Monday, June 22, 2026

TODAY'S TOP MADDOWBLOG POSTS

In back-to-back reversals, the Trump administration folds under pressure

On ICE warehouses and an ocean monitoring system, the White House intended to stand its ground — right up until it changed its mind.

Republican criticism of Trump’s Iran policy intensifies as White House pitch falls flat

As the midterm elections near, Republicans are divided against one another on a war and efforts to resolve the conflict.

Fears of an ‘economic catastrophe’ helped push Trump toward an Iran deal

Why did the president accept a bad deal with Iran? Apparently because he saw his failed policy pushing the global economy toward a dangerous cliff.

Trump finds new ways to make his relationship with Italy’s Meloni even worse

The Italian prime minister was supposed to be the one European leader who could get along with Trump. In recent days, the relationship collapsed.

MORE FROM THE MADDOWBLOG

WHAT'S ON RACHEL'S BLUESKY RADAR?

"He doesn't know anyone detained at the center, but he says he was there because of his faith...

'If you're a Christian, you care about people and their treatment and their circumstances,' he said.

'The least we can do is be here for them'..."
(KRGV)
Father's Day this weekend at Delaney Hall immigrant prison in New Jersey.

photos: Sussex Visibility Brigade

(Rachel shares photos, including a sign that reads "Free the dads, close the camps")

"The story the White House expects Americans to believe is that Trump and his team are impervious to pressure. The president does what he wants when he wants.

The narrative, however, isn’t true. The Republican administration regularly reverses course under pressure..."
(MaddowBlog)
"After The New York Times repeatedly over four days asked the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security about Mr. Johnson’s case, federal prosecutors suddenly moved to dismiss the charges he faced of assaulting federal officers during the protest..."
(New York Times)
Many lessons to be taken from this new searchable database including:

Todd Blanche's gross mismanagement of DOJ over this period

Courts saying: 'presumption of regularity'/government good faith simply gone

Courts: increasingly sanctioning DOJ attorneys⬇️

(First post in a thread from Ryan Goodman)

In California's pro-Trump Shasta County, the Trump/GOP "Big Beautiful Bill" will cause 6,000 residents to lose their food assistance, and at least 17,200 to lose their health insurance.

Now the disastrous MAGA takeover of Shasta County politics is collapsing:
(Rachel shares the San Francisco Chronicle)
Trump and Rubio announce they will entirely cut HIV/AIDS assistance to the country with the highest number of people living with HIV in the world:

Trump administration to phase out HIV funding for South Africa
(Rachel shares Politico)
"Protests against the plans have continued in Romulus and the metro Detroit region for months.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the decision a victory for Romulus and metro Detroit residents..."
...
"Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a statement thanked Nessel and other local leaders for “putting a stop to this facility and ensuring Michiganders have a say in what happens in their own backyards.”

The federal lawsuit filed in March will remain active absent a written agreement that the government will “never use the Romulus warehouse as a detention center and will list the property for sale,” according to the Attorney General’s Office. "
(Bridge Michigan)
Revolt in small Georgia town appears to ward off ICE detention center
(The Guardian)
Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, Utah):

"The more voices raised against this abomination the better..."

Tribune Editorial: ICE detention center could be on the rocks. Now is time to apply pressure.
(Rachel shares the Salt Lake Tribune)
Social Circle wins.

DHS scraps plans to turn Georgia warehouse into detention mega center, city says
(Rachel shares CNN)
If you’re enjoying the Trump Administration’s energetic efforts to bring back

- measles

- whooping cough

- screwworm flesh-eating maggots

- and to give whole Air Force units the flu...

then you’ll be super excited to see what they now have in mind for HIV/AIDS:
(Rachel shares New York Times)
"As a rule, when responding to a bomb threat, ICE isn’t the first law enforcement agency that comes to mind — what are they going to do, detain the bomb for weeks in squalid conditions before deporting it to a country it’s never been to before?..."

The problem(s) with Mullin’s answer about ICE agents at voting precincts
(MaddowBlog)
Columbus Dispatch:

"Fox News released a poll showing Trump-endorsed candidates trailing Democrats in the races for governor and Senate. And now, all of a sudden, one of Ohio's major get-out-the-vote groups finds Trump agents at their door and in their house..."

Stench from Trump's Cleveland raid turning stomachs miles away.
(The Columbus Dispatch)
"As soon as the Administration bought the warehouses, local communities began to rebel, including in conservative areas..."

Yep. And they changed history by doing so.

ICE Spent $700 Million on 7 Warehouses. Now It Wants to Get Rid of Them.
(Rachel remarks on the New York Times)

Follow Rachel on Bluesky here.

PRE-ORDER NOW!

Rachel has a new book!

"Department of Fate: The Promise, the Power, and the Collapse of America’s Most Consequential Institution"

comes out November 10 but you can pre-order now.

See MS.NOW/DepartmentOfFate for links and options to pre-order.