Chris Edelson
@chrisedelson.bsky.social
Assistant professor of government at American University. Area of focus: US presidential power and authoritarian threats to democracy. Writing a book on emergency presidential power in context of Trump. https://www.american.edu/spa/faculty/edelson.cfm
Pinned
Chris Edelson
@chrisedelson.bsky.social
· Feb 28
trump's breathtaking, revolutionary unilateral action could not be justified even in an emergency (and none existed when trump took office). He is claiming unilateral power that goes beyond what Lincoln claimed at start of civil war--& Lincoln crucially gained retroactive approval from Congress 1/2
Reposted by Chris Edelson
November 26, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Reposted by Chris Edelson
Could be the result of:
- A politically motivated attack
- A robbery
- A negligent discharge
- An argument between Guard members
The point is: Don't assume anything and wait for details
- A politically motivated attack
- A robbery
- A negligent discharge
- An argument between Guard members
The point is: Don't assume anything and wait for details
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two National Guard members have been shot in Washington, D.C., and their condition isn't known, AP source says.
November 26, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Could be the result of:
- A politically motivated attack
- A robbery
- A negligent discharge
- An argument between Guard members
The point is: Don't assume anything and wait for details
- A politically motivated attack
- A robbery
- A negligent discharge
- An argument between Guard members
The point is: Don't assume anything and wait for details
DHS is truly nuts. People living in the US (in many cases for decades, in many cases after being brought here as children or infant) didn't break into anyone's home. Smearing millions of people as violent criminals is dishonest and it is dangerous.
DHS: We need to be able to violate the Constitution and be given 100s of billions because we're catching "criminals" who are raping and killing Americans
Me: No, you're not.
DHS: Your premise is shockingly dangerous!
Me: No, you're not.
DHS: Your premise is shockingly dangerous!
November 26, 2025 at 7:43 PM
DHS is truly nuts. People living in the US (in many cases for decades, in many cases after being brought here as children or infant) didn't break into anyone's home. Smearing millions of people as violent criminals is dishonest and it is dangerous.
Reposted by Chris Edelson
DHS: We need to be able to violate the Constitution and be given 100s of billions because we're catching "criminals" who are raping and killing Americans
Me: No, you're not.
DHS: Your premise is shockingly dangerous!
Me: No, you're not.
DHS: Your premise is shockingly dangerous!
November 26, 2025 at 7:13 PM
DHS: We need to be able to violate the Constitution and be given 100s of billions because we're catching "criminals" who are raping and killing Americans
Me: No, you're not.
DHS: Your premise is shockingly dangerous!
Me: No, you're not.
DHS: Your premise is shockingly dangerous!
Reposted by Chris Edelson
“I had to take the baby from my crying wife’s arms.“ It hasn’t even been a year, and this is not a scandal anymore? What is wrong with us?
Green Card Interviews End in Handcuffs for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:54 PM
“I had to take the baby from my crying wife’s arms.“ It hasn’t even been a year, and this is not a scandal anymore? What is wrong with us?
Reposted by Chris Edelson
The people who do this, who conceived of it, who demand it, are real life monsters.
“I had to take the baby from my crying wife’s arms.“ It hasn’t even been a year, and this is not a scandal anymore? What is wrong with us?
Green Card Interviews End in Handcuffs for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:02 PM
The people who do this, who conceived of it, who demand it, are real life monsters.
Reposted by Chris Edelson
Huge red flag! Fascism was about politics as violence, politics as domination. In other words, fascists attacked political and ethnic minorities in the name of the leader, the nation, and the sacred. Fascism in its many forms did not hesitate to kill its own citizens.
One-third of the Republicans in Congress: “I didn’t see it.”
Another third: “He was only joking.”
The last third: “I agree with him.”
Another third: “He was only joking.”
The last third: “I agree with him.”
November 21, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Huge red flag! Fascism was about politics as violence, politics as domination. In other words, fascists attacked political and ethnic minorities in the name of the leader, the nation, and the sacred. Fascism in its many forms did not hesitate to kill its own citizens.
The Wannabe Fascists, like Finchelstein's other books, is immensely useful in providing historical and geographic perspective to make sense of what we are experiencing. It also offers a very useful alternative to the "is trump fascist/is he not?" debate by offering a 3rd option.
It is confirmed! Second Revised Edition of my book, The Wannabe Fascists will be published in 2026 with
@ucpress.bsky.social
@ucpress.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 6:07 PM
The Wannabe Fascists, like Finchelstein's other books, is immensely useful in providing historical and geographic perspective to make sense of what we are experiencing. It also offers a very useful alternative to the "is trump fascist/is he not?" debate by offering a 3rd option.
Reposted by Chris Edelson
Trump EPA to abandon air pollution rule that would prevent thousands of U.S. deaths www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
Trump EPA to abandon air pollution rule that would prevent thousands of U.S. deaths
The Environmental Protection Agency will no longer defend Biden-era limits on fine-particle pollution, which causes heart and lung disease.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Trump EPA to abandon air pollution rule that would prevent thousands of U.S. deaths www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
Reposted by Chris Edelson
A lengthy posting on President Trunp's primary social account this morning furiously reacts to a NYT story documenting a president showing signs of aging. A co-author of the piece, Katie Rogers, is attacked as "a third rate reporter who is ugly, both inside and out." www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/us...
