The hottest Foreign Policy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways

Monopoly Round-Up: Manipulating the Stock Market Is Trump's War Strategy

BIG by Matt Stoller • 11344 implied HN points • 23 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

The administration is actively propping up stock prices as part of its war strategy, timing strikes and public statements to calm investors so political and financial support holds.
Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz is creating real global supply shocks — big jumps in oil and shortages of things like helium and fertilizer — that are already disrupting flights, hospitals, and manufacturing.
Markets have so far underreacted but are losing faith; short-term manipulation can nudge prices, but it can’t substitute for actually winning on the ground, and the conflict exposes the fragility of the US-centered global order.

It's Unethical To Have Sympathy For Israelis, And Other Notes

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1974 implied HN points • 22 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The piece argues that one should never express sympathy for Israelis because, it claims, Israel habitually weaponizes sympathy to justify mass atrocities, so withholding sympathy is framed as the responsible choice.
It warns that US and Israeli threats against Iran—especially attacks on energy infrastructure—risk escalating into a far larger, potentially catastrophic war and need to be restrained.
It criticizes Western media and political hypocrisy for being shocked by Iranian retaliation while ignoring prior aggression, and calls for mass protests against the US-Israeli war policies.

You Can't Make People Cheer For Your Wars After Committing A Live-Streamed Genocide, And Other Notes

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2030 implied HN points • 21 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Committing visible atrocities destroys public support, so governments can’t expect people to cheer for their wars.
Ignoring decades of military warnings and escalating toward a ground invasion of Iran risks huge regional fallout, economic pain, and more lives lost.
Political leaders who don’t face personal consequences send others to fight, and history shows people only forcefully oppose wars when they themselves have skin in the game.

The Warmongers Will Never Admit They Were Wrong And Will Never Learn From Their Mistakes

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1932 implied HN points • 20 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Professional warmongers never admit their policies were wrong; they insist wars fail only because of poor execution, not because the idea was bad.
John Bolton is a prime example of this hypocrisy—he pushed for regime change in Iran without a viable plan and now blames others for not preparing properly.
The imperial system elevates the least wise and least compassionate people, and that dynamic makes radical, systemic change urgently necessary.

The Arrogance of Ignorance.

Breaking the News • 8093 implied HN points • 08 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Good strategy means thinking several moves ahead and being ready to change plans faster than your opponent; if leaders don’t ask “How does this end?” they can cause needless disaster.
You shouldn’t choose wars of choice without exhausting alternatives and imagining what could go wrong; many problems have no military solution, so diplomacy and clear, systematic decision rules must come first.
Modern fighting often favors cheap, numerous technologies over a few expensive systems, and a public insulated from combat plus easy political posturing makes it too easy to send others into long, costly wars.

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TGIF: Bring Them Back from Palm Beach

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1650 implied HN points • 20 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

A senior national security official, Joe Kent, resigned over the Iran war, quickly joined the new right media circuit making Israel-centric claims, and is reportedly under FBI investigation for allegedly sharing classified information.
A reductive, conspiratorial narrative blaming Israel for many unrelated global events is spreading widely online, simplifying complex conflicts and gaining traction across different platforms.
The piece is a short, sarcastic political and cultural roundup produced with AI narration, and much of the deeper reporting is behind a paywall that asks readers to subscribe.

Joe Kent's Courage and Conscience, and the Craven Careerism of Tulsi Gabbard

Glenn Greenwald • 3656 implied HN points • 18 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

She has long warned against regime-change wars and strongly opposed the idea of a U.S. war with Iran.
Despite that rhetoric, she has repeatedly accepted humiliations and jumped through hoops to cling to her Washington position, with a recent action described as a new low.
Her behavior is contrasted with another figure’s courage and conscience, highlighting a split between careerism and principled opposition to war.

CIA Prepares Criminal Referral of Tucker Carlson, as Israel and Its Loyalists Demand His Arrest

Glenn Greenwald • 6506 implied HN points • 15 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

U.S. intelligence is reportedly preparing a criminal referral against a high-profile journalist over his communications with Iranian contacts, suggesting journalists could be prosecuted for critical war reporting.
Influential Israeli-aligned voices and their U.S. allies pushed an orchestrated campaign demanding his arrest, showing growing efforts to punish and intimidate critics of Israel and the Trump-Netanyahu war.
Evidence points to domestic and allied surveillance of the journalist’s communications, highlighting how spying and legal pressure can be used to chill independent reporting and free speech.

