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

Have You Noticed That Gulf States Are Implicitly Allied With Israel?

House GOP leaders call on Rep. Gonzales to end reelection campaign

House Republican leaders made the request hours after Gonzales admitted, for the first time, to an affair with a staffer who later died after setting herself on fire.

Kristi Noem Out as Homeland Security Secretary

Her ouster comes after two contentious days of her testimony before Congress. Trump says Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin will take her place.

Republicans Toil to Avoid Saying ‘War’ as Iran Conflict Widens

Mission? Hostilities? Don’t call it a war, say G.O.P. lawmakers grappling with the political and legal challenges of the operation in the Middle East.

Kristi Noem ousted from Homeland Security post amid recent turmoil

Kristi Noem ousted from Trump's DHS after controversial hearings. Sen. Markwayne Mullin reportedly considered as replacement for Homeland Security chief.

Trump Appoints Sen. Mullin to Replace Noem at DHS

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he is tapping Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to serve as the next secretary of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem, who will move into a new role overseeing a Western Hemisphere security initiativ…

Virginia Dems mandate Jan. 6 be taught as ‘violent insurrection,’ ban election fraud claims in schools

Virginia Democrats pass controversial bill requiring schools teach January 6 as violent insurrection, banning election fraud claims in classrooms.

Things Are About to Get Ugly in Texas

A runoff, resentments, and the question of whether a Democrat can win statewide

Melania at the Mic

The first lady’s surreal act of geopolitical theatre did little to explain how the ongoing US–Israeli military campaign against Iran’s brutal theocrats will make the world safer.

CNN Political Briefing

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

What Can the Texas Primary Tell Us About Democrats?

Our reporter Elaine Godfrey on getting kicked out of a Jasmine Crockett rally

More Than 20 States Sue Over New Trump Tariffs

Some two dozen states challenged President Donald Trump's new global tariffs Thursday, filing a lawsuit over import taxes he imposed after a stinging loss at the Supreme Court.

House Oversight Committee votes to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi

Bondi has faced criticism from Democrats, and some Republicans, over the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files.

Pentagon policy chief grilled as Dem claims Trump broke promise about going to war with Iran

Pentagon policy chief Elbidge Colby was grilled on President Donald Trump's past statements on war with Iran as Operation Epic Fury continues.

The Sun Always Shines on Iranian TV

Iran's Missile Attacks Are Faltering. Here's Why.

The Democrats' Instant ‘No'

On Saturday, Donald Trump became a wartime president. The conflict in Iran will likely dominate his attention from now until he leaves office in 2029. Some of his extracurricular fixations-personal vendettas, online foolery-could get less attentio…

Mike Johnson asks embattled House Republican Tony Gonzales to drop re-election bid

House GOP leaders have asked embattled Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, to drop his bid for re-election.

Tafoya rips Walz 'dodging' accountability in hearing, unveils plan to fight fraud: 'Full weight of the law'

Republican Senate candidate Michele Tafoya slammed Tim Walz over his testimony on Minnesota's fraud scandal, calling his responses completely inadequate.

TerraPower Gets Federal Permit to Build Reactor But There's a Problem

Trump: Paxton Runoff Decision Could Cost Endorsement

President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's decision to remain in the Republican Senate primary runoff could affect his forthcoming endorsement in the race.

Macron vows nuclear arsenal boost as Europe turns to nukes amid rising global threats

France expands nuclear arsenal and ends transparency as Europe strengthens defense amid Russia threats. French President Macron declares "to be free, one needs to be feared."

‘God is non-binary’: Texas Dem nominee Talarico’s past remarks on abortion, race and gender draw scrutiny

Texas state Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic Party's new Senate nominee, has a history of making highly controversial statements on matters of religion, race, immigration and beyond.

Thousands of public comments slam Trump’s ballroom: ‘I did not vote for this’

A Post analysis of submitted comments found more than 97 percent were critical of the planned 90,000-square-foot addition. The White House has defended it as necessary.

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.

Senate Republicans sell housing plan and affordability, not war in Iran

GOP leaders have tried to focus debate on cost-of-living issues at the top of voters’ minds, as war rages throughout Middle East.

It's All Fake...

CA Gov Race a Cluster to the End and State Dem Leaders Are Spazzing

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.

Schumer, Dems hold firm on DHS funding despite Noem's bombshell ousting

The political standoff over DHS deepened as Democrats held firm on ICE reforms, while frustrated Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., accused them of playing politics.

From ‘America First’ to ‘Always America Last’

Trump promised to stop wars. His grip on his base is being questioned now that he’s started one.

Rep. Emmer to Newsmax: Minnesota AG Should Be Disbarred

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer on Thursday cited newly surfaced whistleblower claims and an alleged audio recording involving Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison as Republicans intensify scrutiny of the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.

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.

Erasing the Word “Woman”

The desexing of language in women’s health research and care is a story of the marginalisation of science, cultural imperialism, and abuse of power.

Time to End the American-Israeli Alliance

Alliances are built on shared interests. Those do not exist here.

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.

Spanberger Protects Murderous Illegal Immigrant

Abigail Spanberger wants to keep a murderous illegal immigrant in Virginia and away from federal deportation operations.

