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Puck welcomes John Heilemann as its Chief Political Columnist!



THE LATEST ARTICLES
NEWSLETTERS
Brett McGurk
WASHINGTON February 6, 2024
Everyone in Washington has an opinion of McGurk, the controversial Blob star, president whisperer, and veteran foreign policy player. But is he a cunning opportunist or simply the best diplomat in a town filled with them?
The Biden administration, of course, has been trying to prevent the escalating violence from spiraling into all-out regional war.
WASHINGTON January 30, 2024
The White House is reserving its right to strike back at Iran “at a time and in a manner of our choosing,” after the death of three U.S. service members in Jordan. But the stalling tactic is pissing off a lot of people in Washington who want Biden to send a more forceful message—fears of escalation be damned.
American officials are privately frustrated by the view, held by Russia, that the U.S. government will do absolutely anything to bring American hostages home, no matter what they’ve done and no matter where they are in the world.
WASHINGTON January 23, 2024
As another American is arrested in Russia, giving Putin more leverage for prisoner swaps, Biden officials are growing frustrated that some see a U.S. passport as a get-out-of-jail-free card. And Robert Woodland—now Robert Woodland Romanov—is no Brittney Griner.
David Scheffer, then the Clinton administration’s roving U.S. ambassador for war crimes, visits Kosovo in 1998.
WASHINGTON January 15, 2024
A follow-up conversation with David Scheffer about South Africa and Israel at The Hague.


Any remaining good will between Pretoria and Jerusalem has completely evaporated during this war as both South Africa and Israel have pulled their ambassadors from the other’s capital.
WASHINGTON January 9, 2024
Assessing South Africa’s accusations with David Scheffer, a founding father of the International Criminal Court.
Israel’s national security minister (and convicted extremist) Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich are both openly advocating for the mass resettlement of Palestinians.
WASHINGTON January 3, 2024
After a strategic assassination, is Bibi’s government finally heeding Biden’s warnings to wrap up the most intense phase of fighting and pursue a more targeted approach?
The Mariupol bombardment was relentless, and it focused mostly on civilian infrastructure, on hospitals, schools, theaters, and residential buildings.
WASHINGTON December 27, 2023
In conversation with Mstyslav Chernov, the Ukrainian videographer, about his Oscar shortlisted documentary, capturing the siege of Mariupol, the horrors of the invasion, and when and how the war ever ends.
Even if Congress reaches a deal early next year and aid begins to flow again, the days of a new Ukraine supplemental getting passed every couple months are long gone.
WASHINGTON December 19, 2023
With Congress stiff-arming Zelensky, and military funds running out, experts and members of the administration worry that, long-term, without additional aid, “the Ukrainians are doomed.”


Victoria Nuland arrives for a press conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on February 01, 2023.
WASHINGTON December 13, 2023
Anger and resentment is exploding in Foggy Bottom after Kurt Campbell, a close friend of Tony Blinken, was nominated for deputy secretary of state over the agency’s more experienced acting No. 2, Victoria Nuland.
Joe Biden sits with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the start of the Israeli war cabinet meeting, in Tel Aviv on October 18, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.
WASHINGTON December 12, 2023
After Biden issued a rare and searing public rebuke of Israel’s actions in its ongoing war against Hamas, Netanyahu tried to hang the thousands of Palestinian civilian casualties squarely around Biden’s neck—a hell of a thing to do as the president heads into his reelection campaign.
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