Alexander Vindman

Dad. Husband. Vet, 2x NYT Best-selling Author. Ex NSC/White house Staff. Senior Advisor @votevets. Doc International Affairs, Senior Fellow, FPI/SAIS/Hopkins.

[Mike Nellis @MikeNellis]

Here’s Pete Hegseth in 2016 saying there should be consequences for people who commit war crimes—that members of the military shouldn’t follow illegal orders from the President: “If you’re doing something that is just completely unlawful and ruthless, then there is a consequence for that. That’s why the military said it won’t follow unlawful orders from their commander in chief.” 🤔

[Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 @AVindman]

Damning! Hegseth must resign!! And be must held accountable for his actions!!!
Watchdog finds Hegseth risked endangering troops by sharing of sensitive war plans on Signal, sources say | CNN Politics https://t.co/1eNVbPda8G

[Ted Lieu @tedlieu]

Dear Indiana and Florida GOP: The only way you can gerrymander more red seats is by making existing Republican incumbent districts even weaker.

I dare you to do so after tonight’s 13 point over performance by Democrats in a midterm level turnout special election in Tennessee.

[Republicans against Trump @RpsAgainstTrump]

Conservative writer George Will: “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seems to be a war criminal. Without a war. An interesting achievement." https://t.co/TfVk3XBbwq

[Michael Weiss @michaeldweiss]

Witkoff and Kushner are returning to the U.S. where Congress is back from holiday, Witkoff’s leaked chats with Ushakov and the WSJ deep dive into side deals with Russia are the talk of the town, and more Republicans are growing outspoken about appeasement. Both return to discuss more discussions.

[Daniel Dale @ddale8]

Here's a fact check of 13 of the false claims President Trump made at his Cabinet meeting today:

- He claimed he's secured more than $18 trillion in investment commitments since he returned to office. That fictional figure is nearly double the $9.6 trillion figure the White House uses on its website, and a detailed review shows even the smaller WH figure is wildly inflated

- He claimed grocery prices are down. They're up: 2.7% year-over-year as of September, 1.4% since January

- He claimed he is cutting prescription drug prices by 500% to 900%. These numbers make no mathematical sense; they'd mean people would get paid to acquire their medications

- He claimed every military attack on a (purported) drug-smuggling boat saves an average of 25,000 lives. Experts say this number also makes no sense, even aside from the fact the administration hasn’t publicly proven what was on the boats; the US had a reported total of 82,000 overdose deaths last year

- He claimed he has "stopped inflation in its tracks" since January. The September year-over-year inflation rate, 3.0%, was the exact same as the rate in January (actually a tiny bit higher if you go to more decimal places) - and September was the fifth consecutive months the year-over-year rate had increased

- He claimed he inherited the worst inflation of all time. He didn't; he inherited 3% inflation, same as the most recent rate, and even the Biden-era peak, 9.1% in June 2022, wasn't close to an all-time high

- He claimed he ended eight wars. Among other issues, his list includes two supposed wars that did not actually exist during his presidency, Egypt-Ethiopia and Serbia-Kosovo, and a war in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that has not actually ended

- He claimed China “doesn’t have gasoline.” It’s true China doesn’t produce enough oil to meet domestic demand, but China has domestic oil and refines oil into gasoline

- He claimed that, under Biden, “By 2030, everybody had to own an electric car.” Biden’s push for EVs did not include a requirement for anybody to buy an electric car or abandon their gas-powered car; Biden tailpipe rules sought to have EVs make up 56% of new passenger vehicles sold in 2032

- He claimed the US gave $350 billion in wartime aid to Ukraine. Not even close. A US government inspector general says $187 billion was appropriated for the war response through June...including billions spent in the US and broader Europe

- He claimed Washington, DC now has "no murders," which wasn't true even before the deadly attack on National Guard troops last week

- He claimed the 2020 election was a fake election. It wasn’t, he lost, this is a lie

- He claimed his big domestic policy bill included “no tax on Social Security.” It didn’t eliminate tax on Social Security; it temporarily increased the standard deduction for people age 65+, which means some people 65+ (and beneficiaries under 65) continue to pay tax on their benefits

More details: https://t.co/bkbVxDwlKo

[Daniel Szeligowski @dszeligowski]

Across from an aging Putin sits what is probably the most amateurish delegation the United States has ever fielded for talks with Moscow

[Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 @AVindman]

No surprise! Putin’s foreign policy aide Ushakov, following Witkoff/Kushner visit, says sides are no closer to resolving the crisis in Ukraine.

