Elizabeth Saunders

Elizabeth N. Saunders

@profsaunders.bsky.social

22K followers 3.4K following 3K posts

Professor of Political Science & Director of the Saltzman Institute of War & Peace Studies, Columbia. New Book: The Insiders' Game: How Elites Make War and Peace https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691215808/the-insiders-game .. more

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Biology 52%

Environmental science 20%

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Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · Feb 5

Hard to think through problems when we are in a mode where the current problem gets eaten by a bigger problem within hours.

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

Abu Aardvark @abuaardvark.bsky.social · 14h

The RFK number seems like a massive failure of the media to explain what RFK is doing to our public health system and how catastrophic it will be

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 1d

Net favorability of how Americans view
Trump: -18
Hegseth: -15
Vance: -14
Rubio: -10
RFK Jr: -4
www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

How Americans view key members of the Trump administration

A 58% majority say they have an unfavorable view of President Donald Trump, and 40% have a favorable view.

www.pewresearch.org

Reposted by Marc Lynch, Elizabeth Saunders, Scott A. Imberman , and 1 more Marc Lynch, Elizabeth Saunders, Scott A. Imberman, Dan Immergluck

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 1d

Net favorability of how Americans view
Trump: -18
Hegseth: -15
Vance: -14
Rubio: -10
RFK Jr: -4
www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

How Americans view key members of the Trump administration

A 58% majority say they have an unfavorable view of President Donald Trump, and 40% have a favorable view.

www.pewresearch.org

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

The Chalkboard Politics Podcast @chalkboardpolitics.bsky.social · 1d

What are tariffs, really? They’re talked about everywhere — in politics, in the news, in classes — but what’s the simple explanation?

Tune in to hear Professor @jafrieden.bsky.social define a tariff!

Listen: goodauthority.org/news/will-ta...

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

Edward Wong @ewong.bsky.social · 1d

Rubio's speech in Munich warned of the "civilizational erasure" of Europe and the ills of "mass migration." He said the US aims to save European culture. And he pushed for more defense spending. Rubio hit these themes in a friendlier tone than Vance. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/w...

Rubio Stresses Shared History to Europeans but Warns of ‘Civilizational Erasure’ in Munich

www.nytimes.com

Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 1d

The nation’s top diplomat, diplomatting

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

Rubio just made a speech to the European defense community in Munich that did not mention Ukraine. Or democracy. Or US business deals with Russia. Or the administration's plans to support the European far right. But there were lots of nice words about our common civilization.

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Steve Peers, Andrew Watt , and 5 more Elizabeth Saunders, Steve Peers, Andrew Watt, Robert Wolfe, Jacky Fayolle, Lars Clausen, Steven Fielding, James Cameron

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Elizabeth Saunders, Rebecca Solnit , and 27 more Ben H. Ansell, Elizabeth Saunders, Rebecca Solnit, Axel Bruns, Gavin A. Schmidt, John R. Hutchinson, Scott L. Greer, Steve Peers, John McLaren, Samuel L. Perry, Mary Feeney, Rosemary A. Joyce, Jesse Rothstein, American Library Association, Ian Campbell, Richard Waite, Karen Benjamin Guzzo, Rebecca Tushnet, Alan Richardson, Aaron Sojourner, Stephen D. Murphy, Allison Eden, Christina Pagel, Nicole Guenther Discenza, Suzanne Conklin Akbari, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Jeannette Sutton, David Darmofal, Peter Jacobs, Katherine Siegel

Mike Hixenbaugh @mikehixenbaugh.com · 2d

On Thanksgiving, the immigrant children held at the Dilley detention center gathered in the gym for what they thought was a holiday feast.

The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.

But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.

On Nov. 16, a mental health counselor recorded in Kamilla’s medical records that her mother reported the girl had lost her appetite after being “served food that contained worms.”

