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...
Fallout season two just gets better and better, but I really enjoy this guy in particular
January 29, 2026 at 3:56 AM
Fallout season two just gets better and better, but I really enjoy this guy in particular
So, Michele is my friend and we argue this all the time. But gonna say this again: "They control a media ecosystem and are better at messaging" is not enough. Complaining about the other guy's strengths isn't a strategy. You must counter those strengths./1
No, but "ignoring the huge imbalance in the info space and hoping no Dem councilman in San Franciso never says anything that Fox and Twitter can run with"
isn't a strategy, either.
I haven't seen ANY strategy opinion pieces that tackle the "much bigger megaphone" problem. That's the one we need.
isn't a strategy, either.
I haven't seen ANY strategy opinion pieces that tackle the "much bigger megaphone" problem. That's the one we need.
January 29, 2026 at 3:18 AM
So, Michele is my friend and we argue this all the time. But gonna say this again: "They control a media ecosystem and are better at messaging" is not enough. Complaining about the other guy's strengths isn't a strategy. You must counter those strengths./1
Reposted by Tom Nichols
Governor Tim Walz warns of a national unraveling in an interview with @isaacstanleybecker.bsky.social. “It’s worse than you think,” Walz says of the situation in Minnesota.
Tim Walz Fears a Fort Sumter Moment in Minneapolis
The Minnesota governor warns of a national unraveling.
bit.ly
January 29, 2026 at 2:40 AM
Governor Tim Walz warns of a national unraveling in an interview with @isaacstanleybecker.bsky.social. “It’s worse than you think,” Walz says of the situation in Minnesota.
This is a long piece and the first responses to it came in under 60 seconds because why not
Tom Edsall: "If Democrats are to succeed in excising the Trump malignancy from the body politic, their party faces a major hurdle: public distrust, if not downright animosity."
A warning about coalition-building.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/o...
A warning about coalition-building.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/o...
Opinion | ‘I Wouldn’t Say the Democrats Are in Good Shape’
www.nytimes.com
January 28, 2026 at 11:41 PM
This is a long piece and the first responses to it came in under 60 seconds because why not
Tom Edsall: "If Democrats are to succeed in excising the Trump malignancy from the body politic, their party faces a major hurdle: public distrust, if not downright animosity."
A warning about coalition-building.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/o...
A warning about coalition-building.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/o...
Opinion | ‘I Wouldn’t Say the Democrats Are in Good Shape’
www.nytimes.com
January 28, 2026 at 11:36 PM
Tom Edsall: "If Democrats are to succeed in excising the Trump malignancy from the body politic, their party faces a major hurdle: public distrust, if not downright animosity."
A warning about coalition-building.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/o...
A warning about coalition-building.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/o...
I wrote about them and noted that they began this trend when I wrote the death of expertise
Own the libs? No, sir.
The granola, gentle parenting, free range/attachment parenting community of the early 2000’s doesn’t get enough shit for their eco-parenting bullshit
The granola, gentle parenting, free range/attachment parenting community of the early 2000’s doesn’t get enough shit for their eco-parenting bullshit
January 28, 2026 at 11:02 PM
I wrote about them and noted that they began this trend when I wrote the death of expertise
Sacrificing the health of your children to own the libs and because nobody is the boss of you
Holy moly this chart: Cumulative US measles cases
January 28, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Sacrificing the health of your children to own the libs and because nobody is the boss of you
Reposted by Tom Nichols
Spoke to @thebulwark.com about what I saw in Minneapolis. (Yes that is a Roma hoodie) www.thebulwark.com/p/adam-serwe...
Adam Serwer and Bobby Pulido: MAGA Got Proven Wrong
The mass deportation operation was supposed to be about the manly men pulling out all the stops in defense of Western civilization, which they claim is being brought down by brown and black immigrants...
www.thebulwark.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:40 PM
Spoke to @thebulwark.com about what I saw in Minneapolis. (Yes that is a Roma hoodie) www.thebulwark.com/p/adam-serwe...
Reposted by Tom Nichols
“Danes responded by placing hundreds more flags in front of the American Embassy, according to video shared by TV2.”
www.cnn.com/2026/01/28/e...
www.cnn.com/2026/01/28/e...
US Embassy in Copenhagen removes flags honoring fallen Danish soldiers, angering veterans | CNN
The US Embassy in Copenhagen has angered Danish veterans by removing flags honoring soldiers killed in Afghanistan from an area outside the building.
www.cnn.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:51 PM
“Danes responded by placing hundreds more flags in front of the American Embassy, according to video shared by TV2.”
www.cnn.com/2026/01/28/e...
www.cnn.com/2026/01/28/e...
Reposted by Tom Nichols
Since we published this, Pam Bondi's X account has started posting mugshots of Minnesotans arrested for impeding ICE/CBP. Sharing a defendant's photo publicly in this way is forbidden under DOJ rules
ICE and CBP are at the head of Trump's campaign to terrorize Minnesotans. But the Justice Department is not far behind.
