Smash The Bubble

News and opinion from both the left and the right, mixed together so you can break out of your filter bubble.

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Today's Headlines

The Many Faces of Tucker Carlson

Jason Zengerle’s new book about the degradation of a once-gifted writer and broadcaster also illustrates the downward trajectory of the entire news industry during the same period.

In Texas race, House GOP leaders back ‘AK Guy’ criticized for past remarks

Brandon Herrera, the de facto Republican nominee after Rep. Tony Gonzales exited amid a scandal over an affair, has been criticized for videos on his gun-focused YouTube channel.

Supreme Court sides with antiabortion activist in free speech case

The Supreme Court ruled an antiabortion activist can challenge a law blocking protests outside of a designated area.

Podcast #329: Has the Gay Rights Revolution Gone Too Far for the Gay Community’s Own Good?

Jonathan Kay speaks with Ronan McCrea about his new book, ‘The End of the Gay Rights Revolution: How Hubris and Overreach Threaten Gay Freedom.’

From ‘jump on a bus’ to tax crackdowns: Blue states chase wealthy residents fleeing to red havens

Blue states like New York pursue wealthy taxpayers fleeing to red state tax havens like Florida and Texas with governors calling for aggressive action.

Everyone Has Trump’s Phone Number Now

The president’s personal iPhone has been lighting up.

Vice President Kamala Harris, a former US senator from California who previously served as the state's attorney general, could be the first Black woman and Asian American to lead a major party ticket after receiving President Joe Biden's support t…

Blood and Progress: New Book Reveals the Left’s History of Violence

Letters to the Editor

Friday 13 March – Friday 20 March

The ‘Big Black Scar’

Trump is blowing up national-park land in Arizona to wall off one of the border’s last wild places.

ICE Family Detentions Drop as Trump Shifts Strategy

The number of families detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has dropped due to the Trump administration shifting to a more targeted approach to immigration enforcement in recent weeks, according to a report.

Republicans are ramping up attacks on Muslims — and getting rewarded

Past GOP leaders, including George W. Bush, spoke out against Islamophobia. Now it is going unchallenged.

Rahm Emanuel would like to talk about immigration

The Washington Post’s essential guide to power and influence in D.C.

High Stakes, and a Low Bar, For Markwayne Mullin at DHS

Trump’s nominee has one big thing going for him: He’s not Kristi Noem.

An Ambivalent Relationship

Southeast Asia in World War II, Part Three: Independence Movements under Japanese Occupation

Hormuz Problem: How To Impose Costs Without Incurring Risk

The USS Tripoli is quickly steaming towards the Middle East with its 2,500 embarked Marines. Meanwhile, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed to a trickle, oil prices are rising worldwide, and countries are hesitant to commit a portion o…

War in Straitened Circumstances

After nineteen days of war, Israel and America face a grinding conflict with Iran and Hezbollah, and there is no clear end in sight.

Trump administration asks Congress to block state limits on AI

White House advisers aim to codify policies to protect AI companies’ interests, despite past opposition from many Republican governors and influencers.

Secret Service Agent Faulted for Butler Fail Suspended Again

The Secret Service agent who was in charge of developing and executing the failed security plan for the 2024 rally where President Trump was nearly killed has been suspended and is under internal agency investigation for allegedly improperly repor…

Trump breaches fire wall between watchdogs and agencies they investigate

Inspectors general are subject to growing partisan pressures as the White House and political figures seek greater influence over them than ever before.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

Go beyond the soundbites and get to know some of the most interesting players in politics.

What's the Point of Sending Kids to School?

Ed Martin Probed the DC Bar. Then They Targeted Him

The charges against Ed Martin didn't emerge in a vacuum. They came from the very disciplinary authority he had publicly accused of bias.

Top Dems brush off ties to Imam who held memorial for Iranian leader who vowed 'Death to America'

Former President Bill Clinton, Kamala Harris and Michigan Democrats photographed with radical Iranian-born Imam respond to questions after Fox News Digital inquiry leads to photo purge.

Kristi Noem Bought 11 Warehouses to Use as ICE Jails. Now What?

DHS’s next leader will inherit a fast-moving $38 billion plan for industrial-scale immigrant detention.

Trump Friend Asked ICE to Detain the Mother of His Child

Paolo Zampolli, a former modeling agent and a longtime Trump ally, was in a custody battle over his son. An ICE official agreed to help.

Powell's Bizarre Plan To Stay On at the Fed

Iran certainly is not a forever war as President Trump has said many times.

