The Sunday — March 15

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.

Our latest Suspension of the Rules.

Monday, March 9.

The shakeup at DHS. On Thursday, March 5, President Donald Trump announced that he will reassign Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to replace her as secretary. The decision marks the first announced departure of a cabinet secretary in the second Trump administration. Noem will be reassigned to the new anti-drug-trafficking office position of special envoy for the Shield of the Americas.

Our take: “I’m very glad to see Congress function and both sides agree on ousting Noem. On paper, Markwayne Mullin doesn’t appear that much more qualified. Despite that, Mullin will likely be an improvement as DHS head.”

Reader Survey:

Tuesday, March 10.

The latest developments in Iran. Tuesday marked 11 days since the United States and Israel launched joint attacks against the Iranian government and security forces, with several significant developments over the weekend. On Sunday, March 8, Iran’s Assembly of Experts announced it had selected Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader. Separately, global oil prices have risen amid concerns about production and supply in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, has been effectively closed since the conflict began. Oil-producing Gulf states like Iraq, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates have cut production due to export limitations. On Saturday, March 7, Israel struck multiple Iranian fuel sites near Iran’s capital, Tehran, causing large explosions.

Our take: “U.S. actions in Iran are deeply embarrassing to me. Strikes against civilians and schoolchildren shouldn’t be acceptable. I understand the argument in favor of the war, but I don’t think we’re improving Iran or making ourselves safer.”

Reader Survey:

Wednesday, March 11.

The February jobs report. On Friday, March 6, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 92,000 in February and unemployment rose from 4.3% to 4.4%. Healthcare, along with leisure and hospitality, accounted for the majority of losses, though the BLS recorded losses in nine of the 14 sectors it tracks. The numbers fell short of economists’ expectations, raising concern about the stability of the labor market. 

Our take: “February’s report is bad, and it implies a poor economic outlook. However, some extenuating circumstances soften the blow and show a stronger economy than the report suggests. Overall, our economy is straining — but not on the verge of collapse.”

Reader Survey:

Thursday, March 12.

The Live Nation settlement. On Monday, March 9, Live Nation Entertainment Inc. reached a settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) a week into its antitrust trial. The government had argued that the company’s subsidiary Ticketmaster constituted an illegal monopoly over the ticketing industry. As conditions for the settlement, Ticketmaster agreed to provide a standalone ticketing system for third-party use, divest from exclusive arrangements with up to 13 amphitheaters, reserve 50% of tickets for nonexclusive venues, and cap ticketing service fees at 15% for events in amphitheaters it owns. 

Our take: “Live Nation has engaged in shady — if not illegal — practices, and this settlement will address some key harms. However, this case won’t resolve deeper issues with live events. Out-of-control ticket prices are ultimately a textbook case of supply and demand.”

Reader Survey:

Friday, March 13.

In 2017, “the end of the internet as we know it” seemed imminent. The Federal Communications Commission was preparing to vote on a rollback of net neutrality protections, and politicians, celebrities, free speech advocates, and millions of everyday people rallied together against the repeal effort. Despite the public uproar, net neutrality rules went away and haven’t been back since. So what happened to claims that the internet would be forever changed?

Senior Editor Will Kaback investigates here.

Further reading.

We’ve covered Trump’s cabinet, U.S. military intervention, the economy, and antitrust suits before. Plus, check out the first issue we covered in our “Whatever happened to” series. Take a look at our past coverage below:

• In November 2024, we wrote about Trump’s cabinet picks, including Kristi Noem for DHS secretary.
• In July 2021, Isaac wrote about U.S. military interventions that worked.
• In September 2024, we wrote our final edition about the economy under Biden.
• In October 2023, we covered antitrust lawsuits against Amazon and Google.
• In May 2025, Senior Editor Will Kaback kicked off the “Whatever happened to” series by asking (paywalled): Whatever happened to the baby formula shortage?

What just happened.

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

• On Thursday, a gunman drove his truck into a synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, then opened fire on the building. The suspect was killed by security guards, one of whom was injured, but no other deaths were reported. (The shooting) The suspect was a native of Lebanon, reportedly had four family members killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon last week, and allegedly had connections to Hezbollah. (The suspect)
• On Thursday, a gunman opened fire in an Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, killing one and injuring two. Authorities said students in the classroom subdued the gunman and killed him. The suspect is a former member of the Army National Guard who previously pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges, and the incident is being investigated as an act of terror. (The shooting)
• On Thursday, all but one Senate Democrat voted against a motion to advance a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has been partially shut down for approximately one month, denying the bill the 60 votes required to proceed. Democrats said they voted against the bill because it does not include reforms to immigration-enforcement agencies within DHS. (The vote) Separately, Transportation Security Administration workers missed their first full paycheck on Friday due to the ongoing shutdown. (The latest)
• On Friday, U.S. Central Command said that a crash involving an aerial refueling aircraft in Iraq killed all six U.S. service members on board the aircraft. The military is investigating the cause of the crash, but said it was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire. (The crash) 
• On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States is deploying the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, and its Marine expeditionary unit to the Middle East to support operations in the ongoing war with Iran. (The deployment)
• On Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at all major airports in the Washington, D.C. area following reports of a chemical smell. The stop was lifted on Saturday. (The stop)
• On Saturday, North Korea reportedly fired 10 ballistic missiles into the sea during joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea. (The missiles)

Reader essay.

In this week’s reader essay, three young lawyers — Christian Gray, Yinka Onayemi, and Frank Obermeyer — present their pitch to solve a political problem we’ve often portrayed in Tangle’s pages: End gerrymandering by using age-based voting blocs, not geographic districts.