Matt Duss

How Marco Rubio Went From Neocon “It” Boy to Top MAGA Lieutenant Rubio’s transformation may say as much about neoconservatism as it does about the man himself.

In @thenation.com, @mattduss.bsky.social examines Marco Rubio's rise in the Trump administration, and how he became Secretary of State and top 'MAGA lieutenant' for Trump's foreign policy agenda.

How Marco Rubio Went From Neocon “It” Boy to Top MAGA Lieutenant Rubio’s transformation may say as much about neoconservatism as it does about the man himself.

How Marco Rubio Went From Neocon “It” Boy to Top MAGA Lieutenant.

Rubio has always been a political shapeshifter, and the distance from neoconservatism to Trumpism is actually very short.

My piece in @thenation.com www.thenation.com/article/poli...

We’re entering an even more dangerous moment as the stupidity of this war becomes undeniable even to its supporters, who realize they’re about to be revealed as morons yet again and are desperate to turn this into something they can spin as a win. Their only option is escalation.

U.S. and Israeli Military Campaign Tests Limits of Air Power Warplanes, missiles and bombs haven’t been enough on their own to remove one government and replace it with another. The U.S. military has upended governments in the past, but all of those operations ...

The Limits of Airpower www.wsj.com/world/middle...

One of the lessons of the Iran war is that it was a huge mistake not to even try to put any of the Iraq war architects in prison. We shouldn’t make it again.

One of the lessons of the Iran war is that it was a huge mistake not to even try to put any of the Iraq war architects in prison. We shouldn’t make it again.

Know Your Enemy: Trump's War Against Iran - Dissent Magazine Matt and Sam talk to Matt Duss, a leading foreign policy expert on the left, about the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.

On the Know Your Enemy podcast, Matt and Sam talk to @mattduss.bsky.social about the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.

dissentmagazine.org/blog/know-yo...

My comment: “I don’t think any Democrat can credibly claim to lead the party or the country without opposing Trump’s reckless, lawless war. Honestly, it shouldn’t even be a tough call.”

If it’s a test, it’s an easy one. A vote to fund the war is a vote for the war.

AOC Says Corporate Power Poses Major National Security Threats. She's Not Alone. On both sides of the aisle, and both sides of the Atlantic, alarm bells are ringing: Unchecked corporate power is now not just an economic issue, but a national security threat.

AOC was totally justified in bringing this up in Munich – there are just so many examples of corporate agendas chipping away national security interests 🧵

libertyandpower.substack.com/p/aoc-says-c...

With Liberty and Justice for Some Ep. 56 with Matt Duss YouTube video by repmarkpocan

Over the weekend, Donald Trump started a war with Iran. The same guy who is really, really upset he didn’t get a Nobel Peace Prize.

So much to unpack. For the latest episode of my podcast, I spoke with @mattduss.bsky.social with @cipolicy.bsky.social, an expert on foreign policy in the Middle East.

“Dems don’t need the Trump administration to explain their reasoning. This isn’t a mystery to be solved. We already know all their reasons for war are bullshit.”

-Matt Duss, in this piece. Note skewering of Hegseth claim about Iran's "offensive capabilities." 5/

newrepublic.com/article/2072...

The Imperial Presidency and the Iran War Matt Duss on why Congress is reluctant to stand up to illegal and stupid war.

I talked to @mattduss.bsky.social about dangers of the Iran war and the fecklessness of the bipartisan foreign policy elite that got us here www.thenation.com/podcast/arch...

On Saturday, @mattduss.bsky.social told ABC News that Trump offered no real justification for the attack on Iran:

"This is a war of aggression – a grave offense of international law and U.S. law."

Attacks on Iran: US and Israel are committing 'a crime of aggression,' says Bernie Sanders' former adviser An influential voice in the progressive camp and former advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, Matthew Duss harshly criticizes Donald Trump's actions following Saturday's strikes, stating that 'this war i...

The failure to hold past presidents liable for war crimes and related violations of our own laws has helped lead to this dangerous moment, with a seemingly unrestrained president endangering millions of lives with impunity.

My interview in @lemonde.fr www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...

Trump’s Reckless Decision to Pursue Regime Change in Iran And the risks Democrats face if they fail to strongly oppose his war.

