Spencer Ackerman
@attackerman.bsky.social
Journalist & author of REIGN OF TERROR: HOW THE 9/11 ERA DESTABILIZED AMERICA & PRODUCED TRUMP, contributor to Zeteo. Sometimes I write comics too. Subscribe to FOREVER WARS for ‘natsec’ journalism: https://www.forever-wars.com
Signal: attackerman.81
Signal: attackerman.81
When I talk about having ambitions as a dad, understand that under no circumstances am I taking about my relationship with my children. I am talking about sneezing louder
December 4, 2025 at 1:24 AM
When I talk about having ambitions as a dad, understand that under no circumstances am I taking about my relationship with my children. I am talking about sneezing louder
Holsey’s last day at SOUTHCOM is a week from Friday. He should be called to testify the following Monday
Exclusive: The four-star admiral in charge of Caribbean operations had concerns about the legality of the boat strikes. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked him to retire shortly after they started.
Hegseth Asked Top Admiral to Resign After Months of Discord
The relationship between the Pentagon chief and military leader had been rocky since Trump’s inauguration.
on.wsj.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Holsey’s last day at SOUTHCOM is a week from Friday. He should be called to testify the following Monday
Rats gnawing on the necrotic tissue of a dying empire
The co-founder of Kalshi says: " The long-term vision is to financialize everything and create a tradable asset out of any difference in opinion."
December 4, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Rats gnawing on the necrotic tissue of a dying empire
Guillotines.
Opinion | Actually, today’s food prices are a bargain
Measure the time needed to earn the money to pay for a meal. That’s what matters.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Guillotines.
Will be talking about all this on @chrislhayes.bsky.social’s show around 8:15 ET
If a man personally implicated in war crimes can remain atop the Pentagon, why would he stand by and risk his freedom should Vance (or Trump again) lose the 2028 election?
And unless Bradley sees the inside of a brig, the message to USSOCOM's chain of command is that no action is impermissible.
And unless Bradley sees the inside of a brig, the message to USSOCOM's chain of command is that no action is impermissible.
Pete Hegseth And Adm. Mitch Bradley Belong In Prison
The South American boat strikes are plainly murders. Now we have the names of the murderers. Do we have the political will to lock them up?
www.forever-wars.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Will be talking about all this on @chrislhayes.bsky.social’s show around 8:15 ET
A brief account of this facsimile of a press conference tops today’s newsletter:
December 2, 2025 at 5:30 PM
A brief account of this facsimile of a press conference tops today’s newsletter:
Pentagon abruptly calls a press conference for 11 am. Or, since hard-pass holders are now right-wing orgs & influencers, something orchestrated but flavored like a press conference: "For in-person attendance, this briefing is limited to invited press only. There is no Zoom call dial-in available."
December 2, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Pentagon abruptly calls a press conference for 11 am. Or, since hard-pass holders are now right-wing orgs & influencers, something orchestrated but flavored like a press conference: "For in-person attendance, this briefing is limited to invited press only. There is no Zoom call dial-in available."
Reposted by Spencer Ackerman
EXCLUSIVE: Entire Chain of Command Could Be Held Liable for Killing Boat Strike Survivors, Sources Say
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s actions could spark investigations for war crimes or outright murder, sources told The Intercept.
theintercept.com/2025/12/02/h...
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s actions could spark investigations for war crimes or outright murder, sources told The Intercept.
theintercept.com/2025/12/02/h...
Entire Chain of Command Could Be Held Liable for Killing Boat Strike Survivors, Sources Say
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s actions could spark investigations for war crimes or outright murder, sources told The Intercept.
theintercept.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:26 AM
EXCLUSIVE: Entire Chain of Command Could Be Held Liable for Killing Boat Strike Survivors, Sources Say
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s actions could spark investigations for war crimes or outright murder, sources told The Intercept.
theintercept.com/2025/12/02/h...
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s actions could spark investigations for war crimes or outright murder, sources told The Intercept.
theintercept.com/2025/12/02/h...
Reposted by Spencer Ackerman
For this situation specifically, Bradley was the only one in the entire chain who could have refused at essentially zero risk to himself. So no, he shouldn’t get credit for saying “but Pete told me to” when it all comes out.
