Diederik Brink
@diederikbrink.bsky.social
Amerikadeskundige | Analyst American Politics | Docent/Lecturer @ De Haagse Hogeschool | https://www.linkedin.com/in/diederikbrink/
Reposted by Diederik Brink
“Forty-seven years ago, Iran had a revolution that replaced a U.S.-allied monarchy with an anti-American theocracy,” Karim Sadjadpour and Jack Goldstone write. “Today the Islamic Republic of Iran may be on the verge of a counterrevolution.”
Is the Iranian Regime About to Collapse?
Five conditions determine whether revolutions succeed. For the first time since 1979, Iran meets nearly all of them.
bit.ly
January 11, 2026 at 9:15 PM
“Forty-seven years ago, Iran had a revolution that replaced a U.S.-allied monarchy with an anti-American theocracy,” Karim Sadjadpour and Jack Goldstone write. “Today the Islamic Republic of Iran may be on the verge of a counterrevolution.”
Reposted by Diederik Brink
It is a remarkable reversal of his administration’s wariness of foreign entanglement. But it remains unclear how he would secure Venezuela if its army and militias choose to resist
Donald Trump wants to run Venezuela, and dominate the western hemisphere
Snatching Nicolás Maduro and attempting to take control of Venezuela and its oil is an extraordinary display of the new “Donroe doctrine”
econ.st
January 3, 2026 at 9:00 PM
It is a remarkable reversal of his administration’s wariness of foreign entanglement. But it remains unclear how he would secure Venezuela if its army and militias choose to resist
Bericht van President Trump over NYT. De in de VS vallen dit soort Truth Social berichten nauwelijks nog op. Hoe zou je dit in ieder ander land beschrijven? Het is opnieuw druk op de vrije pers. Iedere president mopperde over berichtgeving, maar nooit eerder werden openlijk zulke woorden gebruikt.
December 23, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Bericht van President Trump over NYT. De in de VS vallen dit soort Truth Social berichten nauwelijks nog op. Hoe zou je dit in ieder ander land beschrijven? Het is opnieuw druk op de vrije pers. Iedere president mopperde over berichtgeving, maar nooit eerder werden openlijk zulke woorden gebruikt.
Reposted by Diederik Brink
As a historian I've looked at hundreds of thousands of pages of government documents. And I just have to say that aside from being obviously illegal and clearly suggestive of some major crime, this “redaction” business is not a position in which serious people or serious governments find themselves
There is no basis to withhold these images under the clear terms of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. None.
WOW: The DOJ has DELETED an image from its release of the Epstein files that shows photos of Trump in a drawer.
Yesterday, we noted that this image — file 468 — likely slipped through the cracks while officials were attempting to hide materials pertaining to Trump.
Now, it’s gone.
Yesterday, we noted that this image — file 468 — likely slipped through the cracks while officials were attempting to hide materials pertaining to Trump.
Now, it’s gone.
December 21, 2025 at 9:42 PM
As a historian I've looked at hundreds of thousands of pages of government documents. And I just have to say that aside from being obviously illegal and clearly suggestive of some major crime, this “redaction” business is not a position in which serious people or serious governments find themselves
Reposted by Diederik Brink
Trump on the shooting at Brown University: “Things can happen”
December 14, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Trump on the shooting at Brown University: “Things can happen”
Reposted by Diederik Brink
Armed ICE agents trapped US citizens in a restaurant and demanded their papers. Federal agents walked into East African restaurants in Cedar-Riverside, MN. They closed and blocked the doors. Then they demanded to see everyone’s papers. Every person present was a US citizen.
Federal agents use chemical irritant on crowd in Somali neighborhood of Minneapolis amid Trump crackdown
Federal agents have used chemical irritant to disperse a crowd in a heavily Somali neighborhood in Minneapolis. This happened Tuesday during a identification checks amid the Trump administration's cra...
www.mprnews.org
December 14, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Armed ICE agents trapped US citizens in a restaurant and demanded their papers. Federal agents walked into East African restaurants in Cedar-Riverside, MN. They closed and blocked the doors. Then they demanded to see everyone’s papers. Every person present was a US citizen.
'My fellow Americans: Over the past nine months, we have brought our nation - and the world - back from the brink of catastrophe and disaster.' Zo begint Pres. Trump het voorwoord van de nieuwe National Security Strategy #NSS25 en zet daarmee gelijk de toon. www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...
www.whitehouse.gov
December 7, 2025 at 7:42 PM
'My fellow Americans: Over the past nine months, we have brought our nation - and the world - back from the brink of catastrophe and disaster.' Zo begint Pres. Trump het voorwoord van de nieuwe National Security Strategy #NSS25 en zet daarmee gelijk de toon. www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Diederik Brink
In normaler times, this is front page, above the fold, all caps behavior by an American president
Trump suggests Khashoggi had it coming: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guest."
