Davis Ellison
@davisellison.bsky.social
Writer on Civil-Military Relations - NATO - Political History - Central and Eastern Europe
PhD from King’s College London Department of War Studies
Check out my podcast and substack Official Positions!
Big into X-Files and Twin Peaks references 🛸🦉☕️
PhD from King’s College London Department of War Studies
Check out my podcast and substack Official Positions!
Big into X-Files and Twin Peaks references 🛸🦉☕️
Babe wake up there was another coup in West Africa 🇬🇼
November 26, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Babe wake up there was another coup in West Africa 🇬🇼
I love living on the North Sea
November 18, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I love living on the North Sea
Kat has made it all the way here to the Netherlands! 💪
@katmabu.bsky.social
@katmabu.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Kat has made it all the way here to the Netherlands! 💪
@katmabu.bsky.social
@katmabu.bsky.social
My wife learning Pashto:
“Whats a vaguely Islamic name for a cat?”
“Whats a vaguely Islamic name for a cat?”
November 17, 2025 at 6:05 PM
My wife learning Pashto:
“Whats a vaguely Islamic name for a cat?”
“Whats a vaguely Islamic name for a cat?”
Vaguely threatening updates from DHL….
November 12, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Vaguely threatening updates from DHL….
Reposted by Davis Ellison
Sommige analisten zien Trumps kernproefdreiging als een onderhandelingstactiek richting Peking en Moskou. Maar HCSS expert @davisellison.bsky.social stelt in @ad.nl: „Dreigen met kernproeven zal deze landen juist alleen maar aanmoedigen hiermee door te gaan.”
www.ad.nl/buitenland/o...
www.ad.nl/buitenland/o...
Ondergrondse schachten en miljoenen graden: zo worden kernproeven uitgevoerd
De Amerikaanse president Donald Trump wil weer kernproeven gaan houden, iets wat het land al meer dan dertig jaar niet meer heeft gedaan. Moet de wereld zich zorgen maken? Wat wordt er eigenlijk getes...
www.ad.nl
November 3, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Sommige analisten zien Trumps kernproefdreiging als een onderhandelingstactiek richting Peking en Moskou. Maar HCSS expert @davisellison.bsky.social stelt in @ad.nl: „Dreigen met kernproeven zal deze landen juist alleen maar aanmoedigen hiermee door te gaan.”
www.ad.nl/buitenland/o...
www.ad.nl/buitenland/o...
If the US resumes nuclear testing, NATO states hosting US bombs should end their involvement in nuclear sharing, and push hosted weapons and the associated USAF personnel out.
Why would you keep nuclear forces of an irresponsible power in your country?
It’s the one thing D.C. might listen to.
Why would you keep nuclear forces of an irresponsible power in your country?
It’s the one thing D.C. might listen to.
November 2, 2025 at 12:35 PM
If the US resumes nuclear testing, NATO states hosting US bombs should end their involvement in nuclear sharing, and push hosted weapons and the associated USAF personnel out.
Why would you keep nuclear forces of an irresponsible power in your country?
It’s the one thing D.C. might listen to.
Why would you keep nuclear forces of an irresponsible power in your country?
It’s the one thing D.C. might listen to.
I swear if I hear one more time about how the US is a “responsible nuclear power”. If I was a south Pacific islander or in Nevada I’d be nervous as all hell.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Trump says nuclear weapons testing to resume in US after more than 30 years
The testing is necessary to keep pace with weapons programmes in China and Russia, according to Trump.
www.bbc.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:36 AM
I swear if I hear one more time about how the US is a “responsible nuclear power”. If I was a south Pacific islander or in Nevada I’d be nervous as all hell.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Davis Ellison
What does the outcome of today’s general elections mean for the future of the Netherlands and Europe?
HCSS strategic analyst Dr. @davisellison.bsky.social was interviewed this morning by Oliver Crook, chief Europe correspondent for @bloomberg.com.
