Today's Liberal News
Is Aziz Ansari Sorry?
The Waves also discusses the Riverside Church controversy and the case of Sarah Milov.
Your Opinions on Her Wardrobe Are Probably Unwelcome
What we say matters, especially depending on whom we say it to.
What Role Does HR Play in the #MeToo Era?
The Waves also discusses the case against Jeffrey Epstein and Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s Fleishman Is in Trouble.
Trump, defiant on tariffs, claims trade deals are in the works
The president is foreshadowing deals with multiple trading partners in an apparent effort to quell economic anxiety and prove his tariff plan is working.
US markets have spiraled. Americans had doubts about Trump’s tariffs before that.
Recent polls showed Americans were wary of tariffs, even before the president launched his plan to realign the global trade order.
Trump says tariff policies ‘WILL NEVER CHANGE’ amid plunging stocks, Chinese response
The president’s sweeping tariff plan has thrown markets into chaos and risks sparking a global trade war.
‘There are no guarantees’: Scott Bessent won’t rule out a recession
He also said he isn’t worried about stock market turbulence, following the worst week in the market in two years.
Trump’s business acumen has long been his armor. It’s being put to the test.
The normally bullish Trump over the weekend declined to rule out the possibility of a full-blown recession as his tariff policies threaten to spark a massive global trade war.
Why Trump Is Standing by Hegseth, for Now
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared sensitive attack plans in a Signal group chat. No, not that one—a different one. Some of his top Pentagon aides have been ousted, but few in the building are sure what they were ousted for, or even by whom. And the talk in Washington revolves around who might be on the short list to replace him, even as President Donald Trump delivered a firm defense of Hegseth today while standing a few feet away from a giant bunny.
The Gen Z Lifestyle Subsidy
Finals season looks different this year. Across college campuses, students are slogging their way through exams with all-nighters and lots of caffeine, just as they always have. But they’re also getting more help from AI than ever before. Through the end of May, OpenAI is offering students two months of free access to ChatGPT Plus, which normally costs $20 a month.
Pete Hegseth Is Running Out of Excuses
This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.
Of course Pete Hegseth had other Signal chats.
Supreme Court appears to reject conservative argument over Obamacare provision
Preventive care services for millions hang in the balance.
You’ve Probably Already Met Your Next Best Friend
If you’re a lonely adult in an American city, please know that people are trying very hard to help you. A few examples: The organization Project Gather hosts food-centered hangouts—potlucks, bake sales, mushroom foraging—across the country. The company Timeleft, operating in more than 300 cities, matches groups of five strangers for dinner every Wednesday. Belong Center offers “Belong Circles,” 90-minute gatherings led by “trained community architects.
The Worst Job in America
It makes for a most tempting “Help Wanted” ad: Earn $5 million a year to lead one of the nation’s most powerful and prestigious institutions. Enjoy fancy dinners, almost unlimited travel, and a complimentary mansion in Upper Manhattan.
This is an incomplete list of the perks that the president of Columbia University receives. And yet no one seems to want the job.
Mohsen Mahdawi Arrest Sends Message “Peacemakers Are Not Welcome”: Israeli American Columbia Student
As the Trump administration ramps up its attacks on international students and Palestinian activists, Jewish New Yorkers are calling for the release of detained Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi, who was arrested in Vermont when he appeared for what he was told would be a naturalization test. Mahdawi had previously expressed fears that the appointment, which came earlier than usual in the typical naturalization process, could end up being a trap.
Pope Francis’s Book Editor Robert Ellsberg on the Pontiff’s Life, Legacy & Care for Refugees
We continue our look at the life and legacy of Pope Francis with a focus on his advocacy for migrants’ rights and next steps for selecting his successor, with input from groups like SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “It was clear that the subject of migrants and immigrants wasn’t just one topic among many that he addressed, as all popes might,” says Robert Ellsberg, editor of Pope Francis’s book on migrants and refugees. “It really was a kind of signature of his papacy.
“Heart of Compassion” for Palestine: Pope Francis Called for Gaza Ceasefire Until His Final Days
In his last public appearance before he died, Pope Francis addressed Easter Sunday Mass and repeated his call for a ceasefire in Gaza. “Pope Francis’s position on Palestine is just an extension of his theology and pastoral care in general, caring for the marginalized and victims of injustice,” says Reverend Munther Isaac, Palestinian Christian theologian and pastor, who joins us for the second of several segments on Pope Francis.
Pope Dies at 88: Pax Christi’s Marie Dennis on How He Championed the Marginalized, Changed the Church
Pope Francis has died at the age of 88. The Argentinian-born Jesuit had led the Catholic Church since 2013, when he made history by becoming the first pope from Latin America. Francis was a vocal champion for the poor and marginalized, migrants’ rights, and often spoke out about the climate crisis. “When he addressed almost any issue, he would begin with the experience of people at the margins,” says Marie Dennis, director of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative.
Sen. Van Hollen on Meeting Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador & Escalating Constitutional Crisis
We speak with Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, just back from El Salvador, where he met Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland father whom the Trump administration says they forcibly transferred to an El Salvador mega-prison last month by “administrative error.” “We will keep fighting for his constitutional rights, because if we deny the constitutional rights for one person, we threaten them for everybody,” says Van Hollen.
Obamacare returns to SCOTUS, with preventive care on the line
The lawsuit, brought by conservative employers in Texas, targets the expert panel that advises HHS on which preventive care services insurers must cover without cost-sharing.
Why Does Buying Weed—and Other Drugs—Feel So Weird These Days?
I think I’ve figured out a major part of the problem.
Many Ex-Trumpers Hate the Tariffs. Not This One.
Your gadgets might have gotten pricier. Your stocks might have tanked. But Wilbur Ross says it’s all a part of the plan.
Money Talks: Why Are Student Loans So Broken?
Jillian Berman joins Emily Peck to discuss her new book on our dysfunctional student loans system.
Trump’s Obsession With “Manly Jobs” Ignores the Most Obvious One
If Americans must work with their hands, we could at least build something we need.
HHS funding slashed by 30 percent in budget proposal
The Trump administration is mulling sharp budget cuts at health agencies.
Kennedy pledges to figure out which ‘environmental toxins’ are causing autism
The secretary said better diagnostics and awareness are responsible for a quarter of the increased rate.
JB Pritzker doubts Republican promises on Medicaid
“Medicaid is where most of us think they will go,” he said.

























