I want to bring in now April Ryan, White House correspondent and Washington bureau chief of Black Press USA. Here with me in studio MS Now senior legal reporter Lisa Rubin and Corey Brett Schneider, political science professor at Brown University and co-host of the podcast The Oath and the Office. He is also the author of the book The Presidents and the People. Lisa, so the the administration is essentially arguing the FTC follows under the executive branch and that the president should have the right to hi ...

Um, Mike, let me read you this part. So, here's what's normal. The Times actually takes us through this in the story.What's normal. Actually, the Times reports out what the Justice Department manual says is normal. Quote, according to the Justice Department manual, settlements of claims against the department for more than $4 million.This is $230 million. Quote, must be approved by the Deputy Attorney General or Associate Attorney General, meaning the person who oversees the agency civil division. Quote, "T ...

Government Shutdown & Executive Power - The Trump administration, guided by figures like Russ Vote, views government shutdowns as opportunities to expand executive power, a strategy reminiscent of Project 2025 [1][2][7][22] - The administration is willing to leverage the shutdown to cut funding for projects, especially in Democratic-leaning states, even if the legal authority to do so is questionable [3][6][13] - This approach differs from past shutdowns, where the focus was on fiscal responsibility; now, the administration openly aims to harm political opponents and consolidate power [18][19] - The administration sees the shutdown as a "win-win" situation, either by forcing Democrats to concede or by advancing the agenda of reducing government and expanding executive authority [24][25][26] Political Strategy & Potential Repercussions - Democrats are framing the shutdown around healthcare, highlighting potential premium increases and loss of coverage, which resonates with a majority of Americans [11][12] - Republicans risk alienating voters in swing districts within blue states if they aggressively cut funding, potentially jeopardizing their chances in midterm elections [13][14][15] - Some Republicans recognize the risk of overreach and are wary of the administration's aggressive tactics [15][17] - The public's perception of government shutdowns has evolved, and it's unclear whether voters will punish either party at the polls [28] - Democrats' strategy of focusing on healthcare could backfire if Republicans offer a deal on healthcare subsidies, potentially removing a key issue for Democrats in the midterms [20][21][29]

Let's bring in Democratic Senator Amy Clolobashar of Minnesota. She's a member of the Judiciary Committee. Um I'd love for you to weigh in on the Jimmy Kimmel situation, but also on other sites that the president seems to have set his eyes on in terms of um threats and actually asking the attorney general to press certain people.Sure. Uh you can't see any of this in a vacuum. You know, he is the man be behind those truth social posts in which he is literally telling his attorney general to go against a very ...

Jim Vanderhigh, your behind the curtain piece for Axius, co-written with Mike Allen, just published online this morning, is called the most unprecedented presidency in 250 years. And in it, you write in part this. Yes, most presidents stretch the power of the White House and on rare occasions blatantly target US critics on US soil. But Trump has veered so often, so suddenly, so proudly, and loudly into unprecedented territory in at least 15 different areas. No president in peace time has done this much in o ...

A federal appeals court ruled most of Trump's global tariffs are in fact illegal, striking a massive blow to his trade policy, if you want to call it that. Trump reacting in typical Trump fashion, writing on his truth social site in part, quote, "Today, a highly partisan appeals court incorrectly said that our tariffs should be removed, but they know the United States of America will win in the end. Now, with the help of the United States Supreme Court, we will use them to the benefit of our nation. Joining ...

Checks and Balances - The analysis suggests a concern that Congress is perceived as subservient to the executive branch, specifically under the Trump administration [1] - The report indicates an attack on the judicial branch through intimidation tactics, complaints against judges, and court packing strategies [2] - The assessment views the current situation as a significant threat to the system of checks and balances that has been in place for over 200 years [2] Unfitness of Nominee - The nominee is considered unfit due to overwhelming proof [1] - The nominee is described as exhibit A, or even exhibit Z, highlighting the severity of the situation [3]