Tom Nichols
@radiofreetom.bsky.social
Staff writer at The Atlantic. Cat guy, democracy defender. Actor for a day on Succession, Jeopardy champ. New Englander and curmudgeon.
Pinned
Pete Hegseth Should Sit This One Out
By inserting himself into the situation in Minnesota, the secretary of defense is only making things worse.
www.theatlantic.com
"Pete Hegseth might consider adding another task to his many duties, one that would be of immense help to the nation and to the armed forces: He should shut up."
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
I am a great believer in St. Teresa's warning that more tears are shed over answered prayers
Sometime we take the paths we choose and other times the paths were given and we'll never know which one is better til we get there. 🙇
Many paths I've be given have taken me places I certainly didn't mind being! 😊
Many paths I've be given have taken me places I certainly didn't mind being! 😊
January 30, 2026 at 5:47 AM
I am a great believer in St. Teresa's warning that more tears are shed over answered prayers
Officials overseeing Trump’s mass-deportation campaign are fighting one another for power.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Battles Are Raging Inside the Department of Homeland Security
Officials overseeing Trump’s mass-deportation campaign are fighting one another for power.
www.theatlantic.com
January 30, 2026 at 5:41 AM
Officials overseeing Trump’s mass-deportation campaign are fighting one another for power.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
True, but if Dartmouth hadn't fired me, I'd have never met my wife, so it was worth it :)
Amazing how often academia resists its very reason of existence. 💁
January 30, 2026 at 5:35 AM
True, but if Dartmouth hadn't fired me, I'd have never met my wife, so it was worth it :)
Silence, peasants
Trump: "People that own their homes -- we're gonna keep them wealthy. We're gonna keep those prices up. We're not gonna destroy the value of their homes so that somebody who didn't work very hard can buy a home."
January 30, 2026 at 5:33 AM
Silence, peasants
My dept chair said: You are as good a teacher to be found at Dartmouth or any comparable national institution. But something something about some issues in my first book, so we're denying you tenure for now.
I was in my early 30s and it was one of the most surreal moments of my life.
I was in my early 30s and it was one of the most surreal moments of my life.
An annoying jerk??? 😂
Already a good teacher 30 years ago? I believe that too.
Already a good teacher 30 years ago? I believe that too.
January 30, 2026 at 5:29 AM
My dept chair said: You are as good a teacher to be found at Dartmouth or any comparable national institution. But something something about some issues in my first book, so we're denying you tenure for now.
I was in my early 30s and it was one of the most surreal moments of my life.
I was in my early 30s and it was one of the most surreal moments of my life.
I was denied tenure, which to an academic, is getting fired. (I was actually promoted to Associate on my first bid, and then denied on my second one.) The story is not that exotic: I was a good teacher and scholar, but also a annoying jerk - shocking! - and the dept was a dysfunctional mess.
Why you get fired though ? Sounds like there is a story .
January 30, 2026 at 5:22 AM
I was denied tenure, which to an academic, is getting fired. (I was actually promoted to Associate on my first bid, and then denied on my second one.) The story is not that exotic: I was a good teacher and scholar, but also a annoying jerk - shocking! - and the dept was a dysfunctional mess.
do not start with me
these are also the PLUR1BUS color motifs
outfit has the same colors as the crying emoji 😭
January 30, 2026 at 5:17 AM
do not start with me
I find that worrisome. The most level-headed officers I ever knew in my war college career were the ones who had direct experience of combat.
One of the most interesting and rarely mentioned points is that General Zhang was the only senior Chinese military leader with actual combat experience (in the Sino-Vietnamese War of 1979). Nobody else at the top of the PLA has actually fought in a war.
The meaning of Xi’s military purge ft.trib.al/wKvJfjT | opinion
January 30, 2026 at 5:17 AM
I find that worrisome. The most level-headed officers I ever knew in my war college career were the ones who had direct experience of combat.
I was fired at Dartmouth 30 years ago. I guess that was a good career move on my part.
The college at which I'm employed, which has signed a contract with the AI firm that stole books from 131 colleagues & me, paid a student to write an op-ed for the student paper promoting AI, guided the writing of it, and did not disclose this to the paper. www.thedartmouth.com/article/2026...
College approached and paid student to write op-ed in The Dartmouth
The Dartmouth ran the article on Nov. 17 without knowledge that the College had been involved.
www.thedartmouth.com
January 30, 2026 at 5:09 AM
I was fired at Dartmouth 30 years ago. I guess that was a good career move on my part.
Authoritarianism. Which comes in many types - recommended reading here:
January 30, 2026 at 3:34 AM
Authoritarianism. Which comes in many types - recommended reading here:
Reposted by Tom Nichols
McCarthy came to see me in Los Angeles. I told him, “You can’t say there are 50 Communists at State. There are more than that. But you can’t say it.”
Sir, I don’t recall: what was your stance on Mr. McCarthy both during and post HUAC?
January 28, 2026 at 6:09 PM
McCarthy came to see me in Los Angeles. I told him, “You can’t say there are 50 Communists at State. There are more than that. But you can’t say it.”
Reposted by Tom Nichols
Yes.
Sir, do you believe that employers should be permitted to exclude so-called “Yale people” from their workplace?
January 29, 2026 at 11:11 PM
Yes.
Maybe people are going to see it the way they went to see Glitter
I checked my local theater and people do have tickets for tomorrow’s shows. I feel like going and throwing popcorn the whole time
January 30, 2026 at 2:23 AM
Maybe people are going to see it the way they went to see Glitter
This is classic "so you hate waffles" sea-lioning.
Me: We don't live under fascism
This guy: Oh, so Turkey is a democracy?
Me: We don't live under fascism
This guy: Oh, so Turkey is a democracy?
