In the latest example of organizations blaming the messenger rather than the sins being exposed, the Trump Administration is furious that someone is leaking the fact that the U.S. is running low on bombs.
Ted Rall’s Latest Books:
The Modern Republican Party
Harkening back to the distant past of a Cold War alien to Americans under the age of 50, Trump and his Republicans are unleashing hoary insults like “commie” on the Democratic Party. How much further back will they go?
The Centrist’s Lament
The upset victory of progressive Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s Senate seat has put the Democratic civil war in sharp relief. Are moderates more electable? If so, who cares—if they won’t do anything once they get into office?
War Games
The United States maintains the world’s largest military budget (with recent proposals around $1.5 trillion). Despite this, recent analyses and reporting highlight ongoing shortages of key munitions—such as Tomahawk missiles, Patriot and THAAD interceptors, and 155mm artillery rounds—driven by high consumption in conflicts (including the war with Iran), prior transfers to Ukraine, limited industrial surge capacity, and long production lead times of two to four years or more.
A Star Is Born
The DOJ used the occasion of a quiet midsummer weekend to drop embarrassingly trumped-up charges against an Olympic athlete falsely accused of vandalizing Trump’s renovated DC Reflecting Pool.
David Hearn, a three-time Olympic canoeist, had been accused of deliberately damaging the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. Prosecutors now say newly obtained Interior Department documents show the peeling liner and other damage resulted from a “botched” and rushed contractor installation (tied to the America 250 celebrations), not vandalism.
Trump’s Madman Theory
For the umpteenth time in recent months, Trump has announced a big peace deal—this one between Israel and Hamas. The terms, however, seem completely unacceptable to Hamas: under the proposal, they would disarm first before Israel would begin to withdraw from Gaza.
Government Efficiency
If the trillions spent on wars and the military were divvied up among Americans, no one would have any trouble getting by. But that’s not our system.
Half of Americans Can’t Afford Groceries
Half of Americans say they’re having trouble paying for gas and groceries. Their president and the ruling Republicans don’t seem to care much, much less be willing to do anything about it.
Gas Preppers, Activate
As the US-Israeli war against Iran expands throughout the Middle East, involving the Houthis and resulting in the closure of the Red Sea as well as the Persian Gulf, oil and gas prices are rising.–oil prices have hit a six-week high amid the conflict.
So Many Jobs, So Few Openings
Employers frequently complain they cannot find qualified Americans to fill job openings, yet the ranks of the long-term unemployed continue to swell. Over 1.8 million Americans were long-term jobless in 2026—up sharply since 2019—according to recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This paradox highlights a persistent skills gap. Many companies hesitate to invest in training, preferring to wait for perfectly matched candidates amid economic uncertainty, automation shifts, and demographic changes. Yet experts note that upskilling existing or available workers could quickly close mismatches in sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, and trades.
“The Stringer”
graphic novel
by Ted Rall & Pablo G. Callejo
“Political Suicide: The Fight for the Soul of the Democratic Party”
by Ted Rall
“Bernie (Revised 2020 Edition)”
by Ted Rall
Wanted: More Luigis | DMZ America Podcast | Ep 253
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LIVE 11 am Eastern Fridays, and then streaming whenever you wanna hear/watch it: In a surprise turn, Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty to the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione admitted he stalked and shot Thompson in 2024 outside a Hilton hotel in Manhattan. He potentially faces life in prison. The 28-year-old is also still facing state murder charges for Thompson’s death in New York. He expressed no contrition, no remorse. A 2025 poll of college students found that half view Luigi extremely or somewhat favorably, and nearly half believe the killing was justified. 81% viewed the victim unfavorably. One out of four Americans in general support Luigi. Editorial cartoonists Ted Rall (from the Left) and Scott Stantis (from the Right) grapple with the question: Why haven’t there been more Luigis?
Read MoreNew Ship to Relieve Troubled USS Abraham Lincoln | DeProgram with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas
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Live at 9 AM Eastern & Streaming 24-7 Thereafter: Editorial cartoonist Ted Rall and political analyst Jamarl Thomas deprogram you from mainstream media every weekday at 9 AM Eastern time. Today we discuss: • Help is on the way—but it’s a slow boat coming further away than China. The USS George Washington, based in Japan, will replace the USS Abraham Lincoln. 5,000 crew members have been at sea for more than 260 days—causing a mental health crisis onboard with multiple suicide attempts by sailors to jump overboard. Conditions onboard are foul, including insufficient food, water and basic supplies, yet Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calls it “more fake news.” Guest: Elijah Magnier is a veteran war correspondent and political analyst with over 35 years covering the Middle East. He specializes in real-time reporting on strategy, terrorism, and geopolitics in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Libya. • A last-minute hearing for Luigi Mangione’s federal case in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian…
Read MoreDesperate US Sailors Leaping Overboard at Sea | DeProgram with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas
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LIVE 9:00 am Eastern time, Streaming Anytime: Conflict reporter/writer/cartoonist Ted Rall and political analyst Jamarl Thomas deprogram you from mainstream media every weekday at 9 AM ET. Today we discuss: • As if the Middle East War wasn’t bad enough for the environment, a massive oil slick from a leaking Russian tanker has fouled 2,000 square miles of ocean off the coast of Oman. Aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, 5,000 sailors are enduring a severe mental-health crisis caused by nine months at sea—with two days on land—and insufficient food, water and basic supplies. Numerous sailors have jumped overboard; others are trying to do so. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calls military families who complain liars. Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, a geopolitical analyst and former Pentagon officer, joins to discuss. She served at the NSA, became a noted critic of Iraq War intelligence practices, and now comments on foreign policy and national security issues. • In an unusual…
Read MoreHow Iran Brought the US to a Stalemate | DeProgram with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas
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LIVE 9:00 am Eastern time, Streaming Anytime: Conflict reporter/writer/cartoonist Ted Rall and political analyst Jamarl Thomas deprogram you from mainstream media every weekday at 9 AM ET. Today we discuss: • Iran has become a more skilled adversary as the war has progressed, learning how to evade U.S. air defenses as it widened the battlefield to include most of the Middle East and enlisted allies like the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq. The Pentagon’s supply of interceptors has quickly dwindled. A global superpower with a mighty military footprint can still be held at bay by a lesser adversary willing to wage asymmetric warfare. Joining to discuss is Chris Helali, an American investigative journalist, geopolitical analyst, researcher, and elected official. He is a U.S. Army veteran, former high school teacher and farmer. He fought against ISIS with the YPG in Syria. • The Democratic Right strikes back. Francesca Hong, who led in polls by 22%, loses to David Crowley,…
Read MoreTrump Demands War Reparations From Iran | DeProgram with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas
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LIVE 9:00 am Eastern time, Streaming Anytime: Conflict reporter/writer/cartoonist Ted Rall and political analyst Jamarl Thomas deprogram you from mainstream media every weekday at 9 AM ET. Today we discuss: • Iran seeks war reparations from the US. Trump flips the table, demanding compensation from Iran, citing attacks and atrocities stretching back decades allegedly backed or perpetrated by Iran. He also claimed compensation for the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole at a Yemeni port. The FBI attributed that bombing to Al Qaeda. • Russia was a major Assad ally during Syria’s 14-year civil war which ended when the current President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, toppled the regime. Assad fled to Russia where he and his family were granted asylum. Under a new memorandum of understanding reflecting a thaw in relations, Syria will take control of civilian facilities at the Hmeimim airbase and the commercial section of Tartus port. • Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have held regular foreign minister-level…
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