Amanda Terkel

With a Democratic Party leadership vacuum, Obama steps up his criticism of Trump Obama's recent public comments came after private conversations with allies about whether he should speak out more, according to people familiar with the discussions.

NEW: Obama has intensified attacks on Trump in recent weeks, a move that came after private conversations w/allies about whether he should speak out more and how to approach high-stakes White House actions as they unfold.

w/@jonallendc.bsky.social & Carol Lee

www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

Shutdown cancels sports games and dances for students at military-base schools Military parents say their kids, especially those who are high school seniors, are devastated by the cancellation of some of their last sports games and school dances.

This week I spoke to kids and parents at DOD-operated schools about how the shutdown has canceled their sports games and homecoming dances.

Seniors who are trying to get recruited to play sports in college are among those most affected.

For @nbcnews.com:

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Education Department employees surprised to find their email automatically changed to blame Democrats for shutdown Five furloughed employees told NBC News they had put up nonpartisan out-of-office messages, only to see they were changed — without their permission — to partisan ones.

NEW — Dept of Education civil servants tell us that they put up nonpartisan out-of-office email messages that were turned changed to be partisan ones blaming Dems — all without their knowledge or permission.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru... w/ @natashakorecki.bsky.social

'NATO for nonprofits': Groups organize to band together if targeted by Trump Nonprofit organizations took lessons away from law firms and universities that largely decided to act in isolation after finding themselves in the administration's crosshairs.

NEW — Nonprofit groups are banding together to create a "NATO for nonprofits" — a pact to assist each other if targeted by Trump. They learned lessons from watching universities and law firms go it alone.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Trump administration uses government websites and email messages to pin the shutdown on Democrats Some federal workers were given suggested out-of-office email messages that said they were furloughed because "Democrat Senators are blocking passage" of a funding bill.

NEW — Trump admin is using fed govt websites, websites and email msgs to push out partisan shutdown messages.

Some civil servants are being given suggested out-of-office messages to use that pin the shutdown on Dems.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

James Comey case jeopardizes Americans' free speech rights, retired judges warn A group of retired judges said Trump "continues to corruptly abuse the power of his office" by directing the Justice Department to target "his critics and his perceived political enemies."

James Comey case jeopardizes Americans' free speech rights, retired judges warn

www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

Members of Congress still get paid during a government shutdown Some House and Senate lawmakers are requesting that their paychecks be withheld as millions of federal workers prepare to go without pay.

Reminder: Members of Congress will still get paid if the government shuts down

www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

YouTube video by New York Daily News Sen. Eric Adams: Combating Gun Violence

In honor of Eric Adams dropping out, I'm now resharing my all-time favorite bit of Eric Adams content

for years, this thing was like my video from The Ring, where I had to get other people to watch it in order for me to stay alive

enjoy

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk2W...

ICE arrests superintendent of Iowa's largest public school district The agency said Ian Andre Roberts, a Guyana national and superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was in the country illegally and had a final order of removal.

Ian Andre Roberts, a Guyana national and superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was arrested in an operation, ICE announced in a news release.

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Democratic anger at their own party fuels 2026 primaries With the party's image at record lows and declining even among Democratic voters, candidates for Senate see an opening to win by positioning themselves against leaders.

NEW: When Mallory McMorrow conveyed her plans to run for Senate, DSCC asked her to hold off, per 3 sources.

More calls, some staff level; same result.

Per one source: “It was, ‘Can you wait a little longer, can you wait?’”

McMorrow defied them and launched.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

White House bullish after a long string of Supreme Court victories Officials are on a winning streak at the high court, in part due to a strategy of selecting cases most likely to find favor with the conservative majority.

NEW: White House officials are "ecstatic" at their long winning run at the Supreme Court.

Details on their aggressive legal strategy here:

www.nbcnews.com/politics/sup...

Renovations, royal parties and sports: Trump relishes the perks of being president Amid tariff deals and peace talks, Trump makes time for pursuits that are, well, pretty fun.

Yankees games, home renovations, sleeping in a castle, playing golf: Since his inauguration, Trump has been fashioning a presidency aligned with his preferences, taking presidential diversions in new directions.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Trump and Republicans find themselves on the other side of the cancel culture wars A debate over free speech is raging in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination.

Trump and Republicans find themselves on the other side of the cancel culture wars.

Previously a voice for the canceled, they are now the ones canceling.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don... by @henryjgomez.bsky.social

Military leaders consider recruiting campaign centered around Charlie Kirk Possible slogans discussed include “Charlie has awakened a generation of warriors.” There is talk of using Turning Point USA chapters as recruitment centers.

Possible slogans discussed include “Charlie has awakened a generation of warriors.” There is talk of using Turning Point USA chapters as recruitment centers.

'We will do it in Charlie's name': Stephen Miller vows vengeance for Kirk's murder Vice President JD Vance, hosting the podcast once helmed by Kirk, also encouraged people to make trouble for individuals who were "celebrating" the conservative activist's death.

