#Hegseth is the posterboy for shamefree assholery ( #assholisation) in the US:
"To ensure the 'UNAPOLOGETIC lethality' of US force, he has gutted a congressionally mandated office designed to help military planners avoid non-combatant casualties."
All targets are legitimate if chosen by the Führer.
https://www.ft.com/content/acd19a3b-bc2b-4d33-9216-90a34c472d5b
13.1.
#Assholisation = the rise of vice signalling, performative cruelty & nastiness: "What is worrying today is the willingness of the powerful to dispense with even cursory attempts to put a legal gloss on their actions. The open contempt for the law is shown not just in words but in actions."
There's more & more recognition of #assholisation/ the coming out of the #assholesociety:
"The president’s inability to tell right from wrong (aka assholery) fuels his increasingly dictatorial, illegal and erratic behaviour."
Welcome to the #assholocene.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/11/greenland-venezuela-ukraine-donald-trump-lies-europe
At the geopolitical level, #assholisation = the return of classical, unvarnished (not humanrightswashed) imperialism:
"Trump says US to take sanctioned #Venezuelan oil to American ports. He will control money earned from sale of 50mn barrels of crude."
https://www.ft.com/content/08ca8f8e-6e52-4344-9c0d-2433e98e204c
2. #Assholisation = turning away from climate action, human rights, env. protection... & from #queer rights.
"Not long ago, (queer) artists such as Lil Nas X were ruling pop. But success has stalled as acts face industry obstacles and rising homophobia."
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/dec/12/gay-male-pop-stars-being-shut-out-of-the-music-industry-lil-nas-x-olly-alexander
Not long ago, artists such as Lil Nas X and Olly Alexander were ruling pop. But success has stalled as acts face industry obstacles and rising homophobia. What now?
@lisapoettinger 5/x
The root of #assholisation is usually not being an evil shit, it's mostly *failure*:
"Trump has hinted he could walk away from supporting Ukraine as he doubled down on his administration’s recent criticism of Europe."
In his mind, Ukraine is his failure, so he wants to turn away from it.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/09/trump-hints-walking-away-ukraine-calls-europe-weak-decaying
Insult + injury:
"Trump administration asks tiny Pacific nation of Palau to accept migrants deported from US"
Because it's not enough that Palau is drowning, let's also turn it into a prison camp. #Assholisation.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/23/trump-administration-asks-tiny-pacific-nation-of-palau-to-accept-migrants-deported-from-us
#Assholisation is, when the assholes get to say the quiet part out loud, & nobody minds:
"Huckabee suggested a Palestinian state should be carved out of ‘a Muslim country’", because christian nationalism & white supremacy's goal is ultimately always "Lebensraum for white people".
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/10/mike-huckabee-independent-palestinian-state
"Trump orders swathes of US forests to be cut down for timber"
Because of course he does. #assholisation.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/trump-national-forest-executive-order
Tadzio Mueller