The vindication of Fukuyama (and other stories)

Wrong Side of History • 403 implied HN points • 14 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

A widespread hunger for meaning and recognition is driving people into intense political causes and zero-sum fights, which can fuel polarization and destabilize liberal democracies.
Many institutions and communities are fraying — from shrinking cities and collapsing recruitment to unsustainable welfare, energy, and defence arrangements — and without a renewed shared identity or civic project, economic and strategic decline will likely worsen.
New technologies are democratizing power to game systems and to surveil or strike at will, undermining traditional institutions and forcing them to adapt or lose legitimacy.

The Madness of The Donald (MOATS w/ George Galloway)

The Chris Hedges Report • 187 implied HN points • 20 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Trump is portrayed as not very bright and has fallen into a dangerous, potentially deadly trap.
Israelis are said to have manipulated him into launching a war against Iran.
Those Israeli actors have allegedly been lobbying for a conflict with Iran for over thirty years.

The shape of the multipolar world is a little clearer

Noahpinion • 27412 implied HN points • 01 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The end of Pax Americana removed many rules that used to restrain U.S. power, so a more multipolar world now lets leaders act more unilaterally and aggressively — something advocates of multipolarity may regret.
Trump’s recent strikes, including the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, are a major escalation and show the president can launch a war of choice without Congress; that’s dangerous for American democracy even if Iran’s regime was brutal.
This conflict has materially weakened the China–Russia–Iran axis but hasn’t ended the multipolar era, and Western leftists’ strong public support for Iran shows a troubling loss of coherent moral or strategic judgment.

Total Degrowth Narrative Victory

From the New World • 177 implied HN points • 20 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

China has absorbed a lot of Western culture and policy, but it mostly took the progressive, state-friendly ideas the U.S. government and elite institutions promoted while keeping authoritarian control.
In rich countries like the U.S., demographic aging and large wealth transfers to retirees make it economically implausible for policy to raise birthrates enough to offset the growing burden on working adults.
Doomsaying degrowth and antinatalist ideas remain influential not because they are correct, but because catastrophic narratives and destructive political incentives win attention and power more easily than sober, positive-sum arguments.

March 22, 2026

Letters from an American • 4 implied HN points • 23 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

The president has been making increasingly erratic and inflammatory public statements, including inappropriate historical references and threats toward opponents and foreign targets.
Military action against Iran has backfired, contributing to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the administration lifted long-standing oil sanctions to try to lower prices—moves critics say could send billions to Iran and worsen global security risks.
The Department of Homeland Security is shadowed by allegations of crony contracts and excessive influence from political allies, while ICE has been expanded and threatened to be used as a political tool, with funding tied to controversial voting restrictions.

Da Wei: China does not want America’s job

Pekingnology • 52 implied HN points • 27 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

China does not want or intend to replace the United States as the global leader and prefers to work within and improve existing multilateral institutions rather than fill any "vacuum" alone.
Direct meetings between national leaders are especially important now and can open chances to stabilise the China–U.S. relationship, but lasting stability also requires institutional arrangements and China’s sustained economic and technological strength.
The world is becoming more fragmented and multipolar, so China should expand its "circle of friends", pursue multilateralism, rebalance bilateral ties, and take greater responsibility in global governance without seeking hegemony.

My Enemies Are Not In Iran

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2915 implied HN points • 16 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The real enemies are the western empire managers and oligarchs in places like Washington, Tel Aviv, London and Canberra who use power and tax dollars to wage war and harm societies.
Western governments and their propagandists are eroding democratic agency, censoring criticism, and manipulating public opinion to normalize violence and injustice.
Loyalty should be to humanity, family, and core values rather than to empire, and people in countries like Iran are not the enemy.

The Desire for Terror

Thinking about... • 1582 implied HN points • 08 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

A war with Iran or related actions could provoke or be followed by a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, which political actors might use as a pretext to cancel or federalize upcoming elections.
Counterterror defenses have been weakened by policy choices, politicized and inexperienced leaders, and misplaced focus on immigration, making both foreign and domestic threats more likely and harder to stop.
Citizens and local authorities must prepare now, avoid being surprised or panicked by an attack, and refuse to let any crisis be used to suspend democratic checks or steal elections.

