Trump already making excuses for Feenstra endorsement

By Laura Belin | June 11, 2026
President Donald Trump now says he wasn’t “given the proper information” before he endorsed U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra for governor, days before Iowa’s primary election. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on June 11, Trump bragged about his “amazing track record” in GOP primaries, claiming, “Every time I endorse, they win.” A journalist followed up to ask whether the…Read More

The World Cup has a Trump problem

By Cameron Peters | June 8, 2026
Donald Trump at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 5, 2025. | Dan Mullan/Getty Images This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: The World…Read More

Trump Takes Cornyn's Scalp In Texas — And Terrifies Senate Republicans

By Adam Lynch | May 27, 2026
President Donald Trump’s 11th hour endorsement against incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn seems to have paid off in Texas, as Trump’s champion Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton swamped Cornyn in the Senate primary, according to CNN and MS NOW projections. Cornyn conceded the election later that evening.Trump routinely targets Republicans he finds too independent by fielding or supporting more Trumpy…Read More

Somehow, the Antichrist returned

By Christian Paz | May 26, 2026
A religious sign held up above fans outside of the stadium before a football game between Penn State and University of Michigan on October 19, 2019, in University Park, Pennsylvania. | Brett Carlsen/Getty Images In case you didn’t notice, the Antichrist is back. All right, forgive the hyperbole — this biblical agent of Satan hasn’t actually returned to lead a…Read More

As Midterm Polls Signal Blue Tsunami, GOP Is Frantically Waving The Flag

By Markos Moulitsas | May 20, 2026
The latest New York Times/Siena University poll has devastating news for the GOP ahead of this year’s midterm elections.In addition to a record-low approval rating of 37 percent for President Donald Trump, the generic congressional ballot had Democrats up by 10 percentage points, which jumped to a staggering 14 points among voters most likely to cast ballots.Republicans can’t quit Trump.…Read More

Chuck Grassley’s revealing, unscripted moment

By Laura Belin | May 3, 2026
Iowa’s longest-serving member of Congress forgot that every mic is potentially a hot mic. What Senator Chuck Grassley blurted out during a Judiciary Committee hearing this week highlighted an unwritten rule for Republicans: they must humor President Donald Trump’s lies and delusions. “What would be wrong if they said Biden won?” For those who haven’t seen the viral moment from…Read More

The best witness against Trump? The president of the U.S.

By Herb Strentz | April 7, 2026
Herb Strentz was dean of the Drake School of Journalism from 1975 to 1988 and professor there until retirement in 2004. He was executive secretary of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council from its founding in 1976 to 2000. A contrast between President Harry Truman and our would-be King Donald Trump is relevant and overdue because of the need to…Read More

Operation Enduring Stereotype

By Jeb Lund | April 2, 2026
There isn’t much to hand George W. Bush, but he did peg Trumpism better and earlier than most of the Beltway when his immediate response to Trump’s first inaugural speech was allegedly, “That was some weird shit.” Last night, we got the horrifying shit. The nicest thing you could say about Trump’s address on the Iran War is that it…Read More