A former White House ethics lawyer yelled on MS NOW while discussing President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as he entered what the lawyer described as the "World Series of corruption."
Over the weekend, The New York Times reported that Kushner has been soliciting funds for his investment firm while conducting diplomatic business on behalf of the U.S. government. Kushner is seeking to raise $5 billion from countries in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, according to the report. This is happening at a time when Kushner is working with representatives for these countries on international issues, like releasing the hostages in Gaza and negotiating a settlement for the war in Iran.
Noem Eisen, a former ethics lawyer in the Obama administration, said Kushner was playing in the "World Series of corruption" by pursuing these deals simultaneously.
"The guy has got billions of dollars in interest in the region. Now he wants $5 billion more while he's the envoy for the United States?!" Eisen shouted. "That won't wash."
Eisen noted that he wouldn't let Barack Obama refinance the mortgage on his personal home while he was president because Obama was technically regulating the banking industry. Kushner appears to be taking the exact opposite approach, Eisen argued.
The Wall Street Journal's conservative editorial board on Monday begged President Donald Trump to "take the hint" about a case he is pursuing against a political foe.
For months, Trump has tried to remove Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell because of his hesitance to lower federal interest rates. A federal judge recently rebuffed a Trump-appointed prosecutor's efforts to subpoena Powell, and the WSJ editorial board noted that the judge's "evidence and reasoning are sound."
"President Trump’s lawfare efforts aren’t faring well in court, and the latest example is a federal judge’s decision last week to quash subpoenas in a probe of ... Powell," the editorial board wrote. "Mr. Trump would be wise to take the hint and abandon the case so his nominee, Kevin Warsh, can be confirmed as the next Chairman."
"The chronology of events suggests that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro was responding to pressure from Mr. Trump to target Mr. Powell in a criminal case without evidence of criminal behavior," the editorial continued. "The smart move now is for the White House to take the loss and drop the case. Don’t appeal. The quicker the case is gone, the sooner Mr. Warsh can get through the Senate Banking Committee and onto the Senate floor to be confirmed. It’s also more likely that if the case goes away, Mr. Powell might resign from his Fed seat and Mr. Trump would get another appointment to the seven-member board."
The Trump administration's latest "pure evil" move sparked outrage among political analysts and observers on Monday.
The New York Times reported that the Trump administration's Department of State has drafted a memo outlining reasons to withhold money for "lifesaving" H.I.V. reduction programs in Zambia to force the African country to hand over more of its rare earth minerals. The move could impact as many as 1.3 million Zambians who rely on the programs for medical treatment, according to the report.
"We will only secure our priorities by demonstrating willingness to publicly take support away from Zambia on a massive scale,” the Times reported the memo stated.
The Times previously reported that the Trump administration is pursuing global rare earth mineral deals to break U.S. dependence on China. The country currently mines 70% of the world's rare earth minerals and processes chemicals for 90% of the global supply, the Times reported.
The report sparked outrage among political analysts and observers.
"Things are not okay," economist Justin Wolfers posted on X.
"Genuinely couldn't contemplate that this was a real headline — but it is," Sam Stein, managing editor of the conservative anti-Trump outlet The Bulwark, posted on X.
"Gangster tactics," author Ruth Ben-Ghiat posted on X.
"Every time you think the Trump admin can’t get any worse, they get worse," Ron Filipkowski, editor in chief of the progressive news outlet MeidasTouch, posted on X.
"The US has become that neighbor who says sure, you can borrow a ladder — for a fee," journalist Carl Quintanilla posted on X.
President Donald Trump caught flak from political analysts and observers on Monday as the average cost of diesel fuel in the U.S. reached historic highs.
AAA reported that the average cost of diesel fuel in the U.S. reached $5 per gallon for just the second time in history. The other time it reached $5 per gallon was during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The average cost of energy in the U.S. has risen sharply since the Trump administration decided to coordinate bombing strikes in Iran with its Israeli allies. In retaliation, Iran has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz to American and Israeli ships. The Strait of Hormuz accounts for about 20% of all liquefied natural gas and oil traded every day.
