Max Boot
@maxboot.bsky.social
CFR fellow, Washington Post columnist. Pulitzer finalist for biography. Author: REAGAN: HIS LIFE AND LEGEND, NYT bestseller and NYT 10 best books of 2024. Man of many hats. Repost ≠ endorsement. maxboot.net.
Pinned
While Trump plans to pardon a former president convicted of helping smuggle drugs to the United States, he is also escalating a military campaign that he says is focused on stopping the flow of drugs. www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
Trump plans to pardon former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking
Former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández was sentenced to 45 years in prison for running a “narco-state” that helped send cocaine to the United States.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:23 PM
While Trump plans to pardon a former president convicted of helping smuggle drugs to the United States, he is also escalating a military campaign that he says is focused on stopping the flow of drugs. www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
Despite Trump’s implication that Lakanwal arrived directly in the U.S. on one of the chaotic flights from Kabul during the last days of August 2021, all of those planes landed elsewhere….The vast majority went to Qatar, where the Afghans underwent vetting. www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
Counterterrorism officials vetted Guard shooting suspect before he entered U.S.
Individuals with knowledge of the process that Rahmanullah Lakanwal went through contradicted senior Trump officials’ claim that he was not scrutinized.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Despite Trump’s implication that Lakanwal arrived directly in the U.S. on one of the chaotic flights from Kabul during the last days of August 2021, all of those planes landed elsewhere….The vast majority went to Qatar, where the Afghans underwent vetting. www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
Reposted by Max Boot
Does Pete Hegseth have a "golden shield" against prosecution in the form of a DOJ OLC opinion? Ed Whelan thinks not.
November 28, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Does Pete Hegseth have a "golden shield" against prosecution in the form of a DOJ OLC opinion? Ed Whelan thinks not.
Reposted by Max Boot
President Trump’s job approval rating has fallen five percentage points to 36%, the lowest of his second term, while disapproval has risen to 60%.
(Megan Brenan, Gallup)
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
(Megan Brenan, Gallup)
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
November 28, 2025 at 10:14 PM
President Trump’s job approval rating has fallen five percentage points to 36%, the lowest of his second term, while disapproval has risen to 60%.
(Megan Brenan, Gallup)
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
(Megan Brenan, Gallup)
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
Reposted by Max Boot
A second oil tanker has gone up in flames in the Black Sea. Both ships have been identified as the M/T Kairos and M/T Virat. The destination of both oilers is the Russian port of Novorossiysk.
November 28, 2025 at 9:12 PM
A second oil tanker has gone up in flames in the Black Sea. Both ships have been identified as the M/T Kairos and M/T Virat. The destination of both oilers is the Russian port of Novorossiysk.
Reposted by Max Boot
Declaring “no quarter” is a war crime.
Even assuming an armed conflict exists.
Even assuming an armed conflict exists.
November 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Declaring “no quarter” is a war crime.
Even assuming an armed conflict exists.
Even assuming an armed conflict exists.
How is this a legal order? www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:24 PM
How is this a legal order? www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Tens of thousands are building new lives here in peace and are contributing to their communities. They shouldn’t be blamed for the violent act of one man. Collective punishment of all Afghans in the U.S. won’t make America safer and it might embitter more against the US. www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...
Opinion | The Ambush on the National Guard
The alleged shooting by an Afghan ‘partner’ shouldn’t condemn all who assisted the U.S. and now live here.
www.wsj.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Tens of thousands are building new lives here in peace and are contributing to their communities. They shouldn’t be blamed for the violent act of one man. Collective punishment of all Afghans in the U.S. won’t make America safer and it might embitter more against the US. www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...
This is a sign of a healthy democracy. Imagine Trump’s DOJ investigating Trump’s closest aides or Russian prosecutors investigating Putin’s closest aides. It’s inconceivable even though corruption is rampant. Yet Zelensky’s closest aide is being forced out in a corruption investigation.
BREAKING: Andriy Yermak has submitted his resignation as Head of the Presidential Office.
This was announced by Volodymyr Zelensky in his video address.
This was announced by Volodymyr Zelensky in his video address.
November 28, 2025 at 3:45 PM
This is a sign of a healthy democracy. Imagine Trump’s DOJ investigating Trump’s closest aides or Russian prosecutors investigating Putin’s closest aides. It’s inconceivable even though corruption is rampant. Yet Zelensky’s closest aide is being forced out in a corruption investigation.
