Nicholas Thompson
@nxthompson.bsky.social
CEO of The Atlantic. Going out of business soon, since 1857. Author of “The Running Ground: A father, a son, and the simplest of sports.”
Trump has spent the last year trying to drag the Smithsonian into a culture war. It hasn't really worked. Here's one reason why: www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...
One Problem With Attacking the Smithsonian? Americans Like It.
Coming after a history museum may not be the base-galvanizing issue Trump thinks it is.
theatlantic.com
These stats on maternal care in rural America are sobering—and changes to Medicaid and the H-1B visa program might make them even worse. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
We don’t know why so many Moroccans swam to Ceuta. We do know that it was not a real path to Europe, that many migrants are dead, that almost everyone else has been sent home and that the far right weaponized it all. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
The Far Right Is Distorting Ceuta
We’ve seen this before.
theatlantic.com
From Missy Ryan and Nancy A. Youssef: Pete Hegseth fired or reassigned almost every Pentagon staffer who worked on reducing civilian harm. After the deadly school strike in Iran, the Pentagon may rehire many of them. www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
“Blanche’s day job may no longer involve working as President Trump’s private attorney, but his conduct at the top of the Justice Department has left little doubt that his primary loyalty is not to the United States or the Constitution but to the man in the White House.” buff.ly/8AcL40D
The Biggest Takeaway From Todd Blanche’s Confirmation Hearing
The once-cherished ideal of dispensing impartial justice has all but disappeared.
theatlantic.com
Wow. John Ratcliffe says Ukraine’s AI drones are so effective that the average Russian soldier is now dying within 30 minutes of reaching the battlefield. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
“Faced with a choice between disappointing the political aims of the president he serves and stifling the free press, Blanche has shown that he won’t hesitate to choose the latter.”
Does Todd Blanche Have a Red Line?
The acting attorney general is showcasing his willingness to intimidate reporters whose revelations have upset the president.
theatlantic.com
This is an amazing quote from Lindsey Graham about when he realized how politics works. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
A new CIA survey shows officers are worried about telling the truth if it cuts against the Trump admin's POV. This could have severe consequences—especially if our intelligence strategy is influenced by Laura Loomer's blog. www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
We recently published a remarkable piece from @rosehorowitch.bsky.social on The End of Reading. It's about what's happened to literacy in this country and where we're heading—and includes some bonkers studies. Obviously, you should read the whole thing! But here are a few details that stand out. 1/
The End of Reading Is Here
Optimists once believed that universal literacy was inevitable. Now it seems that the age of reading might be a short anomaly in human history.
theatlantic.com
Thrilled to announce the launch of our first narrative game: Lemony Snicket’s Suspicious Incident in Dubious Park. You're an investigator trying to solve the murder of a famous socialite. It's fun and challenging in all the best ways. Please play and share with your friends: theatlantic.com/play
"Trump is cultural heroin. He makes some feel better for a bit. But he cannot fix what ails them, and one day they’ll realize it." - JD Vance, ten years ago today. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Opioid of the Masses (From 2016)
To many, Donald Trump feels good, but he can’t fix America’s growing social and cultural crisis, and the eventual comedown will be harsh.
theatlantic.com
The last paragraph of @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu piece on what patriotism means ahead of our 250th Independence Day. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Hegseth, Rubio, and other top Trump officials kept using Signal after Signalgate—with some messages set to auto-delete. This may not be entirely in line with federal laws requiring the preservation of government records. buff.ly/kFmZKYS
Hegseth, Rubio, and Caine Had an Auto-Deleting Signal Chat
New records reveal that officials kept using the app, even after the president suggested they stop.
theatlantic.com
CEO of @theatlantic.com @nxthompson.bsky.social had our own @eli.bsky.social on his podcast “The Most Interesting Thing in AI” to talk about our “After The Feeds” deck. (Timestamped links below!) They covered a lot of ground, including but not limited to:
I’ve written my GOP congressmen about Trump’s abuse of his pardoning power and their response is basically to shrug and say, “Gee, what can you do?” No criticism, no outrage, no allegiance to anyone but the one.
Nicholas Thompson@nxthompson.bsky.social · last mo."'It is general knowledge in our practice that for $2 million, you can have a pardon,' one prominent white-collar defense attorney told me." www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
"'It is general knowledge in our practice that for $2 million, you can have a pardon,' one prominent white-collar defense attorney told me." www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The White House Considers Granting 250 Pardons for the Nation’s Birthday
The idea has set off a frenzy of appeals for clemency.
theatlantic.com
🤖 Where are AI agents going to interrupt the digital town square and where are they not? “In places where we're consuming information, trying to make buying decisions, we're going to see a lot of disruption … On the other hand, I do not want my friend's agent replying to me in the group chat.”
Will AI Agents Kill Social Media—Or Save It? - New_ Public's Eli Pariser
YouTube video by Nicholas Thompson
youtu.be
@radiofreetom.bsky.social on Trump’s appearance at the Great American State Fair last night. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Bill Pulte might not have the authority to make the changes he's already begun making—because he may not be eligible for the job in the first place. www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
“‘It’s interesting that the guy who says he wants to bring back the warrior culture is expunging the biggest warriors in the Army ranks,’ one retired Army officer told us. ‘This is not a war on woke. This is a war on warriors.’” From Nancy A. Youssef and Missy Ryan: buff.ly/WA7m4ID
Another Top General Is Out at the Pentagon
C. D. Donahue, the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan, is the latest in a long line of military departures.
theatlantic.com
"The Reflecting Pool episode captures most of Trump’s governing pathologies (corruption, incompetence, authoritarian menace, absurd lies) without any of the normal attendant consequences. It is pure, meaningless fun." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
The Reflecting Pool Water’s Fine
It’s easy being green.
theatlantic.com
@eli.bsky.social is one of the smartest people I've talked to about digital spaces. He often sees how tech is going to influence human interaction before it actually does. On my podcast, he laid out the case for why AI is about to change social media in profound ways. Here are a few key points. 1/
Will AI Agents Kill Social Media—Or Save It? - Upworthy founder Eli Pariser
YouTube video by Nicholas Thompson
youtube.com
A fascinating story from @thekenharbaughshow.bsky.social about the women sustaining Ukraine’s resistance from within Russian-controlled towns. www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
The Iran war was a calamity for many reasons. This is among the worst of them. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Netanyahu turned his relationship with Trump into a selling point to his voters. Now it may be his downfall. I wrote about how Trump left Bibi holding the bag in Iran on the eve of an election that he and his allies were already losing. Gift link:
Netanyahu Finally Learns the Truth About Trump
An alliance with the president was the Israeli prime minister’s selling point. Now it may be his downfall.
theatlantic.com
“His cruelty and the delight he takes in it, including celebrating the death of people he considered his enemies, is more pronounced now than before. And his environment is populated almost solely by sycophants.” From @peter-wehner.bsky.social: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
The Apotheosis of Donald Trump
On the president’s 80th birthday, it became clear that he has entered his decline.
theatlantic.com
