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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about five things I had gotten wrong about Trump in his first six months in office. In all honesty, I’m not a huge fan of political prognostication, and I often try to avoid making predictions to focus more on my analysis and reporting. Still, predictions inevitably slip into that analysis; and my last retrospective, like many others I had written before it, was an exercise in the kind of accountable and analytical journalism we do here at Tangle. I’m a big fan of writing about when I’m wrong, or have changed my mind, or have valuable criticisms to share — I think it helps me evolve and our readers reflect on their own viewpoints, too.But, shortly after publishing that piece, I realized that I spend a lot of time writing about all the things I get wrong, and maybe not enough time writing about when I get things right. After all, if I’m simply wrong over and over, should readers really trust me for reliable analysis? It struck me that in trying to be transparent with criticisms I may be undermining my own credibility. So today, I figured I’d flip the script, give myself some grace, and do something I had never done before: Pen an entire piece on things I’ve gotten right. Since my newsletter a few weeks ago focused exclusively on Trump, I thought I’d turn the focus to the same subject and share five things I’ve gotten right about Trump’s second term so far. 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!)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 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, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

On Thursday, the Senate voted 51–48 to pass a rescissions package clawing back $9 billion in federal funding that had previously been approved for international aid and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The next day, the House approved the package 216–213, sending it to President Donald Trump, who has yet to sign the bill. Tangle LIVE tickets are available!Today we’re excited to announce that our third installment of Tangle Live will be held on October 24, 2025, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. If you’re in the area (or want to make the trip), we’d love to have you join Isaac and the team for a night of spirited discussion, live Q&A, and opportunities to meet the team in person. You can read more about the event and purchase tickets here.Ad-free podcasts are here! Tangle LIVE tickets are available!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: How would you describe Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential election? Let us know!Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.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 Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

On Friday, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard announced the release of files that allegedly show President Barack Obama and his national security cabinet members concocted a false narrative of Russian interference in the 2016 election. DNI Gabbard claimed the documents showed a “treasonous conspiracy” to overturn Donald Trump’s electoral victory, posting on X that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) will be turning the documents over to the Department of Justice for criminal referral.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: How would you describe Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential election? Let us know!Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.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. 

On Friday, President Donald Trump signed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, the United States’s first major cryptocurrency legislation. The new law establishes a legal category and regulatory framework for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency whose value is tied to a reference asset, like the price of gold or the U.S. dollar. As a result, banks, nonbanks, and credit unions will be able to participate in the stablecoin market and issue their own digital currencies. At a signing ceremony on Friday, President Donald Trump said the bill “creates a clear and simple regulatory framework to establish and unleash the immense promise of dollar-backed stablecoins. This could have been perhaps the greatest revolution in financial technology since the birth of the Internet.”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: Would you invest in cryptocurrency? Let us know!Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.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. 

On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal published a report claiming that President Donald Trump signed a letter containing a lewd drawing and sexually suggestive text as part of a birthday album for Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The Journal says it reviewed the contents of the previously unreported album and letters but has not released any of the documents. President Trump strongly denied writing the letter and, on Friday, filed a defamation lawsuit against The Journal and its owners. Separately, the Department of Justice (DOJ) asked a federal judge to unseal grand jury testimony from Epstein’s sex-trafficking prosecution as part of an effort to address ongoing public interest in the case. 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 alleged birthday note? Let us know!Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.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. 

Isaac, Ari, and Kmele really get into it about all the Jeffrey Epstein stuff for nearly an hour. Then they talk about their opinions on the Jerome Powell and President Trump situation. And, as always, the Airing of Grievances and a very good one at that. 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 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 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. 

Hundred-year floods in Central Texas. Wildfires encroaching on the Grand Canyon. Powerful hurricanes, heat records, even winter storms — these events have many people sounding the alarm about climate change. But which is it? Wetter or drier? Hotter, or more extreme in general? Can one effect possibly be causing such a wide range of problems? Are humans contributing to severe weather, or are these mostly random and uncontrollable events that the media is putting under a microscope?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!Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was Written by: Ari Weitzman 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. 

Biden’s use of the autopen. On Tuesday, Fox News reported that the White House Counsel’s Office — in coordination with the Justice Department — is investigating former President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen while in office. The Trump administration says the investigation will examine how Biden used the autopen, a machine that reproduces a person’s signature, over his presidential term, and whether the Biden administration had a policy in place to regulate its use. The Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee is also investigating whether Biden understood the actions he authorized with the autopen. 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 Biden’s use of the autopen? Let us know!Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.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. 

In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has escalated his criticisms of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over Powell’s decision to maintain interest rates at current levels. The comments follow reports that Trump is considering removing Powell from his position, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the administration has begun vetting replacement candidates. Separately, on Tuesday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which showed prices rising faster than in May. The report added to existing concerns from economists and lawmakers that President Trump’s tariffs would be inflationary, a possibility that Powell has cited as his rationale for holding off on cutting the Fed’s interest rate.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 cutting rates or removing Powell as Fed chair? Let us know!Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.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.