James Jay Carafano is a defense and national security expert at The Heritage Foundation, where he currently is special counselor to the president, the E.W. Richardson fellow for international engagement, and chairman of the Combating Antisemitism Task Force. Read his research.
View all authorsHealth CareCommentary
Now that the coronavirus has broken out of China and established a foothold in Europe and the Middle East, many are on edge. This week, the stock… Read More
InternationalAnalysis
Defense Secretary Mark Esper drew fire from Congress and elsewhere when it was reported that the Pentagon was downsizing its commitments to Africa. It would… Read More
InternationalCommentary
It may look as if President Donald Trump’s trip to India boiled down to little more than media optics and Taj Mahal photo shoots. But there is… Read More
LawCommentary
It’s about to get real for America’s so-called sanctuary cities, local governments that refuse to cooperate with those who enforce federal immigration laws. The Trump… Read More
PoliticsCommentary
No question, President Donald Trump is an unconventional statesman. On the global stage he looks like a fullback at a field hockey match. Different doesn’t… Read More
InternationalCommentary
In nighttime photos from space, North Korea looks like a black hole compared to the well-lit South. It’s an apt metaphor for what we know… Read More
InternationalCommentary
One year ago the Trump team launched the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative. This was a quintessential “America First” policy if ever there was… Read More
InternationalCommentary
The Trump administration is continuing its curious fixation with rejoining a United Nations “tourism” agency, amid numerous reasons why the move wouldn’t help the U.S…. Read More
InternationalCommentary
Long before the coronavirus made international headlines, China’s Communist Party, which rules the country with unchallenged authority, had an image problem. Image has always been a key element… Read More
InternationalCommentary
It’s called the Holy Land, a land of miracles. It’s where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. And conventional wisdom holds that President Donald Trump has about… Read More
SocietyCommentary
Yes, it’s up for this year’s “Best Picture” Oscar, but that hasn’t stopped critics delivering decidedly mixed reviews to “1917.” The plot is the stuff… Read More
InternationalCommentary
It’s fine for astrologers and bookmakers to make predictions, but there’s no absolute certainty about what the future holds. That’s true regarding matters of national security—and… Read More
EconomyCommentary
President Donald Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Wednesday signed Phase 1 of the U.S.-China Economic and Trade Agreement. The long-awaited deal is… Read More
SecurityCommentary
In his address to the nation Wednesday, President Donald Trump’s re-upped–clearly and in no uncertain terms–his commitment to challenging Iran’s continuing efforts to run amok… Read More
InternationalCommentary
What a difference a decade makes. In 2010, we got the Arab Spring and Obamacare. Neither turned out as well as we had hoped. We got iPads, iPhone 4,… Read More
SocietyCommentary
This article s adapted from a lecture James Carafano gave at The Heritage Foundation’s Dec. 9 event, “The Problem of Nationalism.” I have two recommendations… Read More
SecurityCommentary
The case of Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher, which ultimately resulted in the firing of Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, should have been handled… Read More
SecurityCommentary
“Thank you for your service.” Our troops hear that often from their fellow Americans, and not just during the holidays. Well, our gratitude can go… Read More
SecurityCommentary
It was not a happy Thanksgiving for President Donald Trump’s detractors, as the president showed with his surprise trip Thursday to Afghanistan that “America First”… Read More
LawCommentary
At least nine American women and children were slaughtered in northern Mexico on Monday, the victims of cartel violence. Tragically, such carnage is all too common. The unchecked power… Read More
SecurityCommentary
Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and national security adviser Robert O’Brien showed they know how to talk Turkey when they announced… Read More
InternationalCommentary
The United States did not green-light the Turkish incursion into Syria. The U.S. did, however, fail to deter the incursion, and it failed to broker any kind of… Read More
InternationalCommentary
Voices are clamoring for President Donald Trump to make small nuclear deals with Iran and North Korea. All the arguments for doing so are bad…. Read More
InternationalCommentary
Trump administration officials are traveling this week to Madrid to meet with leadership from the U.N. World Tourism Organization to continue to negotiate the terms… Read More
InternationalCommentary
Turtle Bay is awash with heads of state this week. They’ve come to New York for the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. President… Read More
SocietyCommentary
If President Donald Trump is for it, his liberal opponents are against it. Nowhere is that truism more true than regarding securing the border and… Read More
InternationalCommentary
Venezuela continues to go down the drain. As the world wonders how thuggish Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro manages to cling to power, we received a fresh reminder… Read More
InternationalCommentary
Heads of state will flock shortly to Turtle Bay for the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. They have no better opportunity to… Read More
SecurityCommentary
Many people around the world will be watching and waiting to see how the next American election turns out, but one group doesn’t have that… Read More
InternationalCommentary
The outside world can do little to assure the future of freedom in Hong Kong beyond making the case that preserving the principles of liberty are at… Read More
