One Surprising Thing About <em>The Odyssey</em>—Its Rating
The U.S. is a relative outlier in keeping Christopher Nolan’s movie away from younger audiences.| The Atlantic
The New Parent Trap
At summer camp, the kids may be far from home, but technology is keeping many moms and dads tethered to them—and anxious.| The Atlantic
Running From a Fire Should Not Be This Routine
Evacuation has become a familiar, terrible summer ordeal.| The Atlantic
How the U.S. Squandered Its Strategic Advantage
Idle threats and munitions shortages have boxed Trump in.| The Atlantic
Do Not Paint Granite!
The latest Trump renovation project would violate a basic rule of building maintenance.| The Atlantic
How Theory Took Over the World
The French writers of the postwar era argued that the author’s life is irrelevant. Emily Eakin’s lively new book proves them wrong.| The Atlantic
The Once-Shameless President Is Deeply Embarrassed
Article URL: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/08/trump-humiliated-iran-reflecting-pool/688184/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49191731 Points: 11 # Comments: 1| Hacker News: Newest
What El-Sayed Does Next Matters
Abdul El-Sayed called out Democrats. Now he needs to bring them together.| The Atlantic
Mike Johnson Would Prefer Not To
The House speaker doesn’t want to get involved in the Max Miller scandal—or anything else that might seem like part of his basic duties as a leader.| The Atlantic
A Biopic That Ends Right When It’s Getting Started
A new film about Anthony Bourdain uses its subject to examine how a young person comes to love cooking.| The Atlantic
An Unfortunate Surprise for BMW Owners
The luxury automaker is beaming a Spider-Man ad into its cars.| The Atlantic
Someone Is Mysteriously Snapping Up Used Books Around the World
Are AI companies to blame?| The Atlantic
The Once-Shameless President Is Deeply Embarrassed
As Donald Trump faces one humiliation after another, he is attacking those he blames.| The Atlantic
Photos: Paws on Boards
Recent images of canine competitors riding the waves in surfing competitions for dogs, many them fundraising events for animal and environmental nonprofit groups| The Atlantic
Was Herbert Hoover America’s Most Misunderstood President?
Margaret Hoover on Herbert Hoover’s life, presidency, and legacy, and the renovation of his presidential library. Plus: Trump’s dropped Reflecting Pool indictment and The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carré| The Atlantic
Liberals Are Now Fighting a Two-Front War - The Atlantic
Leftists like Abdul El-Sayed will take over the Democratic Party unless the center-left adapts to their rise.| The Atlantic
‘Disappear the Democrat’ Backfires in Montana
The party has been backing independent Senate candidates in red states. But Montana is not working as planned.| The Atlantic
Wait—The Theme for Your Party Is <em>What</em>, Exactly?
Young people are going all-out for niche events such as “farewell to Spirit Airlines” and “embracing your cringe.”| The Atlantic
Putin’s Human Safari Is the Dystopian Future of War
A grim new normal dawns in Ukraine.| The Atlantic
Trump Should Need a Warrant to See Your Phone
Federal officers can too easily comb through the most intimate details of your life.| The Atlantic
Did al-Qaeda Succeed? - The Atlantic
Twenty-five years after 9/11, analysts can’t decide if the terrorist organization is all but defunct or more threatening than ever.| The Atlantic
Bidenomics Was More Successful Than People Think
Conventional wisdom holds that Joe Biden’s bet on climate investment was a bust. The data suggest otherwise.| The Atlantic
Trump Tests the Definition of <em>Insider Trading</em>
A new Truth Social subscription service is another way for the president to profit from his office.| The Atlantic
Trump’s Irrationality Is Dangerous
The president’s recent rant is a sign of serious dysfunction in the Oval Office.| The Atlantic
What if Freud Was Right? - The Atlantic
A neuroscientist dares to argue that old-fashioned psychoanalysis holds the key to curing mental illness.| The Atlantic
Now, Thanks to Sam Altman, You Never Have to Speak to Your Kids Again
AI can handle these kinds of pointless interactions.| The Atlantic
A Sibling Is Not Always a ‘Gift’
The term assumes that adding a child to a family is for the best. But that’s not the case for everyone.| The Atlantic
A Trojan Horse Is Supposed to Have Humans Inside It
Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey is full of contradictions about deceit and violence.| The Atlantic
The Catholic Church’s New Schism
The Vatican excommunicated 700 arch-traditionalist bishops and priests—a rupture that touches on broader disputes in the Church today.| The Atlantic
One Problem With Attacking the Smithsonian? Americans Like It.