THE SWAMP LOG: Dire Strait, Pentagon Bans Cartoons, Little Marco's Big Shoes

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 1934 implied HN points • 16 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

The president is pushing allied countries and China to send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, since about 20% of the world’s oil passes through it.
Major partners like Japan and Australia have declined and the UK is noncommittal, so China’s decision could make or break a planned summit and put strain on NATO relations.
Iran’s actions are already squeezing global energy supplies, and the narrowness of the strait makes tankers vulnerable to cheap weapons, though a wider crisis has been avoided so far.

How Israel Convinced Trump to Wage War Against Iran (w/ Max Blumenthal) | The Chris Hedges Report

The Chris Hedges Report • 231 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

An influence campaign by Israeli-aligned actors and wealthy backers leveraged Trump’s transactional instincts and fears to push him toward aggressive action against Iran.
The FBI’s use of informants and sting operations appears to have manufactured or exaggerated assassination plots on U.S. soil, reinforcing the belief that Iran was targeting Trump and helping justify escalation.
Those pressures contributed to a damaging war that shut down negotiations, provoked heavy retaliation, and raised the risk of a wider or even nuclear confrontation while leaving key questions about motives and accountability.

British spies were commissioned to gather information in Libya by the Democratic Party's overseas political action arm in aftermath of execution of Gaddafi

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 712 implied HN points • 16 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The National Democratic Institute hired a UAE-based firm run by former SCL staff to conduct MEPI-funded focus groups in Libya after Gaddafi’s fall, showing overt democracy programs used contractors with intelligence backgrounds.
Court documents and emails suggest that the UAE firm (IAS) acted as a cut-out for information-warfare contractors like MSI and SCL, with covert data-collection work — including plans to offload “dodgier” tasks and mobile-phone tracking — moving between private firms.
Declassified records and staff movements reveal long-standing informal links between NED/NDI and U.S. intelligence, blurring the line between overt public diplomacy and covert operations and raising transparency and accountability concerns.

Joe Kent Resigns. Will Others Follow?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 996 implied HN points • 18 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Joe Kent, who led the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned in protest over a potential war with Iran and is being hailed by some as an anti-war dissident.
His resignation letter claims President Trump was misled by Israel and its backers about an imminent Iranian threat, which raises doubts about Kent's reliability as an intelligence witness.
Reactions are divided—Tucker Carlson praised Kent as brave while figures like Tulsi Gabbard defended the president—so it’s unclear whether more officials will follow his lead.

Israel And Its Supporters Are Causing Attacks On Jewish Institutions

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2305 implied HN points • 14 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Supporters of Israel often blur the line between the Israeli state and Jewish people, treating criticism of Israel as criticism of all Jews.
Pro-Palestine leftists make careful distinctions between opposing Israeli policies or Zionism and opposing Judaism, but they still get blamed when people attack Jewish institutions.
Because Israel’s supporters dominate media narratives and push the idea that the nation and Jewish people are synonymous, future attacks on Jewish institutions are likely to be blamed on Israel and its apologists, who will be held responsible for creating that link.

The Havana Syndrome Edition

Why is this interesting? • 723 implied HN points • 10 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

A compact, silent, backpack-sized directed-energy device with foreign components is now plausible and was reportedly tested, making a covert attack on diplomats more believable than previously thought.
Officials ran two parallel narratives: public, lawyerly assessments downplayed foreign responsibility while private communications and meetings showed sympathy for victims, suggesting an intentional effort to manage political and escalation risks.
Scientific panels pointed to pulsed microwave energy as a plausible cause for some cases, and the weapon’s engineered waveform—rather than just hardware—raises fresh questions about coverups, delayed responses, and past incidents like the Moscow Signal.

They Lied About The School Bombing In Iran, And They're Going To Keep On Lying

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2407 implied HN points • 13 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

US leaders and mainstream outlets pushed a false narrative about the Iranian girls' school bombing to hide US responsibility, and they will keep lying to justify the war.
The war is being used to crush dissent and erode free speech at home, with harsh laws and arrests showing how blowback becomes an excuse for authoritarian measures.
Christian Zionism and imperial interests have reshaped politics and religion to prioritize military support for Israel, fueling cycles of violence, resource extraction, and predictable retaliation.

