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John Hudson

@johnphudson.bsky.social
8.7K followers 53 following 519 posts

I cover diplomacy and national security for The Washington Post

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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 12h
Pentagon officials’ heated debates foreshadowed problems in Iran wapo.st/470nxZM
wapo.st
https://wapo.st/470nxZM
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Trump administration is paying $1.6 million a week to keep Voice of America staff on leave www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Scoop: Trump defies Democrats, diverts aid for Europe to Latin America instead www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/10/01/trump-defies-democrats-diverts-aid-europe-latin-america-instead/
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Republic of Ireland beat Israel after skipping pregame handshakes www.espn.com/soccer/story...
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
🚨Saudis have not ruled out developing nuclear weapons, U.S. intelligence assesses. Gift Link: www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
Saudis have not ruled out developing nuclear weapons, U.S. intelligence assesses
The sobering outlook has compounded concerns from some U.S. lawmakers about President Donald Trump’s agreement to assist the kingdom with establishing a civilian nuclear program.
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The sobering intelligence outlook has compounded concerns from U.S. lawmakers about Trump‘s nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, which they fear could enable the development of a nuclear weapon and spark an arms race in the volatile Middle East...
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Scoop: Classified documents provided to Congress include an assessment by the U.S. intelligence community that Saudi Arabia has not ruled out the option of developing a nuclear weapons program, per U.S. officials...
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Scoop from WaPo colleagues: More U.S. troops have died amid Iran war than Pentagon has disclosed publicly www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
🚨Trump’s planned sale of controversial 2,000-pound bombs to Israel is largest in years. Gift link: wapo.st/4yHxFCs
wapo.st
Trump’s planned sale of controversial bombs to Israel is largest in years
The pending transfer of the 2,000-pound munition, involved in scores of incidents resulting in civilian casualties, sets up a potential litmus test for Democrats.
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The 2,000-pound bombs have been employed by Israel on hundreds of occasions in Gaza and Lebanon, playing a significant role in the death toll of those conflicts. Israel has drawn criticism for routinely dropping MK-84s in zones it designated as safe for civilians in Gaza
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The size of the package eclipses previous sales of 2,000-pound munitions to Israel during the Biden administration and the Trump administration, including a controversial $2.04 billion sale in 2025 that bypassed the normal congressional review process
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Among the most destructive munitions in Western military arsenals, an MK-84 explosion sends metal fragments in every direction for thousands of feet, can rip through metal and thick concrete, and often creates large craters in the earth
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The $2.8 billion package, which would be purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars, includes 40,000 bombs that weigh 2,000 pounds each, including 20,000 MK-84s and 20,000 BLU-117s. The sale also includes 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads.
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
NEW: The Trump administration is preparing a multibillion-dollar sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel in the largest single sale of the controversial munition in recent years, per U.S. officials
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Returning home to the warm embrace of the empty reflecting pool
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
WaPo scoop: RFK Jr. uses military aircraft as he campaigns for GOP in midterms www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The Pentagon is investigating the high likelihood that an explosion in southern Iran that destroyed a home hosting a wedding celebration was caused by a U.S. bomb that missed a nearby target, WaPo reports. New details following initial reporting by NYT and Reuters. Gift link: wapo.st/4ytpKbP
washingtonpost.com
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/09/06/deadly-iran-wedding-strike-likely-due-us-weapon-missing-nearby-target/
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
The U.N. backed a map that shows Africa true to size. The U.S. was sole objector. www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
WSJ just published text messages between Fetterman and his staff in a story with quite the blunt sub-headline: “he churns through staff as he dodges constituents, alienates fellow Democrats and courts Israel lobby” www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
wsj.com
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Pentagon cuts access to classified information amid Iran war concerns www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The tragic story: www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
washingtonpost.com
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/09/01/haitian-immigrant-ohio-takes-his-own-life-after-losing-temporary-protected-status-family-says/
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
An Ohio college student from Haiti who had grown increasingly distraught after losing his protection from deportation stepped into traffic and was killed Monday in what his family believes was a suicide
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Reposted by John Hudson
Jay Kirell @jasonkirell.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Kurt Schlicter once told a disabled veteran to off himself. I know because I was that veteran.
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
New WaPo story just posted: Pentagon secretly installs military influencers in civilian roles www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
“free speech, including the freedom to criticize the government and its leaders, is not a sign of our democracy’s fragility. It is evidence of its strength.” www.nytimes.com/2026/08/28/u...
nytimes.com
Judge Rules Trump Unlawfully Targeted Stanford Students Who Criticized Israel
The ruling was a win for Stanford’s student newspaper, The Stanford Daily, and it followed another court victory for students targeted by the Trump administration last year.
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The Israeli commander who ordered the drone strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy that killed 7 aid workers said he did not mean to kill any WCK employees but "I'm not sorry for what I did." Last week the IDF decided not to prosecute those involved in the strike www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08...
