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June 27, 2026
https://www.ms.now/news/buttigieg-says-his-family-was-target-of-politically-motivated-hoax
MS NOW-Buttigieg says his family was target of 'politically motivated hoax'
The former transportation secretary described it as “the ugliest thing that has happened to me since my career in service began.”
Buttigieg Says his Family was Target of ‘Politically Motivated Hoax’ www.ms.now/news/buttigi... #horrific
— ljconrad (@ljconrad.bsky.social) 2026-06-26T20:15:20.728Z
https://www.ms.now/news/buttigieg-says-his-family-was-target-of-politically-motivated-hoax
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said his family has been targeted in a “politically motivated hoax” after someone made what police characterized as a false report to Child Protective Services alleging he committed crimes against his children.
In a Substack post Friday, Buttigieg wrote that an anonymous caller reported to CPS that his 4-year-old twins he shares with his husband, Chasten, were “at risk.”
“The caller said that he had spoken to a woman who claimed to have met me at a conference several years ago in Alabama, where she said I told her that I had committed unspeakable violent crimes, and the caller believed my children were still at risk,” Buttigieg wrote.
Buttigieg, a prominent Democrat and potential 2028 presidential contender, likened the incident to “swatting” — when someone calls 911 to falsely report an immediate threat, often at a public figure’s home — “but with Child Protective Services instead of a SWAT team.”
As a result of the allegation, Buttigieg said a CPS worker told him he could not be around his children unsupervised for 24 hours while the allegation was investigated. He and his husband dropped the children off with their grandparents for the night, beginning what Buttigieg described as “among the darkest hours of my life.”.....
The police officer on the case “made clear that he believed this was politically motivated, and said it would not be referred to a prosecutor,” Buttigieg wrote. “Nothing in the forensic interview with the children, which was conducted by trained personnel, had led to concerns.”
In a Substack post Friday, Buttigieg wrote that an anonymous caller reported to CPS that his 4-year-old twins he shares with his husband, Chasten, were “at risk.”
“The caller said that he had spoken to a woman who claimed to have met me at a conference several years ago in Alabama, where she said I told her that I had committed unspeakable violent crimes, and the caller believed my children were still at risk,” Buttigieg wrote.
Buttigieg, a prominent Democrat and potential 2028 presidential contender, likened the incident to “swatting” — when someone calls 911 to falsely report an immediate threat, often at a public figure’s home — “but with Child Protective Services instead of a SWAT team.”
As a result of the allegation, Buttigieg said a CPS worker told him he could not be around his children unsupervised for 24 hours while the allegation was investigated. He and his husband dropped the children off with their grandparents for the night, beginning what Buttigieg described as “among the darkest hours of my life.”.....
The police officer on the case “made clear that he believed this was politically motivated, and said it would not be referred to a prosecutor,” Buttigieg wrote. “Nothing in the forensic interview with the children, which was conducted by trained personnel, had led to concerns.”
June 27, 2026
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-reflecting-pool-gash-court/?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=6a3e8d7e90eb590001ecef4e
Trump's claim fizzles as Park Service won't back Reflecting Pool 'gash' in court
The lining failed because it was not correct lining for use in sunlight and trump had a ton of cars including the "Beast" drive over the covering. There was no sabotage or vandalism
President Trump's description of the alleged damage keeps shifting, from a 250, to 300 to 350-foot gash to the Reflecting Pool. When asked whether he has visual evidence of the damage, Trump told reporters, "You'll see it in court."
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-06-26T14:32:31Z
ðŸ‘‰ï¸ bit.ly/4g41cjH
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-06-26T14:32:34.867Z
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-reflecting-pool-gash-court/?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=6a3e8d7e90eb590001ecef4e
The National Park Service refused to corroborate President Donald Trump's claim of a 350-foot Reflecting Pool "gash" in a sworn court declaration filed this week.
Frank Lands, the NPS's deputy director for operations, submitted the two-page declaration in an ongoing federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia over the pool's renovation.
Lands described cut caulk, peeling liner material, and roughly 70 fence post tops thrown into the water. He never used the word "gash." He never cited a 350-foot figure.
Frank Lands, the NPS's deputy director for operations, submitted the two-page declaration in an ongoing federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia over the pool's renovation.
