John Harwood
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Articles by John Harwood
‘Why on Earth Would Iran Make a Nuclear Deal With Us?’ Ex-Obama Official on Trump and What’s Next
Payrolling genocide, war-mongering, and spiraling into authoritarianism. What happens now that Donald Trump has permanently soiled the United States’ global authority? Ex-Obama official and ‘Pod Save the World’ host Ben Rhodes joined Zeteo’s John Harwood to discuss Trump’s “fascist looting of a declining empire” – and the opportunity to ”build something different.” This was a Substack live conversation where Zeteo subscribers could ask questions in real time.
Americans Are Rejecting the Trump Economy – For Good Reason
Donald Trump dances at the end of a rally at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas, on Oct. 7, 2026. From the numbers alone, intense public antipathy for Donald Trump’s economic record makes no sense. Our economy has not crashed. Unemployment, which measured 4.2% in September, remains well below the 21st century average. Inflation, 3.4% year-over-year in August, exceeds the 25-year average by less than one percentage point.
Expert Pollster on the ‘Deeper’ Dynamic That Could Bring Down Trump and MAGA
There’s less than a month to go before midterm Election Day, and things are looking good for Democrats. But can we trust the polls? Can Democrats turn their momentum into wins at the ballot box? And will Donald Trump’s government let elections play outfairly, or is the U.S. becoming a “shithole country” when it comes to voting rights?
Trump’s Biggest Con of All
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet at a U.S. airbase on Aug. 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska. Photo by Contributor/Getty Images. After ProPublica reported that a Russian oligarch had financed wedding festivities for Donald Trump Jr., his bride confirmed the facts but not their obvious significance. “It was an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend,” a statement on Bettina Trump’s Instagram said.
Can Democrat Troy Jackson Oust Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine?
Graham Platner shook up the Maine Senate race – until he dropped out. Now, Democratic nominee Troy Jackson has seven weeks to end Republican Susan Collins’ three-decade run in a battle that could be crucial to Democrats taking back the Senate. According to polling, the race is tied. Does Jackson have what it takes? He joins Zeteo’s John Harwood for a candid conversation about his campaign, live on Substack, where he took questions from Zeteo subscribers watching in real time.
Talarico Insider: Texas’s ‘Perfect Storm’ Could Defeat Republican Ken Paxton
The Texas Senate race isn’t supposed to be this close. Republicans have controlled the state for more than three decades, and no one makes conservatives freak out more than Democrat James Talarico – but he’s neck-and-neck with problematic Republican Ken Paxton. So what’s changed?
Meet the Populist Democrat Who Could Help Flip The Senate
This year’s Ohio senate race is becoming one of the most high-stakes and high-dollar races in the battle for Senate control, as Republicans spend millions defending GOP Senator and staunch Trump supporter Jon Husted against the comeback attempt by former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown. Brown is putting up a fight, challenging Husted on his support for data center expansion, and promising to serve the working class.
When McCarthyism Hit My Family
Senator Joseph R. McCarthy appearing on a television screen, on April 6, 1954. Photo via Getty Images. Here’s a frightening thought experiment: How much more damage could the infamous 1950s demagogue Joseph McCarthy have done if he’d sat in the Oval Office? Donald Trump’s deadly crusade against immigrants, “hardcore, godless Communists” and “left-wing political violence” gives us an idea.
Is Trump’s War Handing Democrats Their Next Win?
Twenty years ago, an unpopular Republican president was waging an unpopular war in the Middle East. Sound familiar? That political moment gave Democrats an opening to win back Congress – and later, elect Barack Obama. Now, chief Obama speechwriter and Crooked Media co-founder Jon Favreau thinks Democrats could be facing an even bigger opportunity, given …
The Death of Mainstream Media? Ex-CNN and CBS Journalists Weigh In
“Redundant” coverage, “platforming lies,” and “cannibalizing” economic problems – these are the fundamental issues facing the mainstream news media right now, according to a former insider. CBS and NBC alum turned independent journalist Scott MacFarlane joined Zeteo’s John Harwood to answer an existential question: Can independent journalism protect democracy as big outlets bend the knee to Donald Trump?
