Brendan Nyhan
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brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan
@brendannyhan.bsky.social
110K followers 4.3K following 9.5K posts

Dartmouth political scientist and Bright Line Watch co-director. Previously Upshot NYT / CJR contributor, Spinsanity co-founder, All the President's Spin co-author.

https://sites.dartmouth.edu/nyhan/
http://brightlinewatch.org .. more

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Brendan Nyhan is an American political scientist and professor at Dartmouth College. He is also a liberal to moderate political blogger, author, and political columnist. He was born in Mountain View, California and now lives in Hanover, New Hampshire. .. more

Political science 39%
Sociology 22%
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brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 15d
My @nytimes.com op-ed: The Boomers Are Protesting Trump. Where Is Gen Z? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/o... (gift link)

The key point: "The absence of young people from conventional protests is both a problem and a warning."
Opinion | The Boomers Are Protesting Trump. Where Is Gen Z?
www.nytimes.com

brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 21m
Fantastic opportunity
andyguess.com andyguess @andyguess.com · 8h
The Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow to work with an interdisciplinary team (me, @bstewart.bsky.social, and @manoelhortaribeiro.bsky.social).

Link: puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...

Please apply by THIS SUNDAY, Dec. 14!
We are seeking a Fellow to lead cutting-edge research on short-form video content and its societal implications. Bridging the gap between computer vision, causal inference, and computational social science, the Fellow will focus on the large-scale analysis of TikTok data (using an existing, massive dataset). The position involves developing novel multimodal methods to understand how short-form algorithmic content shapes public opinion, political polarization, and online culture. This is a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of the field, combining rigorous social science research designs with state-of-the-art computational techniques.

Reposted by Michael E. Mann, David Lazer, Will Jennings , and 18 more

clarajeffery.bsky.social
Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 4h
This is INSANE www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/t...

and these are our closest allies!
Travelers visiting the United States from countries like Britain, France, Germany and South Korea could soon have to undergo a review of up to five years of their social media history, according to a proposal filed on Tuesday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The change would affect visitors eligible for the visa waiver program, which allows people from 42 countries to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa as long as they first obtain electronic travel authorization. In a document filed on Tuesday in the Federal Register, C.B.P. said it plans to ask applicants for a long list of personal data including social media, email addresses from the last decade, and the names, birth dates, places of residence and birthplaces of parents, spouses, siblings and children. Under the current system, applicants from visa waiver countries must enroll in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization program. They pay $40 and submit an email address, home address, phone number and emergency contact information. The authorization is good for two years.

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Linda J. Skitka, Scott L. Greer , and 12 more

phillewis.bsky.social
Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 5h
Marco Rubio ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor's decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move
Rubio Stages Font Coup: Times New Roman Ousts Calibri
The secretary of state called it a "wasteful" diversity move, according to an internal department cable seen by Reuters.
www.huffpost.com

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, David R. Miller, Richard M. Carpiano , and 3 more

marisakabas.bsky.social
Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 7h
SCOOP — Gregg Phillips, a conspiracy theorist with no emergency management experience who helped produce the election-denying documentary ‘2000 Mules’ with Dinesh D’Souza and has faced numerous legal inquiries, has been named head of FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery.

My story:
Conspiracy theorist election denier given FEMA’s second-most important role
Gregg Phillips will lead the Office of Response and Recovery, “the heart of what FEMA does.”
www.thehandbasket.co

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Markus W. Gehring

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 7h
This is a smart move:

"The [Canadian] government says it will fast-track immigration for U.S. H-1B visa holders and spend more than $1 billion to attract researchers from the United States and the rest of the world."

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Brendan Nyhan, Hugo Mercier , and 3 more

andyguess.com
andyguess @andyguess.com · 8h
The Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow to work with an interdisciplinary team (me, @bstewart.bsky.social, and @manoelhortaribeiro.bsky.social).

Link: puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...

