In their words · Updated July 27, 2026
Kissinger professor at Johns Hopkins SAIS
3 verified quotes on the record, July 20, 2026 to July 20, 2026. Every one is a character-for-character copy from its source; the lens colors mark the outlets and channels that carried the words, never the person.
As printed Jul 20
“if you were to judge by the status quo today, July 16th, or certainly by the now defunct MOU that was signed last month, the US lost the war”
on US failing military objectives against Iran
Printed by The Bulwark Establishment / Center-Right Trump Had the Firepower. Iran Had the Strategy. (w/ Hal Brands) | Shield of the Republic ›
As printed Jul 20
“Iran was actually able to cause far more damage in the region than the U.S. and its friends had anticipated”
on US underestimating Iran's military retaliation capacity
Printed by The Bulwark Establishment / Center-Right Trump Had the Firepower. Iran Had the Strategy. (w/ Hal Brands) | Shield of the Republic ›
In their own words Jul 20
“Iran was actually able to cause far more damage in the region than the U.S. and its friends had anticipated, and of course Iran was able to take and hold control of the Strait of Hormuz, thereby administering a shock to the global economy”
on Iran's military strikes exceeding U.S. expectations and harming economy
On The Bulwark Establishment / Center-Right The Iran strikes ›
This file holds only what Hal Brands said in coverage the daily brief documented, so it grows with the news; it is a verified record, not a biography. Checkable claims here are tracked to resolution on the claim ledger. If a quote you saw elsewhere is missing, it did not pass verification against a source we hold.
In their words
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