Foreign Policy

Will Trump's Middle East Deal Deliver Election Boost?

For Evangelical voters who took a chance on President Donald Trump, and conservative Jewish voters who put their hopes in him, the White House announcement this week that the United Arab Emirates would normalize relations...

By Kimberly Dozier August 15, 2020

Ambassador Pick for Germany Underscores 'America First' Foreign Policy

President Donald Trump has nominated a string of controversial ambassadors in the last four years, including a Palm Beach luxury handbag designer to South Africa and a Los Angeles dermatologist who had to be ordered...

By John Walcott August 14, 2020

Trump Administration Mulls Releasing Taliban Drug Kingpin in Push for Peace

In 2005, Taliban financier and Afghan drug lord Haji Bashir Noorzai flew from Dubai to New York City to strike a deal with American officials seeking peace with the Taliban. Or so he thought. It...

By Kimberly Dozier August 12, 2020

Trump: I Never Raised Taliban Bounties With Putin

Donald Trump says he “never discussed” reports of Taliban bounties with Putin despite having numerous phone calls

By Misyrlena Egkolfopoulou / Bloomberg July 29, 2020

Intel Officials Disagree Whether Russia Paid Taliban

U.S. and allied military and intelligence officials in Afghanistan collected information indicating that Russian intelligence officers maintained a fund for rewarding Afghan militants who killed American and Afghans soldiers, but senior officials are divided on...

By John Walcott June 30, 2020

10 Questions for ICC Chief Chile Eboe-Osuji

Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, president of the International Criminal Court, tells TIME that as far as he is aware, the Trump Administration has not yet acted on its June 11 threat to sanction members of the...

By Kimberly Dozier June 26, 2020

U.S. and EU Officials Are Worried About Putin and Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s comments about the legitimacy of Russia’s borders in a documentary broadcast on Russian television have rattled some U.S. allies, fearful that he might be laying the groundwork for a further military...

By John Walcott June 23, 2020

Trump Says China Trade Deal ‘Intact’ After Navarro Comments

Contracts on the S&P 500 Index fell as much as 1.6% before paring losses and the offshore yuan weakened 0.4%

By Chelsea Mes and Jeffrey Black / Bloomberg June 23, 2020

Summit Spotlights U.S.-China Tensions

The chilliest place in Hawaii this week — other than the summits of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, which barely rose above freezing — was Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, where Secretary of State...

By John Walcott June 18, 2020

Why the Alliance Between Europe and America is Falling Apart

When German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas suggested during a June 15 video conference between 28 European Union diplomats and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the U.S. and Europe push Israel and the Palestinians to...

By John Walcott June 17, 2020

Taliban Continues to Back Al-Qaeda, UN Report Says

The U.S. went to war in Afghanistan with one goal in mind: ridding the country of the threat of al-Qaeda just weeks after the group killed nearly 3,000 people in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Now,...

By Kimberly Dozier June 1, 2020

American Hostages Left Behind in Afghanistan

Two American hostages still missing in Afghanistan underscore the limits of a troubled peace deal the U.S. signed with the Taliban, and the Trump Administration’s diminishing ability to bend the militants to American will as...

By Kimberly Dozier May 4, 2020

U.S.-Iran Tensions Mount After Americans' Death

The U.S. launched a series of air strikes targeting an Iran-backed militia in Iraq on Thursday, the day after two American service members were killed during an exchange of rocket fire between U.S. forces and...

By John Walcott March 12, 2020

Cultural Heritage Reminds Us of Our Shared Humanity. That's Why Threats Against Them Are So Dangerous

On Jan. 4 President Trump created an international uproar when he first suggested that Iranian cultural sites were legitimate military targets. “They’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we’re not...

By Elizabeth Silkes January 10, 2020

Strike at Fraught Moment for Trump

Donald J. Trump's decision to escalate the U.S. confrontation with Iran by authorizing an airstrike that killed two of its top military leaders comes as he finds himself in a precarious, unprecedented position: facing a...

