'Three-ring circus': report finds Trump spurred ICE chaos over fears he looked weak on TV

President Donald Trump's administration is descending into chaos after the president abruptly reversed course on immigration enforcement policy, publicly overruling his own Department of Homeland Security within hours of a directive aimed at curbing deadly traffic stops, according to The Atlantic.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin had ordered ICE agents to halt most vehicle stops following a fatal shooting in Maine, where immigration officers killed 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Guerrero, according to the report. The pause came after consultation with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and reflected widespread concern that undertrained ICE recruits were conducting dangerous stops that resulted in unnecessary deaths.

But Trump, after consuming coverage of the stand-down, took to Truth Social to declare, "We CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.'s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!," adding, "Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal's hands."

Inside the administration, the reversal created immediate turmoil, according to the report.

The Atlantic revealed Trump's reversal was triggered by negative coverage from cable news outlets and a coordinated campaign from right-wing figures including influencer Tomi Lahren, former Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino, and podcaster Steve Bannon.

One official characterized the scene as a "three-ring circus."

The episode raised uncomfortable questions about the decision-making process. Senior DHS and ICE officials told the Atlantic it would have been nearly impossible for Mullin to issue the initial pause without White House approval—yet a senior administration official insisted Trump hadn't been consulted beforehand, claiming the president only learned of the policy after it became public.

"Not a chance," one DHS insider said when asked if Mullin would have sent the order without White House sign-off. "Someone got into the big boss's ear."

The turmoil was noted on MS NOW on Thursday morning with "Morning Joe" co-host Joe Scarborough re-emphasizing Trump's fears of looking weak at a time when his administration is struggling.