Jason Dempsey
@jkdemp.bsky.social
Keep trying to be a 'former' scholar of civilian-military relations ... Author of Our Army: Soldiers, Politics, and American Civil-Military Relations. Former Army infantry officer. Into bikes-beer-coffee.
Intellectual and moral cowardice.
This is how you destroy the foundations of a professional military capable of serving the American people.
This is how you destroy the foundations of a professional military capable of serving the American people.
New: Military officers could soon find dozens of top colleges and universities across the US (list in replies) abruptly off limits for tuition assistance as part of Hegseth’s campaign against schools he describes as being biased against the US military
www.cnn.com/2026/02/13/p...
www.cnn.com/2026/02/13/p...
Pentagon may bar tuition aid for top universities in Hegseth’s crackdown on ‘biased’ schools | CNN Politics
Military officers could soon find dozens of top colleges and universities across the United States abruptly off limits for tuition assistance as part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s campaign again...
www.cnn.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:40 AM
Intellectual and moral cowardice.
This is how you destroy the foundations of a professional military capable of serving the American people.
This is how you destroy the foundations of a professional military capable of serving the American people.
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
I am proud to stand with my fellow Hell Cats today and every day in the fight for our democracy. We didn’t fight overseas for our country, our freedoms, and our values just to watch the freedoms of Americans be clawed back right here at home.
Meet the Hell Cats — a key to Democrats’ hopes of taking the House
A Signal group chat has become a support system and a strategy hub for these Democratic women veterans running in high-stakes races.
19thnews.org
February 12, 2026 at 1:57 AM
I am proud to stand with my fellow Hell Cats today and every day in the fight for our democracy. We didn’t fight overseas for our country, our freedoms, and our values just to watch the freedoms of Americans be clawed back right here at home.
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
one of my strongest beliefs is that we're in our situation right now bc some of the most prominent talking heads (e.g. joe rogan, andrew schulz) are learning about politics in their 40s and 50s, instead of their teens and early 20s, and we have to go along for the ride as they learn basic things
February 4, 2026 at 10:10 PM
one of my strongest beliefs is that we're in our situation right now bc some of the most prominent talking heads (e.g. joe rogan, andrew schulz) are learning about politics in their 40s and 50s, instead of their teens and early 20s, and we have to go along for the ride as they learn basic things
Apparently Bluesky pandemic viewing habits differed from my own. This was rightfully a banger joke.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UA1...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UA1...
February 5, 2026 at 12:24 AM
Apparently Bluesky pandemic viewing habits differed from my own. This was rightfully a banger joke.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UA1...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UA1...
Well, that episode of Old Enough! sure went to shit.
A U.S. soldier and an Army spouse recently received letters of appreciation from the Sagamihara Police Department for helping rescue a lost, pajama-clad toddler on a busy street near the headquarters of U.S. Army Japan. (from @hanakusumoto.bsky.social)
Japanese city recognizes Americans for helping lost toddler on busy street near Camp Zama
A U.S. soldier and an Army spouse recently teamed up to rescue a pajama-clad preschooler from a busy street.
www.stripes.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:26 AM
Well, that episode of Old Enough! sure went to shit.
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
“Education is for the student’s benefit, not for the benefit of their future employer…students go to school not merely to acquire skills but to develop an entire social and intellectual life: to have something good and to have it forever”
@thepointmag.bsky.social
thepointmag.com/examined-lif...
@thepointmag.bsky.social
thepointmag.com/examined-lif...
February 2, 2026 at 2:59 PM
“Education is for the student’s benefit, not for the benefit of their future employer…students go to school not merely to acquire skills but to develop an entire social and intellectual life: to have something good and to have it forever”
@thepointmag.bsky.social
thepointmag.com/examined-lif...
@thepointmag.bsky.social
thepointmag.com/examined-lif...
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
Such is the outrage in Denmark over both Trump’s desire for Greenland and disparaging remarks about NATO that one of the country’s leading newspapers devoted their Saturday front and plenty of room inside to the bios of all 44 Danes slain during NATO missions in support of the US
February 1, 2026 at 12:01 PM
Such is the outrage in Denmark over both Trump’s desire for Greenland and disparaging remarks about NATO that one of the country’s leading newspapers devoted their Saturday front and plenty of room inside to the bios of all 44 Danes slain during NATO missions in support of the US
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
"I was in Afghanistan after 13 years of war—long after the exciting newness wore off and as domestic political opposition raged—and we still had Czech, Lithuanian, and Polish special forces, as well as conventional Australian, British, Bulgarian, Canadian, and Romanian units with us in Kandahar."
