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Politics

What really matters in the world of politics, campaigns, ideology, and more.

Politics
What the National Guard is doing in ChicagoWhat the National Guard is doing in Chicago
Podcast
Politics

The mood in the city is tense.

By Noel King and Danielle Hewitt
Politics
How everything became left or right “coded”How everything became left or right “coded”
Politics

The answer isn’t just about parties dividing on policies.

By Claude S. Fischer
Politics
The Comey prosecution is revealing Trump’s weaknessThe Comey prosecution is revealing Trump’s weakness
Politics

Is the Comey case getting tossed?

By Dylan Scott and Andrew Prokop
The Logoff
A Trump social media post you should actually pay attention toA Trump social media post you should actually pay attention to
The Logoff

Trump threatens to jail a governor.

By Cameron Peters
Future Perfect
Animal abusers are getting let off the hook. Trump and his Supreme Court are partly to blame.Animal abusers are getting let off the hook. Trump and his Supreme Court are partly to blame.
Future Perfect

A lot of animal abuse is falling through the cracks.

By Kenny Torrella
Politics
Are Trump’s voters turning against him?Are Trump’s voters turning against him?
Politics

Many of his newest supporters are having doubts.

By Christian Paz
Politics
The Supreme Court fights over whether medical expertise actually existsThe Supreme Court fights over whether medical expertise actually exists
Politics

The Republican justices seem eager to kill state bans on anti-LGBTQ conversion therapy.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
Netanyahu prolonged the war to save himself. It may have worked.Netanyahu prolonged the war to save himself. It may have worked.
Politics

The Israeli prime minister’s unlikely political survival — and the devastating toll of two years of war.

By Joshua Keating
The Logoff
Trump’s war on cities, briefly explainedTrump’s war on cities, briefly explained
The Logoff

Trump is attempting to deploy the National Guard in Portland and Chicago.

By Cameron Peters
Today, Explained newsletter
Is Israel’s war in Gaza actually about to end?Is Israel’s war in Gaza actually about to end?
Today, Explained newsletter

5 questions about Trump’s Gaza plan.

By Cameron Peters and Joshua Keating
Politics
Why does Bari Weiss keep winning?Why does Bari Weiss keep winning?
Politics

The “anti-woke” commentator quit the New York Times in protest 5 years ago. Now she’ll be CBS News’s top editor. How?

By Andrew Prokop
The Logoff
Hamas responds to Trump’s peace planHamas responds to Trump’s peace plan
The Logoff

The latest on Trump’s Gaza peace plan, briefly explained.

By Cameron Peters
Politics
A reality check on Trump’s Gaza peace planA reality check on Trump’s Gaza peace plan
Politics

The president’s relationships with Netanyahu and Putin have something in common.

By Joshua Keating
Health
Will TrumpRx save me money on drugs or not?Will TrumpRx save me money on drugs or not?
Health

The president’s new plan to slash drug prices is “a splashy announcement without a lot of substance.”

By Dylan Scott
Podcasts
The chaos at the Pentagon, explainedThe chaos at the Pentagon, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

Why Trump is sticking with Pete Hegseth.

By Devan Schwartz and Noel King
The Logoff
Trump’s “war” with drug cartels, briefly explainedTrump’s “war” with drug cartels, briefly explained
The Logoff

Why Trump is claiming drug cartels are attacking the US.

By Cameron Peters
Politics
Democrats are doing more to resist Trump than their voters thinkDemocrats are doing more to resist Trump than their voters think
Politics

There’s only so much you can do without a majority.

By Christian Paz
Politics
The Supreme Court fight over whether gay and trans people can be “cured,” explainedThe Supreme Court fight over whether gay and trans people can be “cured,” explained
Politics

A new Supreme Court case could make therapists immune from regulation.

By Ian Millhiser
Podcasts
Elizabeth Warren on why Democrats had to shut down the governmentElizabeth Warren on why Democrats had to shut down the government
Podcast
Podcasts

How the Democrats came to embrace shutdown politics.

By Kelli Wessinger and Sean Rameswaram
Politics
The real reason Democrats forced a government shutdownThe real reason Democrats forced a government shutdown
Politics

The three forces that shuttered the government.

By Eric Levitz
Politics
The Democrats’ shutdown strategy is terrible. Here’s a better one.The Democrats’ shutdown strategy is terrible. Here’s a better one.
Politics

Talk less about health care, more about authoritarianism.

