Mohamad Bazzi
@mbazzi.bsky.social
NYU journalism professor | Director, NYU Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies | Former Middle East bureau chief, Newsday.
https://journalism.nyu.edu/about-us/profile/mohamad-bazzi/
https://journalism.nyu.edu/about-us/profile/mohamad-bazzi/
Pinned
Trump’s family is embroiled in a $500m UAE scandal. We’ve hardly noticed | Mohamad Bazzi
A crypto startup founded by Trump’s family signed a huge deal with the UAE president’s brother. Where’s the political fallout?
www.theguardian.com
“Under any other president, a UAE royal secretly paying $500 million to the Trump family’s crypto business would cause a political earthquake in Washington. There would be demands for an investigation by Congress, televised hearings, and months of damage control” — my latest @theguardian.com
I wrote about Trump’s latest presidential shakedown | www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
February 19, 2026 at 10:16 PM
I wrote about Trump’s latest presidential shakedown | www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
Malinowski's op-ed was published this morning and within hours Schakowsky in Illinois rescinded an endorsement from an AIPAC-backed candidate in IL-02.
Tom Malinowski argues in an op-ed for the Bulwark that, in response to AIPAC using Republican donor money to intervene in Democratic races, Dem leadership (including, presumably, the AIPAC-endorsed and backed Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer) should disavow the organization and refuse its support.
A Cautionary Note to Fellow Dems From an AIPAC Target
How big-money super PACs are warping Democratic politics—and how to fix it.
www.thebulwark.com
February 19, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Malinowski's op-ed was published this morning and within hours Schakowsky in Illinois rescinded an endorsement from an AIPAC-backed candidate in IL-02.
“Even by the standards that Trump set after a year back in the White House, when he has systematically dismantled anti-corruption laws built over decades and used the presidency to enrich himself and his family, trading naming rights as a political favor is a new low” — my latest @theguardian.com
Trump’s bid to name Penn Station after himself looks like a presidential shakedown | Mohamad Bazzi
The US president’s relentless self-aggrandizement spree continues amid hypocrisy and shifting explanations
www.theguardian.com
February 19, 2026 at 7:13 PM
“Even by the standards that Trump set after a year back in the White House, when he has systematically dismantled anti-corruption laws built over decades and used the presidency to enrich himself and his family, trading naming rights as a political favor is a new low” — my latest @theguardian.com
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
“When the Trump administration erased one of the nation’s bedrock scientific principles on climate change this week (the EPA’s endangerment finding) it set up a legal battle that’s all but certain to hinge on the Supreme Court” — important reporting by @karenzraick.bsky.social
Trump Erased a Bedrock Climate Rule. Here Come the Lawsuits.
www.nytimes.com
February 14, 2026 at 3:26 PM
“When the Trump administration erased one of the nation’s bedrock scientific principles on climate change this week (the EPA’s endangerment finding) it set up a legal battle that’s all but certain to hinge on the Supreme Court” — important reporting by @karenzraick.bsky.social
Trump told @axios.com that he's considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East to prepare for a military attack if negotiations with Iran fail.
“Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” Trump said.
“Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” Trump said.
Exclusive: Trump says he might send second carrier to strike Iran if talks fail
"Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough," Trump told Axios.
www.axios.com
February 10, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Trump told @axios.com that he's considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East to prepare for a military attack if negotiations with Iran fail.
“Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” Trump said.
“Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” Trump said.
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
Climate superfund bills are gaining momentum despite DOJ lawsuits against the only 2 states have passed them, NY and Vermont. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/c...
Climate ‘Superfund’ Bills Spread Nationwide, Despite Legal Battles
www.nytimes.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Climate superfund bills are gaining momentum despite DOJ lawsuits against the only 2 states have passed them, NY and Vermont. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/c...
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
The official position of some members of Congress is now that peace with Iran requires Congressional approval, but war doesn't.
February 8, 2026 at 8:30 PM
The official position of some members of Congress is now that peace with Iran requires Congressional approval, but war doesn't.
