Reputational Cost of Letting Ukraine Burn

When it comes to the deteriorating international security environment, the president has a lot on his plate these days. But so does any president, and multitasking is a core competency expected of the commander in chief.

The Trump administration is understandably focused on Israel’s effort to neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat — perhaps to a prohibitive degree. It will find that the United States — not the administration, but the nation and its polity — will not look kindly on a policy that results in America forgetting its obligations elsewhere on the globe.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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When it comes to the deteriorating international security environment, the president has a lot on his plate these days. But so does any president, and multitasking is a core competency expected of the commander in chief.

The Trump administration is understandably focused on Israel’s effort to neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat — perhaps to a prohibitive degree. It will find that the United States — not the administration, but the nation and its polity — will not look kindly on a policy that results in America forgetting its obligations elsewhere on the globe.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.