The Death of Mainstream Media? Ex-CNN and CBS Journalists Weigh In
“Redundant” coverage, “platforming lies,” and “cannibalizing” economic problems – these are the fundamental issues facing the mainstream news media right now, according to a former insider. CBS and NBC alum turned independent journalist Scott MacFarlane joined Zeteo’s John Harwood to answer an existential question: Can independent journalism protect democracy as big outlets bend the knee to Donald Trump?
How ‘Psychopath’ Trump’s Mayhem Will Backfire in 2028 for Republicans
Donald Trump seems to think he can run for president in 2028, and if the law still stands, he can’t – but the seat may go to one of his top sycophants. That’s why Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, JD Vance, and Doug Burgum don’t push back on Trump’s reign of terror, argues political scientist Norm Ornstein, as he joins Zeteo’s John Harwood to unpack just how the Republican party got to this level of cult-dom.
Cheating Is All Trump Knows
Donald Trump exits the club house at Trump National Golf Club on Aug. 9, 2026 in Bedminster, New Jersey. Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images Donald Trump makes things up every day – about war, the economy, his deal-making prowess. But nothing captures his compulsion for fabulism better than golf.
‘Republicans Are Trying To Distract You’: Former Wisconsin Democratic Leader Lays Out How to Win in November
People often associate Wisconsin with cold weather, stellar cheese, and of course, their swing state politics. But what many people don’t know is that for over a decade, the state’s democratic institutions have been under attack by the Wisconsin GOP’s partisan gerrymandering,power grabs, and voter suppression. In this Substack Live, Zeteo’sJohn Harwood is joined by Wisconsin’s former Democratic Party chair, Ben Wikler – who has spent years helping the state’s Democrats fight back against the GOP.
Latinos Are the Only True Swing Vote in the U.S. - But Can Dems Win Them Over in 2026?
A lot of the same Latino voters who helped elect Donald Trump in 2024 are done with him, but they’re not necessarily running over to the Democrats. Why? “Both parties are not grasping what is happening with the largest, fastest growing segment of the electorate, that is also the only true swing vote in America,” says Latino Republican political consultant Mike Madrid. Spoiler: it has to do more with gas prices than ICE raids.
The Ugly Misogyny Of Trump’s MAGA Movement
Africa By John Harwood Photos: Wikimedia Commons Pete Hegseth’s recent announcement of testosterone screening for U.S. troops channeled Colin Jost’s cartoonish depiction of the Defense Secretary on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ But the pathological version of masculinity Jost mocks extends far beyond Hegseth. It permeates the entire MAGA movement, from Donald Trump on down. And as events this summer have shown, it’s ugly, not funny.
The Ugly Misogyny of Trump's Movement
Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on July 15, 2026. Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images. Pete Hegseth’s recent announcement of testosterone screening for U.S. troops channeled Colin Jost’s cartoonish depiction of the Defense Secretary on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ But the pathological version of masculinity Jost mocks extends far beyond Hegseth. It permeates the entire MAGA movement, from Donald Trump on down.
The GOP Is Now ‘An Extremist Movement,’ Says Ex-Republican Strategist
It’s a bizarre timeline: ICE murders, endless wars, the Epstein files, and a president hellbent on staying in power. The worst part? The entire Republican party seems to stand behind Trump as he hauls the country toward fascism. But, is it true? Can non-MAGA Republicans stop Trump? Is there any hint of normalcy left in the U.S. political system, or are we doomed for autocracy?
can soft Republicans bring down Trump? we'll ask Stuart Stevens
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Trump Has Given Us A ‘Golden Age’ – Of Corruption And Cruelty
Africa By John Harwood|Zeteo Photos: YouTube Screenshots|Wikimedia Commons They cannot competently govern, but give Donald Trump’s flunkies this much: They know what their president wants to hear. “You have changed America and created the Golden Age,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has gushed. “A new Golden Age of economic prosperity,” boasted Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “A golden age of national defense,” chirped the Pentagon’s Pete Hegseth.
