Sarah Posner
@sarahposner.bsky.social
Investigative journalist, columnist, expert on the Christian right.
Author, Unholy. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/605774/unholy-by-sarah-posner/
More info, links: https://www.sarahposner.com/portfolio
Author, Unholy. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/605774/unholy-by-sarah-posner/
More info, links: https://www.sarahposner.com/portfolio
Pinned
Sarah Posner
@sarahposner.bsky.social
· Sep 5
I'm here for all manner of publishing trends and literary takes. Bring it on! (Or maybe I'll start something...?)
Reposted by Sarah Posner
Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group , which operates the president’s Truth Social platform, have tumbled 75% since Trump’s inauguration. Digital “meme coins” named for Trump and first lady Melania Trump are down 86% and 99% since Inauguration Day… etc.
www.wsj.com/finance/stoc...
www.wsj.com/finance/stoc...
Since Trump’s Return, Bets on His Brand Have Soured
Stocks and cryptocurrencies tied to the president and his family have tumbled amid a broader rout of riskier assets.
www.wsj.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group , which operates the president’s Truth Social platform, have tumbled 75% since Trump’s inauguration. Digital “meme coins” named for Trump and first lady Melania Trump are down 86% and 99% since Inauguration Day… etc.
www.wsj.com/finance/stoc...
www.wsj.com/finance/stoc...
Reposted by Sarah Posner
“The underling who reached out to me is trying to influence the election on my dime. He’s on my payroll, he’s on your payroll and he’s campaigning on company time. That’s a violation of the Hatch Act. He’s a federal employee. He works in the White House. Does anyone care about the rules anymore?”
Indiana Senate Republican Greg Walker “said he would have reported the alleged violation to federal authorities “if I thought that there was anyone of integrity in Washington that would follow through on my accusation ..”
@adamwren.bsky.social #redistrict
dailyjournal.net/2025/11/26/s...
@adamwren.bsky.social #redistrict
dailyjournal.net/2025/11/26/s...
November 29, 2025 at 5:16 PM
“The underling who reached out to me is trying to influence the election on my dime. He’s on my payroll, he’s on your payroll and he’s campaigning on company time. That’s a violation of the Hatch Act. He’s a federal employee. He works in the White House. Does anyone care about the rules anymore?”
Reposted by Sarah Posner
Professor Jack Goldsmith, head of George W. Bush Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC):
"I do not believe that even the Bondi OLC could legally justify the events the Post reported."
"There can be no conceivable legal justification for what the Washington Post reported."
"I do not believe that even the Bondi OLC could legally justify the events the Post reported."
"There can be no conceivable legal justification for what the Washington Post reported."
A Dishonorable Strike
Indulging all assumptions in favor of the administration’s boat strikes, killing helpless men is murder
www.execfunctions.org/p/a-dishonor...
Indulging all assumptions in favor of the administration’s boat strikes, killing helpless men is murder
www.execfunctions.org/p/a-dishonor...
A Dishonorable Strike
Indulging all assumptions in favor of the administration’s boat strikes, killing helpless men is murder
www.execfunctions.org
November 29, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Professor Jack Goldsmith, head of George W. Bush Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC):
"I do not believe that even the Bondi OLC could legally justify the events the Post reported."
"There can be no conceivable legal justification for what the Washington Post reported."
"I do not believe that even the Bondi OLC could legally justify the events the Post reported."
"There can be no conceivable legal justification for what the Washington Post reported."
Reposted by Sarah Posner
This is one advantage of having the historical memory of authoritarianism, as I have from Brazil: you know that, when the regime is gone, the people who collaborated and acquiesced look terrible in retrospect. It may look reasonable and justifiable now, but believe me, it will age like milk.
November 29, 2025 at 3:34 PM
This is one advantage of having the historical memory of authoritarianism, as I have from Brazil: you know that, when the regime is gone, the people who collaborated and acquiesced look terrible in retrospect. It may look reasonable and justifiable now, but believe me, it will age like milk.
Reposted by Sarah Posner
Look, every single “deal” reached by a university with the Trump administration is a moral stain that will be seen with deep embarrassment once we’re through this. But for Northwestern to do this now, when the administration is visibly weakened, is even more shameful and inexcusable.
November 29, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Look, every single “deal” reached by a university with the Trump administration is a moral stain that will be seen with deep embarrassment once we’re through this. But for Northwestern to do this now, when the administration is visibly weakened, is even more shameful and inexcusable.
Reposted by Sarah Posner
"If you look at job growth between January and September ... for the past 15 years, it's only been worse once, and that was during the pandemic ... It is the worst first nine months for the labor market in 15 years."
November 28, 2025 at 10:56 PM
"If you look at job growth between January and September ... for the past 15 years, it's only been worse once, and that was during the pandemic ... It is the worst first nine months for the labor market in 15 years."
Reposted by Sarah Posner
Right. This is normally a prelude to imminent war. But no one knows if the us president is serious or had a bad breakfast or is making an insane joke or had a stroke or whatever.
