CFR fellow, WaPo columnist. Pulitzer finalist for biography. REAGAN: HIS LIFE AND LEGEND: NYT bestseller & NYT 10 best books of 2024. Writing John McCain bio.

New York
Joined April 2009
Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 retweeted
Elon Musk claims that Ukraine allegedly violated Starlink's terms of use and used the system on combat drones. As someone who was inside the process at the Ministry of Defense, I can say with certainty that this is not true. In February of this year, whitelists were introduced. Stationary terminals could be registered by both military personnel and civilians. But for any satellite terminal to work while on the move, it had to be added to a special list and connected to the military Starshield system. Otherwise, no satellite communication terminals in Ukraine would work. In other words, using civilian Starlink for drone missions was technically impossible. All drone missions that required satellite communication could only be carried out using Starshield. We are very grateful to the United States and SpaceX for access to critically important satellite communications. Ukraine did not violate the terms of use.
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The words that come to my mind are villainous, vile, vicious....
Mark Carney on Elon Musk throttling Starlink: "I search for the right adjective to describe whoever took this decision or group of people took this decision against a country that is literally fighting for the lives of the citizens against naked aggression."
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Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 retweeted
Ukraine’s envoy to Washington says that Trump’s request to Musk was ignored.
Starshield/Starlink speed restrictions remain in place. Every day matters for Ukraine, because every Ukrainian life matters. Our people are waiting for positive news, hoping that the restrictions will be lifted and our defenders will have the capabilities they need to protect lives. Unfortunately, as of today, nothing has changed. We continue to wait.
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Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 retweeted
"What explains Trump’s bizarre affinity for Putin? The Russian warmonger is standing in the way of his goal of winning a Nobel Peace Prize. Shouldn’t Trump be mad at him?" The latest from @MaxBoot: wapo.st/4sm2b2Q
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This is why I resist saying that Trump has switched sides in the war or that there is some conspiratorial link between Putin and him. He is easily duped by Putin, but he is also so mercurial that he can seem to support Russia one day and Ukraine the next. As I noted in @PostOpinions: wapo.st/47o44SX
NEW: Trump called Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on a military-grade version of Starlink in Ukraine that the SpaceX chief had throttled, U.S. officials said. The system was working more normally Thursday, shortly after their conversation, per Us and Ukrainian officials
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Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 retweeted
Yes, hearing the same.
New. I’m told by frontline drone commanders in Ukraine that Starlink speed restrictions have likely been lifted. They are still doing tests but “this looks to be the case”
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Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 retweeted
Trump: "I alone could secure a prisoner release from Russia without giving anything in return" Trump literally ten minutes later: "Now you idiots know why I had to waive sanctions on Russia, no shot I got that prisoner release otherwise"
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Robert Rubin: Many Americans continue to underestimate one particular potential threat to our economic future: President Trump’s clearly expressed desire to interfere with and even usurp the midterm elections. Nov. 3 could be a defining test for the rule of law in this country, and both our democracy and our prosperity are on the line. nytimes.com/2026/10/21/opini…
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Nauseating and embarrassing.
Steve Witkoff to Vladimir Putin, the man who unleashed the biggest war in Europe since 1945: “You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being the humanitarian. You are, you are humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that. I commend you”.
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.@Belton: The Kremlin is counting the Trump administration’s latest turn against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a major triumph and, coupled with political upheaval in Europe, a sign that Western support for Ukraine is finally crumbling. washingtonpost.com/world/202…
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This is appalling and infuriating. Withholding Patriots = killing Ukrainian civilians.
BIG: Zelensky confirms the Kyiv Independent's reporting, telling U.S. congressmen the Pentagon is refusing to approve the transfer of Patriot missiles to Ukraine. The weapons have already been paid for through the U.S.-NATO PURL program, Zelensky said.
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Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 retweeted
I have long since given up believing in conspiratorial explanations of the Trump-Putin relationship. If evidence for some nefarious tie existed, it would’ve been uncovered by now, especially after four years of Democratic control of the executive branch. Zelensky had a more compelling theory when he said that Trump simply has a fondness for autocrats and the uber-wealthy—and Putin is both. wapo.st/47o44SX
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Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 retweeted
It hadn’t occurred to me that Trump views Putin as a fellow billionaire, but it’s true. Putin’s net worth has been estimated at $70 billion to $200 billion. Trump, who made more than $2 billion last year, no doubt respects anyone who manages to make so much money in office and to cling to power for so long. wapo.st/47o44SX
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Like I said today in @PostOpinions, Trump’s willingness to do the bidding of a murderous despot is despicable and dangerous. wapo.st/47o44SX
Trump again spends the day praising Putin. "Russia has been frankly fine on Ukraine"
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Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 retweeted
This is the most probable explanation why President Trump has so much love for Putin. No conspiracy. Just genuine admiration for rich, powerful, uncontrolled.
I have long since given up believing in conspiratorial explanations of the Trump-Putin relationship. If evidence for some nefarious tie existed, it would’ve been uncovered by now, especially after four years of Democratic control of the executive branch. Zelensky had a more compelling theory when he said that Trump simply has a fondness for autocrats and the uber-wealthy—and Putin is both. wapo.st/47o44SX
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I have long since given up believing in conspiratorial explanations of the Trump-Putin relationship. If evidence for some nefarious tie existed, it would’ve been uncovered by now, especially after four years of Democratic control of the executive branch. Zelensky had a more compelling theory when he said that Trump simply has a fondness for autocrats and the uber-wealthy—and Putin is both. wapo.st/47o44SX
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Not for the first time, it seems the wily Putin has manipulated a credulous Trump. The U.S. president is now blaming Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries for the soaring oil prices that are exacerbating his political woes. Never mind that his war in Iran is the actual culprit. If Republicans lose the midterms, Trump has a ready-made scapegoat. wapo.st/47o44SX
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It hadn’t occurred to me that Trump views Putin as a fellow billionaire, but it’s true. Putin’s net worth has been estimated at $70 billion to $200 billion. Trump, who made more than $2 billion last year, no doubt respects anyone who manages to make so much money in office and to cling to power for so long. wapo.st/47o44SX
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