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Politics

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

The Logoff
Trump’s Cuba ambitions, briefly explainedTrump’s Cuba ambitions, briefly explained
The Logoff

Is Cuba next?

By Cameron Peters
Future Perfect
How the war in Iran threatens food supply everywhereHow the war in Iran threatens food supply everywhere
Future Perfect

The ingredient that feeds the planet’s crops just got stuck in war.

By Ayurella Horn-Muller
Future Perfect
The US slashed research for cancer, Alzheimer’s, mental health — and nearly everything elseThe US slashed research for cancer, Alzheimer’s, mental health — and nearly everything else
Politics
The Iran war is not a video gameThe Iran war is not a video game
Politics

Based memes, real blood.

By Zack Beauchamp
Future Perfect
How to help everyday people suffering in Iran — and beyondHow to help everyday people suffering in Iran — and beyond
Future Perfect

Getting aid to civilians during wartime is difficult. Here’s the best approach.

By Sara Herschander
The Logoff
A US atrocity in Iran, briefly explainedA US atrocity in Iran, briefly explained
The Logoff

It was a US strike that killed nearly 200 children on the first day of the Iran war, an investigation finds.

By Cameron Peters
Politics
The world doesn’t have enough ammo for the Iran warThe world doesn’t have enough ammo for the Iran war
Politics

How long can Iran keep shooting missiles? How long can everyone else keep shooting them down?

By Joshua Keating
Politics
The global oil crisis is even worse than it looksThe global oil crisis is even worse than it looks
Politics

Even if the Iran war ends tomorrow, high energy prices will persist.

By Eric Levitz
The Logoff
Trump’s open-ended war, briefly explainedTrump’s open-ended war, briefly explained
The Logoff

The Trump administration doesn’t know when this is going to end either.

By Cameron Peters
Podcasts
You’re already paying for Trump’s Iran warYou’re already paying for Trump’s Iran war
Podcast
Podcasts

It won’t stop at the gas pump.

By Kelli Wessinger and Noel King
Politics
Trump might want “boots on the ground” in Iran. Just not American ones.Trump might want “boots on the ground” in Iran. Just not American ones.
Politics

An Iranian Kurdish leader says his people are ready to rise up, but need more US support.

By Joshua Keating
Podcasts
Is Trump coming for Cuba?Is Trump coming for Cuba?
Podcast
Podcasts

After Venezuela and Iran, Trump has a new target on his mind.

By Cameron Peters and Noel King
Health
America’s vaccine skepticism is starting to show up in health dataAmerica’s vaccine skepticism is starting to show up in health data
Health

RFK Jr. wanted parents to question the science. A study of 12 million newborns shows they listened.

By Pratik Pawar
Politics
The dangerous lesson countries may take from the Iran warThe dangerous lesson countries may take from the Iran war
Politics

Having a nuclear weapon has never looked more appealing.

By Joshua Keating
The Logoff
A bad news day for Trump’s economy, briefly explainedA bad news day for Trump’s economy, briefly explained
The Logoff

Jobs numbers down, gas prices up.

By Cameron Peters
The Logoff
The firing of Kristi Noem, briefly explainedThe firing of Kristi Noem, briefly explained
The Logoff

Trump shows his Homeland Security secretary the door.

By Cameron Peters
Politics
Iran had a plan to fight Israel and the US. It all collapsed after October 7.Iran had a plan to fight Israel and the US. It all collapsed after October 7.
Politics

The rise and fall of the “axis of resistance.”

By Joshua Keating
The Logoff
What the Iran war is costing you, briefly explainedWhat the Iran war is costing you, briefly explained
The Logoff

The economic shock from Trump’s war may only be getting started.

By Cameron Peters
Podcasts
How the US might be using AI in IranHow the US might be using AI in Iran
Podcast
Podcasts

Are Claude and ChatGPT helping the US fight a war?

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Politics
The AI industry’s civil warThe AI industry’s civil war
Politics

What Anthropic and OpenAI really believe.