ICE’s No. 1 Ally
The Department of Justice has rushed to shield federal agents from accountability and launched needless criminal investigations into Minnesota officials and residents.
www.theatlantic.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:23 PM
Since we published this, Pam Bondi's X account has started posting mugshots of Minnesotans arrested for impeding ICE/CBP. Sharing a defendant's photo publicly in this way is forbidden under DOJ rules
That could happen, but maybe see what happens first before declaring defeat
Problem is the Dems will cave as they always do and capitulate in exchange for the admin doing what it should have done in the first place.
January 28, 2026 at 9:15 PM
That could happen, but maybe see what happens first before declaring defeat
Reposted by Tom Nichols
People miss how often stuff about the system is just regular awful instead of Trump-invented awful.
January 28, 2026 at 8:36 PM
People miss how often stuff about the system is just regular awful instead of Trump-invented awful.
One thing at a time. I'm skeptical too, but I'm sure there are people working this beat trying to get the answers to these questions right at this moment.
But the fact that the administration felt it had to do or say anything is a good sign.
But the fact that the administration felt it had to do or say anything is a good sign.
@radiofreetom.bsky.social the paid part isn’t the problem. The problem is that there is no way to know if they are telling the truth. Bonomo said they had been reassigned. Were they? Are they on leave? Why should we believe anything this administration says?
January 28, 2026 at 8:35 PM
One thing at a time. I'm skeptical too, but I'm sure there are people working this beat trying to get the answers to these questions right at this moment.
But the fact that the administration felt it had to do or say anything is a good sign.
But the fact that the administration felt it had to do or say anything is a good sign.
I used to work on my papers all night, then go to the roof of my building at Columbia, have a cigarette while the sun rose over Manhattan, and then go to bed.
Spoken like someone who has never witnessed the beauty of a sunrise.
Granted, there is always the option of burning the candle at both ends, a familiar experience for anyone who went to grad school. I have a feeling that won't lead to living any longer, though.
Granted, there is always the option of burning the candle at both ends, a familiar experience for anyone who went to grad school. I have a feeling that won't lead to living any longer, though.
January 28, 2026 at 8:20 PM
I used to work on my papers all night, then go to the roof of my building at Columbia, have a cigarette while the sun rose over Manhattan, and then go to bed.
I love Weird Al. Let's not go overboard here.
Oh, man...this one really takes the cake. Next thing your going to say is that you hate Weird Al.
January 28, 2026 at 8:18 PM
I love Weird Al. Let's not go overboard here.
It is. At first, they weren't going to take those guys offline at all. But if the Trump guys are worried about funding and public opinion, that's a *good* thing.
Usually that happens immediately, not four days later. I agree that this is part of an effort to get Dems to soften on a budget fight.
January 28, 2026 at 8:17 PM
It is. At first, they weren't going to take those guys offline at all. But if the Trump guys are worried about funding and public opinion, that's a *good* thing.
I don't *hate* him, I just wasn't hip and alienated and dissociated enough to like him, except when he went full 80s with this video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc-b...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc-b...
January 28, 2026 at 8:04 PM
I don't *hate* him, I just wasn't hip and alienated and dissociated enough to like him, except when he went full 80s with this video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc-b...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc-b...
When police of any kind are involved in a shooting, the usual practice in most places is to put them on paid leave until something is actually adjudicated.
People are reacting to this here because they don't know this, apparently.
People are reacting to this here because they don't know this, apparently.
Paid! Really !
Wow
Wow
January 28, 2026 at 8:01 PM
When police of any kind are involved in a shooting, the usual practice in most places is to put them on paid leave until something is actually adjudicated.
People are reacting to this here because they don't know this, apparently.
People are reacting to this here because they don't know this, apparently.
This is normal procedure in a shooting. Until today, DHS had them all still out on duty - which is not normal.
Take these incremental advances.
Take these incremental advances.
A very small step. Paid leave.
January 28, 2026 at 7:09 PM
This is normal procedure in a shooting. Until today, DHS had them all still out on duty - which is not normal.
Take these incremental advances.
Take these incremental advances.
The responses to this, with people unable to recognize even a small thing that's moving in the right direction, are amazing
A small but good step
BREAKING: Agents involved in the Alex Pretti shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave. MS NOW's @marcsantianews.bsky.social has the latest
January 28, 2026 at 7:08 PM
The responses to this, with people unable to recognize even a small thing that's moving in the right direction, are amazing
Yes, I know we die younger (God forbid) but we had a better time
A study of more than 320,000 people found that night owls are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as smoking and sleeping poorly
January 28, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Yes, I know we die younger (God forbid) but we had a better time
A small but good step
BREAKING: Agents involved in the Alex Pretti shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave. MS NOW's @marcsantianews.bsky.social has the latest
January 28, 2026 at 6:38 PM
A small but good step
evergreen
Would you like me to explain it to you so you can be completely insulted?
January 28, 2026 at 6:09 PM
evergreen
No, it is a wreath of pretty flowers, which smell bad
January 28, 2026 at 5:06 PM
No, it is a wreath of pretty flowers, which smell bad