The Weekend

July 11, 2026, 9 AM; He submitted paperwork to remove his name from the ballot yesterday, clearing the way for Maine's Democratic party to replace him. On Wednesday, Platner announced that he was suspending his campaign after a woman he dated accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021 - an allegation he denied as "false." As Democrats race to select a new nominee by the July 27th state deadline, which they will do through a nominating convention on July 25th, the fallout is reigniting a debate over how political leaders are held accountable. Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky join The Weekend to...

July 11, 2026, 8 AM; Gas prices are poised to climb again as the conflict with Iran escalates. Moody's chief economist estimates the average household has already spent roughly $1,000 more because of the war. And Trump refused to sign a bi-partisan housing bill that became law anyway at midnight. It's one of the few measures that would actually help with the affordability crisis. But Trump refused to sign it in protest over Republican refusal to pass his voter restriction bill, the SAVE America Act. As those challenges mount, the President and his friends have devoted increasing attention to something else entirely: tributes...

July 5, 2026; 9am: With Republicans drawing more favorable congressional maps ahead of the midterms, Democrats will likely need a strong turnout advantage to win back the House. Early signs show the redistricting fight may be energizing voters more than Republicans expected. In South Carolina's recent runoff elections, early voting reached levels typically seen only in presidential years. In South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District, represented by Rep. James Clyburn, turnout jumped by more than 50 percent, despite an uncontested primary. That surge was driven largely by Black voters, who make up roughly 60 percent of registered Democrats in South Carolina.  Representative Al Gre...

July 5, 2026; 8am: He and his family could find themselves under intense scrutiny if Democrats win big in November's midterms. As Axios reports, Democrats are planning a serious of subpoenas intent on exposing what has become the most lucrative presidency in American history. Democrats may also investigate people in Trump's orbit over a myriad of corruption allegations involving Trump's crypto empire, his sons' investments in defense companies seeking federal contracts, and billions of dollars worth of investments in Saudi real estate projects. Author Megan Gorman joins The Weekend to discuss the president’s finances.

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July 5, 2026; 7am: After being delayed by severe weather, President Trump delivers a patriotic and yet partisan speech to mark America's 250th birthday hours after masked white supremacists march in the nation's Capitol. MS NOW’s Eddie Glaude Jr. and Michele Norris join “The Weekend” to discuss.

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July 4, 2026; 9am: Burns examines the idea of democracy and its role during the revolution. He also discusess his next project and what, if anything, he considers off limits.

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July 4, 2026, 8 AM; An intelligence official tells MS NOW that the individuals fired by the Trump Administration are officials “who they believe are deep state” and who leadership alleges have not provided complete pictures of available intelligence. The latest move comes just two weeks after Pulte's takeover of the agency and his decision to cut six political appointees put in place by former Director, Tulsi Gabbard. 

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July 4, 2026; 7am: On the eve of the 250th anniversary of the United States, President Trump delivered a political speech at Mount Rushmore. Instead of delivering a unifying message about the country's future, the president devoted much of his remarks to warning against a renewed communist threat in the United States, calling for political opponents to be "sent into exile," and pushing his SAVE America Act. Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley and Anne Applebaum, staff writer for The Atlantic, join “The Weekend” to discuss.

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June 28, 2026; 9am: Meanwhile, he has fixated on his own pet projects like his reflecting pool makeover and his White House ballroom, which the Washington Post reports will cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars despite the president insisting that it would come at no cost to the American taxpayer. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) joins The Weekend to discuss the current economic concerns and the president's on-going vanity projects.

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June 28, 2026; 8am: In one case dealing with the Epstein files, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was ordered to comply with the Epstein files transparency act and release unredacted versions of several files by next Thursday or explain why so many documents are still heavily redacted. In another case regarding the DOJ's so called “anti-weaponization” fund, a federal judge said a lawsuit challenging its creation would proceed given the agency's continued refusal to confirm in writing what Blanche has said publicly, which is that the fund is dead. In normal times, a federal court would not be necessary to see the...

June 28, 2026; 7am: Trump is becoming his own worst enemy, hurting his agenda and his party with his fixation on things like vanity projects and non-existent voter fraud, while ignoring real concerns like inflation. Plus, Trump scrapped a planned signing of a bipartisan housing bill and demanded Congress pass the Save America Act, which would target federal elections. MS NOW political analyst Eugene Robinson and Jeff Mason, White House Correspondent for Bloomberg, join “The Weekend” to discuss.

