Prof. Carl LeVan
@democracyprofdc.bsky.social
Professor at American University. Defender of democracy. Lover of decency. Seeker of truth. Author/co-editor of books on Nigeria, constitution-making, and the American national security state. Editorial boards: Governance, Journal of Modern African Studies
People think of Susie Wiles as this low key Margaret Thatcher mastermind who is managing the unmanagable, hence the nickname "ice maiden." Yet somehow Laura Loomer is wandering around the White House, and Steve Miller is the shadow secretary of DHS, as last week's cong hearing with Noem made plain
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles is grappling with a controversy of her own making after she made a number of startling admissions in a series of interviews with Vanity Fair.
thehill.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:48 AM
People think of Susie Wiles as this low key Margaret Thatcher mastermind who is managing the unmanagable, hence the nickname "ice maiden." Yet somehow Laura Loomer is wandering around the White House, and Steve Miller is the shadow secretary of DHS, as last week's cong hearing with Noem made plain
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate!
Wishing you a meaningful and beautiful Festival of Lights.
Wishing you a meaningful and beautiful Festival of Lights.
December 14, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate!
Wishing you a meaningful and beautiful Festival of Lights.
Wishing you a meaningful and beautiful Festival of Lights.
You know what's really missing from the coverage of the illegal demolition of the White House's East Wing? Comment from Melania. It says a lot about the First Lady (or someday the First Gentleman)
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/u...
National Trust Sues to Block Trump’s White House Ballroom Construction
www.nytimes.com
December 14, 2025 at 3:51 PM
You know what's really missing from the coverage of the illegal demolition of the White House's East Wing? Comment from Melania. It says a lot about the First Lady (or someday the First Gentleman)
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/u...
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
These days ads for and media about AI feel like harbingers of the apocalypse, yet occasionally they get it right.
Good night all!
Good night all!
Pentagon Unveils New GenAI Platform, It Immediately Starts Flagging Pete Hegseth's War Crimes - Above the Law
The Defense Department's new ChatJAG turned out to be better than the human chain of command.
abovethelaw.com
December 13, 2025 at 4:56 AM
These days ads for and media about AI feel like harbingers of the apocalypse, yet occasionally they get it right.
Good night all!
Good night all!
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
"The chaos and confusion around the FEMA review council report – from Secretary Noem’s manipulation of the council’s original report to the abrupt cancellation of today’s meeting – is just the latest example of how the Trump administration has sought to undermine FEMA’s effectiveness at every turn."
FEMA Review Council Meeting Cancelled Signaling Disaster for FEMA May Have Only Just Begun
After the FEMA review council meeting recommending changes to the agency was unexpectedly cancelled, UCS raised the alarm this could signal the Trump administration wants to go even further in dismant...
www.ucs.org
December 12, 2025 at 2:51 PM
"The chaos and confusion around the FEMA review council report – from Secretary Noem’s manipulation of the council’s original report to the abrupt cancellation of today’s meeting – is just the latest example of how the Trump administration has sought to undermine FEMA’s effectiveness at every turn."
help @standupforscience.bsky.social impeach RFK Jr! House resolution: he has "imperiled the health and safety of the American people, eroded public confidence in the Nation’s public health institutions, and stalled decades of scientific and medical progress" www.standupforscience.net/impeach-rfkj...
SUFS Campaign to Impeach and Remove RFK Jr — STAND UP FOR SCIENCE
RFK Jr. is endangering our families, threatening our health, and destroying our place as the world leader in biomedical research. Impeachment is an extreme option, but Bobby is an extreme threat and m...
www.standupforscience.net
December 12, 2025 at 1:30 PM
help @standupforscience.bsky.social impeach RFK Jr! House resolution: he has "imperiled the health and safety of the American people, eroded public confidence in the Nation’s public health institutions, and stalled decades of scientific and medical progress" www.standupforscience.net/impeach-rfkj...
File this under very clever data. Congratulations Joan!
📢 new episode out: What College Dorms can teach us about Culture
@ricarthuguet.bsky.social learns from college students at Makerere University in Uganda 🇺🇬 how culture develops and persists among its randomly assigned college dorms.
www.scopeconditionspodcast.com/episodes/epi...
@ricarthuguet.bsky.social learns from college students at Makerere University in Uganda 🇺🇬 how culture develops and persists among its randomly assigned college dorms.
www.scopeconditionspodcast.com/episodes/epi...
EPISODE 3.7: What College Dorms can teach us about Culture, with Joan Ricart-Huguet — Scope Conditions Podcast
www.scopeconditionspodcast.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:07 AM
File this under very clever data. Congratulations Joan!
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
MAGAZINER: How many veterans have you deported?
NOEM: We haven't deported veterans
MAGAZINER: We are now joined on Zoom by a combat veteran you deported to Korea
NOEM: We haven't deported veterans
MAGAZINER: We are now joined on Zoom by a combat veteran you deported to Korea
December 11, 2025 at 4:22 PM
MAGAZINER: How many veterans have you deported?