A week later, the couple said, children were told to gather in the gym for what they believed would be a Thanksgiving celebration. Excitement spread as families saw tables set with turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, they said. The children waited expectantly. But when a parent asked when the celebration would begin, Oksana said, staff told them the holiday meal was for employees, not detainees.

The children, she said, watched despondently as the feast was packed away.

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 2d

Fucking bullshit 🔭🧪 gizmodo.com/white-house-...

White House Withholds Funding for NASA Science Missions Despite Recent Budget Bill

NASA has been forced to pause funds for Chandra X-Ray Observatory and other missions until further notice.

gizmodo.com

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

Good Authority @goodauth.bsky.social · 2d

In the latest episode of Chalkboard Politics,
@jafrieden.bsky.social talks about what makes Trump’s tariffs different this time.

Will tariffs unravel the global economic order? 🎧

Listen: goodauthority.org/news/will-ta...

✍️ @profsaunders.bsky.social

Will tariffs unravel the global economic order? 🎧

Donald Trump has declared himself the “tariff king.” Though Trump has backed away from some of his most extreme tariff […]

goodauthority.org

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

Carla Martinez Machain @carlammm.bsky.social · 3d

"And rather than rallying resistance, academic administrators are aiding and abetting a hostile takeover of higher education."

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/o...

Opinion | A.I. Companies Are Eating Higher Education

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

Abu Aardvark @abuaardvark.bsky.social · 3d

Wrapped up my northeast corridor tour with a great conversation with Rob Malley at Yale. All 3 talks were mostly attended by student. Their careful attention and thoughtful questions remind me again how much the campus catastrophism of last two years was driven by external groups more than students.

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

The Chalkboard Politics Podcast @chalkboardpolitics.bsky.social · 3d

In our newest episode, Paul and Gulnaz sit down with Professor Jeffry Frieden to discuss whether Trump’s tariffs will ultimately decenter the U.S. in the global economy, and what a potential re-ordering could look like.

Some of this episode’s main themes include:

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

Jeff Frieden @jafrieden.bsky.social · 3d

“Will tariffs unravel the global economic order?” I spoke with Chalkboard Politics (and a couple of former students) about what’s American trade policy and world trade more generally. The podcast is now live on Podbean, Apple Podcasts and Spotify, for example goodauthority.org/news/will-ta...

Will tariffs unravel the global economic order? 🎧

Donald Trump has declared himself the “tariff king.” Though Trump has backed away from some of his most extreme tariff […]

goodauthority.org

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies @siwpscolumbia.bsky.social · 3d

Will tariffs unravel the global economic order? 🎧

In a new episode of @chalkboardpolitics.bsky.social, students speak with Columbia Professor Jeffry Frieden about Trump’s tariffs and their implications for the international trading system.

@goodauth.bsky.social ⬇️ goodauthority.org/news/will-ta...

Will tariffs unravel the global economic order? 🎧

Donald Trump has declared himself the “tariff king.” Though Trump has backed away from some of his most extreme tariff […]

goodauthority.org

Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 3d

IR profs looking for a primer on tariffs for classes, this is amazingly useful. 👇👇👇

Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 3d

🎧 New episode of @chalkboardpolitics.bsky.social just dropped. The student producers interview Jeff Frieden on tariffs and the global economic order. A very useful overview from one of the best. Listen on @goodauth.bsky.social feed wherever you get your podcasts. goodauthority.org/news/will-ta...

Will tariffs unravel the global economic order? 🎧

Donald Trump has declared himself the “tariff king.” Though Trump has backed away from some of his most extreme tariff […]

goodauthority.org

Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 3d

Episode now live! goodauthority.org/news/will-ta...

Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 3d

Congrats to the @siwpscolumbia.bsky.social students who produced this episode from start to finish, including the audio editing. And thanks to @dadakim.bsky.social and @goodauth.bsky.social for getting the episode live.

