Democrats challenged RFK Jr. on vaccines. Fireworks ensued.
The health secretary resurfaced anti-vaccine claims at a House hearing, alleging collusion by pharma companies, public health experts and politicians to mask the truth.
Today's Liberal News
This Awful, Forgettable Heat
Think of a famous storm—maybe Hurricane Katrina, gathering force over the warming Atlantic surface and pinwheeling toward the mouth of the Mississippi River to flood the great city of New Orleans. You may remember that Katrina killed more than 1,300 people. You may remember other, less deadly storms, such as Sandy, which killed dozens of people in New York City, and at least 147 overall. Now think of a famous heat wave. It’s more difficult to do. And yet, heat waves can be fatal too.
Thank You for Your Attention to This Matter!
Updated at 4:05 p.m. ET on June 24, 2025
At 1:08 a.m. eastern daylight time, President Donald Trump proclaimed on social media that a cease-fire between Iran and Israel was “NOW IN EFFECT,” potentially ending an intense 12 days of violence and allowing all sides to step back from a wider, more destructive regional war. “PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Trump wrote.
By 6:50 a.m.
Lawmakers bet millions on pharma stocks as Trump targets industry
Drug company shares are down amid President Donald Trump’s assault on the industry, but some in Congress see value.
“Blatantly Unconstitutional”: Rep. Ro Khanna Decries U.S. Strikes on Iran Without Congressional Approval
“You can’t, as the president, engage in strikes on a foreign country when there’s no imminent threat, without coming to Congress for authorization,” says Ro Khanna, Democratic congressmember and member of the House Armed Services Committee, criticizing President Trump’s decision to bomb Iran’s nuclear sites as “blatantly unconstitutional” and a clear instance of executive overreach.
How Ranked-Choice Voting Could Decide NYC’s Mayoral Election: John Tarleton on Cuomo vs. Progressives
Tuesday’s New York City mayoral primary could determine the future of the most populous city in the United States. We speak to John Tarleton, editor-in-chief of the The Indypendent, about the race, which pits the young, progressive socialist Zohran Mamdani against Andrew Cuomo, an establishment Democrat and the former state governor who resigned in 2020 amid an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment.
NYC Mayoral Primary Day: Zohran Mamdani on Building a Movement & Campaigning for an Affordable City
Today’s mayoral primary in New York City features two very different frontrunners, the scandal-ridden former governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, and the young Democratic Socialist state assemblymember, Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani’s ascendant grassroots campaign has taken the Democratic establishment by surprise. He last appeared on Democracy Now! in October, as he launched his campaign centered on bringing down the high cost-of-living for working-class New Yorkers.
F-Bombs and Real Bombs: Trita Parsi on Shaky Iran Ceasefire & Trump’s Anger at Netanyahu
U.S. President Donald Trump is touting a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran, despite what he said were violations of the deal by both sides shortly after he announced it. Trump said he was especially angry with Israel and urged the country to stand down as he faces mounting criticism over the prospect of another U.S. war in the Middle East.
Money Talks: James Frey Thinks Wealth is Addictive
James Frey joins Felix Salmon to talk about the ultra-rich people who inspired his latest book, Next to Heaven.
It’s the Car That Explains Everything About America Right Now. Elon Musk Only Wishes He Made It.
In Florida, on the country’s most dangerous roads, I had a 9,500-pound revelation.
Donald Trump Is Enacting His Darkest Agenda in the Backyard of a Small Town. Absolutely No One Wants to Talk About It.
In Jena, Louisiana, the people knew everything and nothing about what’s happening there.
RFK Jr. is making it more difficult to enroll in Obamacare
The Trump administration projects as many as 1.8 million people, including many DACA recipients, could lose coverage.
How the Senate megabill could backfire on conservatives
The leader of South Carolina’s hospital association said a cost-saver in the bill would force the state to consider Medicaid expansion.
Trump administration to end LGBTQ+-specific crisis hotline
The Trevor Project, a leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group that works with the government to help administer the “Press 3” option, said the decision could have grave consequences.
Vaccine advisers to review ingredient RFK Jr. has long wanted banned
The health secretary wrote a 2014 book arguing that thimerosal caused brain damage, a claim his own agencies say is unfounded.
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 is under water on some of his top issues — including immigration, poll shows
The president’s approval rating had been ticking upward since its biggest drop in April.
Trump’s contract-cutting blitz rattles a once-flourishing DC industry
The General Services Administration, which oversees government contracting, is leading a review of more than 20,000 consulting agreements for what is “non-essential.
Trump’s chaotic economy is causing headaches for Democrats in New Jersey’s governor race
The crowded contest in the Garden State shows how hard it is to address pocketbook issues.
Warren Buffett shocks shareholders by announcing his intention to retire at the end of the year
Earlier, Buffett warned Saturday about the dire global consequences of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
‘Anything can happen’: Trump doesn’t seem fazed by recession worries
Trump has blamed shaky economic numbers on his predecessor.
The True Impact of Trump’s Strike on Iran
By his own account, the military operation that Donald Trump mounted against Iran over the weekend was an unqualified success. Saturday’s covert raid, in which U.S. bombers dropped a series of massive, tailor-made bombs onto fortified Iranian sites, left Tehran’s nuclear capability “completely and totally obliterated,” the president proclaimed in a triumphant White House address late that night.
The reality is more complex.
Fox News Outdid Itself With Its Response to Trump Bombing Iran
The network knew exactly who would be watching.
Trump Wants to ‘Make Iran Great Again’
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.
When Donald Trump raised the idea of toppling Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei yesterday, it wasn’t just the idea that was surprising. It was the particular phrase he used to describe it.