HCSS strategic analyst Dr. @davisellison.bsky.social was interviewed this morning by Oliver Crook, chief Europe correspondent for @bloomberg.com.
October 29, 2025 at 9:44 AM
What does the outcome of today’s general elections mean for the future of the Netherlands and Europe?
HCSS strategic analyst Dr. @davisellison.bsky.social was interviewed this morning by Oliver Crook, chief Europe correspondent for @bloomberg.com.
HCSS strategic analyst Dr. @davisellison.bsky.social was interviewed this morning by Oliver Crook, chief Europe correspondent for @bloomberg.com.
I had a fantastic talk on all things problematic in the defence and IR intellectual world with @vanjackson.bsky.social from the Un-Diplomatic podcast (among many other things) on my latest episode of official positions!
Be sure to check out all of Van’s stuff!
podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/o...
Be sure to check out all of Van’s stuff!
podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/o...
Talking IR academia and the state of the world with Van Jackson
Podcast Episode · Official Positions © · 28/10/2025 · 1h 14m
podcasts.apple.com
October 29, 2025 at 9:29 AM
I had a fantastic talk on all things problematic in the defence and IR intellectual world with @vanjackson.bsky.social from the Un-Diplomatic podcast (among many other things) on my latest episode of official positions!
Be sure to check out all of Van’s stuff!
podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/o...
Be sure to check out all of Van’s stuff!
podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/o...
Trying to rationalise what I’ve seen and heard on both sides of the Atlantic, I wrote this short piece for the Dutch Atlantische Perspectief magazine.
“Culture warriors” are aligning and fuelling each others’ violence, and politicians don’t help.
@hcss.bsky.social
www.atlcom.nl/magazine/the...
“Culture warriors” are aligning and fuelling each others’ violence, and politicians don’t help.
@hcss.bsky.social
www.atlcom.nl/magazine/the...
The transatlantic bridge of violence? - Atlantische Commissie
In the ‘culture war’ that is waged in both the US and Europe, political violence is increasingly seen as an acceptable tool.
www.atlcom.nl
October 6, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Trying to rationalise what I’ve seen and heard on both sides of the Atlantic, I wrote this short piece for the Dutch Atlantische Perspectief magazine.
“Culture warriors” are aligning and fuelling each others’ violence, and politicians don’t help.
@hcss.bsky.social
www.atlcom.nl/magazine/the...
“Culture warriors” are aligning and fuelling each others’ violence, and politicians don’t help.
@hcss.bsky.social
www.atlcom.nl/magazine/the...
Will definitely be using this, from @vanjackson.bsky.social 's latest Substack post...
September 25, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Will definitely be using this, from @vanjackson.bsky.social 's latest Substack post...
As much as there is to distrust from Russian leadership, this offer of maintaining quantitative limits under New START is for us advocates to be supportive of.
Arms control starts with small steps, and is not done between friends. Keeping New START is just smart.
www.reuters.com/world/putin-...
Arms control starts with small steps, and is not done between friends. Keeping New START is just smart.
www.reuters.com/world/putin-...
Putin offers Trump a temporary nuclear arms control deal that would extend status quo by one year
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that he was ready to extend by one year the last arms control treaty between Washington and Moscow that limits the number of nuclear weapons each side has if U.S. President Donald Trump does the same.
www.reuters.com
September 22, 2025 at 3:39 PM
As much as there is to distrust from Russian leadership, this offer of maintaining quantitative limits under New START is for us advocates to be supportive of.
Arms control starts with small steps, and is not done between friends. Keeping New START is just smart.
www.reuters.com/world/putin-...
Arms control starts with small steps, and is not done between friends. Keeping New START is just smart.
www.reuters.com/world/putin-...
Reposted by Davis Ellison
John Roberts's "there's no such thing as corruption" and "the president has the right to use the DOJ as his personal law firm" jurisprudence is really working out well for us.
