Eliot Higgins
@eliothiggins.bsky.social
Founder and creative director of Bellingcat and director of Bellingcat Productions BV. Author of We Are Bellingcat.
Pinned
🧵 @jburnmurdoch.ft.com is spot on about the conditions in his FT piece. Liberal democracy held it together thanks to growth, good demographics, and the promise of a better future. Those days are gone, and that’s the "why" behind the erosion. However...
Democratic politicians have, though, pursued growth in GDP at the expense of other values. One response to @jburnmurdoch.ft.com pessimistic scenario is refocus on those values, combined with egalitarianism, sufficiency and quality of life. Not "it's the economy, stupid" but "it's the the society"
The events of the last 24 hours show why it's important to build functional verification structures in public and counterpublic spaces to resist the authoritarian erosion of our democratic systems, as described in this thread.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Trump: "So I put on a 30% tariff, which is very low. I got an emergency call from I believe the prime minister of Switzerland. She was very aggressive ... I didn't really like the way she talked to us, so instead of giving her a reduction, I raised it to 39%."
February 10, 2026 at 9:18 PM
Trump: "So I put on a 30% tariff, which is very low. I got an emergency call from I believe the prime minister of Switzerland. She was very aggressive ... I didn't really like the way she talked to us, so instead of giving her a reduction, I raised it to 39%."
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
2/2 Could see some of this coming back in December when Blanche cited the Privacy Act as a basis for redactions/withholding documents.⬇️
Blanche did not mean the victims' privacy! He meant men doing things like sharing a torture video with Epstein.
bsky.app/profile/rgoo...
Blanche did not mean the victims' privacy! He meant men doing things like sharing a torture video with Epstein.
bsky.app/profile/rgoo...
A key to understand how the Bondi DOJ may be trying to hide information on other men implicated in Epstein's crimes:
Note how Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's letter to Congress says DOJ is redacting information not only permitted by the Epstein Act but also ... the Privacy Act.⬇️
Note how Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's letter to Congress says DOJ is redacting information not only permitted by the Epstein Act but also ... the Privacy Act.⬇️
February 10, 2026 at 2:17 PM
2/2 Could see some of this coming back in December when Blanche cited the Privacy Act as a basis for redactions/withholding documents.⬇️
Blanche did not mean the victims' privacy! He meant men doing things like sharing a torture video with Epstein.
bsky.app/profile/rgoo...
Blanche did not mean the victims' privacy! He meant men doing things like sharing a torture video with Epstein.
bsky.app/profile/rgoo...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Todd Blanche gives away the game here.
Rep. Massie nails it.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act does not permit redacting the identifying information of the men involved!
1/2
Rep. Massie nails it.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act does not permit redacting the identifying information of the men involved!
1/2
February 10, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Todd Blanche gives away the game here.
Rep. Massie nails it.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act does not permit redacting the identifying information of the men involved!
1/2
Rep. Massie nails it.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act does not permit redacting the identifying information of the men involved!
1/2
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Q: Is the president going to rule out a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell? Her legal team seems to be making a case for one
LEAVITT: It's not a priority. He's focused on many of the issue that the American people are dealing with.
LEAVITT: It's not a priority. He's focused on many of the issue that the American people are dealing with.
February 10, 2026 at 7:08 PM
Q: Is the president going to rule out a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell? Her legal team seems to be making a case for one
LEAVITT: It's not a priority. He's focused on many of the issue that the American people are dealing with.
LEAVITT: It's not a priority. He's focused on many of the issue that the American people are dealing with.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Q: Does the White House stand behind Secretary Lutnick after he testified that he went to Epstein island?
LEAVITT: Secretary Lutnick remains a very important member of Trump's team and the president fully supports him
LEAVITT: Secretary Lutnick remains a very important member of Trump's team and the president fully supports him
February 10, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Q: Does the White House stand behind Secretary Lutnick after he testified that he went to Epstein island?
