The Conversation

Trumpism isn’t dead, as the MAGA-merched crowds here at CPAC make clear. But Trump is struggling through a political winter that could signal the early stages of his MAGA movement’s decline.

While Iran’s long-range attack on Diego Garcia caught the world off guard, it was likely intended more for its psychological and political effects than for posing a real military threat.

The scope of Iran’s attacks has gone far beyond military facilities used by U.S. forces and have hit the sectors—travel, tourism and sporting events—that put the region so firmly on the global map.

So far, neither Hegseth’s obstacle course nor threats from the White House and the FCC have stopped the press from reporting stories or asking questions that the administration would rather not see or hear.

Although the supreme leader stands at the pinnacle of the Islamic Republic’s ruling structure, it does not rely on him alone.

The oceans may seem vast and empty, but GPS signals guide modern ships travel through crowded and contested space. When those signals are manipulated, the consequences do not stay confined to military systems.

International sanctions made compliance ruinously expensive and politically disastrous for some countries. A system built on voluntary participation, it turned out, could be voluntarily left.

Approving or rejecting candidates from Washington requires a functioning political process, a legitimate transitional authority and a population willing to accept an American imprimatur on their leadership — none of which exists.

Uncertainty triggered by war is not the only negative economic signal. Tariff policy, cuts to government employment, rising federal debt and the possibility of financial vulnerabilities are all weighing on the U.S. economy.

Has the U.S. entered a moment when members of Congress will reassert themselves the way they did at the tail end of the Vietnam war?

So far, Trump has called for the Iranian military and the Revolutionary Guard to lay down their arms. But the Trump administration has provided no guidance on how to do so, or to whom to do so.

Trump doesn’t mind creating a little bit of chaos and figuring out a way to make a profit on the other side of that.

Perhaps one of the most important measures is getting significant voter turnout that delivers large winning margins make efforts to manipulate results more difficult.

Body cameras will not deter violence committed by ICE agents unless policies clearly dictate their use.

The Colbert incident highlights the growing restrictions on editorial independence during the second Trump administration—either imposed by government threat or corporate fear.

Many importers have already paid out billions in tariffs since Trump started imposing them. Whether they get their money back is just one open question.