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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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April 30, 2025
Smiling Through the Trumpocalypse
Senate and House Republicans are determined to stick by the president, even as his poll numbers dip and more Americans start to question his tariffs, deportations, executive orders, and DOGE downsizing.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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April 27, 2025
Better Ask Axe
A candid conversation with David Axelrod, the longtime Illinois resident and former Obama strategist, about his state’s shifting politics, Pritzker for president, and the dire need for introspection from the Dems.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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April 23, 2025
Pete Pray Love
News and notes on the internal Capitol Hill conversation about Pete Hegseth’s latest security snafu.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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April 20, 2025
The Jeff Roe Alamo
Roe, the Republican operative who was essentially blacklisted by the Trump White House, has become an unexpected wrinkle in the looming Senate primary between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton—with potential political repercussions bigger than Texas, itself.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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April 16, 2025
Trump Gets Ready to… Tax the Rich?
The G.O.P. is contemplating the once unthinkable, at Trump’s suggestion: a higher tax rate on the wealthiest Americans. Backing such a policy would signal a “reality altering” shift for the no-new-taxes party. It would also be among the stranger things to have happened in the increasingly strange Trump era.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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April 13, 2025
The DOGE Days of Spring
With the handy defeat of Elon Musk’s millions in a Wisconsin Supreme Court race, and his declining popularity, Hill Republicans are finding less to love—or fear—from Trump’s wealthiest sidekick.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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April 9, 2025
Unliberation Day
Inside the White House’s white-knuckle pressure campaign to force Hill Republicans not to break with Trump’s tariff policy, no matter the cost… only for Trump himself to blink.
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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April 6, 2025
Nightmare on Capitol Street
After the thrill of Trump’s first two months in office, a torrent of tariffs and a big loss in Wisconsin are giving Republican lawmakers a glimpse of the grim midterm battles ahead. “It’s starting to feel a lot like 2018 with a backlash to Trumpism,” says a Republican pollster. “The Trump honeymoon collapsed with the stock market.”
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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April 3, 2025
The Post-Liberation Day Hangover…
As Trump’s tariff Mardi Gras comes to a close, Republicans are scratching their heads over their options, the Senate is looking to have Canada’s back, and the White House insists they’re not screwing around. What could possibly go wrong?
Leigh Ann Caldwell
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March 30, 2025
President A.O.C.
The formerly ostracized New York progressive has moved into her party’s mainstream, and everyone is trying to anticipate her next moves. A groundswell is building for her to defenestrate Schumer. But that’s just one of the higher offices her team is considering.