U.S.–South Korea Military Exercises at a Strategic Crossroads

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…

Trump’s Nuclear Sub Deal with South Korea

When President Trump announced that the United States would share nuclear-powered submarine technology with South Korea, jaws hit the floor faster than a dropped anchor. It’s not every day that the world’s most guarded military technology gets a ticket across the Pacific. But in classic Trump fashion, it’s a move that’s both audacious and strategic:…

The Voice of America Shake-Up

When news broke that more than 1,300 Voice of America (VOA) employees were placed on leave and funding was terminated for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Radio Free Asia (RFA), a lot of folks immediately hit the panic button. Headlines started screaming about “censorship” and “authoritarianism,” but let’s take a breath and actually break…

Trump, Zelenskyy, and the Weight of War

Yesterday’s White House meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a high-stakes diplomatic encounter that revealed much about where both leaders—and their respective nations—stand on the war in Ukraine. What was meant to be a discussion on peace and cooperation quickly became a tense and sometimes awkward exchange, as Trump questioned Ukraine’s…