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Rachel Maddow ripped into Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s defense on Friday of Social Security cuts in remarks the MSNBC host flagged as “a political disaster” – which she played for viewers more than once.

“I feel like in any other moment this would have been wallpaper all over the American media,” Maddow said during her primetime show on Friday. “I feel like I almost have to close my eyes because I can't bear to watch it.”

President Donald Trump is once again raising eyebrows with his claim on Friday that he didn’t sign a proclamation invoking the arcane wartime law, which his administration leaned on to carry out last weekend’s deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members, CNN reported.

The stunning denial came as Trump took questions from reporters before boarding Marine One, including one surrounding the fury U.S. District Judge James Boasberg unleashed on DOJ attorneys at a hearing Friday as he pressed them on why the proclamtion invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 was "signed in the dark.”

A former campaign adviser for Donald Trump melted down on CNN over an explosive report from The New York Times that tech billionaire Elon Musk was to get briefed on possible military plans in the event of a war with China.

The Times lit up social media when it reported Thursday night that Musk, the head of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, was scheduled to receive the classified briefing on Friday. However, Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Pentagon officials strongly refuted the claims.

President Donald Trump on Friday said that he would not want to show billionaire Elon Musk American plans for a potential war with China because he might be "susceptible" to influence from the Chinese government.

While addressing reporters, Trump was asked why he would be reluctant to share the plans with Musk, who has extensive business dealings with China.

A White House press conference went off the rails Friday as President Donald Trump was asked about a New York Times report — and he descended into a furious rant.

Trump was asked by Fox News’ Peter Doocy about the Times’ story, published late Thursday, that claimed Musk — an unelected immigrant — was to be briefed on top secret plans involving a potential war with China.

According to former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance, senior Department of Justice officials who are taking part in stalling turning over information U.S. District Judge James Boasberg are at a legitimate risk of being prosecuted if the judge sees fit.

Speaking with MSNBC host Ana Cabrera, Vance suggested that what she is witnessing is "stonewalling," including a new filing made by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche claiming there is a Cabinet-level discussion still ongoing over the reasoning for delaying turning over information.

"What this attestation from the Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, does is it's minimal compliance with the court's order," she told the host. "Todd Blanche has simply said, 'I'm aware and I've been involved in these conversations at the cabinet level.' Look, I think it's appropriate for the Cabinet to take its time to determine whether or not to invoke state secrets, which is a common law doctrine that prevents courts from inquiring into military secrets that could damage our national security. On the other hand, the government is flirting with violating the judge's order, and he has plenty of possibilities for contempt proceedings against the government if he finally loses his patience with them."

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Asked to elaborate, she added, "There's actually a provision in the federal rules of criminal procedure that lets the judge appoint a private prosecutor if the government isn't willing, which they almost certainly would not be willing in this situation. There's some precedent for that to happen. I've been involved in a matter in my district many years ago during the Bush administration, where a judge actually did that and permitted a prosecution for contempt to move forward in that case against a private party, not the government."

"But there's good indication from courts in the District of Columbia that you can make sanctions against the government, including jailing government officials or requiring them to pay damages personally if a contempt prosecution is successful," she added.

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During an appearance on MSNBC on Friday morning, journalist David Drucker of the conservative Dispatch made the case that Donald Trump gave his approval to Vice President J.D. Vance pulling double duty as a chief fundraiser for the Republican National Committee (RNC).

As he explained to the hosts of "Morning Joe," there is a general belief that the sitting president is allowing Vance to position himself as the heir apparent to the MAGA movement and, therefore, the 2028 GOP presidential nomination, but that got push-back from former Democratic political adviser Symone Sanders Townsend who was skeptical.

Rep. Steve Horsford (D-NV) on Friday heaped scorn on President Donald Trump for reportedly allowing Elon Musk to receive a briefing on top-secret war plans.

Appearing on CNN, Horsford addressed the rage being expressed by Democratic voters at town hall meetings across the United States, and he pointed out that there was particular anger directed toward Musk and his efforts to take a hatchet to the federal workforce.

Ret. Col. Cedric Leighton warned on Friday that billionaire Elon Musk represents a "potential counterintelligence risk" given his deep business ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

During an interview about reported plans to give Musk a briefing about top-secret plans for war with China, Leighton said it was "very unusual" for someone in Musk's position to be given a briefing on such information.

Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC) was warned by CNN host Audie Cornish after he tried to dismiss angry voters barraging Republicans at town halls as paid agitators.

During an interview about the controversies surrounding Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, Harrigan said he wasn't concerned about the angry backlash that Musk has received as he's fired tens of thousands of federal employees and shuttered regional Social Security offices.

The Donald Trump administration's abrasive battles with judges combined with new news that the president bullied a highly-regarded law firm into submission is not going unnoticed by members of the Supreme Court and could come back to haunt him.

That is the opinion of Politico's Senior Legal Affairs correspondent Josh Gerstein who appeared on MSNBC on Friday morning and claimed Trump may be pushing conservative Chief Justice John Roberts into the arms of the court's liberal wing.