Lawler Will Seek Re-election to House, Forgoing Run for N.Y. Governor  —  Representative Mike Lawler's decision clears a path for his Republican House colleague, Elise Stefanik, to challenge Gov. Kathy Hochul.  —  Representative Mike Lawler, Republican of New York, plans to seek re-election …

I Watched It Happen in Hungary.  Now It's Happening Here.  —  As the most recent U.S. ambassador to Viktor Orban's Hungary, I'm often asked if the Trump administration's tactics and policies feel familiar.  The short answer is yes.  But the more important — and unsettling — question is this …

Trump's Epstein Fiasco Takes Darker Turn as Dem Senator Drops New Bomb  —  A few days ago, as the Jeffrey Epstein scandal gripped Washington, Senator Ron Wyden offered a striking revelation in an interview with The New York Times.  The Oregon Democrat said that his investigators had discovered …

Exclusive: Newly discovered photos and video shed fresh light on Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein  —  Newly uncovered archived video footage and photos reveal fresh details about Donald Trump's past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.  —  Photos from 1993 confirm for the first time that Epstein …

Trump sets 15% tariff on Japanese imports as part of investment agreement  —  15% would be less than the tariff rate Trump previously threatened to impose on Japan, a key U.S. ally.  —  President Donald Trump said Tuesday on Truth Social that his administration had reached a deal with Japan …

E.P.A. Is Said to Draft a Plan to End Its Ability to Fight Climate Change  —  According to two people familiar with the draft, it would eliminate the bedrock scientific finding that greenhouse-gas emissions threaten human life by dangerously warming the planet.

U.S. deportees, freed from Salvadoran prison, describe ‘horror movie’  —  Three Venezuelans, released last week from the Terrorism Confinement Center, said they were repeatedly beaten and denied access to lawyers.  —  just now  —  Julio González Jr. had agreed to be deported to Venezuela.

How Many Obama Arrest Threats Does It Take to Change a Storyline?  —  We don't know yet, but Trump seems keen to find out.  —  Among the various silly and dangerous things House Republicans are doing these days—about which more below—perhaps the silliest is trying to rename the opera theater inside …

The Administration Wants Military Women to Know Their Place  —  Pete Hegseth seems to be on a mission to erase women from the top ranks of the U.S. armed forces.  —  President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth seem to be on a mission to erase women from the top ranks of the U.S. armed forces.

Jeffrey Epstein's Former Attorney Who Secured Plea Deal Dead at 80  —  Roy Black, the prominent defense attorney who helped secure Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 plea deal, has died, according to his law partner.  —  Black died on Monday at his home in Coral Gables at the age of 80 after an illness, his law partner Howard Srebnick said.

Republicans Are Panicking Over the Virginia Governor's Race … When the Republican Governor's Association convened this week for its annual summer fundraiser in Aspen, Colorado, there was an elephant in the room at the St. Regis: How little can it get away with contributing to its all-but-hopeless candidate for Virginia governor?

JD Vance Knows Who Belongs  —  More than most recent vice presidents, JD Vance seems to be locked out of the room where it happens.  —  Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, is by most accounts the president's point person on mass deportation and immigration enforcement.

Behind the Curtain: Losing by winning  —  President Trump, in terms of raw accomplishments, crushed his first six months in historic ways.  Massive tax cuts.  Record-low border crossings.  Surging tariff revenue.  Stunning air strikes in Iran.  Modest inflation.

Silicon Valley AI Startups Are Embracing China's Controversial ‘996’ Work Schedule  —  In an industry once known for cushy perks, some founders are now asking staff to commit to a 72-hour weekly schedule.  You're either in or you're out.  —  Would you like to work nearly double the standard 40-hour week?

State Dept. Opens Investigation Into Harvard's Use of International Visas  —  The Trump administration has continued to pressure the university despite continuing talks to settle a monthslong dispute over the federal government's role in higher education.  —  The Trump administration …

Columbia disciplines 70 students for protest as school pleads with Trump for funding … We rely on your support to make local news available to all  —  Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2025.  Donate today  —  Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Videos reveal harsh conditions inside Ice's New York City confinement center  —  Footage shows people sleeping on floor next to toilets in facility that agency says is not a detention site  —  Two videos have surfaced shedding light on what is happening behind closed doors at a New York federal building …

Nuclear Weapons Agency Breached in Microsoft SharePoint Hack  —  The US agency responsible for maintaining and designing the nation's cache of nuclear weapons was among those breached by a hack of Microsoft Corp.'s SharePoint document management software, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Gaza doctors ‘becoming too weak to treat patients’ as hunger crisis deepens  —  Medical staff say they are struggling to function well enough to care for injured and malnourished civilians in overwhelmed hospitals  —  Doctors and medical staff in Gaza say their increasing hunger and the lack …

Zelenskyy approves bill weakening anti-corruption bodies despite big protests  —  Move by Ukrainian president widely opposed and may prove a setback to hopes of country one day joining the EU  —  Volodymyr Zelenskyy has approved a contentious bill weakening Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies …

Calls to strip Zohran Mamdani's citizenship spark alarm about Trump weaponizing denaturalization  —  Past administrations, including Obama's, have sought to denaturalize U.S. citizens, such as terrorists and Nazis.  But advocates worry he could target political opponents.

Exclusive: “Release the damn” Epstein files, Tillis says  —  Sen. Thom Tillis R-N.C.) said Wednesday that the Trump administration should “release the damn” Jeffrey Epstein files as the best way to put the whole issue in the rearview. … - “It makes no sense to me,” Tillis told Axios' Stef Kight …

Exclusive: Emmer says Epstein is a “non-issue”  —  House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) called the push to force release of the Epstein files a “non-issue” at an Axios News Shapers event Wednesday. … - “It's kind of funny if it was so important, then why weren't Democrats clamoring …

U.S. Olympic Officials Bar Transgender Women From Women's Competitions  —  The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee changed its eligibility rules on Monday to comply with President Trump's executive order, taking the decision away from national governing bodies for each sport.

Trump Claims the Epstein Story Has Boosted His Approval Rating to 'Best Numbers I've Ever Had'  —  At a reception with members of Congress Tuesday, President Donald Trump claimed that the festering scandal regarding the Epstein files had made his poll numbers improve five points.

Moyn's Muddle on Ukraine  —  Moyn makes both historical and moral errors in his analysis, and at times he uncritically adopts Putin's perspective.  —  Yale historian Samuel Moyn recently published a review in Harper's of Jonathan Haslam's new book on the Russo-Ukraine War.

When you're a star, the Supreme Court lets you do it  —  SCOTUS is enabling Trump's assault on American institutions … Renewed scrutiny of Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein reminds us of just how Trump's strategy with women — assaulting them without permission, on the assumption …

Hospitals Are Limiting Gender Treatment for Trans Minors, Even in Blue States  —  Two prominent medical centers in California recently announced they would stop treatments, citing pressure from the Trump administration.  —  In Texas, Tennessee and other Republican-led states …

The lawsuit seeking to kill Trump's tariffs is back  —  Three very important tariff-related stories loom over the US economy this month.  —  The first is that, after a few weeks of relative quiet, President Donald Trump is once again threatening to raise tariffs on a whole raft of other nations.