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At a UFC watch party, cheers for the fight and dismay over the war in Iran
The frustration of a young crowd at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Pennsylvania shows why President Donald Trump was under pressure to end the conflict.
What to watch in Tuesday’s primaries in Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma and Washington, DC
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp survived President Donald Trump’s bid to oust him in a Republican primary four years ago. Kemp’s hand-picked candidate in a Senate primary on Tuesday might not be as lucky.
Can $100 million overcome a Trump endorsement? What to watch in Tuesday's elections
An endorsement from President Donald Trump is worth a lot in Republican primaries
Can $100 million overcome a Trump endorsement? What to watch in Tuesday's elections
An endorsement from President Donald Trump is worth a lot in Republican primaries.
Can $100 Million Overcome a Trump Endorsement? What to Watch in Tuesday's Elections
WASHINGTON (AP) — An endorsement from President Donald Trump is worth a lot in Republican primaries. But is it worth more than $100 million in Georgia? Can it propel a sitting congressman past an insurgent outsider in Alabama? Can it transform a candidate into a front-runner in Oklahoma? Trump has ...
G7 leaders — and the rest of the world — wait for clarity on US-Iran agreement
Heading into an al fresco dinner Monday evening overlooking the azure Lake Geneva shoreline, the leaders of the world’s most powerful nations were hoping to gain clarity on what, exactly, President Donald Trump’s new arrangement with Iran entailed.
Kemp stuns political world with Jones endorsement as Jackson picks up some of his own
Jones now has the endorsement of Gov. Brian Kemp and President Donald Trump.
Trump promises a better Iran deal than Obama’s. Here’s what we know
President Donald Trump has made a few guarantees about a deal to end the war he started with Iran.
‘Trump has surrendered to Iran’: Some prominent GOP hawks fear Trump just caved
When President Donald Trump launched the Iran war in February, he risked alienating the non-interventionist base he had spent a decade cultivating.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says Trump's Justice Department is investigating him and his wife
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat and longtime political rival of Republican President Donald Trump, said Monday the president ordered the Justice Department to investigate him and his wife.
Gavin Newsom says Trump Justice Department is investigating him
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that the Department of Justice is investigating him, claiming that President Donald Trump is targeting a “political enemy” despite no evidence the Democratic potential 2028 presidential contender has committed a crime.
Iran deal presents political nightmare for Netanyahu
Donald Trump's ceasefire agreement with Iran leaves the Israeli PM trapped in a new political and security dilemma.
Trump’s recent insults show just how strained his relationships with G7 leaders have become
President Donald Trump has repeatedly insulted most of his Group of 7 counterparts over the last several months, reopening old grudges and igniting new feuds with leaders he once seemed to respect.
Trump says July Fourth celebration on National Mall will include his own rally
President Donald Trump said Monday that America’s 250th anniversary celebration on the National Mall next month will include a “TRUMP RALLY” on Independence Day.
Kemp, Trump flex their political muscles days ahead of Georgia’s runoffs
Donald Trump and Brian Kemp broke their silence in two of Georgia's most prominent Republican races.
Robert De Niro's message for Donald Trump on his 80th birthday: 'Shut the f--- up'
As the president was hanging with UFC fighters at the White House on his 80th birthday, Robert De Niro delivered a fiery anti-Trump speech, declaring that he wants to "love my country again."
Trump's endorsement of Mike Collins for US Senate creates ‘Georgia politics Jenga game’
Georgia Republicans are weighing in on President Donald Trump's 11th-hour endorsement of U.S. Senate candidate, current U.S. Rep. Mike Collins.
Trump threatens 100% tariff on French wines over digital services tax before G7 summit
President Donald Trump warns France of 100% tariffs on wine and champagne if Macron does not drop the 3% digital services tax on American technology companies.
‘An awkward family gathering’: Trump and G7 leaders convene in France amid geopolitical divergences
For weeks, President Donald Trump and his advisers have looked ahead warily to this week’s Group of Seven summit in France.
Donald Trump’s UFC fights at White House marred by smear aimed at Michelle Obama
President’s UFC fights held on the White House lawn overshadowed by chants about former first lady
The next mayor of DC will have to navigate its most famous resident: President Donald Trump
Janeese Lewis George, a Washington, DC, councilmember and leading candidate for mayor, was knocking on doors when her team got word that President Donald Trump said he wouldn’t “put up with it” if the democratic socialist wins her Tuesday primary.
At G-7, allies plan for a world less reliant on the U.S.
After a decade of trying to manage Donald Trump, the shape will shift this week as Europe’s leaders balance cooperation with a growing resistance to U.S. pressure.
Raphael Warnock shares vision for straightening out politics in new book
A sermon on "crooked places made straight" Rev. Raphael Warnock preached during President Donald Trump's first term has become the basis of a book from the now U.S. senator.