Lands described cut caulk, peeling liner material, and roughly 70 fence post tops thrown into the water. He never used the word "gash." He never cited a 350-foot figure.
June 27, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-voter-id-bill-save-america-act-congress
This is a horrible voter suppression bill.
MaddowBlog-Trump's anti-voting bill is far more radical than just a 'voter ID' proposal
The president’s poorly named Save America Act would do many things. Saving the country isn’t one of them
Trump’s anti-voting bill is far more radical than just a ‘voter ID’ proposal www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
— Philly Joe (@joehick58.bsky.social) 2026-06-26T23:12:01.553Z
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-voter-id-bill-save-america-act-congress
It’s rather common to see news organizations, which have a limited amount of space in a headline, describe the president’s proposal as a “voter ID bill.” It’s an unfortunate shorthand — because that’s just a small part of a broader package.
The proposal would make it harder to register to vote: In response to a problem that does not exist in reality, Americans who wish to register to vote would be required to prove their citizenship. That wouldn’t just be the imposition of an unnecessary hassle; it would also be an even bigger burden on tens of millions of Americans who don’t have ready access to a documentary proof of citizenship.
The proposal would make it harder to vote: In response to another problem that does not exist in reality, Americans who wish to cast ballots would be forced to meet a federal voter ID requirement, which would very likely disenfranchise many lower-income voters.
The proposal would impose new restrictions on Americans who wish to vote by mail: In response to yet another problem that also does not exist, voters who wish to take advantage of early voting through mail-in ballots — something the president himself has done many times — would have to jump through a series of new and unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles in response to baseless partisan conspiracy theories. (Those who meet a Trump-approved list of exceptions would be free to circumvent the restrictions.)
The proposal would impose new restrictions on transgender Americans: The anti-trans provisions in the bill have literally nothing to do with voting or elections administration, but Trump apparently threw them in anyway for reasons he has not fully explained.
The details of the anti-voting bill are obviously important, but so are the overarching objectives behind the White House’s demands: Trump wants to impose greater controls over who gets to vote and how, while extending his yearslong crusade to undermine public confidence in American elections in response to systemic problems that only appear to exist in his active imagination.
The proposal would make it harder to register to vote: In response to a problem that does not exist in reality, Americans who wish to register to vote would be required to prove their citizenship. That wouldn’t just be the imposition of an unnecessary hassle; it would also be an even bigger burden on tens of millions of Americans who don’t have ready access to a documentary proof of citizenship.
The proposal would make it harder to vote: In response to another problem that does not exist in reality, Americans who wish to cast ballots would be forced to meet a federal voter ID requirement, which would very likely disenfranchise many lower-income voters.
The proposal would impose new restrictions on Americans who wish to vote by mail: In response to yet another problem that also does not exist, voters who wish to take advantage of early voting through mail-in ballots — something the president himself has done many times — would have to jump through a series of new and unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles in response to baseless partisan conspiracy theories. (Those who meet a Trump-approved list of exceptions would be free to circumvent the restrictions.)
The proposal would impose new restrictions on transgender Americans: The anti-trans provisions in the bill have literally nothing to do with voting or elections administration, but Trump apparently threw them in anyway for reasons he has not fully explained.
The details of the anti-voting bill are obviously important, but so are the overarching objectives behind the White House’s demands: Trump wants to impose greater controls over who gets to vote and how, while extending his yearslong crusade to undermine public confidence in American elections in response to systemic problems that only appear to exist in his active imagination.
This is a horrible voter suppression bill.
June 26, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/mike-johnson-protection-program-johnson-trump-midterms
MaddowBlog-'I run the protection program': Johnson vows to shield Trump and his allies from scrutiny
The Republican House speaker abandoned all subtlety, promising to protect the White House from oversight if the GOP holds on to its majority.
If Republicans maintain their majority in Congress, Speaker Mike Johnson intends to spend the next two years running an anti-oversight “protection program†for the White House and its allies.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-06-26T18:56:02.846Z
I’m honestly a little surprised he admitted this out loud and in public.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/mike-johnson-protection-program-johnson-trump-midterms
Congressional Republicans have done so little oversight, The Washington Post reported last month, that the White House Counsel’s Office, expecting Democrats to reclaim a majority in at least one chamber, recently began “giving private briefings to the administration’s political appointees on how to best prepare for congressional oversight.”
