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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's claims about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk were so alarming that one former GOP spokesperson wondered if Bessent had "gone insane."

Bessent appeared on Kirk's podcast, "The Charlie Kirk Show," on Wednesday, where he described Kirk's assassination as a "domestic 9/11 moment," referring to the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in 2001. Tim Miller, host of "The Bulwark Podcast," responded to Bessent's claims on a new episode of "Bulwark Takes" on Wednesday evening.

One of President Donald Trump's former advisors slammed some of his allies in the Department of Justice on Wednesday, arguing that they are impeding Trump's prosecution of his political enemies.

Steve Bannon, who served as a senior adviser during Trump's first term, joined MAGA commentator Tucker Carlson on "The Tucker Carlson Interview" on Wednesday to discuss Trump's efforts to "save the Republic." Bannon said DOJ officials like Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino need to "move faster" to prosecute Trump's enemies before time runs out.

Former Trump administration Homeland Security official Miles Taylor expressed his shock on MSNBC Wednesday evening at the erupting scandal over group texts in Young Republicans organizations, where multiple Republican operatives and even a state senator were openly pushing racist and neo-Nazi sentiments.

"As someone who, you know, came up, I think, in Republican and conservative circles, has been a staff member, does — has something changed here?" asked anchor Chris Hayes. "There's been a sort of back and forth of like, was it always like this? Is this new or is it, is it sort of irony gone too far, or is there a kind of, again, process of radicalization happening among an entire sort of group of current MAGA Republicans?"

One of President Donald Trump's White House officials has "overplayed" his hand regarding the government shutdown, and some Republicans in Congress are "freaking out" because of it, according to one Democratic lawmaker.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) discussed the government shutdown on a new episode of "Pod Save America" with former Obama administration aide Tommy Vietor. Schatz said that Vought's recent threat to close so-called Democrat programs is backfiring because the programs on the chopping block help a bipartisan slate of states.

Observers heaped praise on New York Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's appearance on Fox News on Wednesday, saying his interview could serve as a model that Democrats adopt going forward.

Mamdani joined Fox News' Martha MacCallum on "The Story" to discuss his candidacy. MacCallum asked pointed questions about whether Mamdani denounces Hamas and if he is proud to live in the global financial capital. Mamdani appeared calm and focused, according to analysts, and illustrated how Democrats can get their message across in an unfriendly environment.

A new analysis shredded Vice President JD Vance's dismissal of outrage over a leaked Young Republicans group chat containing racist and Hitler‑admiring messages, in which he referred to the participants as “kids” and argued people were overreacting.

But Mother Jones' Julianne McShane issued a searing smackdown Wednesday night, writing bluntly, "We checked. Sorry, JD Vance."

Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) ripped House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Wednesday night for failing to swear her in during a pro forma session, even though he previously swore in two Republican members under similar circumstances.

Grijalva won the special election to replace her late father, Raúl Grijalva, in Arizona's deep-blue 7th Congressional District in September. Arizona's Secretary of State recently certified her election, but Johnson has not yet conducted a formal swearing-in ceremony for Grijalva.

Radical Republicans have been "throwing spaghetti" at the wall recently to try and prevent a sizable loss at the ballot box during the midterm elections, and one analyst says this tactic reveals just how "deeply unpopular" the party is with Americans.

Heather Cox Richardson, a historian and author, joined Tim Miller on "The Bulwark Podcast" on Wednesday to discuss how MAGA has tried to shift the narrative away from their attempts to take away constitutional rights. For example, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has cancelled at least six visas of foreign nationals because of their comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk's death.

President Donald Trump is hosting corporate friends at the White House for a lavish dinner to express gratitude for their financial support in constructing his expansive ballroom. Those concerned about government ethics have questions.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that over three dozen companies and individuals will attend the White House dinner on Wednesday night, having contributed to Trump's $250 million structure. The new building is 90,000 square feet — about double that of the original. That structure was initially built without the East and West Wings.

CBS News' new conservative editor-in-chief faced significant criticism on Wednesday over a report she published that claimed to refute news reports about Israel starving civilians in Gaza.

In August, The Free Press published a story titled, "They Became Symbols For Gazan Starvation. But All 12 Suffer from Other Health Problems," which purported to refute reporting done by The New York Times and other outlets that found the Israeli military was starving Gazans. Bari Weiss joined CBS News after Paramount purchased The Free Press.

President Donald Trump has been "naive" in his dealings with his Russian counterpart, and not only has it extended the war in Ukraine, but it has also made him look "weak and ineffective," according to a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.

David Cay Johnson, who has won multiple Pulitzers for his reporting on the American tax code, discussed Trump's handling of the Ukraine war in a new interview with Times Radio. He said Trump, who promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, seems to have "no knowledge" of how his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin works.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) broke with Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday over whether a racist group chat leaked to Politico should be considered acceptable behavior.

On Tuesday, Politico reported on a group chat between state chapter members of the Young Republican group where they discussed rape and murdering their political opponents. The report sent shockwaves through the Republican Party. Several members denounced the chat, and many of the people included in the chat have been fired from their jobs, according to reports.