It’s difficult to think of a less promising political strategy than the insistence that an unpopular and corrupt president is actually a beloved monarch who deserves to shred the Constitution and remain in power after his second term is up.
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
MAGA’s deepening delusions are a political opportunity
Why Steve Bannon's recent Economist interview was oddly reassuring
open.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:56 PM
It’s difficult to think of a less promising political strategy than the insistence that an unpopular and corrupt president is actually a beloved monarch who deserves to shred the Constitution and remain in power after his second term is up.
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
The Free Press isn’t fearless or heterodox. It’s a slickly produced right-of-center outlet that flatters its readers’ priors about wokeness while fastidiously deflecting from the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle the institutions of American democracy www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/rc...
Bari Weiss brings her Trump-friendly sensibilities to CBS News
Paramount Skydance hired the anti-woke opinion journalist to run the venerable news organization — giving Trump an ally with a big legacy media platform.
www.msnbc.com
October 7, 2025 at 6:37 PM
The Free Press isn’t fearless or heterodox. It’s a slickly produced right-of-center outlet that flatters its readers’ priors about wokeness while fastidiously deflecting from the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle the institutions of American democracy www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/rc...
Reposted by Matt Johnson
Glad to see Robby's reading MSNBC — but it's not "reductive" to cite numerous Trump administration-fed stories copy-pasted as "reporting" in The Free Press and call it "Trump-friendly."
What's reductive is framing a one-off debate with a MAGA libertarian about Israel as legit ideological balance.
What's reductive is framing a one-off debate with a MAGA libertarian about Israel as legit ideological balance.
October 7, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Glad to see Robby's reading MSNBC — but it's not "reductive" to cite numerous Trump administration-fed stories copy-pasted as "reporting" in The Free Press and call it "Trump-friendly."
What's reductive is framing a one-off debate with a MAGA libertarian about Israel as legit ideological balance.
What's reductive is framing a one-off debate with a MAGA libertarian about Israel as legit ideological balance.
Reposted by Matt Johnson
'The hiring of a Trump-supporting, conservative think tank veteran as CBS News' new "bias monitor" — plus the elevation of Weiss — is a clear signal he wants to steer one of journalism’s oldest, most respected institutions in a distinctly right-leaning ideological direction.' @mattjj89.bsky.social
Opinion | Bari Weiss runs a Trump-friendly site — now she'll be in charge of CBS News
Paramount Skydance hired the anti-woke opinion journalist to run the venerable news organization — giving Trump an ally with a big legacy media platform.
www.msnbc.com
October 6, 2025 at 6:38 PM
'The hiring of a Trump-supporting, conservative think tank veteran as CBS News' new "bias monitor" — plus the elevation of Weiss — is a clear signal he wants to steer one of journalism’s oldest, most respected institutions in a distinctly right-leaning ideological direction.' @mattjj89.bsky.social
In 2024, Bari Weiss explained why she no longer wanted to work at mainstream media organizations. She said it was a mistake to “delude yourself with the idea that you can transform them from within.”
Now she’s editor-in-chief at CBS. My latest for @msnbc.com www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/rc...
Now she’s editor-in-chief at CBS. My latest for @msnbc.com www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/rc...
Bari Weiss brings her Trump-friendly sensibilities to CBS News
Paramount Skydance hired the anti-woke opinion journalist to run the venerable news organization — giving Trump an ally with a big legacy media platform.
www.msnbc.com
October 6, 2025 at 6:29 PM
In 2024, Bari Weiss explained why she no longer wanted to work at mainstream media organizations. She said it was a mistake to “delude yourself with the idea that you can transform them from within.”
Now she’s editor-in-chief at CBS. My latest for @msnbc.com www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/rc...
Now she’s editor-in-chief at CBS. My latest for @msnbc.com www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/rc...
