Even as most congressional Republicans are avoiding their constituents, Mark Alford of Missouri bucked his party and held 15 public events this week. @elainegodfrey.bsky.social reports on what the representative heard:

Democratic voters have said they want a fighter, and now they might have one in Jasmine Crockett, @elainegodfrey.bsky.social writes. She spoke with Crockett about testing out the coarse style of politics that the GOP has embraced.

Democratic voters say they want fighters, and Jasmine Crockett has spent years trying to be one. I spent several days with the Texas congresswoman this summer—in D.C., New York, and Atlanta—as she tested out her theory of Democratic politics in the second Trump era.

Democratic voters have said they want a fighter. They may have one. @elainegodfrey.bsky.social's new profile of Jasmine Crockett, who is testing out the coarse style of politics that the GOP has embraced. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Four days before this story was published, Crockett called me to express frustration that I had reached out to so many House members without telling her first. She told me that she was “shutting down the profile and revoking all permissions.” www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Democratic voters say they want fighters, and Jasmine Crockett has spent years trying to be one. I spent several days with the Texas congresswoman this summer—in D.C., New York, and Atlanta—as she tested out her theory of Democratic politics in the second Trump era.

Democratic voters have said they want a fighter, and now they might have one in Jasmine Crockett, @elainegodfrey.bsky.social writes. She spoke with Crockett about testing out the coarse style of politics that the GOP has embraced.

"This summer, I started a new project: making every day feel—at least a little—like vacation," @elainegodfrey.bsky.social writes. Here's how you can do the same:

This week, I wrote about camp girls. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

It’s official: Planned Parenthood has been (mostly) defunded for a year My quick explainer:

Dear Diary, My Super-Special 79th Birthday was NOT super special www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...

The main criticism of Casey Means from dietitians and others with the kind of expertise that she herself *does not* have is that she, like, other wellness influencers, ignores known problem areas in health (fiber, exercise, social determinants) to focus on minor details—and profits from it.

Earlier this month, I texted a close childhood friend who'd voted for Trump in each of the past three presidential elections: What did he think? “Trump might be taking it too far,” my friend replied. “But then again,” he said, “he’s a man of action and we wanted change.”

Earlier this month, I texted a close childhood friend who'd voted for Trump in each of the past three presidential elections: What did he think? “Trump might be taking it too far,” my friend replied. “But then again,” he said, “he’s a man of action and we wanted change.”

Even as Trump’s critics cheer his declining poll numbers, they face an inconvenient reality, @elainegodfrey.bsky.social writes: Many of his voters are jubilant.

"Look around, take stock of where you are, and know this: Today, right now—and I mean right this second—you have the most power you’ll ever have in the current fight against authoritarianism in America." New must-read from @adriennelaf.bsky.social

“The Trump administration is asking us to reimagine America as a country that not only does not value public service but actually torments its public servants,” writes @elainegodfrey.bsky.social :

Some federal employees are defiant. “I never thought showing up at my job would be a small act of resistance,” one employee told @elainegodfrey.bsky.social. “My ‘fuck you and fuck this’ instinct have kicked in,” a member of the Army Corps of Engineers said. “You’re going to have to push me out.”

“The Trump administration is asking us to reimagine America as a country that not only does not value public service but actually torments its public servants,” writes @elainegodfrey.bsky.social :

I spent the past week taking to two dozen federal employees who have (so far) survived Trump's layoffs. The problem isn't just low morale, they told me. It’s the manufactured chaos. Read my story in @theatlantic.bsky.social for free: www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

“The Trump administration is asking us to reimagine America as a country that not only does not value public service but actually torments its public servants,” writes @elainegodfrey.bsky.social :

The White House's communications chief, Steven Cheung, has a strategy: relentless aggression. American political language “was due for a supercharge," he told @elainegodfrey.bsky.social. From March:

"Rollins wants to streamline the procedures governing production speed in pork and poultry plants, allowing more meat to be processed each day. The changes would also replace some government food and safety inspectors in the plants with corporate inspectors." www.nytimes.com/2025/04/15/u...

