Politics

Vote.AI

Pro-AI Super PACs Are Already All In on the Midterms

Silicon Valley’s battle against AI regulation is already shaping the next US election cycle.

Occupied

‘I’m Witnessing a Lot of Emptiness’: How ICE Uprooted Normal Life in Minneapolis

Growing Pains

ICE Details a New Minnesota-Based Detention Network That Spans 5 States

Policy

Why ICE Can Kill With Impunity

Over the past decade, US immigration agents have shot and killed more than two dozen people. Not a single agent appears to have faced criminal charges.

What to Do if ICE Invades Your Neighborhood

With federal agents storming the streets of American communities, there’s no single right way to approach this dangerous moment. But there are steps you can take to stay safe—and have an impact.

Minnesota Sues to Stop ICE ‘Invasion’

The state of Minnesota, along with the Twin Cities, have sued the US government and several officials to halt the flood of agents carrying out an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation.

ICE Agent Who Reportedly Shot Renee Good Was a Firearms Trainer, per Testimony

Jonathan Ross told a federal court in December about his professional background, including “hundreds” of encounters with drivers during enforcement actions, according to testimony obtained by WIRED.

Disinformation

MAGA Is Already Rewriting the ICE Shooting in Minneapolis

The federal government’s narrative of the Minneapolis shooting conflicts wildly with video footage of the incident shared online.

People Are Using AI to Falsely Identify the Federal Agent Who Shot Renee Good

Online detectives are inaccurately claiming to have identified the federal agent who shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in Minnesota based on AI-manipulated images.

Disinformation Floods Social Media After Nicolás Maduro’s Capture

From seemingly AI-generated videos to repurposed old footage, TikTok, Instagram, and X did little to stop the onslaught of misleading posts in the wake of the US invasion of Venezuela.

David Hogg to Democratic Establishment: Get the Message or Get Voted Out

At WIRED’s Big Interview event, the activist and organizer said he doesn’t “think the Chuck Schumers of the world understand” what’s coming for the party.

Extremism

Senators Want Extremism Researchers to Surrender Documents Linked to Right-Wing Grudges

The Senate homeland security committee's chair has asked researchers to turn over troves of documents related to the January 6 attack, vaccines, and more, according to a letter reviewed by WIRED.

An Anarchist’s Conviction Offers a Grim Foreshadowing of Trump’s War on the ‘Left’

As the Trump administration ramps up its targeting of left-leaning people and groups, the prosecution and harsh sentencing of Casey Goonan may provide a glimpse of things to come.

Elon Musk Has Turned His Eye to the UK

Musk posted nonstop at the beginning of the year about British politics, until his focus was consumed by DOGE. Now he’s back.

At a Conspiracy Conference in Rural Ireland, Charlie Kirk Was the Star

The increasingly tight links between far-right groups in the US and Europe were on full display at the Rebels Across the Pond conference in Ireland.

Global Elections

The Inside Story of How Gen Z Toppled Nepal’s Leader and Chose a New One on Discord

The revolution started on social media. It ended with protests, violence, and an online poll to pick the new prime minister.

One Republican Now Controls a Huge Chunk of US Election Infrastructure

Former GOP operative Scott Leiendecker just bought Dominion Voting Systems, giving him ownership of voting systems used in 27 states. Election experts don't know what to think.

Top US Election Security Watchdog Forced to Stop Election Security Work

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has frozen efforts to aid states in securing elections, according to an internal memo viewed by WIRED.

Secret Phone Surveillance Tech Was Likely Deployed at 2024 DNC

Data WIRED collected during the 2024 Democratic National Convention strongly suggests the use of a cell-site simulator, a controversial spy device that intercepts sensitive data from every phone in its range.

Politics News

Minnesota Is Just the Beginning. California and New York Are ‘Next’

The Trump administration appears to be planning to leverage the same playbook used in Minnesota to go after other blue states.

Trump Doesn’t Need the Proud Boys Anymore

In a world where ICE agents are shooting US citizens on the street, the need for militias and extremist groups like the Proud Boys to support far-right interests has evaporated.