Coming after a history museum may not be the base-galvanizing issue Trump thinks it is.| The Atlantic
The Danger of Trump’s Anti-Communist Rhetoric
The Trump administration would like you to worry like it’s 1979.| The Atlantic
Get Used to High Gas Prices
Even if the Iran war ends tomorrow, don’t expect relief at the pump any time soon.| The Atlantic
Trump Blames America First - The Atlantic
The president would rather condemn Minnesota than Iran.| The Atlantic
Looking for the Catch in Apple Upgrade
Damon Beres, writing for The Atlantic under the hed/subhed: “The New iPhone Underclass: Apple’s rental program is a trap”:| Daring Fireball
What the Fauci Diary Reveals About Washington - The Atlantic
His musings seem to confirm everyone’s worst suspicions about the capital.| The Atlantic
The Most Famous AI Writing Tic Is Also the Most Mysterious - The Atlantic
Why chatbots love “it’s not X, it’s Y”| The Atlantic
Your Creativity Won't Save Your Job From AI - The Atlantic
Robots were once considered capable only of unimaginative, routine work. Today they write articles and create award-winning art.| The Atlantic
The Most Efficient Way to Save a Life - The Atlantic
Inspired to make a meaningful donation, I wondered: What is the best charitable cause in the world, and was it crazy to think that math and logic could help me find it?| The Atlantic
The Trump Administration Tells the Truth - The Atlantic
A government lawyer admitted in a court filing that the administration withheld grants based on whom states had voted for.| The Atlantic
The War Over America’s Birthday Party - The Atlantic
As plans for the festivities became Trumpier, allies of the president tried to oust Republican commissioners.| The Atlantic
Trump’s Own Declaration of Independence - The Atlantic
The president, who has flirted with regal rhetoric, wants a historic copy of America’s founding document placed in the Oval Office.| The Atlantic
The President Who Doesn't Read - The Atlantic
Trump’s allergy to the written word and his reliance on oral communication have proven liabilities in office.| The Atlantic
What We Learn About Trump in His Rare Moments of Self-Reflection - The Atlantic
For a brief moment this weekend, the president appeared introspective.| The Atlantic
It’s Not Just Iran. Trump Is Flailing on Multiple Fronts. - The Atlantic
Donald Trump’s recent string of setbacks in Iran, Hungary, and more show that his usual intimidation tactics are no longer working, Jonathan Lemire reports:| The Atlantic
The White House Urges Republicans to Ignore Trump's Diversions - The Atlantic
They will let Trump be Trump, but everyone else needs to stay focused on the economy.| The Atlantic
A Breathtaking Week of Pure Trump Id - The Atlantic
Military success in Venezuela has emboldened the president to flex his power even more.| The Atlantic
Doomsday-Prepping for Trump’s Third Term - The Atlantic
Dmitri Mehlhorn has created a fictional world to game out constitutional collapse.| The Atlantic
One of These Trump Threats Is Not Like the Others - The Atlantic
Trump has developed a reputation for backing down from his most over-the-top threats, but dismissing his words is a mistake.| The Atlantic
Is The End of NATO Near? - The Atlantic
The alliance has been battered by Trump’s threats.| The Atlantic
Taking Greenland Could Be the End of NATO - The Atlantic
After Venezuela, Europeans are taking the president’s threats seriously.| The Atlantic
‘I Run the Country and the World’ - The Atlantic
Donald Trump believes he’s invincible. But the cracks are beginning to show.| The Atlantic
Only Norms Protect the White House’s Architecture - The Atlantic
For 125 years, informal norms constrained what a president could do to one of the nation’s most famous landmarks.| The Atlantic