Best photos from UFC 250 spectacular at the White House
President Donald Trump attended UFC 250 on Sunday as the event faced weather delays but delivered fast action.
The true test of Trump’s Iran agreement will come only if the fighting stops
The mixed martial arts fights at President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday party showcased the power of dominance and unequivocal victories.
Trump celebrates his 80th birthday with an Iran deal and UFC cage fights at the White House
President Donald Trump celebrated his 80th birthday by hosting a UFC cage-fighting event on the White House South Lawn while announcing an initial agreement to end the war in Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, potentially easing oil prices. The spectacle blended politics, entertainment, and diplomacy.
Jimmy Kimmel trolls Donald Trump on his 80th birthday with Epstein-themed card
Kimmel's e-card mimicked a note Trump allegedly sent the late convicted sex offender on his 50th birthday.
Oil prices fall on US-Iran agreement
Oil prices dropped on Sunday after President Donald Trump said an agreement with Iran had been reached and the United States would end its naval blockade on the country.
Kennedy Center exterior remains covered after Trump’s name is removed
Large striped tarps remained on the Kennedy Center’s exterior Sunday, prompting confusion and frustration from some visitors to the renowned arts venue after President Donald Trump’s name was removed over the weekend.
JD Vance says he’ll discuss 2028 presidential run with wife after midterms
Vice President JD Vance also said he doesn't initiate conversations about his political future with President Donald Trump, but noted that Trump is "fascinated by it."
Trump celebrates 80th birthday with UFC fights while issues loom over his presidency
President Donald Trump marks turning 80 on Sunday with a birthday celebration that once would have seemed unfathomable: a cage-fighting show on the storied South Lawn of the White House.
Sen. James Lankford says Congress should ratify any deal Trump makes with Iran
The Oklahoma senator’s comments come as President Donald Trump has signaled that the U.S. and Iran are close to working out a deal to end the war.
Donald Trump turns 80 and celebrates with UFC cage fighting on the White House lawn
President Donald Trump turns 80 on Sunday and celebrates with a unique event: cage fighting on the White House lawn.
Trump endorses Rep. Mike Collins ahead of GOP Senate runoff in Georgia
President Donald Trump on Sunday waded into the Georgia Republican primary for Senate, endorsing Rep. Mike Collins just days before the congressman faces off against Derek Dooley in a runoff election.
Nothing new to report
Truly. Nothing new. Same ol’, same ol’ in this one. A 6-1 loss that felt pre-determined, or determined immediately after Pete Crow-Armstrong homered on the first pitch of the game thrown by Trevor McDonald. PCA continued to be a menace all evening: he collected two more hits, came up a triple shy of the cycle, […]
Trump endorses Collins in Georgia Senate runoff. It's his latest 'MAGA' pick in Republican primaries
Days before the U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia, President Donald Trump has made an endorsement
Trump's milestone birthday and what happens to your body at 80
On June 14, President Donald Trump hit a milestone birthday. What does aging look like in your 80s?
Trump hosts White House cage fights amid war and political scrutiny
Donald Trump hosts a card of seven mixed martial arts fights to be held on Sunday inside a specially built arena on the White House's South Lawn on his 80th birthday, a spectacle spotlighting his norm-defying style at a tense moment in his presidency.
Trump’s UFC 80th birthday bash looks to rescue his tarnished macho image
President Donald Trump’s birthday bash masks an increasing reality in his second term: Even as he tries to double down on his macho image, Americans don’t see him as much as the domineering totem of strength he wants them to.
Why Topuria could spoil UFC's White House party
While US President Donald Trump and the UFC prepare to celebrate America with an unprecedented event at the White House on Sunday, Ilia Topuria is perfectly placed to spoil the party.
Donald Trump's legacy rests in the hands of federal courts
From immigration policy to elections and more, courts are poised to decide what President Donald Trump can accomplish in office.
Trump turns 80 with a showstopping spectacle of cage fights at the White House. But big issues loom
President Donald Trump celebrates turning 80 with a UFC cage-fighting event on the White House's South Lawn.
Trump turns 80 with a showstopping spectacle of cage fights at the White House. But big issues loom
President Donald Trump celebrates turning 80 with a UFC cage-fighting event on the White House's South Lawn.
Old McDonald’s Farm celebrates forty years in business
Old McDonald’s Farm to many is an old nursery rhyme, but to folks in Sackets Harbor, it’s so much more.
Trump names James M. McDonald to lead powerful New York federal prosecutor's office
President Donald Trump has nominated James M.
If homestead exemption hike fails with voters, Byron Donalds vows to 'bring it back'
Donalds' backup plan involves a group in state government that last met in 2007.
