Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

In the ongoing litigation fallout from President Donald Trump’s blanket pardon for Jan. 6 defendants, a federal judge reached a conclusion that might seem obvious but still needed stating: The pardon doesn’t cover Maryland gun possession. Both the defendant and the Trump Justice Department argued otherwise. But the judge said Elias Nick Costianes’ firearms conviction…

This is an adapted excerpt from the May 10 episode of “Velshi.” Donald Trump is trying to sell a vision to the American people. As his chaotic tariff rollout continues to prove both damaging to the U.S. economy and unpopular among voters, the president has frequently brought up the hardships Americans will face, like his…

Depending on whom you ask, Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona is either the future of the Democratic movement or Kyrsten Sinema 2.0, a self-serving climber willing to abandon his party, and his stated principles, for personal gain. The first-term senator has been trying to establish his identity as a straight-talking, MAGA-friendly liberal for several months…

In some of his first public remarks since being elevated to the papacy, Pope Leo XIV denounced the jailing of journalists and the use of the media to pit people against one another. And though the pope didn’t drop names, his remarks offer a clear rebuke of the partisan, dehumanizing and manipulative tendencies that characterize…

This is an adapted excerpt from the May 11 episode of “Velshi.” Hours after Donald Trump announced a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan on social media early Saturday, explosions were once again heard in major cities across the region. Dozens have been killed on both sides in fighting that started on Wednesday between the…

The Trump administration is losing right and left in the courts in its ongoing campaign to detain and deport anyone it wants to anywhere in the world. Now, according to White House official Stephen Miller, the administration is “actively looking at” whether to attempt to “suspend” the right to habeas corpus — that is, the…

Ordinarily, when it comes to U.S. diplomacy, the role played by interpreters tends not to be notable. When it comes to the Trump administration and meetings with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, however, the usual rules don’t seem to apply. The Washington Post reported in 2019, for example, that Donald Trump had gone to “extraordinary lengths to…

It’s no secret that Donald Trump repeatedly promised voters he’d end the devastating war in Ukraine before he was sworn in for a second term — and he failed. The Republican similarly promised the public that he’d resolve the crisis “within 24 hours” of returning to the White House — and he failed on that…

This is an adapted excerpt from the May 8 episode of “The Briefing with Jen Psaki.” At this point, we are all familiar with Donald Trump’s “flood the zone” strategy: Move fast, try to upend as many things as possible, and throw so much at us that it’s hard to keep up. The president wants…

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Now Playing BREAKING: Hamas frees Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander 11:50 UP NEXT His family ‘never gave up hope’: NJ lawmaker on Edan Alexander’s release from Hamas 03:53 ‘Abuse of power’ is ‘very concerning’: NJ lawmaker speaks out about Trump admin…