Christian Caryl
@ccaryl.bsky.social
Columnist @ForeignPolicy.com. Writing, insomnia, birds. Frequenter of diners. Ex-WaPo, ex-Newsweek. Own worst enemy. Book: Strange Rebels: 1979 and the Birth of the 21st Century
Btw, where was J. D. Vance during today’s press conference? Could it be that the administration’s arch-isolationist didn’t want to be visibly associated with Trump’s Venezuela policy?
January 4, 2026 at 12:15 AM
Btw, where was J. D. Vance during today’s press conference? Could it be that the administration’s arch-isolationist didn’t want to be visibly associated with Trump’s Venezuela policy?
Reposted by Christian Caryl
New Interview: www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
January 3, 2026 at 9:42 PM
New Interview: www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
Steve Bannon was having conniptions over Trump’s recent threats against Iran. Wonder how he will react to this. Potential for a fresh split within the MAGA coalition
January 3, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Steve Bannon was having conniptions over Trump’s recent threats against Iran. Wonder how he will react to this. Potential for a fresh split within the MAGA coalition
“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” says Trump. We are on our way to an open-ended military commitment
January 3, 2026 at 5:19 PM
“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” says Trump. We are on our way to an open-ended military commitment
Reposted by Christian Caryl
Trump just announces the US will be running Venezuela now, until the can do a "safe, proper, and judicious" transfer of power. Announcing an occupation before you've occupied a country is a new one.
January 3, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Trump just announces the US will be running Venezuela now, until the can do a "safe, proper, and judicious" transfer of power. Announcing an occupation before you've occupied a country is a new one.
Trump accuses Maduro of stealing American assets (oil). So I guess we’ll be taking them back, right? Remember how Trump said of Iraq that we should “take the oil”?
January 3, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Trump accuses Maduro of stealing American assets (oil). So I guess we’ll be taking them back, right? Remember how Trump said of Iraq that we should “take the oil”?
Trump says “we’re going to run the country” after U.S. captures Maduro. Welcome to our next forever war
January 3, 2026 at 4:48 PM
Trump says “we’re going to run the country” after U.S. captures Maduro. Welcome to our next forever war
Reposted by Christian Caryl
Inside Russia, fatigue and resentment are festering beneath the suppression of dissent.
The Kremlin presents the country as strong, united and on an inevitable path to victory, but as peace negotiations drag on, Russian society is deteriorating.
The Kremlin presents the country as strong, united and on an inevitable path to victory, but as peace negotiations drag on, Russian society is deteriorating.
As Russia’s war grinds on, its society is fraying
The Kremlin paints a picture of a society united by war, but underneath, frustration is festering as all avenues of creativity and dissent or controlled or blocked.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 30, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Inside Russia, fatigue and resentment are festering beneath the suppression of dissent.
The Kremlin presents the country as strong, united and on an inevitable path to victory, but as peace negotiations drag on, Russian society is deteriorating.
The Kremlin presents the country as strong, united and on an inevitable path to victory, but as peace negotiations drag on, Russian society is deteriorating.
Reposted by Christian Caryl
Protesters are gathering in Georgia for day 394 of daily, uninterrupted protests.
They’re holding signs quoting the Constitution:
“Everyone has the right to assemble publicly and peacefully, without prior permission.”
This comes as GD enforces a new law requiring 5 days’ prior notice for protests.
They’re holding signs quoting the Constitution:
“Everyone has the right to assemble publicly and peacefully, without prior permission.”
This comes as GD enforces a new law requiring 5 days’ prior notice for protests.
December 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Protesters are gathering in Georgia for day 394 of daily, uninterrupted protests.
They’re holding signs quoting the Constitution:
“Everyone has the right to assemble publicly and peacefully, without prior permission.”
This comes as GD enforces a new law requiring 5 days’ prior notice for protests.
They’re holding signs quoting the Constitution:
“Everyone has the right to assemble publicly and peacefully, without prior permission.”
This comes as GD enforces a new law requiring 5 days’ prior notice for protests.
Reposted by Christian Caryl
Drug cartels are driven by profit, not by murderous ideology like ISIS. Antifa is a loose-knit group of activists who aren’t plotting mass casualty events like al-Qaeda. Venezuela is complicit in human rights violations & drug trafficking, but it doesn’t sponsor terrorism like Iran. wapo.st/4qrV8U5
Opinion | Trump is losing sight of America’s real terrorist threat
ISIS and al-Qaeda thrive as Trump recklessly reallocates scarce security resources.
wapo.st
December 22, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Drug cartels are driven by profit, not by murderous ideology like ISIS. Antifa is a loose-knit group of activists who aren’t plotting mass casualty events like al-Qaeda. Venezuela is complicit in human rights violations & drug trafficking, but it doesn’t sponsor terrorism like Iran. wapo.st/4qrV8U5
In my latest piece for @foreignpolicy.com, I discuss a stunning new documentary on the war in Ukraine that’s just been shortlisted for an Oscar. I highly recommend giving it a watch.
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/19/2...
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/19/2...
A War Film to Change All War Films
An Oscar-shortlisted documentary shows actual battle in startling clarity.
foreignpolicy.com
December 20, 2025 at 6:21 PM
In my latest piece for @foreignpolicy.com, I discuss a stunning new documentary on the war in Ukraine that’s just been shortlisted for an Oscar. I highly recommend giving it a watch.
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/19/2...
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/19/2...
Reposted by Christian Caryl
Great article. I'd love to read the book version. It would be a ton of work but so very important.
