But the speculation over the nature of their relationship obscures the more consequential scandal involving Natalie.

Harp isn’t just one of Trump’s closest aides — she has become a central gatekeeper to the information he sees, the messages he sends, and the reality he inhabits.

And with a president who already has a well-documented appetite for flattery, conspiracy theories, and information that confirms his worldview — the person curating that ecosystem wields extraordinary power.

Watch me cook dinner while I explain.

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French Dip

INGREDIENTS:

For the roast beef

• 1 chuck roast, about 3–4 lbs (top sirloin works best, or something less fatty. But all I had was chuck roast)

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 3–4 cloves fresh garlic, finely grated

• 1–2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

• Neutral oil, for searing

For the jus

• 4–5 cups beef stock, or enough to generously deglaze the pan

• 1 onion, sliced

• 3–4 cloves garlic, smashed

• A handful of fresh rosemary sprigs

• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

For the creamy fresh horseradish

• Fresh horseradish root

• Mayonnaise

• Sour cream

• Fresh lime juice

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

For the caramelized onions

• 2 large onions, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp butter

• Kosher salt

• Splash of water or beef stock, as needed

For the sandwiches

• French rolls or crusty sandwich rolls

• Thinly sliced roast beef

• Provolone

• Caramelized onions

• Creamy fresh horseradish

• Hot jus

• Pickled Fresno peppers, optional

• Sprouts, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make the roast beef rub.
   Combine the grated garlic, finely chopped rosemary, plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt. Rub the mixture generously all over the chuck roast.

2. Sear the roast.
   Heat a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with a little neutral oil. Sear the chuck roast on all sides until you develop a deep brown crust.

3. Roast low and slow.
   Transfer the beef to a 250°F oven and roast until the center reaches about 125°F for rare-to-medium-rare roast beef.

   Depending on the size and shape of the chuck roast, this will generally take around 2–3 hours, but go by internal temperature rather than time.

4. Rest and chill.
   Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for about 20–30 minutes. Then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

   Chilling is important with chuck because it firms up the fat and meat, allowing you to slice it very thinly without it falling apart.

5. Make the jus.
   While the roast cooks, return the pan you used to sear the beef to the stove.

   Pour in a generous amount of beef stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all of the browned beef, garlic, and rosemary stuck to the surface.

   Add the sliced onion, smashed garlic, and a handful of fresh rosemary.

   Bring to a gentle simmer and let everything cook together for about 30–45 minutes, allowing the stock to pick up the flavor of the beef fond, onions, garlic, and rosemary and reduce slightly.

   Strain out the onion, garlic, and rosemary. Taste and season with salt and pepper as necessary. Keep the jus warm.

6. Caramelize the onions.
   Melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and a generous pinch of salt.

   Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned, soft, and sweet, about 30–45 minutes. Add a splash of water or beef stock whenever the bottom of the pan becomes too dry, scraping up the browned bits as you go.

7. Make the creamy horseradish.
   Peel and finely grate the fresh horseradish root.

   Combine the horseradish with mayonnaise and sour cream until you have a creamy but distinctly horseradish-forward sauce. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

   Taste and adjust with more horseradish, lime, mayo, or sour cream as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

8. Slice the roast beef.
   Once the roast is completely cold, slice it extremely thinly and against the grain. A meat slicer is ideal, but a very sharp knife works too.

9. Warm the beef in the jus.
   Bring the jus until steaming hot, then briefly dip the sliced roast beef into it just long enough to warm through.

   Don’t simmer the beef. You want to preserve the pink, medium-rare interior rather than cook the slices until gray.

10. Assemble the sandwiches.
    Split the rolls and pile them generously with the warm roast beef.

    Add caramelized onions and several slices of provolone.

11. Broil.
    Place the open sandwiches under the broiler until the provolone is melted and bubbling and the edges of the bread are toasted.

12. Finish.
    Spoon or spread the homemade horseradish sauce onto the sandwiches.

    Add pickled Fresno peppers and sprouts, if using, then close the sandwiches.

    Serve immediately with a generous bowl of the hot rosemary-beef jus for dipping.

The basic formula

The thing that makes this version work is treating chuck like deli roast beef instead of pot roast: aggressively season and sear it, roast only to about 125°F, chill it, slice it paper-thin, and then reheat the slices gently in the jus. That way you still get chuck’s beefy flavor and richness without turning it into shredded braised beef.

You’re not going crazy. Over the last year and half, Donald Trump has supercharged an era of mass surveillance and artificial intelligence that’s hard to keep up with.

There are more than 5,500 data centers currently operating across the U.S. — with thousands more being developed or proposed.

Entire communities are being transformed overnight by massive facilities that consume massive amounts of local resources — all to fuel an artificial intelligence boom that promises to supplant the American worker.

