'Even authoritarian regimes need a measure of public support — the consent of at least some of the governed'
'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'


'Trump is behaving as if he has no opponents that matter'
Jamelle Bouie at The New York Times
In the "right-wing world," there is a "belief in the immateriality of popular political opposition to Trump — a sense that it is less the response of ordinary people with agency than it is a plot by outside agitators," says Jamelle Bouie. Trump has "never recognized the legitimacy of opposition against him," but to succeed in any conflict," a "skilled leader needs the ability to take a read of the land." His "refusal to recognize dissent may end up being his "fatal miscalculation."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
'Israel sees the truth as a threat to be eliminated'
Dave Zirin at The Nation
Oscar-winning documentarian Hamdan Ballal was recently thrown into jail. Basel Adra, his codirector on "No Other Land," told The Associated Press: "We came back from the Oscars and every day, there is an attack on us. This might be their revenge on us for making the movie. It feels like punishment." In an effort to "silence Ballal" and keep Palestinians from "speaking truth," Israel's "solution is to just kill the artists," says Dave Zirin.
'Intuition severed from science cannot solve the mental health crisis'
E.J. Dickson at The Cut
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proposed opening "wellness farms" where "children addicted to drugs" or "taking prescribed psychiatric medications, like SSRIs and Adderall," could "detox," says E.J. Dickson. "The idea that health may be arrived at by a type of purity, by throwing away chemical compounds and healing ourselves with fresh air, has deep emotional appeal" — but "wellness farms, like so much else proposed in the second Trump administration," may easily become a "means of control."
'The only thing certain with the Trump administration is uncertainty, and Europe must plan accordingly'
Michael John Williams at Foreign Policy
There was once a "firm European belief in the steadfast commitment of Washington to the security of Europe," but "today, that no longer holds," says Michael John Williams. "Europe must act in accordance with this reality." Luckily, "plans for a European nuclear deterrent exist in the archives, and the European Union would do well to dust them off." Without America, Europe "finds itself unarmed in a dangerous, nuclear world."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Anya Jaremko-Greenwold has worked as a story editor at The Week since 2024. She previously worked at FLOOD Magazine, Woman's World, First for Women, DGO Magazine and BOMB Magazine. Anya's culture writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Jezebel, Vice and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among others.
-
May 25 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons feature Donald Trump's tariffs, Big pharma, and cuts to Medicaid
-
Why men have a bigger carbon footprint than women
Under the Radar 'Male identity' behaviours behind 'gender gap' in emissions, say scientists
-
5 richly deserved political cartoons about tax breaks for billionaires
Cartoons Artists take on Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
-
Donald Trump's foreign policy flip in the Middle East
Talking Point Surprise lifting of sanctions on Syria shows Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar are now effectively 'dictating US foreign policy'
-
Elon Musk says he's 'done enough' political spending. What does that really mean?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The world's richest man predicted he'd do 'a lot less' electoral financing moving forward. Has Washington seen the last of the tech titan?
-
'Organ donation is kindness'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
GOP megabill would limit judicial oversight of Trump
speed read The domestic policy bill Republicans pushed through the House would protect the Trump administration from the consequences of violating court orders
-
Home energy: Bills are up, efficiency is out
Feature The Energy Star program saves Americans billions of dollars, but the Trump administration plans to 'eliminate' it.
-
Trump lectures South Africa president on 'white genocide'
speed read Trump has cut off aid to South Africa over his demonstrably false genocide claims
-
'These businesses have appealed to generations'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Starlink: what Elon Musk's satellite soft power means for the world
The Explainer The rapid expansion of his satellite internet company has given Musk a unique form of leverage in some of the world's most vulnerable regions