President Trump has ordered the Pentagon to substantially scale back the annual joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea. The announcement came only hours before the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise was scheduled to begin, leaving military officials with the unenviable task of adjusting a major operation after the troops had already…
Who Controls the Strait of Hormuz?
President Trump has taken the contest over the Strait of Hormuz beyond blockades, shipping lanes, and naval power. Speaking in Garden City, New York, he declared that once the United States finished defeating Iran, he would “pretty soon” designate the strait as American territory. He reinforced the point by noting that the United States controls…
Weighing Trump’s Federal Gas Tax Holiday Proposal
President Trump’s proposal to suspend the federal gas tax comes at a politically obvious moment. Gas prices have surged amid the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz remains under Iranian pressure, and ordinary Americans are getting clobbered at the pump. Trump floated the idea after prices rose past $4.50 per gallon, while the federal gas…
Trump, Germany, and the Cost of a Feud
When foreign policy starts to look less like long-range strategy and more like a high-stakes personality clash, it’s worth pausing and asking whether the adults are still in the room. That’s the uncomfortable backdrop to President Trump’s reported order to withdraw roughly 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, a move unfolding amid a heated dispute with…
Russia Helping Iran Target U.S. Forces
Russia has reportedly shared intelligence with Iran that could help Tehran locate and potentially target U.S. military assets in the Middle East. According to reporting by the Associated Press, U.S. officials believe Russia has passed along information that could improve Iran’s ability to track American ships, aircraft, and other military infrastructure in the region. Even…
The Independent Christian Conservative 