Nicholas Kabcenell
@nkabcenell.bsky.social
Back & forth between Budapest & NYC (but always a New Yorker). Private & distressed debt for work, foreign affairs & CEE (Hungarian) politics & economics for interest & classical music, Arsenal, U Mich & bball fan for downtime
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
To negotiate a trade deal with the President of the United States, the Swiss government arrived with a "special Rolex desktop clock" and "a 1-kilogram personalized gold bar"
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
How to lobby Trump with Swiss precision: gifts, gold and gab
How the Swiss broke a diplomatic logjam on tariffs by arriving with tributes fit for a king.
www.axios.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:07 PM
To negotiate a trade deal with the President of the United States, the Swiss government arrived with a "special Rolex desktop clock" and "a 1-kilogram personalized gold bar"
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
Viktor Orbán’s Hail Mary.! 🦋
www.cjr.org/opinion/vikt...
www.cjr.org/opinion/vikt...
Viktor Orbán’s Hail Mary.
I was editor in chief of Hungary’s most-read independent daily until a pro-government media network bought the newspaper. It’s the fifth time in thirty years that politics has cost me my job—and it’s ...
www.cjr.org
November 11, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Viktor Orbán’s Hail Mary.! 🦋
www.cjr.org/opinion/vikt...
www.cjr.org/opinion/vikt...
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Unfortunately for New York, in their different ways Zohran Mamdani and Donald Trump are likely to compound the city’s problems. This matters not just for New Yorkers, but for America itself
The battle for New York
A fight is brewing between Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani
econ.st
October 31, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Unfortunately for New York, in their different ways Zohran Mamdani and Donald Trump are likely to compound the city’s problems. This matters not just for New Yorkers, but for America itself
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
NEW: Trump has pardoned Binance founder CZ, wiping away one of the US’s most significant crackdowns on crypto crime.
The pardon is emblematic of Trump’s approach to clemency:
CZ hired lawyers & lobbyists with Trump ties, while Binance struck a business deal with the Trump family’s crypto company.
The pardon is emblematic of Trump’s approach to clemency:
CZ hired lawyers & lobbyists with Trump ties, while Binance struck a business deal with the Trump family’s crypto company.
Trump Pardons Founder of the Crypto Exchange Binance
www.nytimes.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:00 PM
NEW: Trump has pardoned Binance founder CZ, wiping away one of the US’s most significant crackdowns on crypto crime.
The pardon is emblematic of Trump’s approach to clemency:
CZ hired lawyers & lobbyists with Trump ties, while Binance struck a business deal with the Trump family’s crypto company.
The pardon is emblematic of Trump’s approach to clemency:
CZ hired lawyers & lobbyists with Trump ties, while Binance struck a business deal with the Trump family’s crypto company.
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Shameful.
Trump told Zelenskyy he was losing the war, warning: “If [Putin] wants it, he will destroy you”
The US president threw Ukraine’s battlefield maps to one side & said he was “sick” of seeing the frontline again & again
Scoop w @christopherjm.ft.com @maxseddon.bsky.social & @a-mackinnon.bsky.social
The US president threw Ukraine’s battlefield maps to one side & said he was “sick” of seeing the frontline again & again
Scoop w @christopherjm.ft.com @maxseddon.bsky.social & @a-mackinnon.bsky.social
Trump urged Zelenskyy to accept Putin’s terms or be ‘destroyed’ by Russia on.ft.com/4ou3MjY
October 19, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Shameful.
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Dutch intelligence suspends sharing arrangements with the US after concluding that high level intel was routinely being shared by the White House with their friends in the Kremlin. www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/n...
Nederlandse diensten delen minder informatie met de VS: ‘Soms vertellen we dingen niet meer’
Het aantal dreigingen dat op Nederland afkomt is groot, zien de hoofden van de AIVD en de MIVD elke dag: niet alleen Russische agressie, maar ook de opmars van China als digitale macht en binnenlands ...
www.volkskrant.nl
October 19, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Dutch intelligence suspends sharing arrangements with the US after concluding that high level intel was routinely being shared by the White House with their friends in the Kremlin. www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/n...
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
As a European, I'm regularly amazed at the trivial everyday things Americans describe as a breakthrough discovery.
October 19, 2025 at 8:04 PM
As a European, I'm regularly amazed at the trivial everyday things Americans describe as a breakthrough discovery.
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Nineteen years ago, on October 7, 2006, Anna Politkovskaya was assassinated by Putin's hitmen.
She was the first to tell the truth about Russia's mass crimes in Chechnya, which foreshadowed those in Syria, Ukraine, Africa and elsewhere. They could have been prevented.
Almost no one listened to her.
She was the first to tell the truth about Russia's mass crimes in Chechnya, which foreshadowed those in Syria, Ukraine, Africa and elsewhere. They could have been prevented.
Almost no one listened to her.
