
Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a major in religious studies, and a minor in integrated liberal studies.
Rafi lives in the Twin Cities, where he does not bike, run or take part in any team sports. He does, however, have a variety of interests, hobbies and passions.
Latest articles by Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
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Is Ye finally about to be canceled for good?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION From doubling down on overt antisemitism and Nazi admiration to a series of alarming public appearances, the rap superstar and fashion mogul might have finally gone too far
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Top US prosecutors resign rather than drop Adams case
speed read The interim US attorney for the Southern District and five senior Justice Department officials quit following an order to drop the charges against Mayor Eric Adams
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Why are Europe's leaders raising red flags about Trump's Ukraine overtures to Putin?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Officials from across the continent warn that any peace plan without their input is doomed from the start
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Senate confirms Gabbard as intelligence chief
Speed Read The controversial former Democratic lawmaker, now Trump loyalist, was sworn in as director of national intelligence
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Russia frees US teacher Marc Fogel in murky 'exchange'
Speed Read He was detained in Moscow for carrying medically prescribed marijuana
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Five of Donald Trump's most outrageous unfulfilled White House schemes
In Depth The President of the United States is not one to let material reality stand in the way of a sound-bite ready pie-in-the-sky proposal
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Last updated
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Judge says White House defying order to spend funds
Speed Read U.S. District Judge John McConnell has ordered the Trump administration to restore federal funding it tried to freeze
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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There is more at stake with the 'Emilia Pérez' Oscar nominations than just a gold statue
IN THE SPOTLIGHT As cinephiles debate artistic merits and award season odds, transgender activists and Mexican nationals grapple with the social implications of one of the most divisive films of the year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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DOGE official at Treasury resigns after racist posts
Speed Read Marko Elez's ability to access the Treasury's central government payment system has been rescinded
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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What the CIA will look like if Trump gets his way
IN THE SPOTLIGHT The country's premier intelligence agency finds itself at a crossroads — and in the crosshairs of a president who has long railed against his 'deep state' adversaries
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Trump orders ban on trans female athletes
speed read The order directs the federal government to withhold funding from schools that do not comply
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Is El Salvador's offer to jail US deportees of any nationality feasible or fantasy?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The Trump administration is considering a surprise proposal from the Central American nation to incarcerate American deportees — including US citizens
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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At least 11 killed in Sweden adult ed school shooting
Speed Read The worst mass shooting in Swedish history took place in Orebro
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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How is Canada readying its arsenal for a trade war with the US?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The United States' northern neighbor is wasting no time when it comes to Donald Trump's tariffs and the looming threat of a North American trade war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Democrats try to stop Trump's USAID closure
Speed Read Trump and Elon Musk are attempting to dismantle the US Agency for International Development, a move congressional Democrats say is illegal
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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What is 'impoundment' and how does it work?
The Explainer The Trump administration grabbed at the 'power of the purse' in Congress, using a little-known executive action that could have massive implications for the future
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Extremists embrace Musk's salute as Tesla investors fret
IN THE SPOTLIGHT The tech titan insists his Nazi-reminiscent gesture had nothing to do with fascism, even as white nationalists rally around the fascistic salute.
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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FDA approves painkiller said to thwart addiction
Speed Read Suzetrigine, being sold as Journavx, is the first new pharmaceutical pain treatment approved by the FDA in 20 years
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Trump blames diversity, Democrats for DC air tragedy
Speed Read The president suggested that efforts to recruit more diverse air traffic controllers contributed to the deadly air crash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years
Speed Read The former New Jersey senator was convicted on federal bribery and corruption charges last year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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OpenAI announces ChatGPT Gov for government use
Speed Read The artificial intelligence research company has launched a new version of its chatbot tailored for the US government
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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Trump sparks chaos with spending, aid freezes
Speed Read A sudden freeze on federal grants and loans by President Donald Trump's administration has created widespread confusion
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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What could happen to the US food supply under Trump's isolationist agenda?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The president's plan to deport undocumented workers and levy massive taxes on international imports might have repercussions on your dinner plate
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
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What have we learned from week one of Trump 2.0?
Today's Big Question After five days in power, Donald Trump has wasted little time pushing boundaries
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
Today's Big Question