Tangle

In June of 2021, I published a newsletter headlined “Is Joe Biden okay?” The president, I wrote, didn’t “seem quite right.” I preemptively shot down critics who thought it was taboo to say what was obvious: Biden was in decline, that decline seemed to be accelerating, and imagining nearly four more years with him governing was worrisome. He was a totally different man than he had been at the end o...

In recent years, use of new weight-loss medications has risen in the United States. A 2026 Gallup poll found that a record 11% of U.S. adults are taking GLP-1 medications for weight loss, up from 3% in 2024. Furthermore, high-profile figures like Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) and decorated tennis player Serena Williams have extolled their experiences taking the drug. The rising prevalence of GLP-1...

On today's episode of Suspension of the rules, Isaac, Ari and Kmele chat about the historic speech given at the UN General Assembly as well as the viral piece that Nikole Hannah-Jones wrote for the New York Times titled "In Fighting For Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own?". They then talk about the controversial statement made by Hassan Piker. Last but not least, a very good grie...

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed a defense agreement with Denmark and the semiautonomous territory of Greenland. The three-party compact was signed in New York City, concurrent with a United Nations General Assembly meeting, and it follows several months of statements from President Trump about the United States increasing its control over the island territory. Ad-free podcasts are here!...

On Friday, President Donald Trump announced he is barring journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. The president accused the outlets of inaccurately reporting on his administration and suggested that additional news organizations could be banned. On Monday, the outlets sued the government for allegedly violating their First Amendment rights. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 2...

As the war in Iran nears its seventh month, new developments over the past week have prompted concerns about a widening conflict in the Middle East. On Saturday, the State Department warned Americans in the Middle East to “exercise heightened vigilance” and prepare for potential travel disruptions, and President Donald Trump  returned  from a weekend trip to Camp David a day early. Separ...

One of the core tenets of Tangle’s mission is ideological diversity. As a big-tent news organization, we believe that we can be a space for readers of all political backgrounds to hear arguments from across the political spectrum. As I look around today’s media landscape, something occurs to me: It’s becoming a hobbyhorse of political commentators to beat up on the Democratic Socialists of America...

On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  announced  the repeal of Biden-era emissions regulations for power plants and proposed rolling back all remaining greenhouse gas standards for the power sector. The agency said the move will create an estimated $310 billion in savings and lower energy prices for consumers. On Thursday, environmental advocates sued the EPA for this wee...

On today's episode of Suspension of the rules, Isaac, Ari and Kmele chat about whether or no artificial intelligence will kill us all and some reflection on Mitch McConnell's return to congress. They then play a fun little game called "Is Isaac an idiot or not?". Last but not least, a somber but very good grievance. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclus...

On Monday, the Supreme Court  denied a request from the Trump administration to allow the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to carry out parts of President Donald Trump’s executive order placing new regulations on mail-in voting. The president had issued the  order  in March to address alleged voter fraud, and the Supreme Court  overturned  a lower court’s block on parts of the e...

On Saturday, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei  published  an essay arguing that artificial intelligence (AI) development is advancing at an unsafe pace and should be moderated. Executives at other leading AI companies endorsed Amodei’s post, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman  saying  “we need to pace the frontier.” In recent months, AI systems have allegedly hacked other companies’ platform...

At the Republican Party’s inaugural midterm convention on Wednesday, President Donald Trump  said  that his administration will send $5,000 to every U.S. adult citizen if the GOP retains control of the House and Senate in November’s elections. The president called the “Trump Dividend” a way for Americans to share in the economic strength that would result from Republican governance.&nbsp...

What have we learned since that fateful day? Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! What happened to al-Qaeda? This Friday marks 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Ahead of the anniversary, The Atlantic’s Graeme Wood published a detailed report on the attack’s impact on the Middle Ea...

On Wednesday, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)  appeared  via video at the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention, reiterating his opposition to socialism and praising Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA). Fetterman has frequently criticized the Democratic Party’s embrace of democratic socialism and anti-Israel rhetoric, leading to speculation that he could switch parties or become an independ...

On today's episode of suspension of the rules, Isaac, Ari, and Kmele are in the great state of Maine together to commemorate and reflect on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and their own personal experience from 9/11. The guys then shift gears to a less somber note to celebrate Tangle's 7th anniversary and chat about where Tangle started and where its heading. Its a great episode! Ad-free podcasts are...

In the run-up to the November midterm elections, new reports on key economic indicators have shed light on the state of the U.S. economy. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will meet next week for the third time under Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh to consider changes to the interest rate in light of a strong jobs report and persistent inflation. Meanwhile, the Iran war and a burgeonin...

It’s been nearly 25 years since the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Virtually all of the leadership of al-Qaeda that planned and orchestrated the attacks have now been killed, but the group remains intact today. But if you talk to national security and terrorism experts, they’ll offer wildly different assessments of how strong — and how much of a threat — it still poses.  &nbsp...

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...