'The Republican Party has become just another subsidiary of Donald Trump Inc.'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day


'Republicans are no longer a political party'
David A. Graham in The Atlantic
The GOP is nearing "its end as a functional party," says David A. Graham. Donald Trump made the Republican National Committee a branch of Trump Inc. by deposing Ronna McDaniel and endorsing "loyalist" North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley to replace her, with his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as co-chair. This is "good news" for Trump. "Given what we know about the Trump Organization and the Trump White House, it is unlikely to be good news for the party."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
'What Biden should do at the border'
Daniel Di Martino at National Review
If President Joe Biden wants to show Republican lawmakers he is "acting in good faith," he should do everything "in his power to solve the border crisis," says Daniel Di Martino. He can start by placing "every migrant encountered on the southern border into expedited removal proceedings" instead of paroling them. This would subject asylum seekers to a "credible-fear interview." Only half pass this credibility test. Maybe then Republicans would recognize it will take "congressional action" to fully secure the border.
'Why giving roses on Valentine's Day — or any day — is really a bad idea'
Amanda Shendruk in The Washington Post
This Valentine's Day, we need to ask the "unromantic question," "Can we live without roses?" says Amanda Shendruk. "The daily, nonstop, global race to get just-cut roses from greenhouses to your front door makes them punishing on the environment." They are spirited to us from "climate-controlled greenhouses" via "refrigerated trucks and a long, chilled flight," giving them a huge carbon footprint. Pay a little more for a favorite flower that's in season and grown locally. "Romance doesn't need to be limited to roses."
'Biden's commitment to reducing student debt offers hope to millions'
Diego Garcia in The Miami Herald
President Joe Biden's determination to ease "student loan debt burdens has given millions of Americans a glimmer of hope" in an uncertain world, says Diego Garcia. In January, Biden approved canceling debts for another 74,000 student loan borrowers, bringing the total number benefiting from his student debt relief initiatives to a "staggering 3.7 million." This shows a commitment to a "fairer, more equitable economy" that "should grow from the middle out, not the top down."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.
-
Sweden's Soft Hooligans: the fans who brought 'good vibes' to the Euros
Under the Radar Formed to create a fun fan atmosphere, the Swedish football supporter group has been bringing the party to the championship
-
Crossword: July 18, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Sudoku hard: July 18, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
'Singling out crypto for special scrutiny would be misguided'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
'A recipe for higher costs and lower living standards'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
Melania Trump's intervention on Ukraine
In The Spotlight The first lady has been linked to the president's U-turn on sending arms to Kyiv
-
Can Texas redistricting save the US House for the GOP?
Today's Big Question Trump pushes a 'ruthless' new plan, but it could backfire