"Malicious compliance" isn't the problem. Malicious orders are. www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/... - ThreadSky

radiofreetom.bsky.social • 25 days ago

"Malicious compliance" isn't the problem. Malicious orders are.

https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2025/01/malicious-compliance-is-not-the-issue-with-trumps-executive-orders/681498/?gift=otEsSHbRYKNfFYMngVFweGikcnE6gt7gxlFpKKDDF-A&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

Comments

yankeedem.bsky.social•25 days ago

“Malicious Compliance,”how did George Orwell miss that one?

ruprecht-monkeeboy.bsky.social•25 days ago

When it comes to Trump, "malicious" is the only word you need to finish the sentence.

gill-h.bsky.social•25 days ago

And vindictive!

giantreflector.bsky.social•25 days ago

It’s all the republicans. Don’t let them off the hook cause their jackass is clowning, it’s the republicans.

hughman3.bsky.social•25 days ago

Trump has no care for the law

Courts don't matter to him and those around him. He shows us this over and over for decades

If maga RINO leadership doesn't care then we have a full dictatorship

Wake up America

Or kiss the ring

coffinsharon.bsky.social•24 days ago

Thank you

harisheldonus.bsky.social•25 days ago

"I just followed orders!" - standard excuse at Nürnberg.

volkermielke.bsky.social•25 days ago

No - the banality of evil explains what might be at play.

The banality of compliance is the ground on which evil emerges.

Later the people will say, I didn’t know, I didn’t wanted that, I am not guilty - all wrong.

https://www.sciencespo.fr/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance/en/document/banality-evil.html

manekeniko.bsky.social•24 days ago

I sense a change in Maga. Today, no strutting or trolling "my president looking out for me," etc. They seem stunned into silence. Maybe they finally get he wants to hurt them.

maryporteuscollins.bsky.social•24 days ago

He’s a malicious malignant narcissist

socialgreedia.bsky.social•25 days ago

Tom, thank you as always.

But don't ever ask to borrow my dishwasher.

roadrunnr23.bsky.social•25 days ago

Hardly malicious compliance when federal employees are being told in writing they could face “adverse consequences“ for failing to report DEI programs, contracts, and employees within 10 days. @senkatiebritt.bsky.social

zinfangal.bsky.social•25 days ago

Project 2025 is full steam ahead and none of the Republicans oppose it.

Trump was golfing again in Florida today. Media doesn’t care.
If Biden did this…

mtownie.bsky.social•25 days ago

What’s wrong with malice in response to malice? Malicious compliance sounds like an interesting countermeasure.

ellenbraaten.bsky.social•25 days ago

You’ve been very busy, Tom. I barely have time to read it all :-)

savta28.bsky.social•25 days ago

Finally! It isn’t that I disagree with some of this policy. It’s that a process should be decided and put in place. Shutting down current protocol and funding with no basis is for lunatics. Doing it the felon’s way creates systemic corruption.

4retrievers.bsky.social•25 days ago

Thanks for the gift link! So absolutely true. It’s all about exercising cruel, even sadistic, criminality. DJT has a perverse criminal mindset. He can’t conceive anything other than extortion, exploitation, bullying, raw & mean power.

dibon5.bsky.social•25 days ago

Sure are.

2charlotte45.bsky.social•24 days ago

I knew it would be horrible but it’s worse than I imagined

quin664.bsky.social•25 days ago

Both are.

thisuserisdumb.bsky.social•25 days ago

New White House Slogan:
MAKE AMERICA CRUEL AGAIN

ctuescher.bsky.social•25 days ago

As usual, exceptionally well done.

e11eevans.bsky.social•25 days ago

I need an assistant to keep up with all your writing. Great job.

quackerz.bsky.social•24 days ago

The series of presidential decrees is largely intended to delight the Republican base.
Exactly. It's as if Trump is still on a campaign stage smirking at the crowd and saying ""hey, look at the sh*t I just caused, want me to do more or should I leave them alone now?"

paco-button.bsky.social•25 days ago

I hate the idea of "the government" as this busy, important man who we shouldn't bother. "Stop asking him for money!" Like, we made up the government specifically so we could have an organized body to get things we want. Sorry I guess

wearetheones.bsky.social•24 days ago

Trying to cover their butts and not blame their master for what is so unpopular. Lol

taltondrumbo.bsky.social•25 days ago

I agree it's an evil cake, but it's the incompetence frosting that really sets it apart...