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
Great new reporting by @catebrown.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
NSA detected phone call between foreign intelligence and a person close to Trump
Whistleblower says that Tulsi Gabbard blocked agency from sharing report and delivered it to White House chief of staff
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Great new reporting by @catebrown.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
Starvation by design: How Israel turned food into a weapon of war in Gaza flip.it/n1QCfL
Starvation by design: How Israel turned food into a weapon of war in Gaza
Data reveals Gaza's hunger was likely a calculated strategy to 're-engineer' society, peaking in 2025.
flip.it
February 7, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Starvation by design: How Israel turned food into a weapon of war in Gaza flip.it/n1QCfL
“How can Washington credibly pressure the UAE on its role fueling a civil war in Sudan, when the Emirates’ national security adviser is a business partner of the US president?” — my latest for @theguardian.com on a Trump corruption scandal that should be getting a lot more attention
Trump’s family is embroiled in a $500m UAE scandal. We’ve hardly noticed | Mohamad Bazzi
A crypto startup founded by Trump’s family signed a huge deal with the UAE president’s brother. Where’s the political fallout?
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:30 PM
“How can Washington credibly pressure the UAE on its role fueling a civil war in Sudan, when the Emirates’ national security adviser is a business partner of the US president?” — my latest for @theguardian.com on a Trump corruption scandal that should be getting a lot more attention
“Under any other president, a UAE royal secretly paying $500 million to the Trump family’s crypto business would cause a political earthquake in Washington. There would be demands for an investigation by Congress, televised hearings, and months of damage control” — my latest @theguardian.com
Trump’s family is embroiled in a $500m UAE scandal. We’ve hardly noticed | Mohamad Bazzi
A crypto startup founded by Trump’s family signed a huge deal with the UAE president’s brother. Where’s the political fallout?
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:44 PM
“Under any other president, a UAE royal secretly paying $500 million to the Trump family’s crypto business would cause a political earthquake in Washington. There would be demands for an investigation by Congress, televised hearings, and months of damage control” — my latest @theguardian.com
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
This is a hard day for journalists at the Washington Post, as they reduce their sports/books and international teams. It also impacts us all as journalists. The ecosystem is being whittled down, paying jobs with benefits are disappearing, we're all scrambling or holding on for life to our jobs
February 4, 2026 at 2:22 PM
This is a hard day for journalists at the Washington Post, as they reduce their sports/books and international teams. It also impacts us all as journalists. The ecosystem is being whittled down, paying jobs with benefits are disappearing, we're all scrambling or holding on for life to our jobs
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
“Shakir said that his experience illustrated that while public opinion has evolved on Israel in the last several years – with “concepts of apartheid, genocide and ethnic cleansing” increasingly voiced in mainstream circles – the right of return remains a third rail.”
Human Rights Watch researchers resign after report on Palestinian right of return blocked
Human Rights Watch researchers resign after report on Palestinian right of return blocked | World news | The Guardian
The organization claims the report, which finds Israel’s denial of the right of return is a crime against humanity, is ‘paused pending further analysis and research’
www.theguardian.com
February 3, 2026 at 8:40 PM
“Shakir said that his experience illustrated that while public opinion has evolved on Israel in the last several years – with “concepts of apartheid, genocide and ethnic cleansing” increasingly voiced in mainstream circles – the right of return remains a third rail.”
“We hope to breach the silence that has descended around Gaza, and to do so by offering a microphone to some of the 2 million people whose stories demand to be told. We owe its people—and the hundreds of our fellow journalists who have given their lives to bring us the truth from Gaza—nothing less.“
A Day for Gaza
Today, The Nation is turning over its website exclusively to stories from Gaza and its people. This is why.
www.thenation.com
February 3, 2026 at 8:47 PM
“We hope to breach the silence that has descended around Gaza, and to do so by offering a microphone to some of the 2 million people whose stories demand to be told. We owe its people—and the hundreds of our fellow journalists who have given their lives to bring us the truth from Gaza—nothing less.“
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
I’m sorry but it’s morbidly funny how quickly Trump killed the Kennedy Center by putting his name on it. Everything he touches dies, rotting in shame, and he needs to know that every moment of what’s left of his life.
February 2, 2026 at 11:13 PM
I’m sorry but it’s morbidly funny how quickly Trump killed the Kennedy Center by putting his name on it. Everything he touches dies, rotting in shame, and he needs to know that every moment of what’s left of his life.
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
I suppose if you're opposed to banning Israel from international sports competition because of its state conduct it only makes sense to also demand that Russia be allowed back in.
Perhaps this will force some who are on the fence about banning Israel to realize the issues are actually linked.
Perhaps this will force some who are on the fence about banning Israel to realize the issues are actually linked.
