All posts tagged "The New York Times"

Donald Trump's administration is unraveling rapidly amid a series of political scandals that cannot be fixed internally, a political analyst has claimed.

Trump's team has weathered Immigration and Customs Enforcement shootings in January, a war with Iran, a threat made against Greenland, and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Amid all the chaos is a sign that an internal shift within the White House is necessary, with The New York Times' Jonathan Rauch and Peter Wehner highlighting the vital shift they need to make.

The pair wrote, "Incoherence is not incidental in this administration; it is the administration’s modus operandi. The so-called Department of Government Efficiency caused chaos in federal agencies by sacking, and then sometimes rehiring, employees without any evident rationale — and without making a serious dent in government spending."...

Both Republican and Democratic senators are frustrated with the state of their chamber and the inability to make any progress in the face of President Donald Trump's encroachment on their authority, according to a new piece in The New York Times.

"Members current and former, Republican and Democratic, say the job comes with a sense of growing frustration and declining cachet," wrote opinion columnist Michelle Cottle. "The legislative process is a hot mess, and increasingly dominated by giant omnibus bills. Cross-aisle comity is passé. Independence and ideological heterodoxy are treated as heresy."

Senators headed home for summer break this weekend after failing to confirm a list of Trump nominees, prompting the president to tell Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY) to "go to hell" on social media....

Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended what could be viewed as a hollow "congratulations" to Switzerland Friday as it celebrated its nation's founding just a day after President Donald Trump imposed the highest tariff on any European nation.

"I extend my congratulations to the people of Switzerland on your National Day, August 1," Rubio wrote in a press statement. "The United States values its strong and steady relationship with Switzerland. Our cooperation spans trade, finance, and security areas where Swiss leadership and reliability continue to make a global impact."

Politico reporter Douglas Busvine wrote, "Normally on Aug. 1, the country of 9 million commemorates the founding of the Swiss Confederation in the year 1291. As on July 4 in the U.S., people celebrate with fireworks and parades." ...

Far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer likely had a role in getting the top lawyer for the National Security Agency fired, according to The New York Times.

A new article reported that "an official briefed on the matter" said Loomer’s online criticism of April Falcon Doss, appointed to the general counsel post during the Biden administration, "appeared to have a role" in her firing.

The report recounted the timeline that led to Doss's demise:...

Former FBI Director James Comey was given the Secret Service treatment usually reserved for "serious threats" after posting a seashell photo to Instagram with the numbers "86 47."

The New York Times reported Wednesday that the post captioned, "Cool shell formation on my beach walk," led to federal law enforcement surreptitiously tailing his car while agents tracked his cellphone.

Comey described the post as "silly" and said he was unaware of the meaning that MAGA ascribed to the numbers....

In a new article for MSNBC, political analyst Steve Benen advised that it may finally be time to "come to terms" with the fact that the "moderate" wing of the Republican Party "simply doesn’t exist."

Benen cited the case of Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), who was touted recently by The New York Times as somewhat of a unicorn in a Republican Party not afraid to tell the president, "no."

"Mr. Bacon’s willingness to publicly disagree with the president makes him an anomaly in the tribal House Republican Conference, where members tend to fall in line behind Mr. Trump’s agenda and actively seek out ways to demonstrate their loyalty to him," The Times piece read. "In a Republican-led Congress that has been reluctant to challenge Mr. Trump on almost anything, the Nebraskan is among the last of a disappearing breed in his party."...