FCC Approves Nexstar Deal, Massive Consolidation Starts Legal Fight

In a sweeping and controversial move, the Federal Communications Commission under Chairman Brendan Carr has approved the $6.2 billion merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna, creating the largest television broadcasting company in U.S. history.

And Sarah Huckabee Sanders Gets Asked to Remove Herself From Another Woke Restaurant MORE

Vance is in a bind, supporting a war that could cost him politically

People close to JD Vance concede that a long conflict will be a challenge for the next GOP nominee but say the vice president hasn’t made up his mind about running.

Iran Is Losing. What Happens Next Is Uncertain

Don't fall for the propaganda. Iran is not holding its own in this conflict. It is being systematically dismantled.

The Democrat Lies About the SAVE Act Are Wild

Deferring to Trump, G.O.P. Lawmakers Resist a Public Accounting on Iran

Nearly three weeks into a war that polls show is unpopular, top Republicans have yet to call administration officials to testify about it, arguing that hearings would put divisions on display.

The notable legal clouds that continue to hang over Donald Trump

All eyes are on former President Donald Trump, who has launched another White House bid.

Thursday's Final Word

Axios: Trump Still Mulling Over Kharg Island Seizure; UPDATE: Marines Expedited?

Podcast Episode #330: When Everyone Knows Everyone Knows ...

Iona Italia talks to cognitive psychologist and linguist Steven Pinker about his new book on Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life.

Ex-FBI agents involved in Arctic Frost probe sue for wrongful termination

Two ex-FBI agents sued the bureau to challenge their firing, which they argued was an act of politically motivated retaliation tied 'solely' to their work on the Arctic Frost probe.

Most Americans expect Trump to send boots on the ground in Iran — but majority oppose it: Poll

A Reuters/Ipsos poll finds 55% of Americans oppose sending U.S. ground troops into the conflict with Iran, as nearly two-thirds fear Trump will do so.

A Serious Senate Debate About an Unserious Bill

The most pressing question about the SAVE America Act is not whether it’s going to pass, but why President Trump and his allies are so determined to see the Senate put up a bill that’s doomed to fail.

Iran’s Revolutionary Regime and the Long War Against the West: Behnam Ben Taleblu

Behnam Ben Taleblu discusses the history of Iran’s Islamic Republic, the evolution of protest movements, and the geopolitical stakes of the current conflict.

In Nearly 90 Truth Social Posts, Trump Narrates the War in Iran

Three weeks into the conflict, the president has used social media to conduct his own unique form of online diplomacy.

Democrats Don't Have a Growth Program

Democrats once understood the importance of economic growth. That's because growth, particularly productivity growth, is what drives rising living standards over time. Democrats sought to harness the benefits of growth for the working class, not t…

Trump Eyes Kharg Island Seizure to Reopen Hormuz

President Donald Trump reportedly is weighing a strategy to counter Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, including the possible seizure or blockade of Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran's oil exports.

Lukashenko Jailed Her in Belarus, but She Wants the World to Talk to Him

Maria Kalesnikava is campaigning for the West to engage with the regime in Belarus that imprisoned her for more than five years.

Tracking who Trump is appointing to fill key administration roles

Follow President Trump’s progress filling over 800 positions, among about 1,300 that require Senate confirmation, in this tracker from The Washington Post and the Partnership for Public Service.

Trump Isn’t Even Trying to Sell This War

Has the salesman in chief gotten rusty?

Is Iran Digging In for Protracted Conflict?

Islamic regime is digging in for a protracted conflict as it seeks to ensure the US and Israel will not attack again

Reporter's Notebook: GOP pushes election security bill despite slim odds, as Trump pressure looms

Senate Republicans debate the SAVE America Act despite lacking votes, as Trump threatens to withhold endorsements from GOP members who oppose the bill.

Dolores Huerta Describes Years of Sexual and Verbal Abuse as Part of UFW

Made in Moscow

The foreign origins of Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson’s antisemitism.

In the wake of the Republican National Convention earlier this month, Fareed speaks with historian Niall Ferguson about how and why the modern-day GOP has changed since the Reagan era of the 1980s.

US intel softens on China threat, says no Taiwan invasion planned by 2027 despite military buildup

The U.S. intelligence community says China has no fixed timeline to invade Taiwan and is not planning action by 2027, marking a shift from prior warnings.

How New Mexico Became an Obamacare Success Story

Affordable Care Act enrollment has dropped across the United States since the enhanced federal subsidies expired. But New Mexico has record numbers of people signing up.

Everything you need to know about Biden's student loan forgiveness program

President Joe Biden's federal student loan forgiveness program, which promises to deliver up to $20,000 of debt relief for millions of borrowers, is on hold indefinitely as legal challenges work their way through the courts.

