Zelensky needs help from Elon Musk to get through the coming winter—but that agreement may hinge on Donald Trump’s willingness to make the call to his billionaire friend, officials tell Simon Shuster, Missy Ryan, and @jonlemire.bsky.social. theatln.tc/U8o0VgOB

NEW - EXCLUSIVE: Zelensky’s plan for Ukraine to survive winter involves Starlink access in Russia so drones can hit key targets there Elon Musk hasn’t agreed. This week, Zelensky asked Trump to intervene Trump was noncommittal. And the plan is in doubt www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Zelensky Asked Trump for a Favor From Elon Musk

Ukraine wants to start using Musk’s Starlink to target ballistic-missile launchers inside Russia.

theatlantic.com

“Trump’s grievances were met mostly with silence. Some of the president’s allies have begun to privately wonder how he might handle a new, reduced status. No one suspects that he’ll take it well” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Trump Crashes Into Reality

The president is learning that limits to his power—and, soon, his relevancy—do exist.

theatlantic.com

@jonlemire.bsky.social talks about the latest national political news, including on Trump, Netanyahu, Zelensky and the midterms. Listen: wnyc.org/browse/shows...

Tuesday Morning Politics: Trump, Netanyahu, Zelensky and the Midterms | WNYC

Jonathan Lemire talks about the latest national political news.

wnyc.org

NEW: President Trump has finally crashed into the limits of his power He can’t escape the Iran war. Republicans have begun to defy him And as the midterms approach, he will soon face his worst fear: His coming irrelevance www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Trump Crashes Into Reality

The president is learning that limits to his power—and, soon, his relevancy—do exist.

theatlantic.com

Mullin picked up the nickname “Kung Fu Plumber” in influential MAGA text chains (He owns a plumbing-and-HVAC business and is a former mixed-martial-arts fighter) Key voices in Trump’s orbit attacked Mullin as “soft” and an “appeaser” of ICE opponents www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Inside Trump’s Reversal on ICE

Attacks from immigration hard-liners had the president worried about looking weak.

theatlantic.com

NEW: Inside Trump’s reversal on ICE traffic stops The president received an onslaught of pressure from MAGA base and did not want to appear weak And there is scrutiny on Secretary Mullin, who the West Wing says ordered the pause without telling Trump www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Inside Trump’s Reversal on ICE

Attacks from immigration hard-liners had the president worried about looking weak.

theatlantic.com

NEW: Lindsey Graham’s sudden death rattled both ends of Pennsylvania Ave He and Trump had a tumultuous relationship but had grown close - and Graham’s passing leaves the White House without a reliable Senate ally, upending the months ahead www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Trump Loses His Wingman

Lindsey Graham’s sudden death leaves a void that the White House can’t afford

theatlantic.com

NEW: Some halftime reading! The America 250 celebration did not unify the nation: too political, too Trumpy But there’s a surprising source of patriotism: the World Cup - and how the rest of the globe fell in love with America again (Now get a goal!) www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

The Other Celebration of America

The World Cup has provided the unity that was lacking from the official 250th celebrations.

theatlantic.com

“Trump continued to waffle as to what could be next—even suggesting a new bombing campaign if Iran does not comply, a threat that few take seriously. His attempts at unpredictably were quite predictable, and Iran has proved itself to be anything but cowed” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

The Meltdown

One day that captures how Trump has gone from unpredictable to chaotic

theatlantic.com

NEW: The Meltdown Blowing up a bill signing. A shouting match with a GOP senator. A sparely attended rally. Iran tensions. NATO broadsides. And - oh, yes - that green reflecting pool One day that captures how Trump has gone from unpredictable to chaotic: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

The Meltdown

One day that captures how Trump has gone from unpredictable to chaotic

theatlantic.com

“Trump’s evolution into a lame duck is accelerating, and the world will soon focus on the 2028 contenders hoping to replace him “World leaders, once cowed, have begun to defy him. Trump’s defeat in Iran, and the way he lost, may hasten his irrelevance” www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Trump in Defeat

The president went to war triumphant and will likely leave greatly weakened.

theatlantic.com

“Trump’s own anger masks a desperate desire to find an off-ramp from a conflict that did not go the way he had planned, an outcome that has threatened to leave the United States—and Trump—reduced in the eyes of the world” www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Trump in Defeat

The president went to war triumphant and will likely leave greatly weakened.

theatlantic.com

NEW: President Trump lost. The war he waged against Iran promises to conclude this week in a humbling whimper And the United States is now left weaker—diminished militarily, strategically, economically, and perhaps morally www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Trump in Defeat

The president went to war triumphant and will likely leave greatly weakened.

theatlantic.com

“Why, you might sensibly ask, is a soccer organization giving out such awards? Trump didn’t seem to care, beaming as he wore the new medal —and further celebrated peace by commissioning a military operation in Venezuela, and then launching a war on Iran” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

The World Cup of Ugh

Why isn’t this more fun?