Trump Has Given Us a ‘Golden Age’ – Of Corruption and Cruelty
Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026. Photo by Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Images. They cannot competently govern, but give Donald Trump’s flunkies this much: They know what their president wants to hear. “You have changed America and created the Golden Age,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has gushed. “A new Golden Age of economic prosperity,” boasted Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
ICE Keeps Killing People. Can They Be Held to Account? Legal Expert Weighs In
It happens again and again: ICE kills someone, and then they’re caught in the same “cover-your-ass lie” – that the killing was self-defense. This week, an immigration officer shot and killed a man in Maine on Monday. Last week, an officer shot and killed a man in Texas. It brings back into the headlines a key question: how do DHS and ICE seem to be able to kill civilians with impunity? Law school professor and top civil rights activist Maya Wiley joins John Harwood to break it all down.
Can the U.S. Rebuild Its Democracy After Trump?
The 250th anniversary of the United States represents more than just a major milestone – it is a defining moment for defending the country’s future. With Donald Trump’s authoritarian push eroding our democratic norms, the question is no longer about whether American democracy is under threat, but whether we are willing to fight for it. So have we lost touch with the vision our founding fathers put forth? And is American democracy at its breaking point?
U.S. Is ‘Asleep at the Wheel’ Against Terror Threats, Former DHS Chief of Staff Says
How secure is a superpower when it makes more enemies than allies? How are threats to the United States being dealt with when they often come from the White House itself? And how much further can Trump’s corruption jeopardize the safety of the people he claims to serve? Who better to answer these questions than former Department of Homeland Security chief of staff turned whistleblower, Miles Taylor.
In 2026 Midterms, It's MAGA Against the Rest of America
Donald Trump speaks on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on June 24, 2026. Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images. Fox News recently published stunning poll results for the Senate race in solidly-Republican Ohio: Democrat Sherrod Brown led GOP incumbent Jon Husted, 53% to 45%. In an era of metronomic partisan polarization, that eight-point Democratic margin in Ohio almost defies belief.
In 2026 Midterms, It's MAGA Against the Rest of America
Fox News recently published stunning poll results for the Senate race in solidly-Republican Ohio: Democrat Sherrod Brown led GOP incumbent Jon Husted, 53% to 45%. In an era of metronomic partisan polarization, that eight-point Democratic margin in Ohio almost defies belief. But an intra-Republican fracture explains it: Only 4% of those aligned with Donald Trump’s MAGA movement backed Brown, but 31% of “non-MAGA” Republicans crossed party lines to support the Democratic candidate.
Could Trump Resign After His Iran Humiliation? Jim Acosta Weighs In
President Donald Trump hasn’t had a great week. He essentially surrendered to Iran, his name was stripped from the Kennedy Center, his multimillion dollar reflecting pool remodel is already crumbling, plus his health appears to be declining and stars are backing out of his “America 250” celebration. It raises the question: will he finally quit? “It is very much the latter days of a dictator who is on his way out,” says CNN host turned independent journalist Jim Acosta to Zeteo’s John Harwood.
Which Crimes Could Trump and His Allies *Actually* Be Prosecuted For? Legal Expert Explains
“If we lose the midterms, and we lose 2028, some in this room are going to prison, myself included.” That was former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, speaking at a conservative event last year. But is he right? When Donald Trump eventually leaves power, will his allies walk free, or face a legal reckoning? And can presidential immunity shield him forever? The answer, former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance tells Zeteo’s John Harwood, is complicated.
Trump Implemented Far-Right Republican Policies – And They’re Failing Original
Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One on June 5, 2026. Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images. As it wreaks enormous damage on America and the world, Donald Trump’s second presidency has in one way performed a service. Again and again, Trump has acted without restraint to indulge his longstanding obsessions and those of the Republican Party that empowers him. His abandon has produced real-time tests of familiar arguments they’ve offered for years.
Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance
This morning, I joined my friend John Harwood of Zeteo for a live chat. We had a wide-ranging conversation about the grift and the awful but possibly lawful conduct going on during this administration, and about the possible limits of presidential immunity. John brings over three decades of experience in journalism to the table, and the questions he asks reflect his long view and body of knowledge about our politics.
