It’s Tuesday, February 3. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Nellie Bowles does the news, live. Is Trump’s best friend in Europe about to lose? The problem with therapy. And much more.
But first: The Iranian who would be king.
Iran is back in Donald Trump’s sights. Weeks after the president threatened to punish the regime’s leaders for slaughtering protesters, Trump now appears poised to follow through, having deployed a “massive armada” to stand by in the region.
White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Iranian leaders Friday to discuss a last-ditch deal to avoid a clash. But Trump is demanding steep concessions that the mullahs aren’t likely to stomach: an end to Iran’s nuclear energy and ballistic missile programs, the end of support to terrorist groups, and no more attacks on protesters. Instead of pleading for peace, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Monday that a U.S. attack would set off a regional war.
Naturally, many Iranians’ eyes have turned overseas toward Reza Pahlavi, the son of the shah and heir to the Peacock Throne. Pahlavi has spent decades in exile on American soil, but he has urged on the protests from afar as the regime begins to falter. He believes he could return to Tehran as a transitional leader to succeed Khamenei, guiding the country toward democracy.
Yet is Pahlavi the man to lead Iran, even temporarily? Free Press writer Eli Lake spoke with friends and advisers of Pahlavi to understand the complicated, even flawed, man who finds himself at the heart of the most important story in the world.
—Mene Ukueberuwa
If Newsom Is the Front-Runner, Democrats May Be Doomed |
|
|
|
 |
|
Gavin Newsom is emerging as the de facto leader of the Democratic Party. He leads the polls among 2028 contenders, has just published a book, and was just called “embarrassingly handsome” by Vogue. But can Newsom really be his party’s savior? Ruy Teixeira has his doubts. | | |
|
Trump’s Best Friend in Europe May Lose His Election |
|
|
|
 |
|
In his nearly 16 years in power, Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán has remade his country, been the bête noire of the European establishment, and emerged as Trump’s best friend on the continent. But is he about to finally be unseated? Charles Lane travels to Hungary to report on the race that could set off a political earthquake in Europe. | | |
|
The Way Out of the Immigration Mess |
|
|
|
 |
|
In the 2024 election, President Trump won the White House in large part due to his promise to close the borders. Now, public opinion is swinging in the other direction on the issue, with voters turned off by Trump’s deportation strategy. Why can’t Washington seem to find the middle ground on immigration? And what should that look like? Today, Joe Nocera goes in search of answers to those questions. | | |
|
My Wife Accepted Her Death. Why Can’t I? |
|
|
|
 |
|
When you lose your partner of half a century, it’s natural to feel sadness, loneliness, and loss. But what no one prepares you for is the anger you’ll feel, writes Michael Friedman. In the latest installment of Ancient Wisdom, Friedman describes the harsh reality of losing his wife—and the battle of piecing together a brand-new identity without the person you love most in the world. | | |
|
It’s only February, and the news cycle has not stopped since the beginning of the year. So we thought, why not get Nellie Bowles to help us make sense of it all?
Today at 12 p.m. ET, the Free Press co-founder and Queen of TGIF sits down with Suzy Weiss, Will Rahn, and Mene Ukueberuwa to talk news, politics, and culture in a livestream for paying subscribers only. If you’re already signed up, click here to mark your calendar.
Not a subscriber yet? Gain access to the livestream by becoming one today:
