Trump is selling a strong economy. Voters aren’t buying it.
Privately, aides concede voters remain uneasy about prices but argue their policies are beginning to turn things around.
Today's Liberal News
Juan González on Chicago’s Grassroots Movement to Protect Immigrants from ICE
As Trump threatens to send more federal troops to Chicago, grassroots movements have mobilized to protect immigrants from ICE raids. Democracy Now!’s Juan González, who is based in Chicago, reports that there have been “meetings all around the city, at college campuses and in neighborhoods, to build this self-defense group.
The Last Days of the Pentagon Press Corps
The first person I saw when I walked into the Pentagon for the final time was Jimmy. I don’t even know his last name, but I know his story. Before he started work at the labyrinthine headquarters of America’s armed forces, he was a medic in the Marine Corps. For the past 21 years, he has been a building police officer and an unofficial, affable greeter.
Job Interviews Are Broken
“Interviews are NOT real anymore.” So reads the opening caption of a TikTok posted in September, punctuated by the skull-and-crossbones emoji. In the video, a young woman interviews for a job on a video call. She has a smartphone propped up against her laptop screen, so she can read off the responses that an AI app has composed for her: “Um, yeah, so, one of my key strengths is my adaptability.” She’s got a point.
Today’s Atlantic Trivia
Updated with new questions at 3:55 p.m. ET on October 15, 2025.
Atlantic Trivia reaches Week 3, which is by definition the most trivial of all: The word trivia originally referred to places where three (tri-) roads (-via) met in a crossing. If those slouch Romans had been more industrious builders, we might be playing quintivia or even septivia today.
Why Is Trump Making Excuses for Hamas?
Until recently, open support for Hamas in the United States was confined to the far left. The national chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, which circulated talking points supporting the October 7 attacks, has lately declared on Instagram “DEATH TO COLLABORATORS.” But the notorious terrorist organization has found a new defender: President Donald Trump.
When Conservatism Meant Freedom
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On this episode of The David Frum Show, The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with observations about the ongoing government shutdown, how it could be a strategic mistake for Republicans, and why this political standoff is best understood as a “quasi-election” about the rule of law itself.
Then Frum is joined by Lord Charles Moore, the authorized biographer of Margaret Thatcher, to mark the centenary of her birth.
Lindsey Boylan, Ex-Cuomo Aide Who Accused Him of Sexual Harassment, on Why She Supports Mamdani
There are just weeks to go before the November 4 New York City mayoral election, a virtual rematch of the Democratic primary from earlier this year, when democratic socialist state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for the party nomination. Cuomo is now running for mayor as an independent, but former aide Lindsey Boylan says New Yorkers must not forget why he was forced out of the governor’s mansion four years ago.
Historian Joel Beinin on Gaza Deal, Abandoning Zionism, His Israeli Niece’s Captivity in Gaza & More
As Israel and Hamas exchange living and dead captives as part of a U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement, questions are growing about how sustainable the truce is and whether the two sides will progress to the second and third stages of the plan.
Anti-Fascism Scholar Flees U.S. Fearing for His Family’s Safety Amid Trump’s “Antifa” Fearmongering
We speak with Rutgers University professor Mark Bray, who fled from the U.S. to Spain with his family after receiving death threats over his scholarship. He is the author of the 2017 book Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, which explores the history and tactics of anti-fascist movements in Europe, the United States and beyond. Turning Point USA, the conservative campus group founded by Charlie Kirk, had called for Bray’s firing and branded him “Dr. Antifa.
Why an Out Queer Person in the Gay Liberation Days of the ’70s Would Go To Church
Troy Perry starts the gay/lesbian Metropolitan Community Church. A young lesbian is a regular at the San Francisco congregation when her friend gets sick.
How an LGBTQ+ Christian Church Faced AIDS in 1980s and ’90s San Francisco.
Rescued archival audio takes listeners into the heart of an LGBTQ+ church during the height of the AIDS epidemic in 1980s and ’90s San Francisco.
Gold Is a 4,000 Year-Old Meme
Gold prices have skyrocketed this week proving once again proving humans love shiny things.
One of the Most Absurd Changes to Air Travel Has Become So Common You Barely Even Notice It. You Should.
It began in 2008—and has only proliferated from there.
He’s One of ESPN’s Most Popular Hosts. It’s Bizarre That He’s Pivoting to Right-Wing Politics.
He built a sports empire on ESPN. Now he wants to see if it’ll win him an Alabama Senate seat.
HHS rehiring some people fired through reduction-in-force efforts
A Trump administration legal document said HHS initially targeted 1,000 to 1,200 employees for dismissal, and people speaking with POLITICO say the firings focused on the CDC.
RFK Jr.’s got advice for pregnant women. There’s limited data to support it.
Women of reproductive age have long been missing from clinical trials. It’s getting worse where abortion is banned.
Mass firings hit CDC
Notices of the Trump administration’s reduction-in-force arrived late Friday, several former and current agency employees told POLITICO.
CDC panel announces plans to assess childhood vaccines
The group of outside experts will also consider shot ingredients like aluminum, as well as the timing and order of vaccines, according to a document posted on the agency’s website.
Is Aziz Ansari Sorry?
The Waves also discusses the Riverside Church controversy and the case of Sarah Milov.
Your Opinions on Her Wardrobe Are Probably Unwelcome
What we say matters, especially depending on whom we say it to.
What Role Does HR Play in the #MeToo Era?
The Waves also discusses the case against Jeffrey Epstein and Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s Fleishman Is in Trouble.
Trump’s approval holds steady despite unpopular policies, per new NYT poll
Trump’s strength with Republicans on the economy could prove to be a boon for the GOP.
New poll reveals warning signs for Trump with Latino voters
A survey from the liberal-leaning group Somos Votantes shows Latino voters are souring on the president.
Trump is selling a strong economy. Voters aren’t buying it.
Privately, aides concede voters remain uneasy about prices but argue their policies are beginning to turn things around.
Donald Trump’s Reaction to His New, Fawning Time Cover Tells Us One Thing for Absolutely Sure
“Deserves to be called out,” says the president of the United States about a fawning magazine cover.
The Radical Empathy of a Low-Key Chat Show
“On some levels, I understand that this is like a breakup.” So said Marc Maron on his podcast last week, monologuing in his garage for a final time. WTF With Marc Maron wrapped its 16-year run yesterday; the comedian interviewed Barack Obama, a conversation recorded in Obama’s office. The chat was something of a victory lap for Maron, who made headlines for interviewing the then-president 10 years prior. (Back then, the pair met on the host’s home turf.
This Gold Rush Is Ominous
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When prices are high and global conflicts destabilize the world, some investors start looking backwards—away from an uncertain future and toward the predictability of the past. And what’s older and more dependable than gold?
Last week, amid widespread geopolitical turmoil and a weakening U.S.