Steven Heydemann
@stevenhyde.bsky.social
Ketcham Chair in Middle East Studies, Prof. of Gov, Smith College; Nonresident Senior Fellow CMEP, Brookings. Former VP, Center for Applied Research on Conflict, USIP.
https://smith.academia.edu/StevenHeydemann
https://smith.academia.edu/StevenHeydemann
Referring to the Trump administration?
February 10, 2026 at 10:58 PM
Referring to the Trump administration?
Of course.
Bloomington police announce arrests in sex trafficking bust: "Rashad Johnson out of Maple Grove. This is the most disturbing arrest that we've had here. He is a backgrounder for ICE, Homeland Security, and federal agencies."
February 10, 2026 at 10:57 PM
Of course.
Reposted by Steven Heydemann
Trump has turned the US into a lawless country.
*Green card application in process and work permit, married to US citizen
*Lived in US for 20 years, no criminal record
*In detention for five months with no charge, despite judge approving release
*He disputes ICE claim that he signed forms agreeing to deportation
*Lived in US for 20 years, no criminal record
*In detention for five months with no charge, despite judge approving release
*He disputes ICE claim that he signed forms agreeing to deportation
And here is my story: ‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
February 9, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Trump has turned the US into a lawless country.
The Kingdom antes up, again, with a new round of commitments in Syria, $2b plus. We know there's no money w/o strings, so we can also surmise that Syria's future government will have all of the features the Saudis hope to see in it.
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
Saudi deepens ties with Syria's new leaders through major investment package
Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday a major investment package in Syria spanning energy, aviation, real estate and telecommunications, as the kingdom positions itself as a leading backer of Syria's new...
www.reuters.com
February 8, 2026 at 12:23 AM
The Kingdom antes up, again, with a new round of commitments in Syria, $2b plus. We know there's no money w/o strings, so we can also surmise that Syria's future government will have all of the features the Saudis hope to see in it.
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
Prospects for federalism in Syria have declined with the near collapse of the SDF, but it remains in the interest of the interim government to develop an integration strategy that acknowledges claims for local governance, representation, and inclusion.
epc.ae/en/details/f...
epc.ae/en/details/f...
The Conclusion of the Federal SDF Project in Syria: Impact on Suwayda and the Coast
The swift retreat of Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria marked a significant shift in the Syrian landscape, with potential implications for the Alawites in the coastal region and the Druze in the so
epc.ae
February 6, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Prospects for federalism in Syria have declined with the near collapse of the SDF, but it remains in the interest of the interim government to develop an integration strategy that acknowledges claims for local governance, representation, and inclusion.
epc.ae/en/details/f...
epc.ae/en/details/f...
Developments in Syria's northeast are already triggering spillover effects in Iraq. PM designate Maliki is showing flexibility on restoring ties to Syria. Whether this could become a backdoor for Iran is an interesting question.
epc.ae/en/details/f...
epc.ae/en/details/f...
Implications of Developments in Eastern Syria for Iraq: Challenges Posed by ISIS and the SDF
Once the Syrian army advanced into regions east of the Euphrates previously controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), two critical issues emerged. The first concerned the future of SDF fighter
epc.ae
February 6, 2026 at 3:26 PM
Developments in Syria's northeast are already triggering spillover effects in Iraq. PM designate Maliki is showing flexibility on restoring ties to Syria. Whether this could become a backdoor for Iran is an interesting question.
epc.ae/en/details/f...
epc.ae/en/details/f...
I hope they're telling the FBI to fuck off and stay out of their elections.
February 6, 2026 at 2:28 AM
I hope they're telling the FBI to fuck off and stay out of their elections.
Reposted by Steven Heydemann
Alert: ICE is drawing weapons on legal observers in Minneapolis.
February 3, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Alert: ICE is drawing weapons on legal observers in Minneapolis.
Reposted by Steven Heydemann
“Yom insists on seeing Jordan for itself, not as a function of American interests or of Israeli concerns..based on deep field research and an encylopedic knowledge of the political science literature.. will likely productively annoy certain audiences.”
abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/this-must-be...
abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/this-must-be...
