David A. Graham is a staff writer at The Atlantic and an author of the Atlantic Daily newsletter. He is the author of The ...

The key criteria for those in the top-tier positions appear to be loyalty, wealth, and ideological fervor, not competence.

Anti-science mysticism is enabling autocracy around the globe.

An apolitical bureaucracy run by public servants who respect the law is one of the greatest achievements a society can attain—and these two men have no respect for it.

The drama over federal-grant spending this week isn’t mere disorganization; it’s part of a broader effort to remake the government from the inside.

In the 21st century, you are who you pretend to be. It’s a world Tom Ripley was made for.