Politics

Fox News is doing its best to move the Jeffrey Epstein scandal currently bedeviling President Donald Trump out of national headlines. To do so, the network has gone into overdrive, covering criticism of actress Sydney Sweeney’s ad for American Eagle, while largely ignoring the Epstein story. Media Matters for America published a report Tuesday revealing that, since the story first broke Monday, Fox has given exhaustive coverage to Sweeney’s story and barely spoken about Epstein. The network aired 1 hour and 25 minutes dedicated to covering Sweeney, while the time devoted to Epstein was a blink-and-you-missed-it 3 minutes. President Donald Trump is seen with Jeffrey Epstein at Mar-a-Lago in 1992. By contrast the other 2 major cable news networks, CNN and MSNBC, have mentioned Epstein more—likely because that story involves an ongoing government cover-up of information regarding the president’s possible involvement in sex crimes and the other is Hollywood gossip. Fox is following the lead of Trump, who quickly latched on to the Sweeney story. The actress has been criticized by some—not anyone of note and certainly not Democratic elected officials—for an American Eagle ad praising her for having “good jeans,” which has been interpreted by a few as a reference to eugenics.  It was also revealed Monday that Sweeney is a registered Republican, which led to Trump bragging on Truth Social that “now I love her ad.” Trump and Fox would rather people focus on Sweeney than the Trump administration’s ongoing stonewalling of the release of the Epstein files. A friend of Trump’s, Epstein was allegedly at the center of a sex trafficking ring and died while in police custody. Information relating to his list of clients has not been released to the public, and the Trump administration is refusing to do so. Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, is being sued by President Donald Trump for the latter’s coverage of the Epstein files. After the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump’s name is included in the Epstein files, he sued the paper and owner Rupert Murdoch, who also owns Fox. The Department of Justice, led by Trump appointee Pam Bondi, has moved Epstein accomplice and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell to a lower-security prison, raising concerns about a potential deal to protect Trump in exchange for her cooperation. Republicans have been fumbling around for a story to distract the media from Trump’s Epstein scandal, and right now Sweeney seems to fit the bill. But Americans have told pollsters—despite Trump’s claim to the contrary—that they do not support his obfuscation of the Epstein files, with many saying that they believe a cover-up is happening. Trump’s personal involvement in the case would raise the stakes for him, since he has spent so much time telling his loyal MAGA base that he will release the files and that Democrats would be implicated. Fox is devoted to making Trump look good by burying stories that could damage him or his administration. The network has been trying to get rid of the Epstein story—now Sweeney has given it a path forward.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday slammed Texas Republicans for trying to gerrymander more House seats, saying the unpopularity of their “Big Beautiful Bill” has driven them “to cheat.” “What do MAGA Republicans in Texas do when Donald Trump ignores, well, his oath of office and theirs, and they’re taking it upon themselves to thwart the will of the American people?” Pritzker said. “When Donald Trump calls, they say, ‘Yes, sir. Right away, sir. Happy to lick your boots, sir.’ When Donald Trump says ‘Jump,’ [Texas Gov.] Greg Abbott and [Texas Attorney General] Ken Paxton say ‘How high?’ They don’t care that they’re violating the Voting Rights Act and racially gerrymandering their state. Well, they’re hoping they can rob the bank and get away before anyone notices.” YouTube Video Pritzker delivered his remarks flanked by Texas Democratic lawmakers who left the state on Sunday, denying the Republican-controlled legislature the quorum needed to abruptly redraw the congressional maps ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Typically, maps are redrawn only after the decennial census, and Texas already has one of the worst gerrymanders in the nation. Abbott, who called for the special session to jam through the redistricting, has threatened to expel the Democrats who left in protest. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrow, another Republican, said he signed civil arrest warrants for the Democrats who left. Pritzker joins Democratic Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Kathy Hochul of New York in pledging to counter Texas’ partisan power-grab efforts by employing similar tactics in their own states.  

Laura Flanders Alex Han of In These Times and Tarso Luís Ramos speak about the vital role of worker organizing in an age of growing authoritarianism. The post Countering Authoritarian Takeover With the Labor Movement appeared first on The Nation.

John Nichols A gerrymandering fight reveals how far Trump will go to avoid electoral accountability. The post Representative Democracy Will Live or Die In Texas appeared first on The Nation.

Kim DeMarco Trump undertow pulls the US under. The post Red Flag! appeared first on The Nation.

