In today's Friday edition, Executive Editor Isaac Saul makes the argument that President Biden is largely responsible for the historic surge in illegal immigration during his term. He goes over some of the policies that created the problem such signaling a more relaxed immigration stance, undoing effective Trump-era policies, and dramatically expanding parole programs through executive action. He discusses some factors that were outside Biden's control like post-pandemic labor demand and congres...
Apr 25, 2025•19 min
While answering questions in the Oval Office on Tuesday, President Donald Trump made a series of remarks that appeared to soften his previous criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and stated that he intended to reduce U.S. tariffs on China. The comments sparked a stock market rally, though Trump did not indicate whether a trade deal with China was imminent. Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — ...
Apr 24, 2025•33 min
In the past week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been the subject of scrutiny from former staffers and anonymous sources within the federal government, leading to an unconfirmed report that President Donald Trump was considering replacing him. On Saturday, April 19, three senior Department of Defense (DoD) officials who had been fired for allegedly leaking sensitive information criticized their dismissals in a public statement on X . Then on Sunday, The New York Times reported that Hegset...
Apr 23, 2025•30 min
On Monday, the Vatican announced Pope Francis died at the age of 88. Francis, the Catholic Church’s 266th pope, had led the Church since 2013 as a relatively progressive pontiff, grounding many of his beliefs in social and economic justice. The pope’s cause of death was identified as a stroke that led to a coma and heart failure; the stroke followed his February 14 hospitalization with double pneumonia. He recovered and was released from the hospital on March 23 but made few public appearances. ...
Apr 22, 2025•31 min
On today's Sunday podcast, Isaac and Ari jump back into the Kilmar Abrego Garcia controversy. And then we talk about all the things we don't know that we think we do know including this kind of shocking story on ADHD that was published in the New York Times Magazine. Ari talks about some tariff disagreements he has with me. Then we bring on Tangle team member and Senior at Harvard University Audrey Moorehead to talk more about Harvard and some of the controversy happening there. And, as always, ...
Apr 20, 2025•34 min
On April 10, the House of Representatives passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a bill requiring proof of citizenship for voters to register for federal elections. The bill passed the House 220–208, with all Republicans and four Democrats in favor. House Republicans attempted to pass the SAVE Act in September 2024 as part of a government-funding bill, but the chamber voted 220–202 against that version of the bill. The SAVE Act must secure at least 60 votes in the Senate to ...
Apr 18, 2025•37 min
On Monday, President Donald Trump hosted Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele at the White House amid a protracted legal fight over Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man mistakenly sent to prison in El Salvador by the Trump administration. During an Oval Office press conference, Bukele said he did not have the power to return Abrego Garcia to the United States. The comments follow a Supreme Court decision upholding a federal judge’s order that the administration must work to return Abrego Garcia to the Unite...
Apr 17, 2025•32 min
On Monday, the Trump administration announced that it will freeze $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University after the school refused to comply with a list of requirements it said were unlawful. In a joint letter dated April 11 , the General Services Administration, Department of Education (ED) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) demanded that Harvard adopt its suggested reforms in order to maintain its funding. Among the required changes, the adminis...
Apr 16, 2025•31 min
On Saturday, U.S. and Iranian officials initiated discussions in Oman over Iran’s nuclear program. The majority of the talks were indirect and mediated by Oman, with each delegation in separate rooms and exchanging messages through Oman's foreign minister. However, at the end of the roughly two-and-a-half-hour session, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi reportedly spoke directly for 45 minutes (Iran claimed the exchange was shorter). A second round...
Apr 15, 2025•30 min
In the past week, U.S. courts have issued a pair of significant rulings on the deportation actions of the Trump administration. On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled without dissent to uphold a federal judge’s order that the government must facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S. after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador. Separately, on Friday, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that the government could deport Khalil, a legal U.S. resident and recent Columbia University graduate...