Tuesday results put incumbents on notice in 2026 primaries

For Democrats, age may become a liability this cycle; for Republicans, trouble may arise without a Trump endorsement.

Trump Announces He Is Replacing Noem With Oklahoma Senator

The president tapped Markwayne Mullin as the new homeland security secretary after Kristi Noem was grilled by Republicans at a congressional hearing.

An Assertive Supreme Court Turns to Curbing State Courts

Liberal justices accused their colleagues of expanding use of the emergency docket again in two orders issued this week.

House Republicans Tell Gonzales to Quit Re-Election Campaign

The call came a day after the Texas congressman admitted to an extramarital affair with an aide, and as he faced a runoff to keep his seat.

House GOP Leaders Call for Gonzales to End Reelection Bid Over Affair

House Republican leaders are urging Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales to abandon his reelection bid after he admitted to an affair with a former aide who later died by suicide. In a joint statement on Thursday, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Leader Steve Sca…

Trump unveils data center pledge amid voter backlash to high utility bills

Top AI executives, in response to a backlash against high utility bills, pledged to cover the energy costs created by data centers at an event with the president.

States Sue to Stop Trump From Reviving Steep Tariffs

The lawsuit filed by two dozen attorneys general seeks to invalidate the president’s new, 10 percent global tax on imports.

Report: Trump Angry After Noem Hearings, Mullin Considered as DHS Chief

President Donald Trump is reportedly privately furious with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after she suggested during Senate testimony that he approved a $220 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign.

Trump Is Expected to Endorse Cornyn

Republican strategists hope the endorsement will make the Texas Senate race less expensive and less competitive.

A Modest Proposal: Paxton for Homeland Security? UPDATE: Noem Out, Trump Appoints Mullin

Trump Says He Should Have Role in Picking Iran’s Leader

The president’s comments were the most explicit he has been yet about his vision of an American role in creating a new government in Tehran.

Republican Sen. Steve Daines won’t run for reelection in Montana

Another Republican received President Donald Trump’s endorsement shortly after Daines’s announcement.

Sen. Ernst to Newsmax: War Powers Resolution 'Unfounded'

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told Newsmax on Thursday she voted against a Senate war powers resolution targeting the president's actions against Iran, calling the measure "unfounded."

UN Enters the War Against US and Israel

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.

Collision with Reality

The Supreme Court has just invalidated Trump’s tariff agenda. But the economics were already doing that.

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.

Why I Got Thrown Out of a Jasmine Crockett Rally

The crowd was fired up. The candidate was on her game. And I was escorted out by armed guards.

I Used to Beat Up Sex Offenders. Now I Question the Mob.

An ex-prisoner reflects on Jeffrey Epstein, the Epstein files, Prince Andrew, and the rise of online conspiracy theories.

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…

How $800 Monthly Car Payments Are Hurting Car Sales

Cars have become so expensive that many Americans are putting off or not buying new cars, hurting the auto industry.

‘America Doesn’t Want My Children or Grandchildren’

The Cruz family spent years building a life in New York. Then the risks of staying became too great.

After Trump’s Iran Decision

The real dilemma is not between war and negotiation. It is between episodic action and sustained architecture.

Democrats Should Support Move Toward Healthier Food

Under RFK Jr and the Maha movement, Republicans have claimed the mantle - but their actions are full of contradictions

The ‘Crazy’ Plot to Release the Epstein Files

How an unlikely duo of lawmakers partnered with victims to try to hold the powerful accountable

Bizarre Talarico Comments Resurface

Thursday, March 5th on RealClearPolitics - Joined by John Tillman, author of The Political Vise

4 Reasons Why AI (Probably) Won't Take Your Job

What the AI jobs panic is missing.

Rep. Gonzales admits to affair with aide who later set herself on fire

“I made a mistake,” said the Texas Republican, hours after the House Ethics Committee announced it would investigate allegations that he “engaged in sexual misconduct.”

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

What We Learned From the Texas Primaries

If your retirement portfolio is over $50,000, it may be time to think about diversifying into gold and silver.Markets are volatileInflation continues to erod...

Rep. Pat Fallon to Newsmax: War Powers Limits Would 'Hamstring' Trump on Iran

Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, told Newsmax on Thursday that President Donald Trump should be given the "latitude" needed to carry out military objectives against Iran, arguing that congressional efforts to limit the commander in chief's authority...

Feeling the Effects of 260,000 Federal Jobs Lost

One year in, assessing budget cuts to federal climate and science jobs.

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…

Wednesday’s Final Word

Trump Wants a Quick Victory in Iran. But It May Be Costly

The opening days of the conflict are challenging the idea that President Trump can project force abroad while safeguarding American lives and the economy.

‘Elaine From Atlantic … She Needs to Leave’

Representative Jasmine Crockett claimed I wasn’t kicked out of her rally. Here’s the audio.

Trump allies expand role in planning America’s 250th anniversary

Two groups — one with the imprimatur of Congress, the other with President Trump’s blessing — are jockeying to host celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary.

