Selected Shorter Commentary

What Does the Maduro Strike Mean for War Powers Under Trump?

(with Katherine Irajpanah and Patrick Hulme)

Lawfare, January 2026. Available here.

How Congress Can Engage the American Public on Foreign Policy

Lawfare, August 2025. Available here.

Evaluating Congressional Sentiment Towards the Iran Strike

(with Patrick Hulme)

Lawfare, July 2025. Available here.

The Biden Democracy Summit: Will it Actually Work?

(with Norm Eisen and Mario Picon)

Brookings FixGov, December 2021. Available here.

Electoral Risks

(with Darrel West and Norm Eisen)

Brookings FixGov, October 2018. Reprinted in Business Insider. Available here.

How the Appearance of Conflicts of Interest in the White House will Strengthen Insurgents and Terrorists Globally

Small Wars Journal, January 2017. Available here.

The Costs of Failing to Protect Civilians in Counter-Militancy

Small Wars Journal, February 2016. Reprinted in Islamist Insurgents on the Defensive: Al Qaeda and the Islamic State in 2016, eds. Dave Dilegge and Robert J. Bunker. Available here.

Reports

Democracy Playbook 2021: Ten Commitments for Advancing Democracy

(with Susan Corke, Norm Eisen, Jonathan Katz, James Lamond, Alina Polyakova, and Torrey Taussig.)

Brookings Institution Report, December 2021. Paper available here.

The Democracy Playbook: Preventing and Reversing Democratic Backsliding

(with Norm Eisen, Susan Corke, Torrey Taussig, and Alina Polyakova.)

Brookings Institution Report, November 2019. Paper available here.

The Anatomy of Illiberal States: Assessing and Responding to Democratic Decline in Turkey and Central Europe

(with Alina Polyakova, Torrey Taussig, Ted Reinert, Kemal Kirisci, Amanda Sloat, James Kirchick, Melissa Hooper, and Norm Eisen)

Brookings Institution Report, February 2019. Paper available here.