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Anne Applebaum

@anneapplebaum.bsky.social

400K followers 540 following 1.4K posts

staff writer @theatlantic.com and senior fellow @snfagora.bsky.social. author of GULAG, IRON CURTAIN, RED FAMINE, TWILIGHT OF DEMOCRACY and AUTOCRACY INC https://linktr.ee/anneapplebaum

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Anne Elizabeth Applebaum is an American journalist and historian. She has written about the history of Communism and the development of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe. She became a Polish citizen in 2013. .. more

Political science 48%

Sociology 16%

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · Aug 26

Paperback, with new preface, available TODAY
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/725302...

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 6h

yes

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 6h

"Many obstacles remain" to peace in the Middle East. Indeed.
wapo.st/3KY6D65

Analysis | Trump, hailing a ‘new Middle East,’ avoids many of the hard questions ahead

In touting his Gaza ceasefire win, the president projected optimism for a wider peace while sidestepping the many obstacles that remain.

wapo.st

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Michael Gentile

Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 15h

Trump’s everlasting peace in the Middle East held for 24 hours, so now he has to defend Hamas killing people to keep his Nobel Prize hopes alive.

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Joanna Bryson, Rebecca Solnit , and 4 more Anne Applebaum, Joanna Bryson, Rebecca Solnit, Jane Lydon, Jane E. Fountain, Sanford F. Schram, Mélissa Mialon

50501: The People’s Movement ❌👑 @50501movement.bsky.social · 17h

Please remind us who the domestic terrorists are again.

Photo from Chicago: DHS militarized agent holding a gun up directly in someone’s face as the victim has their hands up, pleading for them not to shoot.

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 18h

yes

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 18h

In other words, it's isn't support for the people of Argentina, it's support for an ideologically approved regime

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 19h

Trump says US support for Argentina is ‘gone’ if Milei suffers election losses on.ft.com/3L8Y0Wi

Trump says US support for Argentina is ‘gone’ if Milei suffers election losses

President suggests $20bn swap line is contingent on libertarian’s victory in midterm elections

on.ft.com

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 19h

Trump says US support for Argentina is ‘gone’ if Milei suffers election losses on.ft.com/3L8Y0Wi

Trump says US support for Argentina is ‘gone’ if Milei suffers election losses

President suggests $20bn swap line is contingent on libertarian’s victory in midterm elections

on.ft.com

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Will Jennings, Daniel W. Drezner , and 4 more Anne Applebaum, Will Jennings, Daniel W. Drezner, Alan Richardson, Michael Zimmer, Mark Rice, David Darmofal

Mike Masnick @mmasnick.bsky.social · 1d

I seem to recall that it was the biggest 1st Amendment attack in American history when the Biden admin alerted social media companies to some content and said "hey does this violate your policies?" Will Matt Taibbi, Michael Shellenberger and (lol) CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss call this out?

Tweet from Pam Bondi:

Today following outreach from
@thejusticedept
, Facebook removed a large group page that was being used to dox and target
@ICEgov
agents in Chicago.

The wave of violence against ICE has been driven by online apps and social media campaigns designed to put ICE officers at risk just for doing their jobs. The Department of Justice will continue engaging tech companies to eliminate platforms where radicals can incite imminent violence against federal law enforcement.

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

did you read the article?

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

"The image of the ugly American always competed with the image of the generous American. Now that the latter has disappeared, the only Americans anyone can see are the ones trying to rip you off."

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Reposted by Charles W. Stewart, David Johnson, David R. Miller , and 1 more Charles W. Stewart, David Johnson, David R. Miller, Aaron Sojourner

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

"We always think about America’s postwar role in Europe as an act of great generosity, the defense of allies from Soviet aggression. But by putting democracy at the center of our international identity, we also helped strengthen our own political system"
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

The Beacon of Democracy Goes Dark

For nearly 250 years, America promoted freedom and equality abroad, even when it failed to live up to those ideals itself. Not anymore.

www.theatlantic.com

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

Yes

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

open.substack.com/pub/anneappl...

Manufactured Drama

ICE violence in Chicago is real, but it's also made for Instagram

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Norbert Schwarz, Mark Rice, Colin Woodard , and 1 more Norbert Schwarz, Mark Rice, Colin Woodard, Virginia Sapiro

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

This is exactly right: it's real violence, but a performance at the same time

Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 1d

You need to see this:

“The show of force is the point. They want these images to be out…The Department of Homeland Security is walking around Chicago with a film crew.” @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks

Reposted by Anne Applebaum

Darth Putin @darthputinkgb.bsky.social · 1d

OTD in 2002 🇺🇦 began decommissioning its nuclear capable Tu-22 strategic bombers & Kh-22 cruise missiles, as per the Budapest memo.

30 bombers & 230 missiles were destroyed over 2 & half years in exchange for promise 🇷🇺 would never invade.

But you can believe our promises now

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Anna O. Law, Dunlap

Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 1d

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Nandita Sharma, Steve Peers , and 4 more Anne Applebaum, Nandita Sharma, Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce, Laurent Pech, Robert C. Richards, Mark Rice

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 1d

The entire incident is infuriating and terrifying. She’s a Latina woman who was working a service job. On her way home late at night, with her headphones in, she was detained for an hour by masked federal agents who wouldn’t give her their names.