The same article added that the roughly 30-minute briefings “have included a PowerPoint presentation about how congressional oversight works and best practices for handling it.”
From House Speaker Mike Johnson’s perspective, the priority is to prevent this from becoming a problem for the White House in the first place.
....And what was on his mind was a near future in which a possible House Republican majority spends 2027 and 2028 shielding the president, his team and their allies from the kind of scrutiny that Congress has a responsibility to do as a matter of course.
This isn’t altogether surprising, given everything we’ve seen from Capitol Hill over the past year and a half, but it was nevertheless remarkable to hear a sitting House speaker declare, out loud and in public, that he wants and expects to run a “protection program” — a phrase more commonly associated with organized crime — on behalf of the White House.
Usually, GOP leaders are a bit more subtle about their anti-oversight posturing.
As for the prospect of Democrats turning “every committee of Congress into an investigative body” starting next year, Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee promoted Johnson’s comments via social media alongside a message that read, “We are the Homeland Security Committee Democrats and we approve this message.”
The same article added that the roughly 30-minute briefings “have included a PowerPoint presentation about how congressional oversight works and best practices for handling it.”
From House Speaker Mike Johnson’s perspective, the priority is to prevent this from becoming a problem for the White House in the first place.
Johnson: If we lose the midterms, these Democrats will turn every committee of Congress into an investigative body, and they'll go after the president's family, the cabinet, his donors, friends, half of you in this room will be targeted. I run the protection program. We’ll take care of you.
— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) 2026-06-26T17:05:26.409Z
....And what was on his mind was a near future in which a possible House Republican majority spends 2027 and 2028 shielding the president, his team and their allies from the kind of scrutiny that Congress has a responsibility to do as a matter of course.
This isn’t altogether surprising, given everything we’ve seen from Capitol Hill over the past year and a half, but it was nevertheless remarkable to hear a sitting House speaker declare, out loud and in public, that he wants and expects to run a “protection program” — a phrase more commonly associated with organized crime — on behalf of the White House.
Usually, GOP leaders are a bit more subtle about their anti-oversight posturing.
As for the prospect of Democrats turning “every committee of Congress into an investigative body” starting next year, Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee promoted Johnson’s comments via social media alongside a message that read, “We are the Homeland Security Committee Democrats and we approve this message.”
June 26, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-scrambles-to-exaggerate-pitiful-crowd-size-at-great-american-state-fair-event
MaddowBlog-Trump scrambles to exaggerate pitiful crowd size at Great American State Fair event
Stepping back, it’s worth appreciating the fact that the president is doing something inherently difficult: screwing up simple ceremonial duties.
Trump scrambles to exaggerate pitiful crowd size at Great American State Fair event.
— TheBlackPage (Woke, DEI forever against fascism) (@theblackpage.bsky.social) 2026-06-26T22:04:03.659Z
Stepping back, it’s worth appreciating the fact that the president is doing something inherently difficult: screwing up simple ceremonial duties.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-scrambles-to-exaggerate-pitiful-crowd-size-at-great-american-state-fair-event
In case that weren’t quite enough, turnout for the event was — how do I put this gently — underwhelming.
An NBC News report noted, “Roughly half of those in Wednesday’s crowd of more than 1,000 wore Trump’s slogans or likeness on their clothes. For them, America’s 250th birthday was secondary to an opportunity to see the president.” The Washington Post ran a related report that noted, in reference to attendees, “The crowd thinly covered an area about the length of the National Museum of American History, smaller than some summer outdoor movie screenings.”
The New Republic added, “Dozens of attendees Wednesday were seen flocking toward the exits in the middle of Trump’s address, which was meant to kick-start the two-week event.”
Take a wild guess who did not appreciate the reporting.
On Thursday afternoon, the day after the poorly attended event, the president wrote on his social media platform:
Five hours later, either trying to convince the public or himself, he published a follow-up item, which read in part, “Last night’s Rally was packed — 45,000 people.”
An NBC News report described the president’s claim as “false,” adding that the actual total was “nowhere near 45,000 people.”
The fact that Trump appears to have lied about a crowd size is pitiful but predictable. He has, after all, been doing this since literally the first day of his first term.
