Skip Navigation
Author

Headshot of Alex Shephard
Alex Shephard

Alex Shephard is senior editor of The New Republic, where he has covered politics and culture since 2015. His work has also appeared in New York, GQ, The Atlantic, The Nation, and other publications.  

All Articles
May 13, 2026
Alex Shephard
Bob Dylan’s Argument With God
A conversation with Ron Rosenbaum about what makes Dylan so unique.
May 7, 2026
Alex Shephard
Democrats Have a Joe Biden Problem. Again.
The former president is reentering politics at the worst possible time.
May 6, 2026
Alex Shephard
Trump Doesn’t Care If He Wrecks the Global Economy
What started with tariffs has escalated with the Iran war. He’s playing a giant game of chicken, and everyone will lose.
April 29, 2026
Alex Shephard
Trump Is Weighing Two Options for Iran. They’re Both Horrific.
The president might resume military strikes or maintain a blockade for months—or do both.
April 23, 2026
Alex Shephard
Iran’s Hard-Liners Have Trump’s Number
The president is desperate for a deal. But the war he launched with Israel has only served to empower those who are quick to call his bluff.
April 19, 2026
Alex Shephard
Trump and FIFA Have Already Broken the 2026 World Cup
Travel bans, ICE fears, and astronomical costs are ruining the tournament before it begins—not that Trump or Gianni Infantino care.
April 13, 2026
Alex Shephard
JD Vance Is on a Hell of a Losing Streak
The vice president just had his worst week in politics: rallying with a losing candidate in Hungary, then overseeing the failed negotiations over the Iran war. What new misery awaits him?
April 11, 2026
Alex Shephard
The MAGA Civil War Is Just Getting Started
Trump is fighting a growing list of right-wing pundits and influencers who are critical of the Iran war—and who are playing a long game.
April 8, 2026
Alex Shephard
Trump’s Staggering Humiliation in Iran
Desperate for an off-ramp, the president is setting up the U.S. to lose another war in the Middle East—even if the ceasefire doesn’t hold.
March 27, 2026
Alex Shephard
Wait, Did the Democrats Just Win a Government Shutdown Fight?
They didn’t get the ICE reforms they’d demanded, but they uncharacteristically held the line until the Republicans caved. That’s deeply meaningful to the party’s base.
March 19, 2026
Alex Shephard
This Is How Forever Wars Begin
First, with lies and bombs. Then, with a request for hundreds of billions in taxpayer dollars. Will Congress cave to the White House yet again?
March 18, 2026
Alex Shephard
Iran, Not Trump, Decides When This War Is Over
The U.S. and Israel started the war, but with the Strait of Hormuz closed and gas prices skyrocketing, Iran is in control now.
March 14, 2026
Alex Shephard
Is JD Vance Rooting for the Iran War to Fail?
Recent reporting leaves little doubt: Trump’s vice president thinks that if the war goes badly, it will help him secure the 2028 Republican nomination for president.
March 13, 2026
Alex Shephard
With the War in Iran, Trump Has Launched His Own Brand of Forever War
A decade ago, Trump promised an end to military interventions like the disaster in Iraq. Instead, he’s merely reinventing them.
March 11, 2026
MagazineAlex Shephard
Trump Has Already Thrown the 2026 World Cup Into Chaos
With less than 100 days until the tournament begins, it is already being tested by war, diplomatic crises, and instability.
March 10, 2026
Alex Shephard
Neocons Got What They Want in Iran. They Still Want More.
The Iran war has not exactly been a roaring success. But its backers are eager for more regime change. Just look at Lindsey Graham.
March 4, 2026
Alex Shephard
The Republican Meltdown Over Iran Is Just Beginning
Right-wing criticism of Trump’s war has mostly come from familiar MAGA cranks like Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson. But it could quickly spiral out of control.
March 1, 2026
Alex Shephard
The Dangerous Incoherence of Trump’s War With Iran
The president doesn’t have a clear goal in Iran but thinks he can end the war before that becomes an issue. The problem is: He can’t.
February 25, 2026
Alex Shephard
Yes, America Is “Winning”—if You’re a CEO, ICE Thug, or Epstein Elite
The president’s State of the Union address hailed a supposed “turnaround for the ages,” but who’s benefiting?
February 13, 2026
MagazineAlex Shephard
These Are Not Your Father’s Democrats
Some are left, some aren’t. But what they have in common is that they are ready to rumble. It’s the Democratic Tea Party, with a twist.

Our Writers

Illustrated headshot of Kate Aronoff
Kate Aronoff
Climate & Energy
Illustrated headshot of Perry Bacon
Perry Bacon
Trumpism & Its Opponents
Illustrated headshot of Malcolm Ferguson
Malcolm Ferguson
Breaking News
Illustrated headshot of Matt Ford
Matt Ford
Law & the Courts
Illustrated headshot of Melissa Gira Grant
Melissa Gira Grant
LGBTQ Rights
Illustrated headshot of Heather Souvaine Horn
Heather Souvaine Horn
Climate Change
Illustrated headshot of Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling
Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling
Breaking News
Illustrated headshot of Jason Linkins
Jason Linkins
Power & Plutocracy
Illustrated headshot of Timothy Noah
Timothy Noah
Politics & Economy
Illustrated headshot of Edith Olmsted
Edith Olmsted
Breaking News
Illustrated headshot of Monica Potts
Monica Potts
Politics & Class
Illustrated headshot of Hafiz Rashid
Hafiz Rashid
Breaking News
Illustrated headshot of Greg Sargent
Greg Sargent
Politics & Democracy
Illustrated headshot of Grace Segers
Grace Segers
Congress & Elections
Illustrated headshot of Alex Shephard
Alex Shephard
Politics & Media
Illustrated headshot of Michael Tomasky
Michael Tomasky
Politics & Ideas
Three black-and-white mock-ups for The New Republic in its founding year, 1914, with bold serif typography symbolizing the magazine’s historical commitment to liberalism.
About The New Republic’s history