What We’re Following
Washington vs. Moscow: The Trump administration announced new sanctions on Russian officials, oligarchs, and their companies that strike closer than ever to President Vladimir Putin—and bring Russian-U.S. relations close to what Krishnadev Calamur calls “a state of open hostility.” And Sam Patten, a Republican operative with ties to the data firm hired by Trump’s campaign, has had a long personal and business relationship with a suspected Russian spy, Natasha Bertrand reports. Here’s what that could mean for Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe.
Presidential Patterns: While President Trump is often criticized for his unpredictability, his views on trade and immigration have remained consistent, and he’s still trying to fulfill some of his key campaign promises. His foreign policy has been harder for observers to parse, as it combines outward-looking investment in military force with a narrow focus on American interests. Uri Friedman boils it down: “Speak loudly and carry a big stick.”
Gun Violence: The shooting at YouTube’s headquarters this week was all-too-familiar to many Americans, except for one detail: Unlike the majority of active shooters, the perpetrator was a woman. And though the movements seeking justice for black people killed by police and demanding an end to school shootings are driven by activists of different races and classes, they share common goals: As Vann R. Newkirk II writes, police shootings are a form of gun violence too.
