White House ballroom

The revenge of Tony P

DC influencer Tony P has returned to the spotlight, in a Washingtonian profile titled “Guess What? Tony P Hates You, Too.” Cockburn would be remiss not to point out that The Spectator was first to cover Tony P’s rise to niche internet local celebrity back in August 2023. Tony P’s earnest tone has shifted significantly since then, as is made evident by the interview. He appears embittered by the fact that his brand-partnership earnings have decreased, from making half a million dollars at the height of his influence to now bringing in less than he made as a consultant (just below six figures). He is wistful about his “25 minutes” in the spotlight: “I stretched it out a decent amount of time. A year and a half is not that bad.

tony p

Trump’s ballroom drone port is no joke

When Donald Trump unveiled plans for a counter-drone installation on the roof of the new White House ballroom, critics called it theater. They may be right about the installation. But they are wrong about the threat.  I have watched the character of warfare change faster in the past four years than in the previous forty. In Ukraine, a one-way attack drone that costs a few hundred dollars routinely destroys Russian armored vehicles worth millions. Both sides now field these systems by the hundreds of thousands. Entire stretches of the front are governed not by artillery or air superiority in the traditional sense, but by small, expendable aircraft that soldiers can carry in rucksacks and launch from tree lines.