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 left is doodling.
Mike Luckovich | Creators Syndicate
What the right is doodling.
Al Goodwyn | Creators Syndicate
Suspension of the Rules.
This week, Isaac, Ari, and Kmele take on whether Senate Republicans are signalling a sea change by putting up a fight over President Trump’s anti-weaponization fund. Also, the California primaries, the new world screwworm, and a lot of grievances that get us from the national political scene to the hyper-local.
The latest Graham Platner controversies. On Saturday, May 30, The Wall Street Journal published an exposé on the behavior of Graham Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee in the Maine Senate race. According to The Journal, Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, disclosed to his campaign last August that she had discovered sexually explicit texts between Platner and multiple women on his phone last spring. Furthermore, The Journal found that Platner has an active account on Kik, a private-messaging app often used to arrange sexual encounters. Also on May 30, The New York Times revealed that Gertner had disclosed this information to a senior aide who later left the campaign, and Platner had been sending explicit messages to up to 12 women. The reports represent the latest controversies in Platner’s campaign to defeat Sen. Susan Collins (R) in November’s election.
Our take: “Platner’s scandals are multiplying and dragging on his broad populist appeal. Still, I can’t help but wonder how much these scandals even matter anymore. This is all very bad for my optimistic take on the imminent return of decency.”
Reader Survey:
Tuesday, June 2.
The Trump Accounts launch. On Thursday, May 28, the Trump administration launched its app for Trump Accounts, tax-advantaged investment accounts for children born between 2025 and 2028 the government will seed with $1,000 in an effort to support long-term financial stability for future U.S. adults. While the accounts won’t be funded until at least July 4, when the program officially launches, parents of eligible children can now open accounts through the Internal Revenue Service.
Our take: “Trump Accounts are as close to a straightforward win as government programs can get. They address a bipartisan interest, are being rolled out cleanly, and could provide tremendous upside. Accessibility for lower-income families will be a concern, but I’m glad the government is taking a big swing at a big problem.”
Reader Survey:
Wednesday, June 3.
Bill Pulte as acting DNI. On Tuesday, May 26, President Donald Trump announced that he is naming housing official Bill Pulte to serve as acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) once Tulsi Gabbard steps down as director at the end of the month. Pulte is currently the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), an independent agency regulating federal mortgages, where he oversees Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks. Gabbard is resigning to support her husband during his battle with a rare form of bone cancer, and the White House has not advanced a nominee to serve as Gabbard’s permanent replacement.
Our take: “President Trump has done away with any pretense that he weighs merit over loyalty. Pulte’s qualifications are nonexistent, and he’s obviously being elevated to advance the president’s grievances. His impending tenure as DNI brings both national security and institutional risks.”
Reader Survey:
Thursday, June 4.
The California primaries. On Tuesday, May 26, California held its primary elections, headlined by the gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral races. With 70% of the votes counted in the gubernatorial primary, former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra (D) will advance to the general election with 27.0% of the vote; conservative commentator Steve Hilton (R) is currently in second with 26.1%. Businessman Tom Steyer (D) is third with 21.3%. Separately, with 78% of the votes counted in the Los Angeles mayoral primary, Mayor Karen Bass (D) leads all candidates with 34.8% and will advance to the general election. Former reality television star Spencer Pratt (I) has earned 27.3%, and City Councilmember Nithya Raman (D) is third with 26.2%; the race for the second spot in the runoff is still too close to call.
Our take: “The report is about as bad as it’s being portrayed. Its greatest failure is an unwillingness to draw firm, actionable conclusions. Democrats want to move on from 2024, but this saga shows their organizational challenges remain prevalent.”
Reader Survey:
Friday, June 5.
This week, Tangle’s very own Head of Product Candida Hall makes her full-length editorial debut. Drawing on her real-life experiences in Appalachian cities and pulling a wealth of data from around the country, Candida examines how cities that suffered economic or popular downturns can bounce back and revitalize. You can read her piece here.
Some good news.
College graduate unemployment has been on the rise. In 2025, the unemployment rate for workers under 29 rose to 3.7%, up from 3.1% in 2019. While AI may be reducing the need for some entry level tasks, the rise of remote work may also be making employers less willing to hire and train younger workers. The Federal Reserve puts less emphasis on the bots and more on workplace shifts, saying younger employees are missing out on impromptu in-person conversations and opportunities for spontaneous learning.
Lurking in that theory is also some good news: Employers are looking to hire more young employees for in-person work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings jumped by 731,000 in April, reaching their highest level in nearly two years. So while landing that first job may still require dozens of applications and at least one awkward networking event, there’s growing evidence that graduates may be able to find their next career — in person. The Daily Upside has the story.
This story was brought to us by our at The Daily Upside. For more surprising stories from the worlds of business and finance, check them out here.Just like Tangle, sign-up is free.
What just happened.
Here’s a rundown of the major stories that have broken since our newsletter on Thursday.
On Thursday, the militant group Hezbollah rejected a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese government, saying it refused to comply with a provision that the group’s fighters leave southern Lebanon. (The rejection)
On Thursday, the Labor Department reported that applications for unemployment benefits hit a four-month high in the final week of May, increasing from 13,000 to 225,000. (The report)
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Securities and Exchange Commission can recover profits from people and firms found to have violated federal securities laws without needing to prove investor harm. (The ruling)
On Friday, the Senate voted 52–47 to advance a measure providing approximately $70 billion for immigration enforcement agencies through the end of President Trump’s term. The bill includes $38.6 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, $22.6 billion for Customs and Border Patrol, and $5 billion for the Department of Homeland Security. The bill now moves to the House. (The vote)
On Friday, the Pentagon reportedly raised the counterintelligence threat level from Israel to the highest level, following growing tensions between the U.S. and Israel regarding the ongoing war in Iran. (The threat level)
On Saturday, the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire, with the U.S. intercepting six Iranian missiles and striking two radar sites. (The strikes)
Reader essay.
“I’m speaking — but is anyone listening?” | Photo from Meagan Fischer
Tangle reader Meagan Fischer remembers what it was like to be involved in local activism at the height of “cancel culture.” In this week’s reader essay, she reflects on her experiences navigating environments where ideological purity and real-world needs clashed, and she discusses her path toward building bridges.
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