Ben Thomas
@benjaminthomas.bsky.social
former US Army infantry NCO, USSS Special Agent; current infosec and investigations
I’ve investigated fraud for 15 years. We’ve elected experienced fraud actors to run the country.
I’ve investigated fraud for 15 years. We’ve elected experienced fraud actors to run the country.
This is depraved
"They will kill me in Iran. Please don’t send me back." For decades, Iranians fleeing persecution have found protection in the U.S. But this fall, the Trump administration deported a planeload of people to Iran after making a deal with Tehran. nyti.ms/3JRCLYR
‘It Feels Like I’m in a Nightmare’: Inside the First Deportation Flight to Iran
For decades, Iranians fleeing persecution have found protection in the United States. But this fall, the Trump administration deported a planeload of people to Iran after making a deal with Tehran.
nyti.ms
November 11, 2025 at 6:02 PM
This is depraved
Reposted by Ben Thomas
Huge congratulations to Terror for winning the War on Terror ♥️
November 11, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Huge congratulations to Terror for winning the War on Terror ♥️
I was with former President Bush when he met with wounded veterans and met soldiers returning from deployment. I saw genuine appreciation and emotion, and I felt it too. It does mean something. I'd like to see more of it from the responsible leaders who still can.
BREAKING: President Obama Makes Veterans Day Surprise
open.substack.com/pub/demwinsm...
open.substack.com/pub/demwinsm...
BREAKING: President Obama Makes Veterans Day Surprise
Today is Veterans Day — a day when America pauses to honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of our nation, protecting our freedoms and defending our way of life.
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:15 PM
I was with former President Bush when he met with wounded veterans and met soldiers returning from deployment. I saw genuine appreciation and emotion, and I felt it too. It does mean something. I'd like to see more of it from the responsible leaders who still can.
Reposted by Ben Thomas
BREAKING: President Obama Makes Veterans Day Surprise
open.substack.com/pub/demwinsm...
open.substack.com/pub/demwinsm...
BREAKING: President Obama Makes Veterans Day Surprise
Today is Veterans Day — a day when America pauses to honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of our nation, protecting our freedoms and defending our way of life.
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:51 PM
BREAKING: President Obama Makes Veterans Day Surprise
open.substack.com/pub/demwinsm...
open.substack.com/pub/demwinsm...
Reposted by Ben Thomas
"The United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal, sources familiar with the matter told CNN." www.cnn.com/2025/11/11/p...
Exclusive: UK suspends some intelligence sharing with US over boat strike concerns in major break | CNN Politics
The United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes ...
www.cnn.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:21 PM
"The United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal, sources familiar with the matter told CNN." www.cnn.com/2025/11/11/p...
Reposted by Ben Thomas
"Maxwell has received custom meals personally delivered to her cell, after-hours time in a private exercise area, access to a service puppy, and private meetings with visitors arranged by the warden, complete with snacks. Visitors were allowed to bring computers..."
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...
Democrats reveal whistleblower details of Ghislaine Maxwell prison ‘luxuries’
In a letter to the president, House Democrats say Maxwell’s treatment as she prepares a clemency request makes the convicted sex offender look like a “guest at a Trump hotel.”
www.msnbc.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:26 PM
"Maxwell has received custom meals personally delivered to her cell, after-hours time in a private exercise area, access to a service puppy, and private meetings with visitors arranged by the warden, complete with snacks. Visitors were allowed to bring computers..."
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...
Reposted by Ben Thomas
Seems concerning
November 11, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Seems concerning
Why would the American people want “one of the greatest ballrooms in the world?”
November 11, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Why would the American people want “one of the greatest ballrooms in the world?”
Reposted by Ben Thomas
The Trump administration State Department is taking money that's supposed to be used for helping vulnerable refugees around the world and using it to bribe corrupt governments into taking people that ICE can't deport to their home countries.
November 11, 2025 at 1:09 AM
The Trump administration State Department is taking money that's supposed to be used for helping vulnerable refugees around the world and using it to bribe corrupt governments into taking people that ICE can't deport to their home countries.
If this were anyone else in any other scenario, people who care for them would ensure they were getting mental help and weren’t in a position to harm others.