Trump has called on other countries to help the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but none have provided aid thus far, according to reports.
Political analysts and observers reacted to the news on social media.
"The GOP ran on 2 big promises: lower costs and no new wars. Broke both," Andrew Bates, a former Biden White House communications staffer, posted on X.
"Trump’s War on Truckers," political communications expert J.J. Abbott posted on X.
"Congratulations to Donald Trump for a truly historic presidency," progressive YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen posted on X.
"Damn Biden," HuffPost Senior Political Reporter S.V. Dáte posted on X.
"MAGA," journalist Brian E. Frydenborg posted on X.
Aides to all four living presidents confirmed to CNN on Monday that none of them have spoken with President Donald Trump about his bombing strikes in Iran, as Trump claimed during a press conference.
Trump claimed in the Oval Office that he had spoken to a former president about bombing Iran, and that the former president had approved of the operation. Trump added that the former president claimed he "wished" he had made the decision to bomb Iran. The president also declined to identify which president he was talking about.
The four living former presidents are: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny and Samantha Waldenberg reached out to aides for each of the four living former presidents, all of whom told them that the former presidents did not speak to Trump about the strikes.
"A spokesman for Clinton told CNN that no recent conversations have taken place between Clinton and Trump — about Iran or anything else," they reported.
"Aides to Bush, Obama and Biden offered similar sentiments on Monday, saying there is no record of any communications with Trump," the report added.
Political analysts and observers were stunned on Monday after President Donald Trump casually dropped a threat to start a new war during a press conference in the Oval Office.
During an exchange with Peter Doocy of Fox News, Trump said he will take Cuba "in some form" at some point during his presidency.
"All my life, I have been hearing about the United States and Cuba. You know, 'When are they going to do it?'" Trump said. "I do believe I will be having the honor of taking Cuba. That's a big honor."
"Whether I free it, take it. I think I can do anything I want with it, if you want to know the truth," Trump added.
The president's comments stunned political analysts and observers, who shared their reactions online.
"Dear god," David Adler, co-general coordinator of Progressive International, posted on X. "Donald Trump is once again announcing his plans for a violent invasion of Cuba. We must stop him. To stand up for Cuba — against this malignant colonial mindset — is to stand up for all of humanity."
"Like a small child talking about toys," Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic, posted on X.
"Every word uttered here is stark raving lunacy," retired Army officer Mike Colarusso posted on Bluesky.
"Hmmm … wonder if a certain dual-hatted Secretary of State/National Security Advisor has been playing to POTUS’s real estate developer instincts," Brian Finucane, senior advisor at International Crisis Group, posted on Bluesky.
A CNN political insider floated a new theory on Monday about the "former president" that President Donald Trump claims he spoke to about his decision to strike Iran.
Trump claimed during a press conference in the Oval Office that he had spoken with a "former president" who said he "wished" he had made the same decision to bomb Iran as the Trump administration. When pressed by reporters about the claim, Trump did not reveal who he was referring to. Former President Bill Clinton's team told CNN Senior Reporter Daniel Dale that Trump has not spoken with Clinton about Iran. Trump also denied speaking with presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
CNN political insider Kate Bedingfield floated a mocking new theory about who the president could have been referring to during a segment on "The Lead" with Jake Tapper.
"Not for nothing, Donald Trump is also a former president," Bedingfield said. "I think it is totally reasonable to question whether Donald Trump was looking in the mirror, having a discussion with himself in the bathroom this morning."
Bedingfield's comments come at a time when the Trump administration is facing increased scrutiny over its decision to coordinate bombing strikes against Iran with Israel.
A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that 53% of Americans oppose the war in Iran.
