Politics: 5 stories from this week
Personalized for you.
On Politics
April 18, 2026

Here are some stories you might have missed this week, curated by Times editors and personalized for you.

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The New York Times

The Inside Story of Five Days That Remade the Supreme Court

Secret memos obtained by The New York Times illuminate the origins of the court’s now-routine “shadow docket” rulings on presidential power.

By Jodi Kantor and Adam Liptak

A man with black hair stands in the sunshine, next to a building, wearing a reddish pink polo shirt. He is smiling.

Texas Student Media/The Daily Texan

The 27-Year-Old Diplomat Waging Trump’s Cultural War With Europe

Five years out of college, Samuel Samson has driven the Trump administration’s push to upend America’s postwar relationship with Europe.

By Michael D. Shear, Catherine Porter, Jane Bradley and Christopher F. Schuetze

An overhead view of a facility nestled into mountains.

Vantor, via Associated Press

Trump Is Urged to Move on Nuclear Site Thought to Be Beyond Reach of Bombs

Little is known about Pickaxe Mountain, but some experts say it illustrates the impossibility of relying on force alone to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb.

By Michael Crowley

Pieces of dried psilocybin mushrooms are contained in a small dish.

Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

Trump Loosens Restrictions on Psychedelic Drugs

The president’s executive order is intended to accelerate research into the compounds’ efficacy in treating mental health disorders like severe depression and PTSD.

By Andrew Jacobs and Noah Daly

An illustration showing a proposed 250-foot arch in Washington, D.C., compared with the scale of a person.

The New York Times

How the Giant D.C. Arch Would Compare to Others Across the World

See how President Trump’s proposed arch would dwarf other monumental arches, including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

By Marco Hernandez and Anushka Patil

MORE ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

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The New York Times

Latest Polls: Do Americans Approve of President Trump? →

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The New York Times

Tracking the Lawsuits Against Trump’s Agenda →

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