A cartoon by Mick Stevens. See more cartoons from this week’s issue: newyorkermag.visitlink.me/Fgj9Rj

"the first rule of the madman theory is to never say that you’re employing the madman theory" (substack.com/home/post/p-...)

What does it say about someone who is willing to serve as the next fed chair when this is happening to the current chair? www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Trump may wind up doing a big favor to Orban's legacy, just as he has done for GW Bush: Orban could end up being remembered as honest, fair, sane, and grounded **in comparison to Trump**. A statement like this will not ever be uttered by Trump:

in persian culture, telling someone "we're going to kill you all" is considered deeply offensive

Trump’s promise to commit massive war crimes unfortunately makes him unique in American history only in terms of how transparent his communication is

I hope Kinzinger is right. But given the way the current cabinet and entire administration appear to work, I don't think we can rule out the possibility of imminent horror. (Not minimizing what has already happened. And yet it could still get much worse.)

Amazing what a year can do: Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former staunch ally turned Trump critic, said everyone in the Trump administration who claims to be a Christian needs to “beg forgiveness from God” and intervene in the president’s “madness”. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

My story on science replication is in today’s print New York Times. The juxtaposition is interesting…

Untranslated headlines in German are much clearer than New York Times headlines in English

I dunno. Robert Reich's take looks pretty accurate to me. robertreich.substack.com/p/bye-bye-bo...?

NY Times has not been great on Trump since 2016. But this set of headlines, all on the same landing page, is pretty remarkable.

This pledge to commit war crimes is a deliberate attempt to escalate a war the US chose to start, is abhorrent, and in a more just world would result in prosecution.

Yesterday Elon Musk retweeted "white solidarity is the only way to survive". In our numb overwhelmed media environment it barely made headlines that the world's richest man endorsed blood-curdling white nationalism. My brief writeup for @religiondispatches.org religiondispatches.org/elon-musk-ju...

There really ought to be a penalty of some kind when the federal government routinely loses cases on the same issue. If you robbed 50 people and got caught 45 times, and the only penalty for getting caught was having to return the money, it would be in everyone's interest to rob people all the time.

Remind us- what do Republicans think should happen to immigrants who commit fraud? We’ll hang up and listen

Yes. This is transparently the plan. It is a destructive and unconstitutional plan. And it can be stopped. It can even be turned into an electoral issue that hurts Trump. But only if we face this now.

"It is highly unusual for an otherwise healthy 41-year-old man to die less than a day after being taken into government custody,"

He was certainly afraid of Vietnam-style combat in Vietnam.

Maybe people are used to this sort of thing. But we shouldn't be.

the plan, such as it is, appears to be “bomb a country of 90 million people that is already facing a water crisis into a failed state, walk away and declare victory” this is a monstrous nightmare regardless of whether or not it “works”

Trump added the “heavy and pinpoint bombing” will continue “uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!” Then we’ll ingest up as much heroin and alcohol as needed to achieve absolute sobriety.

The imperial presidency was a mistake. It has led to destruction of clean air and water, mass death abroad, destruction of cancer research, and now illegal war. We must re-empower Congress, the most democratic branch, and a strong civil service. We can. But that will require Supreme Court reform.

Our Congress: The guy holding the sign saying "Black people aren't apes" gets ejected. The guy who posted a video depicting the Obamas as apes gets welcomed with a standing ovation.

This case is insane: ICE shot and killed a citizen last March then *hid it for a year.* The young man they killed had no criminal history. All we know about shooting is from internal ICE docs. We don't know officers' names. We don't have footage. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/u...

"Why aren't reporters asking whether the president has the legal right to launch another Middle Eastern war?" From my Zeteo piece/newsletter today: zeteo.com/p/an-illegal...

We just want to say thank you to everyone who keeps resisting even when Trumps goal is to wear everyone down. Tonight, workers began restoring the slavery exhibit at the President’s House Site on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall.

👀The federal judges in West Virginia, where ICE has been pulling over and detaining people on the freeway, are literally screaming about ICE's tactics. "It is an assault on the constitutional order," Judge Goodwin says. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

If this is real and the funds come from taxpayers, that's $29 per American, or $116 for my family of 4. Until and unless my elected representatives appropriate these funds, I'd like my money back.

Not dark yet

U.S. Military Moves Into Place for Possible Strikes in Iran www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/u... What legal justification has been given? The president cannot legally order a military strike without a declaration of war or *some* legal pretext. And why is this not a central issue in the reporting?

danieldrezner.substack.com/p/the-slow-m... DHS is the bureaucracy that can’t shoot straight… unless there’s an innocent civilian in point-blank range.

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/15/w... While expressing appreciation for Mr. Trump’s “significant contribution” to Israel’s security, the statement added pointedly, “Israel is a sovereign state governed by the rule of law.” I suppose we'll see soon enough.

Source: YouTube share.google/IMN4p8RQeciz...

Wow. www.nj.com/politics/202...

Remember her name: Aliya Rahman Her testimony is everything and it deserves to be heard, by everyone. Decide for yourself. It’s powerful. It’s gut-wrenching. And no one should have to survive what she did. ICE MUST GO‼️

“Some Republicans are now open to demands by Democrats to stop roving ICE patrols, to require search warrants for immigration enforcement officers and to establish a code of conduct governing use of force.” God forbid, search warrants and a code of conduct. apple.news/Ar4I__goTSFi...

““Some Republicans are now open to demands by Democrats to stop roving ICE patrols, to require search warrants for immigration enforcement officers and to establish a code of conduct governing use of force.” God forbid, a code of conduct for the use of force. apple.news/Ar4I__goTSFi...

Fighting wins! www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...

I'm not a lawyer. Is there really nothing the local police can do when federal agents violate the rights of one of their residents? Can't a federal agent violate state law?

add George Will to the list. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Add Rand Paul to the list of people I have long disagreed with saying sensible and helpful things. Important in the current climate. Bill Kristol is also on the list.

The proposal to send ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to a foreign country makes it pretty clear that ICE is not about immigration. I hope Italy does not allow them into their country. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Let us all have the courage displayed by the residents of Minneapolis.