Emerging Crises
@emergingcrises.bsky.social
340 followers 460 following 940 posts
Disasters, public health, extremism, and governance — reshaped by mistrust, misinformation, and leadership failures. Tracking how crises, politics, and preparedness intersect in an evolving landscape.
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emergingcrises.bsky.social
2 weeks ago, I began this thread on how Trump's war on "terrorism” is performative and is actually undermining homeland security. We’re seeing it escalate: more agents diverted, more funding cuts, and redefining “terrorism” that targets protesters instead of real threats.

1/6 🧵
emergingcrises.bsky.social
The threat of terrorism/ civil disturbance more broadly is real, and we should prepare and stay vigilant as threats evolve. But this admin’s performative talk about “terrorism,” and its shifting definition of what counts, undermines actual homeland security. Antifa isn’t even an organization.
reuters.com
Trump signs order designating antifa a 'terrorist organization' reut.rs/4mq0oVH
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Not just FBI agents, FEMA staff too.

"While ICE receives unprecedented levels of funding and embarks on a hiring spree, the Trump administration has shredded virtually every other federal agency and fired thousands of federal workers."
emergingcrises.bsky.social
The CDC layoffs made headlines, but buried in the story is what’s worse: dozens at ASPR lost their jobs - people who track pandemics, bioweapons, and national security threats. The U.S. just cut staff with top-secret clearance who help stop the next outbreak before it starts.
lenasun.bsky.social
NEW: More than half of the roughly 1,300 layoffs notices at @CDCgov have been rescinded. But analysts with top-secret clearance working on biodefense preparedness at another health agency have lost their jobs, per sources. Our story 1/4
@washingtonpost.com
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Hundreds of CDC layoffs reversed, but biodefense preparedness staff hit
More than half of the roughly 1,300 CDC layoff notices have been rescinded, but workers at health agencies who work on biodefense and mental health still lost their jobs.
www.washingtonpost.com
emergingcrises.bsky.social
🚨🚨🚨
cecallihelper.bsky.social
"Only about 35% of CISA staffers who were working in January are still on the job, and as many as hundreds of those employees have been reassigned to other missions throughout the Department of Homeland Security such as immigration enforcement." 👁️🤦 www.bankinfosecurity.com/cisa-in-disa... #cybersec
CISA in Disarray Amid Shutdown and Growing Political Threats
Facing major turnover, partisan upheaval and a government shutdown, the U.S. cyber defense agency is now operating at a fraction of its strength, leaving states and
www.bankinfosecurity.com
emergingcrises.bsky.social
This is part of a broader pattern👇
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Less Federal Agents Focused on Real Terrorism:

A quarter of FBI agents have been reassigned from counterterrorism, cyber, and organized crime work to immigration enforcement. In some major field offices, it’s closer to 45%.

2/6
FBI reassigns nearly one-quarter of agents to help ICE locate and arrest people
FBI Director Kash Patel has also had agents shift focus to investigating local violent crime.
www.axios.com
emergingcrises.bsky.social
"The president’s team vowed to target gang members, murderers and rapists, but...We’re arresting working parents, students, asylum seekers and even U.S. citizens, to create made-for-TV crackdowns....while focusing away from terrorism, transnational crime, cyberattacks and foreign adversaries."
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Former ICE Chief of Staff saying the obvious: this is crisis construction. 3,000 FBI agents and 14,000 others have been pulled from counterterror and public safety work to stage political raids for the cameras. Federal agents aren’t protecting Americans, they’re being used as props.

(Gift Link)
Opinion | This Isn’t Crisis Response, It’s Crisis Construction
www.nytimes.com
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Police depts, emergency managers, and comms systems rely on these grants. The same admin starving FEMA grants and pulling agents off real threats defines the 'enemy' as anyone who disagrees. Every hour they waste going after protestors is an hour they're not preventing a real terrorist attack.

6/6
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Powers are being turned inward, targeting critics while ignoring actual threats. They're calling protesters terrorists. Republicans seem to be setting the stage to use the No Kings Protests as justification to escalate the oppression of our rights.

4/6
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Weaponization of Government:

Trump is using the FBI, DOJ, DHS, IRS, + Treasury to investigate liberal nonprofits/ media outlets under the banner of “national security.” Officials told Reuters this is an organized, multi-agency campaign, not rhetoric.