Judge orders Trump administration to restore signs changed at national parks
A federal judge in Massachusetts has ordered the Trump administration to restore all signs that were changed or removed at national parks across the country as part of President Donald Trump’s controversial directive last year.
Trump and Macron will meet over dinner at Versailles palace after G7 summit in France
President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron will meet over dinner at the Palace of Versailles after the upcoming G7 summit of leading industrialized nations in France
Angst at the Supreme Court before a rush of decisions
Late spring means the Supreme Court is preparing to unleash decisions. Justices have already had a remarkable term. They invalidated much of President Donald Trump’s tariff policy, but also gutted the Voting Rights Act and gave Republicans an advantage in the redistricting war Trump started.
Trump at 80 Works to Project Strength As Political Woes Mount
President Donald Trump is trying to project brute strength as he turns 80, but mounting political problems at home and abroad are tarnishing his self-styled image as an all-powerful leader.
Emboldened Senate Democrats block even bipartisan bills in hardball approach to counter Trump
The decision by Senate Democrats to let a key surveillance authority lapse comes as they’re increasingly emboldened in their legislative fights against President Donald Trump
Will Trump Spend His $350 Million War Chest to Win Texas? Republicans Are Worried
By Nolan D. McCaskill WASHINGTON, June 13 (Reuters) - Republicans want President Donald Trump to put his money where his mouth is: behind his scandal-plagued ally, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton ousted four-term Senator John Cornyn in a primary runoff last month on the heels of Trump's ...
In Retrospect: Poland, Russia, Europe
In April I spent a few days with Zryw, a Polish non-profit organization that recruits young people to enter politics and public life. Their aim is to build a new generation of civic leaders in Poland. I’ve followed their evolution from the beginning; my son is one of the founders. (“Zryw” means “impulse” or “burst of speed” in Polish). Julie Chmielewska, one of Zryw’s leaders, interviewed me at the event. Here is the conversation, lightly edited for grammar and context: Julia Chmielewska: Assuming that culture shapes institutions, could we conclude that some cultures are more prone to authoritarianism? Anne Applebaum: I don’t think so. Every culture, every nation, and every country has the potential for change. When we look at history, we can see that nations do change. Poland has changed, for example, from the 1980s to today. There’s a completely different mentality here than the one I encountered when I first visited, in 1988. The current generation sees the world through a different frame. So no, I don’t believe that certain nations are doomed to authoritarianism, or to anything. Of course, there are political and cultural traditions, but they can always be challenged. JC: So do you think there’s something intrinsic in human nature that pushes people to democracy, freedom? AA: I think there is something in human nature, a deep instinct, that pushes people towards freedom, yes. People who live in authoritarian countries – and I’ve heard this from them over and over again – sooner or later find themselves angered by a feeling of helplessness. They can see the unfairness of crooked courts, irrational political decisions. They naturally dislike the fact that somebody has all the power while they have none. In those circumstances, people who have no political background at all sometimes are politicized just by that frustration. I’m thinking of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, for example, who was a Belarusian housewife, until the circumstances of her husband’s arrest forced her to become a politician. I met a woman who is a Uyghur from China, and who had come to live in Turkey. After several of her family members were arrested, she too was propelled into a political role. These kinds of experiences make people interested in democracy or political reform, even if they thought they didn’t care. I also think that the opposite is true: some people instinctively prefer homogeneity, order, hierarchy. They don’t like the confrontation of opinions or the noise of debate, and they lean towards a single leader or a unified regime. I think that most of modern history is shaped by the clash between those two different sides of human nature. JC: Which force do you find more powerful today? AA: I think they both have a lot of power and there’s no way of predicting who wins. Even in countries that seem very shut off or stuck in an authoritarian system can change. We’ve seen that happen. And vice versa, I think democracies can also begin to fail and slide into authoritarianism. So it’s very important not to be complacent in either direction. JC: I want to go into your history and your experiences. You’ve lived in Russia during a time of incredible change in the late 80s, and then you came back to do research in post-Soviet Russia. AA: I was a student in Russia just before the collapse of the Soviet Union. I then traveled and worked there extensively in the 1990s, and I met people who really were full of hope. They hoped that Russia could become a democracy, or at least a place that guaranteed freedom of speech, freedom of the press. These weren’t ideas that came from Washington. Although now the narrative in the Kremlin is different, I met many people who were working towards exactly that kind of transformation. A friend of mine ran a series of seminars – once a year, and then later several times a year, in cities all over Russia – designed to get people to discuss politics in new ways. She invited young politicians and journalists, as well as foreigners. I went to many of them, in Moscow as well as Volgograd and Novosibirsk. Over two decades, hundreds of people came to these seminars, and all of them wanted Russia to be different. I remain convinced that many Russians still want Russia to be different. It’s just that the old system, in the form of Putin, a representative of that system, returned. The KGB reimposed their power. And this wasn’t because of something to do with culture, this was to do with money and politics, and who was in charge. JC: You’ve partially answered my question... I wanted to ask whether that