John Hudson
@johnphudson.bsky.social
I cover diplomacy and national security for The Washington Post
The three highest-ranking U.S. Catholic archbishops just said “the moral foundation for America’s actions in the world” has been thrown into question by a resurgence in the use or threat of military force, including in Venezuela and Greenland www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com
January 19, 2026 at 6:05 PM
The three highest-ranking U.S. Catholic archbishops just said “the moral foundation for America’s actions in the world” has been thrown into question by a resurgence in the use or threat of military force, including in Venezuela and Greenland www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
NEW: JD Vance supported US strikes on Iran this week and reasoned that Trump had to enforce his own red line, per sources. It was a surprise role reversal for a politician who built his identity on opposing Middle East wars with a loose connection to core US interests
January 17, 2026 at 9:03 PM
NEW: JD Vance supported US strikes on Iran this week and reasoned that Trump had to enforce his own red line, per sources. It was a surprise role reversal for a politician who built his identity on opposing Middle East wars with a loose connection to core US interests
New from The Post's editorial board: "The Justice Department’s decision to send FBI agents to raid a Washington Post reporter’s home Wednesday was an aggressive attack on the press freedom of all journalists." www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:14 AM
New from The Post's editorial board: "The Justice Department’s decision to send FBI agents to raid a Washington Post reporter’s home Wednesday was an aggressive attack on the press freedom of all journalists." www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Reposted by John Hudson
Pleased to speak with @johnphudson.bsky.social about the OLC opinion blessing the invasion of Venezuela.
“This view that international law and the U.N. Charter doesn’t bind the U.S. president is very significant and very dangerous.”
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
“This view that international law and the U.N. Charter doesn’t bind the U.S. president is very significant and very dangerous.”
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Previously secret memo gave legal basis for U.S. mission to nab Maduro
The administration releases a redacted version of a previously secret memo that gave the legal basis for the U.S. mission to arrest Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:45 AM
Pleased to speak with @johnphudson.bsky.social about the OLC opinion blessing the invasion of Venezuela.
“This view that international law and the U.N. Charter doesn’t bind the U.S. president is very significant and very dangerous.”
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
“This view that international law and the U.N. Charter doesn’t bind the U.S. president is very significant and very dangerous.”
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Incredibly disturbing FBI action www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Incredibly disturbing FBI action www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Previously secret memo gave legal basis for U.S. mission to nab Maduro www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com
January 14, 2026 at 1:47 AM
Previously secret memo gave legal basis for U.S. mission to nab Maduro www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Rubio says court hearings no longer possible for deported Venezuelans www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
www.washingtonpost.com
January 14, 2026 at 12:24 AM
Rubio says court hearings no longer possible for deported Venezuelans www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Ric Grenell navigating geopolitics and MAGA politics
January 13, 2026 at 11:57 PM
Ric Grenell navigating geopolitics and MAGA politics
In 2023, five U.S. intelligence agencies determined it was "very unlikely" that the symptoms associated with Havana Syndrome were the result of a foreign adversary using a directed energy weapon. Here's why:
January 13, 2026 at 5:01 PM
In 2023, five U.S. intelligence agencies determined it was "very unlikely" that the symptoms associated with Havana Syndrome were the result of a foreign adversary using a directed energy weapon. Here's why:
NEW: WaPo confirms NYT report: The Trump administration’s first deadly strike on an alleged drug smuggling boat in early September was conducted by a secretive military aircraft painted to look like a civilian plane
January 13, 2026 at 11:44 AM
NEW: WaPo confirms NYT report: The Trump administration’s first deadly strike on an alleged drug smuggling boat in early September was conducted by a secretive military aircraft painted to look like a civilian plane
NYT: "Two survivors of the initial attack later appeared to wave at the aircraft after clambering aboard an overturned piece of the hull, before the military killed them in a follow-up strike that also sank the wreckage."
January 12, 2026 at 11:55 PM
NYT: "Two survivors of the initial attack later appeared to wave at the aircraft after clambering aboard an overturned piece of the hull, before the military killed them in a follow-up strike that also sank the wreckage."
The State Department, which has revoked the visas of individuals for making insensitive remarks about Charlie Kirk or strongly criticizing Israel or other offenses, is touting that it "revoked over 100,000 visas from foreign nationals," a 150% increase from 2024
January 12, 2026 at 4:59 PM
The State Department, which has revoked the visas of individuals for making insensitive remarks about Charlie Kirk or strongly criticizing Israel or other offenses, is touting that it "revoked over 100,000 visas from foreign nationals," a 150% increase from 2024
Smithsonian removes Trump impeachment text as it swaps his portrait. Gift link: wapo.st/3Z6251j
wapo.st
January 10, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Smithsonian removes Trump impeachment text as it swaps his portrait. Gift link: wapo.st/3Z6251j
Days before the Maduro raid, the Vatican's top diplomat tried to reach Marco Rubio to discuss a diplomatic off ramp involving Russia granting Maduro asylum. A deep dive on how the diplomatic efforts by the Vatican and other nations died on the vine www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
www.washingtonpost.com
January 9, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Days before the Maduro raid, the Vatican's top diplomat tried to reach Marco Rubio to discuss a diplomatic off ramp involving Russia granting Maduro asylum. A deep dive on how the diplomatic efforts by the Vatican and other nations died on the vine www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
“Everyone is on a strike now,” said Amir, a food vendor in Karaj, near Tehran. “The economy has collapsed. The bazaar has collapsed. One of my acquaintances in the bazaar said, ‘If they want to shoot and kill us, let them! We have had enough.’”
