Tangle

On Monday, August 31, The Wall Street Journal  reported  that Army Secretary Dan Driscoll had resigned amid protracted disagreements with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Driscoll’s last workday was September 2. Several other military leaders have been fired or resigned under Hegseth, who has  sought  to reduce the size of military leadership. President Donald Trump  appoin...

But should they exist? Let me start by saying that  I get it.  A few years ago, I read a  fascinating piece  about how professional basketball had lost its cool factor. The current stars of the NBA, like Jayson Tatum and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, just don’t have  it.  They aren’t charismatic in the same ways Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan or Dr. J were. They aren’t ecce...

In recent months, opposition to data centers has  increased  across the United States, prompting both Republican and Democratic politicians to oppose the facilities and some states to pause new construction. While some political leaders, including President Donald Trump, remain supportive of data centers, the topic has become a  major issue  ahead of the 2026 midterm elections,...

Isaac, Ari, and Kmele had a  lot  to talk about this week. From Kmele “having a moment” on CNN to mail-in voting changes to CBS’s coverage of Abdul El-Sayed — plus a good guy of the week from the Pacific Northwest and a brief check-in on the Iran war — this week’s  Suspension of the Rules  is jam-packed. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes...

On Monday, the Supreme Court  decided  5–4 to allow President Trump to continue above-ground construction on his White House ballroom project. The unsigned order  pauses  a federal judge’s halt on above-ground construction, stating the plaintiff likely lacks legal standing. However, the majority did not decide whether Trump has the legal authority to build the ballroom without...

On Friday, President Donald Trump announced an agreement to make the United States government an investor in the production of Venezuelan oil. Under the  reported terms  of the deal, the U.S. will take a stake in a private Venezuelan company that will be given the rights to develop 17 oil fields believed to contain 65 billion barrels of oil. President Trump said the deal will help build...

On Tuesday, August 25, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow, Russia, for the first publicly disclosed time to meet with Russian intelligence officials. While the CIA has not shared the official purpose of the trip, Ratcliffe  reportedly  cautioned Russia against attacking North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states. The visit also comes...

Against normalization culture. Dear readers, In  this week’s Press Pass , I introduced our newest editor, Carina Pacheco. As I said in that newsletter, when Carina applied to work here, I was struck by her writing voice, the lens through which she sees the world, and her interest in the intersection of culture and politics. To me, she offered something distinct from the rest of the team. Toda...

On Wednesday, Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Threads,  reached  a settlement with a group of state attorneys general to pay up to $16.7 billion to resolve a case over alleged harms to children caused by its social media apps. The company also agreed to implement safeguards designed to mitigate excessive use of Facebook and Instagram by minors. Ad-...

Coming up on today's episode of Suspension of the Rules, Isaac, Ari and Kmele mourn the loss of the great Dolly Parton. They then chat about the very interesting candidate for governor in Iowa, Darline Graham officially winning the South Carolina primary, and then a good guy of the week featuring Jesse Watters? Last but not least, our grievances. It's a good one! Ad-free podcasts are here! To list...

On Monday, the Supreme Court stayed a federal injunction on President Donald Trump’s executive order requiring the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to change its rules for mail-in ballots. The Court’s  unsigned opinion  did not address the legality of the executive order; instead, the Court found that the states challenging it lacked standing to do so. The three Democratic-appointed justices d...

On Tuesday, August 18, the Treasury Department  announced  that the debt held by the U.S. government surpassed $40 trillion, a record high. The national debt has more than doubled since 2017, and it increased from $39 trillion to $40 trillion in roughly the past five months. In response to the latest milestone, lawmakers from both parties called for new initiatives to reduce the debt.&nb...

On Saturday, the United States  imposed  50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods, including lumber, dairy products, clothing, and alcohol. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that Canada would match the U.S. tariffs “dollar for dollar,” with retaliatory duties set to begin on September 8. Though Canada has not officially released information on its tariff plans, Carney&...

A full accounting of the initiative’s impact. Back in 2024, when the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was first proposed, its goals were clear. Elon Musk said he’d attempt to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. Like many Americans (including me) who are concerned about our debt and deficit, Musk’s view was that if government spending didn’t meaningfully change, the U.S. was headed f...

On Monday, August 10, President Donald Trump  signed  an executive order directing the federal government to make changes to its recommended childhood vaccine schedule. In remarks at the White House signing event, the president also  suggested  that a link may exist between the number of vaccines children receive and increased rates of autism.  Ad-free podcasts are here! G...

Coming up on today's episode of Suspension of the Rules, Isaac, Ari and Kmele discuss the AOC "Woke 1 was crazy" commentary and the 2020 covid era post mortem conversations that seem to be happening right now. Then we dive into Tuesday's wild election results from Florida and the rest of the country. Kmele talks about Jon Ossoff and we respond to a clip of Darline Graham. Last but not least, our g...

On Friday, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao  announced  that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is returning to the United States as part of a “planned rotation.” Cao’s announcement follows weeks of  reporting  on strained conditions aboard the ship, including food and supply shortages, mental health struggles among sailors, and multiple sailors reportedly attempti...

In recent weeks, public opposition has  grown  toward vehicle-tracking cameras used by law enforcement in criminal investigations. Private manufacturer Flock Safety operates the largest network of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) in the United States, with approximately 127,000 cameras across the country. The company has recently faced scrutiny for potential civil liberties violat...

On Tuesday, August 11, Wisconsin  held primary elections  for the 2026 midterms, headlined by the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Gov. Tony Evers (D). U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany won the Republican nomination with 95% of the vote, while on the Democratic side, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly defeated state Rep. Francesca Hong 39.8%–39.4%. Crowley’s victory was a signif...

Because if I did, I wouldn’t mean it. Dear readers, One of the only Tangle products I don’t have my hand in editing is our Sunday newsletter, which I get the pleasure of enjoying as a consumer (and is a highly-recommended Tangle member perk!). Last year, I was perusing The Sunday when I came across the week’s  reader essay , written by a young reporter from Appalachia named Isaac Wood. ...

Over the past week, Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) has faced growing calls to resign or drop his bid for reelection amid  allegations of domestic abuse . Emily Moreno, Miller’s ex-wife and the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), accused Miller of verbally and physically abusing her and their two-year-old daughter; Miller denies the allegations. In recent days, Sen. Moreno has spoken out against Mi...

Coming up on today's episode of Suspension of the Rules, Isaac and Ari are joined by Tangle editor Audrey Moorehead to discuss the Michigan Senate primary results, a Trump scandal that has been driving Isaac nuts which Ari then turns it into a fun game, and then we talk about the allegations against Representative Max Miller. Last, but not least, our grievances. It's a good one! Ad-free podcasts a...

On Tuesday, the Democratic and Republican parties held primary elections for several key seats in Michigan. The contests were headlined by the Democratic Senate primary, in which Rep. Haley Stevens (MI) faced off against former public health official Abdul El-Sayed to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters. At 8:35 AM ET on Wednesday, Decision Desk HQ  declared  El-Sayed the winner, and Steve...

On Thursday, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)  issued an alert  about potential cyber threats to water systems after approximately 36 sites in Minnesota reported cyberattacks. Then, on Saturday, Michigan reported cyberattacks on nine water systems; both states say their water supplies are not actively threatened. Separately, the Federal Bureau of Investigation...

On Thursday, President Donald Trump  said  that the Board of Peace, a U.S.-led international body aiming to achieve peace in the Gaza Strip, had reached an agreement for Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza to disarm. The next day, the board  shared  a 15-point “roadmap” for a multi-step peace plan, outlining actions that Hamas and Israel would take to eventually transfer contr...