The Foreign Money Behind America’s Anti-War Protests

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 746 implied HN points • 17 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Leftist activists quickly mobilized large anti-war protests after U.S. strikes on Iran, using the same slogans and tactics seen in recent anti‑ICE and anti‑Israel rallies.
The ANSWER Coalition functions as an umbrella for far‑left groups, coordinating a demonstration‑industrial ecosystem where organizations share infrastructure, messaging, and reach to produce disruptive rallies.
Many of these organizations are tied to hostile foreign actors, including Chinese‑backed networks, which raises concerns about outside funding, coordination, and possible legal or ethical problems.

Jeffrey Sachs Is Trying To Fix The New York Times' Iran War Coverage, One Email At A Time

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 2828 implied HN points • 11 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The US pursued a “maximum pressure” strategy—using sanctions and economic measures early on—to weaken Iran and push for regime change, which helped trigger economic collapse and street protests. Major media outlets have largely failed to report this connection.
Current US and Israeli military actions against Iran look like unjustified aggression rather than lawful self‑defense and risk a severe global energy crisis, stagflation, and long recovery times for damaged infrastructure. Global leaders need to publicly pressure Washington and Tel Aviv to stop the attacks.
A powerful, unaccountable “deep state”—including intelligence agencies and military interests—drives aggressive foreign policy with little congressional oversight, and officials who promise reform often get co‑opted. Strong, independent investigations and oversight are urgently needed to restore democratic control.

⚡ Electric America, Electric West

Faster, Please! • 1188 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

A single energy chokepoint like the Strait of Hormuz can quickly shock the global economy, driving up fuel, food, and industrial costs.
The damage from such shocks depends on how much the world still relies on that chokepoint, and that reliance can be reduced over time by changing energy systems.
Democracies should treat energy policy as a core strategic priority, accelerating electrification and domestic clean energy to boost resilience and reduce vulnerability.

We Are The Villains In This Story

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2966 implied HN points • 11 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Western governments, especially the United States, act as imperial aggressors whose wars and policies cause widespread death and suffering around the world.
Many people cling to a comforting story that they are the good guys, but propaganda and self-deception hide the calculated motives of power and profit behind that fiction.
Recognizing this truth creates a responsibility to wake up, resist, and work to dismantle the empire for the sake of future generations and those harmed by its violence.

War Isn't a Zero-Sum Game

Nonzero Newsletter • 790 implied HN points • 21 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

War is often non-zero-sum: even if one side gains land or security, the human and economic losses can leave both sides worse off.
Political leaders can personally benefit from conflicts, so they may start or prolong wars for domestic political gain even when the country as a whole suffers.
If people recognize that wars are often driven by leaders' incentives and special-interest pressure, they can be more skeptical of threat inflation and help push to change the incentives that make war politically rewarding.

Who's That Source? Iran Edition

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 2786 implied HN points • 10 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Many analysts from DC think tanks and NGOs are presented as neutral experts, but their funding sources and past advocacy can shape their views and those ties are often not disclosed.
Some organizations produce rigorous, policy-relevant research and advise government, while others have clear partisan, donor-driven, or foreign-linked agendas that push hawkish or activist positions.
With deeper U.S. involvement in the Iran conflict, media and readers need clearer transparency about who funds and influences cited experts so public debate isn’t shaped by hidden interests.

Trump Can Deliver a Lasting Victory in Iran. Here’s How.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 403 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The piece argues that President Trump can achieve a lasting victory in Iran.
The president wants an end to the war, but he also believes a premature exit would leave Iran’s core threat intact.
Active U.S. military operations, like Operation Epic Fury in the Eastern Mediterranean, show ongoing engagement and imply a need for sustained pressure.

The Takaichi Era begins for real

Noahpinion • 23294 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Takaichi's party won a historic landslide and now holds a supermajority, so she can push through most laws and shape Japan's policy direction.
Japan is moving away from long-standing pacifism to rebuild its military and deepen security ties because of China’s rise and a less reliable U.S., which will require big strategic and diplomatic changes.
Boosting defense will strain Japan's heavy public debt and force tough trade-offs on social spending, but it could also revive manufacturing, spur bolder R&D and AI adoption, and attract foreign defense investment.

Are We Winning the War in Iran? Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 329 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The war has escalated with strikes and the targeted killing of senior Iranian figures, and leaders are debating whether a decisive military victory is even possible.
The conflict is already spilling into the global economy and region—oil prices are surging, major energy sites have been hit, and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted.
The fight is politically fraught and uncertain: U.S. officials face pressure and resignations, intelligence describes Iran as degraded but intact, and experts disagree whether decapitating the regime will topple it or reveal its resilience.

