Kyle Haynes
@kylehaynes.bsky.social
Political scientist studying security, conflict, bargaining, US foreign policy, etc. Scored on by Geoff Cameron. Personal account. Opinions mine alone.
https://kyle-haynes.weebly.com/
https://kyle-haynes.weebly.com/
Tearing down the physical manifestations of Trumpism will be a huge catharsis whenever this shit ends, but it cannot distract from the urgent need to hold accountable all the *people* who have lawlessly imposed it on us
A no-brainer for any Democratic aspirant for the presidency is to vow to remove Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center and to tear down his White House ballroom to be replaced by a refurbished East Wing.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/u...
The White House Says the Trump-Kennedy Center Vote Was ‘Unanimous.’ But Someone Was Muted.
www.nytimes.com
December 18, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Tearing down the physical manifestations of Trumpism will be a huge catharsis whenever this shit ends, but it cannot distract from the urgent need to hold accountable all the *people* who have lawlessly imposed it on us
No no…you see, slavery and Jim Crow were modest unfairnesses. Wokeness and DEI are systemic scourges that upend the fundamental premises of autonomy and equality on which liberal democracy was founded.
The collective delusion here is useful in that it has provoked conservatives to dispense with decades of bootstrap rhetoric and reveal what they would say if they thought black people were people, that is to say, if these things were happening to them
December 18, 2025 at 11:07 PM
No no…you see, slavery and Jim Crow were modest unfairnesses. Wokeness and DEI are systemic scourges that upend the fundamental premises of autonomy and equality on which liberal democracy was founded.
Journalists can’t even downplay the president’s close friendship with a rapist pedophile in order to conceal their own relationship with the same rapist pedophile anymore.
cancel culture run amok smdh
cancel culture run amok smdh
David Brooks, who wrote in the NYT last month, "The Epstein Story? Count Me Out" is... in the latest Epstein photo dump published by @oversightdemocrats.house.gov.
He should absolutely be fired by NYT for this. Major conflict of interest that he didn't disclose.
He should absolutely be fired by NYT for this. Major conflict of interest that he didn't disclose.
December 18, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Journalists can’t even downplay the president’s close friendship with a rapist pedophile in order to conceal their own relationship with the same rapist pedophile anymore.
cancel culture run amok smdh
cancel culture run amok smdh
Pretty telling that white men are ~30% of the population, and Douthat sees the world where white men only get 21.5% of the jobs as more of an injustice than the world where they get 53% of them.
The nyt’s Douthat launders racism and misogyny. Not for the first time.
He and the entitled whiner he champions promote as “evidence” of grievance that white men are hired … at about the proportion of the population they constitute.
He and the entitled whiner he champions promote as “evidence” of grievance that white men are hired … at about the proportion of the population they constitute.
December 18, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Pretty telling that white men are ~30% of the population, and Douthat sees the world where white men only get 21.5% of the jobs as more of an injustice than the world where they get 53% of them.
This seems mostly right to me.
Relatedly, does anyone have any idea how many “sanctioned oil tankers” there are and what percent of Venezuela’s oil exports they typically handle?
Relatedly, does anyone have any idea how many “sanctioned oil tankers” there are and what percent of Venezuela’s oil exports they typically handle?
I keep saying this but no one is connecting the dots. The war is to satisfy legal preconditions for mass removal *domestically* of Latinos (i.e., suddenly a lot of people are going to be “Venezuelan” for purposes of removal). This is 100% Stephen Miller…oil claim is to make grandpa go along
There is no national security logic that would impel the US to want to do regime change in Venezuela. It's simply not that important. I'm not even sure wag the dog is the right metaphor for what's happening here. Seems like an insane misallocation of US national security assets and attention.
December 17, 2025 at 1:25 AM
This seems mostly right to me.
Relatedly, does anyone have any idea how many “sanctioned oil tankers” there are and what percent of Venezuela’s oil exports they typically handle?
Relatedly, does anyone have any idea how many “sanctioned oil tankers” there are and what percent of Venezuela’s oil exports they typically handle?
Anyone wanna bet what the natalists will think of promoting fertility by trying to ensure it doesn’t kill women’s careers?
New U-M research from ISR’s Sasha Killewald finds that women now earn about 85% of men’s hourly wages, up from 65% in the mid 1980s, and about 8% of that narrowing is linked to having fewer children.
Learn more: myumi.ch/kPWeG
Learn more: myumi.ch/kPWeG
December 16, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Anyone wanna bet what the natalists will think of promoting fertility by trying to ensure it doesn’t kill women’s careers?