The Impossible Predicament of the Uninsured

My aunt couldn’t afford to go to the hospital. She ended up there anyway.

Lindsey Halligan Is Under Investigation by the Florida Bar

The actions of Ms. Halligan, who as a U.S. attorney brought criminal cases against President Trump’s enemies, are under review by the organization that licensed her to practice law.

Is the Iranian Regime Cracking? Police, Soldiers, and Even IRGC Members Not Showing Up to Work

Pete Buttigieg in the Wilderness

He has a beard, a splitting maul, and a house in Michigan. Is that enough to convince America that he’s a man of the people?

DOJ to appeal judge’s order barring search of Post reporter’s devices

The Justice Department said it plans to appeal a judge’s decision that blocked the government from searching Post reporter Hannah Natanson’s electronic devices.

Trump’s Favorite Voter-ID Bill Would Probably Backfire

Congressional Republicans are trying to pass a strict “election integrity” law that seems almost custom-designed to disenfranchise their own supporters.

The First Couple of a Dysfunctional DHS

A forthcoming book reveals new details about Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski.

House GOP Wrong To Subpoena Clinton, Embarrassed Itself

There are plenty of reasons to subpoena Clinton's testimony, but asking her how she feels about photos of her husband in a hot tub with Ghislaine Maxwell and an unidentified woman is not one.

A Justified Assassination

In this week’s column, I reflect on the death of Ayatollah Khamenei—and why it may be a moment for cautious celebration.

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.

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…

Toppling a Tyrant

The assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei has opened a narrow window for regime change in Tehran.

Senate Democrats Block D.H.S. Funding Again Over Enforcement Guardrails

For the third time, a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security failed as Democrats refused to support the money without new restrictions on federal immigration agents.

'Under siege': Inside the growing radical Islam threat critics say is hiding in plain sight in deep red Texas

Austin shooting puts spotlight on alleged Iranian sleeper cells in Texas as local officials warn that radical Islam is on the rise in the deep red state.

Board Delays Vote on Trump’s Ballroom Amid Deluge of Public Criticism

The National Capital Planning Commission, led by Trump allies, moved the vote to next month. It has received about 32,000 comments on the project, more than 98 percent of them negative.

Iran a Reminder of the Public Square We Take for Granted

In the days since Operation Epic Fury was launched, tens of thousands of Iranians have gathered to celebrate the destruction of their government. It's a sharp contrast to a week ago, when protesters were slaughtered.

Report: Bessent Raises Concerns on Housing Bill Before Backing Trump Priority

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent privately raised concerns about parts of a bipartisan Senate housing bill before publicly endorsing it, highlighting divisions among Republicans as Congress moves forward on a major housing affordability push.

The End of Strategic Ambiguity

The Islamic Republic’s assault on the Gulf will forge the new Middle East.

Power Beyond Realpolitik

In geopolitics, moral culture shapes whether influence is experienced as leadership or domination, cooperation or coercion.

Mike Lee unveils national constitutional carry bill to override 'hostile' state gun laws

Sen. Mike Lee's, R-Utah, bill, the National Constitutional Carry Act, builds on laws in 29 states that already allow concealed carry without a permit.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Panel Reviewing WH Ballroom Project Will Vote April 2

A federal panel reviewing President Donald Trump's plans to build a ballroom at the White House has set April 2 for a final vote on the project, the chairman said as the agency prepared to give additional consideration to the construction plans.

An Hour of Reckoning

Iran has never been weaker and America has never been more poorly led.

Federal commission delays vote on Trump’s White House ballroom project

The review, and possible vote, by the National Capital Planning Commission on Thursday is the final procedural hurdle for President Donald Trump’s plans.

Kristi Noem's Disastrous Tenure at DHS: Mayhem, Waste and Abuse

President Donald Trump's decision to remove Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared abrupt - but came after months of escalating controversies surrounding her leadership of DHS.

Trump: I Knew Nothing About $200M Border Ads

President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he did not sign off on a $200 million border security advertising campaign featuring U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

How Trump’s Base Is Reacting to His War Message

Our White House correspondent Zolan Kanno-Youngs looks into how Trump’s base is responding to the administration’s conflicting messages on the war with Iran.

Spanberger once blasted gerrymandering and now backs amendment critics say could erase Virginia GOP

Virginia Governor Spanberger endorses redistricting amendment that would likely remove all but one GOP congressman, sparking gerrymander controversy.

Nearly all suspects arrested in St. Paul church storming as MLK’s niece says tactics ‘not the way’

Dr. Alveda King condemns protesters who stormed a Minnesota church, saying hostility and disruption betray the nonviolent legacy of MLK’s Civil Rights Movement.

Podcast #326: Catching a Serial Killer

Managing Editor Iona Italia speaks with Maureen Callahan about her book "American Predator", which chronicles the crimes of serial killer Israel Keyes.

Homeownership Is Key to the American Dream

If we fail to renew the moral conditions of citizenship, we should not be surprised when confidence is lost in the market order itself.

British and Spanish Are Giving Waffles a Bad Name

WaPo: Here Come the Kurds?

Arrest and Moral Pageantry

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Mick Jagger, and the theatre of degradation.