November 18, 2025 at 5:57 PM
In normaler times, this is front page, above the fold, all caps behavior by an American president
Reposted by Diederik Brink
New in PN: Why Trump can't make the Epstein scandal go away
"He's pursuing a contradictory strategy: On one hand, implicitly arguing that his connections to Epstein are no big deal since lots of people are connected to Epstein, and on the other hand, engaging in what looks a lot like a cover-up."
"He's pursuing a contradictory strategy: On one hand, implicitly arguing that his connections to Epstein are no big deal since lots of people are connected to Epstein, and on the other hand, engaging in what looks a lot like a cover-up."
Why Trump can't make the Epstein scandal go away
His ordinary scandal management techniques are not working.
www.publicnotice.co
November 17, 2025 at 12:30 PM
New in PN: Why Trump can't make the Epstein scandal go away
"He's pursuing a contradictory strategy: On one hand, implicitly arguing that his connections to Epstein are no big deal since lots of people are connected to Epstein, and on the other hand, engaging in what looks a lot like a cover-up."
"He's pursuing a contradictory strategy: On one hand, implicitly arguing that his connections to Epstein are no big deal since lots of people are connected to Epstein, and on the other hand, engaging in what looks a lot like a cover-up."
Reposted by Diederik Brink
The Yellow Counties Have More People Than All The Counties In Blue Combined
Why this matters: brilliantmaps.com/half-us-p...
Why this matters: brilliantmaps.com/half-us-p...
November 15, 2025 at 7:01 PM
The Yellow Counties Have More People Than All The Counties In Blue Combined
Why this matters: brilliantmaps.com/half-us-p...
Why this matters: brilliantmaps.com/half-us-p...
Reposted by Diederik Brink
To negotiate a trade deal with the President of the United States, the Swiss government arrived with a "special Rolex desktop clock" and "a 1-kilogram personalized gold bar"
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
How to lobby Trump with Swiss precision: gifts, gold and gab
How the Swiss broke a diplomatic logjam on tariffs by arriving with tributes fit for a king.
www.axios.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:07 PM
To negotiate a trade deal with the President of the United States, the Swiss government arrived with a "special Rolex desktop clock" and "a 1-kilogram personalized gold bar"
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
Reposted by Diederik Brink
Q: Do you agree that Americans are paying those tariffs?
TRUMP: They might be paying something
TRUMP: They might be paying something
November 6, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Q: Do you agree that Americans are paying those tariffs?
TRUMP: They might be paying something
TRUMP: They might be paying something
Reposted by Diederik Brink
Q: Chief Justice Roberts said tariffs are taxes paid by Americans. Yet you're saying this money is rolling in from other countries. How do you square that?
TRUMP: It is. It's coming in because they charged us.
TRUMP: It is. It's coming in because they charged us.
November 6, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Q: Chief Justice Roberts said tariffs are taxes paid by Americans. Yet you're saying this money is rolling in from other countries. How do you square that?
TRUMP: It is. It's coming in because they charged us.
TRUMP: It is. It's coming in because they charged us.
Reposted by Diederik Brink
Trump to the Novo Nordisk CEO: "Maybe you should give us a piece of the company like I've been asking for."
November 6, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Trump to the Novo Nordisk CEO: "Maybe you should give us a piece of the company like I've been asking for."
Reposted by Diederik Brink
Trump: "I'd like to see one day voting. I'd like to see not 65 days of voting from all over the place. I'd like to clean up the elections."
November 6, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Trump: "I'd like to see one day voting. I'd like to see not 65 days of voting from all over the place. I'd like to clean up the elections."
Reposted by Diederik Brink
Trump: "What the Democrats will do is make Puerto Rico a state, make DC a state, they're gonna pack the Court. They're gonna end up with more electoral votes. They're gonna end up with 4 senators. And they're gonna do this 100%."
November 6, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Trump: "What the Democrats will do is make Puerto Rico a state, make DC a state, they're gonna pack the Court. They're gonna end up with more electoral votes. They're gonna end up with 4 senators. And they're gonna do this 100%."
Reposted by Diederik Brink
incredible photo that's definitely worth at least 1,000 words from Andrew Harnik of Getty
November 6, 2025 at 6:10 PM
incredible photo that's definitely worth at least 1,000 words from Andrew Harnik of Getty
Reposted by Diederik Brink
your hard-earned tax dollars are paying for a White House social media account that calls duty elected senators "demented losers."
it's totally unacceptable and a disgrace.
it's totally unacceptable and a disgrace.
November 6, 2025 at 7:22 PM
your hard-earned tax dollars are paying for a White House social media account that calls duty elected senators "demented losers."
it's totally unacceptable and a disgrace.
it's totally unacceptable and a disgrace.