How Israel Is Helping Iran’s Opposition

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 380 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26

🌐 International Foreign Policy

Israel is actively targeting Iranian security forces blamed for killing protesters, aiming to weaken those who crushed demonstrations.
Israeli forces may provide air cover if another uprising breaks out, suggesting readiness to intervene more directly during future protests.
This pattern shows Israel moving beyond diplomatic support toward clearer military or covert backing for Iran’s opposition.

The Anti-Israel Podcasters Don’t Speak for MAGA

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 695 implied HN points • 17 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Some online influencers say Trump betrayed MAGA by fighting Iran on Israel's behalf and that his voters are abandoning him over the war.
Actual polls show Republican voters still overwhelmingly support both the military action and the U.S.-Israel alliance, contradicting those influencer claims.
The idea that young MAGA voters are defecting is largely false, and social media chatter and media coverage overstate dissent within the base.

Illegals, Voting Issues, War & the Weaponized Justice System: Fixing America in 3 Sentences or Less

Tom Renz’s Newsletter • 1091 implied HN points • 26 Oct 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Fixing issues like illegal immigration and voting doesn't have to be complicated. Simple changes to laws or spending could make a big difference.
Many people agree that stopping foreign wars and taking care of Americans first should be a priority. It might only take a few sentences in a bill to make this happen.
The way the justice system is used can feel unfair, especially in politics. Making small adjustments to how funding works could help fix this problem.

How Trump Can Buy Time for His Iran War

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 259 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

The current campaign against Iran is functioning as a global energy war rather than a traditional territorial conflict, because it directly threatens the oil and gas flows that keep economies running.
Oil prices are the central battleground — spikes quickly translate into pain at the pump and broader economic strain, and disruptions to natural gas supply (like halted LNG) are making the pressure worse instead of easing it.
There is growing pressure on the president to end the war to stabilize energy markets, but there are political and strategic options that could let him buy time and continue the campaign.

It Is Not Okay For Grown Adults To Believe Infantile Fairy Tales About Iran

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 3217 implied HN points • 08 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Don't accept the story that the US wages wars to bring freedom, democracy, or to protect its people; those are simplistic, childish justifications for intervention.
Be extremely skeptical of western news and government claims about wars, including atrocity stories and the ‘we are the good guys’ narrative.
Recognize the hypocrisy and double standards: interventions often serve the interests of Israel and western elites, not ordinary Iranians, and no life should be valued less because of nationality.

New Issue Of JOHNSTONE: They're Going To Keep Lying About This War The Entire Time

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1075 implied HN points • 15 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The government and mainstream media are repeatedly lying about this war, inventing or mischaracterizing events like missile strikes, nuclear threats, and casualty figures. They use those lies to build support for military action.
These deceptions expose the true nature of imperial power and the plutocrats who run it, showing that they prioritize control and violence over democracy or human rights. Their actions reveal hypocrisy and a willingness to harm others to keep power.
The proper response is skepticism and refusal to accept pro-war narratives at face value, so people should stop trusting leaders and outlets that push warmongering propaganda. Demand accountability, question official claims, and resist being rallied into war.

Iran War Supporters Invent a New and Absurd Justification: It Is All About China

Glenn Greenwald • 2408 implied HN points • 10 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The idea that the U.S. war on Iran is really aimed at hurting China is a new, widely promoted justification that the administration itself has not presented as its main motive.
The China argument is weak because China’s ties to Iran are neither unique nor decisive, and U.S. actions have often pushed Middle Eastern states toward Beijing rather than blocking it.
A more plausible driver of the conflict is pro-Israel and hawkish interests, and the China narrative mainly distracts from Israel’s influence and other political motives behind the war.

The World According to Gaza

The Chris Hedges Report • 481 implied HN points • 15 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Powerful states and elites are using overwhelming force with impunity to crush weaker peoples, turning war, resource theft and blockade into tools of control.
Global institutions, courts and media are failing or complicit, leaving the rule of law hollow and enabling authoritarian violence at home and abroad.
Even if risky or unlikely to succeed, resistance is presented as the only moral response to preserve dignity and prevent complete submission to a brutal, unequal order.