Happy Barrack Obama Appreciation Day, everyone! (Please share!)

Trump is starving Ukraine of some vital defensive systems. Again, it needs to be said, the US government is now acting in such a way that it is helping the Russians kill Ukrainians.

What you saw from Trump in CA this weekend was not law enforcement. What you saw was a test of ways and means for Trump to disrupt and pervert the 2026 elections. My latest in @theatlantic.com www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

The Goddess of Democracy, Beijing, 1989.

“What the Ukrainians provided on the weekend was a lesson that has 2 sides. They showed what can be done when politicians take risk and free up their people to exercise creativity. Ukraine also showed what happens to those whose learning and adaptation culture is inadequate.” archive.is/wAOnH

President Trump and his family are extorting billions of dollars from US companies and foreign nations. In new piece for @TheAtlantic I examine past US corruption - and conclude Trump can't be compared to anything American, only Russia or Africa. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

I sent this piece out yesterday. Is Trump acting like a Russian agent of influence. The evidence is fascinating and not comforting. Worth noting that yesterday after publicly complaining about Russia, Trump put off any decision on sanctions for weeks.

WASHINGTON (AP) - In second estimate, US says economy contracted 0.2% in first quarter amid Trump trade war tumult.

Trump is not angry with Putin, he is not frustrated with Putin, he is not about to punish Putin. Trump is protecting Putin--he just wants you to think he is not to cover himself politically. Its not TACO, its TAPP (Trump Always Protects Putin)

WATCH: @repmoskowitz.bsky.social calls out the astounding nearly $1 BILLION (!!) for ICE employees in bonuses alone in the Republican budget. Masked anti-constitutional vigilantism pays well these days. 🇺🇸

NEW: The recognition of de jure Russian sovereignty over Crimea or any other areas of Ukraine under occupation since 2014 would constitute a significant concession to Russia that should be balanced by a significant Russian concession in return. More in our latest: isw.pub/UkrWar042525

People spend a lot of time wondering why the left is worse at using independent media to control the national narrative. A useful exercise is to ask why the left is also worse at selling snake oil and pyramid schemes, because I think the reasons are basically exactly the same.

No exemptions though for the things poor people buy: inexpensive shoes, clothes, bedding, tableware.

Does this sound fa liar, everyone? The problem with "domina t males"... www.upworthy.com/universe-25-...

Pierre Poilievre is "very much in sync" with Trump. Has @ABDanielleSmith cost @PierrePoilievre the election before it even starts? #ableg #cdnpoli

#GVerse This👇 Is spot on!

Stop whining about your crappy cars when you’re not paying any taxes!!! 🤦‍♀️☮️💙🌊🐕‍🦺

Really important article in @foreignaffairs.com by former Ukrainian Defense Secretary Andriy Zagorodnyuk. Its about how Ukraine can fight on effectively without any US aid. It’s key to understand that Trump is full of BS when he says Ukraine has "no cards". www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/ukra...

A while back I was helping examine the security of the Starlink terminal and found a very obvious bug in the bootloader that was only unexploitable due to the memory layout of the terminal. Critical infrastructure shouldn't depend on Starlink without a shitload of auditing.

More Trump assistance to Putin

This is the first page of this morning’s edition of the Globe and Mail (arguably the English Canadian paper of record) I don’t remember seeing anything like this before

Through grim, cold and dark winters and dusty, hot summers, through the sacrifice and pain of war, you have played, and continue to play, a brave and historic role in opposing tyranny. Thank you, Ukraine. mickryan.substack.com/p/three-year...

Cartoon by @davewhamond.bsky.social.

Trump and Vance are not selling out Ukraine because of anything Zelenskyy said to them. Trump and Vance are selling out Ukraine because of things Putin and Musk said to them.

That a wartime president who courageously remained in his country despite being urged to leave, and has united and led his country since, is lectured on 'peace' and 'advantage' by a former military photographer and a draft dodger is a massive irony.

Ukraine Fact Sheet - February 21, 2025: isw.pub/UkraineFacts...

Hi All, just sent out my weekend update (free as always). The only way to understand the USA and its interactions with Russia, Ukraine and Europe is to accept that the US is now a mafia state. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

NEW: Putin is Unlikely to Demobilize in the Event of a Ceasefire Because He is Afraid of His Veterans, by ISW Deputy Russia Team Lead @katstepanenko.bsky.social Read the special report: isw.pub/AfghanSyndrome

European Parliament member 👇🏽

Kamala was right. And it only took him less than 30 days to roll over for Putin.

Hi All--a double barrelled post I hope you will find very important (and all free). First a comment on what we saw from Trump last night. The USA is now an open enemy of democracy--and needs to be understood as such. Also, Paul Krugman and I have a video chat. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

DOGE recommended firing workers at: -FDA, which oversees Neuralink -FAA, which oversees SpaceX -USAID, which probed Starlink -CFPB, which oversees Tesla's financing arm and a potential payment platform on X. "Conflict of interest" is a severe understatement.

Here’s the only one I’ve seen so far.

white nationalist men are too emotional to be in charge

A dictatorship that kills people from democracies if they say something inconvenient hosting another dictatorship that does the same and a country run by a wannabe dictator who wants people jailed for saying anything inconvenient gathered to decide the fate of a democracy that wasn’t even invited?