Reposted by Daniel W. Drezner

Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 3d

Will tariffs unravel the global economic order? 🎧

Donald Trump has declared himself the “tariff king.” Though Trump has backed away from some of his most extreme tariff […]

goodauthority.org

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

Geoffrey A. Fowler @geoffreyfowler.bsky.social · 3d

NEW by me: ChatGPT thinks the South has stupider people.
It thinks sub-Saharan Africa has the worst-quality food on earth.
And it thinks the whiter your neighborhood, the more attractive the people.
New research lets you see ChatGPT's hidden biases about YOUR community. 🧵
bit.ly/4asLD0x

ChatGPT thinks your state is dumb. Or lazy. Or ugly. See for yourself.

Making ChatGPT’s bias visible — and personal — is powerful.

geoffreyfowler.substack.com

Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 4d

Brought to you by the guy who looped a reporter into the bombing group chat.

Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 4d

On X, Jennifer Griffin (Fox News Channel) quotes a U.S. official:

"the directed energy/laser counter drone technology was in CBP's control when the balloon was mistakenly shot down near El Paso, Texas earlier this week."

[Don't @ me. Griffin is an excellent reporter.]
URL: x.com/JenGriffinFN...

Jennifer Griffin
@JenGriffinFNC

“According to a U.S. official, the directed energy/laser counter drone technology was in CBP's control when the balloon was mistakenly shot down near El Paso, Texas earlier this week,” per Fox’s @Liz_Friden

“In January, Defense Secretary Hegseth signed an agreement for the Pentagon to loan the directed energy counter drone platform to DHS, the U.S. official tells Fox News. The official said the agreement was signed sometime in the last 30 days.

Following the shoot down is when FAA closed the airspace, the official said.”

EDIT: A U.S. official could not go into specifics about what exactly the technology used by the U.S. military is, but said directed energy/lasers is accurate to use.

5:37 PM · Feb 11, 2026 · 408.9K Views

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 4d

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Nandita Sharma, David R. Miller , and 2 more Elizabeth Saunders, Nandita Sharma, David R. Miller, Graham Webster, David Darmofal

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 4d

BREAKING: The Pentagon let Customs and Border Protection use an anti-drone laser before the FAA closed El Paso airspace, AP sources say.

FAA closes airspace around El Paso, Texas, for 10 days, grounding all flights

The Federal Aviation Administration is closing the airspace around El Paso International Airport in Texas for 10 days, grounding all flights to and from the airport.

bit.ly

Reposted by Marc Lynch, Elizabeth Saunders, Richard S.J. Tol , and 7 more Marc Lynch, Elizabeth Saunders, Richard S.J. Tol, Linda J. Skitka, Ian Hall, Kate Starbird, Stuart White, Gerry Hassan, Aidan O’Sullivan, Dunlap

Steve Herman @newsguy.bsky.social · 4d

Gallup announces, after 88 years, it will no longer track public approval of presidents. Trump's second-term approval rating fell to 36% in December, among the lowest ever recorded by the company. The president repeatedly has threatened to sue media and polling firms that portray him negatively.

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Scott L. Greer, Melanie C. Green , and 2 more Elizabeth Saunders, Scott L. Greer, Melanie C. Green, Jacob T. Levy, Samantha Brennan

Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 4d

So DOD risked civilian airspace to obliterate some fucking balloons; when FAA found out and asked them to stop they refused; FAA did what it had to keep people safe; when the public rightly freaked out, DOD relented, lied, and blamed the FAA.

Sounds like Hegseth!

www.cnn.com/2026/02/11/u...

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Richard M. Carpiano

Lance Ellisor @ellisor.net · 4d

seems almost certain we’ll later find out they were coerced

thehill.com/homenews/med...

Gallup will no longer measure presidential approval after 88 years

Reposted by David R. Miller

Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 4d

Ah, there it is. Good luck with the next time they need to do something like this.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4d

MS NOW: "A congressional official with knowledge of the matter is telling MS NOW the cause of the shutdown of El Paso airspace is a lack of communication between the Pentagon and FAA. The official told us the FAA and DOD are 'not in clear communications with each other.'"