But stepping back, it’s also worth appreciating the fact that the incumbent president is doing something inherently difficult: screwing up simple ceremonial duties.
An NBC News report noted, “Roughly half of those in Wednesday’s crowd of more than 1,000 wore Trump’s slogans or likeness on their clothes. For them, America’s 250th birthday was secondary to an opportunity to see the president.” The Washington Post ran a related report that noted, in reference to attendees, “The crowd thinly covered an area about the length of the National Museum of American History, smaller than some summer outdoor movie screenings.”
The New Republic added, “Dozens of attendees Wednesday were seen flocking toward the exits in the middle of Trump’s address, which was meant to kick-start the two-week event.”
Take a wild guess who did not appreciate the reporting.
On Thursday afternoon, the day after the poorly attended event, the president wrote on his social media platform:
The Crowd was incredible last night, packed to the brim — At least 45,000 people were there, with a huge Television and online audience. I wish we were able to have an even larger area, which we will be able to do on July 4th when I’ll be speaking again. The airplane flyovers and music were fantastic. Everybody stayed right until the end of my Speech because they loved hearing about a truly successful America.
Five hours later, either trying to convince the public or himself, he published a follow-up item, which read in part, “Last night’s Rally was packed — 45,000 people.”
An NBC News report described the president’s claim as “false,” adding that the actual total was “nowhere near 45,000 people.”
The fact that Trump appears to have lied about a crowd size is pitiful but predictable. He has, after all, been doing this since literally the first day of his first term.
But stepping back, it’s also worth appreciating the fact that the incumbent president is doing something inherently difficult: screwing up simple ceremonial duties.
June 26, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/housing-bill-democrats-trump-governing-midterms
MaddowBlog-With support for housing bill, Democrats show how governing parties operate
Democrats knew that passing the housing bill would hand Republicans an election-season win. They did it anyway.
Democrats knew that supporting the housing bill would hand Republicans a win on a key issue roughly 18 weeks before Election Day.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-06-26T17:33:23.722Z
They unanimously supported it anyway.
It’s a case study in how a governing party operates.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/housing-bill-democrats-trump-governing-midterms
In the aftermath of the president’s cancellation of Wednesday’s bill-signing ceremony, The New York Times reported that some congressional Democrats “had been anxious about helping Republicans pass a major housing bill that would give the G.O.P. a notable win on the affordability issues at the center of the midterm campaigns, and dilute Democratic attacks on rising costs.”
A day later, Democratic Rep. Ro Khana of California appeared on MS NOW and emphasized a related point on his party’s support for the housing bill:
It’s a fair point, but just as notably, it’s an underappreciated one.
Democrats knew that passing this bill would make it easier for Republicans — in the White House and on Capitol Hill — to say they’re addressing the affordability issue. Democrats knew that this bill would address an issue that polls show is an important priority for millions of Americans. Democrats knew that this bill would let hundreds of GOP members of Congress, nearly all of whom will be on the ballot in roughly 18 weeks, take a victory lap at a time when Republicans were desperate for a win on any issue. Democrats knew that this would likely end up in Republican campaign ads as proof that the GOP can deliver something meaningful.
And yet, literally every Democrat in the House and Senate who voted on this legislation supported it — regardless of the political and electoral implications — because they thought the bill would help people.
It’s a case study in how a governing party operates, prioritizing policy outcomes above all.
A day later, Democratic Rep. Ro Khana of California appeared on MS NOW and emphasized a related point on his party’s support for the housing bill:
Here’s the irony: I got asked by conservatives and some independent journalists, “Why are the Democrats giving Donald Trump a win right before the midterms?” And I said, “You know, Democrats actually do policy.” The fact is that this is going to stop Wall Street from buying up homes; this is going to help us build more homes; and we actually do things because we believe it will help people.
There is no way a Republican Congress would’ve done this for Joe Biden or a Democratic president.
It’s a fair point, but just as notably, it’s an underappreciated one.
Democrats knew that passing this bill would make it easier for Republicans — in the White House and on Capitol Hill — to say they’re addressing the affordability issue. Democrats knew that this bill would address an issue that polls show is an important priority for millions of Americans. Democrats knew that this bill would let hundreds of GOP members of Congress, nearly all of whom will be on the ballot in roughly 18 weeks, take a victory lap at a time when Republicans were desperate for a win on any issue. Democrats knew that this would likely end up in Republican campaign ads as proof that the GOP can deliver something meaningful.