appytude.bsky.social•25 days ago

Another great perspective on this situation, so I guess I will forgive you for not mentioning that teachings about the women pilots of WWII were also removed from the Air Force lessons. 😉 Thanks for being one of the voices who keeps me grounded through all of this insanity!

bluespots.bsky.social•25 days ago

TY for the article 👍🏻

robertoe60.bsky.social•25 days ago

He trying to over throw the system so he a can hold the Americans at Gun point to get his tax cuts and debt ceiling raised or is he doing Putin a favor

oliveratlas.bsky.social•25 days ago

For a party that has mythologized all the ways Communists fail because of delusions of micromanagerial omnipotence, it's too sardonic—the ways they're trying to implement this convoluted, hypocritical purity coup through half-baked legalese, Amens, and de facto emojis 👍 😃 💪 👀 🇺🇸

dengelbr.bsky.social•25 days ago

Trump would call an administration like his "sleazebags" if they were Democrats. We all know that Democrats would never behave like him but I still would like to use his terms:
The current administration is a bunch of sleazebags, lowlife forms and protozoans, betraying under mobster Trump..

tenneynaumer.bsky.social•24 days ago

This is all taking attention away from Tulsi Gabbard

hal10000.bsky.social•25 days ago

Everything is awful but I take grim satisfaction in watching them turn into absolute crybabies after only a week. Time to ramp up the pushback.

chex661.bsky.social•25 days ago

Donald Trump is tossing executive orders like he was tossing paper towels to Puerto Ricans

normadybounder.bsky.social•25 days ago

By the time this 4 years is over, we will need Nuremberg Trials.

timwhat.bsky.social•25 days ago

And here is the real danger, for Trump and those around him it is imperative that there never is accountability, the need to avoid accountability will become the driving force of the administration and it will take it to even darker places.

veruschkan.bsky.social•24 days ago

The International Court must dur what our own Supreme Court has failed to do - hold Trump and the GOP accountable for crimes against humanity. Article 7 of Rome Statue: Endangerment of the population health through negligence and malicious intent

https://legal.un.org/ilc/reports/2015/english/chp7.pdf

radiofreetom.bsky.social•24 days ago

That's not how any of that works

veruschkan.bsky.social•24 days ago

You are absolutely correct. It doesn't, but it should.

Article 7 of the Rome Statute indeed addresses crimes against humanity and outlines what constitutes crimes against humanity when carried out as part of a widespread or systematic attack on any civilian population.

US exempts itself.

danmcdermott73.bsky.social•25 days ago

Malicious compliance is resistance. Submitting to Trump is empty compliance, which is exactly what is expected. Don't think, do. To the rest of us, you know the call. Do not comply.

southerndissent.bsky.social•24 days ago

Thank you for the gift article.

desarrayed.bsky.social•25 days ago

"malicious compliance" is such a 'how do you do fellow kids' moment for them

completely cringe and, of course, misapplied because they don't get what it means in the first place

sgtbiggles.bsky.social•24 days ago

No political test! No religious tests! A civilian led civil service is essential in a democracy. Loyalty is earned, not demanded.

sean0919.bsky.social•24 days ago

Maybe because EO’s are essentially “monkeys paw” approaches to address issues. The EO instructs ALL DEI programs be terminated.

twinpics1.bsky.social•25 days ago

wanderingvoron.bsky.social•23 days ago

I'm not a fan of law & order for exactly this reason.
I'm a fan of justice.
When a society has justice, law and order naturally follows.

busladybebo.bsky.social•25 days ago

Tom, this is a brilliant piece. Thanks for writing it!

altiam.bsky.social•24 days ago

True insight—it's all about intent and impact.

tedibearlifts.bsky.social•25 days ago

Like they are constipated or something.

jkaster.bsky.social•25 days ago

And the immediate response to all of them MUST be “Fuck no” until the Supreme Court rules on it

psporich.bsky.social•25 days ago

....i hate it when he makes me read stuff....
its the beginning to more malicious things and...

sail2it.bsky.social•25 days ago

Alexander Hamilton - explained that the Constitution sought to prevent appointment of “obsequious instruments” of presidential “pleasure.” The Constitution sought to substitute loyalty to the law and the Constitution for loyalty to the head of state.

