The Atlantic

In Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s telling, citizenship checks by ICE officers are as straightforward and frictionless as presenting yourself at the entrance to a Costco. Just show a membership card, and you’ll be on your merry way. Kavanaugh wrote an opinion this week, concurring with the Court’s majority, that … Show Us Your PapersRead more

Some years ago, trying to understand what it might take to break America’s fever of political violence, I asked a former Justice Department official what she thought about the possibility of a second civil war in the United States. Mary McCord, a former federal prosecutor who has spent … Strawberries in WinterRead more

Well, it’s 2024 again. Democrats have tried to move on from the election and the months of agonizing soul-searching that at times has felt more like self-immolation. The party has struggled to articulate a positive vision for the future, and its poll numbers remain abysmal. But there have … Democrats Are Still Debating Joe Biden’s Decision to Run AgainRead more

It is possible that, in the history of America’s radicalization spiral, the horrifying, cold-blooded assassination of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk will be recorded as only the second-most-dangerous event of September 10, 2025. If so, the more significant development will instead have been the speech that evening by … Trump’s Dangerous Response to the Kirk AssassinationRead more

It’s hard to overstate just how much the conservative activist Charlie Kirk felt like family to many in Donald Trump’s inner circle, and to the president himself. Kirk was close friends with Vice President J. D. Vance and with Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., regularly texting on … Charlie Kirk Was Trump’s Envoy to a New GenerationRead more

George Retes is a 25-year-old U.S. Army veteran who served a tour in Iraq. On July 10, while on his way to work as a security guard at a Southern California cannabis farm, he was detained by federal immigration agents, despite telling them that he is an American … A U.S. Citizen Detained by ICE for Three Days Tells His StoryRead more

Illustrations by Tyler Comrie; typography by Sean & Eve, There Is Studio A bushy-browed, pipe-smoking, piano-playing Antonin Scalia—Nino—the scourge of the left, knew how to work a crowd. He loved opera; he loved theater; he loved show tunes. In high school, he played the lead role in Macbeth: … How Originalism Killed the ConstitutionRead more

Like the leaves of a Texas ash in autumn, the Democrats running to win the state are always vibrant and impressive, right up until they fall. By now, this is common knowledge. Yet for some optimistic Democrats, there’s something different about James Talarico. You might recognize the 36-year-old … The Millennial Seminarian Trying to Turn Texas BlueRead more

National conservatism, the post-liberal movement that theorized the use of state power to wage right-wing culture war, stands historically triumphant. And yet, as the natcons met last week in downtown Washington to celebrate their conquest and stomp on the face of liberal democracy, they encountered a nettlesome problem. … The Intellectual Vacuity of the National ConservativesRead more

When The Wall Street Journal reported two months ago that Donald Trump had written a suggestive letter to Jeffrey Epstein in celebration of the notorious child abuser’s 50th birthday, in 2003, the administration had a choice of available responses. The strategy it went with was indignant denial. “Democrats … The Epstein Letter Is Real, and It’s BadRead more

Few things make President Donald Trump angrier than the memory of his two impeachments. Despite his return to the White House this year, he frequently complains privately and publicly about Democrats’ efforts to remove him from office in his first term. Trump, to this day, insists that he … Fear of Losing the Midterms Is Driving Trump’s DecisionsRead more

The first time Justin Fowlkes got shot, he was standing at a bus stop when a stray bullet meant for someone else struck his ankle. The second time, when a bullet slammed into his shoulder, the Baltimore native was its intended target. “When you’re out in the streets, … What Cities Actually Want from Trump to Fight CrimeRead more

To hear Donald Trump’s critics tell it, all of the disquieting news that the president has generated this summer—the FBI raid on former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s home, the National Guard deployment in cities, Trump’s attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, his accusation that Barack … Democrats’ Epstein Derangement SyndromeRead more

In his second term, President Donald Trump has searched far and wide for a fearsome prison to call his own. He sent immigrant detainees to the Guantánamo Bay Navy base in early February and floated plans (that soon fizzled) to hold 30,000 people there. In March, he shipped … Trump’s Quest for a Scary PrisonRead more

In its period of exile, the Democratic Party has a lot of decisions to make. One of those decisions concerns its relationship with organized labor. Joe Biden and members of his administration—and, indeed, much of the party’s leadership—believed that forming a historically tight partnership with organized labor would … The Wrong Way to Win Back the Working ClassRead more

