It’s Tuesday, December 23. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Tyler Cowen on the debunking of Oliver Sacks; River Page on how the Trump team lost its media savvy; and Russ Greene on “Total Boomer Luxury Communism.” Plus: Did J.D. Vance just take a side in the MAGA civil war?
But first: Gabe Kaminsky opens up the pardon playbook.
A round of golf at Mar-a-Lago. A letter delivered by Roger Stone. A lobbyist pal of the president’s eldest son. These are a few of the things that might be useful if you ever find yourself needing a pardon from President Donald Trump.
So far, Trump has granted clemency to more than 1,600 people during his second term, a big jump on the 240 pardons issued during his entire first term. Though he still has a way to go to beat Joe Biden’s 4,245 clemency acts during his presidency—the most by a president in American history.
The power to pardon has long been controversial. What makes Trump extraordinary is the pardon playbook that is being used to great success by those with wealth, or connections to Trump or people close to him, or both. For my investigation for The Free Press today, I dive into that playbook, and report on the ways in which the rich and powerful (and incarcerated) are trying to persuade the president to clear their name.
Trump’s allies deny any impropriety, and refute the idea that pardons are essentially for sale. But I heard from ethics experts and other sources who track the pardon process who say that it is cause for alarm under Trump. Read my full story for this look on how power and influence works in Trump’s Washington.
—Gabe Kaminsky
Vance Wants Open Borders in the MAGA Coalition |
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J.D. Vance has chosen a side in the MAGA civil war, argues Eli Lake. In a speech to Turning Point USA members this weekend, the vice president made clear he will not indulge in “endless, self-defeating purity tests,” but rather, make the GOP as open as possible—even if that means welcoming people who flirt with antisemitism and conspiracy theories. “Open borders for MAGA” is a political calculation, and one that may backfire, says Eli in this report on the latest round in the fight for the future of the right. | | |
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The Debunking of Oliver Sacks |
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Oliver Sacks, lauded as a giant in the study of neurology and beloved by his millions of readers, has been found to have fabricated key details in his landmark studies. Sacks’s deception is not isolated, writes Tyler Cowen. It is yet another revelation of dishonesty that has “shaken science.” So what can you trust—and how do you know what to believe? Tyler offers some tips. | | |
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Total Boomer Luxury Communism Is Bankrupting America |
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What is the root cause of America’s economic problems? For Russ Greene, the answer is “Total Boomer Luxury Communism.” That’s his term for expensive entitlement spending that funnels money from the old to the young, and is supported by Democrats and Republicans alike. In his essay for us today, he unpacks this generational injustice and explains why the system will have to change—and sooner rather than later. | | |
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Why Can’t the Trump Administration Log Off? |
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“I come to you with a mouthful of crow,” writes River Page. Why? Because he was one of the many journalists and pundits who praised the Trump team’s social media savvy after last November’s election. A year on, River argues the administration has lost its touch. From tone-deaf tweets, to ill-judged podcast appearances, MAGA is too online, and turning ordinary people off. How did Trump World lose its media edge? | | |
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