Trump: "You have people in Chicago, beautiful Black women wearing a MAGA hat, red MAGA hat -- 'please come Mr Trump, president' -- they call me president, they call me mister, they can call me whatever they want. 'Please come President Trump, please come.' They're begging us to come."
November 11, 2025 at 1:02 AM
If this were anyone else in any other scenario, people who care for them would ensure they were getting mental help and weren’t in a position to harm others.
Reposted by Ben Thomas
An “opera and truffles rager .. at the same time as his administration was asking the Supreme Court to stop it from being forced to pay food stamps to millions.” 🤡
@thedailybeast.bsky.social
www.thedailybeast.com/trump-hosts-...
@thedailybeast.bsky.social
www.thedailybeast.com/trump-hosts-...
November 9, 2025 at 1:14 PM
An “opera and truffles rager .. at the same time as his administration was asking the Supreme Court to stop it from being forced to pay food stamps to millions.” 🤡
@thedailybeast.bsky.social
www.thedailybeast.com/trump-hosts-...
@thedailybeast.bsky.social
www.thedailybeast.com/trump-hosts-...
Reposted by Ben Thomas
Trump called Biden “sleepy,” because Trump is an old man who struggles to stay awake.
Trump called Hillary “crooked,” because Trump is incredibly crooked.
Trump called Ted Cruz “lyin’” because Trump is a serial liar.
We’re a decade into this. How do people still not get it?
Trump called Hillary “crooked,” because Trump is incredibly crooked.
Trump called Ted Cruz “lyin’” because Trump is a serial liar.
We’re a decade into this. How do people still not get it?
November 9, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Trump called Biden “sleepy,” because Trump is an old man who struggles to stay awake.
Trump called Hillary “crooked,” because Trump is incredibly crooked.
Trump called Ted Cruz “lyin’” because Trump is a serial liar.
We’re a decade into this. How do people still not get it?
Trump called Hillary “crooked,” because Trump is incredibly crooked.
Trump called Ted Cruz “lyin’” because Trump is a serial liar.
We’re a decade into this. How do people still not get it?
Reposted by Ben Thomas
A reminder - last March, republicans promised to restore $1.1B in funding to DC in exchange for funding the government, and Mike Johnson never took it up in the House.
a cartoon girl in a blue dress is kneeling in a field holding a bag
ALT: a cartoon girl in a blue dress is kneeling in a field holding a bag
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:07 AM
A reminder - last March, republicans promised to restore $1.1B in funding to DC in exchange for funding the government, and Mike Johnson never took it up in the House.
What could the motive be here other than protecting a powerful child rapist?
"Federal law enforcement staff working at the camp have been waiting on Ms. Maxwell hand and foot," says the letter signed by House Judiciary committee ranking member
www.cbsnews.com/news/ghislai...
www.cbsnews.com/news/ghislai...
Ghislaine Maxwell plans to ask Trump to commute prison sentence, House Democrats say
Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking co-conspirator, is planning to apply for a commutation of her 20-year prison sentence, House Judiciary Committee Democrats say.
www.cbsnews.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:40 AM
What could the motive be here other than protecting a powerful child rapist?
Reposted by Ben Thomas
This video deserves more attention:
An Army General explains the Trump regime’s inhumane arrests and deportations in Louisiana.
youtube.com/watch?v=6IdO...
An Army General explains the Trump regime’s inhumane arrests and deportations in Louisiana.
youtube.com/watch?v=6IdO...
Army General Outraged by ICE Arrest of Mother of Newborn, Wife of Military Veteran
YouTube video by Freedom Watch Media
youtube.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:45 PM
This video deserves more attention:
An Army General explains the Trump regime’s inhumane arrests and deportations in Louisiana.
youtube.com/watch?v=6IdO...
An Army General explains the Trump regime’s inhumane arrests and deportations in Louisiana.
youtube.com/watch?v=6IdO...