Reposted by Diederik Brink
(1/3) I am pleased to announce that Joe Popolo will serve as the next United States Ambassador to the Netherlands. Joe is a successful businessman and philanthropist across many different sectors. For over 20 years, he helped transform the Freeman Company into the World’s leading live event
January 3, 2025 at 12:36 AM
(1/3) I am pleased to announce that Joe Popolo will serve as the next United States Ambassador to the Netherlands. Joe is a successful businessman and philanthropist across many different sectors. For over 20 years, he helped transform the Freeman Company into the World’s leading live event
'Taebel showed that not only did candidates listed first enjoy a favorable advantage, but that this advantage was greater in contests further down the ballot, in political science literature, AKA “name-order effects,” has been well-established.' daily.jstor.org/ballot-posit...
Ballot Position: It Matters - JSTOR Daily
Did you know that ballot position can have an effect on voting? The first-listed candidate is more likely to be voted for.
daily.jstor.org
November 3, 2025 at 10:19 AM
'Taebel showed that not only did candidates listed first enjoy a favorable advantage, but that this advantage was greater in contests further down the ballot, in political science literature, AKA “name-order effects,” has been well-established.' daily.jstor.org/ballot-posit...
'Lopez had an epiphany, according to the current and former officials familiar with the operation: What if he could persuade the pilot to fly Maduro to a place where the U.S. could arrest him?' Dit leest als een spionagethriller: internationale politiek & verraad. apnews.com/article/dhs-...
US sought to lure Nicolás Maduro’s pilot into betraying the Venezuelan leader
A federal agent had a daring plan: persuade Nicolas Maduro's chief pilot to surreptitiously divert the Venezuelan president’s plane to a place where U.S. authorities could nab the strongman.
apnews.com
November 3, 2025 at 10:15 AM
'Lopez had an epiphany, according to the current and former officials familiar with the operation: What if he could persuade the pilot to fly Maduro to a place where the U.S. could arrest him?' Dit leest als een spionagethriller: internationale politiek & verraad. apnews.com/article/dhs-...
Reposted by Diederik Brink
Obama: "The weird videos of a US president with a crown on his head flying a fighter jet & dumping poop on American citizens - that's not even worth booing about. Because all of that is a distraction from the fact that your situation, your life has not gotten better. They do it so you won't notice"
November 1, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Obama: "The weird videos of a US president with a crown on his head flying a fighter jet & dumping poop on American citizens - that's not even worth booing about. Because all of that is a distraction from the fact that your situation, your life has not gotten better. They do it so you won't notice"
Reposted by Diederik Brink
Amerikaanse miljoenen van techgiganten en filantropen vinden hun weg naar Brussel. In 2023 kwam een derde van het budget van de invloedrijkste denktanks in Brussel uit de VS. Volgens experts dreigt Amerikaanse invloed zo de koers van EU-beleid te bepalen. www.ftm.nl/artikelen/am...
Amerikaanse bedrijven en miljardairs beïnvloeden EU-beleid via denktanks
Amerikaanse techgiganten en filantropen financieren op grote schaal denktanks met invloed op EU-beleid. Wat betekent dit voor de onafhankelijkheid van Europa?
www.ftm.nl
October 28, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Amerikaanse miljoenen van techgiganten en filantropen vinden hun weg naar Brussel. In 2023 kwam een derde van het budget van de invloedrijkste denktanks in Brussel uit de VS. Volgens experts dreigt Amerikaanse invloed zo de koers van EU-beleid te bepalen. www.ftm.nl/artikelen/am...
Reposted by Diederik Brink
Trump Called a Canadian Ad Fake. It Faithfully Reproduces Reagan’s Words.
Trump Called a Canadian Ad Fake. It Faithfully Reproduces Reagan’s Words.
www.nytimes.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Trump Called a Canadian Ad Fake. It Faithfully Reproduces Reagan’s Words.
Reposted by Diederik Brink
In 1987, I almost got arrested - for taking a picture. Look in the middle of this group of officers and you'll see a general pointing at me. "Stop that guy."
I pulled the film from my cam, told my Mom to put it in her bra, and to keep walking, and if I didn't catch up, to call the consulate.
I pulled the film from my cam, told my Mom to put it in her bra, and to keep walking, and if I didn't catch up, to call the consulate.
October 25, 2025 at 3:18 PM
In 1987, I almost got arrested - for taking a picture. Look in the middle of this group of officers and you'll see a general pointing at me. "Stop that guy."
I pulled the film from my cam, told my Mom to put it in her bra, and to keep walking, and if I didn't catch up, to call the consulate.
I pulled the film from my cam, told my Mom to put it in her bra, and to keep walking, and if I didn't catch up, to call the consulate.