Miller Center of Public Affairs

06/16/2026

"The United States’ most significant loss isn’t counted in bombs or funds. Instead, it’s the growing global belief that the U.S. can be outlasted."

The United States may have provided its greatest global adversaries with a blueprint for dismantling American hegemony, argues the Miller Center's Allan Stam.



https://zurl.co/4UsSE

In Iran, the Trump administration may have just traded its queen for a pawn

06/16/2026

The U.S. is "poised to negotiate to reduce or eliminate Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities for an extended period—a negotiating position in which the U.S. would have had a far stronger vantage point, and three more years to get it done [until 2030], had the president not unilaterally exited the prior agreement in 2018," says the Miller Center's Mara Rudman, discussing the memorandum of understanding set to be signed by the U.S. and Iran on Friday.

"Iran has already emerged as a much more powerful country," one expert told Newsweek.

06/16/2026

"It is shaping his presidency and how people view it. It’s certainly going to shape his and Joe Biden’s legacies."

Trump’s age may matter most when it comes to how his presidency is remembered, says the Miller Center's Barbara Perry.

Donald Trump has turned 80, making him only the second president to reach the milestone while in office.

06/15/2026

"This is unprecedented, and unlike any other president in history in his impact" on such a wide breadth of US culture.

President Trump is a cultural force in a way that few, if any, presidents have been before, discusses the Miller Center's Barbara Perry.

The president is everywhere, all the time like few chief executives before him

06/12/2026

In a walkway linking the West Wing to the White House residence, the Trump administration has installed gold-lettered plaques summarizing each of the 47 U.S. presidencies—all peppered with falsehoods, misrepresentations, insults, praise, self-promotion, and erratic capitalizations.

The Miller Center's Marc Selverstone explains how the plaques recast history in a way that favors Trump.

We asked eight historians to evaluate Trump’s gold plaques for each president.

06/10/2026

How has America's constitutional system responded to each president's rogue behavior?

The Miller Center's Ken Hughes discusses Donald Trump's abuses of power—including the enrichment of himself and his family—in the White House, compared to the corruption of past presidents.

Podcast Episode · History As It Happens · June 9 · 58m

06/08/2026

"It’s a little bit like the gladiators in ancient Roman times performing in front of the emperor."

Donald Trump has introduced "the reality president," argues the Miller Center's Barbara Perry, discussing the UFC fight scheduled to take place at the White House on President Trump’s birthday, June 14.

With an MMA spectacle planned for his 80th birthday, some have likened the president to a Roman emperor. But P.T. Barnum may be a more apt comparison.

06/08/2026

The Ukraine War is a disaster for Russia. So why is Putin still fighting?

The Miller Center's Eric and Eliot discuss the staggering Russian casualty levels and severe economic toll the war continues to inflict on Russia. They also offer differing assessments of the Iran war negotiations and analyze the prospects for a lasting ceasefire, as well as examine the under-reported and dangerous nuclear developments on the Korean peninsula.

Eric and Eliot dissect the latest jackassery before pivoting to the...

06/04/2026

TOMORROW! Join Miller Center Director Bill Antholis for a discussion exploring how the American presidency has evolved over the past three decades—and why presidents from both parties are now more powerful, more partisan, and less popular than ever. What does this mean for the future of the presidency?

This free seminar will be held at University of Virginia's Old Cabell Hall, in partnership with UVA Alumni Association.

06/03/2026

This Friday, June 5! Join Miller Center Director Bill Antholis for a discussion exploring how the American presidency has evolved over the past three decades—and why presidents from both parties are now more powerful, more partisan, and less popular than ever. What does this mean for the future of the presidency?

This free seminar will be held at University of Virginia's Old Cabell Hall, in partnership with UVA Alumni Association. Learn more about this year's UVA alumni reunion and event schedule 👉 https://zurl.co/hvqU0