The winner so far of Trumps war in Iran - Putin.
Speaking about AUTOCRATS VS DEMOCRATS at the Tucson Festival of Books tomorrow and Sunday. Come if you can!
tucsonfestivalofbooks.org
I’ll be discussing some of these ideas at two events at the Tucson Festival of Books this weekend. Hope to see you there!
In my book Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder, I argue against “might makes right” thinking.
Instead, I make the case that meeting today’s challenges from Russia and China requires renewed alliances, diplomacy, and democratic leadership.
Call me old fashioned but I still believe that morality and values should play a role in the formulation and execution of US foreign policy.
Trump said he can “live with it” if a report confirms a U.S. strike killed a school full of children in Iran.
That isn’t strength. It makes America sound like the very thugs we claim to oppose.
Bombing Nigeria was cost-free. Picking up Maduro was a cake walk. So, Trump probably thought the same about his short, little "excursion" in Iran.
So far, not working out that way.
Trump should have figured out why he wanted to go to war with Iran and then explained his reasoning to the American people BEFORE attacking, not after: open.substack.com/pub/michaelmcfaul/p/a-war-still-in-search-of-a-mission?r=17z4l&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Putin has lied his entire career. Yet Witkoff says we can take Russia “at their word” that they’re not sharing intelligence with Iran.
Taking the Kremlin at face value while U.S. intelligence reportedly says otherwise is utterly incomprehensible and mind-boggling naive.
When Putin lies to you and you believe him, he interprets that as weakness
My latest:
A War Still in Search of a Mission
open.substack.com/pub/michaelm...
Putin is our enemy. He's helping Iranian soldiers target American soldiers and assets.
Zelenskyy is our friend. He's helping American soldiers shoot down Iranian drones.
Most Americans understand these basic facts.
Trump, for whatever reason, does not.
Trumps loyalty to Putin is one of the most astonishing continuities of Trumps presidency.
"Four days ago, the president touted the “decisive action” his administration took 'to help keep down the oil prices.' Oops."
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Putin is helping Iran.
Zelenskyy is helping us.
Trump does not seem to understand or is ignoring these basic facts.
Hope someone on his team will help the president correct this policy position and...
Thank Zelenskyy.
Arm Ukraine.
Sanction Putin.
I recently sat down with Peter Robinson on the Hoover Institution’s Uncommon Knowledge podcast to talk about autocrats, democracy, and the new global disorder. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch here:
Why do autocrats like Putin and Xi think so differently from democratic leaders—and why has that misunderstanding shaped U.S. foreign policy? I discussed this and more with Peter Robinson on the Uncommon Knowledge podcast. Take a listen: www.hoover.org/research/the...
Really enjoyed this interview. Check it out
www.nationalreview.com/corner/theyr...
War, tariffs, and diplomacy shouldn’t hinge on what benefits Trump personally. They should come from institutions, debate, and democratic oversight—and be in America’s national interest.
War, tariffs, and diplomacy shouldn’t hinge on what benefits Trump personally. They should come from institutions, debate, and democratic oversight—and be in America’s national interest.
If Russia Has ‘All the Cards,’ Why Has It Achieved So Little? www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/o...
Trump thinks projecting strength means using military power whenever possible. But if we look like we ignore the rules, it's harder to explain why our actions are different from those we criticize elsewhere. In an era of great power competition with Russia & China, that hurts us.
Why do autocrats like Putin and Xi think so differently from democratic leaders—and why has that misunderstanding shaped U.S. foreign policy? I discussed this and more with Peter Robinson on the Uncommon Knowledge podcast. Take a listen: www.hoover.org/research/the...
Two months after Trump removed Maduro from power in Venezuela, dictatorship there remains in place.
I hope Iran will be different. I fear it won’t.
A lot happened in February.
In my latest newsletter, I recap the events that shaped this period—from Ukraine to Iran:
Hard deals don’t get done in weeks. Serious diplomacy requires time, direct engagement, and experienced negotiators. We didn’t see that with Iran, and that begs the question of whether these negotiations were ever aimed at reaching an agreement or simply a decoy. W/ @katiecouric.bsky.social
I sat down for a live video with Katie Couric to discuss the US and Israeli bombing of Iran — what we know, what we don’t know, and where we might be going next. Check out the full recording on my Substack: michaelmcfaul.substack.com/p/discussing...
What new argument will tomorrow bring?