We’ve normalized seeing the military on the streets of our own cities. We’ve normalized extrajudicial killings of purported criminals carried out by our military abroad. It’d be wishful thinking to believe they won’t eventually try this.
Spoke with @nickturse.bsky.social.
“That is one of the concerns with the administration asserting that the President essentially has a license to kill outside the law based on his own say so. That prerogative might be wielded elsewhere — including inside the US.”
theintercept.com/2025/12/16/t...
“That is one of the concerns with the administration asserting that the President essentially has a license to kill outside the law based on his own say so. That prerogative might be wielded elsewhere — including inside the US.”
theintercept.com/2025/12/16/t...
U.S. Military Willing to Attack “Designated Terrorist Organizations” Within America, General Says
“If I had no concerns and I was confident in the lawful order, I would definitely execute that order.”
theintercept.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:34 PM
We’ve normalized seeing the military on the streets of our own cities. We’ve normalized extrajudicial killings of purported criminals carried out by our military abroad. It’d be wishful thinking to believe they won’t eventually try this.
Any country where a president can do this with impunity is not a democracy. It’s not even ambiguous. Only question is whether competitive authoritarianism becomes consolidated. I’m cautiously optimistic it won’t, but it’s wild to sit with the fact that American democracy has just totally collapsed.
🚨BREAKING: The Trump administration escalated its effort to punish a sitting U.S. senator for protected political speech Monday, formally converting the Pentagon’s review of Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) into an official Command Investigation under military law. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Trump Admin Intensifies Military Probe Against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, Launches Command Investigation
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
December 16, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Any country where a president can do this with impunity is not a democracy. It’s not even ambiguous. Only question is whether competitive authoritarianism becomes consolidated. I’m cautiously optimistic it won’t, but it’s wild to sit with the fact that American democracy has just totally collapsed.
Independence Day.
I’m half convinced American democracy is collapsing because no one can live up to the expectations for a president set by Bill Pullman.
I’m half convinced American democracy is collapsing because no one can live up to the expectations for a president set by Bill Pullman.
Raising the always fun question: What are your most memorable theater-going experiences?
Mine also include The Matrix, Blair Witch, and being way too stoned in Belgium when Fellowship of the Ring was sold out so we sat in the back row for Mulholland Drive instead.
Mine also include The Matrix, Blair Witch, and being way too stoned in Belgium when Fellowship of the Ring was sold out so we sat in the back row for Mulholland Drive instead.
It was hands-down one of the most memorable theater-going experiences I can remember, a collective 30-minute butt-clench/armrest-grab for the final climb. And we knew he lived! Wild.
December 12, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Independence Day.
I’m half convinced American democracy is collapsing because no one can live up to the expectations for a president set by Bill Pullman.
I’m half convinced American democracy is collapsing because no one can live up to the expectations for a president set by Bill Pullman.
For the life of me I will never understand the pure, unadulterated masochism of forming a cult of personality around someone who invariably abuses and extorts his supporters.
December 11, 2025 at 5:33 PM
For the life of me I will never understand the pure, unadulterated masochism of forming a cult of personality around someone who invariably abuses and extorts his supporters.
Simultaneously unbelievable and totally predictable that they’d proclaim a Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
December 9, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Simultaneously unbelievable and totally predictable that they’d proclaim a Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
Why it’s important to actually articulate a positive alternative to right wing nativism and not just try to peel off some their support by only being 75% as racist
In the US we're at least seeing some thermostatic backlash towards more pro-immigration positions, but the UK equivalent seems to be a ratchet effect towards "deport them all"
December 7, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Why it’s important to actually articulate a positive alternative to right wing nativism and not just try to peel off some their support by only being 75% as racist
“Starmer ultras” is one of the most cursed phrases imaginable
I will say this: I do not think Starmer's attack on Zach Polanski really are effective outside of the Starmer ultras
December 7, 2025 at 5:40 PM
“Starmer ultras” is one of the most cursed phrases imaginable
Yoooooo that Fulham goal….
December 7, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Yoooooo that Fulham goal….
For these people, violence in any form is masculine. It’s the same people who watched fight club and thought it was just cool manly dudes doing cool manly stuff.
This branch of the culture has totally lost the idea of masculine virtue being defined against vices that are also masculine
Something that just occurred to me is for all Hegseth's machismo prostrating it's like a classically cowardly thing to kill defenseless men in war. Like by millennia-old standards of honor.
December 7, 2025 at 3:28 PM
For these people, violence in any form is masculine. It’s the same people who watched fight club and thought it was just cool manly dudes doing cool manly stuff.
