Aman Batheja

Screenshot of JD Vance's last two posts on Twitter/X

Save for a single retweet of Trump over the weekend, JD Vance hasn't posted on X since Thursday.

Conditions at ICE Facility for Families Should Be National Scandal, Says Congressman As ICE rushes to turn warehouses into detention centers, Joaquin Castro wants to close one meant for families

“A family inside the detention center alleged to Castro that their daughter was sexually assaulted in the facility. Castro said he and his staff are working with the Dilley police and have forwarded the allegations to the Department of Justice.”

time.com/7380925/ice-...

Waymo blocks ambulance responding to Austin mass shooting The incident raises questions about whether the cars are equipped to operate near emergency situations.

www.axios.com/local/austin...

Playbook The unofficial guide to official Washington, every morning and weekday afternoons.

Playbook: “No administration officials were put up for interviews on the Sunday shows. And the Pentagon ‘has held no briefings nearly 36 hours after the U.S. military strikes…bucking a practice of doing so after attacks that goes back to the Vietnam War.’”

Iranians Recount the First Day of War, and Death of Khamenei “The worry that the regime might not fall even after his death keeps me from being fully happy,’ said Hassan, from Tehran

“In [Tehran], many residents heard their cell phone ping, and turned to find the same message had arrived as an SMS: go calmly, it advised, but go.”

“Iranians interviewed by TIME say they knew the next phase of battle would be for the streets.”

Why Attack Iran Now? Key Trump Aides Blame Iranian ‘Games, Tricks and Stall Tactics’ Trump feared Iran might strike first and that nuclear talks had become fruitless, say three senior Trump officials.

“The explanations from Administration officials come as critics have accused Trump of exaggerating the imminent threat from Iran and being in search of an excuse to attack the country and pursue regime change.”

time.com/7381896/trum...

Lindsey Graham on Meet the Press: “I don't know if this is technically a war…The goal of this operation is to change the threat, not the regime. When this operation's over, no matter who takes over in Iran, they will not have ballistic missiles to hurt us, Israel, or the region.”

Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader Who Built a De Facto Military Dictatorship, Killed in U.S.-Israeli Strikes For 36 years he fused theology and force, empowering the Revolutionary Guards and steering Iran into confrontation abroad and repression at home.

“The Islamic Republic had been founded by his mentor, Ruhollah Khomeini, the grand ayatollah who…replaced a monarchy with a theocracy. But it was Khamenei who ruled for three-quarters of the Republic’s existence, transforming it into a de facto military dictatorship.”

Excellent Khamenei obituary:

Why Attack Iran Now? Key Trump Aides Blame Iranian ‘Games, Tricks and Stall Tactics’ Trump feared Iran might strike first and that nuclear talks had become fruitless, say three senior Trump officials.

Why did Trump attack Iran now?
time.com/7381896/trum...

How the World Is Reacting to the Attack on Iran World leaders reacted to Saturday's attack on Iran with a mixture of support, condemnation, and calls for restraint.

How world leaders are responding:

"Russia and China released statements in support of Iran, while Canada, Australia and Ukraine were among those who expressed support for the U.S. and Israel. "

"Several world leaders urged restraint and de-escalation on both sides"

Why So Many Politicians Are Talking About World War III On the left, the right, and even within the White House, warning of World War III has become a useful rhetorical tool. Historians say it's not an apt comparison for the current moment

Nov. 2023: "Not too long ago, some Americans feared an inexperienced and mercurial President Donald Trump would start World War III. Now, he’s basing his comeback bid on avoiding it."

"On the campaign trail, he’s boasted that he’s the “only one that will prevent World War III."

U.S and Israel Launch Strikes Against Iran Trump said the campaign, which would be 'massive and ongoing', is aimed at bringing about a change in Iran's leadership

Trump’s message to Iranian activists: “Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take…This will be, probably, your only chance for generations.”

U.S. launches 'major combat operations' in Iran, Trump says On Saturday Donald Trump announced the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran with strikes designed to prevent nuclear weapons and help Iranians.

“This is the eighth military intervention of Trump’s second term in office”

Kamala Harris records robocall for Jasmine Crockett The call gives Crockett a jolt of support from one of her party’s biggest stars in the home stretch of her Senate Democratic primary against state Rep. James Talarico.

Kamala Harris has recorded a robocall for Jasmine Crockett, with days to go before the Texas primary.

“Jasmine has the experience and record to hold Donald Trump and his billionaire cronies accountable,” Harris says in the call.

'The Pitt's' Rape Kit Storyline is Quietly Revolutionary The show’s real-time storytelling gives viewers a startling look at a process rarely captured on TV.

One thing I appreciate about The Pitt is its thoughtfulness in using the real-time format to reframe the tropes of the medical drama. The past two episodes' painstaking account of a sexual assault exam is a remarkable example.

Inside James Talarico's Bid to Flip Texas Talarico is in a fierce primary for Senate against Jasmine Crockett. He spoke to TIME between campaign stops in an area Trump won by 40 points

Inside James Talarico's bid to flip Texas.