This technology isn’t just transforming our economy and way of life. It’s also transforming the ability for federal law enforcement to monitor our every move.

Across the country, more than 120,000 AI-powered Flock cameras have been installed as part of a sprawling surveillance network — creating databases that track our movements and whereabouts.

This surveillance network is being weaponized by federal agencies like DHS that use the data to round up undocumented immigrants and build lists of so-called “domestic terrorists.”

And here’s the part I can’t get over: nobody voted for this.

Watch me make bagels and lox while I explain…

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Homemade Bagels with Lox & Chive Cream Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

Bagels

• 2 cups warm water

• 2¼ tsp active dry yeast

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 5–5½ cups bread flour (plus more for kneading)

• ½ cup melted butter

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• Neutral oil, for greasing the bowl

For Boiling

• Water

• ¼ cup baking soda

• 2–3 tbsp honey

Toppings

• 1 egg, beaten

• Everything bagel seasoning

• Poppy seeds

Homemade Lox

• 1 side salmon (about 1½–2 lbs)

• Kosher salt

• Granulated sugar

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 cup fresh dill, finely chopped

Chive Cream Cheese

• 2 L whole milk

• 600 ml buttermilk

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Pinch of kosher salt

• Fresh chives, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

Homemade Bagels

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Whisk gently, cover, and let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.

2. Add the flour, melted butter, and salt. Knead with the dough hook for about 5 minutes, adding up to ½ cup additional flour as needed until the dough forms a smooth ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for another 4–5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

4. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball, then poke a hole through the center with your thumb and forefinger and gently stretch into a bagel shape.

6. Place each bagel on a small square of parchment paper while you prepare the boiling water.

7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in the baking soda and honey.

8. Boil the bagels for about 25 seconds per side, then transfer back to the parchment-lined baking sheet.

9. Brush each bagel with egg wash and top with everything bagel seasoning, poppy seeds, or your favorite toppings.

10. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 15–17 minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Let cool before slicing.

Homemade Lox

1. Combine equal parts kosher salt and granulated sugar in a bowl.

2. Stir in the black pepper, lemon zest, and chopped dill until evenly mixed.

3. Coat the salmon generously on all sides with the curing mixture.

4. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place on a plate or tray, and set a heavy object on top.

5. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

6. Unwrap, rinse off the cure under cold water, and pat completely dry before slicing as thinly as possible.

Chive Cream Cheese

1. Combine the whole milk and buttermilk in a large pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

2. Once the mixture is just beginning to simmer, turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

3. Let sit for several minutes until the curds separate from the whey.

4. Transfer the curds to a cheesecloth-lined strainer and allow them to drain. Squeeze gently to remove excess whey.

5. Add the curds to a food processor with a pinch of salt and blend until smooth and creamy.

6. Once cooled, fold in the finely chopped chives.

To Serve

Slice and toast the bagels, spread generously with the homemade chive cream cheese, and top with thin slices of homemade lox. Finish with extra fresh dill, cracked black pepper, capers, red onion, or cucumber if desired.

If you enjoy my cooking content, please like/share/subscribe — because the algorithm is burying me.

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Donald Trump and Stephen Miller figured something out: they don’t actually have to deport every immigrant they arrest.

They just have to torture them until they self-deport.

There’s currently more than 65,000 people in sprawling ICE detention centers located across the country.

But until a judge says otherwise, the Trump administration doesn’t have the authority to deport all of them. They still have their due process rights — and most can’t be deported until their case is put in front of a judge.

But they do have the authority to keep them in ICE detention.

A series of recent investigations — including a remarkable piece from Jonathan Blitzer in the New Yorker — have pulled back the curtain on what life looks like inside these detention centers.

And what detainees describe doesn’t sound like a detention center or even a prison — it sounds a lot worse.

The food is contaminated with worms and mold.

Bathrooms and sleeping areas overflow with dirty water.

There’s no books, or games, or TV.

There’s no windows and the lights in the facility stay on 24/7.

And detainees often go weeks or months without ever stepping outside or speaking to their families and lawyers.

On top of all that, pregnant mothers have been denied access to basic health care. Infants and children are refusing to eat and express suicidal thoughts. And detainees are often denied lifesaving medication for things like asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

And when the detainees beg for medicine or ask agents for help, ICE officers come back with the same question: “Are you staying — or are you leaving?”

Basically: if you want this torture to end, you can self-deport.

And their strategy has worked. To date, the administration claims to have deported around 1 million people.

But more than 2.2 million people have self-deported – to reunite with family, get the medical care they need, or just to end the torture of detention.

And this torture will continue until we take back power and shut down ICE’s slush fund. So share this video to help spread the word.