January 30, 2026 at 2:17 AM
This is classic "so you hate waffles" sea-lioning.
Me: We don't live under fascism
This guy: Oh, so Turkey is a democracy?
Me: We don't live under fascism
This guy: Oh, so Turkey is a democracy?
The Clinton Death List returns
There's a scary number of people in this country that had leverage on 47th POTUS who are now dead.
We're many, many steps from that.
January 30, 2026 at 2:11 AM
The Clinton Death List returns
Reposted by Tom Nichols
Seems like it was a good career move. Authoritarianism can be quite profitable for accommodating elites.
How Niall Ferguson went from a respected historian and Trump critic to a Trump booster—he even now chalks up January 6th to pandemic craziness and believes Trump genuinely believes he won in 2020—handpicked by Bari Weiss for a CBS pundit gig.
www.thebulwark.com/p/how-niall-...
www.thebulwark.com/p/how-niall-...
How Niall Ferguson Learned to Love Trump
… and snagged a pundit slot at CBS News in the Bari Weiss makeover.
www.thebulwark.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Seems like it was a good career move. Authoritarianism can be quite profitable for accommodating elites.
Reposted by Tom Nichols
Jesus, its not even "Fascist Friday" yet 🤷♂️😆
January 29, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Jesus, its not even "Fascist Friday" yet 🤷♂️😆
Reposted by Tom Nichols
This poll is the worst high-quality poll for Trump that I’ve seen this term.
Pew has Trump's approval at 37%. And:
"Only about a quarter of Americans today (27%) say they support all or most of Trump’s policies and plans, down from 35% when he returned to office last year. That change has come entirely among Republicans."
www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
"Only about a quarter of Americans today (27%) say they support all or most of Trump’s policies and plans, down from 35% when he returned to office last year. That change has come entirely among Republicans."
www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
Confidence in Trump Dips, and Fewer Now Say They Support His Policies and Plans
Only 27% of Americans say they support all or most of Trump's policies – down since last year, with the change coming entirely among Republicans.
www.pewresearch.org
January 29, 2026 at 8:40 PM
This poll is the worst high-quality poll for Trump that I’ve seen this term.
I checked in the Encyclopedia of Very Online Phrases, and there it is, an article by Bert S.
Christian Fascism.
That’s where we are.
Look it up.
That’s where we are.
Look it up.
January 29, 2026 at 8:31 PM
I checked in the Encyclopedia of Very Online Phrases, and there it is, an article by Bert S.
"Russia is listed as a democracy?" By whom?
I was a strong supporter of calling Russia a democracy years ago, and even *I* haven't said that in decades.
I was a strong supporter of calling Russia a democracy years ago, and even *I* haven't said that in decades.
There is no hard line in the sand on these things. I mean, Russia is listed as a democracy. Would you agree with that? By definition it is because they hold elections. But nobody is going to claim they are a free people with weight behind their votes.
January 29, 2026 at 8:25 PM
"Russia is listed as a democracy?" By whom?
I was a strong supporter of calling Russia a democracy years ago, and even *I* haven't said that in decades.
I was a strong supporter of calling Russia a democracy years ago, and even *I* haven't said that in decades.
When I saw the trailer, I thought it was AI slop created by some Resistance wag with a video program. I did not believe anyone would make this movie, and make it look the way the previews make it look.
Believe I saw that there were offers of $50 and free tickets to attend Melania: The Documentary. Might be a good way to pocket $50 ($100 take your wife?) and have a nice 2hour nap. Also, the one liners about attendance at the movie and the reviews are alone worth it having been made. LOL.
January 29, 2026 at 8:22 PM
When I saw the trailer, I thought it was AI slop created by some Resistance wag with a video program. I did not believe anyone would make this movie, and make it look the way the previews make it look.
People have suggested that if you're in a car headed to Los Angeles, it's reasonable to ask if you're there yet.
I'd say: You have a kook trying to carjack you, saying "Take me to LA," and while you're scared, everyone in the car so far is saying "no"
Except one guy who thinks we're already in LA.
I'd say: You have a kook trying to carjack you, saying "Take me to LA," and while you're scared, everyone in the car so far is saying "no"
Except one guy who thinks we're already in LA.
Eh, it's more of a journey than a destination. We're not there, but where we are isn't good either.
Looking forward to Charlie Five Buckets' next sternly worded letter to propose things that already exist but simply aren't enforced.
Looking forward to Charlie Five Buckets' next sternly worded letter to propose things that already exist but simply aren't enforced.
January 29, 2026 at 8:21 PM
People have suggested that if you're in a car headed to Los Angeles, it's reasonable to ask if you're there yet.
I'd say: You have a kook trying to carjack you, saying "Take me to LA," and while you're scared, everyone in the car so far is saying "no"
Except one guy who thinks we're already in LA.
I'd say: You have a kook trying to carjack you, saying "Take me to LA," and while you're scared, everyone in the car so far is saying "no"
Except one guy who thinks we're already in LA.
We're many, many steps from that.
Mussolini's fascism was also minimized in the beginning stages. It was too late by the time the assassinations started. We're only one step away from that now.
January 29, 2026 at 8:19 PM
We're many, many steps from that.
Also true. And they'd wear clearly marked uniforms as a sign of power and authority instead.
If we lived in a fascist state, ICE agents wouldn’t wear masks. They wouldn’t be afraid to show their faces.
January 29, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Also true. And they'd wear clearly marked uniforms as a sign of power and authority instead.
I'm only mildly joking when I say that if America were already a fascist state, the theaters would be full coast-to-coast for the opening of MELANIA. Because they'd have to be.
January 29, 2026 at 4:42 PM
I'm only mildly joking when I say that if America were already a fascist state, the theaters would be full coast-to-coast for the opening of MELANIA. Because they'd have to be.