Talking Points Memo

I wanted to take a moment today to highlight something that to me, at least, is behind a certain uncanny quality to the summer of 2025. Two things, which point in two entirely different directions, are happening at the same time. Every day you can find in the … Trump and the American People — Two Ships Crossing in the NightRead more

Here’s a story a TPM Reader just flagged to me which seems somehow unremarkable in the Trump II Era but would be comical and unreal in a non-degenerate era. “A top State Department official who oversaw recent mass layoffs is now taking over as the acting head of … Your Government on TrumpRead more

I’m happy and relieved to report that early yesterday we hit the halfway point to our goal of raising $500,000 in this year’s annual TPM Journalism Fund drive. We’re currently at $252,305. The second 50% is way harder. That’s just the logic of drives. But getting to this … Let’s Keep Up This MomentumRead more

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. Three Cases to Watch Friday’s repatriation of the Venezuelan nationals that the Trump administration had consigned to the hellishness of El Salvador’s CECOT isn’t the end of the … What’s Next Now That the CECOT Detainees Were Freed?Read more

This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis. It was originally published at The Conversation. Seeking to expand Florida’s role in federal immigration enforcement, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in May 2025 submitted the state’s Immigration Enforcement Operations Plan to the Trump administration. The plan, … How Florida’s Plan for Immigration Judges at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ May Violate Constitutional RightsRead more

Hello it’s the weekend. This is The Weekender ☕️ There may or may not be a stretch of pavement in the Everglades that exposes an alleged lie about Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” detention camp. 

Once Angie Gonzalez started to hear rumors that her husband might finally leave CECOT this week, she stopped being able to sleep. She got out of bed at 4 a.m. on Friday morning and has spent the day glued to a computer screen, watching online plane trackers, following … CECOT Family Members Rejoice and Worry as Relatives Finally Leave El SalvadorRead more

This is special extra edition of TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. A Friday afternoon in the summer seemed like a good time to step back and field reader questions, but as I sat down to begin writing this news reports started coming of a three-country prisoner … Morning Memo: A Special Reader Questions EditionRead more

We’re on our fourth day of this year’s TPM Journalism Fund drive and we have half a chance to getting to 50% of the way toward our goal today. We’re at $231,827. So just $18,000 short of the $250,000 mark. Needless to say the second 50% always takes … Feel The Momentum!Read more

You’ve no doubt seen the Journal story on Trump’s lewd and innuendo-rich 2003 birthday card to Jeff Epstein. That speaks for itself. To me what speaks more loudly is what appears to have been an all out war from the White House to get the Journal to kill … Trump Failing and Flailing – No One’s Ever Seen Anything Like It!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. Making Sense of the Senseless The Trump Justice Department continues to be ground zero of his second term. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the … Nearly All The Trump II Depredations Run Through DOJRead more

House Republicans passed President Donald Trump’s $9 billion rescissions package Thursday night after Senate Republicans made minor changes to the bill.

With the House expected to eagerly place another rubber stamp on a legislative priority of President Trump’s — his attempt, via a rescission package, to legitimize Elon Musk’s work of freezing and blocking federal spending earlier this year — the White House has learned that it is not … White House Vindicated in Belief That Congress Will Blindly Hand Over PowerRead more

Covering MAGA and Trump is a bit like an old-time, hard-boiled detective novel. Everyone’s bad. Or at least shady. The challenge is distinguishing between the merely shady sorta bad and bad bad. And apart from the bad and those who were merely drawn that way, sometimes you have … Politics Reporting in the Gangland EraRead more

It’s true: he won’t be like other judges.

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. Straight From the Authoritarian Playbook One of the defining elements of the Trump Justice Department’s boundless first few months has been the extravagant and absurd claims to secrecy … The Trump Administration’s Absurd Obsession With SecrecyRead more

Some time early this morning we made it past the $200,000 threshold in this TPM Journalism Fund drive. And that’s just slightly more than two days in – or I guess slightly less if we time from the first post. That’s fantastic. Obviously, the pace slows. That’s natural. … Thanks, FolksRead more

We have an outside shot at getting to $200,000 raised tonight, the second day of the drive. We’re currently at $186,200. That would be 40% of the way there. If you’re considering contributing please consider doing it this evening. I know drives are kind of a necessary evil … Still A Chance?Read more

As we’ve discussed, the Trump administration has been flip-flopping for months on the matter of whether the Department of Homeland Security will target farm laborers, as well as workers in the hotel and restaurant industries, with ICE raids.

Top Florida Democrats issued blistering responses on Wednesday following a TPM report that detailed how Sunshine State Gov. Ron DeSantis diverted “disaster preparedness” resources in the rush to build the “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention camp.  Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), who toured the site earlier this month and … Dems Rip DeSantis For ‘Raiding Hurricane Response Resources’ At ‘Alligator Alcatraz’Read more

Thanks so much for getting us off to a very solid start with these year’s annual TPM Journalism Fund drive. If you haven’t had a chance to yet, please take a moment to join us this year. As I said yesterday, this is a critical part of our … Thank You, FriendsRead more

I must admit to being a bit perplexed at what Donald Trump is doing with the Epstein story. He went on Truth Social, the family’s vanity social network and corruption vehicle, today and again went off about how his own supporters are fools for not moving on from … What Is He Doing?Read more

Senate Republicans barely advanced President Donald Trump’s $9 billion rescissions package into debate time late Tuesday night, following two tight procedural votes that required Vice President JD Vance’s presence to tie-break. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) broke with the Senate Republican caucus … WH Is Ignoring Senate GOP’s Requests for Details on DOGE Cuts It Wants Congress to SwallowRead more

TPM has obtained and analyzed over a dozen contracts and invoices related to the construction and operation of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention camp in the Everglades. The documents identify eight previously undisclosed companies — including two firms with a Fortune 500 pedigree — … Contracts Show Millions of Dollars and Diverted Disaster Resources Were Used to Build DeSantis’ ‘Alligator Alcatraz’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. Send in Your Questions! I’ll be answering reader questions Friday in a special bonus edition of Morning Memo. Have a question? Submit it in the comments section of … Trump Corruptly Targets Schiff With Criminal InvestigationRead more

WASHINGTON DC—This past Sunday, Pastor Jared Longshore looked out at his congregants, gathered to hear him deliver the first sermon of a new church within sight of the U.S. Capitol. The group included Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as well as a prominent conservative think tanker and assorted … Fire, Brimstone, and Hegseth: Idaho Christian Nationalists Establish a DC BeachheadRead more

A bit of professional disappointment since we were also tipped about this and were hoping to get on it tomorrow. (D’oh!) But the Post beat us to it. The gist is what’s important. Eric Schnabel, the Chief Operating Office of the NIH – ground-zero of the Trump war … NIH COO Canned and Escorted out of the BuildingRead more

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. The Dark Ironies of the Emil Bove Nomination The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has slow-rolled a contempt of court inquiry into the Trump administration for so long … How One Appeals Court Has Miserably Failed to Defend the Rule of LawRead more

This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis. It was originally published at The Conversation. The big tax and spending package President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025, will cut government spending on health care by more than $1 trillion over … Not Just The Big, Beautiful Bill: Trump Policies Could Take Health Insurance From 17 MillionRead more

Today’s the day we kick off our big ask for the year, the TPM Journalism Fund annual drive. I just called it our “big ask”. But I want to be clear that if you’re a member, you shouldn’t feel any obligation. You’ve done your part to support our … This is Super ImportantRead more