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Wagyu Donburi

Ingredients

Wagyu

• 300g A5 Wagyu sirloin

• Sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Beef tallow or neutral high-heat oil

Sushi Rice

• 200g sushi rice

• Sushi rice seasoning

Crispy Garlic

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Marinated Egg Yolks

• 2 egg yolks

• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 2 tbsp mirin

• 2 tbsp sake

Donburi Sauce

• 150ml sake

• 100ml mirin

• 200ml dashi

• 150ml soy sauce

• 150g sugar

• 1 sheet kombu, torn into large pieces

• 20g katsuobushi (bonito flakes)

To Finish

• Chives, finely sliced

Instructions

1. If frozen, thaw the Wagyu in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper, then leave uncovered in the refrigerator for a few hours to dry the surface before cooking.

2. Combine the dark soy sauce, mirin, and sake in a small container. Carefully add the egg yolks and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Rinse the sushi rice until the water runs clear. Cook according to your rice cooker’s instructions. Once cooked, gently fold in the sushi rice seasoning and keep warm.

4. Heat the sesame oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

5. Combine the sake, mirin, dashi, soy sauce, sugar, and kombu in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the katsuobushi, and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain the sauce, return it to the saucepan, and simmer until slightly thickened.

7. Remove the steak from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking and pat it dry.

8. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat and add a small amount of beef tallow or neutral oil. Sear the steak for 1½–2 minutes, pressing gently to ensure even contact. Flip and continuously baste with the rendered fat until the internal temperature reaches 115°F (46°C).

9. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, loosely tent with foil, and rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

10. Divide the seasoned sushi rice between bowls. Arrange the sliced Wagyu over the rice and top with a marinated egg yolk, crispy garlic, a drizzle of the donburi sauce, and sliced chives.

This week, Todd Blanche is in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee for confirmation hearings to become the next Attorney General of the United States.

Yes, that Todd Blanche.

He became famous for serving as Donald Trump’s personal criminal defense attorney — defending him in court for making hush money payments to porn star, for stealing classified documents, and for obstructing the 2020 election.

But more recently, he became infamous for leading the cover up of the Epstein scandal at the DOJ as Deputy AG.

That’s not an exaggeration. Blanche was literally the point person under then-AG Pam Bondi to oversee the release of the Epstein files.

It was Blanche who determined which files were redacted or released.
It was Blanche who was responsible for doxxing a number of Epstein victims.
It was Blanche met with Epstein’s top accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.
And it was Blanche who transferred Maxwell to a minimum security prison camp without walls.

That’s why it’s galling for me to hear Washington discuss Blanche’s confirmation in the Senate as some sort of fait accompli — especially given the math in the U.S. Senate.

First Blanche has to clear the Senate Judiciary Committee. Then his nomination goes to the full Senate, where Republicans can only afford to lose a handful of votes.

And after all, in the last few weeks alone:

• Multiple Republican Senators (Tillis, Cassidy, Cornyn) lost major primaries after interventions from Trump — unofficially dubbed the “YOLO” caucus

• Mitch McConnell went MIA with major health complications that have kept him out of the Senate chamber since mid-June

• Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and key ally of Donald Trump, passed away unexpectedly

Several Republican senators have already expressed varying degrees of concern about Blanche's nomination, including Thom Tillis, John Cornyn, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Bill Cassidy, and Jon Husted. With Republicans holding only a narrow majority, Blanche can afford to lose just four Republican votes.

As many of these senators have learned, the Epstein scandal isn't going away. Voters are still paying attention. And every senator considering Blanche's nomination now has to decide whether they're comfortable elevating the official who oversaw the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files to become the nation's top law enforcement officer.

On top of his Epstein baggage, Blanche has overseen and accelerated Trump’s prosecutions of his political enemies. He wrote and signed the DOJ settlement with Trump to create a $2 billion criminal slush fund. And he’s currently pushing bogus conspiracies to overturn the 2020 election.

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Blanche isn’t just a run-of-the-mill conservative lawyer or standard issue MAGA talking head. He’s the attorney for a mob boss.

He’s leading the charge to prevent accountability for the biggest child sex trafficking ring in history. He’s pushing the absurd prosecutions of Trump’s enemies over things like seashell formations. And he’s the tip of the spear for Trump’s authoritarian ambitions to interfere in our elections.

I’ve long given up hope that the Republican Congress will do the right thing or assert themselves in the face of a despotic president who wants to subsume their powers for himself.

Attorney General isn't just another Cabinet job. It's the office responsible for enforcing federal law fairly and independently. If senators believe Blanche put loyalty to Donald Trump ahead of that responsibility as Deputy Attorney General, they shouldn't reward him with a promotion.

But the degree to which the beltway press and Senate insiders have softened his glide path to confirmation is gobsmacking, regardless of the spineless sychophants who fill the Republican conference.

To defeat his confirmation, Democrats should make one argument, over and over again: a vote to confirm Todd Blanche is a vote to continue the Epstein cover-up. Every Republican senator should know that if they vote yes, that vote won't be forgotten.