Wes Moore, the Newcomer - The Atlantic
Wes Moore isn’t here to save the Democratic Party.| The Atlantic
The Hidden World of the Typewriter - The Atlantic
Before laptops and tablets came along, writers did their writing on clunky, unwieldy machines -- aids to work that were also works of art.| The Atlantic
The Science of Genes and Heredity Is Constantly Changing - The Atlantic
Their discovery wasn’t predestined, nor do they dictate our destinies—and current ideas about them may die.| The Atlantic
A Love Letter to the ‘Best Mountain Range on Earth’ - The Atlantic
In his new book, Kim Stanley Robinson grounds himself firmly on Earth and explores the beauty of the High Sierra mountains.| The Atlantic
Philosophy - The Atlantic
The Atlantic covers news, politics, culture, technology, health, and more, through its articles, podcasts, videos, and flagship magazine.| The Atlantic
Douglas Hofstadter, The Atlantic
Douglas Hofstadter is a professor of cognitive science and comparative literature at Indiana University at Bloomington. He is the author of, among other books, Gödel, Escher, Bach and Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies.| The Atlantic
The AI Bubble Is No Ordinary Bubble - The Atlantic
Tech companies need to generate huge revenues fast, or the economy could be in trouble.| The Atlantic
Obama’s Lesson for Caitlin Clark—And Americans - The Atlantic
This is what a president sounds like.| The Atlantic
How AI Killed a 133-Year-Old Princeton Tradition - The Atlantic
The school’s famous Honor Code was no match for chatbot-enabled cheating.| The Atlantic
Public Health Needs MAHA - The Atlantic
The field must swallow its pride and admit where the insurgent movement is right.| The Atlantic
Does Heritage Support Discrimination Against Women? - The Atlantic
The organization’s recent hiring reveals a willingness to countenance views decisively outside the American mainstream.| The Atlantic
Is the Coronavirus Airborne? Should We All Wear Masks? - The Atlantic
How the coronavirus travels through the air has become one of the most divisive debates in this pandemic.| The Atlantic
Infographic: What Would You Give Up to Keep Your Smartphone? - The Atlantic
One-third of those surveyed by TeleNav said that they would rather give up sex for an entire week than part with their mobile devices| The Atlantic
The Erasing of American Science - The Atlantic
How far can the Trump administration bend U.S. research before it breaks?| The Atlantic
I Think, Therefore I Am Getting Paid by an AI Company - The Atlantic
Silicon Valley is turning to ethicists to shape the future of AI.| The Atlantic
There’s Never Been a Better Time to Study Computer Science - The Atlantic
Even as AI progresses, coders aren’t doomed.| The Atlantic
Does Sam Altman Know What He’s Creating? - The Atlantic
The OpenAI CEO’s ambitious, ingenious, terrifying quest to create a new form of intelligence| The Atlantic
Where Did All the Computer-Science Professors Go? - The Atlantic
AI companies are stripping universities of their best researchers.| The Atlantic
Galaxy Brain: Why AI Is Making Things More Expensive - The Atlantic
How the AI-driven memory crisis affects us all| The Atlantic
The Anti-Social Century - The Atlantic
Americans are now spending more time alone than ever. It’s changing our personalities, our politics, and even our relationship to reality.| The Atlantic
The Informants in Mexico’s Government - The Atlantic
The United States is intensifying its hunt for narcos within the Mexican government. Is this all prelude to an attack?| The Atlantic
AI's Memorization Crisis - The Atlantic
Large language models don’t “learn”—they copy. And that could change everything for the tech industry.| The Atlantic
North Carolina’s Threat to Legal Assistance for the Poor - The Atlantic