Reposted by Max Boot
Strengthening "strategic cooperation among the world’s democracies" was not hard to do in 2009. It has become nearly impossible now that the world’s most powerful democracy has turned into a rogue nation led by a president who is more sympathetic to dictators than democrats. wapo.st/4oZH3wz
Opinion | America has become a rogue nation. U.S. allies are looking elsewhere.
Europeans and Canadians are talking about making their own security arrangements.
wapo.st
November 25, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Strengthening "strategic cooperation among the world’s democracies" was not hard to do in 2009. It has become nearly impossible now that the world’s most powerful democracy has turned into a rogue nation led by a president who is more sympathetic to dictators than democrats. wapo.st/4oZH3wz
I talked about Reagan and Trump on the “History As It Happens” podcast. historyasithappens.libsyn.com/party-of-rea...
History As It Happens: Party of Reagan
to skip ads, get bonus content, and enjoy access to the entire catalog of 500 episodes. Keep the narrative flow going! Is the rise of Donald Trump a result or a rejection of Reaganism? As the conserva...
historyasithappens.libsyn.com
November 28, 2025 at 1:02 PM
I talked about Reagan and Trump on the “History As It Happens” podcast. historyasithappens.libsyn.com/party-of-rea...
Why on earth is a US president endorsing a presidential candidate in Honduras? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
Trump Endorsement Roils Already Tense Election in Honduras
www.nytimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Why on earth is a US president endorsing a presidential candidate in Honduras? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
The pilot said a clean run of two or three tons can mean $100,000 for a day’s work. With that kind of money at stake, he said it wouldn’t be hard to find willing men to keep running the boats, even with the threat of military strikes. www.wsj.com/world/americ...
‘Deliver or Die’: Inside the Drug-Boat Crews Ferrying Cocaine to the U.S.
The high-seas cowboys who speed tons of cocaine to American consumers are now getting blown out of the water. They say it won’t stop them.
www.wsj.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:41 PM
The pilot said a clean run of two or three tons can mean $100,000 for a day’s work. With that kind of money at stake, he said it wouldn’t be hard to find willing men to keep running the boats, even with the threat of military strikes. www.wsj.com/world/americ...
Reposted by Max Boot
Trump and his administration have targeted at least 470 people, organizations and institutions for retribution since he took office, according to a @reuters.com tally – an average of more than one a day. www.reuters.com/investigates...
Trump’s campaign of retribution: At least 470 targets and counting
A Reuters investigation documents at least 470 acts of retribution under Trump’s leadership.
www.reuters.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Trump and his administration have targeted at least 470 people, organizations and institutions for retribution since he took office, according to a @reuters.com tally – an average of more than one a day. www.reuters.com/investigates...
Reposted by Max Boot
Sickening.
I feel much safer today knowing that we deported a Babson College student back to a country where she hasn't lived since childhood.
She wasn't even flying internationally. She was flying to Texas.
She wasn't even flying internationally. She was flying to Texas.
A Babson College student wanted to surprise her family for Thanksgiving. She was deported instead. - The Boston Globe
Any Lucia Lopez Belloza was at Logan to catch a flight to Texas when immigration authorities detained her as she was about to board the plane.
www.bostonglobe.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Sickening.
Reposted by Max Boot
Reminder:
Timeline of U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan
"Trump administration in Feb 2020 negotiated a withdrawal agreement with Taliban..set a date of May 1, 2021 for withdrawal..President Biden delayed the withdrawal date..until Aug 2021"
www.factcheck.org/2021/08/time...
Timeline of U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan
"Trump administration in Feb 2020 negotiated a withdrawal agreement with Taliban..set a date of May 1, 2021 for withdrawal..President Biden delayed the withdrawal date..until Aug 2021"
www.factcheck.org/2021/08/time...
Timeline of U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan - FactCheck.org
We lay out many of the key diplomatic decisions, military actions, presidential pronouncements and expert assessments of the withdrawal agreement that ended the U.S. military's 20-year war in Afghanis...
www.factcheck.org
November 27, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Reminder:
Timeline of U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan
"Trump administration in Feb 2020 negotiated a withdrawal agreement with Taliban..set a date of May 1, 2021 for withdrawal..President Biden delayed the withdrawal date..until Aug 2021"
www.factcheck.org/2021/08/time...