Apr 14, 2025•31 min
On today's Sunday podcast, Isaac and Ari talk tariffs (duh), there's so much more to say, whether Americans really want manufacturing to come back? And then a bunch of stories that we really have not gotten a chance to talk about; Proxy voting, Doge updates, Mahmoud Khalil, a Texas ruling from a Trump appointed judge that's pretty interesting. And a question that Isaac thinks we should all be thinking about: When was the last time you heard a story about abortion? They also discuss the latest in...
Apr 13, 2025•34 min
In today's Friday edition, Executive Editor Isaac Saul talks with author and political commentator Richard Hanania. They discuss his evolution from being part of the alt-right to becoming a more moderate conservative voice. He reflects on his past writings, the impact of the Trump administration, and the complexities of navigating public perception amidst his changing views. Hanania also delves into the implications of Project 2025 and critiques the current administration's approach to DEI polic...
Apr 11, 2025•30 min
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on the individualized tariffs imposed on U.S. trading partners, with the exception of China. The pause came roughly 13 hours after the tariffs took effect, and the White House said tariff levels would return to 10% on all imports during the pause. Conversely, President Trump raised the tariff on Chinese imports from 104% to 125%, effective immediately, citing “the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets.” Combined ...
Apr 10, 2025•36 min
On Monday, the Supreme Court issued a 5–4 decision in Trump v. J.G.G. , lifting a pair of temporary orders from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg blocking the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to justify deporting alleged noncitizen gang members. In an unsigned majority opinion, the Supreme Court did not weigh in on President Trump’s application of the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to foreign-born gang members but specified that “the Fifth Amendment entitles aliens to due proces...
Apr 09, 2025•30 min
On Tuesday, April 1, the Trump administration began large-scale layoffs at agencies across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he expected to cut 10,000 jobs in addition to the thousands of workers who have already resigned or been placed on leave. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been among the most impacted by the layoffs, with entire offices and divisions eliminated. Ad-...
Apr 08, 2025•30 min
President Donald Trump’s decision to implement a baseline 10% tariff on all U.S. trading partners and additional, individualized tariffs on dozens of countries has prompted a range of responses from Republicans, Democrats, heads of state, and business leaders across impacted industries. With the individualized duties set to take effect on April 9, some countries have promised retaliatory countermeasures , while others have reportedly begun attempting to negotiate with the Trump administration (t...
Apr 07, 2025•31 min
On today's Sunday podcast, Kmele Foster joins Isaac and Ari to discuss the ramifications of Trump's tariff policies, including what this means for the role of Congress. They discuss the emotion toll of consuming news and the how the media landscape shapes that, the Republican Party's stance on trade, the impact of globalization on American jobs, and what legacy DOGE may leave behind and how it has personally impacted them. Finally, the (understandably) longest Airing of Grievances yet. By the wa...
Apr 06, 2025•1 hr 40 min
In today's Friday edition, Executive Editor Isaac Saul makes the case for due process for anyone on American soil — and explaining how the recent deportation stories represent a genuine threat to American citizens. This is a preview of today's special edition that is available in full and ad-free for our premium podcast subscribers. If you'd like to complete this episode and receive Sunday editions, exclusive interviews, bonus content, and more, head over to ReadTangle.com and sign up for a memb...
Apr 04, 2025•11 min
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced a 10% across-the-board tariff on all U.S. trading partners, as well as heightened rates on specific countries. The 10% baseline tariff is set to go into effect on April 5, while the individualized duties will begin on April 9. Additionally, a 25% levy on foreign-made automobiles went into effect at midnight on Thursday. In concert with the announcement, President Trump issued an executive order declaring a national emergency due to trading practices...
Apr 03, 2025•31 min
On Tuesday, voters in Florida elected two new U.S. representatives, while Wisconsin voters selected a new state Supreme Court justice. The races were the first general elections since President Donald Trump took office in January. In Florida, Republican candidates Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine defeated their Democratic opponents, preserving House Republicans’ narrow majority. In Wisconsin, the Democrat-backed Susan Crawford defeated the Republican-backed Brad Schimel, maintaining the court’s 4-3...