thinkitthrough.bsky.social•23 days ago

"Malicious Compliance" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

.. FASCISTS!

salud-cheers.bsky.social•23 days ago

Both are.
Homan is the poster child of malicious compliance.
He’s vile & oh so giddy about carrying out Trump’s malicious orders.

wiese2154.bsky.social•25 days ago

Thanks Tom. And thanks to The Atlantic. Keep up the good work. America needs it now more than ever before.

historynurse.bsky.social•25 days ago

Exactly. HE is the problem. It is his fault. We need to stop deflecting it.

frankenmizer.bsky.social•25 days ago

It's gross incompetence at best, criminal malfeasance in the middle, and a full-up coup at worst.

geoguy76.bsky.social•24 days ago

What is it with people thinking this Felon Trump writes these executive orders. The Felon Trump is not intelligent enough but it is the likes of the nominee of OMB writing these order. Project 2025. The puppet Felon Trump just puts his signature, and like a clown holds it up.

amicusopus.bsky.social•25 days ago

idea: What if we tried to run the country off the backs of napkins at Merde-a-Lago?

sybilltrelawney.bsky.social•25 days ago

After reading what Rep. Rick Goddard said about school lunches, I was reminded of Ebenezer Scrooge’s infamous question, “Are there no workhouses?” Rep. Goddard needs a visit from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

plankter.bsky.social•25 days ago

Do not obey. Resistance is *not* futile.

shayna99.bsky.social•24 days ago

I think that all of his orders are malicious. There is not a shred of decency in this person.

woof100.bsky.social•25 days ago

Federal LEO should be reminded of the Nuremberg defense.

pbnc.bsky.social•25 days ago

And Musk went back on his buyout offers and left hundreds of folks with nothing when he bought Twitter. Many have started the legal process to get him to pay what he promised, but that will take years to resolve.

stevebordewick.bsky.social•25 days ago

...President "Executive Time" gets into the Oval pre-noonish, slurps a Diet Coke hit, then straight to the "who talked me up" on TV - and "who didn't" naughty list.

It's grueling but needed to oust the likes of Jim Acosta from CNN (aka, "State TV - Jr. Varsity/Practice Squad.")

mjr1.bsky.social•25 days ago

Tom, I hate to have to say it, but it seems like Katie Britt might be full of shit.

toby11.bsky.social•25 days ago

Some of those orders might’ve just been jokes. He’s a helluva joker, that Trump, but he says what he really means, unless he’s joking, but maybe not. Because he didn’t mean THAT! He meant THIS! Unless it was a joke…Ah…hell.

chiefjoer.bsky.social•24 days ago

Should have suspended habeas. I was right.

sixnein.bsky.social•25 days ago

Good article. I think the buyout thing can also be construed as a purge of civil service. 2 million?

sixnein.bsky.social•25 days ago

On a side note, I think it's quite interesting how the market has had zero reaction to this situation despite the fact that this will impact the economy.

sixnein.bsky.social•25 days ago

Heck, I think this will even impact the data from which the economic readings depends on.

karkami.bsky.social•25 days ago

It might be a bit optimistic to assume SCOTUS won’t ultimately uphold all of these bizarre orders.

alagai.bsky.social•25 days ago

Excellent article.

In this case, "malicious" compliance is unavoidable, as this regime has made clear a very expansive definition of DEI.

But it is a also a response to direction given by incompetent management, which implicitly relies on discernment by those who have to implement it.

sybilltrelawney.bsky.social•25 days ago

When you’re told to rat out colleagues who you suspect to be hiding DEI programs with other “labels”—say, civil rights—or face discipline, there was no unintentional lack of clarity. The order was very very clear. “Are you now or have you ever been associated with DEI”?

alagai.bsky.social•25 days ago

Well, yes, in the article Nichols points to that as the reason that compliance would have to be very broad. Unless it turns out to be unpopular in which case it's tagged as "malicious".

sixnein.bsky.social•25 days ago

Another side effect of how this is being rolled out is that it makes it hard for the public to digest anything. Take for example removing security from people like Fauci. Aside from the dot dot to assassination, how many people are going to take those jobs in the future?

sixnein.bsky.social•25 days ago

Also this whole thing feels like what we call in IT a scream test. You shut things off and see who screams.

gopclownshow.bsky.social•25 days ago

📌

tompaine1776.bsky.social•25 days ago

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