September 20, 2025 at 10:53 PM
John Roberts's "there's no such thing as corruption" and "the president has the right to use the DOJ as his personal law firm" jurisprudence is really working out well for us.
So I've been working for a bit with the Project on Nuclear Issue's Arms Control Knowledge Transfer Initiative Archive, and it's cool to see my work on NATO and Warsaw Pact historical sources on the history of the NPT reflected in here!
ackti-archive.csis.org
ackti-archive.csis.org
Arms Control Knowledge Transfer Initiative Primary Source Archive | CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues
An archive of documents, interviews, and analysis dedicated to preserving arms control knowledge for future generations of experts.
ackti-archive.csis.org
September 2, 2025 at 1:52 PM
So I've been working for a bit with the Project on Nuclear Issue's Arms Control Knowledge Transfer Initiative Archive, and it's cool to see my work on NATO and Warsaw Pact historical sources on the history of the NPT reflected in here!
ackti-archive.csis.org
ackti-archive.csis.org
Honestly, how do security studies people in/from the U.S. do anything unrelated to the current political situation?
Like, how does someone do a research report on scenarios on Taiwan while troops are occupying the capital and security forces are making life hell?
Like, how does someone do a research report on scenarios on Taiwan while troops are occupying the capital and security forces are making life hell?
September 1, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Honestly, how do security studies people in/from the U.S. do anything unrelated to the current political situation?
Like, how does someone do a research report on scenarios on Taiwan while troops are occupying the capital and security forces are making life hell?
Like, how does someone do a research report on scenarios on Taiwan while troops are occupying the capital and security forces are making life hell?
Reposted by Davis Ellison
China gets Tank Man and we get Sandwich Guy.
It's alright, I'm assuming we'll have our Tank Person at some point, too.
It's alright, I'm assuming we'll have our Tank Person at some point, too.
Art depicting “Sandwich Guy” now at the scene of the alleged misdemeanor.
August 29, 2025 at 9:26 PM
China gets Tank Man and we get Sandwich Guy.
It's alright, I'm assuming we'll have our Tank Person at some point, too.
It's alright, I'm assuming we'll have our Tank Person at some point, too.
My latest on my Official Position substack, asking what does it do to someone psychologically to prepare for war for decades, and then it never comes?
Just some weird Friday ruminating really....
officialpositions.substack.com/p/what-if-th...
Just some weird Friday ruminating really....
officialpositions.substack.com/p/what-if-th...
What if the 'big one' never comes?
What does decades preparing for something that never happens do to someone?
officialpositions.substack.com
August 29, 2025 at 3:28 PM
My latest on my Official Position substack, asking what does it do to someone psychologically to prepare for war for decades, and then it never comes?
Just some weird Friday ruminating really....
officialpositions.substack.com/p/what-if-th...
Just some weird Friday ruminating really....
officialpositions.substack.com/p/what-if-th...
One of the more interesting cases of selective memory regarding the U.S. and NATO is "Article 5 and 9/11".
It is often brought up in relation to any U.S. skepticism about NATO, with an admonishment that it was invoked for the first time after 9/11.
While true, there is more...
#HistIR
It is often brought up in relation to any U.S. skepticism about NATO, with an admonishment that it was invoked for the first time after 9/11.
While true, there is more...
#HistIR
August 27, 2025 at 9:49 AM
One of the more interesting cases of selective memory regarding the U.S. and NATO is "Article 5 and 9/11".
It is often brought up in relation to any U.S. skepticism about NATO, with an admonishment that it was invoked for the first time after 9/11.
While true, there is more...
#HistIR
It is often brought up in relation to any U.S. skepticism about NATO, with an admonishment that it was invoked for the first time after 9/11.
While true, there is more...
#HistIR
Reposted by Davis Ellison
It will come down to implementation & enforcement by individual officials with whatever guidance or lack of guidance they receive on determining "anti-American ideologies."
Their discretion can do some damage, but it's the chilling effect that will do much more.
