Monica Kwasnik
@mkwasnik.bsky.social
Journalism instructor, editor, mom, wife, Oregonian, defender of #democracy and a #freepress
Divorcing distinct immigration and customs responsibilities from the Justice and Treasury departments and merging them into one agency within a massive *counterterrorism* department, thus treating immigrants as a national security threat, didn't sound solid to me.
January 18, 2026 at 12:43 AM
Divorcing distinct immigration and customs responsibilities from the Justice and Treasury departments and merging them into one agency within a massive *counterterrorism* department, thus treating immigrants as a national security threat, didn't sound solid to me.
But even the wackiest conspiracy theories are rooted in facts; they just require some degree of speculation to make sense of those facts. Yes, Trump is covering up evidence of a child sex trafficking ring. And yes, ICE has disappeared people. But those two facts aren’t necessarily connected.
January 15, 2026 at 7:15 PM
But even the wackiest conspiracy theories are rooted in facts; they just require some degree of speculation to make sense of those facts. Yes, Trump is covering up evidence of a child sex trafficking ring. And yes, ICE has disappeared people. But those two facts aren’t necessarily connected.
If the White House wields enough power to corrupt the legislative and judicial branches, what makes us think a fourth branch would be immune?
The free press is supposed to be the Fourth Estate, yet we’ve seen how it can be compromised in an era of deregulation and cronyism.
The free press is supposed to be the Fourth Estate, yet we’ve seen how it can be compromised in an era of deregulation and cronyism.
January 15, 2026 at 3:30 PM
If the White House wields enough power to corrupt the legislative and judicial branches, what makes us think a fourth branch would be immune?
The free press is supposed to be the Fourth Estate, yet we’ve seen how it can be compromised in an era of deregulation and cronyism.
The free press is supposed to be the Fourth Estate, yet we’ve seen how it can be compromised in an era of deregulation and cronyism.
Or is it to protect our own gov’t from corruption and tyranny?
The Constitution stipulates how our gov’t shall protect us. If 1 branch fails to stop overreach by another, the onus is on the 3rd branch. But if that branch fails too? I don’t think the Constitution protects us if our gov’t fails us.
The Constitution stipulates how our gov’t shall protect us. If 1 branch fails to stop overreach by another, the onus is on the 3rd branch. But if that branch fails too? I don’t think the Constitution protects us if our gov’t fails us.
January 15, 2026 at 3:13 PM
Or is it to protect our own gov’t from corruption and tyranny?
The Constitution stipulates how our gov’t shall protect us. If 1 branch fails to stop overreach by another, the onus is on the 3rd branch. But if that branch fails too? I don’t think the Constitution protects us if our gov’t fails us.
The Constitution stipulates how our gov’t shall protect us. If 1 branch fails to stop overreach by another, the onus is on the 3rd branch. But if that branch fails too? I don’t think the Constitution protects us if our gov’t fails us.
Yes, the National Guard is military. I think the distinction was made here because the law obligates military personnel to obey legal orders and to disobey illegal ones. Federal employees do take an oath to the Constitution, but their duty to disobey illegal orders isn’t as explicit as military’s.
January 15, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Yes, the National Guard is military. I think the distinction was made here because the law obligates military personnel to obey legal orders and to disobey illegal ones. Federal employees do take an oath to the Constitution, but their duty to disobey illegal orders isn’t as explicit as military’s.
So he can harvest adrenochrome from their blood? I’m not saying you’re wrong, but this DOES sound kinda QAnony, right?
January 15, 2026 at 1:32 PM
So he can harvest adrenochrome from their blood? I’m not saying you’re wrong, but this DOES sound kinda QAnony, right?
I believe he’s agreeing with you that it *is* child abuse, but he’s also suggesting we shouldn’t be surprised if a president who is protecting child abusers (by covering up Epstein evidence) — and who has probably abused children himself — condones child abuse by ICE agents.
January 15, 2026 at 1:27 PM
I believe he’s agreeing with you that it *is* child abuse, but he’s also suggesting we shouldn’t be surprised if a president who is protecting child abusers (by covering up Epstein evidence) — and who has probably abused children himself — condones child abuse by ICE agents.
THIS is how I feel about stickers on college football helmets. Ohio State, for example. It’s the same “you can’t touch my Velcro badges” energy.