And yet, literally every Democrat in the House and Senate who voted on this legislation supported it — regardless of the political and electoral implications — because they thought the bill would help people.
It’s a case study in how a governing party operates, prioritizing policy outcomes above all.
June 26, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/supreme-court-trump-haitians-vowed-to-champion
MaddowBlog-Thanks to the Supreme Court, Trump is poised to betray a community he vowed to 'champion'
In 2016, Trump told Haitian Americans he wanted to be the community’s “biggest champion.” A decade later, the rhetoric rings like a cruel joke.
Around this time a decade ago, Trump stressed the “common values†he shared with Haitian Americans and vowed to be the community’s “biggest champion.â€
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-06-26T13:57:41.403Z
Ten years later, the rhetoric rings like a cruel joke.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/supreme-court-trump-haitians-vowed-to-champion
Around this time 10 years ago, when Florida was still seen as a competitive battleground state, Donald Trump campaigned in Miami and spent some time at the Little Haiti Cultural Center, stressing the “common values” he shared with Haitian Americans.
“Whether you vote for me or not,” the candidate said at the time, “I really want to be your biggest champion.”....
And two years after that, a full decade after he stressed the “common values” he shared with Haitian Americans and vowed to be the community’s “biggest champion,” the Republican took steps to eliminate temporary status protection for hundreds of thousands of Haitians currently living legally in the United States.
The move sparked a court fight, culminating in a predictable ruling from the high court’s conservative majority. MS NOW’s Jordan Rubin explained:
Writing for the three-member minority, Justice Elena Kagan explained that without such postponement, “hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians living in this country will lose their legal status and work authorization” and that most of them “will have no legal option except to leave the country, even at the price of leaving family behind.”
Kagan went on to note that hundreds of thousands of lives “will be uprooted, most permanently, while this litigation to annul the Secretary’s (likely illegal) termination orders proceeds.”
By all appearances, the White House considers such consequences a feature, not a bug.
In her latest opinion piece for The New York Times, Kate Shaw, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, added that with the high court’s ruling, the administration “is now free to move forward with what immigrants rights advocates describe as the largest de-documentation in U.S. history.”
“Whether you vote for me or not,” the candidate said at the time, “I really want to be your biggest champion.”....
And two years after that, a full decade after he stressed the “common values” he shared with Haitian Americans and vowed to be the community’s “biggest champion,” the Republican took steps to eliminate temporary status protection for hundreds of thousands of Haitians currently living legally in the United States.
The move sparked a court fight, culminating in a predictable ruling from the high court’s conservative majority. MS NOW’s Jordan Rubin explained:
The Supreme Court’s Republican-appointed majority sided with the Trump administration over Haitians and Syrians on Thursday in a ruling on the administration’s attempt to end humanitarian safeguards under the Temporary Protected Status program.
Justice Samuel Alito’s majority opinion curbed the power of courts to review government decisions to terminate protections under the TPS program. For this case, the majority said that means Haitians and Syrians aren’t entitled to orders keeping their protections in place while their litigation proceeds, even though lower courts found serious legal problems with the administration’s attempt to end their protections.
Writing for the three-member minority, Justice Elena Kagan explained that without such postponement, “hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians living in this country will lose their legal status and work authorization” and that most of them “will have no legal option except to leave the country, even at the price of leaving family behind.”
Kagan went on to note that hundreds of thousands of lives “will be uprooted, most permanently, while this litigation to annul the Secretary’s (likely illegal) termination orders proceeds.”
By all appearances, the White House considers such consequences a feature, not a bug.
In her latest opinion piece for The New York Times, Kate Shaw, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, added that with the high court’s ruling, the administration “is now free to move forward with what immigrants rights advocates describe as the largest de-documentation in U.S. history.”
June 26, 2026
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2677112651/
Trump 'absolutely infuriated' after 'gross' habit exposed: senior official
trump is a slob who leaves food containers and wrappers everywhere. I am glad that the White House staff is now checking the trash for silver wear
A new book from two New York Times reporters has exposed a number of President Donald Trump's secrets, though one claim in particular has the president especially enraged — about his Trump’s bathroom and bedroom habits.