October 7, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Nineteen years ago, on October 7, 2006, Anna Politkovskaya was assassinated by Putin's hitmen.
She was the first to tell the truth about Russia's mass crimes in Chechnya, which foreshadowed those in Syria, Ukraine, Africa and elsewhere. They could have been prevented.
Almost no one listened to her.
She was the first to tell the truth about Russia's mass crimes in Chechnya, which foreshadowed those in Syria, Ukraine, Africa and elsewhere. They could have been prevented.
Almost no one listened to her.
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Breaking News: The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Laszlo Krasznahorkai, the Hungarian novelist, for his “visionary oeuvre.”
Laszlo Krasznahorkai Is Awarded Nobel Prize in Literature
The award comes with prize money of almost $1.2 million.
nyti.ms
October 9, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Breaking News: The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Laszlo Krasznahorkai, the Hungarian novelist, for his “visionary oeuvre.”
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Quite the intro for CBS's The NFL Today, celebrating its 50th anniversary.
September 21, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Quite the intro for CBS's The NFL Today, celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
The American license-permit raj
Critical part of the President's new $100,000 charge for H1-B visas: The Administration can also offer a $100,000 discount to any person, company, or industry that it wants. Replacing rules with arbitrary discretion.
Want visas? You know who to call and who to flatter.
Want visas? You know who to call and who to flatter.
September 20, 2025 at 3:14 PM
The American license-permit raj
I saw this “stolperstein” directly in front of the McDonalds in the center of Veszprém
September 19, 2025 at 12:48 PM
I saw this “stolperstein” directly in front of the McDonalds in the center of Veszprém
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
The mortgage fraud claim against Lisa Cook is false, per documents obtained by Reuters.
Bill Pulte's accusation, the sole pretext Trump used to fire her from the Fed, was that she claimed two homes as primary residence.
These docs show she did not.
www.reuters.com/world/us/fed...
Bill Pulte's accusation, the sole pretext Trump used to fire her from the Fed, was that she claimed two homes as primary residence.
These docs show she did not.
www.reuters.com/world/us/fed...
Exclusive: Fed Governor Cook declared her Atlanta property as “vacation home,” documents show
A loan estimate for an Atlanta home purchased by Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governor accused of mortgage fraud by the Trump administration, shows that Cook had declared the property as a “vacation home,” according to a document reviewed by Reuters.
www.reuters.com
September 12, 2025 at 9:51 PM
The mortgage fraud claim against Lisa Cook is false, per documents obtained by Reuters.
Bill Pulte's accusation, the sole pretext Trump used to fire her from the Fed, was that she claimed two homes as primary residence.
These docs show she did not.
www.reuters.com/world/us/fed...
Bill Pulte's accusation, the sole pretext Trump used to fire her from the Fed, was that she claimed two homes as primary residence.
These docs show she did not.
www.reuters.com/world/us/fed...
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
New, from me:
America is no longer a functioning democracy. It is a competitive authoritarian system, hurtling rapidly toward authoritarianism.
This was a hard piece to write but we can't move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we are.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-author...
America is no longer a functioning democracy. It is a competitive authoritarian system, hurtling rapidly toward authoritarianism.
This was a hard piece to write but we can't move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we are.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-author...
The authoritarian checklist
It is time to admit that America is no longer a functioning democracy
donmoynihan.substack.com
August 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
New, from me:
America is no longer a functioning democracy. It is a competitive authoritarian system, hurtling rapidly toward authoritarianism.
This was a hard piece to write but we can't move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we are.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-author...
America is no longer a functioning democracy. It is a competitive authoritarian system, hurtling rapidly toward authoritarianism.
This was a hard piece to write but we can't move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we are.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-author...
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
‼️💥Hungary’s government kept secret that two weeks ago, thieves broke into the Kecskemét military airfield and stole locator compartment parts from under the nose cones of retired Soviet-era MiG-29s (19 jets are parked there). The serious incident was revealed by tabloid Blikk.
August 15, 2025 at 8:12 AM
‼️💥Hungary’s government kept secret that two weeks ago, thieves broke into the Kecskemét military airfield and stole locator compartment parts from under the nose cones of retired Soviet-era MiG-29s (19 jets are parked there). The serious incident was revealed by tabloid Blikk.
