Why did Trump fire Carla Hayden, the celebrated Librarian of Congress?
There was no good reason for the president to fire Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress. So why in the world did Trump do this?
NOW AVAILABLE: Rachel Maddow's 'PREQUEL: An American Fight Against Fascism' in paperback
Rachel Maddow's bestselling "PREQUEL: An American Fight Against Fascism" is available for purchase now. That means new book events are being added to Rachel's schedule. Check the Prequel page for times, dates and locations.
Friday’s Mini-Report, 5.9.25
Today’s edition of quick hits.
White House’s Stephen Miller: ‘We are actively looking at’ suspending habeas corpus
Miller claimed the U.S. can suspend the right to challenge the legality of a person’s detention “in time of invasion.”
Pete Hegseth’s ‘warrior ethos’ is increasingly focused on banning books
For all of the defense secretary's interest in a “warrior ethos,” he seems to spend an inordinate amount of time focusing on banning books.
Ministry of Truth | A New Book by MaddowBlog's Steve Benen
Steve Benen's new book, 'Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past,' with an audio version read by Rachel Maddow is now available.
After a hint of independence, the FBI’s Kash Patel falls back in line with Trump’s agenda
Given Patel’s ridiculous record, he should at least try to bolster his credibility. The unqualified FBI director appears to be doing the opposite.
Friday’s Campaign Round-Up, 5.9.25: Alabama’s congressional map rejected by federal court
Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
Asked about his new surgeon general nominee, Trump says, ‘I don’t know her’
As a rule, it’s not a great sign for a nominee when, one day after being introduced, a president says he doesn’t know that person.
On trade imports, Trump’s weird new rhetoric gives away the game
The more the president convinces himself that all imports are bad imports, the less likely he is to abandon his failing trade policy.
Despite his radicalism, Ed Martin lands on his feet with new Justice Department job
After an indefensible tenure as an interim U.S. attorney, Ed Martin is receiving his reward: a powerful position in the Justice Department.
Why it matters that Trump is adding Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro to his made-for-TV team
Ed Martin’s tenure as interim U.S. attorney was a disaster. His successor, Jeanine Pirro, is unlikely to be an improvement.
Why a Trump-appointed FEMA chief was unexpectedly ousted
One day after acting FEMA chief Cameron Hamilton defended the agency’s existence to Congress, he was kicked out of his job.
Trump’s ‘trade deal’ with the United Kingdom isn’t yet an actual trade deal
The president said he’s reached a “conclusive” and “comprehensive” trade deal with the U.K. Reality suggests otherwise.
Trump says he's dropping Ed Martin’s nomination amid bipartisan opposition
As a rule, Senate Republicans have rubber-stamped Donald Trump's worst nominees. As Ed Martin helped prove, there are rare exceptions.
More MaddowBlog
House Republicans vote to codify Trump’s executive order on ‘Gulf of America’
Polls show a clear majority of Americans don’t want to change the name of the gulf. House Republicans passed new legislation anyway.
Team Trump steps up its intelligence-gathering efforts in, of all places, Greenland
Just when it seemed the White House’s territorial ambitions in Greenland couldn’t get more ridiculous, U.S. officials kicked things up a notch.
The ‘Arabian Gulf’? Trump reportedly finds another body of water he wants to rename
After spending months trying to rename the Gulf of Mexico, the president reportedly wants to rename the Persian Gulf, too.
Dr. Casey Means, Trump’s new surgeon general nominee, draws unflattering scrutiny
Given her background, the confirmation hearings for the president’s new surgeon general nominee are bound to be contentious.
‘I don’t know’: The problem with Trump leaning into his new favorite phrase
It’s worth appreciating not just how many times the president has said “I don’t know” in recent days, but also the scope of his apparent cluelessness.
Wednesday’s Mini-Report, 5.7.25
Today’s edition of quick hits.
Trump’s first choice for surgeon general becomes his latest personnel failure
Former Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat was an odd choice for surgeon general. As her nomination collapses, Trump's list of failures grows longer.
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