December 2, 2025 at 1:19 AM
For this situation specifically, Bradley was the only one in the entire chain who could have refused at essentially zero risk to himself. So no, he shouldn’t get credit for saying “but Pete told me to” when it all comes out.
Reposted by Spencer Ackerman
Ben Gvir promotes head of unit involved in executing two Palestinians, and calls for an end to investigations into the killings of Palestinians
Israel's Ben Gvir promotes head of unit involved in executing two Palestinians
The far-right minister is also calling for an end to investigations into the killings of Palestinians
www.middleeasteye.net
December 1, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Ben Gvir promotes head of unit involved in executing two Palestinians, and calls for an end to investigations into the killings of Palestinians
Reposted by Spencer Ackerman
"Unless Hegseth and Bradley face criminal penalties for their illegal order," writes @attackerman.bsky.social, "the bottom will drop out of military ethics."
Pete Hegseth And Adm. Mitch Bradley Belong In Prison
The South American boat strikes are plainly murders. Now we have the names of the murderers. Do we have the political will to lock them up?
www.forever-wars.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:34 PM
"Unless Hegseth and Bradley face criminal penalties for their illegal order," writes @attackerman.bsky.social, "the bottom will drop out of military ethics."
If a man personally implicated in war crimes can remain atop the Pentagon, why would he stand by and risk his freedom should Vance (or Trump again) lose the 2028 election?
And unless Bradley sees the inside of a brig, the message to USSOCOM's chain of command is that no action is impermissible.
And unless Bradley sees the inside of a brig, the message to USSOCOM's chain of command is that no action is impermissible.
Pete Hegseth And Adm. Mitch Bradley Belong In Prison
The South American boat strikes are plainly murders. Now we have the names of the murderers. Do we have the political will to lock them up?
www.forever-wars.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:08 PM
If a man personally implicated in war crimes can remain atop the Pentagon, why would he stand by and risk his freedom should Vance (or Trump again) lose the 2028 election?
And unless Bradley sees the inside of a brig, the message to USSOCOM's chain of command is that no action is impermissible.
And unless Bradley sees the inside of a brig, the message to USSOCOM's chain of command is that no action is impermissible.
Reposted by Spencer Ackerman
The news has entirely failed to grasp the unprecedented scope of the ICE and DHS budgets. Nothing like it in modern history. A galaxy of public/private surveillance and caging institutions for $100,000,000,000s unleashed on a public that will be forever changed. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
ICE Wants to Go After Dissenters as well as Immigrants
The Trump administration is being open about its plans to violate Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.
www.brennancenter.org
December 1, 2025 at 12:33 PM
The news has entirely failed to grasp the unprecedented scope of the ICE and DHS budgets. Nothing like it in modern history. A galaxy of public/private surveillance and caging institutions for $100,000,000,000s unleashed on a public that will be forever changed. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
This is it exactly.
Yeah. Before the fall, CK's act—and his fandom—rested on the premise that his worst self wasn't his true self. Now it's the opposite, and that's just not interesting as comedy.
He is just generally an alt-right, unrepentantly racist and transphobic piece of shit. He is also a genuinely bad comedian, much in the way that thin-skinned assholes often are 🤷♀️
www.gq.com/story/louis-...
www.gq.com/story/louis-...
November 29, 2025 at 10:08 PM
This is it exactly.
Reposted by Spencer Ackerman
Hegseth: "How can soldiers possibly evaluate whether a given order is illegal?!"
Also Hegseth: "No witnesses."
Also Hegseth: "No witnesses."
November 29, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Hegseth: "How can soldiers possibly evaluate whether a given order is illegal?!"
Also Hegseth: "No witnesses."
Also Hegseth: "No witnesses."
