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

Trump Administration Asks Justices to Allow It to Deny Hormones to Trans Inmates

The Bureau of Prisons policy, which has been blocked by lower courts, would give transgender prisoners access to psychotherapy and antidepressants instead of certain gender-transition medical treatments.

RAF Fairford Plot, Day 2: Public Demanding Answers - Officials, Media Channel Norm MacDonald UPDATE

An Open Letter to Scott Alexander

The dangers of AI are real, but doomerism may be counterproductive.

Mamdani's latest freebie sets off online fury as critics rip city priorities: 'Opera socialism'

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's plan to give away 70,000 free Metropolitan Opera tickets sparked fierce accusations of misplaced priorities.

Andrew Bailey, No. 2 at FBI, resigns in latest shake-up at bureau

Bailey, the former Missouri attorney general, was hired for the leadership role about a year ago.

Claire's Weekly Letter: A Dish in the Sink

A man leaves a dish in the sink. By the end of the night he has been accused of gaslighting, told he lacks emotional intelligence, and sent to sleep on the sofa. Our first feature this week comes from Steve Salerno asks a hard question: has a prof…

After mistrial, Pirro says she’ll bring Trayon White bribery case to new jury

The D.C. Council member was charged with taking bribes from a city contractor who handed him envelopes of cash during four meetings in 2024, all of them secretly videotaped by the FBI.

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…

Sunday Smiles

A Splashy Profile About Hasan Piker, Emphasizing That No One Cares About Him

You know what publications do with someone who doesn’t matter? They usually ignore him entirely.

White House expands taxpayer-paid ad campaign boosting Trump

The taxpayer-funded campaign borrows the president's political rhetoric as the White House defends the spots as “public service” announcements.

History Uprooted

A new exhibition at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg peddles PLO myths about Israel’s war for independence in 1948.

White House to reopen part of Lafayette Square after eight months

Administration officials are still pursuing plans to build a permanent fence around the park.

With Kennedy Center Closed, National Symphony Starts Life on the Road

The orchestra, which was to have celebrated its 40th anniversary at the Kennedy Center, started its nomadic season in Bethesda, Md.

Low-Trust Society Breeds Weak Kids

It was a week of emotional goodbyes for my 18-year-old daughter as she left home for university. She had a family barbecue, a bonfire night with her besties, a big hug with her dog, and finally a tearful farewell at the airport with her younger si…

Gas Prices Are Bad. Voting for Democrats Wouldn't Help

Republicans have let conservatives down on gas prices and the SAVE Act. But staying home in midterm elections would put their biggest wins at risk.

The Five Worst Things About Moving

Movers never seem to have working clocks.

Trump's Greenland Agreement Is the 'Art of the Deal' in Action

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.

The 9 Senate seats most likely to flip party control in November

Democrats need to flip several in red states to win back the Senate majority. Here are their best chances.

Dario Amodei of Anthropic to Dine With Trump at White House

Dario Amodei, who is also the company’s chief executive, will join the president at the White House for a private dinner. Mr. Trump has dismissed his cautions.

CNN Political Briefing

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

Who’s Responsible for Texas?

We still have over a month to see how it plays out, and ‘Vote for the crook: It’s important’ has been a winning message before.

This Texas crooner could help Democrats win Congress, one quinceañera at a time

Bobby Pulido would be the only member of Congress with a Latin Grammy to his name. That comes with its upsides and downsides.

AI Doom Is Not Cybersecurity

An OpenAI agent’s breach of a Medicare portal shows that the real danger from AI is a mundane one—and the labs’ fixation on a coming machine god is making it worse.

Walz's 'exit interview' reflecting on his tenure sparks lawmaker debate about his legacy: 'Never serious'

Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz says fraud shouldn't define his legacy, but Republican lawmakers fire back with a list of grievances beyond the scandal.

Bear Hug

There are two kinds of people in the world: people who love The Bear and people who hate The Bear.

From Atmosphere to Empire

U2 reconsidered at fifty.

Hiroshima: A Hinge Point for Humanity

Kiyoshi Tanimoto’s extraordinary testimony about the Hiroshima attack and its aftermath has been published by his daughter some forty years after his death.

Tom Kean Jr. Backs Trump on Iran and Tariffs, if Not Local Issues

In a debate with the Democrat Rebecca Bennett, the New Jersey Republican said he was willing to take on the president over funding for a Hudson River tunnel project.