COMMENTARY: Our allies passed your test, Mr. President. Would we? | A former U.S. infantryman responds to Trump’s amnesiac take on Afghanistan.
Our allies passed your test, Mr. President. Would we?
A former U.S. infantryman responds to Trump’s amnesiac take on Afghanistan.
buff.ly
January 28, 2026 at 9:18 PM
"I was in Afghanistan after 13 years of war—long after the exciting newness wore off and as domestic political opposition raged—and we still had Czech, Lithuanian, and Polish special forces, as well as conventional Australian, British, Bulgarian, Canadian, and Romanian units with us in Kandahar."
"It is embarrassing enough that we now threaten ... our closest allies, or that we try to seize land from an ally that has fought on our behalf. But it is beyond shameful and despicable to denigrate and disrespect their sacrifice as Trump has done."
www.defenseone.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.defenseone.com/ideas/2026/0...
Our allies passed your test, Mr. President. Would we?
A former U.S. infantryman responds to Trump’s amnesiac take on Afghanistan.
www.defenseone.com
January 29, 2026 at 2:19 PM
"It is embarrassing enough that we now threaten ... our closest allies, or that we try to seize land from an ally that has fought on our behalf. But it is beyond shameful and despicable to denigrate and disrespect their sacrifice as Trump has done."
www.defenseone.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.defenseone.com/ideas/2026/0...
More spine, integrity, courage, and a greater dedication to service than anyone in DHS.
www.cnn.com/2026/01/27/u...
www.cnn.com/2026/01/27/u...
Exclusive: ‘Pink coat lady’ who recorded fatal encounter between federal officers and Alex Pretti speaks to Anderson Cooper | CNN
Anderson speaks with Stella Carlson, the witness who captured crucial video showing exactly what happened when Alex Pretti was shot and killed by DHS officers.
www.cnn.com
January 28, 2026 at 3:36 PM
More spine, integrity, courage, and a greater dedication to service than anyone in DHS.
www.cnn.com/2026/01/27/u...
www.cnn.com/2026/01/27/u...
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
Re-upping this
I have to teach a class rn but will come back to this to explain
1) National Guard stuff
2) Domestic use of federal forces stuff
1) National Guard stuff
2) Domestic use of federal forces stuff
1st, this is a good example of "Do not comply in advance".
2nd, I need an explainer of how the whole "the federal govt takes control of the National Guard" thing works, legally and in practice
3rd, I also need explained the current state of the principle "federal armed forces cannot be police"
2nd, I need an explainer of how the whole "the federal govt takes control of the National Guard" thing works, legally and in practice
3rd, I also need explained the current state of the principle "federal armed forces cannot be police"
January 26, 2026 at 4:23 PM
Re-upping this
Well, GD.
January 25, 2026 at 11:29 PM
Well, GD.
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
I didn't say it. The Germans did.
January 23, 2026 at 8:42 PM
I didn't say it. The Germans did.
children discussing a video game
Rep. Greg Steube: "You see Macron and the French sending troops to Greenland. I would love to see the US military up against French troops in Greenland, because it would not last very long. It would be a very small skirmish ... we don't care about what Macron and the French want."
January 23, 2026 at 4:38 PM
children discussing a video game
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
A sampling of NATO service members killed “a little back, off the front lines” in Afghanistan while answering America’s invocation of Article V.
🇬🇧 457
🇨🇦 159
🇫🇷 90
🇩🇪 62
🇮🇹 53
🇵🇱 44
🇩🇰 43 (more KIA per capita than any other NATO member state)
🇪🇸 35
🇳🇱 25
🇹🇷 15
🇨🇿 14
🇬🇧 457
🇨🇦 159
🇫🇷 90
🇩🇪 62
🇮🇹 53
🇵🇱 44
🇩🇰 43 (more KIA per capita than any other NATO member state)
🇪🇸 35
🇳🇱 25
🇹🇷 15
🇨🇿 14
Trump on NATO: "I've always said, will they be there if we ever needed them? That's really the ultimate test. I'm not sure of that. We've never needed them. They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan and this or that. And they did. They stayed a little back, off the front lines."
January 22, 2026 at 8:01 PM
A sampling of NATO service members killed “a little back, off the front lines” in Afghanistan while answering America’s invocation of Article V.
