Political & Legal Issues - The discussion revolves around potential legal troubles for Donald Trump and his political opponents, with concerns about the misuse of power and the weaponization of the legal system [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] - There's mention of a direct message from Trump that was mistakenly posted, raising questions about his conduct and intentions [1][3][4] - The speaker suggests Trump is acting improperly, comparing his actions to those of a mafia boss [4] Government Shutdown & Policy - The potential impact of a government shutdown on federal employees, particularly in California, is a key concern [8][10] - Discussions include the possibility of separate measures to pay military members during the shutdown [9][14] - The rising cost of healthcare premiums is highlighted as a significant issue affecting constituents, with an example of a 60-year-old couple potentially facing a $26,000 increase annually [11][12] National Security - Concerns are raised about the potential layoff of 80% of employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration due to funding issues [13][14] - The urgency of reopening the government is linked to the need to oversee nuclear weapons safety [13][14]

The John Bolton indictment comes as we are learning more about the political pressure DOJ staffers are facing from the White House. Multiple sources familiar with the internal dynamics described to MSNBC quote public scoldings and tense discussions playing out in US attorney's offices in Washington DC and Virginia with prosecutors pursuing probes that political appointees pushed them to launch and finding little evidence of crimes. Let's bring in one of the authors of that new piece, MSNBC's Von Hillyard.Al ...

This weekend, organizers expect more than 2500 protests in cities and towns large and small for the second No Kings Day. Tomorrow's rallies are supposed to be even bigger than the ones we saw in June when a staggering 5 million Americans protested the Trump administration and its policies. Joining me now is Ezra Lean, co-executive director of Indivisible, which is organizing No King's Day, which is no small feat.My goodness. I'm curious how big you're expecting these protests to be, Ezra. We've said they're ...

Joining me now is one of the 13,000 air traffic controllers working without pay right now. Pete Lef Fever is a member of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and helps control the skies over Washington. First of all, Pete, thanks for your work that you do.We saw you over the week handing out pamphlets and flyers to educate travelers about what's going on right now. What do you want people to know. >> Good morning.Thank you so much for having me on. Uh 17 days ago the government shutdown was just ...

Legal Proceedings - John Bolton pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of illegally collecting and transmitting national defense information [1][7] - The charges revolve around diaries allegedly containing national secrets shared with his wife and daughter [2] - Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison [11] Allegations and Rebuttals - The Justice Department accuses John Bolton of transmitting over 1,000 pages of highly classified information to his wife and daughter [8] - The information allegedly pertained to foreign leader intentions and US covert actions [1][9] - The government claims Iran hacked at least one of the email accounts used to transmit the information [10] - Bolton insists he is being targeted for criticizing President Trump and his lawyer claims the material was not classified [3][11] Key Individuals - John Bolton, former National Security Advisor, is the defendant in the case [1] - Fallon Gallagher, MSNBC Legal Affairs Reporter, provided updates from outside the courthouse [5][6] - Ken Dilanian, MSNBC Justice and Intelligence Correspondent, detailed the indictment [5][8]

Ahead of Saturday’s nationwide “No Kings” rallies, which is expected to draw millions across more than 2,000 cities, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen joined Morning Joe to push back against the rhetoric coming from the GOP: “It's one of the things that makes this country great and different from Viktor Orban's Hungary and Vladimir Putin's Russia and Xi's China.” For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our day click here: https://www.msnbc.com/ » Subscribe to MSNBC: https://www.youtube.com/msn ...

Do you think your Republican colleagues are cognizant of that. Are they aware of that possibility. Are they privately in your conversations with you.Are they upset by this campaign of retribution or are they cheering it on like they're doing in public. >> Well, there are a handful who are still upset, but remember there's a regime of fear that has come down on the Republican party. They've looked at what's happened to Liz Cheney, to Adam Kinziger, to Mitt Romney, to others who have taken on the president.I ...

Legal & Political Landscape - John Bolton, former National Security Advisor, faces 18 felony charges related to handling classified information and has surrendered to authorities [1][4] - The indictment accuses Bolton of sending over 1,000 pages of diary material containing highly classified information to his wife and daughter via an unsecure email account, one of which was reportedly hacked by Iranian actors [4][5] - The prosecution's case may be complicated by the "beef" between President Trump and John Bolton, potentially impacting the likelihood of conviction [11] - The charges against Bolton fall under the Espionage Act, pertaining to unlawfully taking, removing, retaining, or transmitting national defense information [16][18] National Security Implications - The case highlights a concerning trend of senior executive branch officials potentially mishandling classified information after leaving government service [20][22] - The US intelligence community reportedly discovered the classified information in Bolton's AOL account after penetrating the system where Iran had these emails [30][31] Procedural & Investigative Aspects - Bolton's initial court appearance is expected to be a formality, involving reading of charges and ensuring he has an attorney [3][4] - The FBI interviewed Bolton multiple times since 2020 across three administrations [22] - The Justice Department had previously reviewed Bolton for mishandling classified information related to his book during the Trump administration, but the Biden administration did not pursue charges at the time [24] - The current charges may have been sparked by Bolton's report of a cyber intrusion, leading to a deeper investigation into what information the Iranians obtained [25]

Geopolitical Strategy & Security - The potential deployment of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine is viewed as a critical factor in influencing Putin and achieving a peace deal, with the current moment seen as an opportune time to increase pressure [5] - Tomahawk missiles are not expected to make a major difference on the battlefield, but they will help prevent the ongoing humanitarian disaster because Russia is taking out Ukraine's energy grid [2] - The symbolic impact of a Tomahawk landing in Russian territory is considered a significant "make or break" moment for Putin, potentially leading to public disapproval [3] - The US should provide Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and make it clear that it is in the strategic interest of the US that Ukraine defeats Russia [10] - Concerns exist regarding the current administration's commitment to standing by Ukraine and imposing consequences on Russia, given past actions and recent communications [12] Economic Impact & Warfare - Destroying Russia's oil and gas infrastructure is identified as a key vulnerability, and Tomahawk missiles could significantly enhance Ukraine's capability in this area [7] - Eroding Russia's ability to export oil and gas to countries like China, India, and Turkey would make it increasingly difficult for Russia to finance the war [8] - Ukraine's existing drone capabilities are insufficient to carry the necessary warheads or reach the required distances to significantly impact Russia's war financing [9] Diplomatic Efforts & Negotiations - Ukraine is willing to engage in discussions with Putin anywhere except in Russia and Belarus, highlighting the importance of maintaining dialogue [4] - The success of potential summits and negotiations hinges on sustaining pressure on Putin and preventing him from employing delay tactics [13][14]

We are back now with breaking news coverage at the federal courthouse in Maryland where John Bolton was just arraigned and just pleaded not guilty. He was just before a judge facing 18 felony counts related to his handling of classified material. Ken, bring us up to speed what just happened in that courthouse.>> Yeah, Ariel. So unexpectedly, they combined an arraignment with the initial appearance. And so they did read the charges and he pled not guilty uh to all 18 counts.Our producer in the courtroom said ...