Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP Photo
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The short tenure of White House press secretary Katie Zacharia obscures a more serious issue. Zacharia’s social media posts on some of the most heinous and bizarre right-wing conspiracies on social media should have been disqualifying, argues Paul Farhi. Zacharia repeatedly reposted posts accusing Democrats of being pedophiles, wrote that Hollywood celebrities are cannibals and lamented the death of a conspiracy theorist who claimed that children were being kidnapped and sent to a colony on Mars. Read more.
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A raid on Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s house by agents with the Department of Homeland Security may be tied to a pretext of immigration enforcement. But the Minnesota representative has been a U.S. citizen since she was 17, and the investigation is being launched just weeks before she is up for re-election, which makes it “laughable” that it’s a good-faith effort, argues Zeeshan Aleem. Trump has been saying that he wants Omar out of the country and that she shouldn’t be allowed to serve in Congress since last year. Read more.
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After reports that she asked a donor to pay off her $100,000 credit card bill, U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned at the White House’s request. But that should not be the end of it, argues retired Ambassador James Story. Congress should force Guilfoyle to testify, and the State Department’s inspector general should investigate. The controversy also points to a broader problem, as 80% of Trump’s ambassador nominations in his second term have been political appointees, rather than career diplomats. Read more.
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Ukrainian officials accused Elon Musk of throttling their access to Starshield, the military version of the company’s Starlink satellite internet service that’s been vital to their war effort. (For his part, Musk blamed the Trump administration.) Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the U.S. could cut off intelligence sharing with Kyiv. There’s no reason to suspect these efforts will be any more successful than previous bids to coerce or restrict Ukraine, argues national security analyst Peter Juul. The Trump administration doesn’t seem to understand that the fight for Ukraine is existential. Read more.
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Incidents like the one at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday raise questions, but statistically speaking, roller coasters are extraordinarily safe, with a likelihood of serious injuries in approximately 1 in 15.5 million rides. But while today’s roller coasters incorporate sophisticated computer monitoring, restraint systems, braking technology and other safety features, the safety ultimately comes down to the human beings responsible for its operation, inspection and maintenance, argues Dennis Speigel, founder and CEO of International Theme Park Services. That responsibility depends on the location, since amusement park rides are primarily regulated at the state level. Read more.
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Luke Hales / Getty Images
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A recruiting memo for a high-profile job in the NFL was unsealed this week by a federal judge as part of a bombshell racial discrimination lawsuit. The memo’s criticism of Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores based on negative stereotypes about Black men is likely to make even people who aren’t football fans pay attention, argues veteran sports journalist Keith Reed. After noting that Flores grew up in the same neighborhood as boxer Mike Tyson, the memo says that his strong friendship with a billionaire’s son “gave him opportunities to socialize and learn how to build relationships with white-collar and upper-class individuals.” The memo’s language should feel uncomfortably familiar to Black candidates in corporate America who have faced a glass ceiling. Read the column here.
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Tonight, Ali Velshi and Josh Einiger take a comprehensive look at how AI has shifted the political landscape from coast to coast. Watch “Sparking Outrage: Data Centers and AI Backlash” tonight at 10 p.m. ET on MS NOW.
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Tuesday, with only weeks to go until the midterms, "The Moment" hits the road as Katy Tur anchors live from Austin, Texas. Watch "The Moment with Katy Tur" Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET on MS NOW.
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