The Ad Campaign

Warning: This episode contains strong language. In President Trump’s second term, Laura Loomer has emerged as the most influential outside adviser, telling the president whom to fire and shaping major policy decisions. Ken Bensinger, who covers media and politics, explains how a social media provocateur became Mr. Trump’s favorite blunt instrument.

Across the country, public schools are facing steep declines in enrollment, while the movement to use public funds for private education grows. Dana Goldstein, who covers education and families for The New York Times, explains why so many parents are using taxpayer money to privately educate their children — and what this means for American education.

European leaders raced to Washington to show their support for President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine as he met with President Trump on Monday. It was their first face-to-face meeting at the White House since their disastrous blowup in the Oval Office in February. Michael Schwirtz, who covers global intelligence, explains how and why Mr. Zelensky’s approach has changed.

From Iowa to New York, Republican members of Congress have struggled to answer constituents’ tough questions about their party’s agenda, with several town hall meetings turning angry and going viral. Republican leaders have told lawmakers to stop holding them all together. Representative Mike Flood of Nebraska has ignored that advice. The congressman speaks about the disappearance of an American political tradition and why he thinks it is worth preserving.

Sam Graham-Felsen never imagined being lonely. Throughout his childhood and as a young man his life revolved around his friends. But when Sam got married and then had kids, going out with his friends almost felt like a luxury. After years of focusing on everything in his life except friendship, Sam began to realize he was missing something essential, and he decided to get his friends back. On this episode of “Modern Love,” Mr. Graham-Felsen describes how he went from being a boy with a wealth of deep friendships to finding himself feeling lonely as an adult, and what he did to bring friendship back into his life.