This Must Be The Podcast: Sean Yom
It is difficult to not worry about the stability and even survival of Jordan these days. Escalating Israeli aggression in the West Bank and political momentum towards annexation puts the Kingdom squar...
abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io
February 3, 2026 at 6:05 PM
“Yom insists on seeing Jordan for itself, not as a function of American interests or of Israeli concerns..based on deep field research and an encylopedic knowledge of the political science literature.. will likely productively annoy certain audiences.”
abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/this-must-be...
abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/this-must-be...
As Trump accelerates efforts to destroy the integrity of elections let's not forget that a state audit in GA found only 20 people out of 8.2 million registered voters were not citizens. Only 9 ever voted.
February 3, 2026 at 4:01 PM
As Trump accelerates efforts to destroy the integrity of elections let's not forget that a state audit in GA found only 20 people out of 8.2 million registered voters were not citizens. Only 9 ever voted.
Yeah it’s coming down and who knows where the $500m it will end up costing will come from. Not the this bobble head republican Congress cares when Trump usurps their role.
February 3, 2026 at 3:39 AM
Yeah it’s coming down and who knows where the $500m it will end up costing will come from. Not the this bobble head republican Congress cares when Trump usurps their role.
Thus the old saying: democracy is not a suicide pact.
Both experience and logic tell us that a democracy cannot be expected survive if it allows sweeping power to be granted to people whose intention is to subvert the democratic and constitutional functioning of the state.
It isn’t “democratic” to allow such people to take power.
It’s suicidal.
It isn’t “democratic” to allow such people to take power.
It’s suicidal.
February 2, 2026 at 10:46 PM
Thus the old saying: democracy is not a suicide pact.
Reposted by Steven Heydemann
this particular line is maybe the best statement of purpose i have seen for those of us who want a more militant opposition to this administration
“Let us be clear: we want the power of the state. We wish to hold the criminals of the regime accountable. We wish to seize back the public funds looted by Trump and his cronies. We wish to undo the damage he has done to the government. More than any of that we wish to rebuild.”
From Powerlessness to Power
We will not achieve any of our ultimate goals without exercising state power, and the most effective way to take state power is through nonviolent but confrontational resistance.
www.liberalcurrents.com
February 2, 2026 at 12:34 PM
this particular line is maybe the best statement of purpose i have seen for those of us who want a more militant opposition to this administration
Reposted by Steven Heydemann
Neither Trump nor the GOP in congress have this power, & the only way they do this is if we decline to stand up for our rights. He's had a string of electoral defeats & rightfully fears the midterms. His outbursts are real threats, but they come from weakness. Tough shit, he's going down. No Kings.
Trump: "These people were brought to our country to vote, & they vote illegally. The Republicans should say, we should take over the voting in at least 15 places. The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting. We have states that I won that show I didn't win. You're gonna see something in Georgia"
February 2, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Neither Trump nor the GOP in congress have this power, & the only way they do this is if we decline to stand up for our rights. He's had a string of electoral defeats & rightfully fears the midterms. His outbursts are real threats, but they come from weakness. Tough shit, he's going down. No Kings.
Reposted by Steven Heydemann
This is why winning the midterms itself isn't a strategy. Trump plans to ignore the results. Acknowledging this doesn't make you a doomer, but it does mean you have to plan for worst case scenarios. We gotta be ready, especially since they're telling us the plan outright.
Trump: "These people were brought to our country to vote, & they vote illegally. The Republicans should say, we should take over the voting in at least 15 places. The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting. We have states that I won that show I didn't win. You're gonna see something in Georgia"
February 2, 2026 at 6:44 PM
This is why winning the midterms itself isn't a strategy. Trump plans to ignore the results. Acknowledging this doesn't make you a doomer, but it does mean you have to plan for worst case scenarios. We gotta be ready, especially since they're telling us the plan outright.
There’s putting a thumb on the scale. Then there’s putting a trump on the scale.
“Trump personally ordered Gabbard to go to Atlanta for the search, and coordinated her actions with Andrew Bailey, one of two deputy F.B.I. directors, according to the U.S. official.”
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...
Trump Had Unusual Call With F.B.I. Agents After Election Center Search
www.nytimes.com
February 2, 2026 at 6:49 PM
There’s putting a thumb on the scale. Then there’s putting a trump on the scale.
