Arthur Snell
@snellarthur.bsky.social
Writer, podcaster and former diplomat.
Buy my book👇
https://tr.ee/ElementalBookshopOrg
https://tr.ee/ElementalAmazon
https://tr.ee/ElementalWaterstones
If you don't want to buy my book, you could buy me a coffee👇
https://ko-fi.com/snellarthur
Buy my book👇
https://tr.ee/ElementalBookshopOrg
https://tr.ee/ElementalAmazon
https://tr.ee/ElementalWaterstones
If you don't want to buy my book, you could buy me a coffee👇
https://ko-fi.com/snellarthur
Pinned
Arthur Snell
@snellarthur.bsky.social
· Oct 30
Elemental: How we will live in a warming world
I'm excited to share with you the cover of my upcoming book, out in March.
open.substack.com
🚨🚨My book, Elemental, is out in March🚨🚨
But you can pre-order it now from Amazon & Waterstones. Amazon will lock in any future discount.
Why, I hear you ask?
Because *it's my 50th birthday today*
(Prosaic reason - it helps immensely if we get good pre-orders.)
open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
But you can pre-order it now from Amazon & Waterstones. Amazon will lock in any future discount.
Why, I hear you ask?
Because *it's my 50th birthday today*
(Prosaic reason - it helps immensely if we get good pre-orders.)
open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
Reposted by Arthur Snell
But then maybe there's nothing substantive at all
bsky.app/profile/iamd...
bsky.app/profile/iamd...
🚨JUST IN: NATO is cooling Trump’s “Greenland deal” talk. A spokesperson says Trump and Rutte discussed Arctic security and “collective” defense—no mention of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, and no confirmation any deal exists. NATO says talks will involve Denmark, Greenland, and the U.S.
January 21, 2026 at 10:21 PM
But then maybe there's nothing substantive at all
bsky.app/profile/iamd...
bsky.app/profile/iamd...
Reposted by Arthur Snell
Today is the most humiliating day in the history of the United States of America.
At least until tomorrow.
At least until tomorrow.
January 21, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Today is the most humiliating day in the history of the United States of America.
At least until tomorrow.
At least until tomorrow.
Reposted by Arthur Snell
TACO gotta TACO
The impotent President withdrew all tariffs
The impotent President withdrew all tariffs
January 21, 2026 at 9:37 PM
TACO gotta TACO
The impotent President withdrew all tariffs
The impotent President withdrew all tariffs
Reposted by Arthur Snell
Thursday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
January 21, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Thursday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
Reposted by Arthur Snell
WATCH: Bovino uses green chemical gas on Minnesotans because he got his tiny feelings hurt
(H/T @mnicewatch)
(H/T @mnicewatch)
January 21, 2026 at 9:56 PM
WATCH: Bovino uses green chemical gas on Minnesotans because he got his tiny feelings hurt
(H/T @mnicewatch)
(H/T @mnicewatch)
Reposted by Arthur Snell
Imagine a world in which you could make markets move up and down every time you open your mouth. And imagine what you might do with that power if you were sufficiently venal.
January 21, 2026 at 8:29 PM
Imagine a world in which you could make markets move up and down every time you open your mouth. And imagine what you might do with that power if you were sufficiently venal.
Reposted by Arthur Snell
Start reading up on Akrotiri. #TACOtime www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Live Updates: Trump Drops Tariff Threat Over Greenland After Assailing Europe
www.nytimes.com
January 21, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Start reading up on Akrotiri. #TACOtime www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Reposted by Arthur Snell
"The announcement followed a NATO meeting on Wednesday where top military officers... discussed a compromise in which Denmark would give the United States sovereignty over small pockets of Greenlandic land where the United States could build ... bases" www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Live Updates: Trump Drops Tariff Threat Over Greenland After Assailing Europe
www.nytimes.com
January 21, 2026 at 10:04 PM
"The announcement followed a NATO meeting on Wednesday where top military officers... discussed a compromise in which Denmark would give the United States sovereignty over small pockets of Greenlandic land where the United States could build ... bases" www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Reposted by Arthur Snell
Mark Rutte has handed Donald Trump a piece of paper with ‘turn over to read our Greenland offer’ on both sides & that will occupy him for weeks
January 21, 2026 at 7:49 PM
Mark Rutte has handed Donald Trump a piece of paper with ‘turn over to read our Greenland offer’ on both sides & that will occupy him for weeks
Start reading up on Akrotiri. #TACOtime www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Live Updates: Trump Drops Tariff Threat Over Greenland After Assailing Europe
www.nytimes.com
January 21, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Start reading up on Akrotiri. #TACOtime www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Reposted by Arthur Snell
#SCOTUS is likely to do the right thing in the Lisa Cook case.
But it's worth bearing in mind that this idea that the Fed is some bespoke exception to the unitary executive theory is utterly incoherent as a matter of both law and history—and is really just proof that the UET is itself bollocks:
But it's worth bearing in mind that this idea that the Fed is some bespoke exception to the unitary executive theory is utterly incoherent as a matter of both law and history—and is really just proof that the UET is itself bollocks:
153. Living by the Ipse Dixit
A constitutional principle like the "unitary executive theory" isn't worth all that much if the Supreme Court can conjure new, unprincipled exceptions to it by simply asserting that they exist.
www.stevevladeck.com
January 21, 2026 at 5:24 PM
#SCOTUS is likely to do the right thing in the Lisa Cook case.
