Ideas

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Black-and-white illustration of a legal handbook, notes, and a judge’s gavel in a cardboard box with the box’s lid leaning on the side — Illustration by Matteo Giuseppe Pani / The Atlantic

Why I Am Resigning

A federal judge explains his reasoning for leaving the bench.

November 9, 2025

Illustration showing American scolding foreigner — Illustration by Matteo Giuseppe Pani / The Atlantic

Blaming Foreigners for American Failings Won’t Fix Them

Railing against Ukraine, Israel, and other outsiders is easy. Solving problems at home is not.

November 9, 2025

Illustration of the American flag as two overlapping text bubbles—the stripes are a bubble coming from the right, and the stars are a bubble coming from the left — Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Matt Anderson Photography / Getty.

The Ideal That Underlies the Declaration of Independence

Restoring stability to American politics will require reviving an age-old concept: common ground.

Walter Isaacson

November 9, 2025

Illustration of Dick Cheney — Illustration by Matteo Giuseppe Pani / The Atlantic. Sources: Brendan Hoffman / Getty; David Hume Kennerly / Getty.

What I Learned About Dick Cheney

The former vice president was certain he knew better than the citizens he served what was good for them.

November 9, 2025

Illustration of two rifles with American flags coming out of their barrels--one blue and one red — Illustration by Paul Spella / The Atlantic. Source: Getty.

The Mafia Presidency

Trump is saying, essentially, If you don’t want to get hurt, you’ll do what I say.

November 8, 2025

Photo of Tulsi Gabbard in a white jacket speaking in front of the White House seal, overlayed with a blurry photo of men wearing FBI windbreakers — Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: CNN / Getty; Eric Lee / Bloomberg / Getty.

Tulsi Gabbard’s Quest to Bring the ‘Deep State’ Under Her Control

A memo circulating within the federal government lays out her office’s reasoning for wanting to transfer counterintelligence work away from the FBI.

Quinta Jurecic and Shane Harris

November 7, 2025

Democrats Mikie Sherrill, Zohran Mamdani, and Abigail Spanberger — Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Matt McClain / The Washington Post / Getty; Michael Nagle / Bloomberg / Getty; Alexi J. Rosenfeld / Getty.

The Affordability Curse

Politics isn’t just about the words you put on your bumper stickers. It’s about what you do if the bumper stickers work.

November 7, 2025

An illustration of a sunrise or sunset through a window with American-flag shutters — Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Getty.

America Is Great When America Is Good

Those who believe in liberty and dignity must never give in to the forces arrayed against the things we hold dearest.

November 6, 2025

Illustration of an elderly couple sitting on a bench looking at two green and purple birds with a yellow heart above them. — Illustration by Jan Buchczik

Three Rules for a Lasting Happy Marriage

To keep the flame alive, put love at the center of your life.

Arthur C. Brooks

November 6, 2025

Illustration of multicolored stained glass depicting Christian imagery and an armed policeman — Illustration by Paul Spella / The Atlantic. Sources: Douglas Rissing / Getty; Fine Art Images / Heritage Images / Getty.

The Catholic Church and the Trump Administration Are Not Getting Along

The religion’s most basic principles are in direct conflict with the president’s immigration policy.

Elizabeth Bruenig

November 6, 2025