There are legitimate use cases for allowing civilians to own and use land mines but when those legitimate cases are wildly outweighed by harmful or illegitimate ones it’s perfectly reasonable (indeed imperative) for the state to say nuh uh
(3) “there are legitimate use cases for digital money”. OK fine. But with a HUGE caveat:
December 7, 2025 at 3:03 PM
There are legitimate use cases for allowing civilians to own and use land mines but when those legitimate cases are wildly outweighed by harmful or illegitimate ones it’s perfectly reasonable (indeed imperative) for the state to say nuh uh
You’d think COVID would’ve disabused these people of the notion that major crises are cool and fun
these stupid assholes think they’re going to be able to have a firefight in the morning, walk away from a cool explosion at lunch and take the family out to chili’s for dinner and I cannot stress enough that is not what civil war looks like
that's cool, man, but have you tried the taste of a refreshing matcha latte
December 6, 2025 at 7:37 PM
You’d think COVID would’ve disabused these people of the notion that major crises are cool and fun
We’ve all normalized it but it’s really quite bizarre that gimmicking your way out of paying taxes is just totally standard behavior, openly accepted and even encouraged by mainstream actors across society.
Even though the window for action is short, financial professionals say it isn’t too late to make some strategic moves that will save you money on your 2025 taxes.
Here are three strategies financial pros recommend: 🔗 on.wsj.com/3XAg7rn
Here are three strategies financial pros recommend: 🔗 on.wsj.com/3XAg7rn
December 4, 2025 at 3:38 PM
We’ve all normalized it but it’s really quite bizarre that gimmicking your way out of paying taxes is just totally standard behavior, openly accepted and even encouraged by mainstream actors across society.
See also: war criming
trump's ability to commit astonishing, unprecedented crimes in full public view was self-sustaining: the failure of anyone to impose consequences was a demonstration of his impunity and convinced amoral pragmatists he must be accommodated
but if a few guys go "hm, seems risky to help," uh oh
but if a few guys go "hm, seems risky to help," uh oh
November 30, 2025 at 2:22 AM
See also: war criming
Are we the baddies?
Yes. We are the baddies.
Yes. We are the baddies.
Textbook war crime/extrajudicial killing
"Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions."
Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
"Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions."
Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
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 29, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Are we the baddies?
Yes. We are the baddies.
Yes. We are the baddies.
I wanna be like “study game theory!” because these people have never met a commitment they won’t renege on. But they’re also seemingly incapable of looking a single move down the game tree so…I dunno I guess social science now just depends on grok finding the pattern in monkey fart throwing.
The White House delayed its proposal for averting a spike in Affordable Care Act premiums amid harsh blowback from an array of Republican allies and lawmakers, two people familiar with the matter told CNN. https://cnn.it/4inBrdd
November 25, 2025 at 5:00 AM
I wanna be like “study game theory!” because these people have never met a commitment they won’t renege on. But they’re also seemingly incapable of looking a single move down the game tree so…I dunno I guess social science now just depends on grok finding the pattern in monkey fart throwing.
They can also take that power back! Behaving like just a normal Congress is a thing this Congress can also do! Collective action is, believe it or not, totally possible.
The crazy thing is Republican members of Congress gave away their power and now they’re mad that they gave away their power. Like Trump didn’t do this to you, you did it to yourselves
November 25, 2025 at 1:15 AM
They can also take that power back! Behaving like just a normal Congress is a thing this Congress can also do! Collective action is, believe it or not, totally possible.
*Chef’s kiss* that she managed to squeeze an Israeli into the hit squad
A friend has alerted me to this pressing and very real international incident involving the very sane Candace Owens.
November 24, 2025 at 4:02 AM
*Chef’s kiss* that she managed to squeeze an Israeli into the hit squad
I read the title and immediately thought “oh god what Elliott Abrams clone did they get to write this?” Because surely it’d be too on the nose to have Abrams himself do it….
I presume Foreign Affairs is not yet running my one-word rebuttal "don't"
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
How to Topple Maduro
And why regime change is the only way forward in Venezuela.
www.foreignaffairs.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:18 PM
I read the title and immediately thought “oh god what Elliott Abrams clone did they get to write this?” Because surely it’d be too on the nose to have Abrams himself do it….
So an entire branch of the field of medicine is being dismantled because…
*checks notes*
…you can’t prove a fecking negative.
*checks notes*
…you can’t prove a fecking negative.
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 2:41 AM
So an entire branch of the field of medicine is being dismantled because…
*checks notes*
…you can’t prove a fecking negative.
*checks notes*
…you can’t prove a fecking negative.