Skip to main content

Politics

What really matters in the world of politics, campaigns, ideology, and more.

The elite institutions caving to Donald Trump, briefly explained
The Logoff

Not everyone, however, is bowing to the president’s demands.

By Patrick Reis
The elite institutions caving to Donald Trump, briefly explained
The Logoff

Not everyone, however, is bowing to the president’s demands.

By Patrick Reis
A tale of two ceasefiresA tale of two ceasefires
World Politics

What a violent week in Ukraine and Gaza tells us about Trump-style diplomacy.

By Joshua Keating
Are Elon Musk’s China ties a national security risk?Are Elon Musk’s China ties a national security risk?
World Politics

His business empire needs the Chinese government — and that could warp American policy.

By Joshua Keating
The case for conservatismThe case for conservatism
Donald Trump

“Move fast and break things” has no place in government.

By Ian Millhiser

The latest in Politics

Conservatives’ decades-long quest to destroy the Department of EducationConservatives’ decades-long quest to destroy the Department of Education
Politics

Trump has already cut the department’s staff in half. He won’t stop there.

By Andrew Prokop
Trump’s gutting of the Education Department, explainedTrump’s gutting of the Education Department, explained
Policy

What the new executive order means for students.

By Anna North
A new book suggests a path forward for Democrats. The left hates it.A new book suggests a path forward for Democrats. The left hates it.
Politics

Cutting red tape is a social justice issue.

By Eric Levitz
The real lesson of the JFK filesThe real lesson of the JFK files
Politics

The government classifies way too many documents.

By Abdallah Fayyad
Trump’s firings at a corporate watchdog agency, briefly explainedTrump’s firings at a corporate watchdog agency, briefly explained
The Logoff

The president removed all democrats from the Federal Trade Commission’s board.

By Patrick Reis
We’ll miss globalism when it’s goneWe’ll miss globalism when it’s gone
Future Perfect

Remember when elites cared about the rest of the world?

By Dylan Matthews
The silencing of Voice of AmericaThe silencing of Voice of America
Podcast
Today, Explained newsletter

How the shuttering of a small US-funded news outlet explains Trump’s governing philosophy.

By Sean Collins and Gabrielle Berbey
The Trump right’s pro-Israel antisemitismThe Trump right’s pro-Israel antisemitism
On the Right

The MAGA movement loves Israel — but is increasingly hostile to Jews.

By Zack Beauchamp
President Trump’s first 100 daysPresident Trump’s first 100 days
LIVE

Trump appears intent on remaking the executive branch as he sees fit. The news is changing rapidly. Follow here for the latest updates, analysis, and explainers.

By Vox Staff
A new Supreme Court case seeks to revive one of the most dangerous ideas from the Great DepressionA new Supreme Court case seeks to revive one of the most dangerous ideas from the Great Depression
Supreme Court

FCC v. Consumers’ Research could turn SCOTUS into DOGE on steroids.

By Ian Millhiser
Trump’s call with Putin, briefly explainedTrump’s call with Putin, briefly explained
The Logoff

What did (and didn’t) just happen with the war in Ukraine.

By Joshua Keating and Patrick Reis
This is why Kamala Harris really lostThis is why Kamala Harris really lost
Politics

TikTok is making young voters more Republican?

By Eric Levitz
What does Israel’s “right to self-defense” actually mean?What does Israel’s “right to self-defense” actually mean?
World Politics

Every country has a right to defend itself under international law. But that right has its limits.

By Abdallah Fayyad
The Elon Musk company you should be worried about right nowThe Elon Musk company you should be worried about right now
Technology

The Trump administration appears to be giving Starlink, a division of SpaceX, preferential treatment.

By Adam Clark Estes
The alarmingly high stakes in an easy Supreme Court voting rights caseThe alarmingly high stakes in an easy Supreme Court voting rights case
Supreme Court

The Court decided an identical case two years ago. But every voting rights case that reaches this Court is dangerous.

By Ian Millhiser
The ugly history behind the obscure law Trump is using for mass deportationsThe ugly history behind the obscure law Trump is using for mass deportations
Politics

The Alien Enemies Act, explained.

By Nicole Narea
Trump’s showdown with the courts over deportations, briefly explainedTrump’s showdown with the courts over deportations, briefly explained
The Logoff

Trump claimed a wartime power for fast deportations — and ended up in conflict with the courts.