‘Tis the season in MAGA-land.  On Monday, first lady Melania Trump officially opened applications for volunteers to help decorate the White House and perform there during the holiday season.  For some, this is a chance to make the halls of the president’s residence feel like yet another gothic fever dream. For others, it’s an opportunity to break in the paved-over Rose Garden, which no longer features soft grassy ground beneath visitors’ feet.  And while the lucky applicants won’t receive any assistance for travel, accommodations, or expenses associated with the trip and their work there, at least the first lady can avoid lifting another finger for her least favorite holiday. In this Nov. 26, 2018, file photo, topiary trees line the East Colonnade during the 2018 Christmas preview at the White House in Washington. For those who may or may not recall, the notoriously silent wifey of President Donald Trump has long been in the shadows, cursing her duties as first lady long before dipping out completely during her husband’s second term.  “I’m working like a—my ass off at Christmas stuff,” she said in a leaked audio recording in 2018. “Who gives a fuck about Christmas stuff and decoration? But I have to do it, right?” Indeed, who gives a fuck about Christmas decor when she has better things to do like star in her own Amazon documentary? Even typical first-lady activities like the summer reading list seemed to be below the Slovenia-born model as second lady Usha Vance was left to pick up the slack. Then again, Melania’s absence seems to be A-okay with MAGA’s most loyal, who dropped the suggestion that an opera house at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts be renamed after her. Related | What the f-ck is the First Lady Melania Trump Opera House? After all, nothing says art, grace, and holiday cheer like blood-red trees and a big bah-humbug. 

President Donald Trump was inexplicably spotted wandering around on the White House roof on Tuesday, shouting at reporters who wanted to know what the fuck he was doing up there that he was “just taking a little walk.” Trump, who does not believe in exercise, was strolling on the roof making bizarre hand gestures for roughly 20 minutes.  He later told reporters that he was looking for “more ways to spend my money”—a sign he could be looking into more ways to ruin the historic White House complex. YouTube Video Already, Trump has paved over the Rose Garden, installing a hideous concrete monstrosity over the lush grass that was previously there. Trump also erected a gigantic flagpole on the White House lawn, making it look more like a used-car lot than a historic building.  The tasteless fool is also set to build a massive gilded abomination of a ballroom on the White House grounds—an attempt to make the building better resemble his tacky Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Trump claims he and private donors will finance the ballroom, though given his history of spending other people’s money, we have our doubts any of his own grifted wealth will go into it. Instead, the ballroom will likely be yet another way for rich people to bribe Trump for personal gain. Ultimately, when former President Barack Obama was in office, he made a joke at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner that if Trump ever became president he’d put a giant “TRUMP” sign on the building. YouTube Video However, it appears that this is exactly what the idiot in chief is doing. Scariest of all is that completely remaking the White House in his own hideous personal style is not something one usually does if they plan to stay only a few more years. Indeed, on Tuesday, Trump said in a batshit crazy and lie-filled interview with CNBC that he’d “like to run” for a third term, claiming that he has the “best poll numbers I’ve ever had.” (That’s a lie, to say the least.) Lord have mercy.

