The hottest Foreign Policy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways

The Transitive Strongman

Thinking about... • 521 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Strength in strongman politics is mostly a performance that followers grant, not an objective quality. Once people accept that a leader is stronger than them, they often feel compelled to submit and tolerate public humiliation.
Strongmen treat laws and institutions as stage props and then break them to display power, which ultimately weakens the country and hurts ordinary people. The spectacle of force can look like strength while undermining real security and prosperity.
Everyday scenes — like sports stars being baited or courted by leaders — show how the cult of strength normalizes submissive behavior, but resistance is possible and the aura of the strongman is not irresistible.

A Brief History of Times

Doomberg • 8466 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

The administration is pushing oil companies to invest in Venezuelan oil to help lower prices, but Exxon warns Venezuela is currently uninvestable and needs major legal and commercial reforms before it would return.
Exxon’s disciplined, long-term, risk-averse culture clashes with the president’s improvisational, rhetoric-driven, fast-changing approach, creating clear tension between the company and the administration.
That clash matters beyond headlines: the dispute could have big effects on energy markets and U.S. foreign policy, especially regarding how the U.S. handles Venezuela and its posture toward Russia in the coming years.

Welcome to Chaos World

Noahpinion • 19941 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The U.S. abduction of a foreign leader without clear international backing shows the old global order and norms are breaking down.
The raid seemed driven more by American domestic politics and opportunism than by enforcing global rules, revealing a mercurial and self-interested use of U.S. power.
Because motives were unclear and unpredictable, the action has amplified global uncertainty and could encourage other countries to arm themselves, settle scores, and act more aggressively.

Activism, Uncensored: The War In Iran

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 1634 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

The U.S.-Israeli strikes sparked immediate, opposing public reactions with both protests and celebrations happening within hours.
Left-wing groups quickly organized emergency protests in multiple cities, with demonstrators directing anger at Israel and President Trump.
The announcement that Iran’s supreme leader had been killed intensified the response, leading to on-the-ground celebrations and follow-up rallies.

The Posthumous Makeover of Ali Khamenei

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2021 implied HN points • 01 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei was killed when U.S. and Israeli strikes reduced his Tehran compound to rubble, and many Iranians at home and in the diaspora celebrated his death.
He was widely seen as a symbol of oppression and the architect of decades of terror at home and abroad, blamed for the deaths of tens of thousands of people.
Major Western media outlets published obituaries that softened his record and dressed him up as a statesman instead of confronting his role in repression and violence.

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What The Longest State Of The Union In History Didn't Clarify

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 2800 implied HN points • 25 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

The State of the Union was the longest in history and full of soaring rhetoric, but it did little to ease fears that a new Middle East quagmire may be coming.
The speech emphasized themes of war and peace and highlighted claims like the capture of Nicolas Maduro and an end to eight wars, yet offered few concrete policy details.
Iran loomed largest in the debate, with leaders stressing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs as a national security threat, signaling pressure for measures that could heighten the risk of conflict.

NZNet Digest: Lawlessness as the New Normal

Nonzero Newsletter • 361 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

International rules are breaking down as powerful actors carry out unlawful actions. Most opposition focuses on cost or practicality instead of principle, which weakens the rules‑based order and makes negotiations harder.
AI tools are reshaping software work: open‑source agents and “vibe‑coding” let non‑experts prototype quickly and can feel like having multiple engineers. The durable value, however, is likely to concentrate in the models, training data, and infrastructure rather than the interchangeable builders.
Breaking informal norms at home can unravel social expectations and normalize harmful behavior. That erosion shows up in politics, community safety concerns, and debates over public symbols of support for foreign governments.

Why Europe should resist the Second China Shock

Noahpinion • 25706 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Europe needs to keep its manufacturing base so it can scale up weapons and equipment quickly in a high-tech war; letting industry die would weaken its military options.
Cheap, high-tech Chinese exports are creating large trade deficits that act like IOUs and can drain Europe of jobs, profits, and the innovative capacity that comes from making things at scale.
To stop this, Europe should use targeted measures — tariffs and non-tariff barriers on Chinese goods, export subsidies, allied-scale partnerships, joint ventures, and pressure on China’s exchange rate — to rebuild and protect domestic industry.

