Dr Emma Salisbury
@salisbot.bsky.social
Naval Iconoclast, Military-Industrial Expert
Foreign Policy Research Institute, Royal Navy Naval Staff Research Team, War on the Rocks
Foreign Policy Research Institute, Royal Navy Naval Staff Research Team, War on the Rocks
It will be interesting to see whether this is due to parts of the Venezuelan military cooperating in various CIA-asset ways or just because it's Russian equipment and, y'know, what air defence doing
Financial Times quoting experts:
"Experts had warned that Venezuela's layered air-defence network could complicate US air operations. But it apparently presented little or no resistance to the US strike that captured President Nicolás Maduro."
"Experts had warned that Venezuela's layered air-defence network could complicate US air operations. But it apparently presented little or no resistance to the US strike that captured President Nicolás Maduro."
January 3, 2026 at 9:25 PM
It will be interesting to see whether this is due to parts of the Venezuelan military cooperating in various CIA-asset ways or just because it's Russian equipment and, y'know, what air defence doing
They're not in a SCIF but it doesn't matter because they're just looking at Twitter
They’ve got Twitter up on the big screens in Trump’s Mar-a-Lago makeshift “situation room.”
Photos from Trump’s Truth Social account.
Photos from Trump’s Truth Social account.
January 3, 2026 at 8:29 PM
They're not in a SCIF but it doesn't matter because they're just looking at Twitter
Words matter: The last time the US Congress formally declared war was 1942.
Every war since has either been authorised by Congress (inc. Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq) or authorised by the UN and funded by Congress (inc. Korea, Libya), with some other strikes etc done under presidential authority.
Every war since has either been authorised by Congress (inc. Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq) or authorised by the UN and funded by Congress (inc. Korea, Libya), with some other strikes etc done under presidential authority.
January 3, 2026 at 7:46 PM
Words matter: The last time the US Congress formally declared war was 1942.
Every war since has either been authorised by Congress (inc. Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq) or authorised by the UN and funded by Congress (inc. Korea, Libya), with some other strikes etc done under presidential authority.
Every war since has either been authorised by Congress (inc. Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq) or authorised by the UN and funded by Congress (inc. Korea, Libya), with some other strikes etc done under presidential authority.
*takes drag on cigarette*
*flips off Mearsheimer*
*starts pitch email*
Vibes-Based Occupation: The New Realism
*flips off Mearsheimer*
*starts pitch email*
Vibes-Based Occupation: The New Realism
Trump just announces the US will be running Venezuela now, until the can do a "safe, proper, and judicious" transfer of power. Announcing an occupation before you've occupied a country is a new one.
January 3, 2026 at 5:15 PM
*takes drag on cigarette*
*flips off Mearsheimer*
*starts pitch email*
Vibes-Based Occupation: The New Realism
*flips off Mearsheimer*
*starts pitch email*
Vibes-Based Occupation: The New Realism
Using CH-47 Chinooks for this is really tickling me.
"WOKKA WOKKA"
Over the radio: "This is a stealth extraction, bro"
"Oh shit, sorry, Wᵒᵏᵏᵃ ʷᵒᵏᵏᵃ"
"WOKKA WOKKA"
Over the radio: "This is a stealth extraction, bro"
"Oh shit, sorry, Wᵒᵏᵏᵃ ʷᵒᵏᵏᵃ"
a helicopter is flying over a field with a cloudy sky behind it
ALT: a helicopter is flying over a field with a cloudy sky behind it
media.tenor.com
January 3, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Using CH-47 Chinooks for this is really tickling me.
"WOKKA WOKKA"
Over the radio: "This is a stealth extraction, bro"
"Oh shit, sorry, Wᵒᵏᵏᵃ ʷᵒᵏᵏᵃ"
"WOKKA WOKKA"
Over the radio: "This is a stealth extraction, bro"
"Oh shit, sorry, Wᵒᵏᵏᵃ ʷᵒᵏᵏᵃ"
Pretty sure this is the plan
January 3, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Pretty sure this is the plan
I'm not surprised that this administration went into Venezuela for Maduro, but I was fully expecting them to operationally bork it up somehow, Bay of Pigs style
January 3, 2026 at 11:09 AM
I'm not surprised that this administration went into Venezuela for Maduro, but I was fully expecting them to operationally bork it up somehow, Bay of Pigs style
I go to walk the dog and Maduro gets yoinked, I leave you guys alone for ONE HOUR
January 3, 2026 at 10:29 AM
I go to walk the dog and Maduro gets yoinked, I leave you guys alone for ONE HOUR
It's very sweet of the family who run my local Chinese takeout place to help me pretend I ordered for more than one person
January 2, 2026 at 6:02 PM
It's very sweet of the family who run my local Chinese takeout place to help me pretend I ordered for more than one person
My Favourite German (TM) informs me it would be:
Liebesundweltschmerzjahr
Liebesundweltschmerzjahr
2025 was the absolute best year of my life personally and the absolute worst of my life geopolitically, there must be an incredibly long German compound word for this
January 1, 2026 at 8:45 PM
My Favourite German (TM) informs me it would be:
Liebesundweltschmerzjahr
Liebesundweltschmerzjahr
2025 was the absolute best year of my life personally and the absolute worst of my life geopolitically, there must be an incredibly long German compound word for this
January 1, 2026 at 6:39 PM
2025 was the absolute best year of my life personally and the absolute worst of my life geopolitically, there must be an incredibly long German compound word for this
Getting a Filet-O-Fish instead of nugs is absolutely a sign of a diseased mind
Finally, Trump's diet! Oh my god. The piece closes with RNC Chair Joe Gruters saying he was "shocked" to witness Trump eat "french fries, a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger, a Big Mac and a Filet-O-Fish" in one sitting (5/6)
January 1, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Getting a Filet-O-Fish instead of nugs is absolutely a sign of a diseased mind
The fact that when I'm asked for a press comment on "the Russian submarine in British waters" I have to clarify which one they mean is totally cool and normal
a man wearing a hat and headphones is talking on a cell phone .