NOEM: We haven't deported veterans
MAGAZINER: We are now joined on Zoom by a combat veteran you deported to Korea
NOEM: We haven't deported veterans
MAGAZINER: We are now joined on Zoom by a combat veteran you deported to Korea
Never a dull day in DC: at annual congressional hearing with DHS + FBI, Sect. Noem bailed saying she had to attend a FEMA mtg, which wasn't true. I think real reason is that she has no idea how to testify about threats DHS is ignoring due to singular focus on immigration
thehill.com/homenews/adm...
thehill.com/homenews/adm...
thehill.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Never a dull day in DC: at annual congressional hearing with DHS + FBI, Sect. Noem bailed saying she had to attend a FEMA mtg, which wasn't true. I think real reason is that she has no idea how to testify about threats DHS is ignoring due to singular focus on immigration
thehill.com/homenews/adm...
thehill.com/homenews/adm...
#Nigeria reacts to American threats of military intervention...with sarcasm worthy of Ngugi's "Wizard of the Crow" (which mocks dictators) africasacountry.com/2025/12/call...
Calling Trump’s bluff
As the White House hypes “Christian genocide” and floats military action, northern Nigerians are responding with satire.
africasacountry.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:47 PM
#Nigeria reacts to American threats of military intervention...with sarcasm worthy of Ngugi's "Wizard of the Crow" (which mocks dictators) africasacountry.com/2025/12/call...
Military #coup thwarted in #Benin! The #ECOWAS intervention, led by #Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire is notable in an age of authoritarian cooperation in regional orgs, notably the autocrats who formed the Alliance of Sahel States. Civil society voice needed now www.premiumtimesng.com.
Premium Times
Nigeria's leading newspaper for fast, reliable breaking news and deep investigative reports about Nigeria
www.premiumtimesng.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Military #coup thwarted in #Benin! The #ECOWAS intervention, led by #Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire is notable in an age of authoritarian cooperation in regional orgs, notably the autocrats who formed the Alliance of Sahel States. Civil society voice needed now www.premiumtimesng.com.
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
I’ll be speaking as on a New Lines Institute panel next week, discussing the state of #Syria one year post-#Assad. The panel, which includes fellows Faysal Itani and Elizabeth Tsurkov, will be moderated by Murad Batal Shishani. Join us on December 9 at 11 a.m. ET.
us02web.zoom.us/j/81975720458
us02web.zoom.us/j/81975720458
December 8, 2025 at 2:30 AM
I’ll be speaking as on a New Lines Institute panel next week, discussing the state of #Syria one year post-#Assad. The panel, which includes fellows Faysal Itani and Elizabeth Tsurkov, will be moderated by Murad Batal Shishani. Join us on December 9 at 11 a.m. ET.
us02web.zoom.us/j/81975720458
us02web.zoom.us/j/81975720458
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
My Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act establishes real standards for immigrant detention and phases out for-profit facilities.
This corrupt administration shouldn’t be allowed to funnel billions of dollars to private prisons companies who donated millions to Trump’s campaign.
This corrupt administration shouldn’t be allowed to funnel billions of dollars to private prisons companies who donated millions to Trump’s campaign.
December 7, 2025 at 12:43 AM
My Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act establishes real standards for immigrant detention and phases out for-profit facilities.
This corrupt administration shouldn’t be allowed to funnel billions of dollars to private prisons companies who donated millions to Trump’s campaign.
This corrupt administration shouldn’t be allowed to funnel billions of dollars to private prisons companies who donated millions to Trump’s campaign.
I can't decide which is more entertaining: Rep. Stefanik discovering that an evangelical House speaker is uncomfortable with women in leadership, or Rep. Greene (who rode the crazy QAnon story to Congress) being forced to quit after helping to release of the Epstein files
December 5, 2025 at 9:23 PM
I can't decide which is more entertaining: Rep. Stefanik discovering that an evangelical House speaker is uncomfortable with women in leadership, or Rep. Greene (who rode the crazy QAnon story to Congress) being forced to quit after helping to release of the Epstein files
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
As long as the Trump-Vance administration keeps threatening federal workers — we will keep winning in court.
December 5, 2025 at 12:24 AM
As long as the Trump-Vance administration keeps threatening federal workers — we will keep winning in court.
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
Get caught up on pressing issues related to refugees, diasporas, migrants and others on the move with our Migration Information Source
Subscribe to the newsletter today
https://bit.ly/SourceSignUp
Subscribe to the newsletter today
https://bit.ly/SourceSignUp
December 4, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Get caught up on pressing issues related to refugees, diasporas, migrants and others on the move with our Migration Information Source
Subscribe to the newsletter today
https://bit.ly/SourceSignUp
Subscribe to the newsletter today
https://bit.ly/SourceSignUp
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
First boat strike in 19 days, coinciding with a big congressional briefing today. 11 of the past 15 strikes have occurred in the eastern Pacific. Sheer unadulterated horror.
www.wola.org/2025/11/us-m...
www.wola.org/2025/11/us-m...