Tucker Carlson’s Absurd Chabad Conspiracy

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1252 implied HN points • 06 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Chabad Houses are local community centers run by families that offer meals, fellowship, and help in many cities — they are not a global conspiracy.
A commentator claimed Chabad was masterminding a plot to provoke war with Iran because some soldiers wear patches showing the Third Temple, but that leap is baseless and absurd.
The patches reflect a religious vision about rebuilding the Third Temple, which is a sensitive symbol for both Jews and Muslims, and isolated symbols on uniforms don’t prove an organized plan to start a war.

The Current Thing

In My Tribe • 668 implied HN points • 02 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

The U.S. decided to fight Iran now to confront a regime that has long attacked America and to prevent further nuclear and missile advances, so the real choice was timing rather than peace versus war.
Iran’s leadership looks unwilling to surrender peacefully, so the approach should be to keep removing regime leaders until they accept terms while sparing the general population from massive suffering.
The war will deepen domestic political splits — with vocal anti-American and pro-Iran voices on the left and blame-shifting on the right — even though most Americans may ultimately support ousting the regime.

The Big Story Not Being Acknowledged

Phillips’s Newsletter • 240 implied HN points • 20 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The US lacks the capability, skills, and strategic mindset to effectively oppose China in the Western Pacific and would struggle to defend Taiwan or Japan for any sustained period.
Much of America's decline is self-inflicted: poor strategic choices, weakened institutions, and degraded military thinking have eroded its ability to wage effective campaigns.
Changes in military technology and China's much greater capacity to generate and sustain forces give China a long-term advantage, so even if the US wins early battles, China is likelier to prevail over time.

The Second Phase of the Iran War

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 259 implied HN points • 16 Mar 26

🌐 International Foreign Policy

The U.S. and Israel have spent the first phase trying to decapitate Iran’s leadership and weaken its military power.
Their announced next goal is to end Iran’s nuclear program for good.
This represents a strategic shift toward targeting nuclear infrastructure and signals a potentially longer, more intense campaign with big regional and diplomatic consequences.

THE SWAMP LOG: The Peace Hawk, Homeland Shutdown, An Extraordinary Assertion of Power

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 2884 implied HN points • 23 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

It aims to demystify Washington and push back against insider, elite-driven coverage so regular readers can understand how power works.
This edition centers on high-stakes themes — a "peace hawk" stance, a homeland shutdown, and an extraordinary assertion of power — highlighting tensions in foreign policy and domestic authority.
The publication is reader-supported and mixes paid subscriptions with sponsor-backed free posts so some content can be accessed without a paywall.

Borrowed Time

Doomberg • 8235 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

EU leaders face weak accountability: Kaja Kallas was promoted to the EU's top diplomat role despite revelations that her husband's company continued doing business with Russia, highlighting hypocrisy and limited political consequences.
The EU's foreign policy machinery is overlapping and ineffective, with roles and authority spread across institutions in ways that create confusion and make coordinated strategy difficult. Putting relatively inexperienced people into those powerful but ill-defined posts makes the problem worse.
The EU has alienated many major powers and is drifting without a clear geopolitical strategy while facing economic and energy weaknesses. Those fragilities could spark a severe crisis or political shake-up if there is an energy shock, a defeat in Ukraine, or dramatic geopolitical moves elsewhere.

The Building of Fortress Iran

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 105 implied HN points • 23 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Two centuries of foreign meddling and territorial losses left a deep national trauma, so Iran’s politics are driven by a fear of being carved up or controlled by outsiders.
Every Iranian regime—monarchy, democratic, and theocratic—has been trying to build a strong, indivisible state, but each approach failed in different ways, leaving security prioritized over political openness.
The Islamic Republic turned that impulse into a Fortress Iran, and repeated foreign interventions and sanctions have only hardened Iran’s siege mentality and made internal change harder.

The Art of The Distraction

Vicky Ward Investigates • 599 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Trump is skilled at distracting the news media with bizarre comments, taking attention away from important issues. This keeps journalists focused on the flashy stories instead of serious topics.
Jared Kushner's business connections with Saudi Arabia pose potential risks to U.S. foreign policy. There are concerns that his ties could influence national interests if Trump were to become president again.
The couple, Jared and Ivanka, is pursuing new business ventures that could also raise eyebrows about possible conflicts of interest. Their social media portrays a glamorous lifestyle that distracts from the seriousness of their past and current connections.

