Federal prosecutors admitted that they don’t have evidence to prove the Reflecting Pool was vandalized by the former Olympian David Hearn—undermining everything that Trump has been saying about the pool’s damage, @mviser.bsky.social reports.

How the Reflecting Pool Vandalism Case Fell Apart

Federal prosecutors searched for evidence and found that “a botched installation” was to blame.

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“It’s one thing for Trump to have a personal fascination with one of the world’s most expensive metals. It’s another for the president to flaunt it at a time when many Americans are struggling to pay rent, losing their health insurance, and seeing high prices at the gas pump.” @mviser.bsky.social

Let Them Eat Gold

Taxpayers are now financing President Trump’s love of anything gilded.

theatlantic.com

They are gold. Very, very gold. It’s as if, on the walk between Arlington National Cemetery and the National Mall, you’d suddenly stumbled upon a P. F. Chang’s. My look at the latest emblem of Trump’s glitzy, gaudy remake of Washington. Let Them Eat Gold: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Let Them Eat Gold

Taxpayers are now financing President Trump’s love of anything gilded.

theatlantic.com

Federal prosecutors admitted that they don’t have evidence to prove the Reflecting Pool was vandalized by the former Olympian David Hearn—undermining everything that Trump has been saying about the pool’s damage, @mviser.bsky.social reports. theatln.tc/ulFfeetG 📸: Tom Brenner / Getty

David Hearn, who once carried the Olympic torch for his country, said he now worries he’s being targeted by his government. @mviser.bsky.social tells the story of a man accused of damaging the Reflecting Pool.

The Canoeist Accused of Destroying the Reflecting Pool

The Olympian has become the latest emblem of possible prosecutorial overreach.

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Federal prosecutors admitted that they don’t have evidence to prove the Reflecting Pool was vandalized by the former Olympian David Hearn—undermining everything that Trump has been saying about the pool’s damage, @mviser.bsky.social reports.

How the Reflecting Pool Vandalism Case Fell Apart

Federal prosecutors searched for evidence and found that “a botched installation” was to blame.

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For the nation’s 200th birthday, Washington built a metro system, museums, and congressional reflecting pool. For the 250th, it’s filled with fences, tarps, algae, and brown grass. A look at the mess that is DC: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Trump has transformed D.C. into a dirty construction site, @mviser.bsky.social reports. He explores what awaits those who come to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

The Capital Is a Mess

Chain-link fences, construction cranes, armed guards, and portable toilets everywhere

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NEW: As the nation marks 250 years, the capital city is an absolute mess. Construction cranes. Mounds of dirt. Fencing and tarps. Military patrols. Brown grass and green algae. Happy birthday, America. One Nation, Under Construction. My latest: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

The Capital Is a Mess

Chain-link fences, construction cranes, armed guards, and portable toilets everywhere

theatlantic.com

At the start of the World Cup, I began trying to see if each day I could have a meal in honor of one of the countries playing that day. As Europeans like @FreddyLA7 discovered Waffle House, I wanted to discover my own country in a new way. At 17 meals down and 17 to go, a recap…

Fatigue green? American-flag blue? A Rothko masterpiece? A deep dive on the algae in the Reflecting Pool, following a project that cost taxpayers at least $16.4 million but may have made the problem worse. And now it’s become a high-profile science lesson: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

What Color Is the Reflecting Pool? An Investigation.

President Trump wanted an American-flag-blue Reflecting Pool. Instead, he got a swamp.

theatlantic.com

J.D. Vance is pushing a view of AI that is part Silicon Valley, part MAGA, @vmsalama reports: www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

J. D. Vance’s AI Doctrine

The vice president is making a case that is part Silicon Valley, part MAGA.

theatlantic.com

Donald Trump has a new nemesis, with a name worthy of a supervillain, @mviser.bsky.social writes. He reports on what he learned after scientists tested samples of the algae that’s infested the Reflecting Pool:

Tests of the Reflecting Pool Turn Up a Surprise

Eforts to clean the pool might be making the problem worse.