By Brian Bennett and Tessa Berenson January 3, 2020

Iran Tensions Turn Focus of Democratic Primary to Foreign Policy

In a race that has rarely zeroed in on foreign policy, the question has the potential to reveal fissures between Democratic rivals and upend the wide-open 2020 nominating contest.

By Alana Abramson January 3, 2020

'My Great and Unmatched Wisdom'

Aides repeatedly warned President Donald Trump about the dangers of abandoning America's Kurdish allies

By John Walcott and W.J. Hennigan October 7, 2019

U.S. Sanctions Chinese Firms for Iran Oil Dealings

The firms have been charged with knowingly violating restrictions on handling and transacting Iranian petroleum

By Ben Livesey, Dan Murtaugh and Serene Cheong / Bloomberg September 26, 2019

Breaking Point: How Trump and Bolton Finally Hit Their Limit

As President Donald Trump prepared in recent weeks to meet in person with Taliban negotiators at Camp David and with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in New York later this month, National Security Advisor John Bolton...

By Brian Bennett September 10, 2019

Trump's Muddled Message on Hong Kong Captures the Real Problem With His Foreign Policy

The confusion captures an enduring challenge of the Trump presidency: it’s almost impossible to discern America’s approach to key foreign issues because the process for setting and enforcing policy is ignored or irrelevant.

By John Walcott August 20, 2019

China Trying to 'Steal Their Way' to Dominance: FBI Director

He said China poses the biggest counterintelligence threat to the U.S.

By Steven T. Dennis / Bloomberg July 24, 2019

Former British Diplomats Say Trump's Dispute with the Ambassador Has Come at the Worst Time

The escalation of a diplomatic rift between the U.S. and the U.K. over leaked ambassadorial cables has left former British officials worried over their country's ability to conduct business in Washington — just when the...

By Ciara Nugent July 9, 2019

Here's How Some in Congress Want to Reclaim the Power to Declare War

As the prospect of a confrontation with Iran continues to rise, an increasing number of members of Congress have a new objective: ensuring President Trump does not launch a war without their approval. The concern...

By Alana Abramson June 24, 2019

The U.S. and China Will Resume Talks Amid Ongoing Trade War

U.S. officials and some outside experts say they expect this week's meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to head off an escalating trade war and restart trade negotiations between the world's two...

By John Walcott June 24, 2019

The U.S. and Iran Are Backing Down From a Fight

The U.S. and Iran moved to defuse rising tensions Friday after a tense 24 hours in which the world waited to see if President Donald Trump would authorize military action for a shoot-down of a...

By W.J. Hennigan and John Walcott June 21, 2019

Trump Says Iran Mistakenly Downed Drone. Iran Disagrees

The President hasn’t been shy about saying he doesn’t want to get involved in additional military entanglements overseas, but Thursday’s shoot-down represented the most serious clash yet.

By W.J. Hennigan and John Walcott June 20, 2019

Watchdogs Sue Trump Over Missing Putin Notes

"President Trump has taken unusual measures to conceal the details of these meetings"

By Vera Bergengruen June 18, 2019

Trump: Tanker Attack 'Very Minor'

Facing twin challenges in the Persian Gulf, President Donald Trump said in an interview with TIME Monday that he might take military action to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, but cast doubt on...

By Tessa Berenson June 17, 2019

Tanker Attacks Test Trump's Iran Red Line

On May 19, President Donald Trump appeared to set a red line in a tweet: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Nearly...

By W.J. Hennigan and John Walcott June 13, 2019

Ivanka Trump Wants More Women Involved in Peace Processes

In major peace talks from 1990 to 2017, women made up just 2% of mediators, 8% of negotiators and 5% of witnesses and signatories, according to the United Nations. Ivanka Trump wants to change that....

By Abby Vesoulis June 12, 2019

Can a Small-Town Mayor Run as the Foreign Policy Candidate in 2020?