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June 27, 2026; 9:00 am: The ruling could cause the hundreds of thousands of children born in the U.S. each year to undocumented parents or those with temporary status to not receive automatic U.S. citizenship. If the Justices side with the administration it would mark one of the biggest victories yet for Trump's mass deportation agenda. Paola Ramos joins The Weekend to discuss how this will affect 

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June 27, 2026; 8am: After four Senate Republicans sided with Democrats on a War Powers Resolution to limit the President's authority in Iran, Trump reportedly berated those Senators during a closed-door lunch on Wednesday. The next day Senate Republicans rejected a similar measure. former Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) and former Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) join The Weekend to discuss Trump's standoff with the members of the Senate GOP.

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June 27, 2026; 7am: This week, President Trump cancelled a big bipartisan signing event on Capitol Hill for a bill that would make housing more affordable in this country. As lawmakers were gathering for the event, Trump said he would not sign it unless Congress passed his big voter suppression bill, the Save America Act. This comes after two federal judges blocked Trump’s executive orders trying to restrict the use of mail-in ballots. Kimberly Atkins Stohr and David Drucker join The Weekend to weigh in on how this could actively hurt the Republican party's chances in November.

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June 21, 2026; 9am: President Trump’s $14 million reflecting pool has turned into a green, peeling mess, and he continues to blame everyone but himself for the downfall of his renovations. In a Saturday Truth Social post, Trump writes in part, "many additional people have been arrested having to do with the disgraceful vandalism of our beautiful reflecting pool." Meanwhile, cyclist and former Olympian David Hearn, who was arrested Friday on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property, told The Washington Post he touched the pool’s detached liner but “didn’t destroy or break or peel anything.”  MS NOW reporter, M...

June 21, 2026; 8am: Vice President J.D. Vance addressed the press and thanked delegates from both Pakistan and Qatar. It’s the latest attempt by the U.S. and Iran to get last week’s agreement back on track after strikes between Israel and Lebanon, which led Iranian officials to announce plans to close the Strait of Hormuz.

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June 21, 2026; 7am: Negotiating teams from the United States and Iran are in Switzerland for a new round of talks. Vice President JD Vance is leading the U.S. delegation. This comes after a day of confusion on whether the Strait of Hormuz is open or closed and President Trump threatening to charge American tolls there. MS NOW Contributor Inzamam Rashid joins “The Weekend” from the U.S.-Iran talks at Burgenstock Resort in Switzerland. Then, Jon Finer, former principal deputy national security adviser in the Biden administration, and Thomas Nides, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, join to discuss the...

June 20, 2026; 9am: Bill Pulte, who is a Trump loyalist and Director of Federal Housing, took over the position Friday. Pulte has no experience in the intelligence world, but he does have a history of doing the president's bidding by launching probes into Trump's perceived enemies. As acting DNI , he's in a position where he can further peddle the president's conspiracy theories on election fraud. Pulte's appointment is not popular, even among some Republicans who are against it. Colordado Secretary of State Jena Griswold joins the weekend to discuss Pulte's appointment.

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June 20, 2026; 8am: The fund, which was designed to benefit Trump's allies, and possibly include compensation for January 6th rioters, was previously scrapped after fierce bipartisan backlash last month. The Trump Administration declined to submit a court-requested sworn declaration to a federal judge that the program is officially dead.  Liz Oyer and Eddie Glaude Jr. join The Weekend to discuss the resurgance of the bill. Texas State Representative and U.S. Senate Candidate James Talarico also joins The Weekend in an exclusvie sit-down with Eugene Daniels on the momentum he's experiencing in the Senate race in Texas and attacks on h...

June 20, 2026; 7am: This morning, Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least five people, according to Lebanese state media, just hours after a ceasefire took effect between Israel and Hezbollah. It comes a day after that conflict delayed an expected first day of talks to reach a final peace deal between the United States and Iran. MS NOW Contributor Inzamam Rashid joins “The Weekend” from Dubai with the latest.