How Trump Exploits the Media | Zeteo's John Harwood Joins The History of the Present
Veteran American political journalist and TV analyst John Harwood, now with Mehdi Hasan’s Zeteo, joined Brian Daitzman for a compelling conversation about the state of the media and our democracy, and how Trump is stoking weaknesses in both to line his own pockets. Harwood is no stranger to Washington, having served as chief Washington correspondent for CNBC and as a contributor at other outlets, including the New York Times.
How Bad Is Trump's Health? Medical Analyst Dr. Vin Gupta Weighs in
After President Donald Trump completed a medical exam at Walter Reed on Tuesday, he took to Truth Social to declare that “Everything checked out PERFECTLY.” But what do we actually know about the 79-year-old president’s health? Dr. Vin Gupta joins Zeteo’s John Harwood in a live conversation with Zeteo subscribers on Substack to break down the facts.
When a MAGA Manufactured Outrage Campaign Came After Me
Donald Trump speaks to reporters after stepping off Air Force One on May 20, 2026. Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images. A social media post from libertarian journalist Nick Gillespie caught my eye recently. He was crowd-sourcing ideas. “I’m interviewing Neil Gorsuch later today,” Gillespie wrote. “What should I ask him?” The Reason magazine editor-at-large was doing what diligent journalists do, soliciting ideas for topics he might have overlooked in earlier preparation.
How Charlie Sykes Went From Right-Wing Commentator To a Never-Trumper Purged From Twitter
Right-wing media personalities – like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens – are finally turning against U.S. President Donald Trump, amid his reckless war on Iran and dipping poll numbers. But in this conversation, Zeteo’s John Harwood speaks to one of the first conservative media personalities to speak out against Trump – Charlie Sykes, whose Twitter posts were recently purged, after publishing an article criticizing Elon Musk.
How to Stop Trump From Interfering in the Midterm Elections
The further Donald Trump falls, the more ways to tilt the mid-term elections he explores. Top election lawyer Marc Elias’s mantra: “He’ll try it, and we can fight it.” Marc Elias specializes in election law, voting rights and campaign finance and in 2020 founded Democracy Docket. He joined Zeteo’s John Harwood in a live conversation on Substack where subscribers tuned in and asked questions.
The Democratic Senate Map Doesn't Look So Bad Anymore
James Talarico (left). Sherrod Brown (right). Photos by Getty Images. Depressed enough by the Republican election sweep, Democrats in November 2024 sank even deeper when they considered the shape of Donald Trump’s victory. In 24 of the 31 states he carried, Trump routed Kamala Harris by double-digit margins. Since polarization increasingly aligns election outcomes up and down the ballot, that sent an ominous signal about Democrats’ future competitiveness for other offices too.
Can American Politics Ever Be ‘Normal’ Again, AFTER Trump?
As far as Donald Trump has fallen, says former Republican focus group maestro Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark, he needs to fall further before the country can decisively move forward. Can Democrats make it happen, or even Trump himself? Longwell joins Zeteo’s John Harwood for a live conversation on Substack to break it all down. Watch the full video above …
Warnings For Americans From A Historian of the Nazis
Donald Trump speaks at the White House on April 21, 2026. Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images. Donald Trump’s musings about dictatorship once sounded almost funny. Nobody laughs anymore. Trump has not created a dictatorship. He has, however, dragged the US further toward authoritarian rule than many of us thought possible.
How Trump Is Making the US Poorer: Top Economist Explains
War, immigration crackdown, tariffs, broken alliances, and a shredded rule of law: economist Justin Wolfers joins Zeteo’s John Harwood to unpack all the ways President Donald Trump is damaging the American economy. Some consequences are obvious now; others will show up later. Watch the full video above to hear Wolfers discuss whether gas prices will go back to normal, at what point national debt will be too big to bear, and how much power the president actually has over the economy.
This Is a Republican-Made Disaster
Zeteo contributor John Harwood is hosting a Substack live at 1:50pm ET Friday (10:50am PT, 6:50pm BST) with economist Justin Wolfers on how Trump is making the US poorer. They’ll take your questions. Donald Trump speaks to the media at the White House on April 6, 2026. Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images. Americans have begun to sense the scale of the catastrophe that Donald Trump’s second presidency has inflicted on all of us.
