As part of our work at Tangle, we solicit reader questions about politics and our work every day in our newsletter. And every few months, so many interesting questions we want to answer pile up that we decide to tackle a bunch of them at once in a members-only reader mailbag. Today is one of those days. 

We think these mailbags are a healthy exercise that not only helps us cycle through our stack of questions, but also allows us to critically examine some of our own writing and provide readers with more perspectives that help us fulfill our core mission.  

As always, a hearty thank you to the many readers and listeners who write in with thoughtful questions or raise challenging criticisms that help us improve. We hope you enjoy today’s mailbag!

Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!

You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. 

Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by Isaac Saul, Ari Weitzman, Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Hunter Casperson, Audrey Moorehead and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, 59 South Africans arrived in the United States as refugees, the first group to be granted the designation under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in February. The refugees are Afrikaners, a South African minority group descended primarily from Dutch settlers who arrived in South Africa during the 17th century. President Trump said the group has been the victim of racially discriminatory policies that have led to disproportionate violence, which he equated to genocide. The South African government rejects this accusation.

Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!

You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.

Take the survey: What do you think of Isaac’s take today? What topic should we cover next? Let us know!

Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.

You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. 

Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at lowering prescription drug prices for U.S. citizens by establishing “most-favored-nation pricing.” The order directs the secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to facilitate price targets for pharmaceutical companies, tying their prices to what consumers pay in other countries. “We’ve been subsidizing other countries throughout the world,” Trump said at a White House signing ceremony on Monday, adding that “some prescription drug and pharmaceutical prices will be reduced almost immediately by 50 to 80 to 90%.”

Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!

You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.

Take the survey: What do you think of Isaac’s take today? Let us know!

Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.

You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. 

Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Sunday, ABC News reported that the Trump administration was preparing to accept a Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from Qatar’s royal family. Under the arrangement, President Donald Trump would use the plane as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office, at which point it will be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library foundation. The report comes as the president embarks on a trip to the Middle East — the first major foreign trip of his second term — though White House officials said Trump would not be presented or gifted with the plane while in Qatar. 

Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!

You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.

Take the survey: What do you think of Isaac’s take today? Let us know!

Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.

You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. 

Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Friday, federal officers arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) for trespassing at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in New Jersey. The mayor was protesting at the facility when, according to Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba, he “ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself.” Baraka was later formally charged and released from custody; he denies any wrongdoing. 

Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!

You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.

Take the survey: What do you think of Isaac’s take today? Let us know!

Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.

You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. 

Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's Sunday podcast, Isaac and Ari discuss the recent election of a new Pope, and find a new nickname for Ari. They also talk about the criticism surrounding their review of Trump's presidency, addressing concerns about the adequacy of their analysis in light of the current political climate. The conversation highlights the challenges of providing objective political commentary while acknowledging the emotional stakes involved for listeners. They discuss the challenges of uniting a divided nation, critique the coverage of political events, and reflect on Biden's comments regarding Kamala Harris's campaign. Then they play a game about recent UN members. And, last but not least, a shared gripe for the Airing of Grievances.

By the way: If you are not yet a podcast member, and you want to upgrade your newsletter subscription plan to include a podcast membership (which gets you ad-free podcasts, Friday editions, The Sunday podcast, bonus content), you can do that here. That page is a good resource for managing your Tangle subscription (just make sure you are logged in on the website!)

Ad-free podcasts are here!

Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up! You can also give the gift of a Tangle podcast subscription by clicking here.

You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. 

Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was hosted by Ari Weitzman and Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75 and Jon Lall. 

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At Tangle, we’ve recently been reflecting on our coverage from the past five years, identifying stories that we covered once or twice, thought could reshape our lives, and then… they didn’t. And we’re asking: What happened to that story? 

So today, we’re trying to figure out how one story in particular has panned out. The topic should be familiar to most: the 2022 baby formula shortage. As we’ll get into below, the story combined pandemic-era challenges with existing supply chain issues (and a bit of bad luck), raising fears that millions of infants across the U.S. were facing a nutritional crisis. But did those concerns come to bear? And are the underlying issues actually resolved? 

This is a preview of today's special edition. Friday editions are normally available in full and ad-free for our premium podcast subscribers. If you'd like to complete this episode and receive Sunday editions, exclusive interviews, bonus content, and more, head over to ReadTangle.com and sign up for a membership.

Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up! You can also give the gift of a Tangle podcast subscription by clicking here.

You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. 

Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75 and Jon Lall.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Wednesday, the Indian government said it conducted several airstrikes in Pakistan-controlled territory. While India called the strikes a success, at least two of its military aircraft were reportedly lost in the operation. Pakistani military officials said at least 31 people were killed in the strikes or by artillery fire. 

Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!

You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.

Take the survey: Do you think a war between India and Pakistan is imminent? Let us know!

You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. 

Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced that he will authorize the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to institute a 100% tariff on movies produced in foreign countries. “Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated. This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda!,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”

Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!

You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.

Take the survey: What do you think of Trump’s proposed tariff? Let us know!

You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. 

Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and all executive departments to end federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The order claims that the outlets fail to offer “a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens” and instructs the CPB to “cancel existing direct funding to the maximum extent allowed by law” and “decline to provide future funding.” Executives at NPR and PBS called the order unlawful and said they would challenge it. 

Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it. You can go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!

You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.

Take the survey: What do you think of the budget proposal? Let us know!

You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. 

Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.