Iran’s Strait of Hormuz Shutdown Highlights the Worth of Trump’s Proclamations
The highly anticipated reopening of the Strait of Hormuz didn’t last long, which is hardly surprising since Iran and Donald Trump live in different realities.
Recent Stories
Trump Versus the Catholic Church
Taking on the pope and posing as Jesus in a country with 60 million or so Catholics is a move even the madman theory might struggle to explain.
Giddy Trump Celebrates Opening of Strait of Hormuz
Donald Trump celebrated a genuinely good day for him in style — with a string of social media messages and a shot at NATO.
Iran, Hungary, Ukraine: The World Is Running on Legacy Software
The old rules are gone. The new ones aren’t written yet. And no one in charge knows how to write them.
After Him, the Deluge: Trump Creates a Tough Environment for GOP’s 2028 Hopefuls
At the rate he is going, Donald Trump will leave a political and economic wasteland in his wake that will be extremely difficult for the GOP’s 2028 presidential candidates to navigate.
These States Could Give Big Oil a Free Pass
State legislatures are pushing bills to block lawsuits over climate damages. Here’s how they could play out.
Politics Obstructs a US-Iran Nuclear Deal
Having backed out of an existing deal makes negotiating a new deal tougher. So do domestic political and ego-driven imperatives to “win.”
Trumpflation Ruins GOP’s Tax Day Celebration
Republicans were looking forward to taking credit for the modest additional tax benefit given to regular Americans this year, but the affordability crisis exacerbated by Trump’s war in Iran has made this a challenge.
Eyes on Epstein: The Story Keeps Moving up the Ladder
Melania Trump’s dangerous move, and other developments you may have missed this week.
Forest Service Reorganization Is Illegal. USDA Lawyer Told Them to Do It Anyway.
Congress prohibited the Forest Service reorganization in its FY26 appropriations bills. Two high-ranking USDA officials are defying them.
Orbán’s Defeat in Hungary’s Elections Sparks a Wide Range of Reactions
Even among the many celebrants, there’s a spectrum of concerns about what comes next.
Trump Gives Democrats a Texas-Sized Gift
Six weeks ago, Donald Trump promised to end the contentious Senate GOP primary in Texas, which would put Republicans in a much better position to retain the seat. To the Democrats’ delight, he still hasn’t made an endorsement in the race, and with each day that passes, James Talarico’s odds are improving.
How EVs Could Solve a Problem With America’s Rickety Grid
With “vehicle-to-grid” technology, EVs turn into a vast network of backup power. That could help stabilize the system and accelerate the adoption of renewables.
Claude AI: Gods and Monsters
The tough choices we all have to make these days on so many things.
The Epstein Accords, Part 1: The Road to Riyadh
An unholy alliance between the Israeli right wing and Arab royalty – thanks to Jeffrey Epstein
After Attacking the Pope, Trump Shares Image Depicting Himself as Messiah
When it comes to lashing out at anybody who offers even the mildest criticism of him or his job performance, Donald Trump is infallible.
Hungary’s Orbán Gets the Boot, America Gets a Lesson for the Midterms
For years, Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orbán’s government served as a model for the MAGA movement. On Sunday, it suffered a crushing defeat that teaches an important lesson on how to defeat wannabe authoritarian regimes like that of Donald Trump.
Trump Announces His Own Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
In an effort to put more economic pressure on Iran, Donald Trump on Sunday announced that the US, too, would block the Strait of Hormuz.
A Bad Day for JD Vance As Peace Talks Stall and He Misses Out on UFC Fight
At their peace talks in Pakistan, the US presented Iran with an offer it could refuse. While that doesn’t necessarily mean the end of a shaky ceasefire, it doesn’t bode well for their ongoing conflict.
Melania Trump Spotlights the Epstein Files. How Can Trump Shut Her Up?
Did Melania go rogue by putting the focus back on the Epstein files? President Trump may have to give her a great gift to keep her from talking further.
Poem: ‘An Old Man Alone Among the Crags at Night’
Quester, cad, or both? Reimagining an epic hero who could not rest from travel.
The Swalwell Scandal — One of These Things Is Not Like the Others
While Republicans routinely turn a blind eye toward even the most credible sexual assault allegations, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) can kiss his gubernatorial ambitions goodbye after four different women accused him of various types of sexual misconduct.