American citizens aren’t raw material for military training, you psychopath
September 30, 2025 at 4:25 PM
American citizens aren’t raw material for military training, you psychopath
Reposted by Matt Johnson
Michael Shellenberger, expert on climate, the environment, whales, UFOs, energy, nuclear, censorship, free speech, homelessness, urban policy, drug abuse, trans medicine, philosophy, and the intelligence community, and Chair of Censorship Hoaxes at the University of Austin, is now a 9/11 Truther.
September 26, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Michael Shellenberger, expert on climate, the environment, whales, UFOs, energy, nuclear, censorship, free speech, homelessness, urban policy, drug abuse, trans medicine, philosophy, and the intelligence community, and Chair of Censorship Hoaxes at the University of Austin, is now a 9/11 Truther.
Reposted by Matt Johnson
This is it.
Cancel culture, but for real. The Twitter Files, but for real. Actual, unadulterated collusion between the government and media-owning corporations to censor Americans.
Shame on the MAGA libertarians and fake-heterodox civility cops who helped pave this road to authoritarianism.
Cancel culture, but for real. The Twitter Files, but for real. Actual, unadulterated collusion between the government and media-owning corporations to censor Americans.
Shame on the MAGA libertarians and fake-heterodox civility cops who helped pave this road to authoritarianism.
September 17, 2025 at 10:39 PM
This is it.
Cancel culture, but for real. The Twitter Files, but for real. Actual, unadulterated collusion between the government and media-owning corporations to censor Americans.
Shame on the MAGA libertarians and fake-heterodox civility cops who helped pave this road to authoritarianism.
Cancel culture, but for real. The Twitter Files, but for real. Actual, unadulterated collusion between the government and media-owning corporations to censor Americans.
Shame on the MAGA libertarians and fake-heterodox civility cops who helped pave this road to authoritarianism.
The MAGA response to the Kirk killing is a “moral panic, a moment of shameless hypocrisy and opportunism, an appalling assault on free speech and a level of government overreach that should send chills down the spine of any American.”
By @anthonylfisher.bsky.social www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
By @anthonylfisher.bsky.social www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Opinion | Charlie Kirk’s killing is a tragedy — the ‘reckoning’ is a moral panic
The Trump administration launched a crackdown on free expression under the false premise of fighting a vast conspiracy of violent “leftists.”
www.msnbc.com
September 17, 2025 at 3:52 PM
The MAGA response to the Kirk killing is a “moral panic, a moment of shameless hypocrisy and opportunism, an appalling assault on free speech and a level of government overreach that should send chills down the spine of any American.”
By @anthonylfisher.bsky.social www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
By @anthonylfisher.bsky.social www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
These senators had every last shred of information they needed to know that Kennedy’s confirmation would be a disaster for American health. They chose to placate Trump.
Suddenly they’re finding their courage when it’s too late.
Absolutely pathetic and contemptible. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/04/u...
Suddenly they’re finding their courage when it’s too late.
Absolutely pathetic and contemptible. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/04/u...
September 7, 2025 at 6:26 PM
These senators had every last shred of information they needed to know that Kennedy’s confirmation would be a disaster for American health. They chose to placate Trump.
Suddenly they’re finding their courage when it’s too late.
Absolutely pathetic and contemptible. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/04/u...
Suddenly they’re finding their courage when it’s too late.
Absolutely pathetic and contemptible. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/04/u...
We have now witnessed Trump’s Ukraine policy in action for eight months, and the results are disastrous because his ideas about the war—and foreign policy more broadly—are anything but realistic.
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
Trump’s pretend realpolitik
How America Firstism shrinks the United States' sphere of influence
open.substack.com
September 4, 2025 at 5:34 PM
We have now witnessed Trump’s Ukraine policy in action for eight months, and the results are disastrous because his ideas about the war—and foreign policy more broadly—are anything but realistic.
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
There’s no telling how long it will take the United States and its partners to rebuild the global aid infrastructure the Trump administration destroyed in a matter of months—or whether that infrastructure is gone for good.
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
The true cost of Trump’s war on foreign aid
The Trump administration's wanton destruction of foreign aid infrastructure may be irreparable
open.substack.com
August 26, 2025 at 4:55 PM
There’s no telling how long it will take the United States and its partners to rebuild the global aid infrastructure the Trump administration destroyed in a matter of months—or whether that infrastructure is gone for good.