Please apply by THIS SUNDAY, Dec. 14!
We are seeking a Fellow to lead cutting-edge research on short-form video content and its societal implications. Bridging the gap between computer vision, causal inference, and computational social science, the Fellow will focus on the large-scale analysis of TikTok data (using an existing, massive dataset). The position involves developing novel multimodal methods to understand how short-form algorithmic content shapes public opinion, political polarization, and online culture. This is a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of the field, combining rigorous social science research designs with state-of-the-art computational techniques.

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Rita Rubin

doritreiss.bsky.social
Dorit Reiss @doritreiss.bsky.social · 11h
Exclusive: US FDA launches fresh safety scrutiny of approved RSV therapies for infants www.reuters.com/business/hea... via @reuters.com
Exclusive: US FDA launches fresh safety scrutiny of approved RSV therapies for infants
U.S. health regulators informed senior executives at Merck, Sanofi and AstraZeneca last week that their approved protective RSV treatments for infants would face fresh safety scrutiny following concer...
www.reuters.com

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan

emptywheel.bsky.social
emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 12h
The way Trump talks about the problems he caused by unilaterally imposing tariffs is fairly insane, even by his standards.

www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Trump: We ... we wouldn’t have much of an economy. We make a lot of money with these countries. Now in the past, these countries all ripped us off. If you go back, uh, during Biden, if you go back, uh, during Obama, they were ripping us off like nobody’s ... no country’s ever been ripped off. That’s why we owe $38 trillion. I mean, we owe it for a reason. But just remember, uh, when I had ... when we had a problem with China very recently, I was able to work that out. You don’t work that out by not talking to people, by, you know, not answering. With the magnets, with the rare earth, it was a big problem. Burns: And y ... and you’re looking to have impact here back home so ... Trump: Well, no, no. Impact? We would’ve been shut down. China would’ve been shut down. The whole world would’ve been shut down.

brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 12h
I started limiting to 30-40 per year as T&P requests went up

brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 13h
If anything, Dennis Green is understating the case

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, David Darmofal

davidryanmiller.com
David Ryan Miller @davidryanmiller.com · 15h
State media watch
brianstelter.bsky.social Brian Stelter @brianstelter.bsky.social · 1d
New WSJ reporting: "During a December visit to Washington, David Ellison offered assurances to Trump administration officials that if he bought Warner, he'd make sweeping changes to CNN, a common target of President Trump's ire, people familiar with the matter said..."
Behind Paramount’s Relentless Campaign to Woo Warner Discovery and President Trump
David Ellison has launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Discovery, taking his case directly to shareholders after Netflix clinched a deal.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan , and 6 more

donmoyn.bsky.social
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 17h
New, from me: by embracing unitary executive theory, the Supreme Court is moving towards making all public employees fireable at the will of the President.

This will not just hurt government competence, it will aid democratic backsliding. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/at-will-wh...
At will? Whose will?
Removing independent agency heads is part of a broader assault on a nonpartisan government
donmoynihan.substack.com

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Ken Caldeira, Sanford F. Schram , and 4 more

justinwolfers.bsky.social
Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 1d
Trump says Lisa Cook is unfit to be a Fed governor because she claimed two different properties as her primary residence on her mortgage applications. (Cook denies this.)

Trump did the exact same thing on mortgage applications submitted a mere 7 weeks apart.

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 2d
Implausible IMO - does anyone really expect the Trump administration to try to force universities to admit fewer men? And reporting suggests big gender imbalances hurt both male and female interest and enrollment, which admins hate

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers, Daxton R. Stewart

walterolson.bsky.social
Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 2d
Amicus brief from the Cato Institute, Dale Carpenter and Eugene Volokh urges full Fifth Circuit to affirm panel ruling that president of West Texas A&M violated the First Amendment when he ordered a drag show canceled, citing the show's purportedly "objectionable message." @cato.org
Geese, Ganders, and Pterodactyls: Amicus Brief in Fifth Circuit En Banc Rehearing of West Texas A&M Drag Ban Case
From a brief filed yesterday by Joshua J. Bennett (Baker & Hostetler LLP) on behalf of Dale Carpenter, the Cato...
reason.com