excitement of the 1990s was an exception from the Russian historical norm which has been rather authoritarian? AA: Of course, if you look at the history of Russia since the 18th century, there have always been liberal groups, reformers and revolutionaries. There were the Decembrists, in the early 19th century, and the rural populists later on, who tried to organize the peasantry. A significant group of liberal Russians appeared at the turn of the 20th century, people like the father of the writer Vladimir Nabokov, who was a Russian politician before the revolution. These groups were small in number, but sometimes had a broader significance. The Russian dissident movement in the 1950s and 1960s actually invented the modern human rights movement. It was their idea to hold the leaders of the Soviet Union accountable for the language they used, to remind them of the treaties they had signed and the promised they had made. They created the Helsinki group, for example, that held Soviet leadership to the language of the Helsinki Treaty, which formally ended the Second World War and which contained guarantees of human rights, at least on paper. That idea spread to Eastern Europe, and similar tactics were used here in Poland. (Benjamin Nathans recently wrote a great book about the Soviet dissidents, To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause) JC: But seemingly, even if they do ever get power, they could never hold on to it. AA: We don’t know, because they have never really had power. But in any case, we also don’t know what will happen in the future. There is no reason to assume that Russia will forever be condemned to totalitarianism. Even during the first fifteen years of Putin’s regime there was some form of democratic politics. Only when the full-scale war began did he bring everything to an end: he shut down all remaining independent organizations and killed his most important opponent, Alexi Navalny. But does that mean he is popular, that he enjoys legitimacy? Even now, we don’t really know what Russians think about him, or about the war. There is no way of doing real polling in Russia because nobody will answer an independent pollster over the phone. JC: Do you think that the flock of young people, especially young men, who fled Russia after the start of the war represent a continuation of liberal movements that refuse to partake in the authoritarian state, or do you think they are moving for the sake of self-preservation – “I don’t want to go to the army, so I leave”? AA: I’m sure it’s both. I actually know many people who left Russia for political reasons either in the very last years before the war, or else just after the war began. JC: And do you see a change in the young generation versus the old one that have fled? AA: It’s hard for me to say because the people who I know were mostly already politicized. I do know some younger people who left, but most of them were already either active in the opposition, or working as journalists. Many of them very self-consciously think of themselves as maintaining Russian culture abroad, just as in the 20th century the Soviet dissidents or the anti-communist White Russians once thought of themselves as people who maintained the true Russian culture, outside of Bolshevik Russia. JC: Let’s move on to Poland. One of your first experiences with Poland was reporting on Margaret Thatcher’s first state visit, in the autumn of 1988. You followed her around the farmers’ market. AA: She was making a symbolic gesture. She wanted to welcome free markets, but the only one she could really visit was the farmers’ market at Hala Mirowska. JC: And I want to talk about this area because today you can look out of any window in that district, Mirów, and see rows and rows of skyscrapers. How does it feel to see a country built from the ground in such a short time, both politically and economically? AA: You know, when you’re living in a period of dramatic change, it’s always hard to know whether the change is positive or negative. The transformation in Poland created winners and losers, as well as new classes of people, new political movements of different kinds. At the time, it sometimes just felt like turbulence. Now, we can look back at the 1990s and early 2000s in Poland and see in retrospect that the country was headed in towards prosperity and European integration. In around 2009 or 2010, I remember speaking to a woman who worked cleaning government offices, and who asked me if her daughter should study in Amsterdam or in London. This seemed to me to be a real transformation, and it happened very fast: within a few years, Poles stopped feeling like second-class Europeans, and a generation of younger Poles appeared who had no qualms about crossing borders. JC: We again live in turbulent times. Do you think we’re heading towards positive outcomes? AA: I can’t make predictions, because everything that happens tomorrow depends on what people do today. Also, history doesn’t have a trajectory. It doesn’t move in a particular direction. You only think it does afterwards. As I said, you can look afterwards at Poland in the 1990s and you could say this was a period of great progress. But not everybody at the time saw that. Sometimes people are very wrong about a given country’s trajectory. I remember people writing about Ukraine in the 1990s, about how dangerous it was that Ukraine was independent, that this was going to be an anti-semitic state, that Ukrainian nationalism was going to come back... and although you can say many bad things about Ukraine, the country made many bad choices, actually it became a pretty tolerant state which now has a Jewish president and until recently a Muslim defense minister. JC: In the 1990s Poland’s and Ukraine’s GDP were roughly similar. Ukraine was even a bit richer. So the starting point was similar for both of these countries, but they’ve turned out very, very differently. Even if we stop in 2014. Why do you think Ukraine “chose East”? Was it external influence? AA: No, I think Ukraine was in a different position. First of all, central and eastern Ukraine had been part of the Soviet Union since the 1920s, and had therefore experienced a longer period of occupation, repression, Sovietization and even Russification. Ukraine did not have, as Poland did, an alternative elite: a large cadre of economists and politicians, who already had some experience in opposition politics and in independent thinking. In