"Kremlev is the 'wallet' of [Putin's chief bodyguard] Alexei Rubezhnoy, the closest person to Putin," @zygaro.bsky.social told me. "Rubezhnoy is the first person who sees Putin in the morning and the last person to wish him good night before bed."

Julia Ioffe@juliaioffe.bsky.social · 2w ago

Who is Umar Kremlev, who paid for part of Donald Trump Jr's wedding? Turns out, he's the business front of Vladimir Putin's chief body guard, one of the most powerful men in Russia. That's about as close as it gets. My latest. puck.news/who-is-umar-....

Who is Umar Kremlev, who paid for part of Donald Trump Jr's wedding? Turns out, he's the business front of Vladimir Putin's chief body guard, one of the most powerful men in Russia. That's about as close as it gets. My latest. puck.news/who-is-umar-....

Don Jr.’s “Dear Friend” in Moscow

Kremlev bankrolled Trump’s Bahamas wedding afterparty. He’s also a former Kremlin biker gang member and reputed proxy for Putin’s bodyguard.

puck.news

THE WAIT IS OVER! The season premiere of HIGNFY is now streaming on CNN. Catchup on last night's episode with Comedian and Host @jonlovett.bsky.social & Journalist @juliaioffe.bsky.social #HIGNFY #news #politics #comedy

NEW: The State Department is not allowing in France's new ambassador over a French government tweet. The US demanded France take down the tweet, France said no. The US demanded a public apology. France said no. Now the two are trying to hammer out language on a new tweet. puck.news/frances-new-....

A Very French Diplomatic Scandal

With the State Department blocking the succession of French ambassador Aurélien Lechevallier in retaliation for an errant tweet, veteran diplomat Laurent Bili is stuck in a bizarre farewell party he c...

puck.news

NEW: The State Department is not allowing in France's new ambassador over a French government tweet. The US demanded France take down the tweet, France said no. The US demanded a public apology. France said no. Now the two are trying to find compromise. My latest. puck.news/frances-new-....

"Trump’s State Department . . . discovered that many of the people it eliminated were, unfortunately, pretty important all along—and desperately trying to refill their roles. “State is shopping for the expertise it threw away,” said one former officer."

Julia Ioffe@juliaioffe.bsky.social · 3w ago

Foggy Bottom is quietly hiring again—including for the very roles that thousands of career diplomats lost last year. My latest. puck.news/the-state-de...

Always love talking to my partner in Puck @PeterHamby, especially when it's about Pete Hegseth's purge of the military. (And props to our team for choosing these thumbnails lol) www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oUR...

Why Dan Driscoll Quit Rather Than Keep Fighting Pete Hegseth

YouTube video by Puck

youtube.com

Foggy Bottom is quietly hiring again—including for the very roles that thousands of career diplomats lost last year. My latest. puck.news/the-state-de...

The Replacements

Trump’s State Department gutted its diplomatic workforce in 2025. Now it’s scrambling to refill the very roles it eliminated.

puck.news

Back in April, I reported that Dan Driscoll, secretary of the Army, was going to leave the job by the end of summer. Today, on August 31, he did just that. puck.news/hegseths-pen....

Hegseth’s Pentagon Purge

Under the cover of the Iran war, Pete Hegseth moved to oust Army chief Randy George, a staunch ally of his archnemesis and untouchable Pentagon rival, Dan Driscoll.

puck.news

As Dan Driscoll prepares to leave his job as Army Secretary, I'm told acting chief of staff Gen. Chris LaNeve has stopped reporting to him and goes right to Sec. Hegseth instead. My latest. puck.news/inside-dan-d...

The Dan Driscoll Farewell Tour

The Pentagon’s bitterest rivalry is ending with Pete Hegseth firmly in control and the Army’s would-be disruptor heading for the exits. Dan Driscoll’s upcoming departure, said a former Pentagon offici...

puck.news

“When is Pete Hegseth leaving?” said a source familiar with the situation. “What makes you think he’s ever going to leave? That’s the only conclusion I can come to.” My latest. puck.news/inside-dan-d...

The Dan Driscoll Farewell Tour

The Pentagon’s bitterest rivalry is ending with Pete Hegseth firmly in control and the Army’s would-be disruptor heading for the exits. Dan Driscoll’s upcoming departure, said a former Pentagon offici...

puck.news

I am so excited to show you the cover of the forthcoming Russian translation of MOTHERLAND, which is being published by Yulia Navalnaya's One Book Publishing with a cover designed by artist Anna Samoylova.

When Trump was first elected in 2016, the Gulf states were, as one former Trump admin official told me, "like kids in a candy store." These days, they just want him to get out of the way. My latest. puck.news/the-gulf-sta...

The Gulf of Trump

As the Iran war continues with no end in sight, the emirs and princes who got into business with Trump are now experiencing some buyers’ remorse. “They thought they spoke his language,” said one longt...

puck.news

When Trump was first elected in 2016, the Gulf states were, as one former Trump admin official told me, "like kids in a candy store." These days, they just want him to get out of the way. My latest. puck.news/the-gulf-sta...

The Gulf of Trump

As the Iran war continues with no end in sight, the emirs and princes who got into business with Trump are now experiencing some buyers’ remorse. “They thought they spoke his language,” said one longt...

puck.news

The right-wing Ben Franklin Fellowship is now handing out awards—and cash prizes—with the State Dept to its diplomats, including the MLK Jr prize for "meritocracy" & Dwight Eisenhower award for "creative diplomacy" in deporting the undocumented. My latest. puck.news/the-state-de...

The State Department’s New B.F.F.