But it's worth bearing in mind that this idea that the Fed is some bespoke exception to the unitary executive theory is utterly incoherent as a matter of both law and history—and is really just proof that the UET is itself bollocks:
But it's worth bearing in mind that this idea that the Fed is some bespoke exception to the unitary executive theory is utterly incoherent as a matter of both law and history—and is really just proof that the UET is itself bollocks:
Incredibly poor reporting from NYT. "I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force" is what he said. He didn't rule out sending troops and doing so under existing treaties would allow him to carry out a soft annexation without use of force.
Do better @nytimes.com
Do better @nytimes.com
January 21, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Incredibly poor reporting from NYT. "I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force" is what he said. He didn't rule out sending troops and doing so under existing treaties would allow him to carry out a soft annexation without use of force.
Do better @nytimes.com
Do better @nytimes.com
Reposted by Arthur Snell
If European expanded defence budgets are spent disproportionately on the defence of Greenland to appease Trump, that is in fact a victory for Russia, whose threats to the West are not targeted at Greenland but in other parts of the Arctic, as well as in the Baltic Sea and in Ukraine.
January 21, 2026 at 9:11 AM
If European expanded defence budgets are spent disproportionately on the defence of Greenland to appease Trump, that is in fact a victory for Russia, whose threats to the West are not targeted at Greenland but in other parts of the Arctic, as well as in the Baltic Sea and in Ukraine.
Reposted by Arthur Snell
No one can be watching this Davos speech and reach any conclusion but that the President of the United States is mentally disturbed and that something is deeply wrong with him. This is both embarrassing and extremely dangerous.
January 21, 2026 at 2:49 PM
No one can be watching this Davos speech and reach any conclusion but that the President of the United States is mentally disturbed and that something is deeply wrong with him. This is both embarrassing and extremely dangerous.
Reposted by Arthur Snell
I listened to the same speech and this was not my understanding of what Trump said. He didn't permanently rule out force, he just said he wasn't planning on it now and thus left it open as a threat
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) - Trump in Davos speech says he won't use force to acquire Greenland.
@apnews.com
@apnews.com
January 21, 2026 at 2:27 PM
I listened to the same speech and this was not my understanding of what Trump said. He didn't permanently rule out force, he just said he wasn't planning on it now and thus left it open as a threat
Reposted by Arthur Snell
Reform leader Nigel Farage committed 17 breaches of Parliamentary Standards by late-registering payments from GB News, Direct Bullion, Baron App/others totaling £384,000
He got no punishment
Imagine how you would be punished if your tax returns on £384,000 were 120 days late
He got no punishment
Imagine how you would be punished if your tax returns on £384,000 were 120 days late
January 21, 2026 at 2:53 PM
Reform leader Nigel Farage committed 17 breaches of Parliamentary Standards by late-registering payments from GB News, Direct Bullion, Baron App/others totaling £384,000
He got no punishment
Imagine how you would be punished if your tax returns on £384,000 were 120 days late
He got no punishment
Imagine how you would be punished if your tax returns on £384,000 were 120 days late
No, the Spanish Flu did not end WWI
January 21, 2026 at 2:56 PM
No, the Spanish Flu did not end WWI
Reposted by Arthur Snell
OMG
O
M
G
That was the most astoundingly absurd, offensive, ridiculous, unhinged speech I’ve ever heard in my life.
OMG
O
M
G
That was the most astoundingly absurd, offensive, ridiculous, unhinged speech I’ve ever heard in my life.
OMG
January 21, 2026 at 2:53 PM
OMG
O
M
G
That was the most astoundingly absurd, offensive, ridiculous, unhinged speech I’ve ever heard in my life.
OMG
O
M
G
That was the most astoundingly absurd, offensive, ridiculous, unhinged speech I’ve ever heard in my life.
OMG
Reposted by Arthur Snell
sure, no one is taking the piss out of you any more
Lutnick: "Prior to Donald Trump taking the helm of the United States of America, the world was taking the piss out of us"
January 21, 2026 at 2:02 PM
sure, no one is taking the piss out of you any more
"Somalis have low IQ"
January 21, 2026 at 2:50 PM
"Somalis have low IQ"
Reposted by Arthur Snell
This me be a hot take, but it feels like a whole lot of attention is paid to what Trump is saying today, all predicated on the assumption that it will, in ANY way, have an impact on what he says and does tomorrow or the day after or at any stage in the future.
January 21, 2026 at 2:48 PM
This me be a hot take, but it feels like a whole lot of attention is paid to what Trump is saying today, all predicated on the assumption that it will, in ANY way, have an impact on what he says and does tomorrow or the day after or at any stage in the future.
Oh now we're doing the "Somalis have low IQ" bit of the speech.
January 21, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Oh now we're doing the "Somalis have low IQ" bit of the speech.
Reposted by Arthur Snell
Say what you will about Hitler, at least he knew which countries he was invading.
January 21, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Say what you will about Hitler, at least he knew which countries he was invading.
Reposted by Arthur Snell
Hear hear
The true heroes of any Trump presidency have to be the simultaneous translators.
January 21, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Hear hear