AI Is All Humans, All the Way Down
The inside story of how greed, ambition, and rivalry destroyed AI’s safety mechanisms — and why human failings, not technology, are driving us toward catastrophe.
The Iran War Distracted Us From Epstein; Can Melania Distract Us From the War?
First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday waded into the Epstein saga to clear her name. However, since that name didn’t really need clearing, we are wondering why she did so in the first place… and why now.
What’s in the Ceasefire Deal? No One Seems To Know
What’s in the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran (and maybe Israel)? Nobody seems to have any clue, which is why you normally put these things in writing.
Trump Administration Orders Dismantling of the US Forest Service
The headquarters is going to Utah. Every regional office is being shuttered. The research program is being destroyed.
My Decision: No More Tax Money for Trump’s Madness
What if millions just said No and opened escrow accounts?
Iran Paradox: Ceasefire Feels Like a Win Even Though Everybody Loses
Since neither the US nor the Iranian governments can be trusted to tell the truth, it is unclear what is in the ceasefire agreement and whether it can last. One thing is certain already, however, which is that this war had plenty of losers and no winners.
The European Right, Facing Setbacks of Its Own, Keeps Its Distance From Trump
As Trump becomes more erratic, European far-right groups see him as a liability and are trying to insulate themselves from the problems in the US.
World-Renowned Crazy Person Threatens Iran With Annihilation
TACO Tuesday, a nuclear attack, or something in between. When your country is run by a madman, anything can happen.
As Ice Recedes and Land Rebounds, Antarctica’s Mineral Resources Come Into Focus
Melting ice, rebounding land, and rising seas will change what resources are available in Antarctica, a new analysis finds.
America’s 250th Anniversary Has To Contend With Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s desperate attempts to solidify his legacy are pushing the country away from its founding principles — and in a radically different direction.
Donald Agonistes: Pulling the MAGA Temple Down on Himself
Chaos in Trumpland.
Just in Case, Let’s Take First-Strike Nuclear Capability Away From Trump
If Republicans are too cowardly to assert their power to declare war, or to even acknowledge that this is what the conflict with Iran is, they should at least take away Donald Trump’s ability to launch a first-strike nuclear attack without congressional approval.
Desperate Trump Tries F-Bombing Iran
Donald Trump takes ‘unhinged’ to another level with insane Easter threat.
Time to Make Internet Giants Pay Before It’s Too Late
For 30 years, companies like Meta and Google have been able to avoid liability for the damage they have done to society; but that immunity shield is starting to crack.
Tech Moguls Promise You’ll Be So Rich You Won’t Need Health Insurance
Sam Altman and his fellow tech bros swear that AI will make health care “too cheap to meter.” So why not start universal health care now?
Trump’s Military Budget Request by the (Mind-Blowing) Numbers
It’s tough to comprehend the staggering amounts of money Donald Trump wants to spend on the Department of Defense, so we tried to put things in perspective.
Votes for Kafka
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Democratic pundits who dominate the nation’s op-ed pages and cable news networks argue that Democrats must move right to win, never that Republicans must move left to win.
Did Liberals Really Ruin the Movies?
Like everything else, movie attendance is now politicized, as the Right claims Hollywood’s too woke to watch.
Two Similar Jobs Reports, Two Different Media Reactions
The economy added 178,000 jobs in March, which is an excellent performance by Donald Trump’s standard. But we couldn’t help comparing how differently the media is treating the current president versus their treatment of his predecessor when Joe Biden delivered a similar jobs report.
Social Media Had Gun-Level Immunity. That Just Ended
A jury just shattered Big Tech’s legal shield. Meta and YouTube: guilty of engineering addiction. This is social media’s tobacco moment — and AI is next.
Marco Rubio Soft-Shoes His Way Through the Trump Minefield
Is Trump’s Iran war the key to Rubio’s political future?
Bondi Gets Canned, But Lawmakers Want to Depose Her Over Epstein Files
Even though Pam Bondi oversaw an unprecedented weaponization of the Department of Justice as attorney general, she still got the boot for not going after Donald Trump’s enemies effectively enough.