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-06-26T17:30:14Z
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2677112651/
A new book from two New York Times reporters has exposed a number of President Donald Trump’s secrets, though one claim in particular has the president especially enraged, a senior Trump official revealed Friday.
Published earlier this week, “Regime Change” was written by Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, and had already rattled the White House before its release, with officials fearful that the book’s authors had acquired audio recordings from within the White House Situation Room, arguably the most secure area of the complex where top officials discuss matters of crises and national security.
“There’s something in the book that hasn’t gotten nearly the level of attention of the aforementioned scoops… and yet it’s something that, according to sources familiar with the matter, has privately and absolutely infuriated the president and helped contribute to his decision to impose an intra-administration blackout on publicly talking about the book,” Zeteo reported Friday.
The claim in question is centered around Trump’s bathroom and bedroom habits, namely his preference for having a carpeted bathroom, which reportedly has sparked fear among White House staff of mold growth.
“It makes him look so f------ gross,” a senior Trump appointee told Zeteo, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “The president sees everything, and he knows about the trash and bathroom sections, and thinks it’s complete bulls--- that it got published.”
According to those familiar with the matter who spoke with Zeteo, Trump, who Zeteo’s Asawin Suebsaeng described as “perennially image-conscious and self-obsessed,” was “complaining to aides and other longtime advisers about the book’s descriptions of his bathroom and bedroom habits.”
Published earlier this week, “Regime Change” was written by Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, and had already rattled the White House before its release, with officials fearful that the book’s authors had acquired audio recordings from within the White House Situation Room, arguably the most secure area of the complex where top officials discuss matters of crises and national security.
“There’s something in the book that hasn’t gotten nearly the level of attention of the aforementioned scoops… and yet it’s something that, according to sources familiar with the matter, has privately and absolutely infuriated the president and helped contribute to his decision to impose an intra-administration blackout on publicly talking about the book,” Zeteo reported Friday.
The claim in question is centered around Trump’s bathroom and bedroom habits, namely his preference for having a carpeted bathroom, which reportedly has sparked fear among White House staff of mold growth.
“It makes him look so f------ gross,” a senior Trump appointee told Zeteo, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “The president sees everything, and he knows about the trash and bathroom sections, and thinks it’s complete bulls--- that it got published.”
According to those familiar with the matter who spoke with Zeteo, Trump, who Zeteo’s Asawin Suebsaeng described as “perennially image-conscious and self-obsessed,” was “complaining to aides and other longtime advisers about the book’s descriptions of his bathroom and bedroom habits.”
June 26, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/fema-official-waffle-house-steps-down
MaddowBlog-FEMA official known for Waffle House teleportation claims steps down from role
It remains an open question as to how and why Gregg Phillips was tapped to lead an important federal office in the first place.
As Gregg Phillips, an enthusiastic election denier best known for his weird teleportation claims, steps down from his FEMA leadership role, an obvious question still needs an answer:
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-06-26T12:53:08.158Z
Why was he given this job in the first place?
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/fema-official-waffle-house-steps-down
In March, Phillips became even more controversial when CNN reported that the FEMA official had claimed, more than once, that he was involuntarily teleported, including an incident in which he said he was sent to a Waffle House restaurant 50 miles away. In response to questions about his alleged experiences, the FEMA official continued to insist on the validity of his claims......
At that point, it seemed like it would only be a matter of time before the FEMA official started updating his résumé. It’s against this backdrop that The Washington Post reported:
.....The developments leave us with a couple of lingering questions.
The first is why Phillips was given this job in the first place. It’s not as if this guy was rewarded for his political loyalties with some obscure position deep within the federal bureaucracy. On the contrary, CNN’s original report noted that despite his weird beliefs, Phillips was in one of “the most consequential” positions at FEMA, leading an office that makes decisions involving “search-and-rescue operations, emergency aid, infrastructure restoration and ultimately distributing billions of dollars in disaster assistance.”
The second is whether the emergency response agency can handle being shorthanded as hurricane season gets underway. Politico reported in late May, “The Trump administration is approaching hurricane season with the smallest disaster workforce since 2021, a huge backlog of state aid requests and 15 vacancies in top emergency management jobs.”
Phillips’ departure, in other words, adds a degree of tumult to an agency that has struggled to find stability over the past year and a half.