In Praise of Trump's Leader-Decapitation Strategy

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 1926 implied HN points • 07 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Targeted killing of hostile leaders is an effective, achievable foreign-policy tool that can reduce threats without full-scale nation building.
The United States should favor limited, precise actions like leader-decapitation over large, costly interventions and long occupations.
This approach still carries real risks of escalation and unintended consequences, so it must be used carefully and isn’t a cure-all.

America's chip export controls are working

Noahpinion • 18294 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Export controls on advanced chips and equipment are effectively slowing China’s progress and help the U.S. keep a crucial technological edge that supports military deterrence.
Allowing sales of powerful chips like Nvidia’s H200 would sharply reduce America’s AI compute advantage and let Chinese AI labs catch up faster, increasing the risk of conflict.
Many touted Chinese breakthroughs (e.g., 7nm or EUV prototypes) are overstated and China still faces major technical and supply-chain hurdles, so selling chips won’t stop indigenization and may only accelerate China’s capabilities.

'The rock upon which all dictators have perished'

Wrong Side of History • 403 implied HN points • 06 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The UK–US 'special relationship' is real in institutions and history but is unequal and often treated with cynicism because each country ultimately puts its own interests first.
British domestic politics and shifting voter demographics make leaders cautious about joining American military actions, so popular opposition and unclear goals limit UK support.
The alliance was strongest when both sides shared a clear mission against common threats and deep ties (culture, nuclear forces, intelligence), but its emotional pull has weakened across generations.

March 20, 2026

Letters from an American • 27 implied HN points • 21 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Attacks have escalated to hit major Gulf energy infrastructure like the South Pars gas field, disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and forcing countries to declare force majeure on oil exports.
The U.S. appears to have coordinated strikes and is preparing to send thousands of troops and possibly seize key oil facilities, while congressional Republicans are largely avoiding public oversight and the White House is packaging the war with entertainment-style messaging.
The war is driving up oil prices and inflation, hurting markets and adding huge economic costs, and most Americans disapprove of the military action, especially if it raises gas prices.

Forget Trump and Greenland. Howard Lutnick Gave the Davos Speech that Mattered

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 10203 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

A senior U.S. commerce official publicly declared that globalization has failed and argued for an America‑first approach that prioritizes domestic workers over offshoring.
Those remarks mattered more than the headline-grabbing political theater at Davos because they directly challenged the World Economic Forum’s pro-globalization consensus and signaled a real policy shift.
The speech sparked boos, walkouts, and outrage among global elites, exposing deep divisions and forcing Europe and others to rethink competitiveness and self-reliance.

If Iran Kills US Troops, The Blame Rests Solely On The US And Israel

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2086 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Some U.S. officials reportedly want Israel to strike Iran first so an Iranian retaliation against U.S. assets would create political cover for a U.S. war.
Government leaders and mainstream media are pushing misleading or false claims about Iran’s intentions and capabilities to manufacture public support for military action.
Because the U.S. and Israel have pursued sanctions, military deployments, covert actions, and attacks that escalate tensions, any Iranian retaliation that kills U.S. or Israeli troops would be the consequence of those provocations and thus their responsibility.

Tell Iranian And Cuban Diaspora Warmongers To Shut The Fuck Up

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2817 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Some people from the Iranian or Cuban diaspora push for US military intervention and try to silence critics, and those bullying tactics should be called out. You don’t have to defer to them just because of their family background.
Opposing imperialist wars and sanctions is everyone’s right, even if you aren’t from the targeted country. Lived experience doesn’t give anyone a veto over criticizing warmongering policies.
Backing US interventions or the economic strangling of countries is morally wrong and often serves powerful, dangerous interests. People who advance those agendas should be opposed, not given special deference.

Where in the World Is Mojtaba Khamenei?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 556 implied HN points • 11 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Mojtaba Khamenei appears to be injured and is being kept out of public view after the initial US–Israeli strikes.
Senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders have likely taken charge of the regime and are running the war in his stead.
The regime is leaning on performative displays of loyalty—like a taped cardboard cutout at rallies—which exposes efforts to hide instability and maintain appearances.

