President Trump's decision to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria, made after meeting the country's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, was a smart move despite real risks. Giving Syria's transitional government a genuine chance to rebuild and distance itself from Iranian and Russian influence outweighs the uncertainty created by the new leadership's past ties, and sanctions relief is a necessary first step toward a more stable Middle East.

Decades of focus on leadership education have left an equally important skill, followership, largely unaddressed, even though every leader is also a follower at some point. Five tenets define good followership — respect for authority, candid advice, advocating for decisions as one's own, humility, and self-control — and leaders who model poor followership toward their own bosses give their teams license to do the same.

President Trump's decision to engage in direct talks with Hamas, though a break from longstanding U.S. precedent, is one place where his instincts are probably right, since the stalled Gaza conflict is blocking broader progress in the Middle East, including formalized ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Direct negotiation doesn't require recognition, and sanctions, public statements and continued military support for Israel can make clear the U.S.

President Trump's approach to reshaping national security agencies threatens to undermine a professional culture that too many Americans take for granted — one built over decades to keep politics out of the work of protecting the country.

President Trump's fast-moving effort to reorder America's relationships abroad may work in the short run but risks the hub-and-spoke international system the U.S. built after World War II, one that lets allies like South Korea and Japan cooperate effectively only through American mediation. Pressuring allies like Egypt and Jordan could destabilize the Middle East and hand China an opening to fill the vacuum America leaves behind.

The aggressive, indiscriminate approach being taken toward downsizing the federal workforce is unfair to the people who serve in it and risks the government's ability to carry out basic functions. Federal employees deserve real gratitude for their service, not the blunt treatment of a workforce reduction carried out with a sledgehammer rather than careful judgment.

Maryland was at its best when it stood apart from Washington-style partisanship. Gov. Wes Moore's willingness to rearrange rather than solve the state's fiscal problems, along with his shifting characterizations of the budget he inherited, represents a departure from the bipartisan civility that used to define the state's politics under Larry Hogan.

Access to strong professional networks and mentorship, more than training alone, often makes the decisive difference in an aspiring leader's career, and this access remains unevenly distributed. Established leaders have a responsibility to take the initiative in reaching out to mentor others, since good mentorship tends to create a virtuous cycle where mentees become mentors themselves.

President Trump is right that Greenland's resources and strategic Arctic location matter, but the U.S. gains nothing from suggesting coercive means to acquire it, since Greenland is already secure through America's NATO alliance with Denmark. Any hint of coercion jeopardizes the trust underpinning America's alliances, and would leave the U.S. having to act as "a bully on the world stage" to get something it already has — making the country less safe, not more.

President Trump is right that battlefield realities make a negotiated settlement necessary, but the U.S. should keep arming and supporting Ukraine so it can secure its own future rather than formally recognizing Russia's territorial gains. This approach continues to draw Russia's attention and resources and serves America's own security interests, since an unchecked Russia will harm U.S. interests if given the chance.

With Maryland facing a serious budget shortfall and its worst fiscal outlook in 20 years, Gov. Wes Moore's response will define what kind of leader he really is. If Moore rises to the moment — rather than blaming others or letting national political ambitions distract from the hard work at home — he can both help Maryland and offer a positive model of Democratic leadership as the party rebuilds nationally.

After Kamala Harris's 2024 loss, Democrats should resist the temptation to blame voters and instead recognize that the party itself needs to change. A center-left Democratic Party willing to set the agenda, rather than cede ground to the more extreme voices of either party, gives Democrats their best shot at earning back an electoral mandate.

The Democratic Party's coming explanations for its 2024 loss will likely miss two central points: most Americans want to see their country as a fundamentally good nation with real flaws, not a flawed nation that occasionally does good, and this framing shapes whether voters feel pride or shame about their country. Understanding this distinction is essential if Democrats want to build a party capable of winning nationally again.