To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes A Blockade Is Just a Fancy Word for an Act of War
Dec 18, 2025
Tom Nichols, a writer for The Atlantic and retired professor at the U.S. Naval War College, dives into the implications of Trump's rhetoric on Venezuela. He discusses why Trump's attacks on director Rob Reiner resonated politically and highlights shifts in GOP support for Trump. Nichols explains that blockades are historically acts of war, raising concerns about Trump's recent post and the potential for curbed civil liberties. The conversation also touches on the dangers of military action and the erosion of wartime norms in a changing political landscape.
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Trump's Behavior Reveals No New Truths
- Donald Trump repeatedly displays the same vindictive, ghoulish behavior and it surprises few who watched him for years.
- Tom Nichols and Charlie Sykes say recent attacks only made others finally say it out loud.
Personal Memory Of Rob Reiner
- Charlie Sykes recounts meeting Rob Reiner in an airport and finding him warm and personable.
- That personal memory made Trump's ghoul-like comments feel like a gut punch to Sykes.
Perception Of Invincibility Is Eroding
- Trump's apparent worsening rhetoric pushes some MAGA-adjacent figures to break publicly with him.
- Nichols and Sykes argue that perceived invincibility fading changes political calculations and emboldens critics.