The Iran Strike Is All About China

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1604 implied HN points • 02 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The U.S.-Israel strike on Iran is meant to weaken a key pillar of China’s regional strategy, not just punish Iran for sponsoring terrorism.
China has spent billions building Iran into a strategic asset and supplying the regime with tools to survive domestic popular rejection.
The attack signals a broader push to reshape regional power in the Indo-Pacific and roll back Beijing’s growing architecture of influence.

No Bro This War Will Be Completely Different, Bro

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2281 implied HN points • 25 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Claims that a new US war will be "completely different" reuse the same comforting talking points, and history shows similar interventions in the region often cause harm.
Mainstream media, think tanks, and officials frequently justify intervention with WMD scares, humanitarian rhetoric, or promises of bringing democracy, so those narratives deserve close skepticism.
Opposition is commonly met with ad hominem attacks and assurances that leaders will quickly fix mistakes, but real accountability and course-correction rarely follow, so be wary of simplistic reassurances.

If You Think The US Wants To Bring Democracy To Iran, Watch What They're Currently Doing To Iraq

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2211 implied HN points • 24 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The US is using economic levers—like control of Iraq’s oil revenue—to pressure Iraqi political choices, for example by pushing against Nouri al‑Maliki’s bid for prime minister.
America often reshapes governments and economies to keep friendly rulers in power, so its talk of bringing democracy can mask direct control and interference.
Policy toward Iran looks aimed at weakening or fragmenting the country to maintain dominance rather than promoting democracy, with some strategists even advocating balkanization.

New York’s First Lady Liked Post Calling October 7 Rapes a ‘Mass Hoax’

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 811 implied HN points • 07 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

The First Lady liked an Instagram post calling the October 7 sexual violence a "mass rape hoax," appearing to endorse claims that dispute reported sexual assaults.
She liked more than 70 posts strongly critical of Israel, including ones calling it a "vile land grab," praising protesters, and urging the ICC to seek an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu.
The pattern of likes also included attacks on U.S. leadership and shows a consistent alignment with extreme anti-Israel rhetoric, which is notable given her public role.

Yao Yang on three shifts he saw in the U.S. and in China-U.S. relations

Pekingnology • 67 implied HN points • 24 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Fewer Chinese students are coming to the U.S., which is squeezing public university budgets because stricter visa/work policies and better job prospects at home make U.S. study less attractive.
American attitudes and strategy on China are shifting: a new generation of scholars and changing political camps are more sober and interest-driven, favoring selective, pragmatic policy over older emotional or broadly expansionist approaches.
True decoupling is limited because the U.S. and China remain economically complementary, while capital-driven narratives (like AI hype) and fast-changing policy create public anxiety and leave think tanks lagging behind events.

Iran and the immorality of OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google

Nonzero Newsletter • 1253 implied HN points • 07 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Special interests and biased media framing distort how America views Iran. That encourages misreading defensive actions as offensive and makes preemptive war more likely.
Big AI firms have provided models used in Pentagon-linked targeting tools, linking those companies to strikes that killed civilians. Promises to avoid fully autonomous weapons don’t absolve firms when their tech is used to plan lethal operations.
Domestic politics are shifting: a top DHS leader resigned and polls show Americans increasingly view fellow citizens as morally bad. These trends signal weakening support for current immigration enforcement and growing civic distrust.

Gas prices are set to go vertical

Silver Bulletin • 781 implied HN points • 08 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Gas prices are likely to spike sharply soon because oil production and shipping in the Gulf are being disrupted, and short-term forecasts put U.S. pump prices possibly in the $4.50–$5.00 range or higher.
A rapid, large increase in gas prices could hurt the president politically, since voters punish inflation and he campaigned on lower fuel costs; his casual response may amplify the damage.
Even though Iran alone isn’t the biggest oil producer, attacks on other Gulf producers and the effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz threaten about 30% of global oil supply, creating a big supply shock and major uncertainty.