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:46 PM
A lengthy posting on President Trunp's primary social account this morning furiously reacts to a NYT story documenting a president showing signs of aging. A co-author of the piece, Katie Rogers, is attacked as "a third rate reporter who is ugly, both inside and out." www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/us...
Reposted by Chris Edelson
If the executive can unilaterally shift all functioning out of an congressionally established agency, then what is left of Congress’ lawmaking?
Why should Congress authorize executive agencies to do anything at all, ever?
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/u...
Why should Congress authorize executive agencies to do anything at all, ever?
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/u...
School Groups Sue to Stop Dismantling of the Education Department
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM
If the executive can unilaterally shift all functioning out of an congressionally established agency, then what is left of Congress’ lawmaking?
Why should Congress authorize executive agencies to do anything at all, ever?
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/u...
Why should Congress authorize executive agencies to do anything at all, ever?
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/u...
Reposted by Chris Edelson
She is one of the minyan of people who could literally end almost all of this tomorrow. I’m sorry, she doesn’t get any points anymore, at this late date, for basic ante-level stuff like this. Do something already.
Also another reminder that <10 people in Washington - all of whom are Republicans & all of whom keep getting total daily free passes from the media about their cowardice - could end most of the madness tomorrow by simply caucusing with the Democrats & giving them control of both the House & Senate.
Suddenly the special election in TN-07 becomes potentially hugely consequential. It shouldn’t be competitive, but if Democrats steal it, when Greene resigns the Republican majority will be down to 218-216 w a sure Dem seat with no special scheduled in Texas.
November 26, 2025 at 12:07 AM
She is one of the minyan of people who could literally end almost all of this tomorrow. I’m sorry, she doesn’t get any points anymore, at this late date, for basic ante-level stuff like this. Do something already.
Reposted by Chris Edelson
Unprecedented presidency-ending scandals & crimes now happening twice a day
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Unprecedented presidency-ending scandals & crimes now happening twice a day
Reposted by Chris Edelson
Republican senator now publicly defending Mark Kelly
November 25, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Republican senator now publicly defending Mark Kelly
Reposted by Chris Edelson
How many foreign intelligence services have hacked into Witkoff's accounts and devices? How many schemes are underway to influence him?
November 26, 2025 at 12:23 AM
How many foreign intelligence services have hacked into Witkoff's accounts and devices? How many schemes are underway to influence him?
trump thinks it's a concession when the bully agrees to stop hitting you in exchange for your lunch money
REPORTER: What kind of concessions are the Russians going to have to make?
TRUMP: The big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land
TRUMP: The big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land
November 26, 2025 at 12:56 AM
trump thinks it's a concession when the bully agrees to stop hitting you in exchange for your lunch money
Reposted by Chris Edelson
This is incredibly dark and almost nobody with real power is speaking up
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 9:01 PM
This is incredibly dark and almost nobody with real power is speaking up
going through edits for my new book on emergency presidential power and am again struck by this comment by a journalist in 1932 after Hoover deployed troops in DC: "If the Army must be called upon to make war on unarmed civilians, this is no longer America."
November 25, 2025 at 9:09 PM
going through edits for my new book on emergency presidential power and am again struck by this comment by a journalist in 1932 after Hoover deployed troops in DC: "If the Army must be called upon to make war on unarmed civilians, this is no longer America."
There was a spasm of news coverage when restaurants wouldn't serve trump admin officials (or maybe just one) during 1st term. "Civility" was the watchword. And yet trump routinely hurls playground insults and worse at people. "quiet piggy" should not be forgotten.
November 25, 2025 at 5:33 PM
There was a spasm of news coverage when restaurants wouldn't serve trump admin officials (or maybe just one) during 1st term. "Civility" was the watchword. And yet trump routinely hurls playground insults and worse at people. "quiet piggy" should not be forgotten.
Reposted by Chris Edelson
I say it every day but every day there’s a Trump scandal that would be the biggest scandal for like 43 Presidents that swallows the entire term. Every. Single. Day.
A convicted fraudster paid two right-wing lobbyists $960,000 for "seeking a federal pardon" for him. Months later, Trump pardoned him. @postkranish.bsky.social Aaron Schafer www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
The case of a felon who paid lobbyists nearly $1 million to seek a Trump pardon
Nursing home magnate Joseph Schwartz was sentenced in April to three years for defrauding the government of $38 million. Seven months later, Trump pardoned him, but the White House denies a lobbying t...
www.washingtonpost.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:19 PM
I say it every day but every day there’s a Trump scandal that would be the biggest scandal for like 43 Presidents that swallows the entire term. Every. Single. Day.
Reposted by Chris Edelson
November 25, 2025 at 1:05 PM
major embarrassment if trump and trumpists feel shame. This was a transparently politicized prosecution that trump openly aimed at a perceived "enemy". Good to see an obstacle, and I hope it stops here (though obviously unlikely to be the case).
BREAKING: Comey case dismissed without prejudice. Halligan invalidly appointed, judge rules. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
major embarrassment if trump and trumpists feel shame. This was a transparently politicized prosecution that trump openly aimed at a perceived "enemy". Good to see an obstacle, and I hope it stops here (though obviously unlikely to be the case).