Apr 02, 2025•29 min
Beginning in February, President Donald Trump issued a series of orders targeting law firms that he claims have engaged in “conduct detrimental to critical American interests.” The firms named in the orders — Covington & Burling, Paul Weiss, Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, and WilmerHale — have previously represented clients or hired lawyers that opposed Trump and his administration. Several firms have brought lawsuits to challenge the executive actions, while others have sought deals with...
Apr 01, 2025•30 min
On Monday, March 24, The Atlantic published a partial transcript of communications among Trump administration officials as they discussed impending military operations against the Houthis in Yemen over the Signal messaging app. The outlet’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, had mistakenly been added to the chat and was privy to sensitive discussions about the details of the attack (including types of aircraft, missiles and launch times, as well as the name of a CIA operative). Goldberg’s initia...
Mar 31, 2025•34 min
A few months ago I made a decision that changed my life and the trajectory of Tangle for good. I was approached by a producer for a new podcast called “Question Everything,” hosted by Brian Reed (who you might know from the hit podcast S-Town). The producer, Zach St. Louis, told me they were doing a series about the state and future of journalism. They wanted to do an episode about Tangle, which I agreed to enthusiastically, and then Zach came down to the Tangle office and interviewed me for a f...
Mar 27, 2025•33 min
If you’ve ever read one of Vox’s famous “Explainer” articles , you’re probably familiar with Christian Paz’s work. His reporting is at the forefront of several animating issues in U.S. politics — immigration, the courts, the cultural impact of the Make America Great Again movement, and more. One recent story of his caught our eye and prompted us to reach out for an interview. The piece — titled “The Democrats’ young man problem is real” — offers a detailed look at the shift away from the Democra...
Mar 26, 2025•32 min
I lived in California for four years. In that time, I left San Francisco because of wildfire smoke twice, helped plant trees in burn scars three times, and got a taste of the constant concerns over the pressure of cataclysm that native Californians have gotten used to. I say all that not to establish myself as an expert in California and its issues, just to say that when the Los Angeles wildfires broke out earlier this year, I saw the continuing of a story that had been underway for decades, if ...
Mar 25, 2025•42 min
Today is the beginning of the Tangle team’s “spring break.” As part of fostering work-life balance and also assuring our small team can survive the nonstop stream of news, I give our staff three breaks a year: one during August recess when Congress is out, one between Christmas and New Year’s, and one in March — a “spring break.” Our March break begins today. The team is taking full advantage of it — we’re spread out from Japan to West Texas, taking vacation or recharging at home. However, as ou...
Mar 24, 2025•38 min
In today's episode, Will Kaback and Isaac Saul discuss all the craziness and numerous stories we missed this week. The fact that President Trump is complying with court orders and nobody seems to care. We give some tip of the hats to Grok, Starlink and our dear friend Elon Musk. Then we play a game where Isaac tries to remember things we did a year ago. And last but not least, the Airing of Grievances. This is a preview of today's special edition that is available in full and ad-free for our pre...
Mar 23, 2025•26 min
California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom recently launched a podcast called This is Gavin Newsom. The show is advertised as a way for Newsom to sit down with a wide range of political thinkers, with a special emphasis on MAGA personalities who see politics very differently than Democrats do. So far, it’s living up to its billing. Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You ca...
Mar 21, 2025•11 min
On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) announced they had carried out a series of airstrikes against what they said were Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. The strikes targeted mid-level Hamas commanders, senior political officials and Hamas's military infrastructure, according to an Israeli official. The IDF claimed to have killed Essam al-Da'alis, the head of the Hamas government, in the strikes. Then on Wednesday, the IDF said its forces resumed ground oper...
Mar 20, 2025•31 min
On Saturday, the United States government transferred hundreds of noncitizens and alleged gang members to a detention facility in El Salvador, despite an order from a federal judge blocking the deportation flights. According to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, the deportees were transferred on three flights and included 238 alleged members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), as well as 23 alleged members of the street gang Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13). President Trump justified ...
Mar 19, 2025•31 min