Poland, the transformative finance minister, Leszek Balcerowicz, had already thought about how an economy might be decentralized before he took office. We can argue about how successful he was, but at least he was prepared to try something new. In Ukraine, people weren’t prepared. For one, there hadn’t been much space even for an illegal opposition in the previous couple of decades. Ukraine was also in many ways still emerging from colonial occupation. For the previous couple of centuries, many of the most capable Ukrainians had moved to Russia, and the first generation of leaders in independent Ukraine tended to be former Soviet apparatchiks. They didn’t immediately seek to become closer to western Europe. Instead, they looked for some kind of economic and political “third way” and an accomodation with Russia. Ukraine became stuck in this position, half-in, half-out and became pretty profoundly corrupt. JC: The Polish alternative elite had a vision of where they wanted the country to go. I think the general perception now is that this vision ends with the next election, right? Is this a natural process of gaining power? AA: Their vision, and it was shared by the time by politicians who now call themselves both left and right, was that Poland should join the EU and NATO, as fast as possible. My husband (Radek Sikorski) was in the very first government that said it wanted to join NATO. At the time this was taken very badly in Washington: the demand for NATO membership absolutely came from Poland, not from the US. But even then, in the early 1990s, many Poles already understood that the Russian sphere of influence would grow once again, that it was important to become part of the transatlantic alliance and an integrated Europe as fast as possible: NATO, the EU, the Council of Europe, all of the trading and security alliances. That consensus lasted through several different governments and over many years, even governments containing former communists. For twenty years, right, left and center disagreed about many things, but they all agreed on the direction that the country should go. In retrospect, that consensus created the basis for prosperity in Poland. JC: And regarding the Polish-Ukrainian relations. We know that antagonisms, e.g. the myth of Wołyń [a massacre of Poles that took place in what is now Western Ukraine, in 1943] are increasingly used in Polish political discourse today. In Ukraine, nationalist historians make heroes out of UPA, the Ukrainian revolutionary army, which is held responsible for this tragedy. Where do you see a start for burying the hatchet? Is the reconciliation of our nations possible? AA: So here’s a strange thing: For more than a decade after they both gained independence, Poland and Ukraine participated in a number of projects that were designed to solve exactly these kinds of Polish-Ukrainian differences. Books were published that were jointly written by Polish and Ukrainian historians, monuments were built. These projects were successful: If you’d asked me this question in 2010, I would have said that there are no real historical issues between Poland and Ukraine, that the two countries had mostly reconciled. For a number of reasons, this began to shift. In Poland, children and grandchildren of victims of the Wołyń massacre felt their tragedy hadn’t been fully recognized. In Ukraine, nationalist groups wanted the UPA partisans who had fought against the Soviet Union recognized for their heroism, despite the fact that some in this broad and not well-defined group were also linked to Wołyń. In both eastern Poland and western Ukraine, the memory of the ethnic cleansing that took place there in the late 1940s - Poles were moved West, Ukrainians East - to accomodate new borders has left feelings of displacement and bitterness. The wave of Ukrainian immigration, which started before the war, may have provoked some of this. But don’t underestimate the role played by Russia, which has always wanted to create discord between Poland and Ukraine, and pumps out propaganda to that effect in both countries. Vandalism on both sides of the border, damage done to cemeteries and monuments, is sometimes carried out by provacateurs working for Russia, just to create bad feelings. The Polish-Ukrainian conflict also hides a different reality: although there are real grievances and bad memories, the truth is that the biggest tragedies both nations experienced in the twentieth century were inflicted by the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. That should unite these two countries, not divide them. JC: This week (19.04.2026 – Ed.) in Hungary we saw that using historical narratives to create grievance has no longer worked. Are you optimistic about the direction after Orban’s loss? AA: The Hungarian election was really important because it shows that people can actually resist powerful, dominant propaganda. The ruling party Fidesz controlled all of the TV, 90% of the newspapers, the constitutional court, the bureaucracy... and yet people had the nerve to vote against it and resist it. It’s also an important election because Hungary created a huge network of well-funded think tanks and foundations that were funding other far right groups and projects. So that loss is going to have a knock-on effect in other places too, maybe even in Poland. JC: What you’ve said about resisting propaganda reminds me of one of the interviews you did about talking to Russians in the post-Soviet era who claimed that people knew that the system was lying. Why do people choose to believe in these regimes anyway? AA: Because it’s useful. Stephen Kotkin, an American historian, once described how people would learn how to “speak Bolshevik”: It was just a language that you needed to use in order to get by in society. If you didn’t talk the way the regime wanted you to talk, then you might have problems, or lose your job, or your kids would not get into university. It was a way of getting along. Communist Poland was similar, at least in the early years. When I was writing a book about the Sovietization of Eastern Europe after World War II, I met a lot of people who wanted to talk a lot about the war, when many of them had done really heroic things. But almost nobody wanted to talk about the decade afterwards, between 1945 and 1956. This was when you had the short period of terror, violence and Polish Stalinism. To stay safe, people felt the need to just go along with what