December 16, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Great article. I'd love to read the book version. It would be a ton of work but so very important.
Reposted by Christian Caryl
The Trump administration has broken with decades of settled practice on corruption issues, and the American people will pay the price, writes Christian Caryl.
Beware of Trump’s Global Broligarchy
The president’s pay-to-play mentality is undermining U.S. foreign policy.
foreignpolicy.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:30 PM
The Trump administration has broken with decades of settled practice on corruption issues, and the American people will pay the price, writes Christian Caryl.
My latest for @foreignpolicy.com, in which I argue that Trump’s crony capitalist principles are undermining U.S. foreign policy
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/15/t...
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/15/t...
Beware of Trump’s Global Broligarchy
The president’s pay-to-play mentality is undermining U.S. foreign policy.
foreignpolicy.com
December 15, 2025 at 4:47 PM
My latest for @foreignpolicy.com, in which I argue that Trump’s crony capitalist principles are undermining U.S. foreign policy
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/15/t...
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/15/t...
Reposted by Christian Caryl
This devastating NYTimes assessment of the American military’s broken weapons development and military industrial systems is spot on. But if you’ve been reading @washingtonmonthly.com…/1 www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Opinion | Overmatched: Why the U.S. Military Must Reinvent Itself
Investing in the old ways of war leaves America at risk.
www.nytimes.com
December 14, 2025 at 10:22 PM
This devastating NYTimes assessment of the American military’s broken weapons development and military industrial systems is spot on. But if you’ve been reading @washingtonmonthly.com…/1 www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Couldn’t agree more
I've written this elsewhere (foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/11/p...), but since Putin will never—and can never—be convinced he'll lose in Ukraine, he'll obviously never agree to this new peace plan.
But positive signs that Witkoff and Kushner still aren't the final say in U.S. policy.
But positive signs that Witkoff and Kushner still aren't the final say in U.S. policy.
December 14, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Couldn’t agree more
Reposted by Christian Caryl
Insane statistic: Russia may have *already* suffered as many casualties in Ukraine as the U.S. did during the entirety of the Second World War.
December 12, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Insane statistic: Russia may have *already* suffered as many casualties in Ukraine as the U.S. did during the entirety of the Second World War.
Reposted by Christian Caryl
Trump has declared civilisational war on Europe. It won’t be easy – but here’s how to fight back | Paul Taylor
Trump has declared civilisational war on Europe. It won’t be easy – but here’s how to fight back | Paul Taylor
With democratic values under attack from populists within and former allies without, there are no simple solutions, says Paul Taylor of the European Policy Centre
www.theguardian.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Trump has declared civilisational war on Europe. It won’t be easy – but here’s how to fight back | Paul Taylor
Reposted by Christian Caryl
"When historians assess this age of American populism, Silicon Valley’s plutocrats will surely be judged its winners." Me on Trump's love of the broligarchy and what that means for Europe and Maga's future. as.ft.com/r/55519a35-2...
Trump is choosing the broligarchs over his base
[FREE TO READ] When historians assess this age of American populism, Silicon Valley’s plutocrats will surely be judged its winners
as.ft.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:11 PM
"When historians assess this age of American populism, Silicon Valley’s plutocrats will surely be judged its winners." Me on Trump's love of the broligarchy and what that means for Europe and Maga's future. as.ft.com/r/55519a35-2...
Reposted by Christian Caryl
The Trump security strategy calls for “re-instilling a culture of competence, rooting out so-called ‘DEI’ and other discriminatory and anti-competitive practices,” as if anyone could possibly imagine that Hegseth, Patel, RFK, Tulsi or other officials were chosen based on competence. wapo.st/4prmqK9
Opinion | Trump is sending a clear message to the free world
Trump’s national security strategy slams Europe, not Russia.
wapo.st
December 8, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The Trump security strategy calls for “re-instilling a culture of competence, rooting out so-called ‘DEI’ and other discriminatory and anti-competitive practices,” as if anyone could possibly imagine that Hegseth, Patel, RFK, Tulsi or other officials were chosen based on competence. wapo.st/4prmqK9
Trump criticizes Ukraine for its alleged lack of democracy. Funny that he never says that about Russia.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Trump thrashes European leaders in wide-ranging interview: ‘I think they’re weak’
In an interview with POLITICO, the president offered no reassurance to America’s allies about Russia and vowed to reshape their politics.
www.politico.com
December 9, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Trump criticizes Ukraine for its alleged lack of democracy. Funny that he never says that about Russia.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Drone sightings near critical infrastructure, 2025 (source: FT)
public.flourish.studio/uploads/1805...
public.flourish.studio/uploads/1805...
December 9, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Drone sightings near critical infrastructure, 2025 (source: FT)
public.flourish.studio/uploads/1805...
public.flourish.studio/uploads/1805...
Reposted by Christian Caryl
China’s predatory economy is the problem. Uniting with our allies to fight back is the only sensible response. Instead, Trump is undermining our allies, and hence we are losing. There was an alternative. /1 www.nytimes.com/2025/12/07/b...
China’s Trade Surplus Climbs Past $1 Trillion for First Time
www.nytimes.com
December 8, 2025 at 12:14 PM
China’s predatory economy is the problem. Uniting with our allies to fight back is the only sensible response. Instead, Trump is undermining our allies, and hence we are losing. There was an alternative. /1 www.nytimes.com/2025/12/07/b...
Reposted by Christian Caryl
Speaking of tigers... happy birthday to William Blake, born on this day in 1757!
November 28, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Speaking of tigers... happy birthday to William Blake, born on this day in 1757!