James Pogue: What Ukraine Reveals About MAGA
Vanity Fair's James Pogue dives into the dissident right, his personal experiences with MAGA, and how Ukraine policy is unfolding.
Donald Trump
Yes, Cutting Government Waste Is Important
Entitlements are a much bigger expense, but that doesn't mean the waste doesn't matter.
The Bipartisan War on Elbridge Colby
Hawks from both major parties lashed out at the confirmation hearing for Trump’s nominee for top military strategist.
Contrary to What Trump Said, Even DOGE Does Not Claim To Have Identified 'Hundreds of Billions' in Fraud
The president's assertion is divorced from reality, and so are the "estimated savings" touted by Elon Musk.
Trump Promised a Balanced Budget. Don't Believe It.
It's great to have presidents talking about the need for a balanced budget, but Republicans are backing a plan that will increase borrowing.
Dead People Aren't Bankrupting Us
Plus: Democrat disruptions, Columbia University scrutinized by the feds, and more...
The Best Part of Trump's Speech Was the List of Spending Cuts
If only they were as big as the list of new spending.
In Speech to Congress, Trump Promises More Tariff Madness
The tariffs Trump has already imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China will cost an estimated $142 billion this year—and he says more are on the way.
Trump Loves Tariffs. Fentanyl Is Just an Excuse.
If tariffs are a poor method of collecting revenue or strengthening trade, they're even less effective at stopping the flow of illegal drugs.
Tariffs Are In Effect. Expect Everything To Become More Expensive.
The Trump administration’s trade war leaves everyone worse off.
Trump Pauses Military Aid to Ukraine
Plus: Tariffs go into effect, inside the fact-checker industrial complex, and more...
Trump Tests the Limits of Executive Orders
Making policy and passing laws is supposed to be difficult and should be left to the messy channels established by the Constitution.
Trump vs. Zelenskyy: Democracy Dies in Drama?
Plus: A listener asks the editors how to best determine whether Trump’s second term is good or bad for individual freedom.
U.K. Pledges To Support Ukraine After Trump Snubs Zelenskyy
One bright spot from Trump's shameful behavior in the Oval Office would be if it spurs European nations to shoulder more of the burden of supporting Ukraine.
Ukraine Will Fight On, With or Without the West
As world leaders debate, Ukrainian defenders innovate, adapt, and wage defensive war on their own terms.
Say Thank You
Plus: Change in Russia policy, Matt Taibbi interview, Dems try gun shows, and more...
How Would Milton Friedman Do DOGE?
If the Department of Government Efficiency goes about this the wrong way, we could be left with both a presidency on steroids and no meaningful reduction in government.
The Case Against Ross Ulbricht Was About Government Power
President Donald Trump's pardon of the Silk Road creator is a rare moment of reprieve in an era of relentless government expansion.
Perils of Unitary Executive Theory
The originalist case for a unitary executive falls apart in an era when many of the powers wielded by the executive branch were not originally supposed to be federal powers in the first place.
Trump's Dramatic Crossroads Between Protectionism and Dynamism
The GOP faces a choice about how to move forward.
How Trump Imperils Free Markets and Personal Liberties
Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank provides a helpful summary, with a little help from me.
Tariffs on Imports From Canada and Mexico Are Still a Terrible Idea
And an increasingly unpopular one. Will Trump pay attention to the polls, if not the economists?
NATO Could Effectively Die This June
Trump's negotiations and German elections may augur the end of collective security as we've known it.
Trump Finds a Face-Saving Way To Give Ukraine 'the Right To Fight On'
Forget boots on the ground. Now we’ll have Americans “on the land.”
Trump Promised To Lower Prices. Will Congress Help Him Deliver?
At the current rate of inflation, the dollar will lose 33 cents of purchasing power within a decade.
WaPo Embraces Free Minds and Free Markets
"I'm confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America," wrote Bezos.
Ukraine Minerals Deal Won't Fix America's Mineral Problem
“We’ve basically made an agreement with very little data,” warned one expert.
Interest Rates Are Falling—Thank Government Spending Cuts for That
Cuts to government spending mean fewer bonds, lower borrowing costs, and potentially a break for borrowers.
No One Cares When Presidential Advisers Want Bigger Government
Elon Musk's vague White House role is only controversial because he's trying to slash bureaucracy.
District Judge Blocks Trump's Refugee Resettlement Pause, Saying It 'Crossed the Line'
“I cannot ignore Congress’ detailed framework for refugee admissions and the limits it placed on the president’s ability to suspend the same,” said Judge Jamal Whitehead.
Elon Musk, Who Supposedly Is Running DOGE, Is Not Officially in Charge of Anything
The presidential adviser's lack of formal authority complicates his cost-cutting mission.
D.C.'s U.S. Attorney Is a Menace to the First Amendment
Interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin puts loyalty to Donald Trump ahead of loyalty to the Constitution.
Trump's ICE Detains Afghans Who Helped U.S. Forces
A former Afghan intelligence officer who worked alongside U.S. forces sought safety in America. Now, under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, his parole has been revoked, and he’s been detained without explanation.
Are Democrats Actually in Disarray?
Plus: A listener asks the editors whether it makes sense for a country to have a sovereign wealth fund.
Trump Tries To Carve Out a First Amendment Exception for 'Fake News'
The president's portrayal of journalism he does not like as consumer fraud is legally frivolous and blatantly unconstitutional.
Does Trump Want Lower Gas Prices or Oil Sanctions on Iran?
The Trump administration’s math on Middle Eastern energy supplies just doesn’t add up.
Trump's Shameful Betrayal of Ukraine
It's a terrible decision for both moral and pragmatic reasons.
RIP to Government Acronyms
One perk that may materialize from Elon Musk upending the federal bureaucracy is the downfall of the government’s obsessive use of abbreviations.
The Sunny Side of Donald Trump's Power Grabs
The president is positioning himself to have much greater control over a smaller, enfeebled federal bureaucracy.
Will FBI Director Kash Patel Be a Principled Reformer or a Trump Hatchet Man?
The newly confirmed head of the country's leading law enforcement agency has a history of advocating politically motivated investigations even while condemning them.
To Cut Government Spending, Trump Targets Pocket Change
The penny is expensive to produce and has long outlived its usefulness.
The Progressive Betrayal of Trans Americans
How well-intentioned laws created new cultural conflicts—and eroded personal liberty
Has the Imperial Presidency Arrived?
There's little question that Trump is taking the concept of the imperial presidency to its apogee.
Randy Barnett: How Legal Is Trump's Agenda?
Georgetown constitutional law professor Randy Barnett discusses the legality of DOGE, Trump's executive orders, and birthright citizenship.
Meaningful Pentagon Cuts Will Require Rethinking What 'Defense' Means
If Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is serious about reducing military spending, he will need to embrace a narrower understanding of national security.
The New Republican Budget Plan Is Unserious
It tries to offset as much as $4.8 trillion—mostly for tax cut extensions—with only $1.5 trillion in supposed spending reductions.