Confirmation votes aren't anonymous. Every senator will eventually have to put their name on the record. Once they do, that vote becomes part of their political legacy—and something they'll have to defend back home.

The confirmation hearing is only the first step. The committee still has to vote. Then the full Senate has to vote. Until that final vote is cast, Blanche's nomination isn't inevitable. Every senator still has a choice.

But the threat isn’t coming from democratic socialists like Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani. It’s coming from Trump himself.

Over the last two weeks, Trump has invoked communism 81 times in reference to Democrats and Democratic candidates. He’s called it a “cancer” that needs to be “cut out.” He’s described the threat as potentially greater than WWI, WWII, or 9/11.

And this isn’t just Trump yelling about what he sees on Fox & Friends. His political team has been running focus groups to test language around this attack.

Republicans are terrified that they’re going to be wiped out in the November midterms. But Trump is hoping to capitalize on the wave of democratic socialists and progressives who have been winning primaries across the country — dusting off a couple of the oldest boogeymen in American politics: socialism and communism.

There’s just one problem:

Donald Trump is running the most communist administration in modern American history. And it’s not even close.

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Since taking office, Trump has gone on a remarkable spree of seizing the means of production, particularly around AI and the critical industries that power it.

The federal government now owns 10% of Intel.

It owns 15% of rare earth producer MP Materials.

It owns 5% of Lithium Americas.

And it owns 10% of Trilogy Metals.

Last month Trump allowed Japan’s Nippon Steel to acquire U.S. Steel in a roughly $15 billion deal — but only after the federal government secured a “golden share” that gave it veto authority over a number of corporate decisions.

Trump also struck an extraordinary agreement with Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices requiring the chipmakers to give the federal government 15% of revenue from AI chip sales to China, in exchange for export licenses.

This isn’t some emergency bailout of a collapsing industry. The administration has made a deliberate policy decision to use taxpayer money to seize pieces of private companies in industries it considers strategically important.

If any other president was doing it, the right would cry “communism'“ until they’re blue in the face. But Trump isn’t any other president.

And Trump’s little foray into socialism doesn’t stop at buying pieces of American industry.

The administration launched TrumpRx, a government-run prescription drug website designed to connect Americans with discounted medications. Trump also created Trump Accounts: federally established investment accounts for children that come with a $1,000 government contribution for eligible newborns.

Then there’s the Freedom Fuel Network.

In recent weeks, Trump has eagerly promoted this mysterious new network of 25 gas stations around Philadelphia selling gas well below many nearby competitors.

The White House says the government isn’t funding it. The company’s ownership is opaque. And there have been plenty of questions about how the business is able to sustain its discounts.

Maybe there’s a perfectly boring explanation: perhaps a mega donor is subsidizing a few weeks of cheaper fuel in a swing state.

But the President of the United States serving as chief spokesman for an anonymous chain of discount gas stations is objectively very funny — especially given that his war with Iran is the chief driver of high gas prices.

Trump and Republicans call Zohran Mamdani a communist because he wants to open five city-run grocery stores in New York City to sell groceries at lower prices.

Meanwhile, Comrade Trump is buying stakes in semiconductor companies and rare-earth mines, seizing veto power over American steel, and demanding a cut of private companies’ revenue.

I don’t actually believe Donald Trump is a communist. I also don’t think government programs are inherently socialist, or that every government investment in a strategically important industry is inherently bad policy.

That’s precisely the point.

Republicans have spent decades flattening every serious debate about the role of government into a childish game of shouting “COMMUNISM” at anything they don’t like.

Now democratic socialists are winning elections by talking about the actual economic problems consuming people’s lives: the cost of rent, groceries, healthcare, and raising a family.

But Republicans are not equipped for an actual policy debate around the issues Americans care about. So they’re pivoting to the only thing they know how to do: fear-monger.

So please, spare me the Red Scare bullshit.

And I totally get it.

So many of the rights and freedoms we should be celebrating are under attack by a despotic, authoritarian president hell bent on making this one-in-a-generation celebration about himself.

As someone who was born and lives in Washington, D.C., it’s enraging watching my city and country be taken hostage by a tacky megalomaniac. And I can especially understand why Black and brown Americans, women, and LGBTQ Americans would want to opt out of this holiday as their identity and humanity is under assault.

But Independence Day isn’t about the celebrations in Washington. And it certainly isn’t about the President of the United States.

Over the last few weeks we’ve seen a number of events bring together Americans of all backgrounds around our shared history and values.

We’ve seen New Yorkers take to the streets to celebrate a historic championship.

We’ve seen hopeful crowds gather in Chicago for the opening of a presidential library.

We’ve seen massive Juneteenth celebrations in every state in the union.