theatlantic.com

NEW: The World Cup of Ugh What was supposed to be a joyful American summer is clouded with angst and dread. High ticket prices. Slumping demand. Travel bans. ICE agents. A war. And so much Trump Can it be saved? www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

The World Cup of Ugh

Why isn’t this more fun?

theatlantic.com

NEW: Forget the Forever Wars. We May Be in Forever Limbo An Iran deal has remained out of reach, despite repeated claims that it was all but done. Violence has again threatened the ceasefire. Trump is eager for a deal - but also desperate to save face www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Trump Dreads an Iran Deal Worse Than Obama’s

Talks have stalled in part because the president keeps aiming for a grand finale.

theatlantic.com

Trump purged Cornyn, Cassidy and Tillis from the GOP Senate Republicans in the upper chamber are furious. Their majority is in jeopardy And they are finding ways to quietly push back - looking to slow down Trump’s ballroom, January 6 slush fund & more www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Trump Might Already Be a Lame Duck

Victories for his candidates in GOP primaries could serve to hasten the president’s political decline.

theatlantic.com

NEW: President Trump has ousted dissenters from the Republican Party And may have accelerated his transformation into a lame duck Trump’s purge jeopardizes GOP control of the Senate - and may have unwittingly derailed his own agenda well before November www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Trump Might Already Be a Lame Duck

Victories for his candidates in GOP primaries could serve to hasten the president’s political decline.

theatlantic.com

“Trump has long been the master of asserting his own reality; he simply declares something a win, and his faithful supporters - and some in the conservative media - follow along “That approach is about to be tested anew by Iran” www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

No Way to Make a Deal

The agreement that Trump wants to strike with Iran keeps eluding him.

theatlantic.com

Trump’s instinct is always to go bigger, dressing up a setback with claims of larger deals on the horizon He latched on to the long-shot idea to expand the Abraham Accords to create the sense of a grand bargain But that outcome appears extremely unlikely www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

No Way to Make a Deal

The agreement that Trump wants to strike with Iran keeps eluding him.

theatlantic.com

NEW: The Iran peace deal was close. Again. And then didn’t happen. Again. President Trump has grown deeply frustrated with his inability to get Iran to fully capitulate and angry at those who have said the persistent stalemate has left him looking weak www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

No Way to Make a Deal

The agreement that Trump wants to strike with Iran keeps eluding him.

theatlantic.com

“Never known for his ability to self-censor, Trump seems to have completely abandoned any sort of filter, tossing out messages from one extreme (He’s glad that Robert Mueller is dead!) to the other (actually, Trump is Jesus and shall heal the sick)” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

A Different Kind of Fading President

Joe Biden became quieter, while Donald Trump grows even louder.

theatlantic.com

“But as Trump turns 80 next month, his recent behavior should prompt even more questions than usual about his stability, judgment, and mental sharpness” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

A Different Kind of Fading President

Joe Biden became quieter, while Donald Trump grows even louder.

theatlantic.com

Trump sits more for events now and sometimes, while in that chair, his eyes … begin … to … close. Trump’s aides have strenuously denied this. One recent retort: “He was blinking, you absolute moron” If true, this blink lasted for at least 10 seconds www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

A Different Kind of Fading President

Joe Biden became quieter, while Donald Trump grows even louder.

theatlantic.com

NEW: The Newest Oldest President Donald Trump has not faced the same scrutiny for his age as Joe Biden did. For now. But as Trump is poised to turn 80 next month, questions about his health and increasingly erratic behavior are growing www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

The Newest Oldest President

Donald Trump is turning 80. But will he face the scrutiny that Joe Biden did?

theatlantic.com

How do you end a war when your opponent won’t budge? While Trump grasps for an exit, Iran seems hell-bent on pulling off something it’s historically done well: Humiliating an American president www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Trump Is ‘Bored’ With the War He Started

He wants out, but Iran could likely keep going for months.

theatlantic.com

Trump is “bored” with the Iran war, an outside advisor told me It’s not going well and he is frantically looking for an off-ramp. But Iran could extend it for months It then becomes a matter of pain: Which side can withstand the most economic hardship? www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Trump Is ‘Bored’ With the War He Started

He wants out, but Iran could likely keep going for months.

theatlantic.com

NEW: President Trump is desperate for the Iran war to end Energy prices are up, his polls are down. Few U.S. military goals have been achieved Trump doesn’t want to resume hostilities so he keeps punting his deadlines - and Tehran is calling his bluff www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Trump Is ‘Bored’ With the War He Started

He wants out, but Iran could likely keep going for months.

theatlantic.com

On the day the Strait of Hormuz (briefly) reopened, Trump may have inadvertently offered a preview of its future: In a post, he called it the “Strait of Iran” It’s clear: no matter when the war ends, Iran will have far more control over the key waterway www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

The Iran War’s Ramifications Have Only Just Begun

U.S. goals haven’t been met, but the war will cause long-term disruptions.

theatlantic.com