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
Reposted by Matt Johnson
After all the scolding lectures on how the Trump administration was going to elevate hard-nosed “realism” over “moralistic garbage,” it turns out that those who urged Trump to maintain robust support for Kyiv were right all along.
As Trump Evolves on Ukraine, MAGA Won’t Admit It Was Wrong
The president’s “peace” plan failed, and his former supporters are conspicuously quiet.
www.thebulwark.com
August 8, 2025 at 8:00 AM
After all the scolding lectures on how the Trump administration was going to elevate hard-nosed “realism” over “moralistic garbage,” it turns out that those who urged Trump to maintain robust support for Kyiv were right all along.
Reposted by Matt Johnson
NEW: "Trump has been forced to concede that Russia is a much greater threat than he once believed. He is discovering that his fantasies of ending the conflict in twenty-four hours were based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Putin’s war aims."
www.thebulwark.com/p/as-trump-e...
www.thebulwark.com/p/as-trump-e...
As Trump Evolves on Ukraine, MAGA Won’t Admit It Was Wrong
The president’s “peace” plan failed, and his former supporters are conspicuously quiet.
www.thebulwark.com
August 7, 2025 at 2:40 PM
NEW: "Trump has been forced to concede that Russia is a much greater threat than he once believed. He is discovering that his fantasies of ending the conflict in twenty-four hours were based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Putin’s war aims."
www.thebulwark.com/p/as-trump-e...
www.thebulwark.com/p/as-trump-e...
Reposted by Matt Johnson
Trump at least sounds like he's making a bit of a U-turn on his soft-on-Russia approach to Ukraine. His supporters aren't exactly having it. New from Matt Johnson: www.thebulwark.com/p/as-trump-e...
As Trump Evolves on Ukraine, MAGA Won’t Admit It Was Wrong
The president’s “peace” plan failed, and his former supporters are conspicuously quiet.
www.thebulwark.com
August 7, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Trump at least sounds like he's making a bit of a U-turn on his soft-on-Russia approach to Ukraine. His supporters aren't exactly having it. New from Matt Johnson: www.thebulwark.com/p/as-trump-e...
The fact that Laura Loomer is an influential “loyalty enforcer” in the Trump administration tells you everything you need to know @anthonylfisher.bsky.social www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Opinion | Laura Loomer is bringing MAGA cancel culture to the White House
The far-right conspiracy theorist has taken credit for numerous high-level firings over what she claims is “disloyalty” to President Trump.
www.msnbc.com
August 3, 2025 at 3:40 PM
The fact that Laura Loomer is an influential “loyalty enforcer” in the Trump administration tells you everything you need to know @anthonylfisher.bsky.social www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Reposted by Matt Johnson
Leaders and faculty at Bari Weiss' University of Austin (UATX) enthusiastically cheered the Manhattan Institute's call for Trump to be the judge and jury of all of America's higher education institutions.
New column by @mattjj89.bsky.social at @msnbc.com
New column by @mattjj89.bsky.social at @msnbc.com
Opinion | The antiwoke academics supporting Trump’s takeover of higher education
A right-wing thing tank called for presidential control of colleges — and received enthusiastic support from leaders and faculty at the University of Austin.
www.msnbc.com
July 31, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Leaders and faculty at Bari Weiss' University of Austin (UATX) enthusiastically cheered the Manhattan Institute's call for Trump to be the judge and jury of all of America's higher education institutions.
New column by @mattjj89.bsky.social at @msnbc.com
New column by @mattjj89.bsky.social at @msnbc.com
Why did the University of Austin — which constantly touts its “fearless” commitment to academic freedom — declare its support for Trump’s assault on higher education?