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NEW: Donald Trump has a new nemesis, with a name worthy of a supervillain: Scenedesmus. We gathered samples of the Reflecting Pool and had them tested. They seem to have killed off one algae, but created conditions for another to flourish. My latest: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Tests of the Reflecting Pool Turn Up a Surprise

Eforts to clean the pool might be making the problem worse.

theatlantic.com

🦎 Fatigue green? American-flag blue? A Rothko masterpiece? @mviser.bsky.social goes deep on the algae in the Reflecting Pool, following a project that cost taxpayers at least $16.4 million but… may have made the problem worse. 🦎 www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

It’s Not Easy Being Green

President Trump wanted an American-flag-blue Reflecting Pool. Instead, he got a swamp.

theatlantic.com

A nation launched on grand dreams about democracy is celebrating its semiquincentennial by watching to see whether we can clean water in a century-old concrete pool. A stone-faced Abraham Lincoln is looking on. It’s Not Easy Being Green. My latest: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

It’s Not Easy Being Green

President Trump wanted an American-flag-blue Reflecting Pool. Instead, he got a swamp.

theatlantic.com

A look at Donald Trump the soccer player (a decent defender, his teammates recall), the soccer dad (not much of one, having not gone to Barron’s games) the soccer fan (claims Pele is his favorite) and the soccer host (of a World Cup plagued by problems) www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Trump Once Played Soccer

Yes, it’s true. He really did.

theatlantic.com

In high school, Donald Trump made a soccer team filled with South Americans. Latin music filled the team bus. Pregame chants were in Spanish: “Nosotros! Nosotros!” “That guy had an abundance of testosterone, that’s for sure” one teammate said. My latest: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Trump Once Played Soccer

Yes, it’s true. He really did.

theatlantic.com

More than six decades after huddling with his Spanish-speaking teammates to chant “¡Nosotros! ¡Nosotros! Rah, rah, rah!” as a high-school senior on the varsity soccer team, President Trump is now hosting a World Cup plagued by problems, reports @mviser.bsky.social.

Trump Once Played Soccer

Yes, it’s true. He really did.

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White House fortifications are growing in tandem with the threat of political violence—and the adjustments are deepening the divide between the president and the public, @mviser.bsky.social reports:

The White House Is the New Green Zone

Fortifications are growing in tandem with the threat of political violence.

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NEW: The White House is the New Green Zone Fortifications are growing with the threat of political violence. Trump is using it to make the case for a new ballroom (with a drone base atop it). And what it means when our leaders are in a bunker. My latest: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

The White House Is the New Green Zone

Fortifications are growing in tandem with the threat of political violence.

theatlantic.com

Trump is hyperfixated on men’s physiques, loves calling people “handsome,” adores the Village People and Elton John and has a flair for gilded interiors. @AshleyRParker writes on the paradox of the president's appreciation for gay culture: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

The King of Queens

President Trump loves “handsome” men, especially the muscular ones.

theatlantic.com

“Has he been drugged?”: In a new memoir, a copy of which was obtained exclusively by The Atlantic, Jill Biden recounts her husband’s calamitous debate, and denies that he’d shown signs that may have foreshadowed his performance, @toluseo writes. www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

‘Has He Been Drugged?’

In a new memoir, Jill Biden recounts her husband’s calamitous debate night.

theatlantic.com

NEW: A rapid about-face from the Trump administration over sending troops to Poland could have consequences that go far beyond NATO’s force posture, @nancyayoussef + @isaacstanbecker + @shustry report: www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Why Would Europeans Believe Trump Now?

The administration keeps changing its mind on troop deployments.

theatlantic.com

It was something of a political hall of mirrors. To say it was an unusual pairing is an understatement. To claim it was Frost/Nison is an overstatement. The Sudden Chumminess of Hunter Biden and Candace Owens www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

What Is Hunter Biden Doing?

The former president’s son tearfully met with Candace Owens, who once called him a “degenerate.”

theatlantic.com

To say this was an unusual pairing is an understatement. To claim it was Frost/Nison is an overstatement. But it said something about modern-day culture My latest on Hunter Biden, Candace Owens, and what’s become something of a political hall of mirrors: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

What Is Hunter Biden Doing?

The former president’s son tearfully met with Candace Owens, who once called him a “degenerate.”

theatlantic.com

Candace Owens has called Hunter Biden a degenerate—so what was he doing spending nearly two hours finding common ground with the right-wing podcast host? @mviser.bsky.social reports:

The Sudden Chumminess of Hunter Biden and Candace Owens

The former president’s son tearfully met with the podcaster, who once called him a “degenerate.”

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From acting as a wedding DJ to mixing rap lyrics in the briefing room to an audience with the pope, no one in the Trump administration seems to be having more fun than Marco Rubio. And this week, a shadow GOP 2028 primary seemed to emerge. www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Is Marco Rubio the Happiest Cabinet Member?

While his colleagues deal with war and controversy, he’s laughing and talking in rap lyrics.

theatlantic.com

The FBI is said to have launched a criminal leak investigation focusing on the Atlantic staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick following her reporting on Kash Patel, @mviser.bsky.social writes; the FBI denies the report.

The FBI Is Reportedly Investigating a Leak to an Atlantic Writer

Sarah Fitzpatrick reported on concerns about Kash Patel’s drinking and behavior.

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