Picture of Tim O'Donnell

Tim O'Donnell

Contributing Writer

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.

Cultural Revoution 2.0?
Xi Jinping.
Briefing

Cultural Revoution 2.0?

It reportedly took Trump multiple takes to tell rioters to leave Capitol in Jan. 6 video
Donald Trump.
sunday shows

It reportedly took Trump multiple takes to tell rioters to leave Capitol in Jan. 6 video

Former FDA commissioner suggests every household have a supply of at-home COVID-19 tests
Scott Gottlieb.
sunday shows

Former FDA commissioner suggests every household have a supply of at-home COVID-19 tests

Poll: Most Republicans prefer candidates who encourage vaccination, oppose mandates
COVID-19 vaccine.
poll watch

Poll: Most Republicans prefer candidates who encourage vaccination, oppose mandates

How the worst drought in 3 decades could exacerbate Afghanistan's national crises
Afghan village in Shadyan desert.
afghanistan

How the worst drought in 3 decades could exacerbate Afghanistan's national crises

Senators cluelessly question whistleblower about Facebook in SNL cold open
Heidi Gardner.
live from new york

Senators cluelessly question whistleblower about Facebook in SNL cold open

10 things you need to know today: October 10, 2021
Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Daily briefing

10 things you need to know today: October 10, 2021

Scientists say 'premature' to predict if there will be another major COVID-19 wave, but room for optimism
COVID-19 testing site.
the coronavirus crisis

Scientists say 'premature' to predict if there will be another major COVID-19 wave, but room for optimism

Biden ally suggests the Iowa caucus process is more restrictive than Texas' voting law
Iowa state flag.
moving down in the lineup?

Biden ally suggests the Iowa caucus process is more restrictive than Texas' voting law

McConnell writes AG Garland letter defending parents' right to tell 'local schools what to teach'
Mitch McConnell.
school fights

McConnell writes AG Garland letter defending parents' right to tell 'local schools what to teach'

Why the Jan. 6 committee needs to 'lay the foundation' before making testimonial requests
The U.S. Capitol building.
capitol riot aftermath

Why the Jan. 6 committee needs to 'lay the foundation' before making testimonial requests

Does China really believe it can achieve peaceful reunification with Taiwan?
Xi Jinping
the taiwan question

Does China really believe it can achieve peaceful reunification with Taiwan?

10 things you need to know today: October 9, 2021
Taliban fighter.
Daily briefing

10 things you need to know today: October 9, 2021

Afghans reportedly escaped Kabul through secret CIA gate
Hamid Karzai International Airport.
glory gate

Afghans reportedly escaped Kabul through secret CIA gate

Birds and marine mammals will be hardest hit by 'very uneven' recovery from Huntington Beach oil spill
Huntington Beach oil spill cleanup.
long-term consequences

Birds and marine mammals will be hardest hit by 'very uneven' recovery from Huntington Beach oil spill

Outside experts are reportedly advising the White House to scrap its universal COVID-19 booster plan
Joe Biden.
solving covid

Outside experts are reportedly advising the White House to scrap its universal COVID-19 booster plan

New poll stuffed with 'bad news' for Biden, Democrats
Joe Biden.
poll watch

New poll stuffed with 'bad news' for Biden, Democrats

Will this MLB postseason belong to a bunch of old guys?
Adam Wainwright.
Welcome to October

Will this MLB postseason belong to a bunch of old guys?

The Taliban is the 'only team on the field' to quell Afghanistan's ISIS-K threat
Taliban fighter.
afghanistan

The Taliban is the 'only team on the field' to quell Afghanistan's ISIS-K threat

'Unusual' cable specifies that dozens of CIA informants have been arrested, killed in recent years
CIA logo.
CIA

'Unusual' cable specifies that dozens of CIA informants have been arrested, killed in recent years

Capitol Police respond to yet another threat at SCOTUS
Capitol Police investigate suspicious activity outside Supreme Court.
'depressingly routine'

Capitol Police respond to yet another threat at SCOTUS

Minting a trillion-dollar coin is a 'gimmick,' Yellen says
Janet Yellen.
don't mint the coin

Minting a trillion-dollar coin is a 'gimmick,' Yellen says

Andrew Yang explains why Americans should worry about how campaigns affect their political leaders
Andrew Yang.
reflections

Andrew Yang explains why Americans should worry about how campaigns affect their political leaders

'Too soon' to tell if Americans can gather safely for holidays, Fauci says
Anthony Fauci.
sunday shows

'Too soon' to tell if Americans can gather safely for holidays, Fauci says

Biden adviser: 'People will not get everything they want' in congressional negotiations
Cedric Richmond.
sunday shows

Biden adviser: 'People will not get everything they want' in congressional negotiations

How MLB can achieve unprecedented 'maximum chaos'
Mitch Haniger.
let the chaos ensue

How MLB can achieve unprecedented 'maximum chaos'

Multiple civilians killed in blast outside Kabul mosque
Zabihullah Majuhid.
afghanistan

Multiple civilians killed in blast outside Kabul mosque

10 things you need to know today: October 3, 2021
Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi.
Daily briefing

10 things you need to know today: October 3, 2021

SNL is back and it has a new Joe Biden
James Austin Johnson.
live from new york

SNL is back and it has a new Joe Biden

The possible reasons why Rodrigo Duterte is retiring from Filipino politics
Rodrigo Duterte.
more to it

The possible reasons why Rodrigo Duterte is retiring from Filipino politics

Sinema: Democrats' two-track legislative approach 'ineffective stunt'
Kyrsten Sinema.
sincerely, disappointed

Sinema: Democrats' two-track legislative approach 'ineffective stunt'

Has the Walton family gained an outsized influence over a crucial environmental crisis?
Colorado River.
how much is too much

Has the Walton family gained an outsized influence over a crucial environmental crisis?

Incentives key to United Airlines' 'extremely effective' vaccine mandate
United plane.
vaccine mandates

Incentives key to United Airlines' 'extremely effective' vaccine mandate

How economists think the White House should potentially scale back Biden's $3.5 trillion agenda
Joe Biden.
advice

How economists think the White House should potentially scale back Biden's $3.5 trillion agenda

10 things you need to know today: October 2, 2021
COVID-19 testing site.
Daily briefing

10 things you need to know today: October 2, 2021

House GOP leadership's anti-infrastructure pitch is reportedly that it's a 'gateway drug to reconciliation'
Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise.
rally the troops

House GOP leadership's anti-infrastructure pitch is reportedly that it's a 'gateway drug to reconciliation'