My latest for @msnbc.com www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
My latest for @msnbc.com www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Opinion | The antiwoke academics supporting Trump’s takeover of higher education
A right-wing thing tank called for presidential control of colleges — and received enthusiastic support from leaders and faculty at the University of Austin.
www.msnbc.com
July 31, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Why did the University of Austin — which constantly touts its “fearless” commitment to academic freedom — declare its support for Trump’s assault on higher education?
My latest for @msnbc.com www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
My latest for @msnbc.com www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Reposted by Matt Johnson
Brilliant evisceration by @walterolson.bsky.social at @theunpopulist.net of this dumb and dangerous statement from what once used to be a respectable think tank. The Manhattan Institute has disgraced itself:
www.theunpopulist.net/p/a-manhatta...
www.theunpopulist.net/p/a-manhatta...
A Manhattan Institute Manifesto Would Give this President Sweeping Power to Force University Compliance with Right-Wing Demands
The statement is selling a naked ideological agenda as a defense of campus free speech
www.theunpopulist.net
July 22, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Brilliant evisceration by @walterolson.bsky.social at @theunpopulist.net of this dumb and dangerous statement from what once used to be a respectable think tank. The Manhattan Institute has disgraced itself:
www.theunpopulist.net/p/a-manhatta...
www.theunpopulist.net/p/a-manhatta...
Vance and Gabbard have discovered the one iron law of contemporary American politics: Joining forces with Trump means discarding your deepest principles to remain in good standing with the boss.
My latest for @thehill.com thehill.com/opinion/nati...
My latest for @thehill.com thehill.com/opinion/nati...
thehill.com
July 3, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Vance and Gabbard have discovered the one iron law of contemporary American politics: Joining forces with Trump means discarding your deepest principles to remain in good standing with the boss.
My latest for @thehill.com thehill.com/opinion/nati...
My latest for @thehill.com thehill.com/opinion/nati...
Despite the United States' recent show of strength in Iran, Trump remains committed to an America First foreign policy that mirrors authoritarian transactionalism instead of challenging it.
My latest in Persuasion www.persuasion.community/p/the-real-l...
My latest in Persuasion www.persuasion.community/p/the-real-l...
The Real Lesson of the Iran-Israel War
When things get tough, authoritarian states leave each other in the lurch.
www.persuasion.community
June 30, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Despite the United States' recent show of strength in Iran, Trump remains committed to an America First foreign policy that mirrors authoritarian transactionalism instead of challenging it.
My latest in Persuasion www.persuasion.community/p/the-real-l...
My latest in Persuasion www.persuasion.community/p/the-real-l...
Orwell wrote about the communist intellectuals who had to radically change their stated positions from day to day depending on whatever the party line happened to be in Moscow.
Trump has a similar effect on mindless drones like Kirk
Trump has a similar effect on mindless drones like Kirk
June 22, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Orwell wrote about the communist intellectuals who had to radically change their stated positions from day to day depending on whatever the party line happened to be in Moscow.
Trump has a similar effect on mindless drones like Kirk
Trump has a similar effect on mindless drones like Kirk
Reposted by Matt Johnson
The Tragedy of Elon Musk
www.persuasion.community/p/the-traged...
www.persuasion.community/p/the-traged...
The Tragedy of Elon Musk
He not only squandered the opportunity to sensibly reform government. His antics have ruined the reputation of electric vehicles.
www.persuasion.community
May 31, 2025 at 1:49 PM
The Tragedy of Elon Musk
www.persuasion.community/p/the-traged...
www.persuasion.community/p/the-traged...
There’s only one explanation for the enactment of Trump’s dangerous, erratic, and politically self-destructive economic policies: the Republican Party is now a cult of personality run by a capricious and incompetent authoritarian.
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
The real reason Trump's tax bill is 'historic'
Trump has single-handedly shoved the United States to the brink of economic calamity
open.substack.com
May 30, 2025 at 1:56 PM
There’s only one explanation for the enactment of Trump’s dangerous, erratic, and politically self-destructive economic policies: the Republican Party is now a cult of personality run by a capricious and incompetent authoritarian.
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...
My latest, no paywall open.substack.com/pub/mattjj/p...