Writerhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mvbk5we2mc23“You know what happens if you don’t vote? You go to hell.” This is not cult-like behavior. It is a cult, unapologetically authoritarian and focused on the wishes of the leader even if crimes must be committed to gain his ends. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/has-the-gop-turned-into-a-trump-cult11 Sep 2026 21:47 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvbk5we2mc23https://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mv7eohydys2fSo, is this the first move by the nascent Vance 2028 campaign? The answer is a definite yes. Next, we’ll probably be treated to in depth interviews with Vance’s Yale professors about what a genius he was as a student. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/the-war-of-the-mini-mes-vance-undercuts11 Sep 2026 01:04 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv7eohydys2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mv4ptfyvmc2fI actually think that is where we are. A few people who know a lot about the incredibly rapid development of AI systems are warning us of a kind of “Terminator” future in which the machines take over and go to war against the humans who created them. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/artificial-intelligence-gone-wild09 Sep 2026 23:45 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv4ptfyvmc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mv2gk7p2o226The way to end this war is to start the engines and go home. Donald Trump can’t give that order, because it will make him look like a “loser.” For Hegseth, he’ll look like he’s got “low-T.” How horrible for him. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/a-very-old-sort-of-war09 Sep 2026 01:54 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv2gk7p2o226https://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3muxrtgad422fHunter Thompson had everything figured out by the final day of the convention. He had ordered six Bloody Marys and a dozen Heinekens and two grapefruits for breakfast at the beachside terrace of the Fontainebleau. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/part-four-fear-and-learning-at-the08 Sep 2026 00:38 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3muxrtgad422fhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3muv6xb3wz22bIn which the Watergate story unfolds slowly a thousand miles away to the north, as the convention heats up and your intrepid correspondent endeavors to figure out what the hell is going on and how he’s going to write about it when he gets back to New York. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/part-three-fear-and-learning-at-the06 Sep 2026 23:54 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3muv6xb3wz22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3muq7s7c3mk2mTrump’s roller coaster is about to jump the tracks, and we’re going to be there to see it. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/wtf-did-trump-even-mean-with-his05 Sep 2026 00:26 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3muq7s7c3mk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mun6ebcpxc2h“Oh, sweet Jesus,” said Hunter. “The bastards are closing in now. I knew the convention security was good, but this is too much. Phone taps…the place is probably lousy with bugs. Forget the boat. We’re going to need a lot more beer.” https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/part-two-fear-and-learning-at-the03 Sep 2026 19:22 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mun6ebcpxc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mul6j3424k23Trump and Hegseth are losing the war they started with Iran. If you want to know why, all you have to do is look at what they have systematically done to wound and end the careers of generals and admirals. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/hegseth-is-stripping-the-military03 Sep 2026 00:20 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mul6j3424k23https://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mug3cas7kc25https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/im-as-tired-as-she-is31 Aug 2026 23:39 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mug3cas7kc25https://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mudpqm25os23Iran won the shooting war. Now they’re winning the political war on Donald Trump and the Republican Party whose loyalty to him is so unblinking, it will likely cost them the midterm elections. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/trump-just-shot-some-missiles-at31 Aug 2026 01:07 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mudpqm25os23https://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mubehuk2kk2oThis is a political party making love to itself in public. When Nixon is finally nominated on Wednesday, I wonder who will feel more wasted and embarrassed… them or me? https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/part-one-fear-and-learning-at-the30 Aug 2026 02:40 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mubehuk2kk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mu6mjw4qbs2cThe military simply doesn’t operate by the rules that Hegseth and Trump want. When you have to ask for loyalty and dedication to duty from someone in the military, you’ve already lost them. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/hegseth-is-panicking29 Aug 2026 00:26 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu6mjw4qbs2chttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mu3vwixa322hDonald Trump wants us to see him as the most powerful man in the world. Have a look at the Reflecting Pool. It’s not working. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/heres-some-good-news-nothing-donald27 Aug 2026 22:36 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu3vwixa322hhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mtzlkrj6tc23You have to look hard to find a more incompetent asshole Secretary of Defense than Pete “I used to be a National Guard Major” Hegseth. Even McNamara and Rumsfeld, weren’t as much assholes as they were just plain bad at their jobs. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/theres-a-war-on-and-hegseth-is-running27 Aug 2026 00:26 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtzlkrj6tc23https://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mtwznj2wns2sWhat if the bully is a thousand miles and an international border away and his name is Donald Trump? Over the weekend, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney showed us how to deal with him. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/how-to-stand-up-to-a-bully26 Aug 2026 00:00 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwznj2wns2shttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mtptd24nss2mhttps://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/its-tracys-birthday-weekend-were23 Aug 2026 03:18 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtptd24nss2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mtn2wwozpc24Long live Stars and Stripes and the honorable service the paper has provided for decades to soldiers and to the nation. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/stars-stripped22 Aug 2026 00:56 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtn2wwozpc24https://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mtklg2lrds2pIf Trump decides none of his plans and schemes are working, he’ll start shooting missiles at Iran again. Iran will shoot missiles back at U.S. allies and U.S. bases. Trump will declare Iran beaten for the 13th time. Iran will laugh and keep smuggling. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/trump-vs-the-smugglers-his-threat21 Aug 2026 01:13 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtklg2lrds2phttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mthx774zzc2gTrump gets off on Harp’s self-negating devotion. He doesn’t have to belittle her in public to bend her to his will, the aim of every abuser. She does it to herself. Natalie Harp is a victim in a sick relationship. She is not to blame. Trump is. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/what-is-wrong-with-natalie-harp-the20 Aug 2026 00:06 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mthx774zzc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mtfmctjejs2eThere is practically no downside to Democrats picking up the issue of data centers and AI companies bigfooting their way around the country ruining the landscape and running up electric bills and emptying out local water supplies. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/the-greed-of-ai-companies-is-handing19 Aug 2026 01:46 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtfmctjejs2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mtcuo4chg22cWhat if a Democrat had done this to the White House? https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/lets-play-a-game-of-what-if17 Aug 2026 23:37 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtcuo4chg22chttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mtaesgefec2qThis makes my head hurt. I'm taking the night off. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/i-cant-even-dc916 Aug 2026 23:48 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtaesgefec2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mt3ewlpurk2oHere is the reason that the USS Lincoln is in so much trouble as a combat vessel: The president, the commander in chief, doesn’t care. He thinks people in the military are suckers and he treats them that way. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/a-clarifying-moment15 Aug 2026 00:07 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt3ewlpurk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3msyxu4kbzc26David “Gimme-Gimme-Gimme” Ellison hasn’t done anything of note with his life, either, other than being born the son of one of the biggest right-wing assholes who ever bent over to kiss Trump’s ass while he slipped millions in his pocket. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/david-ellison-is-a-spoiled-brat-rich14 Aug 2026 01:08 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3msyxu4kbzc26https://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3mswlayoxks2yThis is what Trump’s insane ambition and his refusal to study history does. It costs blood and treasure. Our blood. Our treasure. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/trump-and-hegseth-ignored-the-grim13 Aug 2026 02:17 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mswlayoxks2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3msttyalysk2dDonald Trump is safe and secure at Bedminster. That fact is a good part of the reason that Iran is winning the war Trump started. They take war seriously, while Donald Trump goes golfing. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/we-didnt-have-avenger-air-defense12 Aug 2026 00:15 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3msttyalysk2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3msr52slzas2rDouthat: “The columnist’s job contains multitudes.” I mean, that’s why you read the op-ed page of the Times, isn’t it? For that level of sagacity? https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/i-read-ross-douthats-farewell-times10 Aug 2026 22:20 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3msr52slzas2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3msokloutt22xLittle showed up on my desk for her late afternoon crispies; dusk falls and sparrows flit through the branches of the big bush outside my window looking for a place to perch for the night. We know the music, and each other, by heart. https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/its-our-anniversary09 Aug 2026 21:44 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3msokloutt22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/lktiv.bsky.social/post/3msjua22xl22eWhat I’d like to know is, did the military leadership miscount the number of missiles we had? Did they lie to each other? Did they tell the White House a gigantic lie? https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/to-run-out-of-ammo08 Aug 2026 00:53 +0000at://did:plc:z4bo3oflibyneh4ig6b3gazz/app.bsky.feed.post/3msjua22xl22e