Steven Cheung has been the architect of a new messaging era, bringing all that is authentically vulgar, unflinching, and cruel about his boss to official White House statements. My latest for @theatlantic.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Thanks for having me, Brian! Check out my story here www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Today: - @booker.senate.gov on his Senate floor speech, - @elainegodfrey.bsky.social on the anti-Trump protests over the weekend, - Listeners, share YOUR thoughts on the NYC mayoral race, - @cfr.org's Michael Froman on 100 years of US trade policy Live at 10 on 93.9 FM, AM820 or @wnyc.org

Every day we learn anew just how much classified ads were perhaps the load-bearing pillar of American hegemony

“From a broader, 35,000-foot view, is this healthy?” a friend of Cheung’s from the first Trump White House told me. “I don’t know. I don’t think it’s great.” www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

thinking about god's country today

Steven Cheung is the architect behind the aggressive and often cruel communication style that has come to define Trump 2.0. Publicly, Cheung is Trump's attack dog. Privately, he is a teddy bear in Tina Fey glasses. My latest for @theatlantic.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Heh

“He’s like a giant teddy bear,” said one former White House correspondent, who requested anonymity because she feared online attacks from Cheung. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

The White House's communications chief, Steven Cheung, has a strategy: relentless aggression. American political language “was due for a supercharge," he told @elainegodfrey.bsky.social.

Steven Cheung has been the architect of a new messaging era, bringing all that is authentically vulgar, unflinching, and cruel about his boss to official White House statements. My latest for @theatlantic.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Get me to god’s country

Me to the dog, every day

AOC said earlier that more than 30,000 people showed up for this Denver rally; three times larger than the rally the Sanders campaign had in the park when he ran for president. Sanders: “We have never ever had a rally as large as this.”

"Two professors filed five complaints against Lowery on behalf of six women, the records show, including to the university’s Office of Equity and Title IX, which enforces the federal law barring sex-based discrimination and harassment at schools. One student filed her own complaint."

Here was a man who seemed to have a genuine, Gaston-level passion for eggs. But now, as egg prices rise again—to historic highs—that shell has cracked. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

“For a man who so loved the egg, and so reviled any egg-related cost hurdle, Vance has been conspicuously silent as egg prices have continued to increase under President Trump,” writes @elainegodfrey.bsky.social:

I called or emailed all 271 Republicans in Congress to ask these two pretty straightforward questions. I've only gotten 19 responses, so if your office would like to be included ...... please call me back! www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

In which @elainegodfrey.bsky.social asks every Republican member of Congress two straightforward questions: Did Russia invade Ukraine? Is Putin a dictator? A running list of their responses: www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

“Democrats figured out the hard way that they couldn’t rely on Gabbard,” @elainegodfrey.bsky.social writes. “Republicans may soon learn the same”: www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

This week has felt a lot like the hotdog sketch from I Think You Should Leave, @aprilglick.bsky.social told me. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

“I assumed that we would be prepared to meet the moment, and I was wrong,” @shannonrwatts.bsky.social told me in my latest for @theatlantic.bsky.social. “It’s like they’ve shown up to a knife fight with a cheese stick.” www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

The Democrats are “not only struggling to fill a leadership vacuum but also stumbling beneath the weight of a tarnished brand, an unhappy base, and a growing reputation for fecklessness,” @elainegodfrey.bsky.social writes:

Calley Means is a former lobbyist for food and pharma companies who is now a health-startup entrepreneur. His startup makes money by promoting supplements, sauna therapy, red light therapy, and cold plunges. www.vox.com/today-explai...

Tulsi Gabbard's guru, Chris Butler, is well known for delivering fervent, graphic sermons on the evils of gay sex, and he does not appear to tolerate dissent from his followers. Defectors told me that the group is a cult. Me, for @theatlantic.bsky.social: www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Will be on SIRIUS's POTUS Politics with @stevescully.bsky.social soon to discuss my profile of Tulsi Gabbard for @theatlantic.bsky.social Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...