The conservative Ben Franklin Fellowship appears to have formalized its relation with the State Department, raising a series of questions around Washington.

puck.news

The right-wing Ben Franklin Fellowship is now handing out awards—and cash prizes—with the State Dept to its diplomats, including the MLK Jr prize for "meritocracy" & Dwight Eisenhower award for "creative diplomacy" in deporting the undocumented. My latest. puck.news/the-state-de...

The State Department’s New B.F.F.

The conservative Ben Franklin Fellowship appears to have formalized its relation with the State Department, raising a series of questions around Washington.

puck.news

Why is the Trump administration blocking the next French ambassador and revoking the visa of the current Brazilian ambassador? My latest. puck.news/why-trump-pu...

A Very MAGA Diplomatic Scandal

Visa revocations, ambassador recalls, and open interventions in foreign elections mark a hardball new phase of Trump’s chaotic foreign policy. A diplomatic spat with the French and a clash with the Br...

puck.news

NEW: The Treasury Dept. will be going after leftie NGOs to make them disclose all the smaller NGOs they fiscally sponsor. “It will have an asymmetrical impact on the left, just because the right is organized differently,” a source familiar told me. My latest. puck.news/inside-trump...

Marco Rubio’s Enemies Within

The Trump administration is building a counterterrorism framework to target left-wing groups at home and abroad, raising concerns that it could be used against political opponents, nonprofits, activis...

puck.news

NEW: The Treasury Dept. will be going after leftie NGOs to make them disclose all the smaller NGOs they fiscally sponsor. “It will have an asymmetrical impact on the left, just because the right is organized differently,” a source familiar told me. My latest. puck.news/inside-trump...

Marco Rubio’s Enemies Within

The Trump administration is building a counterterrorism framework to target left-wing groups at home and abroad, raising concerns that it could be used against political opponents, nonprofits, activis...

puck.news

I cannot recommend @juliaioffe.bsky.social ‘s book Motherland strongly enough. The chapter “Gasoline” is harrowing and should serve as a warning for America. There’s a reason the right loves Russia so much. They love the paternalism, violence, and religiosity of Russia and want an American version.

I talked to Laura Loomer about her trip to Ukraine. Among other things, I asked her who paid for her trip. “Obviously, I have donors and whatnot,” she said. “The government of Ukraine did not pay for me to go, if that’s what you’re asking.” My latest. puck.news/laura-loomer...

The Miseducation of Laura Loomer

From a hotel in Ukraine, Loomer explains her startling embrace of Zelensky and a widening MAGA split over Russia, Israel, and the U.S.’s role in the world.

puck.news

"Do you really think anybody in the Kremlin ever cared about your comfort? Because all of this is material for Putin’s power. The only reason he may care about the gas lines is because there might be some sort of revolution about it." Nina Khrushcheva tells me from Moscow. puck.news/nina-khrusch...

Behind Russian Lines

In a conversation from Moscow, Nikita Khrushchev’s granddaughter describes a society adjusting to shortages, tighter government surveillance, blocked cellphone service, and the realization that Putin’...

puck.news

"Do you really think anybody in the Kremlin ever cared about your comfort? Because all of this is material for Putin’s power. The only reason he may care about the gas lines is because there might be some sort of revolution about it." Nina Khrushcheva tells me from Moscow. puck.news/nina-khrusch...

Behind Russian Lines

In a conversation from Moscow, Nikita Khrushchev’s granddaughter describes a society adjusting to shortages, tighter government surveillance, blocked cellphone service, and the realization that Putin’...

puck.news

I've read dozens of books about Russia. This is one of the rare books where the historic perspective can make you repeatedly rethink a subject you thought you knew well. My favorite kind of book. At times funny, terrifying, and hopeful. #booksky #bookreview ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Julia Ioffe@juliaioffe.bsky.social · 11mo ago

MOTHERLAND is finally out today! And she's a finalist for the National Book Award. Get your copy today! bookshop.org/p/books/moth...

What is life like in wartime Moscow, especially now that Ukraine has finally brought the war home to Russians? I called my friend Nina Khrushcheva (Nikita's granddaughter) for a surreal report. My latest. puck.news/nina-khrusch...

Behind Russian Lines

In a conversation from Moscow, Nikita Khrushchev’s granddaughter describes a society adjusting to shortages, tighter government surveillance, blocked cellphone service, and the realization that Putin’...

puck.news

"It’s a very Western idea that if things are going horribly, you’re going to go and express your disillusionment publicly. Russians don’t protest this way. Russians protest with a middle finger hidden in their pocket." The great Nina Khrushcheva on life in Moscow. puck.news/nina-khrusch...

Behind Russian Lines

In a conversation from Moscow, Nikita Khrushchev’s granddaughter describes a society adjusting to shortages, tighter government surveillance, blocked cellphone service, and the realization that Putin’...

puck.news

NATO didn't always have an annual summit, not even during the Cold War. Now, in the age of Trump, NATO insiders are wondering if these annual summits are doing more harm than good—and if it's time to stop having them so often. My latest. puck.news/nato-summit-...

Is It Time to Cancel the Annual NATO Summit?

The alliance’s summer meeting, which became a yearly event after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has since devolved into an annual display of Trump-induced disunity. “It’s not productive. It risks being...

puck.news

Once again, Trump went to NATO and humiliated NATO allies. Which is why NATO insiders are asking, why do we keep doing this to ourselves? Is it time to cancel the annual summit? puck.news/nato-summit-...

Is It Time to Cancel the Annual NATO Summit?

The alliance’s summer meeting, which became a yearly event after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has since devolved into an annual display of Trump-induced disunity. “It’s not productive. It risks being...

puck.news

They found the voter fraud!

ProPublica@propublica.org · 3mo ago

NEW: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appears to have used an address where he did not live while voting in six elections in the past two years — despite warning voters that “it is illegal to misrepresent your residence on election records.” with @texastribune.org