This seems like the kind of declaration by a U.S. president that should be mentioned *somewhere* on the front page of CNN or the NY Times, but the fact that it isn't (as of right now) tells us so much both about how this president is covered and the credibility of the U.S. government.
Might be kicking off.
November 29, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Right. This is normally a prelude to imminent war. But no one knows if the us president is serious or had a bad breakfast or is making an insane joke or had a stroke or whatever.
Reposted by Sarah Posner
This is genuinely big news. Shldnt be but is. Republicans are challenging Trump now because he seems weak. No one wantst to back a weak horse. Trump looks like the weak horse.
November 29, 2025 at 3:00 PM
This is genuinely big news. Shldnt be but is. Republicans are challenging Trump now because he seems weak. No one wantst to back a weak horse. Trump looks like the weak horse.
Reposted by Sarah Posner
I know you already know, but for other folks who don't, Goldsmith was previously head of OLC, is a genuinely brilliant mind on executive authority and separation of powers, and is usually very cautious about making claims this unqualified and direct. That he is saying it so starkly is v significant
November 29, 2025 at 5:54 AM
I know you already know, but for other folks who don't, Goldsmith was previously head of OLC, is a genuinely brilliant mind on executive authority and separation of powers, and is usually very cautious about making claims this unqualified and direct. That he is saying it so starkly is v significant
Reposted by Sarah Posner
“Should we follow the Geneva Conventions?” Pete Hegseth asked in 2024.
It’s almost as if there were signs!
bsky.app/profile/anna...
It’s almost as if there were signs!
bsky.app/profile/anna...
November 29, 2025 at 3:05 AM
“Should we follow the Geneva Conventions?” Pete Hegseth asked in 2024.
It’s almost as if there were signs!
bsky.app/profile/anna...
It’s almost as if there were signs!
bsky.app/profile/anna...
Reposted by Sarah Posner
Finally getting some theological clarity on the ethics of reclining in one’s plane seat
November 29, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Finally getting some theological clarity on the ethics of reclining in one’s plane seat
Reposted by Sarah Posner
Not stooping to “department of war” nonsense either, it’s good to see.
November 29, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Not stooping to “department of war” nonsense either, it’s good to see.
Reposted by Sarah Posner
This is one of the most important exposés published in WSJ in several years, and it derives from intercepts and analyses by foreign intelligence services studying the conduct of Trump and his inner team. It's first and foremost a wake up call to the people of the United States.
Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine
The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace through business. To Europe’s dismay, the president and his envoy are on board.
www.wsj.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:44 PM
This is one of the most important exposés published in WSJ in several years, and it derives from intercepts and analyses by foreign intelligence services studying the conduct of Trump and his inner team. It's first and foremost a wake up call to the people of the United States.
Reposted by Sarah Posner
A polling thread:
- Support for Trump and the GOP has collapsed over the past few months
- He is now regularly polling in the mid 30s
- Attacking Venezuela more unpopular than his handing of inflation
- Consent of the governed has been withdrawn, regime may be facing a legitimacy crisis 👇
- Support for Trump and the GOP has collapsed over the past few months
- He is now regularly polling in the mid 30s
- Attacking Venezuela more unpopular than his handing of inflation
- Consent of the governed has been withdrawn, regime may be facing a legitimacy crisis 👇
Trump drops 11 points - 11 points! - in the past month in Gallup. Just a staggering decline. 1/
Gallup poll | 11/3-11/25
President Trump approval
Disapprove 60% (+6)
Approve 36% (-5)
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
President Trump approval
Disapprove 60% (+6)
Approve 36% (-5)
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
November 29, 2025 at 2:16 PM
A polling thread:
- Support for Trump and the GOP has collapsed over the past few months
- He is now regularly polling in the mid 30s
- Attacking Venezuela more unpopular than his handing of inflation
- Consent of the governed has been withdrawn, regime may be facing a legitimacy crisis 👇
- Support for Trump and the GOP has collapsed over the past few months
- He is now regularly polling in the mid 30s
- Attacking Venezuela more unpopular than his handing of inflation
- Consent of the governed has been withdrawn, regime may be facing a legitimacy crisis 👇
Potentially world-altering levels of brazen corruption by Trump, his cronies, and family
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine
The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace through business. To Europe’s dismay, the president and his envoy are on board.
www.wsj.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Potentially world-altering levels of brazen corruption by Trump, his cronies, and family
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
Reposted by Sarah Posner
November 26, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Reposted by Sarah Posner
'The Rise and Fall of the Dim-Wit Plan. The latest iteration of a "secret US-Russia peace plan for Ukraine" would have been funny, if it wasn't so cruel to Ukraine.' minnalander.substack.com/p/the-rise-a...
