Julia Ioffe • April 24, 2025

Notes on the Rubio Re-Org Scandal

A draft executive order that would have gutted the State Department turned out to be, in Secretary Marco Rubio’s words, “fake news.” But a reorganization is coming, and no one is quite sure what it means.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • April 23, 2025

Pete Pray Love

News and notes on the internal Capitol Hill conversation about Pete Hegseth’s latest security snafu.

Peter Hamby • April 22, 2025

The Gulf of Ocasio-Cortez

Recent fawning coverage of the New York congresswoman tends to overlook one pertinent fact: She’s one of the most polarizing and unpopular Democrats in the country, with favorables below even Elon Musk.

Abby Livingston • April 21, 2025

The Dems Fail to Get the Bag

The party seemed to have renewed pep in its step. Then the Q1 fundraising numbers came in… Donors are still exhausted, exasperated, pissed over Biden, and worse. But the Q2 prospects look better.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • 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.

John Heilemann • April 17, 2025

Trump Chaos Theories

A fair and balanced conversation with Wall Street eminence and former “car czar” Steve Rattner about the impact of Trump’s global tariff jihad.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • 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.

Peter Hamby • April 15, 2025

Trump Plays the Hits, and Takes Some

As voters lose trust in his stewardship of the economy, the president is shifting to the familiar terrain of immigration. The problem for him is that, as fears of recession grow, the issue is tumbling down the list of voters’ concerns.

Abby Livingston • April 14, 2025

The Dems’ War of Omission

The Democratic establishment has traditionally tried to clamp down on primaries for U.S. Senate races, to conserve money in what can turn into $50 million races. But early jockeying for open seats suggests that ambitious pols are in no mood to take orders from Chuck Schumer.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • 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.

Julia Ioffe • April 10, 2025

Fruit of the Loomer

Conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer largely took credit for inciting the purge of Trump’s National Security Council, a demonstration of the “services” she is now selling. Former intelligence officers looking for more to the story of General Timothy Haugh’s firing may be missing the point.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • 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.

Peter Hamby • April 8, 2025

Trump’s Honeymoon Hara-Kiri

While most presidents enjoy a post-inaugural boost to their popularity, the early post-Liberation Day polling shows Trump’s support on the economy collapsing rapidly. “These economic numbers to me scream red flag,” said polling analyst Lakshya Jain. “Honeymoons don’t end in April.”

John Heilemann • April 8, 2025

The Committee to Crash the World

As the reality of Trump’s trade war sinks in and the odds of a recession rise, a panicked Wall Street is looking desperately to his economic team to steer him toward an off-ramp. But can any of them really influence the guy at the wheel?

Abby Livingston • April 8, 2025

The War on Tariffs

Republicans are now, for the most part, standing by Donald Trump in his trade war. But dissent is brewing within the party, and Democrats are salivating at their own newly brightened prospects.