January 9, 2026 at 11:05 AM
“Everyone is on a strike now,” said Amir, a food vendor in Karaj, near Tehran. “The economy has collapsed. The bazaar has collapsed. One of my acquaintances in the bazaar said, ‘If they want to shoot and kill us, let them! We have had enough.’”
Smart analysis by Chris Kennedy, a former member of Rubio's State Dept. policy planning staff, on the road ahead in Venezuela: "a protracted status quo & continued, regime-led crackdowns could sour the Cuban- and Venezuelan-American base on Trump ahead of the midterms"
January 8, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Smart analysis by Chris Kennedy, a former member of Rubio's State Dept. policy planning staff, on the road ahead in Venezuela: "a protracted status quo & continued, regime-led crackdowns could sour the Cuban- and Venezuelan-American base on Trump ahead of the midterms"
enjoyed joining All Things Considered to talk about Marco Rubio, Venezuela and FLA politics
www.npr.org/2026/01/07/n...
www.npr.org/2026/01/07/n...
The role Secretary Marco Rubio is playing in Venezuela's future
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to play a central role in Venezuela now that Nicolas Maduro has been ousted. John Hudson, national security reporter for The Washington Post, weighs in.
www.npr.org
January 7, 2026 at 11:45 PM
enjoyed joining All Things Considered to talk about Marco Rubio, Venezuela and FLA politics
www.npr.org/2026/01/07/n...
www.npr.org/2026/01/07/n...
U.S. vows to control Venezuela oil sales ‘indefinitely’
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
www.washingtonpost.com
January 7, 2026 at 7:10 PM
U.S. vows to control Venezuela oil sales ‘indefinitely’
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
NEW: The US assesses that about 75 people were killed during the U.S. military raid to capture Nicolás Maduro, a sizable death toll that adds meaning to Trump’s remarks that the operation was “effective” but “very violent.” Gift: wapo.st/3LhMSXQ
wapo.st
January 7, 2026 at 12:29 AM
NEW: The US assesses that about 75 people were killed during the U.S. military raid to capture Nicolás Maduro, a sizable death toll that adds meaning to Trump’s remarks that the operation was “effective” but “very violent.” Gift: wapo.st/3LhMSXQ
Aldrich Ames, most damaging CIA traitor in agency history, dies at 84
wapo.st/4r14hTZ
wapo.st/4r14hTZ
wapo.st
January 6, 2026 at 11:57 PM
Aldrich Ames, most damaging CIA traitor in agency history, dies at 84
wapo.st/4r14hTZ
wapo.st/4r14hTZ
Latest @WashingtonPost audio just dropped on Marco Rubio's moment www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/pos...
www.washingtonpost.com
January 6, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Latest @WashingtonPost audio just dropped on Marco Rubio's moment www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/pos...
Some career diplomats have volunteered to travel to Caracas and open up the U.S. embassy, viewing it as an opportunity to chart a new path in U.S.-Venezuela relations. Other diplomats have sworn off the assignment, seeing it as akin to representing an occupying force, per source
On opening the U.S. embassy in Venezuela, a major step in legitimizing the rump Maduro regime, a senior State Department official says "we are making preparations to allow for a reopening should the President make that decision.”
January 5, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Some career diplomats have volunteered to travel to Caracas and open up the U.S. embassy, viewing it as an opportunity to chart a new path in U.S.-Venezuela relations. Other diplomats have sworn off the assignment, seeing it as akin to representing an occupying force, per source
On opening the U.S. embassy in Venezuela, a major step in legitimizing the rump Maduro regime, a senior State Department official says "we are making preparations to allow for a reopening should the President make that decision.”
January 5, 2026 at 6:48 PM
On opening the U.S. embassy in Venezuela, a major step in legitimizing the rump Maduro regime, a senior State Department official says "we are making preparations to allow for a reopening should the President make that decision.”
NEW: Marco Rubio has held many titles during Donald Trump’s presidency. He may have just acquired his most challenging one yet: Viceroy of Venezuela www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com
January 4, 2026 at 1:47 PM
NEW: Marco Rubio has held many titles during Donald Trump’s presidency. He may have just acquired his most challenging one yet: Viceroy of Venezuela www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
I pressed Rubio on whether he and Hegseth lied to Congress when promising to seek congressional approval before attacking Venezuela. This was his response:
January 4, 2026 at 1:43 PM
I pressed Rubio on whether he and Hegseth lied to Congress when promising to seek congressional approval before attacking Venezuela. This was his response: