Dan Friedman
@dfriedman.bsky.social
Mother Jones reporter. Covering corruption, foreign influence. Derrick White enthusiast. Signal: danfriedman.67
Pinned
Dan Friedman
@dfriedman.bsky.social
· Dec 11
I asked the Pentagon about Pete Hegseth's mentor. Then the threats started.
Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal.
www.motherjones.com
“Asian wife sharing,” Pentagon press policy, and me: Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Beck should see what happens if he tweets that conservatives actually oppose facism.
Beck's tweet about this arguing that the right supports legal immigration has been swamped by angry right wingers saying they oppose all immigration. Even these clean-looking white kids apparently.
February 12, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Beck should see what happens if he tweets that conservatives actually oppose facism.
If you're not persuaded the Trump team is turning the 250th anniversary of US independence into a partisan clown show, note that Freedom 250, the dark money group that's taken over the party planning, is apparently partnering with Glenn Beck and Moms for Liberty. momsforliberty.org/news/moms-fo...
February 12, 2026 at 6:53 PM
If you're not persuaded the Trump team is turning the 250th anniversary of US independence into a partisan clown show, note that Freedom 250, the dark money group that's taken over the party planning, is apparently partnering with Glenn Beck and Moms for Liberty. momsforliberty.org/news/moms-fo...
Reposted by Dan Friedman
BREAKING: Judge blocks Hegseth effort to punish Sen. Kelly.
"This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly's First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees."
Background: www.lawdork.com/p/breaking-k...
"This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly's First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees."
Background: www.lawdork.com/p/breaking-k...
![UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
MARK KELLY,
Plaintiff,
Civil Case No. 26-81 (RJL)
V.
PETE HEGSETH, et al.,
Defendants.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
February 12, 2026 [Dkt. #2]
United States Senator Mark Kelly, a retired naval officer, has been censured by
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for voicing certain opinions on military actions and
policy. In addition, he has been subjected to proceedings to possibly reduce his retirement
rank and pay and threatened with criminal prosecution if he continues to speak out on these
issues.
Secretary Hegseth relies on the well-established doctrine that military
servicemembers enjoy less vigorous First Amendment protections given the fundamental
obligation for obedience and discipline in the armed forces. Unfortunately for Secretary
Hegseth, no court has ever extended those principles to retired servicemembers, much less a retired servicemember serving in Congress and exercising oversight responsibility over
the military. This Court will not be the first to do so!](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreiclbgaenrhgnor6zvmnfql4d3olwzqp7zikm3maum5ylc4m6epys4@jpeg)
February 12, 2026 at 5:41 PM
BREAKING: Judge blocks Hegseth effort to punish Sen. Kelly.
"This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly's First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees."
Background: www.lawdork.com/p/breaking-k...
"This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly's First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees."
Background: www.lawdork.com/p/breaking-k...
Reposted by Dan Friedman
The WH sidelined America250, the congressionally-formed group charged with organizing a bipartisan celebration of the country's anniversary, in favor of Trump's sketchy Freedom250, as we detailed recently. And AP reports here that the admin is starving America250 of $. wtop.com/animals-pets...
February 11, 2026 at 5:50 PM
The WH sidelined America250, the congressionally-formed group charged with organizing a bipartisan celebration of the country's anniversary, in favor of Trump's sketchy Freedom250, as we detailed recently. And AP reports here that the admin is starving America250 of $. wtop.com/animals-pets...
Reposted by Dan Friedman
Team USA Curler Rich Ruohonen:
"We'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention what's going on in Minnesota...I am a lawyer, as you know, and we have a constitution... and what's happening in Minnesota is wrong. There's no shades of gray. It's clear."
"We'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention what's going on in Minnesota...I am a lawyer, as you know, and we have a constitution... and what's happening in Minnesota is wrong. There's no shades of gray. It's clear."
February 10, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Team USA Curler Rich Ruohonen:
"We'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention what's going on in Minnesota...I am a lawyer, as you know, and we have a constitution... and what's happening in Minnesota is wrong. There's no shades of gray. It's clear."
"We'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention what's going on in Minnesota...I am a lawyer, as you know, and we have a constitution... and what's happening in Minnesota is wrong. There's no shades of gray. It's clear."
Reposted by Dan Friedman
Really crazy to hear Lyons keep saying ICE agents in MN are simply carrying out targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operations.
ICE is literally circling elementary schools in this Minneapolis suburb every day, looking for brown and Black children to nab. www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-mi...
ICE is literally circling elementary schools in this Minneapolis suburb every day, looking for brown and Black children to nab. www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-mi...
ICE Has Taken More Kids Than Liam Ramos From Minnesota Schools
Liam Ramos, 5, isn’t the only child in detention. Teachers and parents describe kids being hunted by federal agents.
www.huffpost.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Really crazy to hear Lyons keep saying ICE agents in MN are simply carrying out targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operations.
ICE is literally circling elementary schools in this Minneapolis suburb every day, looking for brown and Black children to nab. www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-mi...
ICE is literally circling elementary schools in this Minneapolis suburb every day, looking for brown and Black children to nab. www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-mi...
Reposted by Dan Friedman
New: Binance holds 87% of the Trump family's stablecoin—$4.7 billion—a higher concentration than any other major stablecoin has at any single exchange.
Its U.S. affiliate holds $1,119.
me, for @forbes.com
Its U.S. affiliate holds $1,119.
me, for @forbes.com
Trump's Stablecoin USD1: Binance Holds 87% After Founder's Pardon
World Liberty Financial's founding document describes the company as "pioneering a new era of Decentralized Finance." Its flagship stablecoin is anything but.
www.forbes.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:48 PM
New: Binance holds 87% of the Trump family's stablecoin—$4.7 billion—a higher concentration than any other major stablecoin has at any single exchange.
Its U.S. affiliate holds $1,119.
me, for @forbes.com
Its U.S. affiliate holds $1,119.
me, for @forbes.com
Reposted by Dan Friedman
“Collection of Handwritten Letters from Children in Detention Center” sounds like an exhibit in the Holocaust Museum.
1/ ProPublica collected handwritten letters in mid-January from children held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the same facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken.
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
February 9, 2026 at 6:31 PM
“Collection of Handwritten Letters from Children in Detention Center” sounds like an exhibit in the Holocaust Museum.
Trump's "Freedom 250" group promises that anyone who gives them $2.5 million will have a chance to speak on July 4 at the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It's exciting to consider how many rich whack jobs may take this chance to air their takes to the nation.
February 9, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Trump's "Freedom 250" group promises that anyone who gives them $2.5 million will have a chance to speak on July 4 at the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It's exciting to consider how many rich whack jobs may take this chance to air their takes to the nation.
In the UK, the PM faces calls to resign and his chief of staff and comms guy quit because they named an ambassador with Epstein ties. But here the Commerce Secretary, caught redhanded in a lie about his financial and personal links to Epstein, hopes to brazen it out. www.cbsnews.com/news/howard-...
February 9, 2026 at 6:41 PM
In the UK, the PM faces calls to resign and his chief of staff and comms guy quit because they named an ambassador with Epstein ties. But here the Commerce Secretary, caught redhanded in a lie about his financial and personal links to Epstein, hopes to brazen it out. www.cbsnews.com/news/howard-...
Reposted by Dan Friedman
Take a break from the head smashing and read about America 250.
If you are watching the Super Bowl and wondering what the hell America250 is, @dfriedman.bsky.social and I wrote an entire (cover!) story about it!
Trump's war on history
As America's 250th anniversary approaches, the president wants to control the country's future by bulldozing its past.
www.motherjones.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:16 AM
Take a break from the head smashing and read about America 250.
Freedom 250, the Trump-run group the NYT reports is offering big donors special access, has totally supplanted America250, the congressional org that had been organizing 250th events, as we reported last week .So Trump is turning 250th into a party for himself, with taxpayer $, but no oversight.
February 8, 2026 at 7:13 PM
Freedom 250, the Trump-run group the NYT reports is offering big donors special access, has totally supplanted America250, the congressional org that had been organizing 250th events, as we reported last week .So Trump is turning 250th into a party for himself, with taxpayer $, but no oversight.
Reposted by Dan Friedman
1/ @motherjones.com reported extensively on this group, Freedom 250—and the larger effort to whitewash our history and get corporations to fund that destruction—in our cover story that went up last week: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
by @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social
by @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social
February 8, 2026 at 4:40 PM
1/ @motherjones.com reported extensively on this group, Freedom 250—and the larger effort to whitewash our history and get corporations to fund that destruction—in our cover story that went up last week: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
by @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social
by @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social
Reposted by Dan Friedman
Scoop: As Washington Post leadership laid off hundreds of staffers this week, exec editor Matt Murray blocked the paper’s media desk from covering the cuts, spiking a pre-written story despite internal lobbying
www.status.news/p/ms-now-cro...
www.status.news/p/ms-now-cro...
MS NOW’s Crooked Play
MS NOW’s push into video podcasts is accelerating, with the progressive network now in advanced discussions to license popular digital shows for air from Crooked Media and others, Status has learned.
www.status.news
February 6, 2026 at 3:30 AM
Scoop: As Washington Post leadership laid off hundreds of staffers this week, exec editor Matt Murray blocked the paper’s media desk from covering the cuts, spiking a pre-written story despite internal lobbying
www.status.news/p/ms-now-cro...
www.status.news/p/ms-now-cro...