Meet the woman steering Biden's bipartisan winning streak on Capitol Hill

The Biden administration managed to rack up a long list of major legislative wins in its first two years despite facing one of the most closely-divided Congresses in history. From bipartisan action on infrastructure, gun safety and same-sex marria…

Rep. Dan Meuser to Newsmax: DHS Shutdown Leaves US Cybersecurity 'Minimized'

U.S. cybersecurity has been "minimized if not eliminated" by the Democrats' refusal to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., told Newsmax on Friday, warning that the ongoing standoff is putting Americans at risk.

CBS News Radio, Onetime Home of Murrow, to End Amid Layoffs

Bari Weiss, the editor in chief of CBS News, announced layoffs on Friday that affected more than 60 employees. The network is owned by the technology heir David Ellison.

Trump’s hand-picked panel votes to put his face on a U.S. gold coin

The proposal had been rejected by members of a separate federal coin committee — and panned by former member Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Fareed explains why AI's massive energy demands are straining the power grid, but also why AI could enable big breakthroughs in sustainability and clean energy.

Trump orders TV networks to protect Army-Navy football game

The president wants to grant an exclusive broadcast window for the game, which faces scheduling pressure.

In Reversal, Trump Reinstates Support For Representative Jeff Hurd

President Trump reinstated his endorsement of Representative Jeff Hurd of Colorado, just weeks after pulling it back.

A Police Report About a House Candidate Surprised the White House

A woman’s allegations of rape against a Republican House candidate have put Trump in a bind.

CNN Political Briefing

The political news you need to know, in 10 minutes or less. Hosted by David Chalian.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

James Cameron Goes Native

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ is a Rousseau-esque oikophobic fantasy of evil humans and noble savage aliens.

Trump: NATO a 'Paper Tiger' on Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump on Friday blasted NATO and key European allies, calling the alliance "a paper tiger" and accusing its members of cowardice for refusing to back efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz while the United States and Israel contin…

How Does the Iran War End? Answer Isn't So Easy

Republicans say the war will end when Trump declares victory. But Iran will have a say over the conclusion, too.

A 79-Year-Old Freshman Senator?

Janet Mills does not have a dicey Reddit history or a recently covered-over Nazi tattoo. But her candidacy is haunted by Joe Biden’s 2024 debacle.

GOP sheriff leading California poll rips Newsom’s ‘love affair’ with criminals

Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is surging in California gubernatorial polls, believes that Californians are ready to end what he calls Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats' “twisted love affair with criminals."

Albanese Finds Out Appeasement Doesn't Always Equal Popular

The Buenos Aires Bombings

How Argentina became a front in Iran’s war against the Jews.

Trump Prepares to Honor a Frenemy

Bill Maher has been chosen to receive the Twain Prize before the Kennedy Center shuts down for a two-year renovation.

‘I’m Far Angrier’

Can Cory Booker, once the candidate of love, run for president and stay true to who he is?

House Homeland Security Republican urges US Muslim leadership to 'isolate extremists' after string of attacks

GOP Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee issued an open letter in which he urged the American Muslim community to condemn recent terror attacks on U.S. soil.

The Abuse of Girls by Progressive Heroes is Definitely a Thing

Warren Endorses Platner for Senate in Maine

The leading progressive acknowledged Platner's controversial past statements in an interview with HuffPost.

Pregnant in ICE Detention: Handcuffs and Pleas for Medical Care

Women describe conditions that violate longstanding agency guidelines for how pregnant detainees should be treated.

Trump administration sues Harvard over alleged failure to protect Jewish and Israeli students, seeks billions

The Trump administration is suing Harvard, alleging it failed to protect Jewish students from antisemitism and seeking billions in taxpayer funds back.

Supreme Court Allows Street Preacher’s Lawsuit

Gabriel Olivier was arrested after violating an ordinance restricting demonstrations outside an amphitheater in Brandon, Miss.

U.S. Military Ramps Up Assaults on Iranian Drones and Vessels to Clear Strait of Hormuz

Warplanes and attack helicopters are “hunting and killing” Iran’s fast-attack watercraft in contested sea lanes, Gen. Dan Caine said.

Cal State Challenges Trump’s Order on Transgender Student Athletes

The California State University system joins a short list of universities fighting Trump orders in court. The Education Department has threatened to cut federal funds to San Jose State University.

Iran conflict won’t trigger Biden-style refugee replay, expert predicts

An immigration expert says Iran's instability is unlikely to trigger a Syrian- or Afghan-style refugee surge, as the Trump admin signals no intake plan.