Maria Greeley, 44, had just finished working a double shift at the Beach Bar on Ohio Street
earlier this month when she said she was surrounded by three federal agents who grabbed her, forced her hands behind her back and zip tied her.
Headphones in, Greeley had been focused on getting home to her two dogs for a walk.
Instead, she said she was detained by masked agents who did not answer when she asked for names. They questioned her for an hour, she said.

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

Who was president in 2020? There appears to be a concerted effort to get you to forget

www.cnn.com/2025/10/13/p...

‘Who was president in 2020?’ Trump and GOP want you to think it was Biden | CNN Politics

If you asked people what the worst one-year period in recent American history was, it’s a good bet that many would choose roughly between January 2020 and January 2021.

www.cnn.com

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Rebecca Solnit, Mor Naaman , and 3 more Anne Applebaum, Rebecca Solnit, Mor Naaman, David R. Miller, Mark Rice, Manisha Sinha

The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 1d

Across the country, airports are refusing to air a video from the Homeland Security chief blaming Democrats for the shutdown. trib.al/tw3Hd3X

Airports Are Pushing Back Against Kristi Noem’s Shutdown Propaganda

Across the country, airports are refusing to air a video from the Homeland Security chief blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

trib.al

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Michael D. McDonald, Anne Norton , and 2 more Anne Applebaum, Michael D. McDonald, Anne Norton, Wendy Pearlman, David Darmofal

Ruth Delgado @heylookitsruth.bsky.social · 1d

A mom in Houston reported her 15-year-old son with autism missing. She spent 6 days terrified, searching for him. The whole time, Houston police knew exactly where he was since they helped ICE place him in a refugee facility.

This is beyond cruel.
www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Missing teen with autism transferred to refugee facility by HPD

He is currently being held at an Office for Refugee Resettlement facility.

www.houstonchronicle.com

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Cary L. Cooper

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Nandita Sharma, Pamela Samuelson , and 2 more Anne Applebaum, Nandita Sharma, Pamela Samuelson, Aaron Sojourner, Anne Norton

José Sepúlveda @josesepulveda.bsky.social · 2d

ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the 94 million pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the #Trump administration’s cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program.

My latest video for @propublica.org.

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Linda R. Tropp, Andreas Ortmann , and 3 more Anne Applebaum, Linda R. Tropp, Andreas Ortmann, Rosemary A. Joyce, Sanford F. Schram, Anne Norton

Home of the Brave @ofthebraveusa.bsky.social · 2d

On October 18th, millions of brave Americans will stand up and peacefully protest against the authoritarian disease metastasizing under Donald Trump.

No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings. @gtconway.bsky.social

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Kim L. Scheppele, Steve Peers

Julie DiCaro @juliedicaro.bsky.social · 2d

So Kilmer Abrego-Garcia will not challenge a deportation to Costa Rica, who has agreed to for him residency, but DHS won’t agree to send him there because it’s not cruel enough.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

For weeks, Mr. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who is married to a U.S. citizen, has made clear that he would not challenge his deportation if he were sent to Costa Rica, which has promised him legal residency and guaranteed that he would not be sent back to El Salvador.

But the Trump administration has refused to deport him to Costa Rica, and in an earlier hearing this week, Judge Xinis pressed the administration to consider the option or clarify why it was unacceptable.

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Andrew Curry, Michelle Everson , and 4 more Anne Applebaum, Andrew Curry, Michelle Everson, Scott A. Imberman, Samantha Brennan, Prakash Kashwan, David Spurrett

Jacob T. Levy @jacobtlevy.bsky.social · 3d

The deportation order derives from the crime of which he has now been exonerated.

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

He was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years. Moments after being released, ICE took him

Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam now faces deportation.

www.miamiherald.com

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, John Horgan, Jane E. Fountain , and 4 more Anne Applebaum, John Horgan, Jane E. Fountain, Rebecca Tushnet, Stacy D. VanDeveer, Anne Norton, Michael J. Hicks

Tom Joscelyn @tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 3d

“I spent three nights and three days in federal custody. During that time, I was never told what I was charged with, was not allowed to shower despite being covered in tear gas and pepper spray, had no phone call to my family, and no access to an attorney.” - George Retes, U.S. citizen and veteran.

I’m a US citizen and a veteran. ICE arrested me for no reason.

Jailed for three days without an explanation or ability to notify anyone, George Retes argues the only path to healing starts with the government taking accountability for its actions.

newsletter.ofthebrave.org

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Elizabeth Stokoe, Edgar Morgenroth , and 3 more Anne Applebaum, Elizabeth Stokoe, Edgar Morgenroth, Lyndsey Stonebridge, David Bartram, Vaughan S. Roberts

Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 3d

NEW: The British politician, his Russian intelligence handler & a Kremlin plot against the US & Ukraine.

My new piece about Nathan Gill and Nigel Farage for @thenerve_news in which we ask:

Why, even now, is no-one asking questions?

t.co/BUTtpK9C4S

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Dominique Reynie

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Steve Peers, John Palfrey

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 3d

The Trump administration has promoted the anti-vax, anti-science movement which has now produced an epidemic www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Hundreds of U.S. students quarantined amid measles outbreaks

At least 270 unvaccinated kids are staying home from school as measles continues to spread nationwide. "Expect more," one expert said.

www.nbcnews.com

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