And we’ve seen World Cup fans from around the globe joyfully experiencing the best of what America has to offer.

Those moments belong uniquely to America. Not Donald Trump.

So I refuse to let Trump hijack my Fourth of July. I plan to spend the day the same way I always have: with friends, good food, fireworks — the small traditions that connect all of us.

I’ve spent my life in politics not because I think America is perfect. But because America has always been an unfinished project — one that’s worth fighting to make better.

So if you enjoy my cooking and political commentary, I’d love for you to subscribe. Every subscription helps me continue making independent content like this, and you’ll get each recipe, essay, and video delivered straight to your inbox.

Now, onto the doughnuts…

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Homemade Glazed Doughnuts

INGREDIENTS:

Dough

• 4 oz (120ml) lukewarm water

• 2¼ tsp active dry yeast

• 1 tbsp granulated sugar

• 595g all-purpose flour

• 50g granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 115g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

• 6 oz (180ml) whole milk, room temperature

Vanilla Glaze

• 250g powdered sugar

• 4–6 tbsp milk or heavy cream

• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Make the Dough

1. In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand for 5–10 minutes until the mixture is foamy.

2. Add the flour and remaining sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Pour in the eggs, milk, melted butter, and activated yeast.

3. Mix on low speed until a rough dough forms, then knead on medium-low for 8–10 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky.

4. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.

Shape & Proof

1. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ½-inch thick.

2. Cut doughnuts with a large round cutter and remove the centers with a smaller cutter.

3. Place each doughnut on an individual square of parchment paper. Cover lightly and let proof for another 40–45 minutes, until noticeably puffy.

Fry

1. Heat a neutral frying oil to 340–350°F (171–177°C).

2. Fry the doughnuts in batches for about 1–2 minutes per side, turning once, until evenly golden brown.

3. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain briefly.

Glaze

1. Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and enough milk or cream to create a smooth, pourable glaze.

2. While the doughnuts are still warm, dip each one into the glaze, letting any excess drip off.

3. Place on a wire rack for a few minutes until the glaze sets.

Best enjoyed fresh the day they’re made.

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Doppio Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Ingredients

Pasta Dough

• 500g 00 flour

• 150g whole egg

• 100g egg yolk

Ricotta Filling

• Ricotta

• Parmesan, grated

• 1 egg

• Fresh parsley, finely chopped

• Salt

• Black pepper

Sausage Filling

• Mild Italian sausage

• Parmesan, grated

• 1 egg

• Fresh sage, finely chopped

• Salt

• Black pepper

Brown Butter Sage Sauce

• Unsalted butter

• Fresh sage leaves

For Serving

• Parmesan, grated

• Crispy sage leaves

Instructions

Make the Pasta Dough

1. Pour the flour onto a work surface and make a well in the center.

2. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks to the well.

3. Beat the eggs with a fork, gradually incorporating flour from the sides until a shaggy dough forms.

4. Bring the dough together and knead by hand until smooth.

5. Wrap and rest for 15 minutes.

6. Knead again until silky and elastic.

7. Cut the dough in half, flatten with a rolling pin, and pass through a pasta machine, gradually reducing the thickness until the thinnest setting.

Make the Fillings

1. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a piping bag.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the Italian sausage, Parmesan, egg, sage, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a piping bag.

Assemble the Doppio Ravioli

1. Lay out a long sheet of pasta.

2. Pipe the ricotta filling in a line along one side of the sheet.

3. Pipe the sausage filling in a line along the opposite side.

4. Roll each side inward toward the center.

5. Use a chopstick to press and seal the ravioli into individual portions.

6. Cut between each ravioli with a pasta cutter.

7. Cook in salted boiling water for 4–5 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the filling is cooked through.

Make the Sauce

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.

2. Add the sage leaves and cook until crisp.

3. Continue cooking until the butter is golden brown and smells nutty.

4. Remove from the heat immediately.

Finish

1. Toss the cooked ravioli in the brown butter sage sauce.

2. Plate and spoon over any remaining sauce.

3. Finish with grated Parmesan and the crispy sage leaves.

By almost any metric, the war has been a disaster for the U.S. and a windfall for the Iranian regime.

Sure, the Ayatollah is dead. But now his far more extreme son is in charge.

Sure, the Iranian navy and air force has been diminished.…

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He simply doesn’t have the votes — and the number of Republican senators expressing skepticism about his qualifications continues to grow.

But thanks to the Federal Vacancies Act, he can serve as acting director for up to 210 days — just long enough to serve through the…

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CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES & SNICKERDOODLES

INGREDIENTS:

Chocolate Chip:

• 225g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• 330g brown sugar

• 100g granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp milk

• 375g all-purpose flour

• ¾ tsp salt

• ¾ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp cornstarch

• ¼ tsp cinnamon (optional)

• 8 oz chopped chocolate (milk, dark, or semi-sweet)

• Flaky salt, for finishing

Snickerdoodles:

• 140g unsalted butter, softened

• 150g granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 180g all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp cream of tartar

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar (for coating)

• 1 tbsp cinnamon (for coating)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.

3. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk. Mix until combined.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and cinnamon.

5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

6. Fold in chopped chocolate.

7. Optional: Chill dough for 20–30 minutes for thicker cookies.

8. Scoop dough (about 2 tbsp each) onto prepared baking sheets.

9. Bake for 12–14 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and centers are still soft.

10. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Finish with flaky salt.

Snickerdoodles:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined.

5. Add dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.

6. In a bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon for the coating.

7. Roll dough into balls (about 1½ tbsp each), then coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

8. Place on prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie.

9. Bake 10–12 minutes, until just set with soft centers.

When DNC Chair Ken Martin was asked recently on Pod Save America why the Democratic Party wasn’t releasing the long-awaited 2024 election postmortem, he argued, predictably, that the party shouldn’t “re-litigate 2024” — and should instead “learn the lessons of 2024 and the years preceding that can help us win.”

Of course, that makes zero sense — as the entire point of a postmortem is to analyze and memorialize those lessons, so as not to repeat them.

But more importantly, by failing to confront our electoral shortcomings or examine how we are perceived by voters, we risk being defined by the failures of our past — or worse, leaving a vacuum that our opponents are all too eager to fill.

And the consequences of skipping that reckoning are already showing up in the data.

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For months, Democratic strategists and pundits have been wringing their hands about the relative stagnation of one of the most reliable indicators of electoral success: the generic ballot.

As Nate Silver puts it, the generic ballot is the “most important indicator” of which party will control Congress. It’s determined by asking a simple question: if the election for Congress were held today, would you vote for the Democrat or Republican in your district?

No candidate names, no local context — just the generic party label. The idea is that, without the president on the ballot, the generic ballot helps measure the national popular vote for House elections. The larger the margin, the larger the victory.

Yet, despite Trump’s approval rating continuing to plummet, and despite Democrats continuing to over-perform in special election after special election (by nearly 12 points in state legislative races compared to 2024!) — the generic ballot has barely budged.

Graphic from Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin newsletter — found here

Today, according to Nate Silver’s forecast, the generic ballot sits a D+6.1 — meaning Democrats are favored to win the popular vote for the House by about six points. But that’s only four points higher than the +2.2 advantage Dems held this same time last year — and it’s only .7 points higher than it was two months ago, following Trump’s invasion of Iran.

And there are a couple complicating considerations. First, it’s generally assumed that a party needs a 3-4 point cushion in the generic ballot advantage to assume they’ll take control of the House. Second, given Trump’s push for red states to gerrymander their congressional maps ahead of the midterms, Democrats may need an even higher cushion. Pollster G. Elliot Morris estimates Dems need to win the House vote by 4 points to counter GOP gerrymandering.

So why are Democrats’ generic ballot numbers lagging behind their actual electoral performance? And what does this have to do with the DNC’s postmortem analysis?

To me, the disparity between Democrats’ electoral performance and their standing on the generic ballot reflects the gap between voters’s approval of individual Democratic candidates and the national party as a whole.

The generic ballot doesn’t measure the strength of the Democratic candidates running in a particular cycle. It asks voters to make a choice based on an abstraction — a “generic” snapshot of how they perceive the two parties.

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And what is a “generic” Democrat, really?

I would argue that most voters aren’t making this assessment of Democrats based on a defined ideology or shared set of priorities. I’m not sure I could define that clearly for a pollster myself.

Instead, it likely defaults to their assessment of people.

Maybe it’s the recent standard-bearers of the party — Joe Biden or Kamala Harris — and whatever impressions they left behind. Maybe it’s the party’s leadership — people like Chuck Schumer or Hakeem Jeffries — figures who hold modest power in the minority. Maybe it’s the most visible and aggressive messengers — AOC or Bernie Sanders — figures often on the ideological fringes of the party.

In a Big Tent party, these are not interchangeable identities. They are not even particularly compatible ones.

It makes sense for voters to define today’s Republican Party by Donald Trump — it has willingly subordinated itself to him in every way. But defining the Democratic Party by Joe Biden or Chuck Schumer isn’t just wrong; it reduces a broad coalition to its weakest, most outdated caricatures.

Which brings us back to the postmortem.

By declining to examine and publicly account for what went wrong in 2024, Democrats are not just avoiding an uncomfortable conversation. They’re ducking the central questions voters are still trying to answer: What do Democrats stand for? Who are they fighting for? And why couldn’t they communicate that to voters?

That ambiguity doesn’t just sit in the background. It actively shapes how voters interpret the party. It’s why, when asked to evaluate a “generic Democrat,” voters default to a patchwork of impressions that include words like “weak,” “ineffective,” or “disorganized.”