The Dim-Witt “Peace” plan is a train wreck.

@marcorubio was too crafty to go to the Kremlin and have this silly meeting.

[Christopher Miller @ChristopherJM]

Steve Witkoff sitting across from the Ukrainians in Miami: Unshaven and scruffy. Serious, avoiding eye contact and unsmiling.

Steve Witkoff sitting across from Putin: Grinning with teeth, clean shaven, attentive. He says he had a "beautiful walk" through Moscow, which he told Putin is "a magnificent city."

[Josh Kraushaar @JoshKraushaar]

George Will: "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seems to be a war criminal. Without a war. An interesting achievement."
https://t.co/GgVgdQ7BBw

[Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 @AVindman]

It is totally okay to disobey the President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief, if he's issuing illegal orders. In fact, it is your duty to disobey and failure to do so will have you prosecuted.
Clearly/Patently illegal orders issued by @realDonaldTrump include shooting peaceful protestors in the leg & murdering civilians in boats.

[Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 @AVindman]

*do so

[Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 @AVindman]

November Security Brief: A cascade of developments that revealed the fragility of international alliances, the expanding reach of corruption within “Trump Inc.,” and the risks to U.S. security and democracy.
Leaks surrounding the Dim-Wit “Peace” planexposed the extent to which foreign autocrats are manipulating Trump and his allies. In the latest instance, Putin dangled billions of dollars in deals to entice Trump Inc. to accept Russia’s “wish list.”
A leadership shake-up is unfolding in Ukraine. Andriy Yermak, Ukraine’s second most powerful figure resigned in the midst of a corruption scandal. Yermak’s departure will precipitate other leadership changes, as well as, impact peace talks.
Meanwhile, the United States moved toward a direct military confrontation with Venezuela.
On the domestic front, decisive gubernatorial victories by Abigail Spanberger (Virginia) and Mikie Sherrill (New Jersey) starts triggering Republican resignations and retirements, hints at a growing willingness within the GOP to challenge Trump’s iron grip on the party, and signals the potential for some accountability ahead of the 2026 midterms. A bipartisan, bicameral call for an investigation of Secretary of Defense Hegseth, following allegations of war crimes is gaining support. https://t.co/juKeqs5dIL

[Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 @AVindman]

Major development. Yermak has been with Zelensky since the beginning. He was Zelensky’s closest aide, often referred to as the grey cardinal, pulling the strings. That assessment is overstated, nevertheless Yermak was a key player and often sited as the nexus for graft. This will shakeup the entire government.

[Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 @AVindman]

Good to see the U.S. and Ukraine agree to a joint peace plan. However, this plan is irrelevant.

Russia never proposed a legitimate plan. The 28 point “Dim-Witt” plan was an influence operation rather than a plan for a just and lasting peace.

[Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 @AVindman]

Russia’s proposal called for Ukraine’s capitulation. Presented as an ultimatum to Ukraine, it was designed to be rejected to drive a wedge between Ukraine and the U.S. The rational evolution of a rational U.S.-Ukraine plan evolved when the Dim-Witt Trump ultimatum was lambasted by pretty much everyone.

[Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 @AVindman]

Now the new plan is a nonstarter for Russia. This whole episode was just an embarrassing and useless fire-drill.

While Trump couldn’t care less about Ukraine, he’s foolish to believe he could force an ultimatum and more foolish to not realize he’s being endlessly played by Putin.

[Tyler McBrien @TylerMcBrien]

NEW: 13 Dem members of the Senate Armed Services Committee are requesting AG Bondi and Sec Hegseth declassify and release the DOJ OLC opinion—which the committee reviewed last week—on the Trump admin’s 21 "unauthorized" Caribbean boat strikes that have killed 83 people.

[Alex Vindman 🇺🇸 @AVindman]

These awesome veterans, 2 Marines, a Naval Aviator, and a badass U.S. Special Mission Unit Operator!!! are running for Congress. Check them out!

[Cait Conley @CaitforNewYork]

We’ve served our country in uniform. Now we are stepping up to serve again.

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