By Zack Beauchamp
Today, Explained newsletter
Trump and Hegseth gather the military’s top commanders for a loyalty testTrump and Hegseth gather the military’s top commanders for a loyalty test
Today, Explained newsletter

No beards, a warrior ethos — and loyalty to the president.

By Joshua Keating
Politics
The Supreme Court’s newest decision could make it impossible to end the shutdownThe Supreme Court’s newest decision could make it impossible to end the shutdown
Politics

How do you negotiate with a man who can break his promises at any time?

By Ian Millhiser
The Logoff
The imminent government shutdown, briefly explainedThe imminent government shutdown, briefly explained
The Logoff

Trump is threatening to fire federal workers if the government shuts down.

By Cameron Peters
Podcasts
Why TikTok is so influential — and why that’s particularly worrisome nowWhy TikTok is so influential — and why that’s particularly worrisome now
Podcast
Podcasts

Many used to worry about China’s power over the app — but American control is troubling, too.

By Sean Illing
Politics
The next big debate Democrats can’t dodgeThe next big debate Democrats can’t dodge
Politics

What do they do about ICE?

By Christian Paz
Podcasts
How Rupert Murdoch took over the worldHow Rupert Murdoch took over the world
Podcast
Podcasts

Rupert Murdoch built a media empire. It changed the way reality works.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen, Jolie Myers and 1 more
Politics
Democrats’ shutdown strategy hinges on a risky betDemocrats’ shutdown strategy hinges on a risky bet
Politics

The White House is threatening to use a shutdown to gut the regulatory state. But they may be bluffing.

By Eric Levitz
Policy
Trump’s new tariffs will slam America’s already brutal housing crisisTrump’s new tariffs will slam America’s already brutal housing crisis
Policy

October’s “kitchen cabinet” tax will affect homebuyers and renters alike.

By Rachel Cohen Booth
Politics
One mystery, and two looming disasters, in the next Supreme Court termOne mystery, and two looming disasters, in the next Supreme Court term
Politics

What the Supreme Court plans to do to America in its upcoming term.

By Ian Millhiser
Podcasts
The real cost of Trump’s $100,000 visasThe real cost of Trump’s $100,000 visas
Podcast
Podcasts

This program is likely to hurt American workers — and the whole economy.

By Sean Rameswaram and Hady Mawajdeh
The Logoff
Donald Trump’s escalating revenge campaign, briefly explainedDonald Trump’s escalating revenge campaign, briefly explained
The Logoff

After a Comey indictment, “there’ll be others.”

By Cameron Peters
Politics
Comey’s indictment is a warning to the Supreme Court justicesComey’s indictment is a warning to the Supreme Court justices
Politics

Dear John, Brett, and Amy: If Trump can come for James Comey, he can come for you.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The big contradiction in progressive thinking about TrumpThe big contradiction in progressive thinking about Trump
Politics

The Democratic debate over whether “moderation” works is very confused.

By Eric Levitz
Politics
Trump’s prosecution of a Democratic lawmaker is a test run for authoritarian ruleTrump’s prosecution of a Democratic lawmaker is a test run for authoritarian rule
Politics

Trump’s prosecution of Rep. LaMonica McIver may be the most anti-democratic thing he’s done since January 6.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The gaping hole in the James Comey indictmentThe gaping hole in the James Comey indictment
Politics

The DOJ’s case is authoritarian — and shockingly sloppy.

By Zack Beauchamp
Politics
Europe is readying for direct conflict with RussiaEurope is readying for direct conflict with Russia
Politics

The unthinkable becomes the expected.

By Joshua Keating
Politics
Why voters keep shrugging off Trump’s corruptionWhy voters keep shrugging off Trump’s corruption
Politics

Americans say they despise corruption. So why is Trump still president?

By Abdallah Fayyad
On the Right
The right wants Charlie Kirk’s death to be a “George Floyd moment”The right wants Charlie Kirk’s death to be a “George Floyd moment”
On the Right

A conservative explains what Kirk meant to the MAGA movement — and how it’s reacting to his death.

By Zack Beauchamp
Politics
MAGA’s first martyrMAGA’s first martyr
Politics

The killing of Charlie Kirk could turn the movement into a faith that outlives Donald Trump.

By Katherine Kelaidis