🇬🇧 457
🇨🇦 159
🇫🇷 90
🇩🇪 62
🇮🇹 53
🇵🇱 44
🇩🇰 43 (more KIA per capita than any other NATO member state)
🇪🇸 35
🇳🇱 25
🇹🇷 15
🇨🇿 14
🇬🇧 457
🇨🇦 159
🇫🇷 90
🇩🇪 62
🇮🇹 53
🇵🇱 44
🇩🇰 43 (more KIA per capita than any other NATO member state)
🇪🇸 35
🇳🇱 25
🇹🇷 15
🇨🇿 14
For once, the response ‘JFC’ is not hyperbole.
It’s come to this: “Catholic members of the US armed forces could in good conscience consider disobeying orders to attack Greenland if such orders were issued, according to Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the bishop responsible for the pastoral care of US military personnel.”
Military archbishop: Troops could refuse orders on Greenland
Speaking to Britain's Sunday program on BBC, Archbishop Timothy Broglio reiterated that conscience could permit refusal of an unjust military order.
aleteia.org
January 20, 2026 at 2:18 AM
For once, the response ‘JFC’ is not hyperbole.
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
Fallen Danish troops in Afghanistan.
January 19, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Fallen Danish troops in Afghanistan.
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
A reminder that any former commandre of a NATO military spent most of their careers working with Americans and are not by nature anti-American.
And, yeah, he ain't wrong.
And, yeah, he ain't wrong.
The Norwegian government is staying fairly quiet for now, but as a sign of the shifting vibe here the former head of Norway’s armed forces has come out and called the US a “neo-fascist banana republic” and a “hostile great power without norms”. www.dn.no/politikk/tid...
Tidligere forsvarssjef om Trumps USA: – Neo-fascistisk bananrepublikk (+)
Tidligere forsvarssjef Sverre Diesen mener USA er blitt «en normløs og fiendtlig innstilt stormakt», og advarer samtidig mot å feste vår lit til Europa. Harald Sunde mener det haster med en plan B.
www.dn.no
January 19, 2026 at 9:56 PM
A reminder that any former commandre of a NATO military spent most of their careers working with Americans and are not by nature anti-American.
And, yeah, he ain't wrong.
And, yeah, he ain't wrong.
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
"An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself.” Letter from the Birmingham Jail
www.learningforjustice.org
January 19, 2026 at 3:47 PM
"An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself.” Letter from the Birmingham Jail
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
Thank you @pkryan.bsky.social for your support in this fight to flip NY-17 and flip the house. I’m so proud to be in the arena with you as we take on this fight for the Hudson Valley, for our country, and for our future. LFG!!!
January 18, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Thank you @pkryan.bsky.social for your support in this fight to flip NY-17 and flip the house. I’m so proud to be in the arena with you as we take on this fight for the Hudson Valley, for our country, and for our future. LFG!!!
Many of his family members fought with the Allied forces against the Germans in World War II, and “I learned from them very early that what one does with Nazis is kill them,” he said at a 2023 conference on antinuclear activism in Johannesburg. “I am not a pacifist.”
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/w...
Renfrew Christie Dies at 76; Sabotaged Racist Regime’s Nuclear Program
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Many of his family members fought with the Allied forces against the Germans in World War II, and “I learned from them very early that what one does with Nazis is kill them,” he said at a 2023 conference on antinuclear activism in Johannesburg. “I am not a pacifist.”
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/w...
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
I think the disconnect between Atlantic elites is that Americans think Donald Trump is a kid getting to drive a monster truck for Make A Wish and Europeans and Canadians think Donald Trump is the president of the United States.
January 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM
I think the disconnect between Atlantic elites is that Americans think Donald Trump is a kid getting to drive a monster truck for Make A Wish and Europeans and Canadians think Donald Trump is the president of the United States.
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
“It’s like half of y’all ain’t never seen Star Wars or a Disney movie. How do you not know which side to root on?”
January 14, 2026 at 4:04 AM
“It’s like half of y’all ain’t never seen Star Wars or a Disney movie. How do you not know which side to root on?”
Reposted by Jason Dempsey
Gallego: "What type of man decides to walk around with a phone camera & at same time tries to make life & death decisions, then decides to pump one bullet that may have been forward-facing, but clearly the other 2 were on the side. Who is he? Clearly not someone who should be in law enforcement."
January 13, 2026 at 3:57 AM
Gallego: "What type of man decides to walk around with a phone camera & at same time tries to make life & death decisions, then decides to pump one bullet that may have been forward-facing, but clearly the other 2 were on the side. Who is he? Clearly not someone who should be in law enforcement."