John Heilemann • January 29, 2025

The Dems’ Wilderness Map

As Donald Trump begins to exert his unholy will on D.C., longtime Democratic strategist Jennifer Palmieri surveys the wreckage, and finds some new leaders emerging.

Peter Hamby • January 28, 2025

Silence of the Dems

Democrats have been rendered speechless not just by the sweep of Trump’s victory, but also by the realization that his popularity has never been higher. A new Puck/Echelon poll illuminates his weaknesses—and how the likes of Whitmer and Pritzker could take advantage.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • January 26, 2025

The Week & The Damned

Yes, one week into Trump’s new America, and House Republicans are giddy with opportunism and chants of unity, almost uniformly keeping their critiques of his January 6 pardons and 14th Amendment tinkering to themselves. But the beef over whether to pass Trump’s agenda in a single bill or two goes deeper than anyone realizes and threatens to upend more than a few news cycles.

Tara Palmeri • January 24, 2025

The John Fetterman Experience

As Democrats seek answers in the political wilderness, some are nodding toward… John Fetterman—the hulking, shorts-wearing, sometimes inscrutably anti-party politician—as a model for the sort of unexpected Democratic leader who might emerge as an antidote to Trump.

John Heilemann • January 22, 2025

Joe Versus the Volcano

When he’s not hosting four hours of daily television, Joe Scarborough is pondering how Donald Trump did it again, and what that says about American politics—and America itself. In the wake of Trump’s second inauguration, the former G.O.P. congressman talked about 45/47’s dark vision, the brewing battle between the MAGA base and the tech billionaires, and the blowback over his and Mika’s trek to Mar-a-Lago.

Peter Hamby • January 21, 2025

Trump’s Billionaire Arbitrage

The president has always possessed a magical ability to convince voters that he’s still an Imus-style populist, even as he conducts his corporate favor trading practically in the open. But watching Trump at the inauguration, flanked by a platoon of billionaire supplicants, you have to wonder how long he can keep wearing the outsider mask.

Matthew Belloni, Peter Hamby & John Heilemann • January 17, 2025

L.A., to Hell and Back

An intimate conversation on the political, media, financial, and Trumpian dimensions of the fire, and what it means for Hollywood, Bass, Newsom, Iger, and millions of Angelenos.

Tara Palmeri • January 17, 2025

Can Elon & Trump Go the Distance?

The H-1B visa scrape, and Bannon’s attempt to drive a wedge between Musk and Trump’s MAGA faithful, has many inside Mar-a-Lago wondering just how long this political and ideological tryst can last. Some find that the world’s richest man undercuts the people who keep the trains running in Trumpworld, but his endless wealth has kept many in line.

Tara Palmeri • January 15, 2025

“The Largest Deportation Effort of Our Lifetime”

In this remarkably candid conversation, former Trump Homeland Security official Ken Cuccinelli reveals what the president-elect’s “day one” immigration promises actually entail—and how he’ll try to keep them.

Tara Palmeri • January 15, 2025

Mark Zuckerberg Is Throwing an Inauguration Party for Trump

The Meta chief is teaming up with Republican megadonors including Miriam Adelson to co-host a pre-Inaugural Ball reception on Monday night—“Address provided upon RSVP."

Eriq Gardner • January 15, 2025

TikTok’s Odds & An A.I. Suit for the Ages

News and notes on two of the most consequential legal battles that the entertainment industry has countenanced in years, both of which are nearing their conclusions right now.

Peter Hamby • January 14, 2025

The Blood Is in the Water for Karen Bass

The feckless Los Angeles mayor is certain to lose her seat, if she isn’t recalled first. “If it is true that she left the country on a Saturday after the warning came out, that is a dereliction of duty,” Ari Emanuel, who donated to Bass’s campaign, told me.

Tara Palmeri • January 10, 2025

Trump’s TikTok Buyers Club

Seduced by a lobbying charm offensive and fearful of losing a powerful new media platform, the man who once called TikTok a national security threat has become its most important advocate—stirring wannabe buyers, back-channeling with the app’s C.E.O., and entranced by the prospect of the ultimate deal.

Tara Palmeri • January 8, 2025

Elon’s British Invasion

Not content to limit his meddling to U.S. politics, the world’s richest man has turned his sights overseas—tweaking the left in Germany and going full Farage in Britain. But as the international MAGA ambassador Raheem Kassam explains, Musk’s games are already alienating would-be allies.

Peter Hamby • January 7, 2025

Trump’s Need for Speed

Republicans are racing against an 18-month deadline to jam through their agenda before a likely midterm shakeup, and Trump’s inevitable lame-duck status, make legislation impossible. Meanwhile, Democrats Adam Schiff and Ritchie Torres are preparing a playbook to capitalize on G.O.P. overreach.