Let me be clear: that perception doesn’t mean Democrats can’t win in 2026. In fact, the results suggest voters are eager to change their own perceptions — helping Democrats outperform expectations in key races across the country, often by double digits.

But Democrats are over-performing despite the party’s reputation, not because of it. And that’s a big risk.

Because in the absence of a clearly defined party identity, success depends on each candidate’s ability to define themselves — and their opponent — independently. And in an environment where the Democratic brand remains toxic, that often means candidates must create distance from the national party, rather than embracing it.

Unfortunately, much of the work of redefining the Democratic Party will fall to its next standard-bearer. The 2028 nominee will inevitably shape how voters understand what Democrats stand for, what they fight for, and who they represent.

But without a clear reckoning of how the party arrived at this moment, that process will begin on unstable ground.

Instead of choosing a candidate based on a shared understanding of what went wrong and what needs to change — Democratic primary voters will once again be asked to guess at “electability,” a framework defined almost entirely by Washington pundits, pollsters, and consultants.

We’ve seen where that leads.

It produces candidates who are built to pass a test of “electability,” not to build a coalition or lead a movement. It rewards caution over clarity—and leaves Democrats carrying forward the same unresolved identity that is already weighing down their brand.

Avoiding the postmortem doesn’t help us move on from 2024. It ensures we remain frozen in amber until the next presidential contest.

And until Democrats are willing to answer a basic question — what is a Democrat? — voters will keep answering it for us.

Trump and his allies thought that by scapegoating and demonizing immigrants, like authoritarian strongmen around the globe, they could seize and consolidate power.

But instead, their racist plot has backfired tremendously — and today it looks like immigrants will be the reason their political project fails.

Watch me make quesabirria tacos for Cinco de Mayo while I explain…

BIRRIA TACOS

INGREDIENTS:

For the birria:

• 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks

• 3–4 bone-in beef short ribs

• 2–3 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

• 6–8 chile de árbol, stemmed

• 5 Roma tomatoes

• 1 white onion, halved

• 6 garlic cloves

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 1 tsp cumin seeds (or ¾ tsp ground cumin)

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp coriander seeds

• 2 whole cloves

• 2 pieces Mexican cinnamon

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tbsp vinegar

• Kosher salt

• Water or beef stock

For the tacos:

• Corn tortillas

• Oaxaca cheese (or mozzarella / Monterey Jack)

• Chopped white onion

• Chopped cilantro

• Lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Toast + soak
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the guajillo chiles, chile de árbol, and coriander seeds for about 10–20 seconds per side until fragrant (don’t burn them). Transfer the chiles to a pot, cover with water, and simmer for about 10 minutes until softened.

2. Simmer the base
Add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic directly into the same pot with the soaking chiles. Simmer everything together for another 10 minutes until fully softened.

3. Blend the sauce
Transfer the chiles and vegetables to a blender. Add peppercorns, cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, vinegar, and 1–2 cups of the cooking liquid. Blend until completely smooth—the sauce should be deep red and pourable.

4. Strain for texture
Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl or directly into your pot, pressing it through with a spoon for a smooth consommé.

5. Cook the meat
Season the beef generously with salt and place it in a large Dutch oven. Pour the strained sauce over the meat, add bay leaves, and add enough water or beef stock to mostly cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 3 to 3½ hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender. Add more liquid if needed.

6. Shred + prep the consommé
Remove the meat, discard bones, and shred. Taste and adjust salt. Skim the reddish fat from the top of the broth and set it aside. Keep the broth warm for dipping.

7. Build and fry the tacos
Heat a pan or griddle over medium. Dip a tortilla lightly into the reserved fat and place it fat-side down. Add cheese and shredded birria to one half, fold, and cook until crispy and golden on both sides. Repeat without overcrowding the pan.

8. Serve
Serve tacos hot with consommé for dipping, plus chopped onion, cilantro, and lime.

Bun Cha (Grilled Pork with Vermicelli, Herbs & Nước Chấm)

INGREDIENTS

Pork Patties

• 500 g medium ground pork

• 30 g shallot, finely chopped

• 30 g garlic, minced

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

• 30 g palm sugar (or brown sugar)

• 30 g fish sauce

• 10 g oyster sauce

• 3 g black pepper

Pork Belly

• 500 g skin-on pork belly, thinly sliced (about ¼-inch)

• 30 g palm sugar

• 30 g fish sauce

• 30 g shallot, chopped

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

• 10 g oyster sauce

• 10 g garlic, minced

• 2 g black pepper

Pickled Carrots & Daikon

• 100 g daikon, thinly sliced

• 100 g carrot, thinly sliced

• 120 g water

• 60 g rice vinegar

• 50 g sugar

Dipping Sauce (Nước Chấm)

• 750 g water

• 140 g fish sauce

• 120 g sugar

• 15 g lime juice (~½ lime)

• 15 g rice vinegar

• Bird’s eye chilies, thinly sliced (to taste)

Noodles & Assembly

• 250 g rice vermicelli

• 1 head green leaf lettuce

• Thai basil

• Mint

• Garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• Extra chilies (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Pickles:

Combine water, rice vinegar, and sugar until dissolved, then toss with the daikon and carrots. Let sit at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight so they fully absorb the brine.

