Top recent posts by Public Intellectuals on Bluesky

Los Angeles. Just wow.

The most Los Angeles sign ever. And it’s true.

Californians: If you’re protesting today, protect one another and hold the line for peace. There’s no place for violence in our democracy. If you see agitators, alert law enforcement and look out for your fellow citizens. Stay safe. Stay peaceful.

Political violence is always unacceptable. This is a horrifying day for Minnesota, and a sad day for America. What has occurred is a direct attack on our American values and democracy.

Raskin takes the stage at No Kings Philly.

Can’t believe we’ve lost Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. She was a consummate Speaker who led her caucus brilliantly and achieved so much for Minnesota. I’ve campaigned with Melissa throughout the state and was forever impressed by her levelheaded, yet passionate, leadership. (1/2)

So it was the "No Kings" marches versus the "No Crowds" parade

Just gonna say, Bluesky is a lot of fun on No Kings Day. I am about to collapse into a puddle of exhilarated exhaustion but I can't stop scrolling.

Nobody came to his Kim Jong Un parade. Nobody. Good. Damn good.

In America, we have no kings.

Happy No Kings Day! Our friends around the world are already getting started. See y'all out there today!

You know that moment, when a dog cocks his head back and angles his nose upward because he can sense something approaching, something we cannot see at the moment. I feel that now.

Rep Hortman and I were classmates at the Kennedy School and graduated together in 2018. It took me a moment to realize the person who I remember as deeply service driven and incredibly bright was the victim of last night’s heinous act. She was a bright light and made us all better.

Happy 250th Birthday to OUR Army. These are the kinds of memories I’ll always cherish, celebrating the cutting of the Army’s birthday cake together with the youngest soldier in the unit. Celebrating true service, our values and the legacy of our force. This is who & what our army is!

This is like playing Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Getting Back Together" at a wedding.

OMG this is Idaho!!!

BREAKING: There have been "targeted shootings" in eastern Minnesota, according to Gov. Tim Walz. "I’ve been briefed this morning on an ongoing situation involving targeted shootings in Champlin and Brooklyn Park," he wrote on X Saturday morning. nbcnews-us.wildmoka.com/backoffice/i...

A listless speech from a draft-dodger who has denigrated the army for nearly 80 years and degraded it since he became commander-in-chief produces virtually no reaction from the crowd. And then they sing happy birthday as if there would be a firing squad if they did not.

“Where are the people?” 😂😂😂

A veteran who fought for our freedoms. A mother with two toddlers who wants to see them enjoy those same freedoms. A former Republican county committee member who values country over party. Just three of the thousands of Americans who showed up proudly for the No Kings protests in Troy, Michigan.

DEVELOPING: A manhunt is underway in Minnesota for a suspect in the “targeted shootings” of Democratic state lawmakers. The assailant, who remains at large, allegedly impersonated a police officer. One lawmaker and her spouse were fatally shot, while a second lawmaker and his spouse were injured.

I’m praying for Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband’s family, and for Sen. John Hoffman and his wife’s recovery this morning. I’m praying for everyone in Minnesota. Praying for our country. This is on all of us.

Troops marching out of step behind an empty mobile country and western stage captures everything our commander-in-chief has brought to our military.

This is a stunning act of violence. I’m thankful for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time. My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service.

This is what democracy looks like.

This Kim Jong Un parade is fucking gross. What a horrible thing to do to our troops. All to satisfy a mad, stupid tyrant. Our troops deserve better. America deserves better.

“But this is not an insurrection. These incidents are localized, and local law enforcement agencies are fully capable of addressing them.” (gift article) www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/o...

In addition to official violence against peaceful protest being wrong, we now know that the Senator was in a federal building, screened, escorted and announced. Some threat.

What a devastating day. What a decisive moment for our country. We cannot let violence against elected officials become normalized. All my thoughts are with the victims and their families. This is the moment for our nation to do the hard work of choosing peace in our politics.

I want to be clear: I cannot get enough of this content. My appetite for this public humiliaition is insatiable. My schadenfreude tank is unfillable. I want more- always more.

Note: It is more likely Netanyahu attacked Iran now because he feared another nuclear deal would be reached than for any reason having to do with recent advancements in Iran's nuclear program.

Where were the 200,000+ people who were supposed to be at Trump's military parade? Right here:

MOMENTS AGO: NBC News' @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social reports from L.A., as law enforcement on horses disperse crowds.