January 15, 2026 at 1:04 PM
THIS is how I feel about stickers on college football helmets. Ohio State, for example. It’s the same “you can’t touch my Velcro badges” energy.
ICE is federal law enforcement. Like the DEA. If DEA agents treated our cities like war zones — bringing in artillery, harassing local communities, snatching people off the streets or from their cars, arresting anyone who “looks” like a drug trafficker — we might mistake them for military too.
January 15, 2026 at 12:55 PM
ICE is federal law enforcement. Like the DEA. If DEA agents treated our cities like war zones — bringing in artillery, harassing local communities, snatching people off the streets or from their cars, arresting anyone who “looks” like a drug trafficker — we might mistake them for military too.
The business model is definitely broken!
December 23, 2025 at 1:54 AM
The business model is definitely broken!
The headline doesn’t do this column justice. I didn’t expect it to be about the consequences of not taking addiction seriously. I almost skipped it. Glad I didn’t.
December 17, 2025 at 10:17 PM
The headline doesn’t do this column justice. I didn’t expect it to be about the consequences of not taking addiction seriously. I almost skipped it. Glad I didn’t.
Again, I said it would probably not have an impact on his political career. “Credibility” with MAGAs is not what I’m talking about.
December 17, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Again, I said it would probably not have an impact on his political career. “Credibility” with MAGAs is not what I’m talking about.
It’s not about her. What’s significant is that Trump is being criticized IN THE PRESS by someone in his inner circle at the White House.
December 16, 2025 at 10:04 PM
It’s not about her. What’s significant is that Trump is being criticized IN THE PRESS by someone in his inner circle at the White House.
It isn’t some groundbreaking revelation, but the fact that his chief of staff shared this with the press is astounding. Maybe we mean different things by “damaging.” This hurts his credibility, which could have an impact in DC and on diplomacy. Will it damage his political career? Doubtful.
December 16, 2025 at 9:55 PM
It isn’t some groundbreaking revelation, but the fact that his chief of staff shared this with the press is astounding. Maybe we mean different things by “damaging.” This hurts his credibility, which could have an impact in DC and on diplomacy. Will it damage his political career? Doubtful.
This isn’t a former White House staffer badmouthing the president, as we’ve seen so often. This is his right-hand (wo)man saying these things about him.
.
.
December 16, 2025 at 3:17 PM
This isn’t a former White House staffer badmouthing the president, as we’ve seen so often. This is his right-hand (wo)man saying these things about him.
.
.
The chief of staff is the president’s top adviser and one of the most powerful people in the White House. Wiles is Trump’s CURRENT chief of staff.
December 16, 2025 at 3:08 PM
The chief of staff is the president’s top adviser and one of the most powerful people in the White House. Wiles is Trump’s CURRENT chief of staff.
The chief of staff admitting all of this isn’t damaging?
December 16, 2025 at 2:31 PM
The chief of staff admitting all of this isn’t damaging?
“Susie who? Trump barely knew that RINO.”
December 16, 2025 at 2:24 PM
“Susie who? Trump barely knew that RINO.”
Try pizza with your favorite toppings but no cheese. It’s not quite the same, but it’s still tasty — and much better than slimy vegan cheese.
December 16, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Try pizza with your favorite toppings but no cheese. It’s not quite the same, but it’s still tasty — and much better than slimy vegan cheese.
Just a meme, I think. I don’t think he actually said he hadn’t seen Trump’s statement. He just refused to comment on it.
December 16, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Just a meme, I think. I don’t think he actually said he hadn’t seen Trump’s statement. He just refused to comment on it.
That would step outside the bounds of journalists’ role. However, reading him Trump’s statement and asking for his reaction would be 100% appropriate.
December 16, 2025 at 6:54 AM
That would step outside the bounds of journalists’ role. However, reading him Trump’s statement and asking for his reaction would be 100% appropriate.
It just so happens that I have had plenty of good … movies. And this is one of my all-time favorites! The dialogue is top-notch. I love that Nora Ephron used Rob Reiner as inspiration for Harry.
December 16, 2025 at 6:42 AM
It just so happens that I have had plenty of good … movies. And this is one of my all-time favorites! The dialogue is top-notch. I love that Nora Ephron used Rob Reiner as inspiration for Harry.