Joel Rubin

Yesterday’s bloodletting of State Dept. employees was a dark day for American diplomacy.

"Streamlining" DOS by cutting 15% of staff is laughable.

You don't make an organization more effective by gutting deep subject matter experts in energy, climate, human rights, democracy.

@cnn.com

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Why is the Second Amendment more important than the lives of children praying at mass? It's not. 90% of Americans support stronger gun safety - we just don't do it. We need to try harder and do better.

My heart goes out to Minneapolis.

@bbcbreaking-bot.bsky.social

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Joe Biden’s departing gift for Donald Trump is an Iran on the run.

From Syria’s Assad, who’s about to fall, to Hezbollah & Hamas, who’ve been devastated by Israel’s military, Iran’s regional presence is disappearing.

The question now is what’ll Trump do w/ this advantage for US national security.

Thomas Jefferson must be rolling in his grave.

He founded American liberty and the institution that President Trump is now strong arming as if he's a modern day king.

Trump is forcing a state institution to bend the knee to the President. This is the opposite of liberty.

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My take for Substack on Syria:

Assad's Fall: Biden's Parting Gift to Trump open.substack.com/pub/joelrubi...

Assad's Fall: Biden's Parting Gift to Trump

How will Trump handle a vastly different Middle East?

U.S. foreign policy is drowning in chaos while nuclear threats multiply: India-Pakistan needs de-escalation NOW. Iran deal needs clarity- not policy whiplash. NSC needs focused leadership.

The cost of incoherent American diplomacy could be catastrophic.

My analysis with Fred Whitfield @cnn.com

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I was honored to be at the State Department today to hear President Biden give his closing foreign policy address. It’s been four years of accomplishments for our country & it’s worth remembering how far we’ve come from the dark days of Covid and American global isolation. Thank you President Biden!

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A Gaza Ceasefire for Hostage deal is close! Thanks to strong leadership from President Biden, effective coordination with Trump's transition, regional diplomacy by Qatar & Egypt, hostage family lobbying and a weakened Iran, this time it could be different.

Here's my take for @cnn.com This Morning:

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NEWS! There are reports of a potential ceasefire between Hezbollah & Israel. Getting a ceasefire would be a great achievement for the people of both northern Israel & Lebanon - a country that deserves to be free of a foreign-backed (by Iran) militia like Hezbollah that's undermining its sovereignty.

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Syria is a keystone country in the Middle East. We cannot turn our backs on it now. We must engage in robust diplomacy to help chart a peaceful path for it. For if we don’t, then we, the Syrian people & our regional allies will all pay a price.

The incoming Trump Administration must not look away.

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[email protected] is exactly where we Democrats wanna be!

I was happy to discuss this monumental social media shift with @cfraserbbc.bsky.social today on the BBC!

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If you believe a man who worked w/ the CIA in Afghanistan wasn’t vetted, you’re kidding yourself. Let's stop politicizing every tragedy that involves an immigrant, asylum seeker or foreign national here in the U.S. and stick to the facts. We can & should do better. @msnowreports.bsky.social @ms.now

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What drives someone to risk everything for truth?

Lt. Col. @avindman.bsky.social shares his story on the personal cost of principled leadership & the present dangers facing American democracy. A gripping conversation on Making Sense of the World.

thesirennetwork.com/s/making-sense-of-the-world

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Let's be clear: A minerals deal between the U.S. & Ukraine is NOT a security agreement. Our companies operate in conflict zones worldwide - this doesn't prevent war. What Ukraine needs is an actual security deal between Russia & Ukraine.

Here's my analysis for @msnbc.com

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The Gaza crisis is at a breaking point. Israel's security and the return of hostages are crucial priorities. Palestinian civilians, many of whom oppose Hamas, continue to suffer catastrophically.

What's Trump's plan to resolve this? We don't know.

My take on @cnn.com @audiecornish.bsky.social

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NATSEC Thought of the Day: The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire is a win for both Lebanese & Israelis. It also demonstrates how Iran is on its heels. What we need now is a Gaza ceasefire for hostage deal. To get there, Hamas needs to look in the mirror & decide if it cares about the Palestinian people.

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The Gaza ceasefire has broken down and fighting has resumed.

American diplomacy is critical to ensuring that we get back on the path to the hostage release for ceasefire formula that worked, so that Israelis and Palestinians can have more calm.

Here's my take for @msnbc.com on the latest.

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President Trump is sending migrants to countries that are under duress & looking for US support. Why? Because no country wants to take people without their having due process, except for places that don't care about to human rights. My take for @msnbc.com

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Assad is now gone. He was a brutal tyrant & committed mass atrocities throughout his entire rule. In this war alone, his regime killed more than 600,000 people & displaced more than 12 million from their homes.

We have a vital interest in ensuring that what comes next helps to stabilize the region.

For <0.1% of the federal budget, Peace Corps volunteers build America's strongest assets: relationships & trust.

DOGE's threat to cut 50-70% of staff betrays bipartisan support and endangers our nat’l security.

Congress must act.

joelrubin.substack.com/p/the-peace-corps-is-getting-doged

The India-Pakistan conflict is the most unstable nuclear standoff on the planet. There are 350 nuclear warheads between them, yet no guardrails on this relationship. We should lean into diplomatic efforts to stop this war, not cede leadership to others like Iran. #BBCNews

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Trump tore up a working nuclear deal w/ Iran and replaced it with... nothing. Now faced with a nuclear program he helped unleash, he's boxed in. The ball is truly in his court. This moment was so unnecessary.

My latest on The Briefing Book:

joelrubin.substack.com/p/trumps-iran-moment-of-reckoning

My take for MSNBC: The possible Israel-Hezbollah deal would be a strategic failure for Hezbollah, who unwisely started a war w/ Israel after 10/7, only to see it backfire. It's time for the Lebanese gov to control its own territory & 4 civilians to return home. Let’s hope Iran gets the message too.

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Democrats need moral courage right now in confronting antisemitism.

We’re in a moment of reckoning - if leadership fails to meet it with with clarity & courage, we may not just lose the Jewish vote, but the soul of our party as well.

More on The Briefing Book.

joelrubin.substack.com