Reposted by Steven Heydemann
I was a White House staffer. When having a lunch with anyone who worked at law firm, corp, embassy, *newspaper* I had to document that I'd paid exactly my share of the bill. ("No free lunch" policy.)
At some formal event dinners, had to calculate fair-market cost of my serving, and reimburse it
At some formal event dinners, had to calculate fair-market cost of my serving, and reimburse it
I was a White House ethics lawyer.
I used to advise people not to even accept a free cup of coffee from someone who had interests before them. And staff followed those rules.
I can’t even find the words to describe the scale of Trump’s corruption here.
I used to advise people not to even accept a free cup of coffee from someone who had interests before them. And staff followed those rules.
I can’t even find the words to describe the scale of Trump’s corruption here.
Foreign countries are bribing our president to sell out the American people.
Trump family businesses made $187 MILLION from this deal, and just months later he gave the UAE some of our most top-secret AI tech.
They are selling our national security to the highest bidder.
Trump family businesses made $187 MILLION from this deal, and just months later he gave the UAE some of our most top-secret AI tech.
They are selling our national security to the highest bidder.
February 2, 2026 at 2:11 PM
I was a White House staffer. When having a lunch with anyone who worked at law firm, corp, embassy, *newspaper* I had to document that I'd paid exactly my share of the bill. ("No free lunch" policy.)
At some formal event dinners, had to calculate fair-market cost of my serving, and reimburse it
At some formal event dinners, had to calculate fair-market cost of my serving, and reimburse it
After collapse of SDF Turkey hardens conditions for withdrawal of its forces from Syria. Yet its terms suggest Turkey intends to remain in Syria indefinitely.
www.dailysabah.com/politics/tur...
www.dailysabah.com/politics/tur...
Türkiye will only withdraw from Syria after terror threat ends: Report
Security sources speaking to Turkish media outlets said the Turkish army would leave Syria on three conditions: complete restoration of state’s authority...
www.dailysabah.com
February 2, 2026 at 1:11 AM
After collapse of SDF Turkey hardens conditions for withdrawal of its forces from Syria. Yet its terms suggest Turkey intends to remain in Syria indefinitely.
www.dailysabah.com/politics/tur...
www.dailysabah.com/politics/tur...
Yes, but. Look at the huge improvement in social indicators in MENA pop-auth regimes between 1965-1985. Not sustainable. An incubator of corruption. But vast life improvements for millions for two generations. Under the old orders, never would have happened.
February 1, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Yes, but. Look at the huge improvement in social indicators in MENA pop-auth regimes between 1965-1985. Not sustainable. An incubator of corruption. But vast life improvements for millions for two generations. Under the old orders, never would have happened.
Reposted by Steven Heydemann
Wow. And this is totally unrelated to the Trump admin’s complete silence about the UAE and its critical role in backing mass slaughter by the RSF in Sudan, right?
This is corruption on a breathtaking level. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, an Abu Dhabi royal nicknamed the "spy sheikh", pumped $187mn into Trump family businesses. A WSJ team has the whole story, reported here for the first time. Remember: Jimmy Carter had to sell his peanut farm.
‘Spy Sheikh’ Bought Secret Stake in Trump Company
$500 million investment for 49% of World Liberty came months before U.A.E. won access to tightly guarded American AI chips.
www.wsj.com
February 1, 2026 at 1:12 PM
Wow. And this is totally unrelated to the Trump admin’s complete silence about the UAE and its critical role in backing mass slaughter by the RSF in Sudan, right?
Reposted by Steven Heydemann
straight up Gestapo shit
January 31, 2026 at 8:54 PM
straight up Gestapo shit
Racism and antisemitism do seem to go hand in hand.
Bovino Is Said to Have Mocked Prosecutor’s Jewish Faith on Call With Lawyers www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/u...
Bovino Is Said to Have Mocked Prosecutor’s Jewish Faith on Call With Lawyers www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/u...
Bovino Is Said to Have Mocked Prosecutor’s Jewish Faith on Call With Lawyers
www.nytimes.com
January 31, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Racism and antisemitism do seem to go hand in hand.
Bovino Is Said to Have Mocked Prosecutor’s Jewish Faith on Call With Lawyers www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/u...
Bovino Is Said to Have Mocked Prosecutor’s Jewish Faith on Call With Lawyers www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/u...
Reposted by Steven Heydemann