Has the White House made a statement about Minnesota? Has Trump called Gov. Walz? How has Patel responded? How have other Republican elected officials responded? Just asking. Not seeing reporting on these things.

Sky9 over the #NoKings protest in Denver. Marchers filled Colfax from Fox St to the Capitol, about eight city blocks long.

Coordinating with emergency officials at @caloes.bsky.social to keep Californians safe. To those protesting today: don’t match their chaos — rise above it. Speak out, peacefully.

NBC News' @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social reports from Los Angeles City Hall where thousands of protesters have gathered for a 'No Kings' protest against the Trump administration and ahead of the president's Washington D.C. military parade.

No kings. No oligarchs. No courtiers to the would-be king. No appeasers of the would-be king. No to people who want to meet the would-be king halfway because they think it is "good politics." No to media organizations defending or normalizing the would-be king. No kings, no enabling would-be kings.

I’m speaking today at rallies in Charleston & Columbia, SC. Make your voices heard today. Trump is the very thing our Founders feared. We will resist him. We will resist him at every turn. That is our right. Do not be afraid. No Kings in America. No fucking kings. #NoKings

This. Absolutely right.

Yep that’s the story today. And the next story is how we funnel these millions of new people into sustained local organizing in service of democracy.

Trump’s ”Big, Beautiful Bill” is not just ugly…it’s actually pretty dumb.

Watch this - incredibly well done.

Horrified by the news out of Minnesota. RIP Melissa & Mark Hortman. I wrote this 18 months ago: "As a political scientist who studies political violence across the globe, I would chalk up the lack of high-profile assassinations in the United States during the Trump and post-Trump era to dumb luck."

Political violence is wrong, and it’s meant to intimidate, scare, and silence people. Don’t let it. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be silenced. Speak your piece. Protest. Protest peacefully. #NoKings

1.2 million veterans rely on SNAP. 1.8 million rely on Medicaid. The "Big Beautiful Bill" puts those programs on the chopping block. All the North Korean-style theater in the world won't hide the fact that Trump’s policies would be devastating to millions who have served.

Somewhat surreal life experience. Just marched in Philly with the King family on No Kings Day. And we published this op-ed together this morning! www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

BREAKING: Suspect in “targeted” Minnesota shootings has been identified as Vance Boelter. A manhunt is ongoing.

BREAKING: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the Minnesota shooting suspect.

Top stories of today: 1. Political assassination in Minnesota by Christian nationalist Trump supporter 2. Millions take to the street to oppose Trump and fascism 3. War continues between Israel and Iran with US more or less sidelined 4. Minor unrest in LA contained by local police That's it.

Senate candidates showing up at No Kings Day!

The Pope is beaming into Chicago and God has it raining in DC on little t’s parade. Good times

There was more energy in the smallest No Kings event in the smallest hamlet in the most remote part of America than at Trump's parade (with apologies to the Army which deserves the celebration).

Sorry and with respect to the military who are participating, this parade is a costly mistake. Low energy, politicized by Trump, meh crowds, degrading the military it seeks to honor. A dud. But worse because it is intended by Trump to coopt military power to serve his personal goals.

Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman remembered as a trailblazing public servant after fatal shooting www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

I had no idea fascism would be this boring.

Think about it: The reality is that Netanyahu attacked Iran to derail the US led nuclear deal negotiations. He did what he did to undermine US policy and interests. Not an ally. And Trump is such a cuck he is covering for it because he doesn’t want to appear weak or out of the loop.

I can't stop laughing. I honestly have only seen No Kings Day content until this. And that was enough. But this is just <chef's kiss emoji>.

Watching parade on CSPAN and it is strangely listless and vaguely pathetic. Trump has no energy and is flanked by crash test dummies Hegseth and Melania. Also, parade seems strangely disproportionately white. Flat. Slow. Canned commentary is dull as dust.

Anyway, here’s me and @leahgreenberg.bsky.social marching in Philly today with MLK III, Arndrea King, and @ruwaromman.bsky.social. Got to do some planning with @raskin.house.gov too.

Donald Trump‘s Washington parade was underwhelming! A remarkable waste of time and money. It is embarrassing that his staff cannot even put on a big parade. God forbid they be required to do anything important.:-(

I spoke with both Senators Klobuchar and Smith. In light of this horrifying attack, I asked Capitol Police—as I did earlier this week for Senator Padilla—to immediately increase security for both senators. I thank the Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police for increasing security for all three.

If this parade was intended to energize—a complete flop.