Matt Duss, the executive vice-president at the Center for International Policy and a former foreign-policy adviser to Senator Bernie Sanders, discusses why the U.S. has decided to embark on another conflict in the Middle East. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/KjAEik

Trump’s Reckless Decision to Pursue Regime Change in Iran And the risks Democrats face if they fail to strongly oppose his war.

"It seems like Israel’s regional security doctrine, now backed by the United States, is not just that Israel has the right to defend itself but that only Israel has the right to defend itself in the region," says @mattduss.bsky.social. www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...

Trump’s Reckless Decision to Pursue Regime Change in Iran And the risks Democrats face if they fail to strongly oppose his war.

"There are multiple arguments that Democrats need to be making, including the fact that he’s acting illegally, and the fact that he’s acting strategically stupidly. So make all of those arguments. Don’t just ask for a briefing," says @mattduss.bsky.social. www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...

Trump’s Reckless Decision to Pursue Regime Change in Iran And the risks Democrats face if they fail to strongly oppose his war.

I talked to @ichotiner.bsky.social about Trump’s reckless and illegal war, the Democratic leadership’s lame response, and how fixing our foreign policy will require fixing our broken politics. www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...

This is a crisis moment, and any Democratic leader who won’t step up should be asking why they’re in the role. The rest of us should be asking why we let them stay there.

War With Iran Would Be Illegal and Stupid. Democrats Should Care. Now is the time for Democratic leaders to stand firm against the risk of a catastrophic conflict.

Pleased to speak to @mattduss.bsky.social about a potential US war on Iran.

"There’s no plausible legal basis for the Trump administration to attack Iran."

foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/27/d...

War With Iran Would Be Illegal and Stupid. Democrats Should Care. Now is the time for Democratic leaders to stand firm against the risk of a catastrophic conflict.

An unpopular president is about to drag the country into an unpopular war. Democratic leader should be out front in opposition, not politely asking for a briefing.

My piece in @foreignpolicy.com foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/27/d...

CIP EVP @mattduss.bsky.social laid out the implications of a U.S. war with Iran on the region on ABC News, arguing that this time, the consequences of military action would not be in the United States’ favor:

Trump Admits War Would Be Disastrous for Ordinary Iranians as He Weighs Military Assault | Common Dreams "The stakes are clear," said the National Iranian American Council. "There’s a chance to avert war and disastrous outcomes for the people of Iran, but time may be running out."

“Like the June 2025 bombings that failed to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, another US strike would be an illegal act of war.”

@mattduss.bsky.social explains why going to war with Iran would be a disaster for the United States and the Iranian people:
www.commondreams.org/news/trump-w...

Pentagon Flags Risks of a Major Operation Against Iran The warnings have been led by Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, within the Defense Department and during meetings of the National Security Council.

The Pentagon is raising concerns to President Trump about an extended military campaign against Iran, advising that war plans being considered carry risks including U.S. and allied casualties, depleted air defenses and an overtaxed force. on.wsj.com/40vkhly

Would a War Against Iran Be Legal? An Expert Explains David Janovsky is the acting director of the Constitution Project at the Project on Government Oversight, a non-partisan watchdog group.

Does Trump Have the Legal Authority to Strike Iran?

Short answer: No.

Longer answer: Also no.

@mattduss.bsky.social on the other site said, "If you’re telling me that Iran poses such a dire threat to the US that war is necessary, but also there’s no need for Congress to debate and vote on that war, you’re telling me you don’t actually believe the first thing." 1/5

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I shared some thoughts with @jewishcurrents.bsky.social on the “coalition” that’s pushing a war with Iran.

As the US political class discusses if/how/when Trump should strike Iran, just a reminder that no one has yet offered a remotely plausible legal justification for it. It’s just based on a presumption that the US has a special privilege to do violence wherever, whenever.

Democrats Should Reclaim the Anti-War Mantle From Trump By backing Israel’s attack on Iran, Trump violated his anti-war pledge. Will his opponents take advantage of it?

With Trump about to drive the US into another round of unnecessary, illegal, and politically unpopular war with Iran, Democrats should be falling over each other to oppose it.

Re-upping my @foreignpolicy.com piece from June. foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/17/d...