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino against Russia and Israel bans, defends Trump’s Peace Prize
Both FIFA and UEFA banned the Russian national team from competing in 2022 after the country illegally invaded Ukraine.
www.nytimes.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:48 PM
I suppose if you're opposed to banning Israel from international sports competition because of its state conduct it only makes sense to also demand that Russia be allowed back in.
Perhaps this will force some who are on the fence about banning Israel to realize the issues are actually linked.
Perhaps this will force some who are on the fence about banning Israel to realize the issues are actually linked.
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
NYT lets DHS off easy in this particular story: Needed to drill down on the legality of what DHS is doing. Also, with DHS claiming adverse rulings are from "rogue" judges, some data on how many hundreds of judges ruled against it (and how few didn't). www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/u...
Federal Courts Undercut Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign
www.nytimes.com
February 2, 2026 at 2:42 AM
NYT lets DHS off easy in this particular story: Needed to drill down on the legality of what DHS is doing. Also, with DHS claiming adverse rulings are from "rogue" judges, some data on how many hundreds of judges ruled against it (and how few didn't). www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/u...
“As popular discontent with the Trump administration’s actions deepens, Americans should brace for heightened militarized domestic repression and more imperialist aggression abroad” — excellent NYT essay by my colleague @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social
Opinion | History Shows Trump’s Worst Impulses May Backfire on Him
www.nytimes.com
February 1, 2026 at 4:16 PM
“As popular discontent with the Trump administration’s actions deepens, Americans should brace for heightened militarized domestic repression and more imperialist aggression abroad” — excellent NYT essay by my colleague @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social
An NYU administrator took an active threat training completion certificate from his co-worker’s office, went to a gun range, and fired 8 bullets at it. Then he returned the certificate to the front desk of an NYU building | nyunews.com/news/2026/01...
January 30, 2026 at 8:53 PM
An NYU administrator took an active threat training completion certificate from his co-worker’s office, went to a gun range, and fired 8 bullets at it. Then he returned the certificate to the front desk of an NYU building | nyunews.com/news/2026/01...
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
My analysis for Foreign Policy on the Board of Peace (gift link)
Tl;dr it's a dangerous gift, putting it mildly
foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/27/t...
Tl;dr it's a dangerous gift, putting it mildly
foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/27/t...
Trump’s Board of Peace Will Help Strong Countries Dominate Weak Ones
In Gaza, it will legitimize Israeli land grabs and ethnic cleansing.
foreignpolicy.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:55 PM
My analysis for Foreign Policy on the Board of Peace (gift link)
Tl;dr it's a dangerous gift, putting it mildly
foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/27/t...
Tl;dr it's a dangerous gift, putting it mildly
foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/27/t...
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
Iran football great Ali Karimi leads call for Infantino to speak up on protest deaths
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Iran football great Ali Karimi leads call for Infantino to speak up on protest deaths
A group of prominent Iranians with links to football have called on Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, to condemn the killing and arrest of footballers in Iran
www.theguardian.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:12 PM
Iran football great Ali Karimi leads call for Infantino to speak up on protest deaths
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
As @washingtonpost.com international & local correspondents, we have risked our lives, side by side, because we believe reporting from the ground serves the public good. To choke that engine of brave, committed colleagues would be devastating. If you value our work, tell Jeff Bezos to #SaveThePost.
January 26, 2026 at 6:38 PM
As @washingtonpost.com international & local correspondents, we have risked our lives, side by side, because we believe reporting from the ground serves the public good. To choke that engine of brave, committed colleagues would be devastating. If you value our work, tell Jeff Bezos to #SaveThePost.
Tom Friedman never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity
January 25, 2026 at 9:37 PM
Tom Friedman never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity
Reposted by Mohamad Bazzi
Occupation ideology holds that the occupation is necessary to protect the majority population, since the people being occupied are inherently violent and irrational and any leniency in their treatment will simply allow them to kill and act savagely. www.juancole.com/2026/01/minn...
How Minnesotans became Palestinians: Top 5 Ways they are Occupied
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) - The people of Palestine are occupied by the Israelis. In my experience most Americans do not even know this basic fact. Ignorance of it makes it impossible to underst...
www.juancole.com
January 25, 2026 at 4:26 PM
Occupation ideology holds that the occupation is necessary to protect the majority population, since the people being occupied are inherently violent and irrational and any leniency in their treatment will simply allow them to kill and act savagely. www.juancole.com/2026/01/minn...