By Patrick Reis
A judge told Trump to halt deportation flights. They went ahead anyway.A judge told Trump to halt deportation flights. They went ahead anyway.
Politics

Trump’s new attempt to test the courts’ limits, explained.

By Andrew Prokop
What can be done if Trump is openly defying the courts?What can be done if Trump is openly defying the courts?
Donald Trump

Not much, at least not within the legal system.

By Ian Millhiser
Tren de Aragua, the gang Trump is targeting, explainedTren de Aragua, the gang Trump is targeting, explained
Politics

The administration says it has deported hundreds of members of the Venezuelan gang.

By Christian Paz
Has Trump already killed NATO?Has Trump already killed NATO?
World Politics

Does anyone still believe the US would go to war to defend Europe?

By Joshua Keating
America’s (lack of) separation between church and state, explainedAmerica’s (lack of) separation between church and state, explained
Explain It to Me

And how religion became a force in US politics.

By Ian Millhiser
Were companies ever serious about DEI?Were companies ever serious about DEI?
Explain It to Me

Why the pendulum swung on DEI — and how that could be a good thing.

By Jonquilyn Hill
The devastating impact of Trump’s slashing foreign aid, in 3 chartsThe devastating impact of Trump’s slashing foreign aid, in 3 charts
Future Perfect

From HIV to malnutrition, here’s what the loss of 83 percent of USAID programs looks like.

By Jess Craig
The man whose tweets helped kill DEIThe man whose tweets helped kill DEI
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

We talk to Richard Hanania, an influential thinker on the online right, about how he got DEI dismantled and why he’s fallen out of love with MAGA.

By Noel King and Miles Bryan
Trump’s attempt to take over Columbia University, briefly explainedTrump’s attempt to take over Columbia University, briefly explained
Politics

The administration demanded Columbia make sweeping policies and governance changes — or lose billions in federal funds.

By Andrew Prokop
3 ways you can help the people hurt by Trump’s foreign aid cuts3 ways you can help the people hurt by Trump’s foreign aid cuts
Future Perfect

The president took away life-saving aid. You can give some of it back.

By Sigal Samuel
Canada is so furious at the US right nowCanada is so furious at the US right now
Politics

Vox’s correspondent in Canada reports on the reaction to Trump’s tariffs.

By Sean Collins and Zack Beauchamp
A foundational climate regulation is under threatA foundational climate regulation is under threat
Climate

Trump’s EPA claims that climate change isn’t a danger to human beings

By Umair Irfan
China’s new AI agent Manus calls its own shotsChina’s new AI agent Manus calls its own shots
Future Perfect

But can the rest of us trust it?

By Kelsey Piper
Trump and Musk have huge conflicts of interest. Who’s policing them?Trump and Musk have huge conflicts of interest. Who’s policing them?
Policy

The White House shouldn’t be a place for people to go enrich themselves.

By Abdallah Fayyad
Trump’s new attack on the climate, briefly explainedTrump’s new attack on the climate, briefly explained
The Logoff

The president’s team is going after the foundation of US climate rules.

By Patrick Reis
Should Democrats let the government shut down?Should Democrats let the government shut down?
Congress

The debate over a government shutdown isn’t so simple.

By Christian Paz
Trump’s precarious economy, in four chartsTrump’s precarious economy, in four charts
Politics

Is Trump torching the economy? Here’s what the numbers say.

By Nicole Narea
Trump is torching his greatest political assetTrump is torching his greatest political asset
Politics

Through all the chaos, voters thought he’d do a good job on the economy. Not anymore.

By Andrew Prokop
What dismantling the Education Department means for kids with disabilitiesWhat dismantling the Education Department means for kids with disabilities
Policy

Trump’s education policy threatens everything from speech therapy to wheelchair access.

By Anna North
Is the US headed for a recession?Is the US headed for a recession?
Politics

The not quite good news about Trump’s economy.

By Eric Levitz
The dismantling of the Education Department, briefly explainedThe dismantling of the Education Department, briefly explained
The Logoff

Here’s what Trump’s latest move means for students and schools.

By Patrick Reis
Is Trump tanking the economy?Is Trump tanking the economy?
Politics

Here’s what we know so far about the economic outlook.

By Andrew Prokop
The Tesla backlash is hereThe Tesla backlash is here
Podcast
Politics

Tesla’s electric slide, briefly explained.

By Devan Schwartz