Paul McLeary

Paul McLeary was a staff writer at Foreign Policy from 2015-2018.

Articles by Paul McLeary
This picture taken on August 9, 2017 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on August 10, 2017 shows a rally in support of North Korea's stance against the US, on Kim Il-Sung square in Pyongyang. North Korea on August 10 said US President Donald Trump was "bereft of reason" and would only respond to force, as it elaborated on a threat to attack the US Pacific territory of Guam. / AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS / STR / South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PHOTO IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY AFP. / (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)
This picture taken on August 9, 2017 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on August 10, 2017 shows a rally in support of North Korea's stance against the US, on Kim Il-Sung square in Pyongyang. North Korea on August 10 said US President Donald Trump was "bereft of reason" and would only respond to force, as it elaborated on a threat to attack the US Pacific territory of Guam. / AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS / STR / South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PHOTO IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY AFP. / (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)

SitRep: Bluster, Uncertainty, Over North Korea Policy

The Cable
Paul McLeary
tillerson
tillerson

On North Korea, Tillerson Plays Good Cop to Trump’s Bad Cop

Report
Robbie Gramer, Paul McLeary
A man watches a television news programme showing US President Donald Trump (C) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (L) at a railway station in Seoul on August 9, 2017. President Donald Trump issued an apocalyptic warning to North Korea on Tuesday, saying it faces "fire and fury" over its missile program, after US media reported Pyongyang has successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead. / AFP PHOTO / JUNG Yeon-Je (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)
A man watches a television news programme showing US President Donald Trump (C) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (L) at a railway station in Seoul on August 9, 2017. President Donald Trump issued an apocalyptic warning to North Korea on Tuesday, saying it faces "fire and fury" over its missile program, after US media reported Pyongyang has successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead. / AFP PHOTO / JUNG Yeon-Je (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)

SitRep: Trump, North Korea, and Target Lists

The Cable
Paul McLeary
INDIAN SPRINGS, NV - NOVEMBER 17: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been reviewed by the U.S. Military prior to transmission.) An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) is prepared for a training mission at Creech Air Force Base on November 17, 2015 in Indian Springs, Nevada. The Pentagon has plans to expand combat air patrols flights by remotely piloted aircraft by as much as 50 percent over the next few years to meet an increased need for surveillance, reconnaissance and lethal airstrikes in more areas around the world. (Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images)
INDIAN SPRINGS, NV - NOVEMBER 17: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been reviewed by the U.S. Military prior to transmission.) An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) is prepared for a training mission at Creech Air Force Base on November 17, 2015 in Indian Springs, Nevada. The Pentagon has plans to expand combat air patrols flights by remotely piloted aircraft by as much as 50 percent over the next few years to meet an increased need for surveillance, reconnaissance and lethal airstrikes in more areas around the world. (Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images)

SitRep: Pentagon Mulling Drone Strikes in Philippines; Better Missiles for South Korea

The Cable
Paul McLeary
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 16: National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster answers questions during a press briefing at the White House May 16, 2017 in Washington, DC. McMaster defended the President Donald TrumpÕs decision to share intelligence with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during an Oval Office meeting last week. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 16: National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster answers questions during a press briefing at the White House May 16, 2017 in Washington, DC. McMaster defended the President Donald TrumpÕs decision to share intelligence with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during an Oval Office meeting last week. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

SitRep: Next Steps for McMaster’s NSC; U.S. Troops in Yemen; Taliban Finds New Allies

The Cable
Paul McLeary
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 26: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson exits a brief media availability before his meeting with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the State Department, July 26, 2017 in Washington, DC. When prompted by a reporter's question, Tillerson said 'I'm not going anywhere' and that he will stay on as Secretary of State 'as long as the president lets me.' (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 26: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson exits a brief media availability before his meeting with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the State Department, July 26, 2017 in Washington, DC. When prompted by a reporter's question, Tillerson said 'I'm not going anywhere' and that he will stay on as Secretary of State 'as long as the president lets me.' (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

SitRep: EXCLUSIVE: New Details of Seismic Changes at State Dept.; Pence Vs. Putin

The Cable
Paul McLeary
TOPSHOT - This picture taken on July 4, 2017 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on July 5, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) celebrating the successful test-fire of the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 at an undisclosed location. South Korea and the United States fired off missiles on July 5 simulating a precision strike against North Korea's leadership, in response to a landmark ICBM test described by Kim Jong-Un as a gift to "American bastards". / AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS / STR / South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PHOTO IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY AFP. / (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - This picture taken on July 4, 2017 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on July 5, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) celebrating the successful test-fire of the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 at an undisclosed location. South Korea and the United States fired off missiles on July 5 simulating a precision strike against North Korea's leadership, in response to a landmark ICBM test described by Kim Jong-Un as a gift to "American bastards". / AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS / STR / South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PHOTO IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY AFP. / (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)

