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Leigh Ann Caldwell, Peter Hamby, Julia Ioffe, Marianna Sotomayor, John Heilemann, & Abby Livingston
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Sunday through Thursday
Puck’s daily political newsletter from Washington—featuring Leigh Ann Caldwell, Peter Hamby, Marianna Sotomayor, Julia Ioffe, John Heilemann, and Abby Livingston—on what’s really happening in this town, from the White House to the Pentagon to Capitol Hill, K Street, the campaign trail, and beyond.
THE LATEST ARTICLES
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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October 23, 2025
Rounds in the Ring
The South Dakota senator dishes on A.I. policy, as well as the latest on the government shutdown, and whether Pete Hegseth should go.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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October 19, 2025
The Zohran Red Line
Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive future mayor of New York, still hasn’t received the endorsements of his fellow New Yorkers Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. The snub speaks volumes about Democratic insecurities: Is Mamdani the future of the party, or a midterm liability? How about both?
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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October 15, 2025
Schumer’s Shutdown Prophecy
Back in March, the Senate Democratic leader feared a shutdown would unshackle Trump to run roughshod over what remains of Congress’s funding power. His predictions are now coming true—but Dems feel fine.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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October 12, 2025
Who’s Down with M.T.G.?
As Marjorie Taylor Greene has publicly broken with Trump and the G.O.P. on issues from Israel to Epstein to Obamacare, her posturing might be about something much bigger than frustration with her party.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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October 8, 2025
Miller’s Crossing
As Trump’s senior advisor gets louder and bolder—describing protesters as terrorists and inconvenient court rulings as “insurrection”—some Republicans are beginning to worry that the administration’s hard-line power grabs will backfire… and maybe even hurt the country, too.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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October 5, 2025
An Officer & A Jentleson
After a year of drift and division, the Democratic Party’s sudden unity over healthcare as a redline in the government shutdown offers a way forward to the 2026 midterms. Democratic strategist Adam Jentleson offers his candid observations on the shutdown, his party’s tactics, and the Schumer of it all.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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October 2, 2025
Shutdown and Out on Capitol Hill
News and notes from day two of the government shutdown: Russ Vought’s nuclear threat for mass firings, the latest blame-game polling, Sen. Shaheen’s bipartisan gang plan, and Rep. Thompson’s disappearing act.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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September 28, 2025
Beyond the Trump Disapproval Matrix
The president’s favorables are sliding, even on his best issues. But Capitol Hill Republicans are determined to sink or swim with Trump—and they’re convinced they’ll be on the right side of the shutdown blame game, too.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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September 24, 2025
Ted Talk
Many have noticed that the Texas senator has been displaying an unusual amount of independence from the White House lately. Is it simply a naked bid to position himself in a sure-to-be crowded ’28 primary?
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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September 21, 2025
Silence of the Lambs
With a few notable exceptions, Republicans on the Hill are avoiding talking about Trump’s demands to shut down broadcast networks, cancel comedians, imprison protesters, investigate Democratic nonprofits, sue newspapers, and prosecute speech. “We don’t love it,” one senior aide said. But mostly they’re just waiting to see if things get worse.