To win President Donald Trump’s endorsement amid a rough GOP Senate primary, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton did what most of us would be too embarrassed to do: He stalked Trump. CNN reports that Paxton made an unannounced visit to Trump’s golf resort in Turnberry, Scotland, last month, where he just happened to bump into the president. It’s unclear if Trump was expecting the pop-in, though they reportedly spoke about the primary, where Paxton is challenging incumbent John Cornyn from the right. It’s not the only time Paxton has gone out of his way to win Trump over. Earlier this summer, a pro-Paxton political action committee aired its first TV ad in Palm Beach, Florida—right where Trump could see it from Mar-a-Lago—and far from Texas. It’s the kind of pandering and political theater Trump has come to expect. In today’s GOP, making another man the centerpiece of your brand is seen as a strategic move, not an embarrassing one. Paxton flew 4,500 miles just to kiss the ring. Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, shown in January. But Paxton’s gotta do what he’s gotta do to win this messy primary. And with Rep. Wesley Hunt eyeing a run, it could get even more volatile. But despite his cross-continental pilgrimage, Paxton has nothing to show for it. Trump hasn’t endorsed anyone, and sources close to the president say he’s holding back for now. He’s got time too: The primary isn’t until March. Cornyn and Paxton, longtime rivals, are now in what’s becoming one of the marquee Republican showdowns of the 2026 midterm cycle. The two have never been allies. Cornyn has long viewed Paxton as a scandal magnet and legal risk, while Paxton paints Cornyn as a swampy moderate out of step with the MAGA base. The animosity runs deep, fueling an increasingly sycophantic race to win Trump’s favor. Paxton might have the upper hand with the GOP grassroots—at least for now. Numerous public and private polls show him leading Cornyn in the primary. But he also carries baggage. He’s in the middle of a high-profile divorce after his wife accused him of adultery, a saga that could turn voters off as it becomes more public. He was also impeached by the Texas House in 2023 on charges of abusing his office to benefit a political donor—though he was later acquitted by the Senate. Then there’s Paxton’s role in enforcing Texas’s near-total abortion ban. In March, his office filed the state’s first criminal charges under the law, arresting a Houston-area midwife and one of her employees. While that may appeal to hard-line conservatives, it could alienate suburban voters who have trended away from the GOP in recent years. Trump’s team is watching the race closely, according to CNN, since the outcome could influence control of the Senate in 2026. With Republicans bracing for a possible loss of their House majority—despite aggressive gerrymandering—their Senate majority takes on increased importance. A flawed nominee like Paxton could give Democrats a shot in flipping the seat next November.  “Winning is all that matters to the president,” an anonymous Republican strategist close to the White House told CNN. They also emphasized that loyalty isn’t the key to unlock Trump’s endorsement—it’s supposedly electability. Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas, shown in 2023. That’s why Cornyn may still have a chance. He’s a seasoned fundraiser, aligned with Senate leadership, and has never lost a statewide race. While Trump’s style may seem more compatible with Paxton, a messy general election in a state slowly turning purple might make Cornyn the safer choice. There’s also the wildcard of Hunt, who could split the pro-Trump vote. A Black Iraq War veteran with ties to both MAGA activists and the GOP establishment, Hunt could force Trump to pick sides sooner than planned—or decide not to endorse at all. Hunt’s entry would only escalate the scramble for Trump’s backing. Still, Paxton leads most polls of the primary, and if he wins, it’ll likely boost Democrats’ chances of flipping the seat. Former Rep. Colin Allred has announced his campaign, and there are whispers that state Rep. James Talarico might join him in the primary. Texas has long been a white whale for Democrats—tantalizingly close in some cycles but always just out of reach. They believe a damaged GOP nominee like Paxton could tip the scales. That’s exactly what national Republicans want to avoid. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and others have endorsed Cornyn, worried that nominating Paxton could jeopardize the seat—and the Senate majority. Meanwhile, Trump is in no rush. As Texas Republicans trip over themselves to prove who’s more loyal, he’s sitting back and soaking it in—relishing the spectacle of grown men groveling for his approval.

A cartoon by Clay Bennett. Related | Red-state Republican gets mercilessly jeered at town hall

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins appeared on Fox Business Tuesday, where host Stuart Varney asked whether she was still “sticking with” her plan to require Medicaid recipients to work in the fields in exchange for health insurance. “Well, listen, here’s the deal. When in America did we lose the concept of the dignity of work, right?” Rollins responded “I mean, when did it become okay that we begin to measure government programs by how many people we have taking the government program and on the taxpayer’s back? We have to completely, fundamentally change the way we think about work in this country.” YouTube Video The GOP’s ghastly “One Big, Beautiful Bill” adds a Medicaid work requirement as a pretext to slash the program, throwing millions of Americans off of health care to fund tax breaks for the wealthy. “We move the workforce toward automation and 100% American participation, which again with 34 million people, able-bodied on Medicaid, we should be able to do fairly quickly,” Rollins said at a press conference in July, framing it as a plan to replace the thousands of farmland jobs abandoned as a result of President Donald Trump’s terror-inducing immigrant raids and mass deportations. The conservative fairytale that there are legions of Medicaid recipients refusing to work is a lie. A recent KFF study found that 92% of Medicaid recipients under the age of 65 already work full- or part-time jobs. Related | Vance brazenly lies about cuts to Medicaid in his home state The idea that forcing people—many of whom are already working—to pursue low-wage jobs left vacant by mass deportations of immigrant workers in exchange for inadequate and often inaccessible health insurance isn’t a solution; it’s a fairytale. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is slashing people’s health care while pretending that low unemployment rates and a slowing job market are somehow positive signs.