Peter Eisner
@peisner.bsky.social
Contributing editor at SpyTalk, formerly at WashPost and Newsday, author of a nonfiction trilogy on WW2, writing at home and on the road.
September 22, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Probing the Trump-Putin Bromance Mystery
A new book reconstructs the curious relationship between the Russian dictator and the American president
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
A new book reconstructs the curious relationship between the Russian dictator and the American president
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
Probing the Trump-Putin Bromance Mystery
A new book reconstructs the curious relationship between the Russian dictator and the American president
open.substack.com
September 15, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Probing the Trump-Putin Bromance Mystery
A new book reconstructs the curious relationship between the Russian dictator and the American president
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
A new book reconstructs the curious relationship between the Russian dictator and the American president
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Reminder: voter fraud is not a thing.
Voter suppression is.
Voter suppression is.
September 16, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Reminder: voter fraud is not a thing.
Voter suppression is.
Voter suppression is.
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Dear NYT: Stop referring to Trump officials engaged in stifling free speech as “conservatives.” They should be more accurately described as authoritarians. How Trump Is Wielding Power to Stifle Speech www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/u...
How Trump Is Wielding Power to Stifle Speech
President Trump has harnessed agencies across the government to curtail press freedoms, a sweeping campaign that free speech advocates say will have lasting effects.
www.nytimes.com
September 12, 2026 at 7:37 PM
Dear NYT: Stop referring to Trump officials engaged in stifling free speech as “conservatives.” They should be more accurately described as authoritarians. How Trump Is Wielding Power to Stifle Speech www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/u...
Reposted by Peter Eisner
What I did on My Summer Vacation
Oddly enough, I ended up chasing the ghost of Sean Flynn, the war photographer who ended up disappearing in Cambodia
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
Oddly enough, I ended up chasing the ghost of Sean Flynn, the war photographer who ended up disappearing in Cambodia
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
What I did on My Summer Vacation
Oddly enough, I ended up chasing the ghost of Sean Flynn, the war photographer who ended up disappearing in Cambodia
open.substack.com
September 8, 2026 at 10:08 PM
What I did on My Summer Vacation
Oddly enough, I ended up chasing the ghost of Sean Flynn, the war photographer who ended up disappearing in Cambodia
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
Oddly enough, I ended up chasing the ghost of Sean Flynn, the war photographer who ended up disappearing in Cambodia
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
My latest on SpyTalk
A Forgotten Vonnegut Spy Novel Offers Warnings for Today
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
A Forgotten Vonnegut Spy Novel Offers Warnings for Today
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
A Forgotten Vonnegut Spy Novel Offers Warnings for Today
The author of “Slaughterhouse-Five,” a World War Two combat veteran, saw Nazis up close as a German POW
open.substack.com
August 31, 2026 at 12:25 PM
My latest on SpyTalk
A Forgotten Vonnegut Spy Novel Offers Warnings for Today
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
A Forgotten Vonnegut Spy Novel Offers Warnings for Today
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Hey Maine, Canada buys 41% of your exports. Remember that in November and vote for Troy Jackson.
August 28, 2026 at 12:33 AM
Hey Maine, Canada buys 41% of your exports. Remember that in November and vote for Troy Jackson.
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Ossoff: "I have zero interest in running for president in 2028, and frankly zero interest in the 2028 fantasy football right now ... these midterms are the whole ballgame ... I don't know that we have a free and fair election in 2028 unless we restore checks and balances in these 2026 midterms."
August 18, 2026 at 1:35 AM
Ossoff: "I have zero interest in running for president in 2028, and frankly zero interest in the 2028 fantasy football right now ... these midterms are the whole ballgame ... I don't know that we have a free and fair election in 2028 unless we restore checks and balances in these 2026 midterms."
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Reminder: Trump saluted a North Korean general. —>
August 18, 2026 at 12:28 AM
Reminder: Trump saluted a North Korean general. —>
Reposted by Peter Eisner
New in SpyWeek: Kremlin Hints FSB May Tempt Kash with Dem Dirt in Moscow, as Berlin Expels Russian Spies, CIA Targets Cuba
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
New in SpyWeek: Kremlin Hints FSB May Tempt Kash with Dem Dirt in Moscow, as Berlin Expels Russian Spies, CIA Targets Cuba
Plus this week: Trump as easy eavesdrop target, Dutch on Israeli infowar, CISA on Iran infil of U.S. water, CIA station chief goes crypto, "Hunt for Saddam" TV series
open.substack.com
August 10, 2026 at 12:27 AM
New in SpyWeek: Kremlin Hints FSB May Tempt Kash with Dem Dirt in Moscow, as Berlin Expels Russian Spies, CIA Targets Cuba
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Substack is (rightly) promoting its legal Defender program for journalists, which helped me defeat an entirely baseless defamation by the fmr head of the CIA's Office of Medical Services, who now heads DOD's health services. I couldn't have won it without their help. on.substack.com/p/a-career-j...
