The President’s Kill List: Assassination and US Foreign Policy since 1945

Intelligence, Surveillance and Secret Warfare

by Luca Trenta

From Fidel Castro to Qassem Soleimani, the US government has been involved in an array of assassinations and assassination attempts against foreign leaders and officials. The President’s Kill List reveals how the US government has relied on a variety of methods, from the use of poison to the delivery of sniper rifles, and from employing hitmen to simply laying the groundwork for local actors to do the deed themselves. It shows not only how policymakers decided on assassination but also the level of Presidential control over these decisions. Tracing the history of the US government’s approach to assassination,the book analyses the evolution of assassination policies and, for the first time, reveals how successive administrations - through private justifications and public legitimations – ensured assassination remained an available tool.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics

400 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 2024

Reviews

[martyn benny]

The President's Kill List: Assassination and US Foreign Policy since 1945 is a compelling, meticulously researched, and highly significant examination of one of the most controversial instruments of modern statecraft. Luca Trenta tackles an exceptionally sensitive subject with scholarly precision, offering a nuanced analysis of how assassination has evolved as a tool of U.S. foreign policy across successive presidential administrations.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its historical depth. By tracing cases from the early Cold War to the targeted killing of Qassem Soleimani, Trenta demonstrates that assassination policy has not been a series of isolated decisions but part of a broader and continually evolving strategic framework. The study reveals how methods, legal justifications, political calculations, and presidential oversight have changed over nearly eight decades.

I particularly appreciated the book's balanced and evidence-based approach. Rather than relying on sensationalism, Trenta carefully examines declassified documents, historical records, and policy debates to explain why administrations chose assassination, how decisions were made, and how they were justified both privately and publicly. This measured analysis allows readers to grapple with the ethical, legal, and strategic complexities without oversimplifying them.

Equally impressive is the broader contribution the book makes to understanding intelligence operations, executive power, and international relations. It highlights the often-blurred boundaries between covert action, military operations, diplomacy, and international law while encouraging thoughtful reflection on the long-term consequences of targeted killings as an instrument of foreign policy.

The writing combines rigorous scholarship with remarkable clarity, making a highly complex subject accessible to both specialists and general readers interested in history, political science, security studies, and international affairs.

An outstanding and important work that deepens our understanding of the hidden dimensions of American foreign policy while making a lasting contribution to the study of intelligence, covert operations, and presidential decision-making.

[Black Rabbit]

Very interesting read. I learned a lot of things from this one. I wouldn't call it 'fun' though, it is quite technical and some parts can feel like they just repeat the same definitions, but I would totally recommend it for those who are dying to know!