3/6
Trump’s war on the left: Inside the plan to investigate liberal groups
The threatened crackdown is a multi-agency effort with Stephen Miller playing a central role.
www.reuters.com
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Less Federal Agents Focused on Real Terrorism:

A quarter of FBI agents have been reassigned from counterterrorism, cyber, and organized crime work to immigration enforcement. In some major field offices, it’s closer to 45%.

2/6
FBI reassigns nearly one-quarter of agents to help ICE locate and arrest people
FBI Director Kash Patel has also had agents shift focus to investigating local violent crime.
www.axios.com
emergingcrises.bsky.social
2 weeks ago, I began this thread on how Trump's war on "terrorism” is performative and is actually undermining homeland security. We’re seeing it escalate: more agents diverted, more funding cuts, and redefining “terrorism” that targets protesters instead of real threats.

1/6 🧵
emergingcrises.bsky.social
The threat of terrorism/ civil disturbance more broadly is real, and we should prepare and stay vigilant as threats evolve. But this admin’s performative talk about “terrorism,” and its shifting definition of what counts, undermines actual homeland security. Antifa isn’t even an organization.
reuters.com
Trump signs order designating antifa a 'terrorist organization' reut.rs/4mq0oVH
emergingcrises.bsky.social
"Good for me but not for thee" Hypocrisy at its finest.
warren.senate.gov
After Trump got his Covid shot, he chose to fire the scientists protecting the rest of us from diseases.
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Is anyone surprised? OpenAI says foreign adversaries are using multiple AI tools to power hacks and influence ops. ChatGPT helps plan phishing and propaganda and other models execute them. The same tech driving innovation is fueling disinformation and cyber threats 🙃
Foreign adversaries are using multiple AI tools, OpenAI warns
The warning comes as part of the company's latest threat report that uncovered phishing and malware abuses.
www.axios.com
Reposted by Emerging Crises
sherylnyt.bsky.social
BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:
emergingcrises.bsky.social
FEMA entered the 2025 hurricane season with only 12% of its incident management workforce available to respond to new disasters. A 9.5% drop in staff this year has deepened an already severe shortage, one that slows recovery and strains local EM partners.
www.gao.gov
Reposted by Emerging Crises
sfedie.bsky.social
Staff at #FEMA warned they’ll face termination if they don’t “tattle” on those signing open letter criticizing #KristiNoem & #Trump’s disaster response “efforts.”https://www.thedailybeast.com/fema-workers-ordered-to-out-ice-barbie-critics-or-be-fired/ #EM #greysky
FEMA Workers Ordered to Out ‘ICE Barbie’ Critics or Be Fired
The damming “FEMA Katrina Declaration” open letter attacking Kristi Noem had 154 anonymous backers.
www.thedailybeast.com
emergingcrises.bsky.social
There are now two CDCs: one still trying to protect public health, and another captured by RFK Jr. allies pushing ideology conspiracies. The CDC is central to preparedness and crisis response. Undermining it weakens our ability to handle outbreaks and every public health emergency ahead.
Opinion | There Are Now Two CDCs
Can the agency survive?
www.medpagetoday.com
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Six former Surgeons General (from both parties) say RFK Jr. is “endangering the health of the nation.” Science has been pushed aside for ideology. Experts are walking out. Morale across public health has collapsed. A government led by conspiracy thinking fails Americans and puts lives at risk.
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Let us all strive to be "Sons of Liberty" or as they're calling us in the real world, those not in compliance with NSPM-7.
emergingcrises.bsky.social
“Never in modern times has the federal government undermined bedrock constitutional protections on this scale.” Chicago journalists and protesters are suing Trump and senior officials over a “pattern of extreme brutality” at ICE protests. “Journalism is not a crime.”
emergingcrises.bsky.social
"Federalism is breaking. The system cannot stand when troops from a red state are sent to police a blue state against the will of its elected leaders and based on a lie."
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Trump has said that Portland is “burning to the ground,” with “insurrectionists all over the place.” In reality, the protests that prompted his outrage have rarely expanded beyond a one-block radius.
Trump says Portland is ‘burning.’ Here’s the reality.
www.nytimes.com
emergingcrises.bsky.social
Members of the media have been arrested in both Chicago and Portland. Members of the media have also been injured in both New York and Portland in the past week. The disparate reactions from the federal government tell you everything about this moment in time.