64% of U.S. adults oppose the use of government funds for this weekend's military parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating the Army's 250th birthday. www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

There is a No Kings protest happening within hours near YOU and we will be there too. Find your closest location and do what you can to speak up against the horribleness. www.nokings.org#map This is a link to locations...

Our ignorance is fossil fuel’s bliss.

I'm going to cut this thing down in a manageable size and should have something by tomorrow but this military parade is so painful in so many ways. I feel sorry for our amazing troops. This was not the way to honor them.

MOMENTS AGO: Law enforcement use tear gas and pepper spray on L.A. protestors. David Noriega reports on the ground

Backstage at Philly No Kings getting inspired and grounded by Reverend Barber. @raskin.house.gov coming up next!!

If you are out at a No Kings Day protest send your photos and videos! Also I will be covering the day from 9-11pm tonight on MSNBC. So share all your stories.

I watched this parade for an hour and forty-five minutes. If you missed it, this captures the vibe perfectly. You don't really need to see anything else.

"It makes me feel sad because a lot of the people I see here, a lot of guys back here, a lot of Marines, they're all Hispanic...They are in a tough spot.” @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social speaks with Ross Fuentes, a former Marine, about the military presence in L.A.

Trump is signaling that he's willing to use the military in ways deemed unjustifiable and dangerous – but is inventing threats and fanning fears to justify it. @juliaioffe.bsky.social + @radiofreetom.bsky.social join me at 10aET to explain what happens when gaslighting starts a real fire. #Velshi

I wrote about the political violence in Minnesota for The Atlantic -- and how we now live in a climate where this is likely to keep happening, as Trump's violent rhetoric has normalized, encouraged, and absolved political violence.

There are multiple wars that impact America’s safety but our soldiers are playing mall cop in American cities.

The ghastly targeted shootings of Sen. Hoffman and Rep. Hortman are not just horrific—they’re acts of political extremism and an assault on our democracy itself. This is where hate and violent rhetoric lead.

If John McCain had been alive to watch Trump at this parade after Fort Bragg and deploying the military in LA this week, it would've killed him.

OPINION by @brandonfriedman.bsky.social: "This use of the U.S. military is horrifying for a specific reason. It’s not simply because he’s showing off the hardware. It’s horrifying because the parade serves as a mirror, reflecting where we are as a nation." READ MORE: www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Happy 250th to the US Army! Celebrated at Fort Gregg-Adams yesterday with an amazing paratrooper display.

For those with this conclusion, I’d suggest you’re falling into the narrative that those you oppose want you to believe. Don’t do it.

The New York Post should be ashamed of themselves nypost.com/2025/06/14/u...

Lets go NYC

BREAKING: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks after two state lawmakers were shot in what Walz called an "assassination attempt." www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

OPINION by @guthriegf.bsky.social: "...Trump rode back to the White House with Christian support, and many evangelical and Catholic leaders continue to stand by him even now. At this pivotal moment, every Christian must ask whether their allegiance is to Christ or to Trump." READ MORE:

Um. Not really. Doesn't really capture what happened, does it? Reads more like a press release written before the event. A better analogy might be, I don't know, parade was the Blue Origin Lauren Sanchez launch of parades.

Meanwhile in Russia: host Sergey Mardan explained that Russia is an enemy of both the United States and Israel. Mardan said that Russia wants Israel to be weakened and should keep helping Iran, to include scientific assistance in nuclear areas. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQK8...

MAJOR BREAKING: MN State Sen. John Hoffman & his wife we shot and are hospitalized. MN State Rep. Melissa Hortman & her spouse were shot and killed.

I was so proud to be in New York City today supporting Americans making their voice heard at No Kings protests and pushing back on Donald Trump’s authoritarian push to rig the economy for his billionaire buddies.

Millions of Americans are standing up today to say loud and clear: No kings in America.

Weirdly, I think this parade has exactly the vibe I'd expect of a Trump birthday party, ponderous, no one seems happy to be there, least of all Melania.

Every neighborhood should make itself the wrong neighborhood. We all should record the actions and impacts of this tyrannical government and share the videos and images widely. At the end of the day, it will make our case and power our victory over these thugs.

Great example of Trumpster lie upon Trumpster lie propagating a phony narrative. First, they tried to bang Social Security with a lie (hoping to privatize it); then when people stood up and called that out, they declared fake victory over fake problem.

When the president and the administration and their political, media and financial enablers repeatedly communicate that it is ok to use force against their opponents their supporters will get their deadly message. It's all connected. The cancer is metastasizing.

No kings in America.

The Army deserves better.