THE INTERCEPT

APRIL 30. 2026

Democratic Leaders Wanted to Control the Maine Senate Race. Their Pick Just Dropped Out.

Janet Mills dropped out of the Senate race against Graham Platner, despite the establishment’s longtime support for the Maine governor.

APRIL 29. 2026

Hegseth Brags of a Deadlier War Machine as U. S. Unleashes “Devastating Civilian Harm Globally”

While testifying to Congress on Wednesday, War Secretary Pete Hegseth lobbed threats and brushed off queries about civilian harm.

Mike Johnson Used Crypto Catnip to Get Freedom Caucus Support for Domestic Spy Law

The House speaker used crypto catnip to get the Freedom Caucus to support FISA’s renewal, but it won‘t work in the Senate.

ICE Watchers Worry Democrats Are Trying to Co-Opt Their Movements For Votes

Activists accuse Minnesota House candidate Matt Little of "cosplaying" as a protester, blurring the line between solidarity and opportunism.

Marco Rubio Is Rebranding the State Department as Explicitly Christian

In Trump’s first term, the department promoted secular causes on its Instagram. Under Marco Rubio, it boosts explicit Christian messaging.

APRIL 28. 2026

We Need to Kick Prediction Market Betting Out of Journalism While We Still Can

Treating journalism like a casino will harm reporting — and erode democracy.

Who Decided to Indict Kilmar Abrego Garcia Over a Years-Old Traffic Stop?

A DOJ prosecutor insists he charged Abrego based strictly on evidence of human smuggling. A federal judge seems skeptical.

APRIL 27. 2026

How Trump’s America Produces Normie Assassins

The only extremism would-be assassins like suspect Cole Tomas Allen share is an extreme response to Trump’s deranging politics.

Meet the Four Democrats Who’ll Decide If Trump Gets His Domestic Spying Law

Reps. Golden, Gottheimer, Suozzi, and Gluesenkamp Perez have bucked their own party on giving Trump controversial domestic spying powers.

APRIL 26. 2026

CIA Ran MK-ULTRA Experiments on Prisoners of War in U. S. Custody, Declassified Docs Confirm

For the first time, declassified documents confirm the CIA carried out tests on North Korean POWs and planned for much more invasive experimentation.

APRIL 24. 2026

Kash Patel Got Arrested for Public Urination After a Night of Drinking

FBI Director Kash Patel wrote that the drinking incidents — including an arrest for public urination — were not his usual behavior.

“We Knew They Were Paying Informants”: SPLC Donors Reject Trump DOJ Fraud Claims

Southern Poverty Law Center donors said the alleged "fraud" prosecuted in their name was how they hoped the group would spend their money.

Palantir Is Helping Trump’s IRS Conduct “Massive-Scale” Data Mining

Military contractor Palantir has been paid more than $130 million by the IRS to analyze sensitive federal databases.

“Me Too” Comes Back To Congress

Intercept staffers discuss the themes emerging this midterm election season, from Epstein accountability to Democrats’ hyperfixation on Hasan Piker.