The Trouble with Chinamaxxers

Gen Z calls it Chinamaxxing. But the West's new infatuation with China is less a triumph of Communist Party soft power than a symptom of our own decline.

Speaker Johnson Hits Trail To Defend GOP House Majority

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is launching a six-week campaign blitz that will take him to more than 40 congressional districts across 22 states through Election Day, Axios has learned.

Medical Conscience Is Under Assault at Home and Abroad

This is one of the most important but underappreciated civil rights issues of our time.

The 50K Catholics Who Went To See America's Next Saint

Decades after his death, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen still commands an audience. Madeleine Long reports from his beatification in St. Louis.

Middle East Crude Running at 80 Percent of Pre-War Levels

1776 or 1789: The Dividing Issue of Our Time

Is Donald Trump Finally Tired of Maria Salazar?

Trump Offered to Sell Arms to China, U.S. Ambassador Says

President Trump made the offer to Xi Jinping, China’s leader, said David Perdue, the ambassador to China. The White House later said the U.S. had no plans for such a sale.

Trump says he has an off-ramp to his biggest political problem. He refuses to take it.

There is nothing holding back Republican political fortunes this year more than the war that President Donald Trump started with Iran.

A Traffic Stop and the 'Noncriminal' Myth

Last week, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) told a House Judiciary subcommittee that Homeland Security's summer arrests had crossed a line. "For the first time this summer," she said, "the majority of people that DHS arrested were people who pose ab…

Trump’s 2024 ‘Final Battle’ Ad Returns, Funded by Public Money

The ad, which ethics experts said could violate federal law, shows Mr. Trump vowing to “expel the warmongers” from the government and fight the “deep state,” even as he wages a war with Iran.

El-Sayed’s Selective Condemnation of Oppression

The Michigan Senate candidate, like so many on the left, makes a political fetish of ‘Palestine.’

Why Brandon Flowers’s ‘An American Dream’ Hits

I’m seeing a lot of strong notice of this video of former Killers frontman Brandon Flowers performing on The Tonight Show.

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.

‘Virginia Is for Servers’: Data Center Enthusiasts Look to Engineer a Vibe Shift

On the ground at a pro–data center party.

In Iowa, Republicans feel the heat and try to motivate ‘frustrated’ base

The political environment for the party has led to widespread alarm. “It feels like it could be a wipeout,” one strategist said.

FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey resigns after year in role

Andrew Bailey cited family reasons for his FBI resignation, expressing confidence that Kash Patel will continue reform efforts and restore public trust.

Senate Republicans make a final legislative push ahead of the midterms

In their last week in Washington before the elections, GOP lawmakers are pressing their party to do more to address the cost of living.

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…

Are Democrats Really Headed for a Wave Election?

Many prominent Republican figures are skeptical the GOP will have any success in November's midterm elections.

Trump dined with the Anthropic CEO who called for AI slowdown

The president’s first one-on-one meeting with Dario Amodei followed months of tensions.

Protester storms DC party, flips off crowd as ‘USA!’ chants erupt amid Trump’s AI push

A protester crashed a Washington, D.C., data center party, shouting about water use as Trump pushes AI dominance and rapid buildout over China.

Starship Test Flight 14 Was a Nail-Biter

Under Trump, Commodity Futures Trading Commission Scales Back Enforcement, Worrying Farmers

The fate of two cotton brokers highlights how the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has scaled back its regulatory actions not just for crypto cases but also for the kinds of cases it has long policed.

In Knoxville, cheers for Trump — and some quiet doubts

The president, booed at other big sporting events this year, drew mostly cheers at Neyland Stadium. In the parking lots, some of his own voters had misgivings.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Largest-ever US steel plant is coming to a key red state as Trump unveils $15B investment

Trump announces Mesabi Metallics' $15 billion Iowa steel plant, but the massive facility won't produce its first steel until 2030 at the earliest.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Republicans zero in on key player accused of helping Democrat fundraising giant hide foreign cash

House Republicans summon ActBlue attorney Ronald Machen for a closed-door interview, citing contradictions in his prior statements on donor verification.

BBC Suddenly Discovers That It Has Been Pushing Hamas Propaganda and Is 'Shocked'

Britain’s Malaise in a Time of Terror

The British were narrowly spared an opportunity to once again display their profound civilizational insecurity.

Casting Meryl Streep as Aslan Is Stupid

Christians have long honored images of Christ without mistaking the wood for God, but one can't spit on a crucifix without spitting at Christ.