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Nothing to see here, just messianic racist war criminals having a conference about messianic war criminal things and other "tremendous opportunities" for crimes against humanity in the Knesset
Smotrich: Gaza will be ‘inseparable part of Israel,’ IDF chief favors ‘security annexation’
At Knesset conference on 'Gaza Riviera,' whose name and focus play off Trump announcement, far-right finance minister touts 'tremendous opportunity' to reestablish settlements in Strip
www.timesofisrael.com
July 22, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Nothing to see here, just messianic racist war criminals having a conference about messianic war criminal things and other "tremendous opportunities" for crimes against humanity in the Knesset
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
💥Viktor Orbán’s demographic strategy is a disaster. Over the past decade, 37.8% of Hungary’s population decline was due to emigration to other EU countries. Hungary is losing the competition to retain its own citizens while birth rates tank. Read Direkt36's in-depth article on @vsquare.bsky.social👇
Inside Viktor Orbán’s Failure to Achieve His Demographic Goal - VSquare.org
The Prime Minister has long said that he would like to grow the population of Hungary without bringing in immigrants. Recently, births have fallen, but the number of people leaving the country has als...
vsquare.org
July 20, 2025 at 3:46 PM
💥Viktor Orbán’s demographic strategy is a disaster. Over the past decade, 37.8% of Hungary’s population decline was due to emigration to other EU countries. Hungary is losing the competition to retain its own citizens while birth rates tank. Read Direkt36's in-depth article on @vsquare.bsky.social👇
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Remember: The internet is written in indelible ink.
July 18, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Remember: The internet is written in indelible ink.
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
ICE interrogate kids at youth baseball practice—threatens to arrest coach when he defends them.
Every kid on team is U.S. citizen.
"Agent said if kids are here legally, what do they have to lose," coach Youman Wilder explained.
"I told them they still have their 5th & 4th Amendment rights."
Every kid on team is U.S. citizen.
"Agent said if kids are here legally, what do they have to lose," coach Youman Wilder explained.
"I told them they still have their 5th & 4th Amendment rights."
July 11, 2025 at 3:32 PM
ICE interrogate kids at youth baseball practice—threatens to arrest coach when he defends them.
Every kid on team is U.S. citizen.
"Agent said if kids are here legally, what do they have to lose," coach Youman Wilder explained.
"I told them they still have their 5th & 4th Amendment rights."
Every kid on team is U.S. citizen.
"Agent said if kids are here legally, what do they have to lose," coach Youman Wilder explained.
"I told them they still have their 5th & 4th Amendment rights."
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Harvard sociologist/polisci Theda Skocpol explains how the vast expansion of ICE in BBB may be Trump's secret weapon to overcome the barriers of federalism and complete his autocratic takeover of the American state. (History from Germany & Hungary in 20s/30s.) talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/criti...
Critical Read About the BBB, Federalism and the Future of American Democracy
TPM Reader TS (Harvard sociologist/political scientist Theda Skocpol) and I often compared...
talkingpointsmemo.com
July 5, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Harvard sociologist/polisci Theda Skocpol explains how the vast expansion of ICE in BBB may be Trump's secret weapon to overcome the barriers of federalism and complete his autocratic takeover of the American state. (History from Germany & Hungary in 20s/30s.) talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/criti...
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Trump is slowly, quietly, lifting sanctions on Russia. And halting previously allocated munitions too.
Without an announcement, US policy is beginning to favor not a ceasefire, but Russian success
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/u...
Without an announcement, US policy is beginning to favor not a ceasefire, but Russian success
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/u...
Lack of New U.S. Sanctions Allows Restricted Goods and Funds Into Russia
www.nytimes.com
July 2, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Trump is slowly, quietly, lifting sanctions on Russia. And halting previously allocated munitions too.
Without an announcement, US policy is beginning to favor not a ceasefire, but Russian success
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/u...
Without an announcement, US policy is beginning to favor not a ceasefire, but Russian success
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/u...
Dr. Csongor Kincse appears to be a brave man and definitly said some brave words. It would be nice to think people who could actually make a difference were listening telex.hu/belfold/2025...
Az összedőlés szélén álló egészségügyről beszélt a szegedi orvoskar végzős hallgatója a diplomaosztón
Dr. Kincse Csongor az ágazat vezetőjét is megemlítette, aki „a kórházi fertőzések elleni harc helyett Facebook-kommentekkel harcol.”
telex.hu
June 30, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Dr. Csongor Kincse appears to be a brave man and definitly said some brave words. It would be nice to think people who could actually make a difference were listening telex.hu/belfold/2025...
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
More than 100,000 people marched in Hungary’s annual Pride parade in Budapest on Saturday after Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ban on the event backfired, turning what is usually a low-key parade into a mass rally against his government. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/w...
June 28, 2025 at 8:42 PM
More than 100,000 people marched in Hungary’s annual Pride parade in Budapest on Saturday after Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ban on the event backfired, turning what is usually a low-key parade into a mass rally against his government. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/w...
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Here's a 2013 throwback:
June 22, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Here's a 2013 throwback:
Reposted by Nicholas Kabcenell
Travel and visa restrictions imposed by the Trump administration threaten care at U.S. hospitals that depend on international medical residents.
Trump Travel Restrictions Bar Residents Needed at U.S. Hospitals
Limits on travel and visa appointments have delayed or prevented foreign doctors from entering the country for jobs set to begin in weeks.
trib.al
June 19, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Travel and visa restrictions imposed by the Trump administration threaten care at U.S. hospitals that depend on international medical residents.