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June 14, 2026, 9 AM; Much of the hype and money that is surrounding the event has spurred controversy, with critics saying it reeks of corruption. President Trump and some of his allies could personally benefit from the fight. The Trump Organization has also promoted a line of "Freedom 250" themed silver and gold medallions, priced from $250 to $12K, tied to the event. The "No Kings" movement will hold a counter-event to protest Trump's policies and what organizers calling "strongman politics." Sen. Cory Booker (NJ-D) joins The Weekend to discuss the latest on the UFC Freedom 250 event, Men's Mental Health, the Iran conflict...

June 14, 2026, 8 AM; The organizers aimed to represent a modern redefinition of the traditional presidential library with campaign memorabilia and artifacts on display, while also making room for public spaces like a new library, basketball court, gardens, a huge playbround and picnic area. As the New York Times points out, "It is a trip to a parallel universe, one suffused in earnest talk of hope and change, not dark warnings about American carnage, One marching toward a multiracial, progressive future rather than dismantling a suffocating woke tyranny." Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation, and former Senior adviser to President...

June 14, 2026; 7am: Overnight, celebrations erupted outside Madison Square Garden and across New York City after the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94 to 90 in a nail-biting Game 5 victory in the NBA Finals. MS NOW reporter Marc Santia, who covered the victory celebrations overnight, joins “The Weekend” to share more. Then, Actor Steve Schirripa and Howard Beck, Senior NBA Writer for The Ringer, join to discuss the games leading up to the win.

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June 13, 2026; 9am:  As President Trump continues his baseless claims of California voter fraud, Democrats warn that he is “laying the groundwork” to challenge midterm election results in November. Aaron Ford, Nevada Attorney General and Democratic candidate for governor, joins  “The Weekend” to discuss how he is fortifying voting rights in his state and how he plans to combat Trump’s claims of election fraud through the courts.

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June 13, 2026; 8am: On Friday, a federal judge extended an indefinite block on Trump’s $1.8 billion so-called “anti-weaponization” fund. In her decision, the judge cited acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s unwillingness to rescind the order in writing, as well as Trump’s continued public push for the fund. The judge said she will consider rescinding her order if the DOJ submits a sworn written declaration that the administration is not moving forward with the fund, and is giving them until next Friday to act. Former Federal Prosecutor Ankush Khardori and Skye Perryman, whose nonprofit organization represented the plaintiffs challenging the fund...

June 13, 2026; 7am: Last night, a federal appeals court rejected a last-minute bid from the Trump administration to keep his name on The Kennedy Center. MS NOW White House Reporter Laura Barrón-López and Washington Correspondent at Vanity Fair, Aidan McLaughlin, joins “The Weekend” to discuss.

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June 7, 2026; 9am: The US Attorney's Office in Los Angeles claims it has opened “multiple election fraud investigations” into California's elections. The office also sent a federal prosecutor to monitor counting at a center in Los Angeles on Friday. Skye Perryman and Miles Taylor join “The Weekend” to discuss the dangers this poses ahead of November’s midterms. Then, Democratic Representative Glenn Ivey of Maryland talks about Trump's constant choice of loyalty over qualifications in staffing his administration.

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June 7, 2026, 8 AM; National Democrats are carefully navigating how to respond to growing controversies surrounding the likely nominee in one of their most important Senate flip targets — Maine being the only Republican-held seat on the ballot in a state that Kamala Harris won in 2024. So far, Democratic leadership has not pulled support for Platner. Kevin Fry and Jackie Kucinich join The Weekend to discuss the latest controversies involving Platner and the Senate primary election in Maine. Rev. Al Sharpton also joins The Weekend to discuss the Supreme Court's decision to allow Alabama to use a congressional map that favors Republicans, bu...

June 7, 2026; 7am: Republicans are reportedly “thrown off-balance" by Trump’s distractions and dismissal of cost-of-living issues. Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell joins “The Weekend” to talk Trump's inability to connect with voters on the economy and the scandal-plagued campaign of Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner.

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June 6, 2026, 9 AM; In his interview with Eugene Daniels, Mamdani also discusses how the party can improve on its outreach to young Americans, new voters, and his relationship with President Trump.

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June 6, 2026, 8 AM; Even as he faces a record low approval rating amid the ongoing war with Iran, Trump is focusing on celebrating America's 250th Anniversary the only way he knows how: By centering himself in a series of vanity projects. Those projects include the octagon on the south lawn of the White House for the upcoming UFC fight, construction on the ballroom, painting and refilling the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial, building a so-called Triumphal Arch in Memorial Circle, and the unprecedented proposal to put the current, living president's face on a $250 bill. Jake Traylor and Courtenay Brown...