This Is a Republican-Made Disaster
Zeteo contributor John Harwood is hosting a Substack live at 1:50pm ET Friday (10:50am PT, 6:50pm BST) with economist Justin Wolfers on how Trump is making the US poorer. They’ll take your questions. Donald Trump speaks to the media at the White House on April 6, 2026. Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images. Americans have begun to sense the scale of the catastrophe that Donald Trump’s second presidency has inflicted on all of us.
Has Trump Started Something He Can’t End? Tommy Vietor on Iran, Iraq, and the Democrats
Can Donald Trump really end this war on Iran? Where does the US go from there? Ex-Obama NSC aide and Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor joins Zeteo’s John Harwood on Substack Live to break down Trump’s shambolic war, the president’s bizarre mental state, whether this nightmare of an administration is largely a consequence of having elected a Black president in 2008, and much more.
Has Trump Started Something He Can’t End? Tommy Vietor on Iran, Iraq, and the Democrats
Can Donald Trump really end this war on Iran? Where does the US go from there? Ex-Obama NSC aide and Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor joins Zeteo’s John Harwood on Substack Live to break down Trump’s shambolic war, the president’s bizarre mental state, whether this nightmare of an administration is largely a consequence of having elected a Black president in 2008, and much more.
The Anger of a Stumbling Presidency
Join Zeteo’s John Harwood in a live conversation with Pod Save America’s Tommy Vietor at 4:30pm ET / 8:30pm GMT on Substack. They’ll discuss Trump’s war in Iran and Democrats’ prospects in the midterm elections. Donald Trump speaks outside the White House on March 20, 2026. Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images. Donald Trump didn’t surprise anyone by welcoming the death of Robert Mueller, an American hero who exemplified all the admirable qualities he does not possess.
'They're Perceived To Be Weak': Top Pollster Explains Why Democrats Should Not Shift to the Center
Despite Democrats’ failure to rally voters around a centrist agenda back in 2024, many in the party still believe that the “middle of the road” is key to victory. But in this Substack Live conversation, independent pollster G. Elliott Morris tells John Harwood that those counseling Democrats to move toward the center have got it wrong. There are no “median voters” there, as he describes to Harwood – just people who pay little attention, have mixed views, and want strong leaders.
Trump’s Deadly and ‘Orwellian’ Refugee Policy
Donald Trump speaks in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on March 4, 2026. Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images. Donald Trump’s goons have carried out his mass deportation agenda with violence, capriciousness, and cruelty. But the agenda at least follows an underlying logic. It purports to remove immigrants who entered our country without legal permission.
Ex-Republican Strategist Warns Democrats Against ‘Picking Pointless Fights’ Against Each Other
As US President Donald Trump continues to grow more and more divisive, many former Republicans continue to find themselves searching for a new political home. In this Substack Live, John Harwood speaks with ex-Republican and The Bulwark’s editor-at-large Bill Kristol about the broadening political opposition to Trump in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections. Kristol tells Harwood that while he thinks Democrats will have victory in the midterms, “I don’t think that crushes the MAGA movement.
America’s Had Enough of MAGA Now
Donald Trump speaks at the White House on Feb. 23, 2026. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images. On Donald Trump’s first inauguration day, I wrote a New York Times op-ed I thought would prove prescient. I suggested his movement wouldn’t last. After all, he owed his flukish victory to shrinking segments of America: whites, evangelical Christians, less-educated voters. Demographic, social, and cultural change would keep shrinking them, notwithstanding their supercharged enthusiasm in 2016.
Don Lemon on His Arrest, Trump’s Racism, and the Un-Free Press
Donald Trump’s brazen war on free speech continues: his administration arrestedDon Lemon and called for his prosecution after the CNN host turned independent journalist reported on an anti-ICE protest.
Can the Courts Rein Trump In? Fmr. White House Special Counsel Weighs In
The midterm elections in the US are still nine months away but President Donald Trump is already giving voters new reasons to worry about voter intimidation and election integrity. The question hovering over all this – will the courts be able to stop Trump’s election interference again, like they did back in 2020?
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