O'BRIEN

Timothy L. O'Brien

Senior Executive Editor:Bloomberg Opinion

Timothy L. O'Brien is senior executive editor of Bloomberg Opinion. A former editor and reporter for the New York Times, he is author of “TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald.”

Latest

WH Briefing Iran 4/6/26

Bloomberg Opinion

Trump Got Schooled by Iran. He’ll Never Learn

April 9, 2026

April 9, 2026

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump Got Schooled by Iran. He’ll Never Learn

WH Briefing Iran 4/6/26

March 12, 2026

March 12, 2026

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump Has Never Been a Planner, and in War That’s Deadly

President Trump Speaks To The Press During A News Conference In Doral, Florida

February 2, 2026

February 2, 2026

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump’s UAE Chip Deal Is a National Security Risk

UAE-US-DIPLOMACY-TRUMP

January 23, 2026

January 23, 2026

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Dimon Now Has a $5 Billion Reason to Stand Up to Trump

Dimon Now Has a $5 Billion Reason to Stand Up to Trump

January 21, 2026

January 21, 2026

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump’s Tabloid Presidency Is a Recipe for Chaos

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

November 13, 2025

November 13, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump Stoked the Epstein Scandal. It’s Come Back to Bite Him.

President Trump Swears In US Ambassador To India

October 24, 2025

October 24, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump Is Turning the White House Into a Golden Goose

President Trump Hosts Turkish President Erdogan

October 20, 2025

October 20, 2025

OpinionCarolyn Silverman and Timothy L. O'Brien

Will Trump Do It? It Pays to Bet ‘No’

Polymarket data shows wagers against Trump taking action would have yielded returns similar to the S&P 500. And gambling that he'll actually follow through was a losing proposition.

Trump BBO feature

September 17, 2025

September 17, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump’s $15 Billion NY Times Suit Also Has a Serious Intent

The president wants to tear down another vital institution while unwinding legal protections for the media.

Former President Donald Trump's Hush-Money Criminal Trial

August 18, 2025

August 18, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Don’t Expect Trump to Put Ukraine or Europe Above Himself

All of the energy that goes into speculating about the president’s grand designs or philosophy about Putin or anything else is a distraction.

US-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-SUMMIT-TRUMP-PUTIN-PRESSER

July 21, 2025

July 21, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump Can’t Put the Epstein Genie Back in the Bottle

The purveyor-in-chief of conspiracy theories is being steamrolled by one he encouraged and is unable to spin.

President Trump Holds Signing Ceremony For GENIUS Act At White House

July 14, 2025

July 14, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Epstein Conspiracies Split Trump, Musk and the MAGAsphere

The president is learning the consequences of courting outlandish theories.

President Trump Meets With Fraternal Order Of Police Members At White House

June 17, 2025

June 17, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump Mobile Joins the Oval Office Sales Parade

Whether directly peddling products or not, the president is a walking financial conflict of interest who routinely enriches himself.

Trump Organization Unveils New Mobile Phone Company, Trump Mobile

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump’s Birthday Parade Isn’t a Harmless Military Spectacle

Don’t let the president’s party distract from the blunt force he is more than eager to deploy in cities like Los Angeles.

US-POLITICS-ARMY

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

This TACO Gives Trump Indigestion, So Watch Out

The acronym — Trump Always Chickens Out — bruises the president’s ego and invites a chaotic response, mostly because it’s on the money.

This TACO Gives Trump Indigestion, So Watch Out

May 4, 2025

May 4, 2025

OpinionJonathan Levin, Allison Schrager, Timothy L O'Brien and Nir Kaissar

Opinion Live Q&A: Warren Buffett’s Investing Legacy

Our columnists answer your questions on the Oracle of Omaha’s legacy and succession plan for Berkshire Hathaway.

Opinion live q&a Buffett home page image

April 7, 2025

April 7, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump Created an Economic Sinkhole. He Doesn’t Care

There is no strategy behind the tariff chaos — it’s all about personal grievances and settling scores.

President Trump Departs White House For Florida

March 10, 2025

March 10, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump’s Dealmaking Is All About Him

From effectively ending the war in Ukraine to setting tariffs, the president’s negotiating skills are coming up short.

President Trump Establishes White House Task Force for 2026 World Cup

February 18, 2025

February 18, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Trump Isn’t Playacting When He Invokes Napoleon

The president is fawning over strongmen past and present because he wants to emulate them.

President Trump Signs Executive Order On Covid Vaccine Mandates In Schools

January 21, 2025

January 21, 2025

OpinionTimothy L. O'Brien

Surprise: Trump’s Inauguration Didn’t Offer Unity After All

Presidents usually try for soaring poetry when they’re sworn in. Not this one.

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