LEAVITT: Secretary Lutnick remains a very important member of Trump's team and the president fully supports him
LEAVITT: Secretary Lutnick remains a very important member of Trump's team and the president fully supports him
Republican congressman Thomas Massie says Epstein files ‘likely incriminated’ six more men
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Republican congressman says Epstein files ‘likely incriminated’ six more men
Thomas Massie says he may reveal the names under congressional privilege if justice department does not
www.theguardian.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:31 PM
Republican congressman Thomas Massie says Epstein files ‘likely incriminated’ six more men
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
There it is: Court has unsealed Fulton County, Georgia's civil filings -- seeking the RETURN of their 2020 election ballots from Trump Administration
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
February 10, 2026 at 3:05 PM
There it is: Court has unsealed Fulton County, Georgia's civil filings -- seeking the RETURN of their 2020 election ballots from Trump Administration
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
@mtkonczal.bsky.social recently documented how the MAGA coalition is in deep tension over a lot of this, with various priorities working against each other. The data I got here supports this, with majorities of working class and even 50% of rural Americans disapproving of ICE enforcement.
ICE is recruiting by selling service as militaristic ethnonationalism, an opportunity to engage in manly, heroic violence purging the nation of immigrants and their cosmopolitan allies. The public is recoiling now that it's seeing these cracked priorities enacted.
newrepublic.com/article/2062...
newrepublic.com/article/2062...
February 10, 2026 at 4:43 PM
@mtkonczal.bsky.social recently documented how the MAGA coalition is in deep tension over a lot of this, with various priorities working against each other. The data I got here supports this, with majorities of working class and even 50% of rural Americans disapproving of ICE enforcement.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
When a user commented that Grok was no longer working on the redaction requests, Grok confirmed it was still operational but that it couldn't unblur or identify the minors in the released DOJ files because "it's ethically and legally protected”. X have not responded to multiple requests for comment.
February 10, 2026 at 3:03 PM
When a user commented that Grok was no longer working on the redaction requests, Grok confirmed it was still operational but that it couldn't unblur or identify the minors in the released DOJ files because "it's ethically and legally protected”. X have not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
We reviewed 31 separate requests from users for Grok to “unblur” or identify the victims in these photos and the video from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5. The chatbot generated responses to 27 of those requests. See our video here: www.youtube.com/shorts/dhD8O...
Grok Users Are Attempting To Identify Epstein Victims
YouTube video by Bellingcat
www.youtube.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:02 PM
We reviewed 31 separate requests from users for Grok to “unblur” or identify the victims in these photos and the video from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5. The chatbot generated responses to 27 of those requests. See our video here: www.youtube.com/shorts/dhD8O...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Since we reached out to X about Grok attempting to unredact photos of Epstein victims upon X users’ requests, we’ve noticed Grok now refusing to unredact new requests. Bellingcat researcher @koltai.bsky.social reports: www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/02...
Epstein Files: X Users Are Asking Grok to 'Unblur' Photos of Children - bellingcat
Bellingcat reviewed dozens of requests for Grok to generate the faces of children and women that had been redacted from the latest documents.
www.bellingcat.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Since we reached out to X about Grok attempting to unredact photos of Epstein victims upon X users’ requests, we’ve noticed Grok now refusing to unredact new requests. Bellingcat researcher @koltai.bsky.social reports: www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/02...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
VAN HOLLEN: Did you in fact make the visit to Epstein's private island?
LUTNICK: I did have lunch w/ him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my 4 children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That's true. For an hour. We left with all of my children
LUTNICK: I did have lunch w/ him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my 4 children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That's true. For an hour. We left with all of my children
February 10, 2026 at 3:02 PM
VAN HOLLEN: Did you in fact make the visit to Epstein's private island?
LUTNICK: I did have lunch w/ him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my 4 children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That's true. For an hour. We left with all of my children
LUTNICK: I did have lunch w/ him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my 4 children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That's true. For an hour. We left with all of my children
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
BE NOT AFRAID bsky.app/profile/atru...
Peter Navarro: "The jobs report comes out tomorrow. We have to revise our expectations down significantly for what a monthly job number should look like ... Wall Street has to adjust for the fact that we're deporting millions of illegals out of the job market."
February 10, 2026 at 4:01 PM
BE NOT AFRAID bsky.app/profile/atru...
Epstein Files: X Users Are Asking Grok to 'Unblur' Photos of Children www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/02...
Epstein Files: X Users Are Asking Grok to 'Unblur' Photos of Children - bellingcat
Bellingcat reviewed dozens of requests for Grok to generate the faces of children and women that had been redacted from the latest documents.
www.bellingcat.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Epstein Files: X Users Are Asking Grok to 'Unblur' Photos of Children www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/02...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
A police investigation against neo-Nazis in Germany & Switzerland w/ links to Blood & Honour/Combat 18: neo-Nazi music/merch (obviously), suspicion of violating weapons laws, trafficking steroids/doping drugs and prescription drugs, having explosive devices, etc. Arrest warrant out for main suspect.
