Trump and Todd Blanche obsess over James Comey’s seashells while using Orwellian language to sanitize real violence in the Iran war.

Politics

Trump and Blanche’s Orwellian Language and How Much of Washington Echoes It

by James North May 15, 2026May 15, 2026

Ask James Comey how they’ve managed to hype his seashells while downplaying real killing.

Ulysses S. Grant and Pete Hegseth: Two military leaders with very different approaches to discipline, sobriety, and command.

Politics

What Pete Hegseth Could Learn from Ulysses S. Grant

by James North December 10, 2025December 9, 2025

Books

What the New Democrats’ Mistakes Taught Us About Fighting Inequality

by James North March 8, 2022March 9, 2022

Politics

Haiti Is on the Verge of Catastrophe. An American Diplomat Saw It Coming.

by James North February 4, 2022February 7, 2022

Politics

What’s Really Behind U.S. Fears Over a New Chinese Military Base in West Africa?

by James North January 7, 2022January 12, 2022

Politics

Why The New York Times Gets the Story Wrong on Congo

by James North December 21, 2021January 12, 2022

Featured, Political Animal, Politics

The Triumph of Democracy in Honduras

by James North December 3, 2021January 12, 2022

Featured, Political Animal, Politics

Honduras’s President Is Preparing to Rig the Country’s Election. What Will the U.S. Do About It?

by James North November 22, 2021January 12, 2022

Featured, Political Animal, Politics

The False Promise of Microfinance

by James North November 9, 2021January 12, 2022

Featured, Political Animal, Politics

The U.S. Doubles Down on Its Failed Haiti Policy

by James North October 21, 2021January 12, 2022

Support the Washington Monthly

Founded in 1969, the Washington Monthly is an independent media organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission: To preserve democracy and champion good governance through honest journalism and thoughtful commentary.

We’re not a subsidiary of a giant media company or a mouthpiece for ideologues. We’re independent, listened to by insiders and willing to take on sacred cows—liberal and conservative.

Yes, I'll Make a Donation

James North

Trump and Blanche’s Orwellian Language and How Much of Washington Echoes It

What Pete Hegseth Could Learn from Ulysses S. Grant

What the New Democrats’ Mistakes Taught Us About Fighting Inequality

Haiti Is on the Verge of Catastrophe. An American Diplomat Saw It Coming.

What’s Really Behind U.S. Fears Over a New Chinese Military Base in West Africa?

Why The New York Times Gets the Story Wrong on Congo

The Triumph of Democracy in Honduras

Honduras’s President Is Preparing to Rig the Country’s Election. What Will the U.S. Do About It?

The False Promise of Microfinance

The U.S. Doubles Down on Its Failed Haiti Policy

A Feminist Humanist’s Last Word

If You Don’t Like Polls, Follow the Money

Before the Fall

The Supreme Court Still Works as the Founders Intended

The Case for a Shadow Court

Never Forgetting 9/11 Means Learning Lessons

Never miss an article!