Reposted by Dan Friedman
JUST IN: Federal prosecutors in Chicago move to dismiss charges against another defendant tied to Operation Midway Blitz.
Erik Meier faced trial 3/9 for resisting a federal officer. Once the motion is granted, he will be the 16th of 32 known defendants cleared.
No known convictions.
Erik Meier faced trial 3/9 for resisting a federal officer. Once the motion is granted, he will be the 16th of 32 known defendants cleared.
No known convictions.
February 5, 2026 at 8:35 PM
JUST IN: Federal prosecutors in Chicago move to dismiss charges against another defendant tied to Operation Midway Blitz.
Erik Meier faced trial 3/9 for resisting a federal officer. Once the motion is granted, he will be the 16th of 32 known defendants cleared.
No known convictions.
Erik Meier faced trial 3/9 for resisting a federal officer. Once the motion is granted, he will be the 16th of 32 known defendants cleared.
No known convictions.
Polk attacked Mexico to expand US territory. People can support that, but it wasn't a defensive war. And lots of Americans opposed it. Manifest destiny did not, in fact, beat in every American heart.
Anyway, you can read more on this kind of crap here: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Anyway, you can read more on this kind of crap here: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
February 5, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Polk attacked Mexico to expand US territory. People can support that, but it wasn't a defensive war. And lots of Americans opposed it. Manifest destiny did not, in fact, beat in every American heart.
Anyway, you can read more on this kind of crap here: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Anyway, you can read more on this kind of crap here: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
For years, Weil has written these elegies about the weather that might be a bit much but are often the most interesting writing in the paper. I want a local publication that runs this. www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
February 5, 2026 at 6:47 PM
For years, Weil has written these elegies about the weather that might be a bit much but are often the most interesting writing in the paper. I want a local publication that runs this. www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Small scoop here: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
But as we report in the new piece, Trump has seized full control of the anniversary planning by creating a new public-private org, "Freedom 250," which is now organizing all the high-profile events the president wants to hold this year, nominally to mark the 250th, but really to celebrate himself.
February 4, 2026 at 10:26 PM
Small scoop here: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
"...dictate the presentation of US history and culture ..." I meant. USA! www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
February 4, 2026 at 10:08 PM
"...dictate the presentation of US history and culture ..." I meant. USA! www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Our hot new MJ cover story on all the idiotic things Trump is doing to control America's 250 anniversary celebrations and ictate the presentation of US history and culture is online. Read it before the First Amendment gets canceled. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
February 4, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Our hot new MJ cover story on all the idiotic things Trump is doing to control America's 250 anniversary celebrations and ictate the presentation of US history and culture is online. Read it before the First Amendment gets canceled. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
These unbelievable buffoons are in the government, running DOJ, but still manage to get in trouble for impersonating federal agents.
www.cnn.com/2026/02/04/p...
www.cnn.com/2026/02/04/p...
February 4, 2026 at 6:39 PM
These unbelievable buffoons are in the government, running DOJ, but still manage to get in trouble for impersonating federal agents.
www.cnn.com/2026/02/04/p...
www.cnn.com/2026/02/04/p...
You have to take clicks where you can in this business. Thanks for reading Larry. www.motherjones.com/politics/201...
February 4, 2026 at 6:05 PM
You have to take clicks where you can in this business. Thanks for reading Larry. www.motherjones.com/politics/201...
Reposted by Dan Friedman
Trump wants to control the country’s future by rewriting its past.
For the latest issue of our magazine, @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social explain how the president is weaponizing history to wage his never-ending cultural and legal battles.
Read it here: tinyurl.com/32n7948b
For the latest issue of our magazine, @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social explain how the president is weaponizing history to wage his never-ending cultural and legal battles.
Read it here: tinyurl.com/32n7948b
February 4, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Trump wants to control the country’s future by rewriting its past.
For the latest issue of our magazine, @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social explain how the president is weaponizing history to wage his never-ending cultural and legal battles.
Read it here: tinyurl.com/32n7948b
For the latest issue of our magazine, @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social explain how the president is weaponizing history to wage his never-ending cultural and legal battles.
Read it here: tinyurl.com/32n7948b
Reposted by Dan Friedman
Here's an absolutely wild deep-dive from @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social into Trump's all-out assault on America history and the bizarre political struggles among the alphabet soup of official 250th-anniversary organizations
Trump's war on history
As America's 250th anniversary approaches, the president wants to control the country's future by bulldozing its past.
www.motherjones.com
February 3, 2026 at 5:48 PM
Here's an absolutely wild deep-dive from @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social into Trump's all-out assault on America history and the bizarre political struggles among the alphabet soup of official 250th-anniversary organizations