The Sunday — April 5

This is the Tangle Sunday Edition, a brief roundup of our independent politics coverage plus some extra features for your Sunday morning reading.

What the right is doodling.

What the left is doodling.

We’re back!

In this week’s Suspension of the Rules, Isaac, Ari, and Kmele take turns giving their best arguments in favor of something they’ve all opposed for different reasons — the Iran war — before discussing the effects of phone usage on our brains. Listen to the latest episode here or watch it here! 

Monday, March 30.

Potential ground operations in Iran. On Saturday, March 28, The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon is planning for weeks of ground operations in Iran. According to defense officials, current plans are focused on targeted raids by Special Operations forces and infantry troops. President Donald Trump has not decided whether to approve ground operations, but reports from the past week indicate that the Pentagon is developing options for a “final blow,” which could combine troop deployments with an escalated bombing campaign. 

Our take: “Trump says he is pursuing a short military engagement, while at the same time laying the foundation for a longer war. Getting accurate information and building an accurate understanding of this war is incredibly difficult. I fear, based on our knowledge, that a ground invasion is inevitable.”

Reader Survey:

Tuesday, March 31.

The Department of Homeland Security shutdown. On Friday, March 27, the Senate passed a bill that would fund most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fiscal year 2026, excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and some parts of Customs and Border Protection. Later that day, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said he would not bring the bill to a vote. The House instead passed a separate bill that would fund DHS in its entirety for eight weeks. Both the House and the Senate have begun a two-week Easter recess, and the department is expected to remain shut down during that time. 

Our take: “The shutdown persists because Congress is weak. I worry that this funding fight will only be resolved by further eroding the separation of powers. Democrats could take a deal and secure meaningful ICE reforms — but I doubt that will happen.”

Reader Survey:

Wednesday, April 1.

Oral arguments on mail-in ballots. Last Monday, March 23, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Watson v. Republican National Committee, a challenge to a Mississippi law that allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted after Election Day. Several conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the challengers, who argued that the state law violates federal statutes defining the date of elections. If the Court rules in favor of the challengers, more than a dozen states with similar laws could be affected.

Our take: “Today, I reversed both of my prior beliefs about this case. The law seems to be on Mississippi’s side, while the effects of overturning it wouldn’t be some sweeping disenfranchisement. The pundits might be wrong, and the Court could easily keep the law in place.”

Reader Survey:

Thursday, April 2.

Oral arguments on birthright citizenship. On Wednesday, April 1, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Trump v. Barbara, a case challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship. While a majority of justices seemed skeptical of the Trump administration’s argument that the order should be upheld, several conservative justices appeared similarly unconvinced by the plaintiffs’ case. President Trump attended the arguments, a first for a sitting president, though he left before they concluded.

Our take: “The Supreme Court seems on track to make the obvious and correct ruling here. Congress didn’t consider illegal immigration when it ratified the 14th Amendment, but that’s immaterial to the text of the law. This won’t end the debate about birthright citizenship, but it will settle the legal question.”

Reader Survey:

Friday, April 3.

In this week’s Friday edition, Executive Editor Isaac Saul explores what he sees as a hopeful signal in our politics: the rejection of crass flame-throwing and the return of decency.

You can read Isaac’s piece here.

Further reading.

We’ve covered oil instability during war, intraparty funding fights, skepticism of mail-in voting, and birthright citizenship before. Plus, a reader-favorite Friday edition, made available for all subscribers in 2023. Take a look at our past coverage below:

• In October 2022, we wrote about OPEC cutting oil production during the war in Ukraine.
• In March 2025, we covered Democratic disarray over a government funding bill.
• In November 2020, Isaac broke down accusations of election fraud.
• In December 2024, we covered Trump’s comments about ending birthright citizenship.
• In August 2023, we republished Isaac’s essay on his insufferable friend Jared.

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What just happened.

Here’s a rundown of the major stories that have broken since our newsletter on Thursday.

• On Thursday, President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, saying she will transition to a job in the private sector. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will become acting attorney general, and President Trump is reportedly considering Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin as his replacement pick. (The firing)
• On Thursday, the House declined to take up a funding bill approved by the Senate earlier in the day to fund the Department of Homeland Security, excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. The move likely means the department will remain shut down until Congress returns from its current two-week recess. (The update)
• On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order imposing 100% tariffs on imported brand-name drugs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. (The tariffs)
• On Thursday, Axios reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and two other military leaders to resign. The leaders have reportedly left their posts. (The request)
• On Friday, a U.S. F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iran, the first American fighter shot down by enemy fire since the start of the Iran war. U.S. forces rescued both of the aircraft’s crew members in Iranian territory. (The incident) Separately, a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf, with the pilot ejecting safely. (The incident)
• On Friday, the White House asked Congress to approve $1.5 trillion for defense for fiscal year 2027, a roughly 40% increase over the current year’s budget. The request was part of the Trump administration’s new budget, which also calls for $73 billion in spending cuts across domestic agencies. (The budget)
• On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that payrolls rose by 178,000 in March after declining by 133,000 in February. The unemployment rate decreased slightly to 4.3%. (The numbers)

Reader essay.

This week, we’re featuring an essay from reader Erez Levin, who argues for the need to stop comparing everything to Nazis and everybody to Hitler. To defend against what he calls “moral hyperinflation,” Erez pushes for us to use the power of taboos to change our societal norms.