North Korea’s New ICBM Launch Is Latest Challenge for Trump

The Cable
Paul McLeary
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine General Joseph Dunford holds a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, May 19, 2017. Pentagon chief Jim Mattis stressed Thursday that America is not getting more involved in Syria's civil war, after the US-led coalition struck a pro-regime convoy heading for a remote garrison. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine General Joseph Dunford holds a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, May 19, 2017. Pentagon chief Jim Mattis stressed Thursday that America is not getting more involved in Syria's civil war, after the US-led coalition struck a pro-regime convoy heading for a remote garrison. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

SitRep: Iran Hawk Ousted from NSC; Huge Defense Bill Pushed Through House; U.S. Investigates Torture Allegations

The Cable
Paul McLeary
A picture taken on February 17, 2015 shows a Cameroonian soldier standing post in the Cameroonian town of Fotokol, on the border with Nigeria, after clashes occurred on February 4 between Cameroonian troops and Nigeria-based Boko Haram insurgents. Nigerian Boko Haram fighters went on the rampage in the Cameroonian border town of Fotokol on February 4, massacring dozens of civilians and torching a mosque before being repelled by regional forces AFP PHOTO / REINNIER KAZE (Photo credit should read Reinnier KAZE/AFP/Getty Images)
A picture taken on February 17, 2015 shows a Cameroonian soldier standing post in the Cameroonian town of Fotokol, on the border with Nigeria, after clashes occurred on February 4 between Cameroonian troops and Nigeria-based Boko Haram insurgents. Nigerian Boko Haram fighters went on the rampage in the Cameroonian border town of Fotokol on February 4, massacring dozens of civilians and torching a mosque before being repelled by regional forces AFP PHOTO / REINNIER KAZE (Photo credit should read Reinnier KAZE/AFP/Getty Images)

Pentagon Investigating if U.S. Troops Knew of Torture at Cameroonian Base

The Cable
Paul McLeary
GREELEY, CO - OCTOBER 30: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds an LGBT rainbow flag given to him by supporter Max Nowak during a campaign rally at the Bank of Colorado Arena on the campus of University of Northern Colorado October 30, 2016 in Greeley, Colorado. With less than nine days until Americans go to the polls, Trump is campaigning in Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
GREELEY, CO - OCTOBER 30: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds an LGBT rainbow flag given to him by supporter Max Nowak during a campaign rally at the Bank of Colorado Arena on the campus of University of Northern Colorado October 30, 2016 in Greeley, Colorado. With less than nine days until Americans go to the polls, Trump is campaigning in Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

SitRep: Pentagon, White House Silent After Trump Trans Tweets; U.S. Allies in Syria Scatter

The Cable
Paul McLeary
US President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on July 3, 2017. Trump and his family were returning to Washington, DC after spending the weekend at his Bedminster, NJ golf club. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on July 3, 2017. Trump and his family were returning to Washington, DC after spending the weekend at his Bedminster, NJ golf club. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Blindsides Pentagon in Transgender Policy Shift

The Cable
Paul McLeary
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) attend a panel discussion on an opioid and drug abuse in the Roosevelt Room of the White House March 29, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Shawn Thew-Pool/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) attend a panel discussion on an opioid and drug abuse in the Roosevelt Room of the White House March 29, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Shawn Thew-Pool/Getty Images)

SitRep: Congress Tells Trump They’re Watching Russia; Pence Wades into Pentagon Transgender Fight

The Cable
Paul McLeary
AAAtrans
AAAtrans

Pence Working to Reverse Pentagon’s Transgender Policies

The Cable
Paul McLeary
US President Donald Trump and National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster board Air Force One before departing from Andrews Air Force Base for Miami, Florida on June 16, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump and National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster board Air Force One before departing from Andrews Air Force Base for Miami, Florida on June 16, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

SitRep: Trump Tweets Classified CIA Program; Top WH Officials Burning Out

The Cable
Paul McLeary
A picture taken on July 5, 2017 shows a souvenir kiosk offering among others a drawing depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin holding a baby with the face of US President Donald Trump, based upon a propaganda poster showing late soviet leader Joseph Stalin holding a baby, in Moscow. It was a constant refrain on the campaign trail for Donald Trump in his quest for the US presidency: "We're going to have a great relationship with Putin and Russia." Now, weighed down by claims that Moscow helped put him in the White House, Trump is set to finally meet his Russian counterpart in an encounter fraught with potential danger for the struggling American leader. / AFP PHOTO / Mladen ANTONOV (Photo credit should read MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images)
A picture taken on July 5, 2017 shows a souvenir kiosk offering among others a drawing depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin holding a baby with the face of US President Donald Trump, based upon a propaganda poster showing late soviet leader Joseph Stalin holding a baby, in Moscow. It was a constant refrain on the campaign trail for Donald Trump in his quest for the US presidency: "We're going to have a great relationship with Putin and Russia." Now, weighed down by claims that Moscow helped put him in the White House, Trump is set to finally meet his Russian counterpart in an encounter fraught with potential danger for the struggling American leader. / AFP PHOTO / Mladen ANTONOV (Photo credit should read MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images)

SitRep: Kushner Claims Four Meetings With Russian Officials, Denies Collusion

The Cable
Paul McLeary
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