others were saying, or stay out of politics, or use communist jargon without necessarily believing it. I don’t judge them for it, and I wouldn’t describe all of those people as collaborators. It’s easy to feel moral certainty in retrospect, because we know that communism ended. But if you were living in 1949, it might not have been clear to you that communism was going to end. In very repressive societies, maybe about 10% of people who are really evil – collaborators, torturers. Maybe 10% of people are really brave and who find ways to resist. And then around 80% of people have kids, they have parents, they have to have jobs and they’ve had to get through it somehow. Strange though it may sound, I’ve found that the work I did on that book is now very useful in explaining some of what’s going on in the United States today. There are plenty of members of the Republican Party in Congress who know perfectly well that Donald Trump says many things that aren’t true. But they avoid criticizing him because it’s inconvenient, because they would get in trouble, because someone would attack them on the internet. So actually you don’t even need mass terror to get people to conform. JC: Is Gen Z reinventing agency? AA: We’ll see. In any generation you can find groups of people who want agency. If you live in a society that’s unfair, for example where a tiny number of people have captured most of the wealth, then at a certain point people rebel. This is always easier for younger people, who have you have less to lose. The question now is how the internet will affect the relationships between citizens and the state, and how it will change organizations. The “Twitter revolutions” people spoke about as early as 2008-9, mass protests organized online, have often proved to be very superficial. Although you can easily join something just by clicking, the work of creating a real movement requires physical participation. Successful mass movements of the past, for example the Civil Rights movement in the United States, were built by people who had spent many years together. They had participated in non-violent workshops together. They practiced and prepared. Just using the you can get everybody to show up at a certain moment, but then when the protest is broken up, nothing happens. It’s also true that the repressive regimes have more recently learned how to use the internet to undermine leaders and movements. Most of all, they now understand how to make people cynical. The form of propaganda that most modern authoritarians use - and I think the Russians really pioneered this - deploys sneering cynicism. Instead of praising the rulers, the regime propagandists mock the opposition movement leadership for being supposedly corrupt or sexually degenerate, with the goal of undermining any kind of idealism. JC: MAGA grew on the internet? AA: MAGA is a real grassroots movement. They had symbols, red hats, they showed up at rallies. But you’re right that the cynicism, the sarcasm and the distrust that the movement embodies came originally from the internet, and this is different. Fifty years ago, most European political parties had a social base in real organizations, in trade unions for Social Democrats, in church groups for Christian Democrats. As people stopped going to church and as the trade unions became smaller, the social base of these parties disappeared. Now people who wouldn’t have known one another in the past meet on the internet and create new movements, many of which don’t last. JC: Is history ending? Going in stale circles? AA: History never ends. In truth, human beings want contradictory things at the same time: order and freedom, stability and change. These things are never resolved, and when a society swings too far in one direction, people always push it the other way. But each time that happens, the result is different. Certainly it is true that we are now in a period when old philosophers and ideas from the 1930s are undergoing a revival. Carl Schmitt, who was a philosopher who was very influential on the Nazis, is back as an influence on both the far left and the far right, once again inspiring people to think that all politics has to be existential, that all politics is about defining and defeating enemies. In the US, some are also bringing back dominionism, the idea that we need a Christian and not a secular state. It’s also true that we are living through a more fundamental shift. The old left-right divide, which was mostly about the size of the state, is much less important now. Instead, we are arguing about more fundamental things: what are our rights, what protects our freedom. Or how much power do we want to give small elites, versus how much power to give ordinary people. In America a small group of very wealthy people now control information, because they control the social media platforms and AI, which means they determine what people will read and learn. Finding a way to preserve preserve zones of autonomy and independent thinking, this is going to be the main task for the next generation. JC: What is the one book that a person interested in Central Europe should read? AA: You could read my book “Iron Curtain: the Crushing of Eastern Europe” which tells the story of how the Soviet Union imposed its culture on the region. Or read Tim Snyder’s history of the region, “The Reconstruction of Nations: Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus 1569-1999.” And everyone should read “The Captive Mind” by Czesław Miłosz, which describes exactly the phenomenon we were talking about: why do people collaborate? I joined Scott Galloway and the brilliant Fiona Hill in a discussion about the wars in Ukraine and Iran, the future of global power, and what these conflicts reveal about America's role in the world. Scott told us that this was the 400th edition of his podcast, which is quite a number: My friend Francesco Chiamulera runs a brilliant series of literary events, Una Colline di Libri, A Hill of Books, in the Prosecco Hills, a region of vineyards and elegant hill towns in the Veneto, north of Venice. We did an event in Vittorio Veneto and also drove and biked around the countryside. Buy Autocracy Inc Buy Iron Curtain Open Letters, from Anne Applebaum is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
The American left has a favorite player - Live Updates
Timothy Weah hangs with Zohran Mamdani, dismissed Donald Trump and wins a shout-out from Hillary Clinton.
