Why the Gaetz Announcement Is Already Destroying the Government
With his Cabinet picks, Donald Trump is causing a civil-service exodus that may hobble federal infrastructure for generations.
Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid
It’s not just a phase.
SNL Isn’t Bothering With Civility Anymore
The reelection of Donald Trump to the White House will change how we talk—at least, the late-night show seems to think so.
The Onion’s Most Trenchant Headline
The satirical site’s announcement that it is acquiring Alex Jones’s Infowars created confusion—and perfectly captured the media world we’re living in.
The Exhibit That Will Change How You See Impressionism
The National Gallery’s “Paris 1874” explores the movement’s dark origins.
The Not-So-Woke Generation Z
The same young people once derided as liberal snowflakes are moving to the right.
Democracy Is Not Over
Americans who care about democracy have every right to feel appalled and frightened. But then they have work to do.
Genetic Discrimination Is Coming for Us All
Insurers are refusing to cover Americans whose DNA reveals health risks. It’s perfectly legal.
Abandon the Empty Nest. Instead, Try the Open Door.
Adults whose kids have left home deserve a metaphor that emphasizes possibility.
Republican Leaders Are More Afraid of Trump Than Ever
Trump’s ridiculous Cabinet nominations will provide senators with a new test.
Making Government Efficient Again
An incoming Trump administration plans to ransack the civil service. But it needs reform, not demolition.
What to Expect From Elon Musk’s Government Makeover
Welcome to the “move fast and break things” administration.
Finally, a Holocaust Movie With No Lessons
In A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin tell a story in which the genocide is only background.
A Sea Story
One of the worst maritime disasters in European history took place two decades ago. It remains very much in the public eye. On a stormy night on the Baltic Sea, more than 850 people lost their lives when a luxurious ferry sank below the waves. From a mass of material, including official and unofficial reports and survivor testimony, our correspondent has distilled an account of the Estonia’s last moments—part of his continuing coverage for the magazine of anarchy on the high seas.
Israel Is Fighting a Different War Now
The Israeli high command now sees all of its conflicts as elements of a single, multifront war with Iran.
The Sanewashing of RFK Jr.
Let’s call a crank a crank.
How America Got Mean
In a culture devoid of moral education, generations are growing up in a morally inarticulate, self-referential world.
A Former Republican Strategist on Why Harris Lost
Inflation, moderation, and candidate effects
Dear Therapist: My Brother-in-Law Is a Thanksgiving Freeloader
Do I have to invite him this year?
The Brontës’ Secret
The sisters turned domestic constraints into grist for brilliant books.