abc.net.au
Israeli commander defends ordering strike that killed Zomi Frankcom
An Israeli commander who ordered a deadly drone strike on an aid convoy in Gaza, killing Australian woman Zomi Frankcom, says he stands by his decision.
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
British far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos detained by ICE and awaiting deportation www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/...
washingtonpost.com
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/08/28/british-far-right-provocateur-milo-yiannopoulos-detained-by-ice/
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
excellent column on the tyranny of "still or sparkling": "99% of the time, my fellow diners and I want filtered tap. We do not want to pay $11 for Evian, which tastes worse than filtered tap in most major cities" link.eater.com/view/6152239...
link.eater.com
View on web
View on web
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Before Hegseth fired him, top general was advised to drop Kid Rock probe www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Aisha Wahab wins race to fill Swalwell’s House seat, overcoming AIPAC spending, reports @praveenasoma wapo.st/3UKh7e5
wapo.st
https://wapo.st/3UKh7e5
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Rubio also imposed sanctions on ICC senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye. The press release only says Seye engaged in efforts to arrest "officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction." Left unsaid is Seye's work led to Netanyahu's ICC arrest warrant 2/2
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Rubio just imposed sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane, a woman who is currently wanted in Russia because she issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes 1/2
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
NEW: The Pentagon is evaluating its military footprint in the Middle East, including whether to pull back troops from the Persian Gulf, where America’s large overseas military bases have been battered by months of Iranian strikes, per sources: wapo.st/4g67GOv
wapo.st
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Covert CIA program said to be behind mysterious attacks on Galápagos boats www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...
washingtonpost.com
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/08/13/covert-cia-program-said-be-behind-mysterious-attacks-galpagos-boats/
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Breaking: Trump administration’s antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard is dismissed. The judge said the government’s complaint is “devoid of any factual allegations” that the university has failed to comply with the law wapo.st/45ZPyzW
wapo.st
https://wapo.st/45ZPyzW
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
NEW: CIA had ‘low confidence’ in Iranian threat to Trump in Turkey, but Secret Service took no chances www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
The Trump administration plans to spend at least $900 million for construction projects on the White House grounds, a significantly larger price tag than has been previously reported and one that would be covered primarily by taxpayers www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...
washingtonpost.com
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/08/12/trump-administration-set-spend-least-900-million-white-house-construction/
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
New: The catering truck that smuggled Trump out of Air Force One and into a Boeing C-32A included the president's aides Dan Scavino, Natalie Harp and Walt Nauta (no cabinet officials such as Rubio) www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/12/close-trump-aides-no-cabinet-officials-made-secret-catering-truck-move/
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Gave some context to CNN: Iran’s supreme leader was assassinated at the start of the war (along w/ much of its civilian & military leadership). It’s no surprise Trump was at risk while in a country bordering Iran but the tactics used to protect him were jaw-dropping
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Trump’s plane ruse echoes Clinton’s Pakistan swap, with one key difference www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
washingtonpost.com
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Video: The Turkish catering truck nonchalantly moving from Air Force One to the other plane
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Asked why reporters had been instructed to lower the window shades on the plane, Trump said that it was “because you’re probably on a dangerous flight." “But if I go, you go. Right?" Trump added “Perhaps someday you want to change professions”
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
In Ankara, Trump boarded the old Air Force One jumbo jet in view of television cameras. He was secretly shuttled minutes later to a smaller plane — an Air Force C-32A — via an airport catering truck typically used to load meals and other supplies preflight
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Scoop: Trump flew secretly from Turkey on an alternate military aircraft unbeknownst to journalists and some White House staff members who believed they were on the same plane as the president, The Post has learned 🧵 www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/08/10/trump-flew-secrecy-amid-iran-threat-air-force-one-became-decoy/
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Under Trump, 90% of ambassador nominations have gone to political supporters www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Trump, Hegseth clashed at Camp David over Iran missile depletion concerns www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Abdul El-Sayed overcame a massive spending disadvantage by hardline pro-Israel groups and opposition from the Democratic establishment to win Michigan’s Senate primary, the Associated Press projected. www.washingtonpost.com/elections/20...
washingtonpost.com
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Gen. Alexus Grynkewich sent written notification to senior Pentagon officials saying that without another Navy destroyer he will be forced to choose defense of the United States “homeland” over that of Israel, reports @DanLamothe wapo.st/4fQywc5
wapo.st
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Inside the push by @AIPAC and @netanyahu to integrate the defense industries of the U.S. and Israel as American public support for Israel wanes, featuring my exchanges with @marcorubio, @ChrisVanHollen @RonnyJacksonTX and others. Gift link: wapo.st/4w60rLf
wapo.st
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John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Saudi Arabia joins U.S. military strikes on Iranian proxies apple.news/AJWRWYlENSe2...
apple.news
Saudi Arabia joins U.S. military strikes on Iranian proxies — The Washington Post
The rare joint operation in Iraq underscores the risk that the Iran conflict could expand.
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