Marking July Fourth with a would-be king

Plus, Trump reportedly won over GOP holdouts with signed merch |

VIEW IN BROWSER MSNBC DAILY Understand today's news Friday, Jul. 04, 2025 THE LATEST On Independence Day, the United States finds itself saddled with its own would-be king  By Adam Gurri On Independence Day, the United States finds itself saddled with it's own would-be king  By Adam Gurri The narrow Republican congressional majority has passed, by an even narrower majority, an enormous megabill. The unpopularity of its substance was swept under the rug on Trump's say-so. "As the President said, it's his bill. It's not a House bill, it's not a Senate bill," noted House Speaker Mike Johnson. Coverage of the bill has focused on cuts to Medicaid and handouts to the rich. Less noted, but no less significant, is the enormous infusion of cash into immigration enforcement that will have lasting implications for our system of government and our society.   Among the charges leveled at King George III in the Declaration of Independence was that "He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners." The founding generation sought to create a large, commercial republic, where freedom of movement was an important pillar of national health. Instead, our current president and his party have put budgets for immigration control on par with that of a branch of the military.   And yet 249 years since our country declared its independence from the crown, the United States finds itself saddled with a would-be king of its own making.   This is a preview of  Adam Gurri's latest column. Read the full column here.  TOP STORIES ZEESHAN ALEEM I know exactly what the racist attacks on Zohran Mamdani are meant to do Born in the U.S. to Pakistani immigrants during Bush's war on terror, I learned how quickly American identity can vanish under suspicion. Read more. STEVE BENEN Many Americans may be surprised by just how horrible the Republicans' megabill is In recent years, voters have struggled to believe accurate descriptions of GOP proposals. With the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it might happen again. Read more.  JORDAN RUBIN Supreme Court takes up issue of transgender girls and women in sports for next term The court's decision to consider the matter sets up the possibility of two big rulings against transgender people two terms in a row. Read more.  SUSAN RINKUNAS Lisa Murkowski's megabill vote was an utter farce  What the senator claimed was a difficult decision was just a case of backroom deals and abandoned principles. Read more.  TOP VIDEOS ALL IN 'Swag bag': Trump reportedly won over GOP holdouts with signed merch  WATCH NOW CHRIS JANSING REPORTS Hakeem Jeffries breaks record for longest House floor speech WATCH NOW THE WEEKNIGHT 'We can't wait': The Weeknight panel stresses the urgent road ahead for Democrats WATCH NOW MORNING JOE Kilmar Abrego Garcia was beaten, tortured at CECOT prison, according to court filing WATCH NOW MORE FROM MSNBC Nicolle Wallace is sitting down with some of the smartest, funniest, and wisest people she knows in her chart-topping podcast, "The Best People with Nicolle Wallace." This week, she speaks with best-selling author Glennon Doyle and American soccer legend Abby Wambach on how putting our bodies into uncomfortable places is the antidote to the dehumanization of immigrants, and why fighting for democracy needs to be a team sport. Listen now, and subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts for early access, ad-free listening, and bonus content. Go beyond the headlines with the MSNBC app. Read, listen and watch live breaking news and analysis, anytime, anywhere. Download the MSNBC app now.   MSNBC INSIGHTS Have you ever wanted to provide MSNBC with your opinion about their TV programs, documentaries, and digital products, such as MSNBC.com, newsletters, and podcasts? Now is your chance! Join the MSNBC Insights Community.   Download the MSNBC App: 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 PRIVACY | CONTACT | UNSUBSCRIBE