Ex-GOP strategist Rick Wilson on Monday predicted what he thinks will be next for President Donald Trump as talks about who will succeed him in 2028 have heightened and questions over whether it will be Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Wilson was talking to MS NOW host Katy Tur about the dilemma Vance, who has been vocal about his stance against long wars in the Middle East, was facing. Vance has not publicly said he was opposed to the Iran war; however, reports have surfaced about his views on the conflict as Trump has shifted his messaging to his MAGA coalition about the military strikes.
"I think it's been notable, Rick, that we've seen so little of JD Vance lately," Tur said. "He's got a thing with the president that we might have to dip into at some point during this conversation, but other than that, he has been out of sight."
The last appearance the two apparently made was with the entire Trump administration Cabinet on March 7 at Dover Air Force Base, during the dignified transfer of six slain U.S. Army service members who were killed in Kuwait.
"I don't believe that's a coincidence, Katy," Wilson said. "I think that is a feature, not a bug, of the Vance position right now. He does come from a part of the party or the part of the MAGA movement that is very anti-interventionist. And they built the 'Peace President' illusion around Trump in 2024. And Vance put the bit in his teeth and ran with it. But now he's got a president who has launched a singularly reckless effort in the Persian Gulf that will end up sending American troops to fight and die in a pointless war. And I think Vance is very uncomfortable right now."
Trump has appeared to favor Rubio as his potential successor, according to reports.
"Marco's been getting a lot of praise," Wilson said. "Vance has been, you know, hiding in the tall grass. What goes on today in this presser with Trump could go either way. He could cut Vance's head off right there in public. And I wouldn't, if I was Vance, you know, act without getting a food taster going forward, if Trump really digs in on this war."
Last week, Vance dodged a direct question about how he viewed the military action in the Middle East. Vance was taking questions from reporters following his speech in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he campaigned for GOP candidates in a district Republicans were hoping to flip. Associated Press reporter Bill Barrow asked the vice president what advice he gave the president regarding military strikes and the economic fallout, including surging gas prices.
"Did you express any concerns like those you've expressed in the past on the possibility of those extended wars?" Barrow asked.
Vance refused to directly say whether he supports the joint U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.
"We're in the Situation Room, where you can't even take your iPod in there, or your AirPods, I guess what they're called, you can't take your iPhone in there, you can't take anything in there — because it is the most classified space anywhere in the world," Vance said.
"And I sit there with Pete Hegseth, and Gen. Caine, and Marco Rubio, and the entire White House team, and the president and I, and the entire senior team are talking about the options and about what we need to do and how we must best protect the American people," Vance added.
"I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not going to show up here in front of God and everybody else and tell you exactly what I said in that classified room partially because I don't wanna go to prison and partially because I think it's important for the President of the United States to talk to his advisors without those advisors running their mouth to the American media."
Last week, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that Newsom showed he is a "cognitive mess" during a recent interview. "While we all want to be politically correct, having a mental disorder is not a positive campaign event," Trump wrote in the post, adding that Newsom had disqualified himself from running for President during the interview.
Trump seemed to admit that he said "horrible things" about the California Democrat during a bill signing ceremony in the Oval Office.
"Honestly, I am all for people with learning disabilities but not for my president," Trump said. "I think a president should not have a learning disability. I know it's highly controversial to say such a horrible thing."
Political analysts and observers reacted to Trump's statement on social media.
"He's such an a------," Democratic strategist Mike Nellis posted on X.
"Oh my god," podcaster Jordan Crucchiola posted on X.
"He's just the worst person ever. No redeeming qualities at all," MS NOW columnist Michael A. Cohen posted on X.
"Says the guy that can barely read from a teleprompter," political commentary account "Wu Tang is for the Children" posted on X.
Trump: Gavin Newsom has admitted he has learning disabilities. Honestly I am all for people with learning disabilities but not for my president. I think the president should not have learning disabilities. pic.twitter.com/fY0cAox9Ep — Acyn (@Acyn) March 16, 2026
President Donald Trump got more than he bargained for during an exchange with a Fox News reporter in the Oval Office on Monday.