By Eric Levitz
Politics
A high-stakes Texas primary exposed the Democratic Party’s fault linesA high-stakes Texas primary exposed the Democratic Party’s fault lines
Politics

Democrats chose expanding the tent over doubling down on the base.

By Christian Paz
Politics
MAGA’s top lawyer just gave a sitting GOP senator the biggest scare of his careerMAGA’s top lawyer just gave a sitting GOP senator the biggest scare of his career
Politics

No lawyer has done more in the last decade to advance a distinctly MAGA approach to the Constitution than Ken Paxton.

By Ian Millhiser
The Logoff
The Trump administration still can’t decide why it’s doing thisThe Trump administration still can’t decide why it’s doing this
The Logoff

Four days in, Trump’s Iran explanations aren’t getting any clearer.

By Cameron Peters
The Supreme Court’s Republicans just seized the most dangerous power in constitutional law
Politics

The Court’s latest ruling invokes a power that corrupts every court that wields it.

By Ian Millhiser
Podcasts
Iran after KhameneiIran after Khamenei
Podcast
Podcasts

Can Trump bomb his way to regime change in Iran?

By Avishay Artsy and Noel King
Politics
How does the Iran war end?How does the Iran war end?
Politics

Regime change isn’t likely. Here’s what is.

By Zack Beauchamp
Future Perfect
The one question everyone should be asking after OpenAI’s deal with the PentagonThe one question everyone should be asking after OpenAI’s deal with the Pentagon
Future Perfect

The US said we can’t afford to let a surveillance state like China win the AI race. Well...

By Sigal Samuel
Today, Explained newsletter
The case for — and against — striking IranThe case for — and against — striking Iran
Today, Explained newsletter

Trump says the war will protect Americans. Critics see new risks.

By Caitlin Dewey
Politics
The Texas Democrat trying to reclaim Christianity from the rightThe Texas Democrat trying to reclaim Christianity from the right
Politics

Democrats want fighters. A Texas Senate candidate is focused on faith.

By Christian Paz
Politics
World leaders are almost never killed in war. Why did it happen to Iran’s supreme leader?World leaders are almost never killed in war. Why did it happen to Iran’s supreme leader?
Politics

The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could usher in a new age of assassination.

By Joshua Keating
Politics
The civilians dying in Trump’s new warThe civilians dying in Trump’s new war
Politics

What we know about the civilian death toll in the Middle East, briefly explained.

By Cameron Peters
Policy
The Supreme Court appears likely to let stoners own gunsThe Supreme Court appears likely to let stoners own guns
Policy

Gun lovers may soon have the right to bear bongs.

By Ian Millhiser
Podcasts
The “Epstein class,” explainedThe “Epstein class,” explained
Podcast
Podcasts

Why Rep. Ro Khanna isn’t done talking about the Epstein files.

By Astead Herndon and Cameron Peters
Politics
Trump’s Iran war is uniting a strange new anti-war allianceTrump’s Iran war is uniting a strange new anti-war alliance
Politics

How Trump might finally be breaking the manosphere.

By Christian Paz
Politics
Americans will pay for Trump’s war in IranAmericans will pay for Trump’s war in Iran
Politics

How the war in Iran could cause an economic crisis.

By Eric Levitz
Politics
How Khamenei transformed IranHow Khamenei transformed Iran
Politics

And what could come next.

By Joshua Keating
Politics
Khamenei is dead. Regime change will be much harder.Khamenei is dead. Regime change will be much harder.
Politics

The US can’t just bomb its way to a new government.

By Robert A. Pape
America After Trump
How Finland defeated fascismHow Finland defeated fascism
Play
America After Trump

What the defeat of the Lapua Movement in the 1940s can teach the US today.

By Caitlin Dewey
LIVE
US strikes Iran: What you need to knowUS strikes Iran: What you need to know
The Logoff
Trump’s war with Iran, briefly explainedTrump’s war with Iran, briefly explained
The Logoff

The US struck multiple Iranian cities early on Saturday morning.

By Cameron Peters