Tangle

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 our team has grown, so too has our capacity to provide some content while we take breaks like this. So this week, in lieu of a newsletter, we are going to be sharing a series of podcast episodes that we didn’t get a chance to publish in the deluge of news these past few weeks.The first is with Dave Weigel, a reporter at Semafor. Weigel is one of my favorite journalists. Whenever I check in on his Twitter feed or read his updates in Semafor, I get the sense that he is fair-minded and critical of all his subjects regardless of their politics. On top of letting his personality shine through in his writing, he’s also well-sourced, level-headed, and forward-thinking. So, when he agreed to chat with me about the first couple months of the Trump administration, where Congress is headed, and how voters are reacting to all this, I was thrilled. By the way: If you are not yet a podcast member, and you want to upgrade your newsletter subscription plan to include a podcast membership (which gets you ad-free podcasts, Friday editions, The Sunday podcast, bonus content), you can do that here. That page is a good resource for managing your Tangle subscription (just make sure you are logged in on the website!) Keep an eye out for some more content coming tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday. And, as always, feel free to give yourself a little “news vacation” if you need it, too. Best,Isaac & the Tangle teamAd-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 can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up! You can also give the gift of a Tangle podcast subscription by clicking here.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by Ari Weitzman and Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75 and Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

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 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 membership.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 can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up! You can also give the gift of a Tangle podcast subscription by clicking here.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by Will Kaback and Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75 and Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Our logo was created by Magdalena Bokowa, Head of Partnerships and Socials. 

On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) announcedthey 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 operations in central and southern Gaza. 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 can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.Take the survey: What do you think about the end of the ceasefire? Let us know here.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Our logo was created by Magdalena Bokowa, Head of Partnerships and Socials. 

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 their removal by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798; he had previously designated the group a foreign terrorist organization infiltrating the United States. The detainees were sent to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador; CECOT is the largest prison facility in Central America.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 can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.Take the survey: What do you think of the recent deportations? Let us know.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Our logo was created by Magdalena Bokowa, Head of Partnerships and Socials. 

Over the weekend, the United States carried out a series of aerial and naval strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. President Donald Trump said the strikes were retaliation for the Houthis’ attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, adding that the assault would continue until the attacks stopped. At least 53 people, including five children, have been killed by the strikes, according to a Houthi health ministry spokesperson. White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said “multiple Houthi leaders” were killed. 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 can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.Take the survey: What do you think of the U.S. strikes against the Houthi rebels? Let us know!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Our logo was created by Magdalena Bokowa, Head of Partnerships and Socials. 

On Saturday, President Donald Trump signed a stopgap bill to fund the government through September and avert a government shutdown. The bill — called a continuing resolution (CR) — was sent to Trump’s desk after the Senate voted 54–46 on Friday to pass it, with two Democrats voting in favor and one Republican voting against. Prior to the final vote, the Senate invoked cloture 62–38. Refresher: The Senate’s cloture rule outlines the procedure of ending debate on proposed legislation and forcing a floor vote. The rule requires a three-fifths majority, normally 60 senators, to bypass a filibuster, which would extend debate indefinitely. Once brought to a floor vote, bills require a simple majority to pass. 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 can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.Take the survey: What do you think of Senate Democrats’ decision? Let us know!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Our logo was created by Magdalena Bokowa, Head of Partnerships and Socials. 

In today's episode, Ari and Isaac discuss the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, the implications for free speech, and the legal rights of green card holders. They touch on immigration law and its intersection with free speech rights, political dynamics in Kentucky, the problem with Democrats, and the potential for a government shutdown. They also conduct an interview with River Page from the Free Press. 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 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 membership.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 can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up! You can also give the gift of a Tangle podcast subscription by clicking here.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by Ari Weitzman and Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75 and Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Our logo was created by Magdalena Bokowa, Head of Partnerships and Socials. 

As part of the Tangle ethos, we solicit reader questions about politics and our work every day in our newsletter. And every few months, so many questions pile up on the back end that we decide to answer a bunch of them at once in a members-only reader mailbag. Today is one of those days. We think this is a healthy exercise that not only allows us to critically examine some of our own writing, but also provides readers with more perspectives that help us fulfill our core mission. If you want to read more about what we’re building here, two weeks ago we wrote about the whole point of Tangle. As always, we want to thank those of you who write in with thoughtful questions or raise challenging criticisms that help us improve. We hope you enjoy today’s mailbag!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 membership.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 can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up! You can also give the gift of a Tangle podcast subscription by clicking here.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast is written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75 and Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Our logo was created by Magdalena Bokowa, Head of Partnerships and Socials.