Cabinet Apocalypse

Thinking about... • 744 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

A coordinated effort to dismantle democratic institutions by installing loyalists, gutting the civil service, redirecting public funds to private interests, and using legal power to protect allies and undermine the rule of law.
Deliberate promotion of social and ecological collapse—through anti-vaccine stances, blocking green energy, and stoking disorder—to create disease, chaos, and violence that break national cohesion and enrich a few.
Weakening national defense and oversight to empower foreign autocrats and billionaire enclaves, using intelligence failures, repressive security forces, and automated warfare risks to concentrate power and profit.

This Is How the Islamic Republic Falls

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1423 implied HN points • 28 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

The U.S. and Israeli air strikes hit Iran’s infrastructure and were portrayed as a move to open a better future for the Iranian people.
The strikes came after weeks of diplomacy, naval buildup, and Western frustration that threats and demands hadn’t changed Iran’s behavior.
The Islamic Republic doesn’t always respond like a rational state; its revolutionary ideology is weakening its hold on the population and eroding its domestic power.

TGIF: The Situation Has Snowballed

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1562 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

The U.S. men's hockey team's dramatic gold-medal win gave us an iconic, bloody-toothed celebration but became controversial after the president called them on speakerphone and made a joke about the women's team.
Sports moments are being heavily politicized, with media and fans reading politics into who cheers for whom and treating athletes' supporters as political statements.
Many people want to celebrate athletic achievement itself — praising both the men's hockey team and athletes like Eileen Gu — instead of letting national ties or politics erase admiration.

Will Iran break MAGA?

Silver Bulletin • 486 implied HN points • 11 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Republican voters remain largely loyal to Trump and, so far, strongly support the Iran war; surprisingly, self-identified MAGA Republicans are even more pro-war than other GOP voters.
The Republican elite is deeply split: traditional hawks and major donors back military action while prominent MAGA media figures and some lawmakers condemn it, creating an internal party clash.
That elite split could reshape mass opinion over time — as Trump becomes a lame duck and younger or new GOP leaders push isolationism, elite views may trickle down and erode support, especially if the war brings US casualties or higher gas prices.

Caveat Emptor

Erick Erickson's Confessions of a Political Junkie • 2318 implied HN points • 03 Oct 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Iran is strengthening its military capabilities and could soon have nuclear weapons, posing a threat to Israel and the Middle East.
The strike by dockworkers during a hurricane highlights issues in leadership during crises, with politicians taking sides rather than focusing on helping people.
There's concern about the growing power of the government and its impact on individual freedoms, with calls for a more conservative approach to governance.

More Shockingly Honest Confessions From The Empire Managers

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2835 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Some US officials are openly saying future wars are being planned in Israel and are pushing for military action against countries like Iran, even while admitting that American troops could be harmed.
Top politicians are praising five centuries of Western colonialism and calling for a renewed Western alliance with Europe to reassert dominance over the Global South.
There is a strong critique that 'Western civilization' today relies on war, exploitation, and ecocide, and many argue that this system should be challenged and reformed rather than celebrated.

We Deserve Better War Propaganda

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1909 implied HN points • 23 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Officials and tabloid media are pushing obvious, unverified claims about Iran to justify hostility, often relying on anonymous sources and weak evidence.
The propaganda is so crude it shows leaders don’t care about winning public consent, yet they’re still preparing for a large and dangerous war despite broad opposition.
This loss of credible justification suggests the empire is growing more openly tyrannical and strengthens the case for popular resistance and systemic change.

There Is No MAGA Split on Iran

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 370 implied HN points • 12 Mar 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy

Major outlets are claiming there's a split in the MAGA movement over the Iran war, pointing to anti-war figures like Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly.
The piece argues that this narrative is driven by a handful of high-profile commentators and commentators’ platforms, not a broad base rebellion.
Polling shows there isn’t a large MAGA split on Iran, which contradicts much of the media coverage.

Chartbook 432 "Writing column. Talking w peril" - polycrisis or stroke?

Chartbook • 4077 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy

Widespread misconduct among powerful people exposes deep hypocrisy and blurs the moral and political lines that were supposed to hold institutions together.
Buzzwords like "polycrisis" or "rupture" understate the problem — the moment feels more like a sudden, disorienting collapse driven by personal and motivational breakdowns among elites.
Calls for rational, rules‑based fixes sound hollow unless we confront the underlying psychological and ethical rot; rebuilding trust will be slow and require honest, therapeutic reckoning, not just policy tweaks.