A career journalist covering spies and national security was hit with a $1 million defamation lawsuit. He turned to Substack Defender for help—and won
We spoke to SpyTalk's Jeff Stein in the days after his lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice in federal court
on.substack.com
August 7, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Substack is (rightly) promoting its legal Defender program for journalists, which helped me defeat an entirely baseless defamation by the fmr head of the CIA's Office of Medical Services, who now heads DOD's health services. I couldn't have won it without their help. on.substack.com/p/a-career-j...
Reposted by Peter Eisner
I have said publicly or a while that a reporter should ask Trump to comment on Wakanda and say they're pro-tariff and only half-jokingly,
I stand half-vindicated (and with this administration, as I have also said, you cannot make this stuff up):
I stand half-vindicated (and with this administration, as I have also said, you cannot make this stuff up):
US government lists fictional nation Wakanda as trade partner
Officials say it was an error to add the fictional nation from Black Panther to the list.
www.bbc.com
August 7, 2026 at 4:54 PM
I have said publicly or a while that a reporter should ask Trump to comment on Wakanda and say they're pro-tariff and only half-jokingly,
I stand half-vindicated (and with this administration, as I have also said, you cannot make this stuff up):
I stand half-vindicated (and with this administration, as I have also said, you cannot make this stuff up):
Reposted by Peter Eisner
The moment Collins announced she was a no on Blanche, you KNEW they had the votes.
August 7, 2026 at 3:28 PM
The moment Collins announced she was a no on Blanche, you KNEW they had the votes.
Reposted by Peter Eisner
How the CIA and MI6 Learned the Hard Way that Covert Action Is Hard
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
How the CIA and MI6 Learned the Hard Way that Covert Action Is Hard
Albania was an early experiment in rolling back communism—and a rank failure
open.substack.com
August 7, 2026 at 6:31 PM
How the CIA and MI6 Learned the Hard Way that Covert Action Is Hard
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/...
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Huge holes remain in the deal Blanche made to get his AG nomination back on track—a deal not endorsed by Trump’s lawyers, just for starters. Then there’s his immunity from tax audits. Cornyn and Tillis not only have nothing to celebrate, they-and the entire GOP – should be ashamed. 
August 3, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Huge holes remain in the deal Blanche made to get his AG nomination back on track—a deal not endorsed by Trump’s lawyers, just for starters. Then there’s his immunity from tax audits. Cornyn and Tillis not only have nothing to celebrate, they-and the entire GOP – should be ashamed. 
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Trump is lying. WaPo knows he is lying. We all know he is lying. Yet, the Post cannot say it.
Support independent prodemocracy media that never backs down from the truth. demdock.com/4w6emld
Support independent prodemocracy media that never backs down from the truth. demdock.com/4w6emld
August 1, 2026 at 7:19 PM
Trump is lying. WaPo knows he is lying. We all know he is lying. Yet, the Post cannot say it.
Support independent prodemocracy media that never backs down from the truth. demdock.com/4w6emld
Support independent prodemocracy media that never backs down from the truth. demdock.com/4w6emld
Reposted by Peter Eisner
To WaPo: McConnell has not actually “said” anything for some 6 weeks now. All we’ve gotten are prepared statements and staged photographs. Is he paralyzed? Dead? Capitol Police should maybe investigate.
July 27, 2026 at 5:35 PM
To WaPo: McConnell has not actually “said” anything for some 6 weeks now. All we’ve gotten are prepared statements and staged photographs. Is he paralyzed? Dead? Capitol Police should maybe investigate.
After this, he was taken over with cowardice. Who cries now?
Summer 2015. Several lifetimes ago. A different America.
Lindsey Graham, running for president, says this about Joe Biden. The same summer he said Trump would “kill” the GOP with his hateful comments.
Several lifetimes ago. A different America.
Lindsey Graham, running for president, says this about Joe Biden. The same summer he said Trump would “kill” the GOP with his hateful comments.
Several lifetimes ago. A different America.
July 12, 2026 at 1:21 PM
After this, he was taken over with cowardice. Who cries now?
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Summer 2015. Several lifetimes ago. A different America.
Lindsey Graham, running for president, says this about Joe Biden. The same summer he said Trump would “kill” the GOP with his hateful comments.
Several lifetimes ago. A different America.
Lindsey Graham, running for president, says this about Joe Biden. The same summer he said Trump would “kill” the GOP with his hateful comments.
Several lifetimes ago. A different America.
July 12, 2026 at 10:42 AM
Summer 2015. Several lifetimes ago. A different America.
Lindsey Graham, running for president, says this about Joe Biden. The same summer he said Trump would “kill” the GOP with his hateful comments.
Several lifetimes ago. A different America.
Lindsey Graham, running for president, says this about Joe Biden. The same summer he said Trump would “kill” the GOP with his hateful comments.
Several lifetimes ago. A different America.
Reposted by Peter Eisner
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo worked hard for 35 years to send all three of his American citizen sons to college. He was driving to work through a popular neighborhood when ICE agents killed him. He was shot in the abdomen and lay moaning while no agents helped him.
He had no criminal record.
He had no criminal record.
July 9, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo worked hard for 35 years to send all three of his American citizen sons to college. He was driving to work through a popular neighborhood when ICE agents killed him. He was shot in the abdomen and lay moaning while no agents helped him.
He had no criminal record.
He had no criminal record.