The Rise and Fall of the Dim-Wit Plan
The latest iteration of a "secret US-Russia peace plan for Ukraine" would have been funny, if it wasn't so cruel to Ukraine.
minnalander.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:36 PM
'The Rise and Fall of the Dim-Wit Plan. The latest iteration of a "secret US-Russia peace plan for Ukraine" would have been funny, if it wasn't so cruel to Ukraine.' minnalander.substack.com/p/the-rise-a...
Reposted by Sarah Posner
The juice is gone
November 26, 2025 at 2:03 PM
The juice is gone
Reposted by Sarah Posner
HUGE win for @uam-umd.bsky.social this week!
We @uam-umd.bsky.social won. Faculty packed town halls, talked to their colleagues and collected hundreds of petition signatures. Now UMD is coughing up $8.75m, during a deficit, to fund faculty whose research is under attack. Not enough, but a helluva thing for a union the state calls illegal.
$8.75M Investment Supports ‘Research Resilience’… | Maryland Today
UMD, MPower Funds Combine to Help Preserve Institutional Capabilities, Lab Operations and More
today.umd.edu
November 26, 2025 at 2:37 PM
HUGE win for @uam-umd.bsky.social this week!
Reposted by Sarah Posner
This is all so ludicrously improper and meritless on so many levels, I'd bet the likelier result is nothing more comes of it beyond this purely performative bluster, because Hegseth has no idea what he's doing and they'd struggle to find literally anybody in uniform willing to move forward with it.
November 24, 2025 at 7:36 PM
This is all so ludicrously improper and meritless on so many levels, I'd bet the likelier result is nothing more comes of it beyond this purely performative bluster, because Hegseth has no idea what he's doing and they'd struggle to find literally anybody in uniform willing to move forward with it.
Reposted by Sarah Posner
America needs more patriots like Senator Mark Kelly and fewer miserable cowards like Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth.
Sen. Mark Kelly facing military investigation after clashing with Trump
A statement from the Pentagon said all service members have a "legal obligation" to "obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful."
www.axios.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:36 PM
America needs more patriots like Senator Mark Kelly and fewer miserable cowards like Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth.
"the idea that Republicans could lose their majority this Congress is no longer far-fetched. If Johnson were to lose another House Republican in the middle of this term to retirement, death or illness, there’s a decent chance that the GOP can end up in the minority at some point in 2026."
☀️TOP in @punchbowlnews.bsky.social AM: MTG announced the end of her House career Friday night in a manifesto, of sorts, that was stinging for House Republicans. Why? Because the message rang true to so many in the House GOP.
Full story:
punchbowl.news/article/hous...
Full story:
punchbowl.news/article/hous...
What MTG got right
MTG’s four-page note was stinging for House Republicans. Why? Because the message rang true to so many in the House GOP.
punchbowl.news
November 24, 2025 at 6:53 PM
"the idea that Republicans could lose their majority this Congress is no longer far-fetched. If Johnson were to lose another House Republican in the middle of this term to retirement, death or illness, there’s a decent chance that the GOP can end up in the minority at some point in 2026."
Reposted by Sarah Posner
Doing some reading up on this - and you know who the Pentagon didn't go after? Jan. 6 offenders who were retired military. www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontli...
November 24, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Doing some reading up on this - and you know who the Pentagon didn't go after? Jan. 6 offenders who were retired military. www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontli...
Reposted by Sarah Posner
Note that Judge Currie cited this case for her decision that you unwind Lindsey's actions.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
![“When an appointment violates the Appointments Clause from the jump, the actor has
‘exercise[d] power that [she] did not lawfully possess.’” United States v. Giraud, No. 1:24-CR00768, 2025 WL 2196794, at *8 (D.N.J. Aug. 1, 2025) (Giraud I) (alterations in original) (quoting
Collins, 594 U.S. at 258); see also Collins, 594 U.S. at 276 (Gorsuch, J., concurring in part)
(explaining that when an officer is “unconstitutionally appointed,” “governmental action is taken
by someone erroneously claiming the mantle of executive power — and thus taken with no
authority at all”); id. at 266 (Thomas, J., concurring) (“[A]n officer must be properly appointed
before he can legally act as an officer.”). In such a case, “the proper remedy is invalidation of the
ultra vires action[s]” taken by the actor. United States v. Trump, 740 F. Supp. 3d 1245, 1302 (S.D. Fla. 2024). “Invalidation ‘follows directly from the government actor’s lack of authority to take
the challenged action in the first place. That is, winning the merits of the constitutional challenge
is enough.’” Id. (quoting Consumer Fin. Prot. Bureau v. All Am. Check Cashing, Inc., 33 F.4th
218, 241 (5th Cir. 2022) (Jones, J., concurring)).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:bbp2b224lro3bfnzcqwwnkfo/bafkreig4hnndskansst2z63a5t7m27wut2idqfcqwirru2zurmyjjszdhm@jpeg)
November 24, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Note that Judge Currie cited this case for her decision that you unwind Lindsey's actions.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Sarah Posner
Sen. Mark Kelly has released a statement.
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
November 24, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Sen. Mark Kelly has released a statement.
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."