Pork Patties & Pork Belly:

For each, dissolve the palm sugar into the fish sauce first. For the patties, mix with ground pork, shallot, garlic, scallions, oyster sauce, and black pepper, then knead aggressively for 5–8 minutes until sticky and cohesive. For the pork belly, toss the sliced meat with shallot, scallions, garlic, oyster sauce, and black pepper until evenly coated. Cover both and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

Dipping Sauce (Nước Chấm):

Simmer water, fish sauce, and sugar until fully dissolved. Remove from heat, then stir in lime juice and rice vinegar. Let it cool slightly before adding sliced chilies to taste so the heat stays bright and fresh.

Cook the Pork:

Shape the pork mixture into small patties (~50 g each). On a gas grill, set up two-zone heat (one side low, the other off) and cook on the indirect side with the lid closed, flipping occasionally. Finish both patties and pork belly over direct heat for caramelization and char. Total cook time will be about 6–10 minutes depending on thickness. Alternatively, broil on a foil-lined tray for 5–8 minutes per side.

Noodles & Assembly:

Cook the vermicelli according to package instructions, then rinse under cold water and drain well. To serve, add noodles to bowls, top with pork patties, pork belly, and pickled vegetables, and pour over warm dipping sauce. Serve with lettuce, herbs, garlic, and chilies on the side for building bites.

Trump and his allies are incapable of having any kind of nuanced discussion about the legacy President Biden and Democrats left behind. To hear them talk about it, Trump inherited a “dead” country — a dragging economy, a mess at the border, and chaos around the globe.

But the truth is: Trump inherited a layup.

Inflation had fallen to 3%, down from 9% at the peak of the pandemic. Unemployment was at 4%. And the economy was growing at 2.7% — much stronger than our international peers.

While President Biden was extremely slow in responding to the surge at the border, once he did, the numbers started to improve dramatically. And by the time he left office, border crossings were down 50%, to their lowest point in years.

The pandemic wreaked havoc on the global economy and global migration. As terrible a messenger he was, President Biden and his Democratic allies in Congress made major strides in digging us out of the mess.

Democrats made massive investments in infrastructure and manufacturing. They passed sweeping legislation to improve economic conditions for working families. And the economy was strong and picking up steam every month.

Then Trump was elected — and instead of coasting on Democrats’ success with a newly built political coalition and unprecedented public support, he decided to try the dumbest, most corrupt authoritarian takeover in history.

He instituted a sweeping tariff regime that drove up prices. He deployed an army of masked thugs to round up immigrants and harass citizens. He launched a needless war in Iran. And he began profiting off the presidency at levels unheard of in America.

As a result, inflation is higher today than when he took office. Unemployment is on the rise. Economic growth is slowing. A recession and possible stagflation looms. And he’s overseen the most corrupt administration in U.S. history.

Trump didn’t inherit a crisis. He inherited a layup — and decided to shoot from half court. Now we’re all paying the price.

Watch me make Japanese style pancakes while I explain.

Japanese-Style Pancakes with Maple Syrup

INGREDIENTS:

Batter
• 240g egg whites (from ~8 eggs)
• 100g egg yolks (from ~5 eggs)
• 100g sugar (caster or granulated)
• 20g lemon juice
• 120g 00 or all-purpose flour
• 20g cake flour
• 4g salt
• 50g whole milk

For Cooking & Serving
• Butter (for pan + serving)
• Maple syrup

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make the batter
   Whisk the egg whites with lemon juice until foamy, then gradually add the sugar and continue whisking until you reach medium peaks — glossy and structured, but still soft. Add the egg yolks and whisk until fully combined. Switch to a spatula and gently fold in the flours and salt until just incorporated, then fold in the milk until smooth. The batter should be light, airy, and thick enough to hold its shape without spreading too much.

2. Cook the pancakes
   Heat a nonstick pan over low heat and lightly butter it, wiping away any excess. Scoop the batter into the pan, letting it mound naturally rather than spreading it out. Cover and cook for about 4–5 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the sides are set enough to hold their shape. Flip carefully and cook for another 1–2 minutes.

3. Steam and finish
   Cover the pan again to trap steam and cook for another 2–3 minutes, which helps set the center and gives the pancakes their soft, airy texture. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately with butter and maple syrup.