The Republican Who Wants to Banish His Own Constituents

Representative Andy Ogles wrote on Monday that “Muslims don’t belong in American society.” He represents thousands of them in Congress.

Trump-backed Senate hopeful gains momentum with top GOP endorsements before Mullin DHS shift

Rep. Kevin Hern was endorsed for U.S. Senate by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and National Republican Senatorial Committee chair Sen. Tim Scott.

Rep. Harris to Newsmax: Congress May Use Reconciliation for Iran War Funds

Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., told Newsmax that Congress will likely have to approve additional Pentagon funding for the war with Iran, and he suggested Republicans may need to use the budget reconciliation process if Democrats remain opposed to the T…

Thune reveals reason Democrats are 'scared' to reopen DHS

The DHS shutdown hit 35 days as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., accused Democrats of being "scared" of their far-left base.

Britain’s Half-Measures on Iran

As Iranian agents surveil London’s Jewish communities and IRGC-backed plots multiply, Britain’s failure to proscribe the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps endangers UK citizens.

Hmmm: White House Rebranding 'Mass Deportations'?

The Red-State War Against Blue Cities

St. Louis has a Missouri problem. But like many other Democratic cities in Republican states, it can fight back by expanding.

The Republican Party Continues Eating Its Own

What one lawmaker’s defection from the GOP says about the state of politics

Iranian Regime Cracks Widening By the Hour

Margins of Error

Look closely at almost anything and you'll find data—lots of it. But what are those numbers really saying about who we are and what we believe? Harry Enten is on a mission to find out.

Rep. Buddy Carter to Newsmax: Dems Will 'Pay a Price' for Shutdown

Democrats will "pay a price" in the midterms for the partial government shutdown, Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., told Newsmax on Friday, warning that the standoff is putting U.S. safety at risk while exposing deep divisions within the Democratic Party.

Judge Rules Govt Overreached With Transgender Healthcare Declaration

A federal judge said the government overreached by issuing a declaration that called treatments like puberty blockers and surgeries unsafe and ineffective for young people experiencing gender dysphoria, according to a ruling Thursday in Oregon.

Mail Ballot Grace Periods Could Be Eliminated

There will be just one Election Day for this fall's midterm elections - Nov. 3. But voters in 14 states who cast their votes by mail will be given a grace period ranging from a day later to several weeks in which their ballots can be received and …

Rep. Sheri Biggs to Newsmax: Iran Hangings Justify US Action

Rep. Sheri Biggs, R-S.C., said Friday on Newsmax's "National Report" that ongoing U.S. military action against Iran is the right course, pointing to the regime's latest acts of brutality as proof.

Presidents Who Honored Cesar Chavez Have Yet to React to Abuse Allegations

Bill Clinton gave Mr. Chavez the nation’s highest civilian honor. Barack Obama made Cesar Chavez Day a federal holiday. Joe Biden displayed a bronze bust of Mr. Chavez. So far, all have been quiet.

The fine print of the Respect for Marriage Act

Let's start with the positive: Republicans and Democrats are coming together to protect same-sex marriage from the Supreme Court.

The Original Ladies of Letters

A new book by Elizabeth Scott-Baumann examines the female poets and literary critics who challenged seventeenth-century England’s male literary establishment.

Mamdani's Wife Has Always Been an Extremist

How Kyrsten Sinema's decision makes Democrats' 2024 Senate map tighter

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema decided to shake up the political world on Friday by becoming an independent. The former Democrat is still caucusing with the party in the Senate, so the Democratic caucus still has 51 members. Now, instead of 49 Democr…

Sen. James Lankford to Newsmax: Mullin to Be Confirmed as DHS Secretary

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will be confirmed as Department of Homeland Security secretary next week, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., told Newsmax on Friday, expressing confidence his colleague will take charge at a critical moment for national …

With Japanese prime minister at his side, Trump makes Pearl Harbor joke

President Donald Trump joked about Pearl Harbor in a meeting Thursday with the Japanese prime minister.

White House Unveils A.I. Policy Aimed at Blocking State Laws

The Trump administration on Friday released new guidelines for federal legislation on the technology, recommending some safeguards for children and consumer protections for energy costs.

Gen. Guillot: US Seeks Expanded Military Role in Greenland

The head of U.S. Northern Command told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that the Trump administration is seeking to expand the U.S. military's presence in Greenland.

Israel Drove Decision on Iran, We've Had To React

Former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent said Iran was not an imminent threat in an interview with Tucker Carlson.

They defended the Capitol on Jan. 6. Their names are missing from the tribute.

A Washington Post review found at least 16 D.C. police officers who faced the violent mob are omitted from a personnel list displayed at the U.S. Capitol.