Benjamin Wittes
A specialist in law and national security, he is the author of several books. Most recently, he co-wrote Unmaking the Presidency: Donald Trump’s War on the World’s Most Powerful Office. He previously served as a member of The Washington Post’s editorial-page staff, where he focused on legal affairs.
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Getty / The Atlantic Trump’s Self-Pardon Fantasy Will Meet a Harsh Reality
The idea might sound good on paper, but in the real world it could backfire.
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Alex Wong / Getty Can Democrats Stop the Nomination?
Four questions that could determine whether Mitch McConnell can push through a Trump Supreme Court nominee
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STR / AFP / Getty Lebanon’s Tragedy Is All Too Familiar
Americans know what it’s like to suffer the consequences of negligent government.
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Luke Sharrett / Bloomberg / Getty Trump Is Terrified of Losing
His electoral prospects are slim—and he knows it.
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MANDEL NGAN / AFP /Getty The Revenge of the Never Trumpers
Conservatives who have repudiated the president are an essential part of the coalition that could elect Biden—and reshape American politics for years to come.
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Rian Dundon / Economic Hardship Reporting Project Nothing Can Justify the Attack on Portland
The question of whether these arrests are appropriate has a clear answer—at least in a nation that purports to live under the rule of law.
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Getty / The Atlantic How to Corrupt the Justice Department
Donald Trump has left his successors a playbook.
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Getty Trump Is Campaigning on a Platform of Abject Failure
The president’s argument for his reelection is not the kind of argument you make if you’ve done a good job.
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Getty / The Atlantic Trump Is Boring Now, and He Can’t Do Anything About It
Season 4 of the Trump show just doesn’t have the zest and sparkle of the previous seasons.
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Oliver Contreras/SIPA/Bloomberg/Getty Three Plausible—And Troubling—Reasons Why Barr Tried to Force Berman Out
Some are worse than others, though none represents what one would like to see from the Department of Justice.
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Getty / The Atlantic Despise Bolton, but Read His Book Anyway
Americans need not validate or vindicate the former national security adviser. But they should acknowledge that his story is worth hearing.
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Shutterstock / The Atlantic Yet Another Week of Trump Failing to Be an Actual Authoritarian
The president attempted to respond to protests with shows of force, and revealed his weakness in the process.
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Debby Wong / Stephen Maturen / Getty / … The Law-Enforcement Abuses That Don’t Bother Trump
The president believes that those who oppose him should be punished, but that those who support him should be free to do as they please.
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Jonathan Ernst / Reuters Boring but Very Nasty
Writing a column to prove the president’s tweet correct turns out to be more difficult than expected.
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Mike Segar / Reuters Worse Than a Pardon
The decision to drop charges against Michael Flynn implicates the whole justice system.
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The Atlantic / Getty ‘Obamagate’ Is Just Trump’s Latest Effort at Distraction
From the very beginning of his administration, the president has sought to deflect attention from its original sin.
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Patrick Semansky / AP What Judge Sullivan Should Do
The Justice Department has requested that he dismiss the case against Michael Flynn. Here are 13 questions the judge should ask of government counsel.
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Bloomberg / Getty / The Atlantic To Trump, ‘Complete and Total Exoneration’ Is Always Right Around the Corner
The president and his supporters continue to fixate on the Russia investigation, perpetually expecting redemption.
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Chip Somodevilla / Getty The Democrats Have No Good Options
If they are successful in their cooperation with Trump, they potentially throw him an electoral lifeline. But if they fail, the country will suffer.
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Alexander Drago What’s So Hard to Understand About What Trump Has Said?
A clarifying look at the president’s response to the coronavirus, in his own words
