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President Trump speaks to members of the press after exiting Air Force One on Nov. 9 at Joint Base Andrews, Md. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images President Trump says he is going to “make America affordable again.” It’s a pledge he made frequently during the campaign. And now, after dropping it from his lexicon for more than eight months, he’s saying it again as polls show voters rank the economy and cost of living as their top concern and blame Trump’s policies for making things worse. A senior administration official tells NPR Trump will soon…

In cities across America, a new generation of left-wing mayors is confronting the same dilemma: What do you do when you inherit institutions designed to crush left movements like those that carried you into office? Socialist campaigns promise to challenge the power of capital, but upon taking office, left executives find themselves constrained by police unions, business interests, and state politicians eager to appear tough on crime. Does anyone have a good plan to push back?In New York City, we’re about to find out—starting with the cops.In the run-up to his election as mayor, Zohran Mamdani said he would keep…

Good morning. You’re reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today’s top stories The House Oversight Committee yesterday released over 20,000 documents turned over to Congress from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. Among the documents were new emails from the convicted sex offender that mention President Trump, often expressing displeasure with him and his presidency. Democrats and Republicans have differing views on what the documents say about Epstein. A protester holds a sign related to the release of the Jeffrey Epstein case…

Politics / November 13, 2025 How Mamdani can make municipal solidarity more than a slogan. Ad Policy Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference at the Unisphere on November 5, 2025 in the Queens borough of New York City.(Alexi J. Rosenfeld / Getty Images) As the dust settles on New York City’s mayoral election, the international impact of Zohran Mamdani’s victory has become clear: Mamdani didn’t just win a race; he redefined the meaning of local politics in a global city. New York City is not only the headquarters of international diplomacy, home to vibrant migrant communities, and a…

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise chat while on their way to talk with reporters after the vote to re-open the government on Nov. 12. Johnson sent members home after they voted on a continuing resolution to fund the government in mid-September. Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images/AFP hide caption toggle caption Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images/AFP After narrowly approving a stopgap funding bill to end the government shutdown last night, the House of Representatives adjourned for the remainder of the week – marking one full day in session after being out for 54…

Politics / November 13, 2025 And Republicans are running scared. Ad Policy Representative Adelita Grijalva, Democrat of Arizona, was sworn in by House Speaker Mike Johnson seven weeks after her election.(Andrew Harnik / Getty Images) After waiting 50 days to be sworn in as an Arizona Congress member, Representative Adelita Grijalva wasted no time playing nice with GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson. Asked by a reporter why there was such a long wait after her special election (to fill her late father Raul Grijalva’s seat), she smiled demurely, said, “It’s not my question”—and pointed to Johnson. “Look, I really like…

A flight takes off from Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., on Tuesday, with the U.S. Capitol in view. The federal government reopened Wednesday, but some of the impacts will be felt longer. Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is officially over after President Trump signed a bill passed by Congress on Wednesday night. The federal government is reopening. But after 43 days on pause, things may not return to business as usual right away. For instance, federal workers are still awaiting backpay and…

Cultural Contradictions / November 13, 2025 After fumbling the cause of DC statehood, Democrats now appear helpless as Trump sends troops into the city. Ad Policy Thousands of demonstrators march during the “We Are All DC” March in September 2025 in Washington, DC.(Mehmet Eser /Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images) This article appears in the December 2025 issue, with the headline “Capital Punishment.” As the seat of national government, Washington, DC, tends to experience whatever the United States as a whole is experiencing, but in sharper relief. Its health tells us a lot about the nation’s health—and right now, both…

A person shops for produce, which is covered by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), at a grocery store Monday in Baltimore. Stephanie Scarbrough/AP hide caption toggle caption Stephanie Scarbrough/AP The end of the nation’s longest government shutdown means food assistance for 42 million Americans should soon be restored after a nearly two week halt. But suspending funding to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, may have long-lasting impacts, say some experts and those who depend on the program to feed their families.    Jacqueline Giammona, a single working mom of two boys, relies on SNAP for…

Dean Fuleihan is absolutely confident that Zohran Mamdani can deliver on the ambitious agenda—addressing everything from transportation to rent stabilization and childcare—that inspired New Yorkers to give the mayor-elect a mandate to run the nation’s largest city. And when Fuleihan, Mamdani’s pick to serve in the powerful position of first deputy mayor, speaks, it pays to listen. He’s one of the most experienced hands in New York City and state government. After decades of service as the “budget guru” for Democrats in the New York State Legislature, he worked as director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Management…