Today in 5 Lines
President Trump warned that North Korea “will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen” if it continues to threaten the United States. Earlier in the day, North Korea said it would take “physical action” in retaliation against newly imposed sanctions. Trump also vowed that the United States “will win” the fight against the opioid epidemic, but introduced no new policies to do so. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee sent letters to federal agencies requesting documentation of payments being made to the Trump Organization or any Trump-owned properties. The Trump administration is reportedly considering a plan to turn over parts of the U.S. war in Afghanistan to private contractors.
Today on The Atlantic
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‘How America Lost Its Mind’: In our September cover story, Kurt Andersen chronicles the evolution of America's relationship with the truth—and explains how Americans have given themselves “over to all kinds of magical thinking, anything-goes relativism, and belief in fanciful explanation.”
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The Never-ending Trump Show: President Trump’s campaign-style rallies are still going strong, even as the administration faces new drama. “This is what’s going to happen, day in and day out,” writes Molly Ball, “nonstop chaos, plot twists and cliffhangers, a furious, embattled president who finds new ways to shock while never seeming to change.”
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Chickenhawk in Chief: In criticizing Senator Richard Blumenthal for embellishing his war record, President Trump—who never served in the military—crossed a line. (James Fallows)
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