Republicans in the state legislature abruptly slashed funding for civil legal aid for low-income clients this month.| The Atlantic
The IRA Helped Me Break Up With Fossil Fuels - The Atlantic
The Inflation Reduction Act let me break up with fossil fuels.| The Atlantic
The Smithsonian’s Show Trial on Capitol Hill - The Atlantic
Republicans grilled a museum head, intensifying Donald Trump’s campaign to reshape the American story.| The Atlantic
A Formula for Perfect Productivity: Work for 52 Minutes, Break for 17 - The Atlantic
Finally, social scientists suggest a precise time for mid-afternoon coffee runs.| The Atlantic
J. D. Vance’s New Book Is a Complete Waste of Time - The Atlantic
Why does "Communion" exist?| The Atlantic
Ralph Waldo Emerson's Life and Letters in Massachusetts - The Atlantic
“The warm swart Earth-spirit which made the strength of past ages, mightier than it knew, with instincts instead of science, like a mother yielding food from her own breast instead of preparing it through chemic and culinary skill, — warm negro ages of sentiment and vegetation, — all gone; another hour had struck and other forms arose.”| The Atlantic
Abolishing the Senate Might Be the DSA’s Best Idea - The Atlantic
A teardown of the upper chamber would be good for American democracy.| The Atlantic
Nietzsche’s Guide to Better Living - The Atlantic
John Kaag’s fascinating new book about the German thinker seeks to tether philosophy back to the mess of daily experience.| The Atlantic
August 2026 Issue - The Atlantic
Read the full print edition of The Atlantic from the August 2026 issue| The Atlantic
May 2026 Issue - The Atlantic
America's best free bread, the cartel Olympics, a billionaire's private retreat, and why reactionaries are taking over the world. Plus the U.S. gerontocracy, masterpieces of the New Deal, John Mark Comer, Black comedy, the eighth deadly sin, and more.| The Atlantic
The Rise of Techno-authoritarianism - The Atlantic
Silicon Valley has its own ascendant political ideology. It’s past time we call it what it is.| The Atlantic
Iraq’s Man in the Middle - The Atlantic
The country’s new prime minister is trying to navigate between Washington and Tehran.| The Atlantic
Trump Is Caught in the Trap He Set - The Atlantic
The war in Iran has dealt a serious blow to the idea that the president can slip out of any bind easily.| The Atlantic
China’s Answer to AI Sticker Shock - The Atlantic
Corporate America is starting to balk at the cost of AI agents. A cheap alternative from China looks more tempting than ever.| The Atlantic
Trump’s New Plan to Speed Up the Arch - The Atlantic
If the president gets his way, new rules would lower the bar for building monuments in Washington.| The Atlantic
Young People Are Having Less Sex - The Atlantic
Despite the easing of taboos and the rise of hookup apps, Americans are in the midst of a sex recession.| The Atlantic
Two Americans Dead in Jordan - The Atlantic
Two more Americans have died. Meanwhile, the president’s rationale for war keeps changing.| The Atlantic
Silicon Valley Has Lost Its Biggest Advantage - The Atlantic
In the data-center age, the business of tech companies is more like oil-refining than coding.| The Atlantic
Pete Hegseth’s Questionable Testosterone Plan - The Atlantic
The secretary of defense has a questionable plan to monitor the hormone levels of every service member over 30.| The Atlantic
What Is It About Ranch Dressing? - The Atlantic
Ranch dressing has become, deservedly or not, a face of the nation during the World Cup.| The Atlantic
The Wildfire Survivors Who Didn’t Want to Be Climate Models - The Atlantic
After a wildfire razed a Canadian town, its leaders pushed for climate-friendly rebuilding. Residents just wanted to come home.| The Atlantic