Their discretion can do some damage, but it's the chilling effect that will do much more.
The Trump administration plans to scrutinize social media for “anti-American ideologies” when deciding to grant visa or green-card applications.
Trump Administration to Screen Immigrants for ‘Anti-American’ Views
The new guidance builds on the agency’s policy of vetting social media for evidence of antisemitism.
on.wsj.com
August 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM
It will come down to implementation & enforcement by individual officials with whatever guidance or lack of guidance they receive on determining "anti-American ideologies."
Their discretion can do some damage, but it's the chilling effect that will do much more.
Their discretion can do some damage, but it's the chilling effect that will do much more.
Reposted by Davis Ellison
Humvees and MRAPs driving through a city means it is only a matter of time before someone steals one, and when it does happen, it's going to be hilarious.
August 15, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Humvees and MRAPs driving through a city means it is only a matter of time before someone steals one, and when it does happen, it's going to be hilarious.
A new historical hill I will die on:
George HW Bush played a nearly singular role in setting the stage for the impunity of the War on Terror and Trump years by pardoning the Iran-Contra criminals at the Pentagon and CIA.
www.politico.com/story/2018/1...
George HW Bush played a nearly singular role in setting the stage for the impunity of the War on Terror and Trump years by pardoning the Iran-Contra criminals at the Pentagon and CIA.
www.politico.com/story/2018/1...
Bush pardons Iran-Contra felons, Dec. 24, 1992
Caspar Weinberger and five others were pardoned.
www.politico.com
August 13, 2025 at 7:23 AM
A new historical hill I will die on:
George HW Bush played a nearly singular role in setting the stage for the impunity of the War on Terror and Trump years by pardoning the Iran-Contra criminals at the Pentagon and CIA.
www.politico.com/story/2018/1...
George HW Bush played a nearly singular role in setting the stage for the impunity of the War on Terror and Trump years by pardoning the Iran-Contra criminals at the Pentagon and CIA.
www.politico.com/story/2018/1...
Have to say, Friedrich Merz and his team might be one of the worst readers of the Trump admin out there:
www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...
www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...
Germany’s Merz: Zelenskyy must be involved in Trump-Putin meeting
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz believes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must be involved in the 15 August meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in ...
www.pravda.com.ua
August 11, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Have to say, Friedrich Merz and his team might be one of the worst readers of the Trump admin out there:
www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...
www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...
Interesting discussion with some Dutch colleagues.
So they were talking about the housing crisis in the Netherlands, and blamed it all on 'expats and immigrants' who had moved in.
But, the majority of those who have moved are from other EU countries, and are EU citizens, not 'immigrants'.
So they were talking about the housing crisis in the Netherlands, and blamed it all on 'expats and immigrants' who had moved in.
But, the majority of those who have moved are from other EU countries, and are EU citizens, not 'immigrants'.
August 8, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Interesting discussion with some Dutch colleagues.
So they were talking about the housing crisis in the Netherlands, and blamed it all on 'expats and immigrants' who had moved in.
But, the majority of those who have moved are from other EU countries, and are EU citizens, not 'immigrants'.
So they were talking about the housing crisis in the Netherlands, and blamed it all on 'expats and immigrants' who had moved in.
But, the majority of those who have moved are from other EU countries, and are EU citizens, not 'immigrants'.
Who should coordinate Europe’s defence build up?
*The Americans*
Why must Europeans trust my people like this? I’m on one of them and I don’t…
www.defenseone.com/ideas/2025/0...
*The Americans*
Why must Europeans trust my people like this? I’m on one of them and I don’t…
www.defenseone.com/ideas/2025/0...
July 31, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Who should coordinate Europe’s defence build up?
*The Americans*
Why must Europeans trust my people like this? I’m on one of them and I don’t…
www.defenseone.com/ideas/2025/0...
*The Americans*
Why must Europeans trust my people like this? I’m on one of them and I don’t…
www.defenseone.com/ideas/2025/0...