put America First. He Has No Idea How. At the bottom of the president’s foreign policy is a curious void.

“At the bottom of the president’s foreign-policy vision is a curious void. Mr. Trump is famously all about putting American interests first. Yet he has never figured out what he thinks America’s most basic interests are,” Stephen Wertheim writes.

Opinion | Trump Wants to Put America First. He Has No Idea How. At the bottom of the president’s foreign policy is a curious void.

In @nytopinion.nytimes.com

“At the bottom of the president’s foreign-policy vision is a curious void. Mr. Trump is famously all about putting American interests first. Yet he has never figured out what he thinks America’s most basic interests are,” Stephen Wertheim writes.

Wed. guest list: Mike Barnicle, Ali Vitali, Ryan Reilly, Lisa Rubin, David Ignatius, Steve Rattner, Jonathan Martin, Susan Page, State Rep. James Talarico, Secy. Scott Bessent, Dave Baszucki, Sen. Chris Coons, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Andrew Ross Sorkin, María Teresa Kumar, Stephen Wertheim

Opinion | Trump Is a Situational Man in a Structural Bind

Excellent critique of American — and especially now Trumpian — foreign policy by Stephen Wertheim in the New York Times.

Trump Is a Situational Man in a Structural Bind www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/o...

Opinion | Trump Is a Situational Man in a Structural Bind

“At the bottom of the president’s foreign-policy vision is a curious void. Mr. Trump is famously all about putting American interests first. Yet he has never figured out what he thinks America’s most basic interests are.” www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/o...

Opinion | Trump Is a Situational Man in a Structural Bind

This is excellent www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/o...

Where in the world are US troops deployed? This map shows the location of US servicemembers in foreign countries and US territories. Each dot represents 50 people. 🧵

Opinion | Trump Is a Situational Man in a Structural Bind

Six months into his term, President Trump doesn’t have a coherent vision on foreign policy, writes @stephenwertheim.bsky.social. In a field of allies – and adversaries – who do, that’s an obstacle to the peace he promised.

More from Stephen in @nytimes.com: www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/o...

Opinion | Trump Is a Situational Man in a Structural Bind

In @nytopinion.nytimes.com, I write that Trump is failing to be a peacemaker. He is not on track to reduce America’s military involvement in the world and is keeping the United States in a position that invites more wars, potentially much larger ones. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/o...

A new cold war with China won’t help the US Framing Beijing as a mortal enemy will hamper US growth and reduce Washington’s global influence

"America’s closest allies never wished to form an anti-China bloc before Trump took office. Now he’s offering most of them slimmer benefits at greater risk", writes Stephen Wertheim. www.ft.com/content/b324...

A new cold war with China won’t help the US Framing Beijing as a mortal enemy will hamper US growth and reduce Washington’s global influence

FT: A new cold war with China won’t help the US

www.ft.com/content/b324...

A new cold war with China won’t help the US Framing Beijing as a mortal enemy will hamper US growth and reduce Washington’s global influence

A new cold war with China won’t help the US https://on.ft.com/3ICzAmV | opinion

A new cold war with China won’t help the US Framing Beijing as a mortal enemy will hamper US growth and reduce Washington’s global influence

It's easy to criticize Trump for ceding competitive ground to China. It's harder to reckon with the limits of American power in the world after Trump — where a cold war posture toward Beijing will be less warranted and less feasible.

My thoughts in @financialtimes.com: www.ft.com/content/b324...

Book Talk | Total Defense: The New Deal and the Origins of National Security YouTube video by Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

Great fun to discuss Andrew Preston's important new book on the American origins of "national security." Thanks to @quincyinst.bsky.social for hosting. www.youtube.com/live/6V7gvDA...