1. social studies
    The Inescapable Hasan PikerFor good or ill, the Twitch streamer is now the most volatile force in American politics.
    By Simon van Zuylen-Wood
  2. early and often
    MAGA Can’t Let Go of Tricky DickNixon apologists have now spurred a Justice Department investigation of Watergate. But the Trump parallels they draw aren’t flattering to either man.
    By Ed Kilgore
  3. the schoolyard
    Mamdani’s 2K Is a Mathematical MessExperts say that the paltry funding set aside for universal child care is more likely to bankrupt many day cares than help them thrive.
    By Claire Suddath
  4. 2026 midterms
    GOP Saving the Unpopular Stuff for After the ElectionOn a range of issues from Iran to safety-net cuts to voting rights, Trump’s party is holding back until he’s beyond accountability once and for all.
    By Ed Kilgore
  5. poll position
    How Low Can Trump Go?He is now flirting with some of the worst presidential popularity measures on record, and this probably isn’t his rock bottom yet.
    By Ed Kilgore
  7. just asking questions
    Nikole Hannah-Jones Worries You’re Missing the PointThe writer on the misplaced backlash to her school-choice story, recognizing her daughter’s agency, and why Mamdani should take on segregation.
    By Nia Prater
  8. war games
    Elon Musk Rewarded for DOGE Debacle With ‘Warfare’ GigThe world’s richest man will advise the Pentagon on the future of war.
    By Bess Levin
  9. 2026 midterms
    Dems Affordabilty 9/16/26
    The Biggest Sign Yet That Democrats Will Flip the HouseThe very cautious Cook Political Report is pointing to a Democratic House win, while most election forecasters flat out predict a House-Senate sweep.
    By Ed Kilgore
  10. 2026 midterms
    Trump’s Midterms Convention Blew Up in Poor Ken Paxton’s FaceThe GOP’s big bash in Texas was supposed to boost the state’s embattled Senate candidate. He privately told donors it actually hurt him.
    By Ed Kilgore
  11. early and often
    Vance’s Wild Senate-Takeover Plan Has a Big FlawHe and Trump “war-gamed” plans to nix the Senate parliamentarian and filibuster to pass the toxic SAVE America Act.
    By Ed Kilgore
  12. oops
    Former Special Counsel Jack Smith Testifies Before Senate Judiciary Committee
    GOP Senator’s Failed Jack Smith Takedown Is an Instant ClassicA serious Schmittshow unfolded on Tuesday.
    By Chas Danner
  13. 2026 midterms
    Trump’s Campaign Schedule Is a Really Bad Sign for RepublicansThe president is focused on places where Republicans should win easily — an ominous development for November.
    By Ed Kilgore
  14. tremendous content
    Trump Scores 98 Percent Approval (by Cherry-Picking Polls)Trump shared 43 seconds of a CNN report, omitting the 13 minutes where Harry Enten showed his numbers have “plummeted into the ocean.”
    By Margaret Hartmann
  15. tremendous content
    Trump Woos Taxpayers by Wasting Their Money on Campaign AdsTrump is doubling down on self-promoting, government-funded commercials, which may be illegal. His affordability pitch might need some work.
    By Margaret Hartmann
  16. 2026 midterms
    How Trump Will Claim Victory on Election NightIf there’s an early GOP lead, he’ll probably declare premature victory. If not, he may cite foreign interference.
    By Ed Kilgore
  17. early and often
    AOC’s Upstate Tour Looks Like a Preview of Something BiggerThe congresswoman is drumming up support for Democrats in November — and maybe for herself in 2028.
    By Benjamin Hart
  18. education
    Nikole Hannah-Jones
    Nikole Hannah-Jones and Her Daughter Had It Out on AirThey had a poignant and at times tense conversation about parenting and school inequality on This American Life. Here are the most notable moments.
    By Nia Prater
  19. early and often
    It’s Not Just Peltola: How Congress Treats Its SerfsStaff complaints about the Alaska Senate candidate shouldn’t be dismissed. But abuse is built right into the institution.
    By Ed Kilgore
  20. politics
    America LastTrump promised to put ordinary people first. A year in, they have fallen to the bottom of his priority list.
    By Sarah Jones
  21. u.s. supreme court
    Supreme Court Voter-Roll Order Won’t Affect Midterms, But Look Out in 2028The six conservative justices see no problem with letting DHS access personal data to screen voter eligibility. That could matter a lot down the road.
    By Ed Kilgore
  22. politics
    Pretty Much Every Poll Is Good for Democrats NowWith just weeks to go before the midterms, polls are showing a wide range of Democratic candidates ahead. Here’s a quick scan.
    By Nia Prater
  23. 2026 midterms
    Rise of the Red-State DemocratsCan all this Democratic overperformance in red-state Senate races last?
    By Ed Kilgore
  24. tremendous content
    US-CHINA-DIPLOMACY-TRUMP-XI
    Trump Makes Xi Greeting As Awkward As PossibleHe showed up in a winter coat and leather gloves, commented on Xi’s attractiveness, and then exclaimed “(Airport!)” for unclear reasons.
    By Margaret Hartmann
  25. 2026 midterms
    Hasan Piker May Not Matter As Much As Republicans WantNew polling shows a majority of Michiganders, and an even bigger majority of young voters, don’t even know who the leftist streamer is.
    By Ed Kilgore
  26. politics
    All the Republicans Backing Away From TrumpA growing number of GOP candidates are awkwardly attempting to downplay their links to Trump. Here’s a running list.
    By Nia Prater
  27. early and often
    Election Day Is Already UnderwayHere’s how to understand early voting ten times better than Donald Trump.