"Gemeinsame Pressemitteilung der STA Göttingen und der ZKI der Polizeidirektion Göttingen: Umfangreiche Durchsuchungsmaßnahmen in einem Ermittlungsverfahren gegen Rechtsextremisten" 👇
#rechtsrocktnicht
#rechtsrocktnicht
POL-GOE: Gemeinsame Pressemitteilung der STA Göttingen und der ZKI der Polizeidirektion Göttingen: Umfangreiche Durchsuchungsmaßnahmen in einem Ermittlungsverfahren gegen Rechtsextremisten
Göttingen (ots) - Die Zentrale Kriminalinspektion der Polizeidirektion Göttingen führt unter der Sachleitung der Staatsanwaltschaft Göttingen seit Februar 2025 ein...
www.presseportal.de
February 10, 2026 at 11:56 AM
A police investigation against neo-Nazis in Germany & Switzerland w/ links to Blood & Honour/Combat 18: neo-Nazi music/merch (obviously), suspicion of violating weapons laws, trafficking steroids/doping drugs and prescription drugs, having explosive devices, etc. Arrest warrant out for main suspect.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
This is the funniest headline I seen in a long time. And bravo to whoever underlined the desperation with the juxtaposed link.
February 10, 2026 at 7:47 AM
This is the funniest headline I seen in a long time. And bravo to whoever underlined the desperation with the juxtaposed link.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Unredacted Epstein files implicate ‘six powerful men’ and reveal victim aged just 9 trib.al/EzsvCLH
Unredacted Epstein files implicate ‘six powerful men’ and reveal victim aged just 9
trib.al
February 10, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Unredacted Epstein files implicate ‘six powerful men’ and reveal victim aged just 9 trib.al/EzsvCLH
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
And no one got fired. "An immigration court dropped its case against Turkish graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, her lawyers said, a little less than a year after masked federal agents in plainclothes arrested her on a street near Tufts University where she was studying." www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
Immigration Court Drops Case Against Tufts Student Rumeysa Ozturk
The Turkish national had been arrested by plainclothes federal officers outside her apartment.
www.wsj.com
February 10, 2026 at 10:33 AM
And no one got fired. "An immigration court dropped its case against Turkish graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, her lawyers said, a little less than a year after masked federal agents in plainclothes arrested her on a street near Tufts University where she was studying." www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
I've finally found a use for AI
February 10, 2026 at 10:37 AM
I've finally found a use for AI
The Moon : Oops All Paedophiles Edition, coming soon from X.
"Life cannot just be about one sad thing after another," says the man responsible—directly or indirectly—for like 90% of the sad things that happened in the past year.
February 10, 2026 at 10:10 AM
The Moon : Oops All Paedophiles Edition, coming soon from X.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
People on Reddit are getting Amazon to refund their Ring products because of their partnership with Flock and that creepy Super Bowl ad
www.reddit.com/r/FlockSurve...
www.reddit.com/r/FlockSurve...
February 10, 2026 at 9:55 AM
People on Reddit are getting Amazon to refund their Ring products because of their partnership with Flock and that creepy Super Bowl ad
www.reddit.com/r/FlockSurve...
www.reddit.com/r/FlockSurve...
I see the Gray Zone Boyz are in "you gotta hand it to Noam Chomsky" mode.
February 10, 2026 at 8:03 AM
I see the Gray Zone Boyz are in "you gotta hand it to Noam Chomsky" mode.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Vermont US Representative Becca Balint being interviewed by Drop Site News shortly after reviewing more, unreleased Epstein files saying
"They're all a bunch of sick fucks"
"They're all a bunch of sick fucks"
February 10, 2026 at 3:02 AM
Vermont US Representative Becca Balint being interviewed by Drop Site News shortly after reviewing more, unreleased Epstein files saying
"They're all a bunch of sick fucks"
"They're all a bunch of sick fucks"
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
i got stuck explaining fascism to an 8-year-old who had seen the word on a protest sign.
explaining gay is trivial.
explaining gay is trivial.
always so funny to me when people are like “how am I supposed to explain Gay to my kids?” my kid asks me way harder shit all the time. “why did they build the road this way? why are some people bad?” I don’t know. please ask me about Gay
February 10, 2026 at 3:21 AM
i got stuck explaining fascism to an 8-year-old who had seen the word on a protest sign.
explaining gay is trivial.
explaining gay is trivial.