Reposted by Spencer Ackerman
November 28, 2025 at 6:19 PM
"Contrary to Miller and Trump, Lakanwal’s shooting spree is not the result of importing Afghan culture to America. While much will surely be revealed in Lakanwal’s upcoming trial, it looks more like the result of importing American culture to Afghanistan." New from me @zeteo.com
He Killed for the CIA in Afghanistan. Trump Blames Afghan Culture Instead of Langley’s
After the National Guard shooting, the US needs to reckon with how its legacy of global violence inevitably comes home. Stephen Miller wants to do anything but.
zeteo.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:20 PM
"Contrary to Miller and Trump, Lakanwal’s shooting spree is not the result of importing Afghan culture to America. While much will surely be revealed in Lakanwal’s upcoming trial, it looks more like the result of importing American culture to Afghanistan." New from me @zeteo.com
Hegseth's not the only war criminal here. "The [USSOCOM] commander overseeing the operation from Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Adm. Frank M. 'Mitch' Bradley, told people on the secure conference call that the survivors were still legitimate targets... He ordered the second strike."
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 28, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Hegseth's not the only war criminal here. "The [USSOCOM] commander overseeing the operation from Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Adm. Frank M. 'Mitch' Bradley, told people on the secure conference call that the survivors were still legitimate targets... He ordered the second strike."
This is the result of the CIA using children to kill people and yet a whole lot of people don’t want to recognize *American* culture, and in particular the culture of the War on Terror, at work here.
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
This is the result of the CIA using children to kill people and yet a whole lot of people don’t want to recognize *American* culture, and in particular the culture of the War on Terror, at work here.
Reposted by Spencer Ackerman
Do not miss @attackerman.bsky.social's modest proposal today: Nationalize AI!
How To Expropriate An Artificial Intelligence Oligarchy
An industry whose bubble is set to burst is crucial to U.S. national security, you say?
www.forever-wars.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Do not miss @attackerman.bsky.social's modest proposal today: Nationalize AI!
Happy Thanksgiving! I wrote something for everyone to discuss around the dinner table when the pie is passed around and everyone proposes specific measures to seize the wealth and break the anti-democratic power of the tech oligarchy.
How To Expropriate An Artificial Intelligence Oligarchy
An industry whose bubble is set to burst is crucial to U.S. national security, you say?
www.forever-wars.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Happy Thanksgiving! I wrote something for everyone to discuss around the dinner table when the pie is passed around and everyone proposes specific measures to seize the wealth and break the anti-democratic power of the tech oligarchy.
Reposted by Spencer Ackerman
The first official confirmation that Noem herself made the decision not to turn the planes around. A couple hundred men were tortured as a result — and soon after, the Supreme Court confirmed that the Trump admin’s Alien Enemies Act process was a total violation of due process.
BREAKING:
“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
November 26, 2025 at 1:45 AM
The first official confirmation that Noem herself made the decision not to turn the planes around. A couple hundred men were tortured as a result — and soon after, the Supreme Court confirmed that the Trump admin’s Alien Enemies Act process was a total violation of due process.
No bailouts. The US should extort these companies when the crash happens so they get minimal compensation in return for nationalizing the entire panopticon industry and then destroying it once harvested for socially useful parts. It won’t happen but it should
November 25, 2025 at 4:22 PM
No bailouts. The US should extort these companies when the crash happens so they get minimal compensation in return for nationalizing the entire panopticon industry and then destroying it once harvested for socially useful parts. It won’t happen but it should
@tkbarnes.bsky.social reports: “Raytheon was allowed to claim about half a million dollars in tax refunds for jobs it did not create due to a loophole in its economic development contract with Buncombe County.”
Exclusive: We Followed the Money to Raytheon in North Carolina
We got hundreds of pages of public records about a controversial deal to offer tens of millions of state and local subsidies to a new Raytheon/Pratt & Whitney plant in Asheville.
inkstick.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:48 PM
@tkbarnes.bsky.social reports: “Raytheon was allowed to claim about half a million dollars in tax refunds for jobs it did not create due to a loophole in its economic development contract with Buncombe County.”
Reposted by Spencer Ackerman
Go birds, fuck ice, free Palestine, and read this one by @attackerman.bsky.social
www.forever-wars.com/sarah-hurwit...
www.forever-wars.com/sarah-hurwit...
Sarah Hurwitz Profanes the Holocaust
Holocaust education has worked too well for the Obama speechwriter, since when she rationalizes Israel's genocide, "I sound obscene." Maybe sit with that, Sarah
www.forever-wars.com
November 23, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Go birds, fuck ice, free Palestine, and read this one by @attackerman.bsky.social
www.forever-wars.com/sarah-hurwit...
www.forever-wars.com/sarah-hurwit...