December 5, 2025 at 2:12 AM
First boat strike in 19 days, coinciding with a big congressional briefing today. 11 of the past 15 strikes have occurred in the eastern Pacific. Sheer unadulterated horror.
www.wola.org/2025/11/us-m...
www.wola.org/2025/11/us-m...
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
The OneAID Community has been tapping into our creative side and drawing on our professional skills to launch new endeavors! Our colleagues are selling pottery and jewelry, opening new Etsy shops, & starting innovative businesses. Visit our site to learn more!
🔗 oneaidcommunity.org/2025/11/26/o...
🔗 oneaidcommunity.org/2025/11/26/o...
November 26, 2025 at 3:01 PM
The OneAID Community has been tapping into our creative side and drawing on our professional skills to launch new endeavors! Our colleagues are selling pottery and jewelry, opening new Etsy shops, & starting innovative businesses. Visit our site to learn more!
🔗 oneaidcommunity.org/2025/11/26/o...
🔗 oneaidcommunity.org/2025/11/26/o...
Everywhere you look in Washington, DC, people are desperately trying to educate Trump on all the American history he refuses to learn.
#NoKings
#NoKings
November 26, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Everywhere you look in Washington, DC, people are desperately trying to educate Trump on all the American history he refuses to learn.
#NoKings
#NoKings
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
Today, after months of requests, I toured the Broadview ICE Processing Facility. I want to share what I saw.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
November 25, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Today, after months of requests, I toured the Broadview ICE Processing Facility. I want to share what I saw.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
When Trump and Pres Musk killed #USAID they made America less secure by removing institutional barriers to autocracy around the world. Here we discuss the unfolding impact of $14billion in cuts to 1,600 #democracy & governace orgs in 129 counties in this year alone
www.youtube.com/live/HCbUQ9K...
www.youtube.com/live/HCbUQ9K...
When Aid Fades: Assessing Impacts on Global Democracy and Security
YouTube video by School of International Service, AU
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:51 PM
When Trump and Pres Musk killed #USAID they made America less secure by removing institutional barriers to autocracy around the world. Here we discuss the unfolding impact of $14billion in cuts to 1,600 #democracy & governace orgs in 129 counties in this year alone
www.youtube.com/live/HCbUQ9K...
www.youtube.com/live/HCbUQ9K...
When Trump and Pres Musk killed #USAID they made America less secure by removing institutional barriers to autocracy around the world. Here we discuss the unfolding impact of $14billion in cuts to 1,600 #democracy & governace orgs in 129 counties in this year alone
www.youtube.com/live/HCbUQ9K...
www.youtube.com/live/HCbUQ9K...
When Aid Fades: Assessing Impacts on Global Democracy and Security
YouTube video by School of International Service, AU
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:51 PM
When Trump and Pres Musk killed #USAID they made America less secure by removing institutional barriers to autocracy around the world. Here we discuss the unfolding impact of $14billion in cuts to 1,600 #democracy & governace orgs in 129 counties in this year alone
www.youtube.com/live/HCbUQ9K...
www.youtube.com/live/HCbUQ9K...
It's official: demand for #democracy in #Africa is higher than in the United States: 70% versus 67%. OK I admit @afrobarometer.bsky.social and @gallup.com ask different questions. But globalizing democracy protection is now more than just a "though experiment." www.gallup.com/analytics/69...
Kettering Foundation-Gallup Research Hub
Explore U.S. public opinion on the state of democracy, with data from over 20,000 adults in the inaugural Gallup-Kettering Foundation study.
www.gallup.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:26 PM
It's official: demand for #democracy in #Africa is higher than in the United States: 70% versus 67%. OK I admit @afrobarometer.bsky.social and @gallup.com ask different questions. But globalizing democracy protection is now more than just a "though experiment." www.gallup.com/analytics/69...
If he really wants to know what seditious conspiracy looks like, he should read the convictions and guilty pleas after January 6.
"Trump: Democrats ‘traitors’ for telling military not to follow unlawful orders"
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
"Trump: Democrats ‘traitors’ for telling military not to follow unlawful orders"
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Trump: Democrats ‘traitors’ for telling military not to follow unlawful orders
The president said lawmakers who appeared in a video committed “seditious behavior” and should be arrested and put on trial for treason.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:46 AM
If he really wants to know what seditious conspiracy looks like, he should read the convictions and guilty pleas after January 6.
"Trump: Democrats ‘traitors’ for telling military not to follow unlawful orders"
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
"Trump: Democrats ‘traitors’ for telling military not to follow unlawful orders"
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Amazing panel @americanuniversity.bsky.social w/Laura Field on her groundbreaking intellectual history of #MAGA. There is tension btwn new right and evangelism. I have no tolerance for idea that we are on a degenerative path. Even Nietzsche did not believe in a "last man" ala Fukuyama
November 18, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Amazing panel @americanuniversity.bsky.social w/Laura Field on her groundbreaking intellectual history of #MAGA. There is tension btwn new right and evangelism. I have no tolerance for idea that we are on a degenerative path. Even Nietzsche did not believe in a "last man" ala Fukuyama