ALT: a man wearing a hat and headphones is talking on a cell phone .
media.tenor.com
December 29, 2025 at 12:30 PM
The fact that when I'm asked for a press comment on "the Russian submarine in British waters" I have to clarify which one they mean is totally cool and normal
I'm slow-cooking a big pot of massaman curry today and my whole house now smells **phenomenal**
patrick star from spongebob squarepants is standing in the sand with his eyes closed
ALT: patrick star from spongebob squarepants is standing in the sand with his eyes closed
media.tenor.com
December 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I'm slow-cooking a big pot of massaman curry today and my whole house now smells **phenomenal**
Video podcasts also mean I need to control my facial expressions, which is not easy given that I mostly go on pods to talk about shipbuilding
will also add - yes, this is my personal crusade - that turning podcasts into videos implicitly asks women to once again make more effort than men, as the bar for "camera-ready" for one gender is obviously higher than for the other
‘Painful to hear!’ How podcasts’ rush to video is turning them into dreadful listens
December 27, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Video podcasts also mean I need to control my facial expressions, which is not easy given that I mostly go on pods to talk about shipbuilding
DK is my origin story, especially the cross-sections 🤌🏻
December 27, 2025 at 12:12 PM
DK is my origin story, especially the cross-sections 🤌🏻
USA: I can't build a frigate in a decade 🥲
PLAN: Hold my Q-ship
maritime-executive.com/article/chin...
PLAN: Hold my Q-ship
maritime-executive.com/article/chin...
China Has Turned a Small Container Feeder Into an Arsenal Ship
The U.S. Navy wants to compete with China's PLA Navy for sea control in the Western Pacific, which would be essential to defending U.S. allies and pr...
maritime-executive.com
December 27, 2025 at 11:49 AM
USA: I can't build a frigate in a decade 🥲
PLAN: Hold my Q-ship
maritime-executive.com/article/chin...
PLAN: Hold my Q-ship
maritime-executive.com/article/chin...
Having a clear out and found my ancient DC Metro card.
Unexpected pang of nostalgia for the swamp 🥲
Unexpected pang of nostalgia for the swamp 🥲
December 26, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Having a clear out and found my ancient DC Metro card.
Unexpected pang of nostalgia for the swamp 🥲
Unexpected pang of nostalgia for the swamp 🥲
Someone knows me well.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Merry Christmas, everyone!
December 25, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Someone knows me well.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Multiple people have been in touch to ask me how much fun I'm having with the Trump class
a cartoon character wearing glasses and a black jacket is standing in front of a wall with a hand on it
ALT: a cartoon character wearing glasses and a black jacket is standing in front of a wall with a hand on it
media.tenor.com
December 24, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Multiple people have been in touch to ask me how much fun I'm having with the Trump class
What a flood of messages to wake up to.
It's not the dumbest idea I've ever seen, and it's not a battleship, but there's definitely a few people in NAVSEA crying over those renders.
Naming it the Trump class is everything I expected and less. But, I'll believe it when they build it.
It's not the dumbest idea I've ever seen, and it's not a battleship, but there's definitely a few people in NAVSEA crying over those renders.
Naming it the Trump class is everything I expected and less. But, I'll believe it when they build it.
December 23, 2025 at 7:35 AM
What a flood of messages to wake up to.
It's not the dumbest idea I've ever seen, and it's not a battleship, but there's definitely a few people in NAVSEA crying over those renders.
Naming it the Trump class is everything I expected and less. But, I'll believe it when they build it.
It's not the dumbest idea I've ever seen, and it's not a battleship, but there's definitely a few people in NAVSEA crying over those renders.
Naming it the Trump class is everything I expected and less. But, I'll believe it when they build it.
Ok but seriously, they won't be Iowa-style battleships, so the possibilities:
1) Big-ass arsenal ship
2) Drone carrier
3) Just A Really Big Destroyer (TM)
4) USS Iowa with some gold bits stuck on it because even though that would be dumb idk with this lot
1) Big-ass arsenal ship
2) Drone carrier
3) Just A Really Big Destroyer (TM)
4) USS Iowa with some gold bits stuck on it because even though that would be dumb idk with this lot
President Trump will announce on Monday a new type of large warship he is calling “battleships,” marking a step toward achieving the president’s vision for a new “Golden Fleet.”
Trump To Announce Navy Will Buy New ‘Battleship’
The new warship will be the latest in what the White House envisions as a “Golden Fleet.”
on.wsj.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Ok but seriously, they won't be Iowa-style battleships, so the possibilities:
1) Big-ass arsenal ship
2) Drone carrier
3) Just A Really Big Destroyer (TM)
4) USS Iowa with some gold bits stuck on it because even though that would be dumb idk with this lot
1) Big-ass arsenal ship
2) Drone carrier
3) Just A Really Big Destroyer (TM)
4) USS Iowa with some gold bits stuck on it because even though that would be dumb idk with this lot
Half of me thinks "oh cool do you need another class to mess up" while the other half is screaming "BATTLESHIPS"
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
Trump to Announce Navy Will Buy New Class of Large Warship
The new vessels, which the president calls battleships, will be the latest in what the White House envisions as a “Golden Fleet.”
www.wsj.com
December 22, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Half of me thinks "oh cool do you need another class to mess up" while the other half is screaming "BATTLESHIPS"
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...