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Michael McFaul

@McFaul • 887,244 subscribers

Professor of Political Science, Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute & Hoover Institution, all at Stanford University. U.S. Ambassador to Russia, 2012-2014.

Shorts

Russia isn't the reason Trump wants Greenland.

Russia isn't the reason Trump wants Greenland.

42,512 görüntüleme

1/5 Are we in a new Cold War with China? Yes — and no. And understanding the similarities and differences matters. Here’s why 👇 (From my conversation with Walter Isaacson on Amanpour and Company)

1/5 Are we in a new Cold War with China? Yes — and no. And understanding the similarities and differences matters. Here’s why 👇 (From my conversation with Walter Isaacson on Amanpour and Company)

44,665 görüntüleme

I’m cautiously optimistic that our democratic institutions are stronger than Trump. But as I write in Autocrats vs. Democrats, this is the greatest test of American democracy in my lifetime — maybe since the Civil War. Out now:

I’m cautiously optimistic that our democratic institutions are stronger than Trump. But as I write in Autocrats vs. Democrats, this is the greatest test of American democracy in my lifetime — maybe since the Civil War. Out now:

26,934 görüntüleme

In the Cold War, we all knew whose side we were on. Today, it's different. The struggle between autocrats and democrats is now just as much within states, as it is between them. More from my interview with The Last Word

In the Cold War, we all knew whose side we were on. Today, it's different. The struggle between autocrats and democrats is now just as much within states, as it is between them. More from my interview with The Last Word

14,594 görüntüleme

Videos

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Trump's new "oil deal" with Venezuela is 1) immoral and 2) unlikely to work. If you're on the board of a serious company, are you really going to invest billions when your property rights are guaranteed by Donald Trump and the illegitimate dictator of Venezuela?

Trump's new "oil deal" with Venezuela is 1) immoral and 2) unlikely to work. If you're on the board of a serious company, are you really going to invest billions when your property rights are guaranteed by Donald Trump and the illegitimate dictator of Venezuela?

44,413 görüntüleme • 2 gün önce

If economic sanctions can achieve our objectives now, why couldn't we have used them to avoid going to war in the first place?

If economic sanctions can achieve our objectives now, why couldn't we have used them to avoid going to war in the first place?

82,734 görüntüleme • 9 gün önce

To our friends around the world: Trump is not America, and America is not Trump.

To our friends around the world: Trump is not America, and America is not Trump.

239,303 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce

Trump’s comments last night about “Obama’s Iran deal” were simply wrong. It wasn’t perfect, but it capped uranium enrichment at 3.67%. Since Trump scrapped it, Iran has enriched to 60%—much closer to weapons-grade. And that stockpile still hasn’t been eliminated.

Trump’s comments last night about “Obama’s Iran deal” were simply wrong. It wasn’t perfect, but it capped uranium enrichment at 3.67%. Since Trump scrapped it, Iran has enriched to 60%—much closer to weapons-grade. And that stockpile still hasn’t been eliminated.

683,174 görüntüleme • 5 ay önce

Doug Ford says the U.S. is treating Canada like Communist China. I disagree. We're treating China much better than we treat our democratic allies.

Doug Ford says the U.S. is treating Canada like Communist China. I disagree. We're treating China much better than we treat our democratic allies.

32,230 görüntüleme • 7 gün önce

Picking a fight with Canada—one of our closest and most enduring allies—doesn't make America stronger, safer, or more prosperous. America First cannot become America Alone.

Picking a fight with Canada—one of our closest and most enduring allies—doesn't make America stronger, safer, or more prosperous. America First cannot become America Alone.

35,167 görüntüleme • 8 gün önce

In 2009, Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov told Obama: Don’t try to help us. Help Ukraine. A thriving democracy in Ukraine, he believed, could help bring change to Russia in the long run. Nemtsov was assassinated in 2015. From my interview with The Kyiv Independent

In 2009, Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov told Obama: Don’t try to help us. Help Ukraine. A thriving democracy in Ukraine, he believed, could help bring change to Russia in the long run. Nemtsov was assassinated in 2015. From my interview with The Kyiv Independent

57,642 görüntüleme • 14 gün önce

The Trump administration's foreign policy isn't America First. It's Trump First.

The Trump administration's foreign policy isn't America First. It's Trump First.

27,455 görüntüleme • 6 gün önce

I’m struck by how often Trump referred to Xi as his “friend” and a “great leader.” Xi Jinping, chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, is a dictator. He also offered no such reciprocal praise for Trump. That asymmetry makes Trump appear in a visibly weaker position.

I’m struck by how often Trump referred to Xi as his “friend” and a “great leader.” Xi Jinping, chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, is a dictator. He also offered no such reciprocal praise for Trump. That asymmetry makes Trump appear in a visibly weaker position.