Top Tren de Aragua leader killed in US military strike, Trump announces
One of the top leaders of the cartel and US-designated terrorist organization Tren de Aragua has been killed in a US military strike, President Donald Trump said Friday.
Trump administration must re-install exhibits on slavery, climate change and other topics at national parks, judge rules
President Donald Trump last year directed the Interior Department to make changes to parks, monuments and memorials to address any “false revision of history.”
Judge gives Kennedy Center until noon Saturday to remove Trump’s name
(CNN) — A judge has granted the Kennedy Center’s request for additional time to fully remove President Donald Trump’s name from the building, giving the arts center until noon Saturday
Appeals court keeps intact deadline for Kennedy Center to remove Trump’s name
An appeals court is keeping intact a federal judge’s ruling requiring the Kennedy Center to remove President Donald Trump’s name from its building by the end of Friday.
Yes, there's a livestream to watch Donald Trump's name being removed from the Kennedy Center
Donald Trump's name is being removed from the John F. Kennedy Center — and there's a livestream for it.
Runoffs provide Trump’s next big GOP tests: From the Politics Desk
Plus, deal or no deal with Iran?
Could Trump 'take back' Washington, DC, if he doesn't like new mayor?
President Donald Trump suggests the federal government could take control of Washington, DC, if a specific candidate wins.
Judge rules Trump can stage UFC fights on the White House's South Lawn this weekend
A federal judge ruled on Friday that the White House is allowed to stage a UFC show this weekend in an elaborate ring already built on the South Lawn to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary — on President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
Judge denies DOJ request to pause removal of Trump's name from Kennedy Center
A federal judge had ruled May 29 that physical and digital signage with President Donald Trump’s name must be taken down within 14 days
Gas price solutions from around the world
While other countries have embraced renewable energy, President Donald Trump has doubled down on fossil fuels
3 reasons Aaron Donald wouldn’t return to the NFL
Some of the many reasons Aaron Donald will stay retired.
Where Trump has lost support with independents, according to AP-NORC polling
Independents have grown increasingly unhappy with President Donald Trump during his second term, a new AP-NORC polling analysis finds, particularly those without a college degree.
'Meet the Press' host Kristen Welker reveals what Trump told her after he stormed out of interview
'Meet the Press' host Kristen Welker reveals what Donald Trump told her the morning after he stormed out of their interview taped in Wisconsin on Sunday.
Judge rejects bid to stop UFC fight at White House
A federal judge has rejected a request from two Virginia residents to block President Donald Trump from hosting a UFC fight at the White House this weekend.
Justice Department appeals order to remove Trump's name from Kennedy Center
A federal judge ruled May 29 that physical and digital signage with President Donald Trump’s name must be taken down within 14 days
Justice Department appeals order to remove Trump's name from Kennedy Center
A federal judge ruled May 29 that physical and digital signage with President Donald Trump’s name must be taken down within 14 days
Senate panel sets markup on college sports bill
The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled the markup of a bipartisan measure that proposes sweeping changes to collegiate athletics and has the backing of President Donald Trump. The panel is expected to take up several amendments at the markup on June 18, including one aimed at protecting non-revenue sports. Some athletics departments in recent years […]
Judge says she doesn’t believe ‘anti-weaponization’ fund is dead; extends order blocking it
A federal judge on Friday said she doesn’t believe President Donald Trump’s plan for a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund” is fully dead, and issued an order indefinitely blocking the proposal.
Ana Navarro revealed what she'll ask JD Vance in VP's upcoming 'View' interview
'The View' cohost Ana Navarro revealed what she wants to ask Vice President JD Vance when the controversial politician visits the talk show next week: 'Several issues,' Navarro explained.
The Latest: Trump says he's really close to a deal with Iran ahead of whirlwind weekend
President Donald Trump has long been looking for this weekend to be a big one for his presidency
Trump's grand sporting season begins with UFC fights on White House lawn
President Donald Trump's run of high-profile sporting events begins this week in Washington, with the U.S. leader eager to project an image of strength at home and abroad.