June 6, 2026; 7am: Last night, more than 500 Mainers joined a rally for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner in his first public event since The New York Times reported allegations of physical intimidation against him by ex-girlfriends. Platner has denied the claims, and his campaign has since announced that it raised more than $200K in the 24 hours since the report. MS NOW Congressional Reporter Kevin Frey, who was at the rally, joins “The Weekend” to share what Maine voters are saying. Then, Elana Schor, Senior Washington Editor at Semafor, and David Drucker, MS NOW Contributor, discuss primaries.

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May 31, 2026, 9 AM; Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is scheduled to appear before a House Appropriations subcommittee Tuesday, where he could face new questions about the Department of Justice's mishandling of the investigation. In her interview with the House Oversight Committee Friday, Former Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared to shift blame for the mishandling of the files' release onto Blanche, saying she “delegated oversight” to Blanche for the investigation and the release of the files. Bondi also reportedly raised questions about FBI director Kash Patel's role in the files release. Congressman Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the Overisight Committee says...

May 31, 2026, 8 AM; After most of the musicians slated to perform at the White House's Great American State Fair for the nation's 250th Anniversary dropped out, the president announced in a series of Truth Social posts that the concert would be changed to a rally headlined by of course, Himself. Akayla Gardner and Dana Milbank join The Weekend to discuss some of the setbacks the president is facing this week.

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May 31, 2026, 7 AM; Senate Republicans are preparing for a showdown over President Trump's $1.7 billion so called Anti-Weaponization fund, which is part of a roughly $70 billion immigration enforcement reconciliation package. It's unclear how GOP leadership plans to navigate the dissent over the fund within their own party after previous concerns that some Republicans would support Democratic amendments blocking the proposal, effectively gutting the fund. Trump, of course, is likely not happy about all this, especially since he gave a self-imposed June 1st deadline for the GOP to pass the reconciliation package. House Speaker Mike Johnson probably won't be thrilled either and...

May 30, 2026, 9 AM; While there were no reports of her coming with that burn book like we saw in her last Congressional hearing, Democrats on the committee say Bondi was not forthcoming and was even combative at times, especially when asked about Donald Trump who she said she would not discuss. Bondi appeared to shift the blame to her deputy - now acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam joins The Weekend to discuss the hearing.

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May 30, 2026, 8 AM; Trump pulled off a clean sweep in Republican primary battles, driving out or sidelining candidates he deems insufficiently loyal. However, as Republicans look ahead to the general, Trump says the midterms are the least of his concerns amid negotiations with Iran. Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico's campaign says it raised $3M in just 24 hours after Ken Paxton's runoff victory. President and CEO of Voto Latino Maria Teresa Kumar and Dave Weigel join The Weekend to discuss the upcoming Texas Senate election in November. Rep. Jim Clyburn also joins The Weekend to discuss Republicans' redistricting campaign and offers...

May 30, 2026, 7 AM; The grown pusback included a judge ordering the removal of his name from the Kennedy Center, a judge's refusal to dimmiss the most serious charges against Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes and his fellow supporters who were convicted on charges of seditious conspiracy, a ruling barring his $1.8 billion slush fund, and accusations that the president has committed fraud when he ended his lawsuit against the IRS. Former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for NSD Mary McCord and Will Sommer join The Weekend to discuss the onslaught of decisions against the president.

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May 24, 2026; 9am: President Trump put his authoritarian tendencies on full display this week as he is pushing to give his allies $1.8 billion dollars of taxpayer money over claims of government “weaponization”. MS NOW Legal Analyst Andrew Weissmann joins The Weekend to discuss.

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May 24, 2026, 8 AM; Those districts are in states like Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia, battleground states that have repeatedly helped decide control of Congress and the White House in the past. The voters in these communities could offer an early read on how Americans are feeling about the economy, the conflict with Iran, government corruption, and the broader state of our democracy heading into one of the most consequential election cycles in recent memory. Arizona State Sen. Analise Ortiz, Michigan State Sen. Chedrick Green, and Georgia State Sen. Nikki Merritt join The Weekend to discuss the midterms in their respective states.<...