Pete Buttigieg typically campaigns in shirtsleeves. But on Tuesday, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., wore a jacket and tie. The change in wardrobe signaled a dramatic shift in approach, as the Democratic presidential candidate...

By Charlotte Alter June 12, 2019

How Mexico Tariffs Could Backfire

"When Mexico's economy weakens, Mexicans come north"

By John Walcott June 4, 2019

U.S. Intelligence Expects China to Quickly Double Its Nuclear Stockpile

China is expected to increase its nuclear weapons stockpile by twofold in the coming decade, according to a new U.S. military intelligence assessment, part of a sweeping build-up of Beijing's strategic arsenal. "Over the next...

By W.J. Hennigan and John Walcott May 29, 2019

Trump's Japan Trip Was a Win for Abe

President Trump's visit to Japan was a success for that country, but foreign policy experts say it was more of a wash for the United States. Facing upcoming parliamentary elections and an ongoing threat from...

By John Walcott May 28, 2019

Trump Sends Troops to Middle East But Won't Say Why

The Trump Administration has spent the past month ringing alarm bells over what it has called "troubling, escalatory and dangerous" behavior by Iran. Yet government officials have shown very little evidence to the American public...

By W.J. Hennigan May 24, 2019

Keeping Trump Busy

He'll present the 'Trump Cup' to the winner of a sumo tournament

By John Walcott May 23, 2019

Officials Dispute Pompeo's Claim About Al Qaeda, Iran

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s claim that Iran and Al Qaeda are collaborating is at best an exaggeration that is not supported by any available information, U.S. intelligence officers and officials with the State and...

By John Walcott May 21, 2019

No Plans for Iran War

But that doesn't mean there won’t be a conflict

By John Walcott May 17, 2019

Trump and Xi Are Too Alike to Cut a Deal

Donald Trump has wanted to negotiate with the Chinese for years. In his 2011 book, "Time to Get Tough," he argued that American politicians were "to put it succinctly, stupid," and that his experiences working...

By John Walcott May 10, 2019

U.S., Iran on Collision Course a Year After End of Deal

The White House’s long-running dispute with Iran is approaching a perilous crossroads one year after President Donald Trump walked away from the multilateral nuclear deal. The Administration’s increasing pressure on Tehran has resulted in an...

By W.J. Hennigan and John Walcott May 8, 2019

How John Bolton Became Trump's Attack Dog

The tip came in from Israeli intelligence: Iran was preparing to attack U.S. or allied forces in Iraq and Syria. U.S. military commanders’ responded by rushing a flotilla of American warships and bombers to the...

By W.J. Hennigan and John Walcott May 7, 2019

Trump Gave the Japanese Prime Minister a Break on Trade, For Now

President Donald Trump did Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a favor last week, delaying the start of negotiations on a tricky trade decision, potentially pushing it past that country's elections in July, three officials briefed...

By John Walcott May 1, 2019

U.S. Military Uses Drones to Hunt ISIS Leaders

Drone operators circle ISIS territory every day searching for clues about Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

By W.J. Hennigan April 30, 2019

Trump Un-Signs Gun Treaty

With Democrats in Congress reluctant to work with him on legislative proposals, President Donald Trump has been casting about for actions he can take on his own. When it comes to guns, he has long...

By Brian Bennett April 26, 2019

Trump Just Wants to Talk Cars, Military Costs in Japan

Few foreign leaders have tried as hard as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to establish some personal rapport with President Donald Trump. But as the two meet again at the White House and at Trump’s...

By John Walcott April 26, 2019

The Intelligence Strategy Behind Russia's Outreach

At 448 pages, Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election feels definitive, but it's hardly the final word on the subject. In fact, a recent court filing in a related...

By John Walcott April 25, 2019

Foreign Policy

Erik Prince's $10B Plan to Create a Private Army in Ukraine

What to Expect from the Biden Suga Meeting

Biden Raises Human Rights, Trade in Call With Xi

Trump's Foreign Policy Leaves Behind Destruction for Biden