Good morning! Welcome to MSNBC's Sunday Spotlight, where you can find a selection of the week's most interesting and important stories. Elon Musk's effort to cut government services drastically faces its biggest threat yet. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's sales pitch on tariffs is falling flat, the Health and Human Services secretary may be right about one thing, and Democratic states are making a good case for federalism. Plus, the new season of a science-fiction streaming series is darkly relevant. Don't forget to check out more top columns and videos from the week below. |
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Man bite DOGE: Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency is facing its biggest threat yet: a mega-lawsuit filed by a broad coalition of labor unions, local governments and nonprofit groups on behalf of federal workers affected by the mass layoffs. The coalition's lawyers argue that the Trump administration does not have the authority to lay off workers whose jobs are required to be performed under the law. That hits DOGE at its weakest point: the broad and unprecedented power grab by the president, writes Hayes Brown. |
Failed pitch: Trump has a reputation as a good salesman, but his pitch for tariffs is failing. More and more voters have figured out that tariffs don't work the way he claims they do, especially when they are this haphazard and unpredictable. Polls show poor ratings for Trump's handling of the economy, and a lot of questions still remain about what could come next in terms of product shortages, unemployment rates and inflation. Even Trump's own Treasury secretary has struggled to explain how Americans will benefit from the tariffs, writes commentator Paul Waldman. |
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Is RFK right on food dyes? Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made a lot of controversial decisions, but his crusade against synthetic food dyes has a lot more support from across the political spectrum. Following research that raises questions about petroleum-based dyes, several states have begun barring them from school cafeterias. But reforming America's health system, while badly needed, requires more than just banning artificial colors, writes food science professor Selina C. Wang. |
States' rights on the left: Democratic-led states are leading the pushback against the Trump administration's policies, whether it's by divesting from El Salvador, filing legal challenges or simply declining to join forces with the federal government. That's in keeping with the framers' idea of federalism, which throughout history has led to resistance to authoritarian moves from the White House and Congress. When used thoughtfully, federalism can offer a counterbalance to a federal government run amok, writes Institute for Humane Studies fellow Andy Craig. |
The tragic relevance of 'Andor': When it debuted in 2022, the Disney+ show seriously explored, for the first time in Star Wars' history, the question of how someone becomes radicalized. Now in its second season, the excellent prequel series hasn't lost a step, broadening its focus from the individual to the collective as it portrays an entire population teetering on the edge of rebellion. It's not just good television but also an incredibly well-timed reminder of the franchise's relevance, writes cultural critic Ani Bundel. |
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Maria Hinojosa has won the most prestigious awards in journalism: a Pulitzer, a Peabody, four Emmys, and the Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite awards. But as a former green card holder, she says her career would not have been possible if she had come of age under Trump. "Decades ago, I was not so different from the students today who are being removed from campuses and protest sites, disappeared in broad daylight, simply for expressing their views and standing up for justice," she writes. Even then, she knew that, because she wasn't a citizen, her freedoms were more precarious — a political reality she thinks more Americans need to acknowledge as they push back on Trump's actions. Read Hinojosa's column here. — Ryan Teague Beckwith, newsletter editor |
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Tonight, MSNBC Films presents the second episode of "David Frost Vs." The six-part documentary series explores the legacy of legendary host David Frost through his iconic interviews with guests from Elton John to President Richard Nixon, examining key political and cultural moments of the 20th century that still resonate today. The next episode of "David Frost Vs," featuring Muhammad Ali, airs tonight at 9pm Eastern on MSNBC. |
Beginning tomorrow, watch the premiere of "The Weeknight," hosted by Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez. They'll bring their unique range of political expertise to a roundtable discussion that will challenge each other and our leaders. Watch "The Weeknight" Mondays through Fridays at 7pm Eastern on MSNBC. |
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