    By Ed Kilgore
  28. the media
    CNN, MS NOW, and Politico Regain White House Access After Court OrderA Trump-appointed federal judge granted a temporary restraining order against the ban.
    By Michael Calderone
  29. tremendous content
    Trump’s Shoddy Ballroom Design Is the Real National Security ThreatThe president reportedly shrugged off the original architect’s concerns that he was violating fire and safety regulations, saying, “I am the code.”
    By Margaret Hartmann
  30. poll position
    Trump’s Popularity Is Circling the DrainAt the worst possible time for his party, the president’s job-performance numbers continue to sag in every possible way.
    By Ed Kilgore
  31. tremendous content
    Trump TV Is Finally Here, and No One Is WatchingA media boycott drove Trump to dabble in state TV. But instead of a network competitor, Trump TV is just a dinky livestream with abysmal ratings.
    By Margaret Hartmann
  32. 2026 midterms
    Do Voters Care Whether Susan Collins Is Corrupt?A new report alleging the senator may have traded pork for contributions could be a good test of public tolerance for self-dealing in the Trump era.
    By Ed Kilgore
  33. politics
    Trump’s Iran War Is Bombing With RepublicansA new poll finds that the ongoing Iran war is reaching new heights of unpopularity, even among members of the president’s own party.
    By Nia Prater
  34. 2026 midterms
    Trump Hates Communism But Likes Hanging Out With CommunistsIt’s hard to promote a preelection Red Scare when you’re palling around with a socialist mayor and the Chinese premier.
    By Ed Kilgore
  35. 2026 midterms
    The Key Difference Between Christian Left and Christian RightChristian clergy running as Democrats in 2026 are defying the alleged GOP monopoly over Christianity without seeking to impose their faith on others.
    By Ed Kilgore
  36. we’ll do it live
    President Donald Trump.
    Trump Promotes War and ‘Super Intelligence’ at U.N.: As It HappenedIn his big UNGA speech, Trump celebrated his own peacemaking, threatened to annihilate Iran, and tried to rename AI. Here’s what else happened.
    By Intelligencer Staff
  37. magalopolis
    Trump
    Who Is Natalie Harp? Trump’s Most Ardent Aide, ExplainedTrump’s “human printer” is reportedly a driving force behind his unhinged Truth Social posts and the White House press ban.
    By Margaret Hartmann
  38. nerd fight
    Wave or No Wave: Two Paths for the MidtermsPoll-based forecasters and race-rating “experts” have different perspectives on how the midterms will unfold. Somebody’s going to be wrong.
    By Ed Kilgore
  39. encounter
    The City Council Speaker Who Bested Anna WintourJulie Menin is a dogged fighter of antisemitism, and, depending on the day, she is either the mayor’s greatest ally or most imposing antagonist.
    By Emma Rosenblum
  40. the body politic
    Troy Jackson, the Accidental CandidateHow the Democratic Party is seizing control of his Senate campaign.
    By Rebecca Traister
  41. politics
    President Trump Meets New York Mayor-Elect Mamdani At White House
    Trump and Mamdani Meet at Gracie Mansion: What HappenedOnce again the president seemed like he was a fan of the mayor despite their disagreements. Here’s how their post-meeting press conference played out.
    By Nia Prater and Chas Danner
  42. tremendous content
    President Trump tries to speak while being drowned out by Marine One.
    Trump’s First Press-Pool-Free Event Was a DisasterIf Trump speaks at a White House helipad ribbon cutting and there are no reporters with microphones, did it actually happen?
    By Chas Danner
  43. tremendous content
    Trump Reveals Arch Is Fully Armed and Operational Battle StationThat harmless, half-finished joke from the Great American State Fair? Now Trump says it’s going to be a “top grade Military Complex.”
    By Margaret Hartmann
  44. 2026 midterms
    Ohio Residents Vote In Primary Election
    Big Crypto Is Trying to Block Democrats’ Senate DreamsThe industry’s barrage against Sherrod Brown’s attempted comeback in Ohio is revenge against the whole party.
    By Ed Kilgore
  45. politics
    Woke Was Never the ProblemPandemic-era politics have become a source of shame for Democrats — even as they continue to help the party.
    By Sarah Jones
  46. early and often
    Senator Ossoff Campaigns With Gubernatorial Candidate Lance Bottoms In Atlanta
    Democrats Could Break Up a Lot of GOP Trifectas in NovemberDenying Republicans control of state governments would be a huge power shift, no matter what happens in Washington.
    By Ed Kilgore
  47. tremendous content
    Trump Is Still Living Every Week Like It’s Shark WeekJust when you thought there were bigger things to worry about than ‘Is it better to die via electrocution or shark attack?
    By Margaret Hartmann
  48. oops
    The Pentagon
    We Almost Went to War With China Thanks to AI-Hallucinated IntelThe “AI-first” Pentagon almost tried to seize a Chinese ship after an AI chatbot convinced an analyst it was carrying nuclear components.
    By Chas Danner
  49. early and often
    California Billionaires Face A Proposed 5% Tax On Wealth
    California’s Landmark Wealth Tax May Be Running Out of SteamThe ballot measure led in early polls, but opposition from Gavin Newsom and Xavier Becerra, plus heavy ad spending, is taking a toll.
    By Ed Kilgore
  50. early and often
    Gavin Newsom’s 2028 Pledge Is More Calculated Than It SeemsThe governor says he won’t run for president if Kamala Harris does. It may be less about deference than forcing her hand.
    By Ed Kilgore
  51. just asking questions
    Trump Is Flailing on AI. Here’s What Democrats Can Do.As politicians wake up to the artificial-intelligence threat, Democratic strategist Rob Flaherty is steering his party toward a coherent plan.
    By Benjamin Hart
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