Charles Lane

Washington, D.C.

Deputy opinion editor and columnist

Education: Harvard College, BA in social studies; Yale Law School, MSL

Charles Lane is a deputy opinion editor and columnist. Lane joined The Post in 2000 as an editorial writer, did a stint as The Post’s Supreme Court reporter and then rejoined the editorial board in 2007. Previously, he was editor and a senior editor of the New Republic from 1993 to 1999 and a foreign correspondent for Newsweek from 1987 to 1993. He is the author of three books on U.S. history and legal affairs; he is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
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Latest from Charles Lane

Harris wiped the floor with Trump. But what did we learn about her?

Did the debate cause a vibe shift? Columnists Charles Lane, Megan McArdle, Dana Milbank and Jim Geraghty discuss how much voters care about policy, whether Trump made any good points and how his false claims about pet-eating immigrants mask a genuine issue.

September 11, 2024

Biden’s embarrassed silence on Afghanistan

In a Democratic convention speech of more than 5,000 words, the president didn’t utter this one: “Afghanistan.”

August 22, 2024
Members of the Taliban are seen in front of the former U.S. Embassy in Kabul on Aug. 14 as they celebrate the third anniversary of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images)

The U.S. faces democratic and geopolitical defeat in Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s violent crackdown after an election loss carries echoes of 1989.

August 14, 2024
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro at a news conference last week. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)

Is it weird to choose Tim Walz?

The choice unifies the party. But is peace with the left going to cost Harris the election?

August 7, 2024
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz celebrates after Vice President Kamala Harris announced he would be her running mate Tuesday in Philadelphia. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)

Tim Walz won’t hurt Kamala Harris. Will he help?

Tim Walz went from being a little-known Midwestern governor to Democratic vice-presidential candidate in a matter of a few weeks. But in this sprint of a campaign, nothing is moving slowly. Charles Lane, Molly Roberts and Matt Bai talk through whether Walz can keep up the momentum of the Harris campaign, if the “weird” strategy is good or bad, and how much of a unifier Walz will be for the Democratic ticket.

August 6, 2024

Those cheap airfares come with a huge cost

Flights are full, which makes rebooking after delays and cancellations harder than ever.

August 1, 2024
Passengers are seen waiting at Reagan National Airport on July 19 as technical issues grounded many flights. (Allison Robbert/The Washington Post)

The misery of airline travel might be our fault

Airline travel is increasingly exasperating. Any blip, whether it’s a weather event or a technical problem, leads to cascading days of delays and cancellations. Why does it all seem so fragile? Charles Lane, Catherine Rampell and Marc Fisher discuss the economics of flying and how customers might be helping drive a race to the bottom.

July 30, 2024

‘Impromptu’ at the RNC: Kumbaya or ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’

Can Trump’s purported unity message outlast the convention?

July 18, 2024
Supporters of former president Donald Trump hang a banner outside the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The problem with Biden’s candidacy isn’t age. It’s honesty.

Biden’s continuing reelection bid is undermining Democrats’ claims to be the party of facts and truth.

July 17, 2024
President Biden during the NATO summit in Washington last week. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)

Republicans are euphoric. Can it last?

After a truly wild few weeks in politics, our columnists huddle up at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. They discuss the mood on the ground in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, how the unity message seems to be fraying and what recent events mean for the presidential campaign – and the country – going forward. Plus, humorist Alexandra Petri serves up an imagined J.D. Vance infomercial using his own words about Trump.

July 16, 2024