The Sunday — September 14

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.

What the right is doodling.

Monday, September 8.

RFK Jr.’s Senate hearing. On Thursday, September 4, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before the Senate Finance Committee about his efforts to overhaul U.S. health agencies and change federal vaccine policy. The hearing was at times combative, as Senators asked Kennedy about the Trump administration’s firing of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez, subsequent resignations of other CDC leaders, and regulatory changes to Covid-19 vaccine access.

Our take: “Kennedy’s overhaul of health agencies has been disruptive, and his vaccine beliefs are now (rightly) center stage. Even with good reasons to criticize the CDC’s Covid-19 response and chronic health, Kennedy’s getting a lot wrong. RFK Jr. isn’t restoring trust in our institutions, he’s degrading it further.”

Reader Survey:

Tuesday, September 9.

The August jobs report. On Friday, September 5, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 22,000 in August, while the unemployment rate rose from 4.2% to 4.3%. The healthcare sector accounted for roughly 31,000 new jobs, but declining employment in the federal government, manufacturing, and professional services offset some of those gains; the BLS also revised June’s employment numbers down by 27,000 and July’s numbers up by 6,000. Separately, on Tuesday, September 9, the BLS reported that the U.S. added 911,000 fewer jobs between March 2024 and March 2025 than previously estimated, adding to concerns about the health of the job market. 

Our take: “The simplest story is that tariffs are starting to have adverse effects. Trump didn’t inherit a phenomenal economy, but it seems clear his policies are starting to hurt some of the sectors he is aiming to help. We can’t anticipate what happens next — which is part of the problem.”

Reader Survey:

Wednesday, September 10.

The Charlotte stabbing. On Friday, August 22, 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death on a light-rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina. Police arrested 34-year-old ex-convict Decarlos Brown Jr. as a suspect in Zarutska’s death and charged him with murder. On Tuesday, the Justice Department also charged Brown with a federal crime. On September 5, the Charlotte Area Transit System released surveillance video of the attack. The incident has sparked a national debate about public safety and criminal justice reform, as well as criticism from conservative commentators about media coverage of the attack.

Our take: “It’s not hard to see why this incident captured national attention, but I think the conversation is focused on the wrong thing. Isolating individuals like Brown is necessary but we can do better than prisons. For all the talk of cash bail policies, there is very little focus on the lack of other options for addressing people like Brown.”

Reader Survey:

Thursday, September 11.

Charlie Kirk’s assassination. On Wednesday, September 10, Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist and commentator, was shot and killed at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. According to university officials, Kirk had been speaking for about 20 minutes when a single shot rang out, appearing to strike him in the neck. Officials said they believe the shot was fired from a building about 200 yards away. On Friday, September 12, officials announced that the suspected shooter had been apprehended.

Our take: “Charlie Kirk was a human being. The incidents of political violence in America are many — they come from all sides — and the problem does not seem to be getting better. My take, my honest truth, is that I fear we’ve stepped into the abyss.”

Reader Survey:

Friday, September 12.

In this week’s Friday edition, Executive Editor Isaac Saul shared a personal essay about how, before becoming a parent, he feared experiencing the “anti-kid” American culture he’d often heard about. But once his son was born, he found that people are actually happy to love and support him, his wife, and his child — and that support has given him hope. You can read Isaac’s essay here.

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What just happened.

Here are a few stories that have broken since our last newsletter on Thursday.

• UPDATE: On Friday, authorities announced that they arrested a 22-year-old Utah man suspected of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The suspect was reportedly turned in by his family, who said he had been getting “increasingly political.” (The update)
• On Thursday, a panel of Brazilian Supreme Court justices sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison, which follows his conviction for attempting to carry out a coup to remain in office. (The sentence) 
• On Thursday, multiple historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) went into lockdown after receiving threats. The FBI said it was “aware of hoax threat calls” and was investigating. (The threats) Separately, on Thursday, the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C. received a bomb threat, which the United States Capitol Police determined was not credible. (The threat)
• On Thursday, Nadine Menendez, the wife of former Sen. Bob Menendez (D), was sentenced to more than four years in prison for her role in a corruption scheme. Sen. Menendez was also convicted in the scheme and is currently serving an 11-year sentence. (The sentence)
• On Friday, President Trump announced on Fox & Friends that he next plans to send the National Guard into Memphis, Tennessee, the city with the highest violent crime rate in the U.S. (The announcement)
• On Friday, Reuters published a report showing that Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, who the Trump administration accused of mortgage fraud, declared one of her properties as a “vacation home.” (The report)