Days after Attorney General Pam Bondi tried to put an end to the Justice Department’s revelations about Jeffrey Epstein, captains of the legal resistance gathered by Zoom. Norm Eisen, a former attorney for Barack Obama’s White House, had convened lawyers, Democratic communications strategists, a neoconservative Trump critic, and … The Anti-Trump Resistance That’s Actually WorkingRead more

In October 2006, an early winter storm buried western New York under two feet of snow, knocking out power to more than 300,000 homes as temperatures plunged below freezing. Local agencies were overwhelmed. That was the first time I mobilized with the National Guard for domestic-disaster response. We … What We Lose by Distorting the Mission of the National GuardRead more

Even as most congressional Republicans are avoiding their constituents, one has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to engaging with voters in the flesh: 61-year-old Mark Alford of Missouri held not one but 15 public events across his district this week, including five town halls. The second-term lawmaker is not … The Republican Who Isn’t Afraid to Hear From His ConstituentsRead more

Whenever the White House announces a new criminal investigation into one of Donald Trump’s enemies—an event that occurs with Stalinesque frequency—the administration and its allies have a go-to line: “No one is above the law.” FBI Director Kash Patel, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, and others … MAGA Has a New Favorite SloganRead more

Even the men and women of the National Guard seemed flummoxed, at times, over what exactly they were supposed to be doing in the nation’s capital. “We’re the president’s patrol, ma’am,” one trio from South Carolina told us when we spotted them along the waterfront and asked what … A Postcard From an Occupied WashingtonRead more

Immigration and Customs Enforcement held a hiring expo this week outside Dallas at a place called the Esports Stadium. Set between the Texas Rangers ballpark and the roller coasters of Six Flags, the arena was built for video-game competitions, and a wall of bright-blue screens welcomed job candidates … Who Wants to Work for ICE? They Do.Read more

American and European officials thought they had a real opportunity to end the war in Ukraine. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, flew to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin believing that a breakthrough was possible. Trump welcomed the Russian president to America, rolling out a literal red … Did the White House Not Understand What Putin Was Really Offering?Read more

When Dominique Thornhill tried to get a loan to launch a child-care center in 2020, every conventional bank she approached glanced at her thick business plan and slim finances, then turned her away. “I thought that’s what small-business loans were supposed to support, but I didn’t receive that … Trump’s War on DEI is Hurting Small Lenders in MAGA CountryRead more

In a video produced by the Department of Homeland Security this month, two tricked-out ICE vehicles roll around on the National Mall to “Toes” by rapper DaBaby: “My heart so cold I think I’m done with ice (uh, brr) / Said if I leave her, she gon’ die … Fast Times at Immigration and Customs EnforcementRead more

If Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City, wins this fall’s election, he will occupy the most powerful executive position of any American socialist. At the moment, the closest contenders are two mayors in California and a county executive in Maryland. No wonder, then, … The Real Reason American Socialists Don’t WinRead more

This morning, Donald Trump claimed he knew nothing about the raid on the Maryland home of his former National Security Adviser John Bolton. “I’m not a fan of John Bolton,” Trump said, calling him a “lowlife.” In that respect he agrees with many Democrats: After Trump fired Bolton, … Nobody Likes John BoltonRead more

The first thing Laura Loomer wanted to know when I called her earlier this month was whether this was going to be a “hit piece.” The self-described investigative journalist and unofficial adviser to President Donald Trump is familiar with the genre. She had just attacked the United States … The Joseph McCarthy of the Trump EraRead more

Dear Colleagues, For three and a half decades as a career diplomat, I walked across the lobby of the State Department countless times—inspired by the Stars and Stripes and humbled by the names of patriots etched into our memorial wall. It was heartbreaking to see so many of … A Letter to America’s Discarded Public ServantsRead more

When news broke this week that Sherrod Brown would run next year to reclaim a Senate seat in Ohio, Democrats cheered the reports as a huge coup. Before losing a reelection bid last year, Brown had been the last Democrat to win statewide office in a state that … The Democrats’ Biggest Senate Recruits Have One Thing in CommonRead more

So what was that all for? President Donald Trump emerged today from his summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin without a deal and without much to say. Trump rarely misses a chance to take advantage of a global stage. But when he stood next to Putin at the conclusion … Trump Leaves Alaska Empty-HandedRead more