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Rosemary A. Joyce

atherton.bsky.social
Kelsey Atherton @atherton.bsky.social · 2d
Man you are the Governor of Colorado you do not under any circumstances have to hand it to them, especially when the right wing intellectuals you're handing it to are Epstein defenders and phrenologists
Jared Polis ‹ @jaredpolis ••• It doesn't mean I agree with them most or all of the time, but I recommend following public intellectuals @RichardHanania and @captgouda24 who are doing actual thinking which is rare these days 2:03 PM • Dec 7, 2025 • 291.7K Views

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen, Brendan Nyhan, Scott L. Greer , and 2 more

doritreiss.bsky.social
Dorit Reiss @doritreiss.bsky.social · 2d
Even ignoring Dr. Høeg's antivaccine views and obvious bias, she has no qualifications for the job. She does not know regulations, she does not know drug approvals, and she has no expertise in any relevant scientific area.
No wonder people are resigning.
www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-tra...
Appointment of controversial FDA official rocking agency like "an atom bomb," scientists there say
The Trump administration's elevation of Dr. Tracy Beth Høeg to lead a high-profile office within the Food and Drug Administration is raising alarm among multiple senior FDA officials.
www.cbsnews.com

Reposted by Kori Schake, Brendan Nyhan, Daniel W. Drezner

carnage4life.bsky.social
Dare Obasanjo @carnage4life.bsky.social · 2d
Imagine conquering the world’s greatest superpower without firing a single shot.
New US security strategy aligns with Russia's vision, Moscow says
The Kremlin welcomes the starkly worded document, which does not cast Russia as a threat to the US.
www.bbc.com

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan

sharonk.bsky.social
Sharon @sharonk.bsky.social · 2d
Can we put this in the Louvre?
Lehmann fighting with Mike Solana

Reposted by Elizabeth Warren, Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers , and 7 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d
Q: Should Netflix be allowed to buy Warner Brothers?

TRUMP: That's a question. They have a very big market share. I'll be involved in that decision

Reposted by Stephen M. Walt, Brendan Nyhan, Ameet Sarpatwari , and 1 more

matthewhaybrown.bsky.social
Matthew Hay Brown @matthewhaybrown.bsky.social · 2d
The death rate among children under 5 is expected to grow this year for the first time in the 21st century, researchers say. A key factor, they say, is cuts to U.S. and other foreign aid

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
Child deaths under 5 believed to be rising for first time in decades
Cuts to development aid from several countries is a key factor, researchers said.
www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, Brendan Nyhan, Alan Richardson , and 3 more

bgrueskin.bsky.social
Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 2d
Whoa … this is really strange.

Federal law enforcement managed to confiscate almost two tons of cocaine, and arrest 3 suspects, without blowing the boat out of the water or killing anyone.

🎁 link ⤵️

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/c...
$28 million of cocaine seized off Miami Beach. Three men charged
Coast Guard and CBP seized about 3,715 pounds of cocaine worth $28 million from a 65-foot vessel near Government Cut off Miami Beach; three men were arrested.
www.miamiherald.com

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Scott A. Imberman, Leah Stokes , and 2 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d
Trump last night had the complexion of a Thanksgiving turkey that was left in the oven too long and bandages were again visible on the back of his right hand

(photos via Getty and by Aaron Schwartz and Paul Morigi)

brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 2d
OMG it's like a parody. Gemini counts 23 emdashes and 17 "not X but Y" constructions (and yes, I see the irony).

Reposted by Diane Coyle, Christian Odendahl, Brian J. Enquist , and 22 more

helenczerski.bsky.social
Helen Czerski @helenczerski.bsky.social · 2d
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
Bronze plaque saying "A Letter to the Future. Ok is the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier. In the next 200 years all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it. August 2019. 415ppm CO2"