412,821 görüntüleme • 3 ay önce

I’ve been in the room with Putin. He calls Ukrainians “Russians with accents.” His real fear isn’t NATO expansion, it’s democracy expansion. It shatters his entire argument for dictatorship at home. Because if Ukrainians embrace freedom, Russians may demand the same. Clip from this weekend's talk with Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 at the 2025 Texas Tribune Festival.

I’ve been in the room with Putin. He calls Ukrainians “Russians with accents.” His real fear isn’t NATO expansion, it’s democracy expansion. It shatters his entire argument for dictatorship at home. Because if Ukrainians embrace freedom, Russians may demand the same. Clip from this weekend's talk with Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 at the 2025 Texas Tribune Festival.

1,012,843 görüntüleme • 9 ay önce

Trump tore up the Iran nuclear deal. After he did, Iran began rebuilding its nuclear capacity. Trump then took us to war with Iran to eliminate its nuclear program. He has failed to do that.

Trump tore up the Iran nuclear deal. After he did, Iran began rebuilding its nuclear capacity. Trump then took us to war with Iran to eliminate its nuclear program. He has failed to do that.

83,767 görüntüleme • 23 gün önce

We've become remarkably desensitized to Trump's rhetoric. Declaring the Iran ceasefire "over," threatening to end all trade with Spain, calling Japan an "Islamic Republic"—a few years ago, each would have been a major story. Now they barely register. Why?

We've become remarkably desensitized to Trump's rhetoric. Declaring the Iran ceasefire "over," threatening to end all trade with Spain, calling Japan an "Islamic Republic"—a few years ago, each would have been a major story. Now they barely register. Why?

162,659 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce

It is outrageous that the United States is practicing straight-up imperialism. It is even more outrageous that our president is bragging about it. The fact that this wasn't page one news today underscores how numb we've become to Trump.

It is outrageous that the United States is practicing straight-up imperialism. It is even more outrageous that our president is bragging about it. The fact that this wasn't page one news today underscores how numb we've become to Trump.

49,370 görüntüleme • 28 gün önce

Once in power, Putin cut taxes for wealthy elites, consolidated media & sought to shape the electoral process. Sound familiar? Some parallels are hard to ignore. The difference? The US has strong checks, an active civil society & deep democratic traditions. That gives me hope.

Once in power, Putin cut taxes for wealthy elites, consolidated media & sought to shape the electoral process. Sound familiar? Some parallels are hard to ignore. The difference? The US has strong checks, an active civil society & deep democratic traditions. That gives me hope.

182,609 görüntüleme • 4 ay önce

Right now, the conversation isn’t about nuclear programs, or free and fair elections in Iran. It's about reopening a body of water that was open before this war started. Chalk that up as a win for Tehran.

Right now, the conversation isn’t about nuclear programs, or free and fair elections in Iran. It's about reopening a body of water that was open before this war started. Chalk that up as a win for Tehran.

213,028 görüntüleme • 4 ay önce

Giving Ukraine a license to produce Patriots will be big if it happens. But Ukraine needs missile defense interceptors now, and can’t wait for the production of them in the future.

Giving Ukraine a license to produce Patriots will be big if it happens. But Ukraine needs missile defense interceptors now, and can’t wait for the production of them in the future.

89,277 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce

From threatening to invade Greenland to calling Canada "the 51st state" and slapping tariffs on everyone—this isn't "America First," it’s a massive self-inflicted wound. Now Trump wants to abandon NATO. That would be an all-time own goal.

From threatening to invade Greenland to calling Canada "the 51st state" and slapping tariffs on everyone—this isn't "America First," it’s a massive self-inflicted wound. Now Trump wants to abandon NATO. That would be an all-time own goal.

215,452 görüntüleme • 5 ay önce

Alienate allies. Embrace dictators. Start wars. Impose tariffs. Undermine democracy. These policies don’t make America stronger. They dismantle the very advantages that made America powerful. Clip from All Things Negotiation podcast. Full episode here:

Alienate allies. Embrace dictators. Start wars. Impose tariffs. Undermine democracy. These policies don’t make America stronger. They dismantle the very advantages that made America powerful. Clip from All Things Negotiation podcast. Full episode here:

27,711 görüntüleme • 16 gün önce

Opening the Strait of Hormuz wasn't one of Trump's original war aims because it was already open before the war.

Opening the Strait of Hormuz wasn't one of Trump's original war aims because it was already open before the war.

78,650 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce

The Russian army is exhausted too. Russia is taking far higher casualties than Ukraine, and after 3.5 years has barely moved the front line. The idea that Russia is “winning” is simply not supported by the evidence. As I told DW News

The Russian army is exhausted too. Russia is taking far higher casualties than Ukraine, and after 3.5 years has barely moved the front line. The idea that Russia is “winning” is simply not supported by the evidence. As I told DW News

350,947 görüntüleme • 9 ay önce