War-wary Hill Republicans question Trump’s Iran strategy with control of Congress at stake
A growing number of Hill Republicans say they are frustrated with President Donald Trump’s ever-changing strategy in Iran — dangling a ground invasion one day, touting progress in peace talks the next — in a conflict many fear will cost them their majority this fall.
The White House UFC event is a perfect storm of fight culture and US politics
Joe Rogan calls it a ‘gimmick’ but Donald Trump says it will be ‘great for America’. Welcome to the White House UFC event.
USA Today columnist says United States has already 'lost' the World Cup because of politics, Donald Trump
USA Today columnist Nancy Armour claims the 2026 FIFA World Cup reveals America as a hateful nation, inaccurately blaming Trump and ticket prices.
Constantino leans into Trump support, business record in NY-21 Republican primary
Constantino is touting his endorsement from President Donald Trump in the race to represent NY-21. He will face Robert Smullen in the Republican primary.
WATCH: Trump signs proclamation opening more protected ocean areas to commercial fishing
President Donald Trump opened three marine protected areas in the Pacific Ocean to commercial fishing with a proclamation on Thursday that he said will boost the U.S. seafood industry.
Kennedy Center board plans to appeal judge’s ruling over removing Trump’s name
President Donald Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board of trustees discussed plans to appeal a judge’s ruling — hoping to halt the ordered removal of Trump’s name from the building.
FISA spy powers seem likely expire after Congress fails to act
The vote Thursday reflected a protest of President Donald Trump's refusal to name a permanent head of the nation's intelligence agencies
Trump plans to nominate U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to be national intelligence director
President Donald Trump announced the nomination on social media amid pressure from Congress to name a permanent replacement for Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month.
Trump says he will nominate Jay Clayton to top intelligence post
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he’s nominating Jay Clayton, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, to be his next director of national intelligence.
Trump's push for $350 billion 'arsenal of freedom' hits GOP skepticism
Trump calls on Republicans to pass a third reconciliation bill with $350 billion in defense spending and voter ID legislation, but GOP skepticism grows.
Huge ‘8647’ etched into grass on the National Mall, aerial images show
The numbers “8647” — a phrase generally used to signal opposition to President Donald Trump — appeared etched into the grass on the National Mall on Thursday, days before massive crowds are expected in the area for a UFC match on Trump’s birthday on Sunday.
How Trump has deceived himself on Iran
President Donald Trump is nothing if not studied at crafting elaborate alternate realities.
House vote to extend FISA spy tool fails
The vote Thursday reflected a protest of President Donald Trump's refusal to name a permanent head of the nation's intelligence agencies
The Rock talks politics, says Trump should 'sit down' with Springsteen
In a new Esquire interview, Dwayne Johnson touched on politics and said President Donald Trump and Bruce Springsteen \
Democrats prepare for potential election interference in midterms
The Democrats are wargaming messaging strategies over fears that Donald Trump may try to influence the midterm elections
How Trump’s reliance on ‘acting’ officials holding multiple jobs tests the Constitution
It feels odd that President Donald Trump tapped a housing expert to oversee the American intelligence community.
Several states are bowing out of Trump’s ‘Great American State Fair’
President Donald Trump has billed the “Great American State Fair” as a patriotic World’s Fair featuring pavilions created by every US state and territory – but several US states will not participate.
Trump says ‘I love the inflation’ as annual rate hits 3-year high
The president suggested the recent numbers mean there will be a bigger decline in inflation once the war in Iran is over.
Trump sticks with Pulte for intel job as risk grows of lapse in spy powers
A lapse in a law that allows the U.S. to gather intelligence abroad grew more likely on Wednesday as President Donald Trump resisted calls from Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill to immediately name a permanent head of the nation's intelligence agencies.
Trump’s most tone-deaf comments on Iran and the economy, ranked
President Donald Trump has repeatedly dismissed Americans’ economic pain and military casualties from the Iran war with comments critics call insensitive.
WATCH: 'He's a thug,' Trump says of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner
President Donald Trump spoke at length on Wednesday about Democrat Graham Platner, who clinched Maine’s Democratic Senate nomination on Tuesday.
Trump admin axes ties to dozens of progressive groups in 'direct opposition' to mission: 'Decisive action'
The Interior Department is cutting 43 partnerships and over $4 million in funding for groups tied to DEI, environmental justice and immigration.
Faith First Conservatives
Faith First Conservatives are deeply conservative in their political values and are stalwart supporters of the Republican Party and Donald Trump, though their political style is not as uncompromising as No Apologies Right (the other typology group firmly at the core of the Republican coalition). They are highly religious and hold traditional stances on many […]