Trump and multiple administration officials gathered in the Oval Office to commemorate his formalization of a new federal anti-fraud task force, which he announced during his State of the Union address in February. During a question-and-answer segment, Trump was asked by Fox News' Peter Doocy whether the U.S. can wrap up the war in Iran this week.
"If Iran, as you say, [were] totally obliterated. Got the missiles, the first two rounds of leadership. Army gone. Navy gone. Can we wrap this war up this week?" Doocy asked.
"Sure, I guess," Trump said.
"Will we?" Doocy continued.
"I don't think so, but it will be soon," Trump said. "It won't be long."
Doocy's question underscored the contradictory accounts of the war in Iran coming out of the White House. When Trump first announced the U.S. was coordinating strikes against Iran with Israel, he said one of the goals was to create the conditions for the Iranian people to rise up and form their own government.
Since then, Trump has said the war began to ensure that Iran doesn't get nuclear weapons. Last year, the Trump administration bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities and claimed they were "totally obliterated" in the process.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vaccine policies were rejected by a judge on Monday, according to reports.
The decision was the latest hit for the Trump administration after Judge Brian Murphy ruled in favor of six medical organizations that challenged Kennedy's sweeping moves over the last year to limit COVID-19 vaccines and change the childhood immunization schedule, The New York Times reported.
"The court also reversed, at least for the time being, all decisions made by the panelists that Mr. Kennedy appointed to the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, which makes recommendations on which vaccines Americans should take," according to The Times. "The ruling prevents the panelists from meeting later this week as scheduled."
In his ruling, Murphy said Kennedy and his appointees have "made arbitrary and capricious changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, bypassing the careful, evidence-based practice that in the past has underpinned the recommendations," The Times reported.
Richard Hughes, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, responded to reporters on Monday after the court made its ruling.
“This is a significant victory for public health, evidence-based medicine, the rule of law, and the American people,” Hughes said.
Trump and several administration officials held a ceremony in the Oval Office commemorating the signing of an executive order to establish a federal anti-fraud task force. During the question and answer portion, Trump was asked about the prospects of Congress approving the SAVE Act, which Trump said was "imperative" for lawmakers to pass. Trump seemed noncommittal about the bill passing, but he quickly digressed into a diatribe about the Supreme Court.
"Democrats have horrible policy. It's just incredible. But they stick together. It's the one thing they do," Trump said. "Their Supreme Court members stick together. Those appointed by a Democrat stick together. If Barack Hussein Obama appoints a member of the Supreme Court, that member never goes against him, and they're proud about it."
"Republicans go the opposite way," he continued. "If Donald Trump appoints someone, they say 'I'm gonna show the world that I can be totally just and I can be independent of Donald Trump. He's not controlling me!' I don't want to control them. I just want smart decisions."
Trump also said the Supreme Court's recent ruling declaring his tariffs illegal "won't change tariffs."
"I can do it in a different way; I always knew I could do it in a different way," he said. "A little quicker, a little easier, a little better. But they gave us a decision that could cost this country $500 billion to pay people back."
President Donald Trump appears to be having a hard time getting his story straight about whether the U.S. needs international help reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to one CNN host.
During a press conference on Monday, Trump made several contradictory claims about the Strait of Hormuz, which is the key shipping corridor that Iran has effectively shut off to U.S. and Israeli vessels following the coordinated bombing campaign by both countries.
In one statement, Trump said the international community "won't be there for us" if the U.S. asked them for help. He also claimed that some countries are "really enthusiastic" about helping the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and that the U.S. "needs" the help of "one of the big boys" to clear the Strait.
CNN host Kasie Hunt played a compilation of the contradictory clips during the opening of her show, "The Arena," on Monday. She said Trump "waffles by the minute" about the U.S. needing help.
"Did you follow that? We had a hard time following that," Hunt said with a shrug.
Trump's comments come at a time when the war in Iran is starting to have an impact in the U.S. Energy prices have skyrocketed since the U.S. coordinated strikes in Iran with Israel beginning in late February. The war has also fractured Trump's already fragile MAGA coalition.
