Good old Billy Kristol, patient zero in the original TDS outbreak of 2015. Trump broke the failed publisher and former cruise director so thoroughly that he's been reduced to angrily grifting his way across social media, desperately trying to cling to whatever remnants of his former relevance that he believes still exist.
A livid old man, screaming into the void in the hopes that a fellow Bulwark-er, like Tim Miller, might take pity and repost his rancorous rantings. The Bulwark's best BS artist never recovered from his bout of TDS. He gave up everything he had built for the hatred of one man. We suppose to Bill Kristol that 'Weekly' is the standard by which a man should hold on to his core values.
Today's meeting between Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, President Trump, and the nation's top military brass had Billy's panties in a twist. It began with Hegseth holding a Weight Watchers support group of sorts, and ended with the Commander-in-Chief reviewing his expectations for his military leadership.
This didn't sit well with the former neocon warmonger, and he spent the day defending the generals whom he obviously believes are too old and chubby to stand up for themselves.
I was going to write that Hegseth is a fifth-rate imitation of Patton -- but he's actually a fifth rate imitation of George C. Scott. https://t.co/U0O4x4JJSJ
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) September 30, 2025
JVL & I on the Conclave at Quantico.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) September 30, 2025
The good: The discipline of the stone-faced senior military officers.
The bad: Hegseth’s cartoonish version of an effective military.
The ugly: Trump’s threats to deploy troops at home against “the enemies within.”https://t.co/OsLZzlEDs1
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General and flag officers’ thought right now as they listen to President Trump: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) September 30, 2025
How dare they expect military leaders to follow orders, and *GASP* stay in shape?
The senior military officers:
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) September 30, 2025
Their silence was golden.
Trump and Hegseth:
At once clownish and dangerous.
What was clownish and dangerous were cross-dressing commanders who were more interested in DEI initiatives and sound environmental practices instead of preparing our military to defend the country against our enemies.
Retired Army Colonel and combat vet Cynical Publius provided Billy some perspective on his toilet paper roll-worthy opinions of military order.
Retired Army colonel here. Three combat tours. 60% disabled per the VA. Spent most of my tactical career in the 82nd Airborne.
— Cynical Publius (@CynicalPublius) September 30, 2025
Please read what I am about to say with the sneering condescension with which I intend it:
Mr. Kristol, you are a grifter. Worse, you are a lying… https://t.co/FNE9cJsX9D
CP's post continues:
Mr. Kristol, you are a grifter. Worse, you are a lying grifter devoid of morals who lets his beliefs change with whatever winds point to more filthy lucre. Today's speech by Secretary Hegseth was both entirely necessary and entirely spectacular. Those of us rank and file who fought in the wars you and your yellow, slobbering neocon chickenhawk buddies sent us off to die in applaud this effort with the utmost enthusiasm. These clownish, dangerous, senior generals and admirals have been the architects of American military failure for 20+ years. Their silence is indicative of nothing more than the fact that they know the gig is up and their fatcat days of being Perfumed Princes are no more. So howzabout you shut your trap and let us warriors decide what this speech meant? Good day, sir.
'Yellow, slobbering, neocon, chickenhawk.' Honestly, we wished we'd have thought of that. It's the perfect encapsulation of Bill. Before the rise of Trump, Kristol never met a war he didn't like. Now, the newborn peacenick wants a kinder, gentler military. He finds the warrior ethos offensive. Not because it's exactly what the military should be based on, but because Donald Trump is its Commander-in-Chief.
Colonel Publius was not the only one who noticed.
Well, thank God, a credible military expert like you has chimed in....🙄
— CarolinaConservative3 (@1776Carolina3) September 30, 2025
Veteran married to a veteran here. Your disrespectful words target every person who's ever served. Our military is about discipline, respect, honor, and protecting this nation. Something you know nothing about. F*ck off commie.
— Formerdoll 🇺🇸❤ (@momofhorses) September 30, 2025
— ☘️𝕃𝕦𝕔𝕜𝕪 Ƒʉͫcͧкͭιͪηͣ 𝕄𝕔𝔾𝕖𝕖 (@LuckyMcGee) September 30, 2025
Donald Trump broke Bill Kristol, and the long-term effects of his incurable case of TDS persist to this day. No amount of humiliation can cure him. His self-awareness was among the first things to go, along with his reputation and core values. What remains is an angry old man whose screams continue to echo in the void, and the occasional repost from Tim Miller.
Grifting is all about the clicks.
- Editor's Note: Thanks to President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership, the warrior ethos is coming back to America's military.
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