The prospect of Talarico winning Tuesday's primary over Jasmine Crockett has Republicans in Washington worried.

"One GOP lawmaker keeping a close eye on the midterm map summed up his view in five words: 'She can’t win. He can.'"

Talarico is leaning into that idea of inclusion, hard. “This campaign is rooted in a fierce aggressive kind of love because in my experience, when you extend an open hand rather than a closed fist, you'll be surprised by who takes that hand,” he says. “If you hate politics and you've never voted before, you have a place in this campaign. If you have voted for Democrats but you're tired of Democrats always folding, you have a place in this campaign. And if you voted for Donald Trump, but you are fed up with the extremism and the corruption in our government, you also have a place in this campaign,” he says at his Lubbock rally.

Talarico is pushing hard to build a big-tent coalition.
time.com/7381394/jame...

Inside James Talarico's Bid to Flip Texas Talarico is in a fierce primary for Senate against Jasmine Crockett. He spoke to TIME between campaign stops in an area Trump won by 40 points

Inside James Talarico's bid to flip Texas.

The prospect of Talarico winning Tuesday's primary over Jasmine Crockett has Republicans in Washington worried.

"One GOP lawmaker keeping a close eye on the midterm map summed up his view in five words: 'She can’t win. He can.'"

Manhattan DA drops assault charge in Washington Square Park snowball fight Influencer Gusmane Coulibaly now faces a misdemeanor count of obstructing government administration and a harassment violation, not assault, in the viral park incident.

Washington Square Park Snowball Fight sounds like a Vampire Weekend deep cut

Inside James Talarico's Bid to Flip Texas Talarico is in a fierce primary for Senate against Jasmine Crockett. He spoke to TIME between campaign stops in an area Trump won by 40 points

Jasmine Crockett’s strategy is to flip Texas by boosting Black turnout “may deliver success in a Democratic primary, but longtime Texas political observers see it as a recipe for disaster in a head-to-head against the eventual GOP nominee. The math simply doesn’t math.”

Thomas Massie Is Testing Whether a Trump Nemesis Can Win a Republican Primary Thomas Massie has never been more influential, taking down foreign leaders with the Epstein files. But his independence from Trump could hurt him at home. “I'd call him a Judas,” his primary challenge...

“I want to tell y’all something about President Trump: He looks 20 years younger in person. I don’t know what the heck is going on with them cameras. I don’t know if the Chinese or somebody is doing something behind the scenes.”

--Ed Gallrein, Thomas Massie's primary challenger

Al Green Ejected From State of the Union, Held 'Black People Aren't Apes' Sign Green shouted at Trump as Republicans jeered, some attempting to pull the sign from his hands

"Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar...shouted, 'You killed Americans!'...Later, they shouted at Trump to release [the Epstein files].
"Trump pointed toward the Democratic side of the chamber and responded: 'These people are crazy"'..as Republicans applauded and most Democrats sat stone-faced."

Trump’s State of the Union Struggled to Land its Points Trump struggled to find a coherent message or tone, and spent much of the speech attacking and sneering at Democrats

"As Trump was finishing his speech, Democratic candidates in three more special elections won in Pennsylvania and Maine."
time.com/7381021/trum...

Al Green Ejected From State of the Union, Held 'Black People Aren't Apes' Sign Green shouted at Trump as Republicans jeered, some attempting to pull the sign from his hands

"Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar...shouted, 'You killed Americans!'...Later, they shouted at Trump to release [the Epstein files].
"Trump pointed toward the Democratic side of the chamber and responded: 'These people are crazy"'..as Republicans applauded and most Democrats sat stone-faced."

The same four Justices who attended the last State of the Union are the ones in attendance tonight: Roberts, Kagan, Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett

This story is absolutely going to be a TV show or movie.

A married couple is running for the same local office from different parties. The Republican incumbent thinks it’s a plot to get rid of him.

Anthropic Drops Flagship Safety Pledge In an abrupt shift, the company may release future AI models without safety guarantees

“Anthropic, the wildly successful AI company that has cast itself as the most safety-conscious of the top research labs, is dropping the central pledge of its flagship safety policy, company officials tell TIME.”
Via @billyperrigo.bsky.social

Tourists Stranded in Mexico After Cartel Violence Erupts The violence in Puerto Vallarta followed a military crackdown on a drug cartel network and the killing of its leader known as "El Mencho."

The scene in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: "From his hotel room, a Canadian traveler staying close to the city’s port watched the chaos unfold below. He had been preparing to leave for the airport when the first car exploded outside the lobby."

Trump to Deliver State of the Union Amid Low Polls and Deep Divisions When Trump last addressed Congress, his approval rating was near a career high. Now it's near record lows.

“When Trump last addressed Congress in March 2025, his approval rating was near a career high. Now, it’s near record lows”

“He is expected to frame the address as both a defense of his first year and a campaign-style rallying cry…He may once again blame his Joe Biden for lingering economic pain”

The Democrats' Blue-Collar Brigade How the party is trying to rebrand by turning to tough guys

"If 2018 was the Democrats’ year of the woman, 2026 may be the year of the tatted-up tough guy."

time.com/7379790/demo...