Trump's insurgency is a clear and present danger to America, and if those folks in the Capitol didn't get the message on January 6, I suspect none of us will miss it when the next attack comes.
You don't play with domestic terrorism—you *defeat it*.
The thing no one in DC seems to understand that I would've thought someone in intel would've explained to them by now: DOMESTIC INSURGENCIES DON'T TAKE BREAKS.
They're don't merely "go live" when attacks happen—and they're not always about violence. They *daily* erode democracy.
Bannon defying Congress is part of the insurgency. The "Big Lie" is part of the insurgency. Bannon's recent "shock troops" speech is part of the insurgency. The Oath Keepers seeing record membership gains is part of the insurgency. And Trump's likely 2024 bid is part of it, too.
All these post-election "audits" are part of the insurgency. All these new "anti–election fraud" statutes—which only aim to attack voting rights—are part of the insurgency. Graham getting booed for discussing the vaccine is part of it.
IT WASN'T JUST JANUARY 6.
I mean, *Jesus*.
Because I run a publication that focuses on the ongoing domestic insurgency—an outlet that's as focused on the insurgency when it's *administrative* as when it's *violent*—I'll sometimes get a note saying, "I'm sick of January 6."
That person doesn't understand what's happening.
"January 6" is a placeholder term for an ongoing domestic insurgency in this country that has political, legal, administrative, cultural *and* paramilitary components. If you think that January 6 was just a *day*, you don't understand anything about the threat this country faces.
You can't be "sick of January 6." You can say—and some do—"I'd like to stick my ignorant head in the dirt for a few years and pretend everything is peachy because the alternative is too hard." And the *reason* you can say that is because—for a little while longer—this is America.
But the more *you* stick *your* head in the dirt re: the insurgency, the more *other* people do too, and the *shorter the period* you can do so because the *shorter the period* this is still America.
Can I be any clearer than that?
America is now facing an *existential threat*.
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(THREAD) If you want everyone to understand the stunts Trump and his lawyers pulled today in cross-examining longtime Trump fixer Michael Cohen, please RETWEET this thread.
I’m a NYT-bestselling Trump biographer and former criminal defense lawyer, and I’ll explain what happened.
1/ This thread builds off my 200-tweet, five-hour thread from yesterday, which was also about Team Trump’s Michael Cohen cross-examination and which you can read below. But there will be some *very* significant differences between that thread and this one.
2/ Yesterday I live-tweeted the Cohen cross-examination on a slight delay to offer background data and context for various lines of questioning. But given the odd choices Team Trump made in cross-examining Cohen, that may not have been the ideal approach. I have a better one now.
(THREAD) It’s important that everyone RETWEET this thread. As some of you know, Elon Musk has been on a deranged tear trying to destroy one of the most reliable news sources in the world, REUTERS. The recent reports in this thread are the ones Musk doesn’t want *anyone* to share.
(THREAD) Welcome to DAY 2 of the live thread of the testimony of Michael Cohen in Donald Trump’s criminal trial. I’m a NYT-bestselling Trump biographer and former criminal defense attorney. This thread covers the CROSS of Cohen live and adds essential background.
Please RETWEET.
1/ If you missed the 400-tweet DAY 1 live thread, it is here:
(THREAD) This is a live thread of the testimony of Michael Cohen in Donald Trump’s criminal trial. Its author is a NYT-bestselling Trump biographer and former criminal defense attorney. I’ll not only be covering the testimony live but adding essential background.
Please RETWEET.
1/ First, some information on my own brief association with Michael Cohen, in the interest of full disclosure. I’ve been interviewed by Michael Cohen on his podcast, and thereafter was invited back many times; I did not accept those invitations. I have spoken to Michael by phone.
2/ In speaking with Michael by phone, he floated (at a minimum) the idea of me ghostwriting or co-writing his second book, the follow-up to his #1 New York Times bestseller DISLOYAL—a book I candidly thought was surprisingly excellent.
(THREAD) This thread from a NYT-bestselling Trump biographer and former criminal defense lawyer offers the most comprehensive breakdown yet of the most explosive testimony about a POTUS ever: Stormy Daniels’ testimony. I’ll be working off court transcripts.
Please RETWEET.
1/ Please know in advance that this thread will be R-related and not appropriate for children. It will involve testimony about sexual intercourse with a former President of the United States as well as implications—in the testimony on same—that a sexual assault may have occurred.
2/ Further understand that while he objected to this testimony in court, demanded a mistrial over this testimony, was admonished for swearing audibly to intimidate the witness and jurors during this testimony and denies it in full, Trump *asked* for this witness.
2/ Those who don’t read this article will wrongly claim it says things it doesn’t: that these protests have no leftists in them; that there’s no leftist violence anywhere in America; that there’s been no antisemitism at any of the pro-Palestinians protests.