Saint Louis NGO: Let's Become 'Little Kabul'

I, Victim

Pascal Bruckner’s book about victimhood culture invites us to choose liberation, and to move from resentment to a secular kind of grace.

DOJ pleads with Supreme Court to save ban on transgender treatments in federal prisons

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to enforce a Bureau of Prisons policy banning hormone therapy and accommodations for transgender inmates.

Tell Me Where Jack Bauer Is

Something is missing from the New York Times list of the best 100 television shows of this century.

Mad at High Gas Prices? Things Will Be Worse Under Dems

Frustrated by $4.50 gas? Before voting Democrat-or skipping the polls-remember when prices topped $5. Here's why their energy record won't fix what's hurting your wallet.

Same Narrative™: Selling Doom and Selling Stock Are Complementary

Embarrassing Breach at F.B.I. Fuels Fears of Harm to Its Employees

In an internal memo, the F.B.I. said it believed the hackers may have stolen sensitive information on all of its employees.

Andrew Bailey, a Deputy Director at the F.B.I., Leaves His Job

Mr. Bailey, who was part of a three-person leadership team atop the bureau, lasted barely a year.

Who’s Winning the Race for Congress? 2026 Midterm Elections

It’s Sept. 28 — 36 days away from the midterms. Here’s the state of play.

Genocide and Its Jurors

In 1967, left-wing intellectuals accused America of genocide in Vietnam—they were wrong then, and they’re wrong again now.

Millionaires Are Who You Think They Are

‘These are the real rich in America.’

Vance unloads on tech titans using foreign visa holders to displace American workers

JD Vance targets H-1B visa abuse, saying large companies lay off thousands of American workers then claim they desperately need foreign labor.

El-Sayed questions ethics of football in resurfaced audio

Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is heard in a resurfaced audio clip questioning whether football is "ethical" due to CTE risks.

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.

Last Recession Not Trump's Fault. Next One Will Be

Trump is following one of the Republican Party's longstanding traditions: Burning the economy to the ground.

Reporter's Notebook: Senate Republicans scrap early exit from Washington as midterm stakes soar

Senate Republicans force a test vote on the Ratepayer Protection Act, daring Democrats to block a data center affordability bill boosting Jon Husted.

Trump's Efforts To Aid U.S. Consumers Run Into Resistance

From beef to diesel, White House efforts to bring down prices - the top concern among midterm voters - have failed so far to pan out.

Blue city funds immigrant activist program with taxpayer dollars, critics say it 'shuts citizens out'

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's office offers $575 taxpayer-funded scholarships training immigrants in civic engagement and community organizing.

The Naivety of Well-Meaning Christian Leaders

The Church of England and the failures of interfaith politics.

Democrats Have Proven We Can Deliver on Affordability

It's hard to ignore the biggest challenge facing working families. Prices are ticking up at the grocery checkout at every visit. Gas costs well over $4 a gallon - even higher in some places. It was more expensive to run the air conditioner this su…

Trump Won’t Let the GOP Go Its Own Way So Easily

Trump has been doing a lot of ‘lashing out’ lately, and his foremost sources of irritation seem to be his fellow Republicans.

Proud Boys Convicted Over Jan. 6 Go From Prosecutions to Pardons to Premiere

The gala screening of the documentary “American Martyrs” was the latest effort by Trump supporters to rewrite the history of the Capitol attack.

Soaring diesel prices are clobbering Trump’s MAGA faithful, exposing rifts

Pain at the pump for rural Republicans is shifting the political map.

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.

Tale of Two Terrorism Plots

AOC gives major hint about 2028 as Democrat civil war looms

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she's weighing a 2028 presidential run or a challenge to Chuck Schumer's New York Senate seat after midterm elections.

Trauma and Terror

If you’re not already familiar with the casus belli that ignited the Gaza war, watching the fifth season of ‘Fauda’ will be good for you, but it will also be bad for you.

In Ohio, a Humbling Question For Senator Jon Husted: Are You the Incumbent?

Even some devoted conservatives know more about Sherrod Brown, the Democratic challenger, than the Republican incumbent, who needs the MAGA base to turn out.

Flock Cameras Are Creepy. They Might Still Be Worth It

To no small extent, Americans have grown accustomed to being watched.

Some Dems Take a Different Approach to Trans Issues This Year

Australia Is Sick: Misha Saul on What Went Wrong

Investor Misha Saul joins Claire Lehmann to discuss Australia’s declining productivity, immigration policy, and the political choices shaping the country’s future.