Hegseth can't fire Army Secretary Dan Driscoll because Driscoll is law school BFFs with JD and Usha Vance. But Hegseth can fire everyone *around* Driscoll and make life miserable, including the head of the Army. In the middle of a war. My latest. puck.news/hegseths-pen...

"Iran found the perennial American pressure point the - S&P 500 - and kept pressing until Trump said uncle."

Trump's ultimatum to Iran was always going to end not with mushroom clouds over Tehran, but with tacos in Washington. My latest. puck.news/the-day-afte...

The ceasefire gives Iran control over the Strait of Hormuz, which it did not have before Trump launched the war. The regime is still in place, it still has enriched uranium, the capability to shoot missiles at drones at its neighbors. What, other than chaos, did Trump achieve?

If the last decade—and especially the last two months—have taught anybody running a country anything, it's that nuclear weapons are a key part of regime survival. Everything that's happened since Feb 28 will only make Iran *more* determined to get nukes.

Trump's war on Iran has reminded me of Putin's war on Ukraine in so many ways, not least of which is this one: a cadre of advisors being too scared to tell the President what they really think, only to be horrified when he unleashes what they should've stopped him from doing in the first place.

$2 million per ship — to cross a Strait that was free six weeks ago. @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/w...

Step 1: start a war Step 2: war gets real messy, real fast Step 3: threaten nuclear annihilation/genocide, get temporary relief to mess of own making Step 4: declare victory

This is my favorite read in years. So, so, so good.

There's no domestic terrorism law because the First Amendment prohibits it. But the Trump administration has found a way around that: going after Antifa abroad—and then looking for Americans connected to it at home. My latest. puck.news/trump-moves-...

There's no domestic terrorism law because the First Amendment prohibits it. But the Trump administration has found a way around that: going after Antifa abroad—and then looking for Americans connected to it at home. My latest. puck.news/trump-moves-...

SCOOP: The Trump admin is trying to list antifa as a top counter-terrorism priority in the National Intelligence Priorities Framework, which tells all U.S. intelligence agencies where to focus. The real target, it seems, is domestic dissent. My latest. puck.news/trump-moves-...

Original story here: puck.news/trump-moves-...

"As a former senior national security official put it, 'They might as well be looking for Santa Claus.'" @juliaioffe.bsky.social

Pretty stunning reporting by @juliaioffe.bsky.social in @puck.news. The damage to U.S. global counterterrorism leadership will be profound and lasting.

SCOOP: The Trump admin is trying to list antifa as a top counter-terrorism priority in the National Intelligence Priorities Framework, which tells all U.S. intelligence agencies where to focus. The real target, it seems, is domestic dissent. My latest. puck.news/trump-moves-...

Putin is apparently so spooked by reports that Israelis hacked Tehran's traffic cameras to kill Khamenei, that he has stopped coming to the Kremlin, started taking his meetings virtually, and shut down cell service in Moscow. My latest. puck.news/putins-post-...

Treating literal Soviet propaganda posters as gospel truth. What can I say man, tankies always gonna tankie. Meanwhile if you’re interested in an actual feminist history of The Soviet Union, I’d highly recommend @juliaioffe.bsky.social’s new book Motherland.

How did the realist who spent his career saying "don't invade Iran" become the guy defending it in Congress? He became a "flexible realist." My latest. puck.news/how-elbridge...

In retrospect, it seems like changing the department's name to Department of War was a strong signal of what this administration wanted to do, huh

I'm deep into reading Motherland by @juliaioffe.bsky.social. It's a gripping feminist perspective on a history I have read in so many ways over the years. It's also a lesson in how much humans can endure. And a frightening reminder that you don't always "live through this."

Still trying to imagine what would happen if a President Biden—or a President Harris—started a war with Iran with no clear objective or timeline, said American troops were going to die because hey, that's war! and that they didn't rule out putting American boots on the ground...

If you don’t define your goals before you start, no one will know if you’ve failed to achieve them. My latest. puck.news/is-trump-hea...

If you don’t define your goals before you start, no one will know if you’ve failed to achieve them. My latest. puck.news/is-trump-hea...

👀

Glad we got rid of waste fraud and abuse

Rubio's Munich speech told a very specific story of American immigration: white and Christian. “That occurred to me too,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who is Jewish, confided after. “I’m not a part of this?” puck.news/newsletter_c...

Holy shit! MOTHERLAND has won a National Jewish Book Award!!!

If you really want to know what went down at the Munich Security Conference—and especially Rubio‘s widely mischaracterized “conciliatory” speech—you’ve got to read [email protected].https://puck.news/inside-lindsey-grahams-greenland-meltdown-in-munich/

On Saturday, Sen. Lindsey Graham unloaded on the PMs of Greenland and Denmark, telling them that if Trump wanted to take Greenland, they'd just have to deal with it. “Lots of F-bombs,” said one person in attendance. My latest. puck.news/inside-linds...

Nicki Minaj's timing is impeccable.

I'm trying to formulate my thoughts about Don Lemon's arrest in terms other than "I told you so" and "it's only going to get worse, buckle up."

Her license plate says "EW LIBS," she's marrying Dan Scavino this weekend, and she's in charge of all art in all US embassies and consulates. Who is this MAGA mean girl? My latest. puck.news/the-maga-bar...

You don't get to quote scripture like a lullaby While injustice stays wide awake.

CNN reports that Bovino is leaving Minnesota

Walz: "To Americans who are watching this, I've got a question for you: What side do you want to be on? The side of an all powerful federal govt that can kill, injury, menace, & kidnap its citizens off the streets? Or on the side of a nurse at the VA hospital who died bearing witness to such govt?"

Good thing Trump took using force to conquer Greenland off the table. Because, according to the generals and admirals who would have to do it, it would be a total nightmare. My latest. puck.news/why-invading...

I just read "Motherland," by Julia Ioffe @juliaioffe.bsky.social and it is revelatory, beautifully-written, and quite sad. Most moving are the portraits of Ioffe's foremothers. Two of her great-grandmothers were doctors; so were her mother and grandmother. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

This book is vital modern history from @juliaioffe.bsky.social Read it, especially the unbearable parts. Learn from history- how misogyny is inherent to authoritarianism, and the total oblivion of the human spirit for *all* people at the end of patriarchy's dark corridor. This is the human struggle.

According to @christogrozev, the weapon thought to be responsible for Havana Syndrome was purchased from Ukraine's HUR, which had purchased it from a Russian. The Ukrainians apparently needed money to fund their mission. My latest. puck.news/havana-syndr...

Lew Olowski, the Monster energy drink-swilling, Jesus-and-dolphin speech-giving, head of State Dept HR is out after an epic office meltdown. My latest. puck.news/lew-olowski-...

Lew Olowski, the Monster energy drink-swilling, Jesus-and-dolphin speech-giving, head of State Dept HR is out after an epic office meltdown. My latest. puck.news/lew-olowski-...

Went on The Late Show with my beloved Stephen Colbert last night to talk about Venezuela and MOTHERLAND! www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJWW...

Going on @colbertlateshow.bsky.social tonight! Tune in!!!

Jared Kushner's back and, this time around, everyone thinks he's absolutely brilliant. My latest. puck.news/jared-kushne...

It's wild to see someone you've known for decades as a slacker par excellence now publicly blame his lack of professional success on the elevation of women and minorities.

Loved this book by @juliaioffe.bsky.social, which offers such a smart and thought-provoking take on many events and characters I thought I knew well. It’s also an accessible and thrilling guide to Russian history for readers coming to it fresh. The widespread praise is well-deserved.