Talking Points Memo

While the conservative judges on Friday tried to find a way to overturn Supreme Court precedent before the Court itself gets a chance to do it, the sole liberal on a three-judge appeals court panel used the hearing to lay bare the ramifications of President Trump’s attempt to … Fed Takeover, Judge Firings, Erosion Of Guards Against Autocracy: Judge Lays Out Stakes Of Trump Agency TakeoverRead more

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. Everyone In Trump World Got The Same Memo The Trump administration quickly got in line Thursday to denounce, threaten, and investigate former FBI Director James Comey, whose firing … Trump Team Pretends To Be Horrified As Pretext To Target ComeyRead more

First it was reported that the Trump White House was considering sending a rescissions package to Congress, a way of letting the legislature rubber stamp some of the spending cuts DOGE has already implemented. Then it was reported that Trump might delay that package, at least a few … Trump Decides Now Is Not The Time To Make Republicans Rubber Stamp His DOGE Power Grab—Maybe LaterRead more

You’ve seen our liveblog which provides a far more detailed and technical look at today’s birthright citizenship oral arguments before the Supreme Court. I want to focus on a broad and critical issue. The Trump administration brought this to the Supreme Court. While the underlying or substantive issue … The Constitution Shouldn’t Have to WaitRead more

Here’s an interesting hypothetical: the White House wins its nationwide injunction case before the Supreme Court. Judges can no longer issue these national holds on various forms of federal government action, or face an exceedingly high bar to do so. At the same time, the high court has … Trump Admin Admits It Could Game Court System Without Nationwide InjunctionsRead more

The right-wing justices on Thursday were amenable to the Trump administration’s bid to pare back universal injunctions, a type of relief where lower-court judges block government policies for the whole country and not just the parties who brought the case.

I want to thank everyone who came out to see Kate Riga and I at our live podcast event last night in Chicago. You made us feel very welcome and we had a great time. And it was great meeting so many of you for the happy hour … Thank You, Chicago!Read more

This story first appeared at ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. In early February, Sharon Cromer, U.S. ambassador to Gambia, went to visit one of the country’s Cabinet ministers at … The Trump Administration Leaned On African Countries. The Goal: Get Business For Musk.Read more

Morning Memo comes to you today from Chicago, where Josh Marshall and Kate Riga did their podcast in front of a live audience last night. Thanks to everyone who came out for the first TPM event outside of NYC and DC. Sign up for the email version of Morning … Trump Exacts New Retribution Against His ProsecutorsRead more

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments this morning on what’s outwardly a case about President Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship. But on the substance, the arguments will delve into a different topic: the power of district courts to issue orders that take effect nationally, halting federal … SCOTUS Hears Oral Arguments In Birthright Citizenship Case, With Consequences For Courts’ Ability To Check TrumpRead more

The Trump administration is genuinely committed to finding as many sources of leverage as possible and using it to coerce various actors — mostly state and local governments but others too — into cooperating with the immigration crackdown.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee finished their budget markup hearing Wednesday afternoon, advancing the health care portion of the legislation — which includes massive cuts to Medicaid — in a party line 30-24 vote after more than a day of debate.

Just before the onset of the pandemic I’d started researching a longer project about the personalization of global politics which was accelerated by but not started by Trump. In a way personalization is the inevitable companion of authoritarianism and autocracy. If there’s one guy who runs the show … Personalization, The Vastly Bigger Story Behind the Pimpmobile Jet BribeRead more

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. Name And Shame! I don’t recall an outgoing interim U.S. attorney holding a press conference at the end of their brief tenure, but then no one else has … Ed Martin Announces He Will Abuse The Powers Of His Next Office, TooRead more

The House Energy and Commerce Committee met Tuesday afternoon to begin discussing committee Republicans’ budget markup that will enact sweeping cuts to Medicaid as they try to slash $880 billion over 10 years to programs under their jurisdiction. While little of the proposed Medicaid slashing had been discussed … Ten Hours In: Raucous Protests, Forced Removals And No Serious Discussion Of Republicans’ Proposed Cuts To MedicaidRead more

For the first time, a federal judge looked at Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to remove Venezuelans, and found a way to (kind of, sort of) agree.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said Democrats will be looking into President Donald Trump’s decision to fire Librarian of Congress Carla D. Hayden, saying “litigation will be evaluated strongly.” 

This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis. It was originally published at The Conversation. Republicans in Congress intend to cut about $880 billion in federal health care spending. One of their primary targets is Medicaid. That government program covers 82 million Americans with … The Cost Of Medicaid Cuts For Elderly AmericansRead more

They’re already calling him “BinderKapow” Edwards. But Ashville police have now announced that they will not be filing charges against the North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards over the alleged binder whack incident at a Rotary Club conference over the weekend in Ashville.

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. Two Months And Counting We’re coming up on two months since Kilmar Abrego Garcia was wrongfully removed from the United States, despite an immigration judge order barring it, … Trump DOJ Uses State Secrets Claim To Stonewall Abrego GarciaRead more

From TPM Reader DB … My feeling about Qatar gifting Trump a 747 is simply that it is just embarrassing for the United States. The US can afford and can build its own state-of-the-art Air Force One. The US doesn’t need a gift from a little country of … A Sad SpectacleRead more

This article was co-published by TPM and The Assembly, which publishes deep reporting on power and place in North Carolina. A regional Rotary conference in Asheville on Saturday night appears to have ended with a confrontation between Western North Carolina’s U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R) and an unknown … Rep. Chuck Edwards Accused Of Hitting Man At Rotary Club EventRead more

The top Democrat on the congressional committee that oversees the Library of Congress, Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY), is calling for an investigation into the White House’s recent actions involving the library and the U.S. Copyright Office.

A $2 billion Trump-branded crypto deal. Access to the President auctioned off to top holders of $TRUMP coin. Businesses bragging about spending $20 million on the President’s branded crypto coin in a bid to gain influence.

Since late in Donald Trump’s first term as President something called “Schedule F” has figured high in his plans to gut and/or make the federal workforce personally loyal to him as opposed to the constitution. The gist of is that Schedule F would allow Trump to redefine large … A Novel Concept: Will Judges Start Enforcing the Law With DOGE?Read more

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. Who’s Conning Whom Exactly? Before jumping ahead to the constitutionality of President Trump accepting as a “gift” from Qatar a $400 million 747 jumbo jet as short-term replacement … Don’t Get Conned By Trump’s Big, Beautiful Air Force One BoondoggleRead more

The Post has a good piece up about all the hidden ways the Trump White House is trying to break different parts of the government — through non-payment of grants (different from cancelations), arbitrary limits on purchase authority, etc. They note something very similar to the funds-ghosting I’ve … Funds-Ghosting At EPA TooRead more

Fascinating details emerging with the Qatari royal family giving Donald Trump the personal gift of a fully blinged out 747. Yes, they’re giving him a plane. When I first heard this story a few days ago it at least sounded like Trump had finally lost patience with Boeing … Qatari Royals Give Trump a PlaneRead more

Hello, it’s the weekend. This is The Weekender ☕️ The Supreme Court on Thursday will hear arguments related to President Trump’s executive order that purports to white out the guarantee of birthright citizenship from the Constitution.

The true extent of the confusion between the Trump White House and Republicans in Congress on Trump’s fiscal agenda came crashing out into the open this week.  Amid brutal intraparty tensions over how exactly they will enact sweeping cuts to Medicaid, far-right members of the House Republican conference … The Wheels Come Off Trump’s Attempt To Pass A ‘Big, Beautiful’ BillRead more