How We’re Covering the War. Plus: Our Newest Columnist and Podcast

Nobody knows exactly what will come next in Iran. It’s the nature of a story this big, this fast, and this consequential. What we do know is that the coming days and weeks will determine a great deal: about Iran and the Middle East, about Donald Trump’s presidency and American politics, about a volatile new world order.

That’s why we’ve been all hands on deck since this story broke, working to help you make sense of these extraordinary events. It’s also why we’ve got exciting news about our expanding team. More on that in a second, but first, a quick recap of what we’ve done so far. Hours after the first strikes on Saturday, we went live—with Rafaela Siewert hosting and a roster of guests that included Douglas Murray, Michael Oren, Elliot Ackerman, and others. (You can catch that here.) We’ve published a lot since then. Here are some highlights you might have missed:

• Simon Sebag Montefiore on the death of a dictator and the dawn of a new Middle East

• Niall Ferguson on how Iran in 2026 differs from Iraq in 2003

• Ayaan Hirsi Ali on what the war means for the spread of Islamism across the globe

• Maya Sulkin on Ali Khamenei’s posthumous makeover

• Reporting from Washington by Eli Lake on how the Iran strike has shaken up Republican politics, and put J.D. Vance in an uncomfortable position

• Haviv Rettig Gur on why, contrary to the claims of some, this war is primarily about America’s interests, not Israel’s

• Michael Doran on how this war might end

With all of these pieces, and the many others from recent days, the goal is the same: delivering to our readers the clearest, sharpest account of what’s actually happening—and why it matters—available anywhere.

A story like Iran requires writers who understand the history, the regional dynamics, the military calculus, and the domestic politics—all at once, all in real time. It requires editors who know what questions haven’t been asked yet. It requires the freedom to follow the story wherever it leads.

That’s what we’ve built. And you’ll get all of it as a paid subscriber.

This war will likely go on for weeks. Don’t miss a thing—subscribe to read all of our essential coverage as it’s published.

And here’s something special: All new subscribers can now upgrade to a paid subscription and get the first seven days free. Full access to everything we publish, starting with the stories that matter most right now.

We’re thrilled to announce an important new voice that we’re adding to the team.

Today, Aaron MacLean joins The Free Press as a columnist and host of the School of War podcast.

Aaron is a military veteran, former faculty member at the U.S. Naval Academy, and talented podcaster. He has dedicated his career to piercing through the fog of war and extracting its lessons for the rest of us. What drives a battlefield command? Who is responsible for navigating an international conflict? When do we develop new weapons, and how?

Today, Aaron MacLean joins The Free Press as a columnist and host of the School of War podcast. (Courtesy of Aaron MacLean)

There is no voice more authoritative, or more equipped to make sense of these issues, than him. He’ll be doing that every week, both in our pages and with his podcast, School of War, which you can subscribe to here. (You can read the official press release here.)

Aaron makes his debut with The Free Press with a livestream at noon ET today. He’ll be in conversation with former head of Central Command, retired General Frank McKenzie, about the current conflict in Iran. We cannot recommend it enough. Paid subscribers can watch that right here.

We’ve got a lot more on this war in the coming days, starting with Niall Ferguson’s latest essay on how world wars start, landing in your inbox this afternoon.

If you’ve been reading us as a free subscriber and thinking about upgrading, this is the moment.

The story is moving. We’re on it. Join us.

With gratitude,

The Editors