Timeline of U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan
"Trump administration in Feb 2020 negotiated a withdrawal agreement with Taliban..set a date of May 1, 2021 for withdrawal..President Biden delayed the withdrawal date..until Aug 2021"
www.factcheck.org/2021/08/time...
Reposted by Max Boot
Regardless of what the facts may be, the CIA really shouldn’t be issuing finger-pointing partisan statements like this.
CIA statement about the Afghan man identified as the gunman who shot two National Guardsmen in Washington
November 27, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Regardless of what the facts may be, the CIA really shouldn’t be issuing finger-pointing partisan statements like this.
Analysts said the sequence of the calls—China first, then Japan—could reflect a willingness by Trump to curb an ally’s controversial stance on a core geopolitical issue in service of the U.S. trade relationship with Beijing. www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
Exclusive | Trump, After Call With China’s Xi, Told Tokyo to Lower the Volume on Taiwan
Japan, a U.S. ally that had angered China on Taiwan, found the message worrying.
www.wsj.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Analysts said the sequence of the calls—China first, then Japan—could reflect a willingness by Trump to curb an ally’s controversial stance on a core geopolitical issue in service of the U.S. trade relationship with Beijing. www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
Reposted by Max Boot
As usual, Gary Kasparov gets the essence of everything that's going on with Witkoff and the Kremlin... about which most of which the Beltway media hasn't got a clue. Read the whole thing. www.thenextmove.org/p/diplomacy-...
Diplomacy for Sale: How Witkoff and Co. Cut a Deal with Russia
A Moscow-friendly deal that sells out Ukraine exposes how Witkoff and others are reshaping diplomacy for profit.
www.thenextmove.org
November 26, 2025 at 9:15 PM
As usual, Gary Kasparov gets the essence of everything that's going on with Witkoff and the Kremlin... about which most of which the Beltway media hasn't got a clue. Read the whole thing. www.thenextmove.org/p/diplomacy-...
Reposted by Max Boot
@maxboot.bsky.social goes to an international security forum and concludes that the post-American world/era has arrived. Oof. 🎁 link wapo.st/3XjwvfH
Opinion | America has become a rogue nation. U.S. allies are looking elsewhere.
Europeans and Canadians are talking about making their own security arrangements.
wapo.st
November 26, 2025 at 7:04 PM
@maxboot.bsky.social goes to an international security forum and concludes that the post-American world/era has arrived. Oof. 🎁 link wapo.st/3XjwvfH
Reposted by Max Boot
Max Boot: The Halifax International Security Forum is an annual gathering of political and military leaders and security experts from democratic countries, with a mission “to strengthen strategic cooperation among the world’s democracies.” That
Opinion | America has become a rogue nation. U.S. allies are looking elsewhere.
Europeans and Canadians are talking about making their own security arrangements.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Max Boot: The Halifax International Security Forum is an annual gathering of political and military leaders and security experts from democratic countries, with a mission “to strengthen strategic cooperation among the world’s democracies.” That
Reposted by Max Boot
"The world’s most powerful democracy has turned into a rogue nation led by a president who is more sympathetic to dictators than democrats," writes @maxboot.bsky.social.
Opinion | America has become a rogue nation. U.S. allies are looking elsewhere.
Europeans and Canadians are talking about making their own security arrangements.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:45 PM
"The world’s most powerful democracy has turned into a rogue nation led by a president who is more sympathetic to dictators than democrats," writes @maxboot.bsky.social.
Reposted by Max Boot
What folks need to realize about "peace talks" is that this is all theater for Washington. Ukraine knows that Russia has no intention of stopping the war, and the Russians know the Ukrainians know that. So this is just all a performance for Trump, hoping he blames the other for the lack of peace.
November 26, 2025 at 1:24 PM
What folks need to realize about "peace talks" is that this is all theater for Washington. Ukraine knows that Russia has no intention of stopping the war, and the Russians know the Ukrainians know that. So this is just all a performance for Trump, hoping he blames the other for the lack of peace.
Typically, a company’s revenue, track record and market advantage drive valuations. But in the age of President Donald Trump’s promised nuclear revival, shareholders and backers see connections to the White House as the road to profitability. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Kilowatts or connections? Trump’s favored nuclear start-ups soar to riches.
Founders of politically connected nuclear companies that have never built commercial reactors are becoming billionaires.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Typically, a company’s revenue, track record and market advantage drive valuations. But in the age of President Donald Trump’s promised nuclear revival, shareholders and backers see connections to the White House as the road to profitability. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...