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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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July 9, 2025
Capitol Hill’s War Against Itself
Amid the Trump administration’s assaults on the Government Accountability Office, the original DOGE, House Republicans have largely sided with the White House over their own watchdog—the latest sign that they would rather abrogate their own constitutional powers than disagree with the president.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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July 6, 2025
Nightmare on K Street
A blunt conversation with a Republican and corporate influence insider about why businesses were blindsided by the Big Beautiful Bill, and how “America First” renewables beat wind and solar in the energy tax wars.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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July 2, 2025
BBB’s Path of Least Resistance
There was sound, there was fury, and then there was the predictable spectacle of Republicans—hawks and populists alike—falling in line behind Trump’s landmark bill.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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June 29, 2025
To BBB or Not to Be
As Trump’s self-imposed July Fourth deadline approaches and the horse-trading continues, Republicans are starting to worry about the political ramifications of slashing Medicaid and running up the national debt as they rush to get the Big Beautiful Bill across the finish line—regardless of whether they support everything that’s in it.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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June 25, 2025
Tim Kaine’s War on War Powers
As Dems struggle to unify on whether Trump should have attacked Iran, they’re lining up to criticize how he did it—without congressional approval or input. Senator Tim Kaine discusses his latest resolution to claw back congressional war powers, and why he feels it’s more important than ever.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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June 23, 2025
Handicapping the House Oversight Food Fight
A generational battle will be fought on Tuesday as Democrats vote for the next head of the Oversight Committee, the powerful launchpad for Democratic investigations, potential impeachments, and career advancement, of course. Here’s how insiders are ranking the candidates before voting commences.
Leigh Ann Caldwell & Julia Ioffe
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June 22, 2025
Trump’s Iran Warpath & D.C. Aftershocks
The latest political intelligence and national security chatter surrounding the U.S. bombing of Iran, the president’s neocon turn, the mental gymnastics of the MAGA base, and the response in Washington, 24 hours later.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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June 18, 2025
Trump’s BBB Black Book
The president is strategically withholding endorsements for senators who may need them to hold on to their seats. But would he risk losing the Republican majority—and face very real political consequences himself—for the sake of spite?
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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June 15, 2025
Trump’s A.I. Contradictions
On his first full day in office, Trump convened tech leaders to launch an A.I. initiative to boost adoption and compete with China. But his one legislative agenda—the massive spending bill now with the Senate—leaves the U.S. profoundly vulnerable to A.I.’s social and economic disruptions.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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June 12, 2025
Warning Schatz
A wide-ranging conversation with Senator Brian Schatz about Trump deploying troops to Los Angeles, the dangerous rhetoric of “invasion,” the trouble with the Big Beautiful Bill, and how to un-DOGE America.