On Sunday, a group of Democratic lawmakers in Texas left the state to deny the Republican-controlled state House the quorum necessary to vote on a new congressional map designed to give the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House next year. In late July, President Donald Trump spearheaded the plan to redraw Texas’s Congressional map, years in advance of the typical decennial redistricting.

• We’re excited to announce that our third installment of Tangle Live will be held on October 24, 2025, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. If you’re in the area (or want to make the trip), we’d love to have you join Isaac and the team for a night of spirited discussion, live Q&A, and opportunities to meet the team in person. You can read more about the event and purchase tickets here.

To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, 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 gerrymandering? Let us know!

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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, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

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On Friday, President Donald Trump fired the commissioner of labor statistics for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Erika McEntarfer, after the agency released a lower-than-expected July jobs report and revised May's and June's numbers downwards. The BLS reported that nonfarm payrolls increased by 73,000 in July, below Dow Jones’s estimated gain of 100,000 jobs.

• We’re excited to announce that our third installment of Tangle Live will be held on October 24, 2025, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. If you’re in the area (or want to make the trip), we’d love to have you join Isaac and the team for a night of spirited discussion, live Q&A, and opportunities to meet the team in person. You can read more about the event and purchase tickets here.

To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, 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: How do you think the economy is faring? 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:  Ari Weitzman & Will Kaback 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, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

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

In this episode, Isaac, Ari and Kmele talk about Sydney Sweeney and her wonderful jeans, the stock trading ban, the latest on the Trump economy and some of the fractures in MAGA world with whats going down in Gaza. All of this followed by an extra good grievance section. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that challenges conventional perspectives and offers fresh insights into today's most pressing issues.

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 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 Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. 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, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

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

In the early days of 2023, a group of researchers and activists published a report with a shocking conclusion: Utah’s Great Salt Lake was losing water so fast that it was on track to effectively disappear within five years. Since the report was issued, the Great Salt Lake’s water loss not only slowed, but its water level actually increased. In June 2024, the lake’s two sides — which are divided by an embankment — were three feet higher than they had been two years prior. 

So what happened here? At first blush, the story appears to be an example of science gone wrong — an exaggerated claim of imminent danger, founded on flawed assumptions and questionable processes, that damaged the public’s trust in the scientific community and its receptiveness to future warnings. But could it actually be a story of the power of concerted action, or poor science communication in the media? 

Drawing on interviews with the lead authors on the 2023 “five-year” report, Utah’s Great Salt Lake commissioner, a former member of Utah's Air Quality Board and an expert on the lake’s atmospheric effects, we’ll explore the uncertain future of the Great Salt Lake — the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and a critical resource for the health and aspirations of millions of people. 

• We’re excited to announce that our third installment of Tangle Live will be held on October 24, 2025, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. If you’re in the area (or want to make the trip), we’d love to have you join Isaac and the team for a night of spirited discussion, live Q&A, and opportunities to meet the team in person. You can read more about the event and purchase tickets here.

To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, 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 and edited and engineered by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

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

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

On Tuesday, the Senate voted 50–49 to confirm Emil Bove to a lifetime judgeship on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined all Democrats in opposing Bove’s nomination; Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) did not vote. The confirmation follows a protracted fight over Bove’s nomination, which included whistleblower reports that Bove acted unethically and abused his power in previous roles.

• We’re excited to announce that our third installment of Tangle Live will be held on October 24, 2025, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. If you’re in the area (or want to make the trip), we’d love to have you join Isaac and the team for a night of spirited discussion, live Q&A, and opportunities to meet the team in person. You can read more about the event and purchase tickets here.

To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, 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 find the whistleblower allegations against Emil Bove credible? 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 Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

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

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

In the past two months, several major U.S. food companies have voluntarily committed to removing artificial food dyes from their products, following a plan from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to work with the industry to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes. In June, Heinz and General Mills committed to removing synthetic dyes from all their products by the end of 2027, while Nestlé committed to their removal by the end of 2026.

• We’re excited to announce that our third installment of Tangle Live will be held on October 24, 2025, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. If you’re in the area (or want to make the trip), we’d love to have you join Isaac and the team for a night of spirited discussion, live Q&A, and opportunities to meet the team in person. You can read more about the event and purchase tickets here.

To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, 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 about removing artificial dyes from food? 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 Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

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

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

On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced that the United States and the European Union (EU) had reached a trade deal following a meeting between Trump and the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The U.S. and the EU agreed to a 15% tariff on most European goods imported to the U.S., as well as a commitment from EU members to buy $750 billion worth of U.S. energy and increase investments in the U.S. by $600 billion, including through the purchase of military equipment. The deal comes just days before the August 1 deadline Trump set for countries to negotiate a trade deal with the U.S. or face increased tariffs. 

• We’re excited to announce that our third installment of Tangle Live will be held on October 24, 2025, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. If you’re in the area (or want to make the trip), we’d love to have you join Isaac and the team for a night of spirited discussion, live Q&A, and opportunities to meet the team in person. You can read more about the event and purchase tickets 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 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 trade deal between the U.S. and EU? 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 Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

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

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

The humanitarian situation in Gaza. On Sunday, the Israeli military temporarily paused operations in three parts of Gaza to allow aid groups into the enclave amid rising concerns over a hunger crisis. Separately, Israel airdropped humanitarian aid into Gaza for the first time since the start of its war with Hamas, one of several measures that government officials said were aimed at combatting “false claim[s] of deliberate starvation” in Gaza.

• Today we’re excited to announce that our third installment of Tangle Live will be held on October 24, 2025, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. If you’re in the area (or want to make the trip), we’d love to have you join Isaac and the team for a night of spirited discussion, live Q&A, and opportunities to meet the team in person. You can read more about the event and purchase tickets 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 read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.

Take the survey: Who do you think is responsible for the nutrition crisis in Gaza? 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 Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

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

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

In this episode, Isaac, Ari and Kmele discuss the intricacies of political narratives surrounding the Epstein case and its implications, the candid revelations from Hunter Biden's recent interview, the dynamics of cancel culture, the complexities of climate change discourse, and the evolving landscape of political ideologies. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that challenges conventional perspectives and offers fresh insights into today's most pressing issues.

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 hosted by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. 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, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

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

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about five things I had gotten wrong about Trump in his first six months in office. In all honesty, I’m not a huge fan of political prognostication, and I often try to avoid making predictions to focus more on my analysis and reporting. Still, predictions inevitably slip into that analysis; and my last retrospective, like many others I had written before it, was an exercise in the kind of accountable and analytical journalism we do here at Tangle. I’m a big fan of writing about when I’m wrong, or have changed my mind, or have valuable criticisms to share — I think it helps me evolve and our readers reflect on their own viewpoints, too.

But, shortly after publishing that piece, I realized that I spend a lot of time writing about all the things I get wrong, and maybe not enough time writing about when I get things right. After all, if I’m simply wrong over and over, should readers really trust me for reliable analysis? It struck me that in trying to be transparent with criticisms I may be undermining my own credibility.

So today, I figured I’d flip the script, give myself some grace, and do something I had never done before: Pen an entire piece on things I’ve gotten right. Since my newsletter a few weeks ago focused exclusively on Trump, I thought I’d turn the focus to the same subject and share five things I’ve gotten right about Trump’s second term so far. 

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 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, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

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