'We will do it in Charlie's name': Stephen Miller vows vengeance for Kirk's murder

www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

Vaccination map: How protected is your community? Search for current childhood vaccination rates in thousands of counties across the U.S. and see how these figures have changed over time.

New @nbcnews.com project: Use this map to see the childhood vaccination rates for the place where you live, and then see how that figure has changed over time.

www.nbcnews.com/data-graphic...

'No way': Democratic donors balk at donating to Biden's presidential library Most of the more than half a dozen people who were once major Biden donors or bundlers said they either wouldn’t give to the library or would give only a token amount.

"No way."

"I want an $800,000 refund."

“I just don’t see that’s where I’m going to spend my money.”

Dems who were once major Biden donors or bundlers balk at donating to his presidential library

www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe... by @natashakorecki.bsky.social @jonallendc.bsky.social

Elon Musk Torpedoed a Beloved Pediatric Cancer Bill. It’s Yet to Recover. Sometimes, a good piece of legislation fails to become a law for one simple, stupid reason: congressional inertia.

NEW: Nine months ago, Elon Musk's nascent, DOGE effort killed off a beloved pediatric cancer initiative in the govt funding fight. I circled back to see where those bills now stood. What I discovered was less scandalous but no less depressing.

www.thebulwark.com/p/elon-musk-...

Rep. Luna's investment in a donor's energy firm illustrates potential limits of a stock trading ban The outspoken Florida Republican's office has said she owns no stocks, but her investment in a private equity firm focused on oil and gas could present a conflict of interest, experts say.

GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who is pushing for a stock trading ban in Congress, has invested $250,001 to $500,000 in a private equity firm focused on oil and energy.

Her office says it's not a "stock." But it illustrates the limitations of a stock trading ban:
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

Fascinating new results on Gen Z from the
@nbcnews.com Decision Desk poll -- views on family and marriage

www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

In rare interviews, federal judges criticize Supreme Court's handling of Trump cases Ten judges tell NBC News the Supreme Court needs to explain its rulings better, with some urging Chief Justice John Roberts to do more to defend the judiciary against external criticism.

🚨EXCLUSIVE:

Federal judges tell NBC News the Supreme Court has got to do a better job of explaining emergency rulings, with frequent decisions in favor of Trump at least appearing to validate harsh criticism of the judiciary at a time of rising threats:

www.nbcnews.com/politics/sup...

Trump’s CDC fight is about stamping out dissent ANALYSIS: The firing of Susan Monarez as head of the CDC is part of a larger effort by Trump and his administration to consolidate power inside the executive branch.

NEW - Social Security whistleblower Charles Borges has submitted his "involuntary resignation," saying he has faced "intolerable" work conditions since coming forward with his concerns that DOGE put Americans' personal data at risk

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Grand jury declines to indict man who threw a sandwich at federal officer in D.C. The former Justice Department attorney who threw a sub at federal officers in Washington, and came to be known as "Sandwich Guy," was not indicted on a federal felony charge.

WASHINGTON — You could get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich, the saying goes, but, in Washington, a federal grand jury just declined to indict a man for throwing a salami sub.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

5th grader says his friend was shot shielding him from bullets Weston Halsne, a fifth grade student at Annunciation Catholic School, says his friend Victor was shot while lying on top of him during the shooting at their

Watching this 10-year-old kid talk about how his friend was shot when he was lying on top of him (and basically saved him) is just so awful. Said they practice shooter drills every month.

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Clarification — a homicide, not just a shooting. Until then, DC had gone 12 days without one, a fact Trump had touted.

After a D.C. homicide, neighborhood residents are split over Trump's crackdown The day after a fatal shooting, some residents said they welcomed the law enforcement surge, while others said it was unnecessary or aimed at the wrong parts of the city.

In the early hours of Tuesday, there was a shooting in southeast DC, breaking the 12-day streak. @jonallendc.bsky.social went and talked to people around the block where it happened about the Trump crackdown and whether they've seen more law enforcement.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

It's the golden age of Josh!

Multiple guys named Josh run for president. There's Josh Allen. Josh wine is a top-seller. Record # of Joshes as govs (they even have a Josh group chat!) and in Congress.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol... Read the definitive Josh story by @allansmith.bsky.social and me

ICE director says agents won't be at D.C. schools on the first day — but may be going forward Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons said there are special circumstances that may require ICE to go to a school, such as to check on a student's safety.

SCOOP — Acting ICE director tells @nbcnews.com that agents won't be at D.C. schools on the first day — but may be going forward

www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...

Trump administration's newest allegation against political foes: Mortgage fraud Trump called on a Biden appointee on the Fed Board of Governors to step down Wednesday over mortgage fraud allegations.

Within the last few weeks, the Trump administration has targeted foes with a new allegation: Mortgage fraud

www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

What's next in the battle over redistricting as the Texas House passes new GOP maps California Democrats are making moves to put a ballot measure pushing pro-Democratic maps before voters this fall. Other Republican-controlled states are looking at redraws, too.

BREAKING: Texas House passes GOP redistricting plan after a weekslong standoff.

Here’s what’s next as the gerrymandering war spreads to other states.