Reposted by Ben Thomas
"For every person arrested whose name and story we’ve learned, there are thousands we haven’t heard about." @caitlindickerson.bsky.social via @theatlantic.com ⬇️
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Hundreds of Thousands of Anonymous Deportees
Amid the president’s fast-moving deportation campaign, the stories of most people being swept up are missed.
www.theatlantic.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:26 PM
"For every person arrested whose name and story we’ve learned, there are thousands we haven’t heard about." @caitlindickerson.bsky.social via @theatlantic.com ⬇️
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Ben Thomas
“I want you to understand what it is like to live in Chicago during this time.”
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 9, 2025 at 5:26 PM
“I want you to understand what it is like to live in Chicago during this time.”
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He’s been widely recognized as a con man for half a century…
November 9, 2025 at 6:29 PM
He’s been widely recognized as a con man for half a century…
Reposted by Ben Thomas
Our country took hundreds of young men from Venezuela, including many asylum seekers, and put them into a torture prison in El Salvador. Incredible reporting and portraits from the NYT on what they suffered (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
‘You Are All Terrorists’: Four Months in a Salvadoran Prison
www.nytimes.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Our country took hundreds of young men from Venezuela, including many asylum seekers, and put them into a torture prison in El Salvador. Incredible reporting and portraits from the NYT on what they suffered (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
Reposted by Ben Thomas
This is the kind of world we are being offered by the US empire. There is nothing on the menu for us but more war, more genocide, more surveillance, more censorship, more tyranny, and more abuse.
Caitlin Johnstone
Caitlin Johnstone
November 9, 2025 at 1:56 AM
This is the kind of world we are being offered by the US empire. There is nothing on the menu for us but more war, more genocide, more surveillance, more censorship, more tyranny, and more abuse.
Caitlin Johnstone
Caitlin Johnstone
Reposted by Ben Thomas
In honor of Viktor Orban's visit to Washington, here's a reminder that Orban has made his country corrupt, stagnant, and impoverished:
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
America’s Future Is Hungary
MAGA conservatives love Viktor Orbán. But he’s left his country corrupt, stagnant, and impoverished.
www.theatlantic.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:52 PM
In honor of Viktor Orban's visit to Washington, here's a reminder that Orban has made his country corrupt, stagnant, and impoverished:
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
America First means $40 billion for Argentina, ~$10 billion in personal enrichment by abuse of public office, $1 billion for a plane that will belong to a presidential library, $350 million for a ballroom only one person wants, and no medical insurance or food aid for 10s of millions of Americans.
November 9, 2025 at 4:35 AM
America First means $40 billion for Argentina, ~$10 billion in personal enrichment by abuse of public office, $1 billion for a plane that will belong to a presidential library, $350 million for a ballroom only one person wants, and no medical insurance or food aid for 10s of millions of Americans.
Reposted by Ben Thomas
There’s a young southern woman on tt doing an experiment: calling churches & asking if they can help her get baby formula, saying she can’t afford it. Of the 30+ she’s called, nearly every church has said no. The ones who said yes were:
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
November 8, 2025 at 11:07 AM
There’s a young southern woman on tt doing an experiment: calling churches & asking if they can help her get baby formula, saying she can’t afford it. Of the 30+ she’s called, nearly every church has said no. The ones who said yes were:
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
no
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
“A.I. is no less a form of intelligence than digital photography is a form of photography,” the philosopher Barbara Gail Montero writes in a guest essay. “And now A.I. is on its way to doing something even more remarkable: becoming conscious.”
“A.I. is no less a form of intelligence than digital photography is a form of photography,” the philosopher Barbara Gail Montero writes in a guest essay. “And now A.I. is on its way to doing something even more remarkable: becoming conscious.”
Opinion | A.I. Is Already Intelligent. This Is How It Becomes Conscious.
Skeptics overlook how our concepts change.
nyti.ms
November 9, 2025 at 3:30 AM
no
Reposted by Ben Thomas
Remember Rev. David Black, the Chicago pastor who was shot in the head with pepper balls? If you haven't heard him speak yet, listen to this.
To ICE: "You can repent"
To ICE: "You can repent"
November 7, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Remember Rev. David Black, the Chicago pastor who was shot in the head with pepper balls? If you haven't heard him speak yet, listen to this.
To ICE: "You can repent"
To ICE: "You can repent"