At that point, it seemed like it would only be a matter of time before the FEMA official started updating his résumé. It’s against this backdrop that The Washington Post reported:
A high-ranking official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency who sparked controversy for claiming that millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 election and that he once teleported to a Waffle House has gone on leave, agency officials confirmed Thursday.
.....The developments leave us with a couple of lingering questions.
The first is why Phillips was given this job in the first place. It’s not as if this guy was rewarded for his political loyalties with some obscure position deep within the federal bureaucracy. On the contrary, CNN’s original report noted that despite his weird beliefs, Phillips was in one of “the most consequential” positions at FEMA, leading an office that makes decisions involving “search-and-rescue operations, emergency aid, infrastructure restoration and ultimately distributing billions of dollars in disaster assistance.”
The second is whether the emergency response agency can handle being shorthanded as hurricane season gets underway. Politico reported in late May, “The Trump administration is approaching hurricane season with the smallest disaster workforce since 2021, a huge backlog of state aid requests and 15 vacancies in top emergency management jobs.”
Phillips’ departure, in other words, adds a degree of tumult to an agency that has struggled to find stability over the past year and a half.
June 26, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-keeps-blindsiding-his-own-team
MaddowBlog-Trump keeps blindsiding his own team, as White House dysfunction worsens
When a president’s aides are routinely shocked to learn of their boss’ decisions, the White House not only doesn’t work; it can’t work.
When a president’s aides are routinely blindsided by their own boss, the White House can’t work.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-06-25T21:31:37.845Z
Trump’s reversal on the housing bill was important for a lot of reasons, including exposing a dysfunctional West Wing.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-keeps-blindsiding-his-own-team
When I say the stage was set for the legislative breakthrough of the year, I’m being quite literal: An actual Capitol Hill stage was put in place, complete with a presidential podium and bill-signing table, with the expectation that Donald Trump would sign a bipartisan housing bill into law on Wednesday afternoon.
The White House said the president would do exactly that — right up until he changed his mind shortly before the scheduled ceremony, directing congressional Republicans to instead focus on his anti-voting bill, which he calls the SAVE America Act.
For GOP officials, the president’s surprise announcement was a disaster. The legislation, several months in the making, was poised to be the single greatest accomplishment of the current Congress and the only bipartisan breakthrough of Trump’s entire political career. What’s more, Republican lawmakers had no idea this was even a possibility: Several GOP members were taking victory laps on Wednesday morning, blissfully unaware of the pothole the president was digging.....
Not to put too fine a point on this, but those looking for evidence of a dysfunctional White House should start here. When a president’s aides are routinely shocked to learn of decisions from their boss, who wildly careens between contradictory paths without reason or explanation, the White House not only doesn’t work, it can’t work.
In a healthy and functional executive branch, ideas and important decisions are supposed to be scrutinized and carefully thought through ahead of a presidential announcement. This is less about norms and political courtesies and more about common sense: White House teams want to make sure the ideas will work and be implemented effectively before a president shares a decision.
In 2026, however, none of that applies to Team Trump, whose members are often as shocked as everyone else to learn what the president puts online.
The White House said the president would do exactly that — right up until he changed his mind shortly before the scheduled ceremony, directing congressional Republicans to instead focus on his anti-voting bill, which he calls the SAVE America Act.
For GOP officials, the president’s surprise announcement was a disaster. The legislation, several months in the making, was poised to be the single greatest accomplishment of the current Congress and the only bipartisan breakthrough of Trump’s entire political career. What’s more, Republican lawmakers had no idea this was even a possibility: Several GOP members were taking victory laps on Wednesday morning, blissfully unaware of the pothole the president was digging.....
Not to put too fine a point on this, but those looking for evidence of a dysfunctional White House should start here. When a president’s aides are routinely shocked to learn of decisions from their boss, who wildly careens between contradictory paths without reason or explanation, the White House not only doesn’t work, it can’t work.
In a healthy and functional executive branch, ideas and important decisions are supposed to be scrutinized and carefully thought through ahead of a presidential announcement. This is less about norms and political courtesies and more about common sense: White House teams want to make sure the ideas will work and be implemented effectively before a president shares a decision.
In 2026, however, none of that applies to Team Trump, whose members are often as shocked as everyone else to learn what the president puts online.
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