Johns Hopkins University / Ozy
John McLaughlin is a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a contributor to OZY, an online magazine. He served as Acting Director and Deputy Director of the CIA during the George W. Bush Administration.
Trump transition names loyal hardliners Three major appointments we announced this morning by the Trump transition team: Alabama Senator and hardliner Jeff Sessions for Attorney General; Kansas Republican Congressman Mike Pompeo to head the CIA; and former Lt. General Mike Flynn as the President's National Security Advisor. Flynn is famous for leading the chant "lock her up," aimed at Hillary Clinton during the Republican National Convention.
An FBI bombshell in the final stretch Last Friday’s October surprise by FBI Director James Comey hasn’t helped Donald Trump or damaged Hillary Clinton… at least so far. Early polls show voters knew about the latest email kerfuffle, but that they’d already made up their minds. Many said they wished this campaign were over. The political world is fully engrossed. Was Comey trying to influence the election? Did he violate the law? Did he have any choice? Democrats are outraged. Former attorneys general--even Republican Senators--are asking questions. But the most important won’t be answered until next Tuesday: will it affect the turnout?
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?