Maggie Haberman

As Jonathan said, we made clear that Trump and his allies were looking for ways to maximize the executive branch's power and that they believe this is constitutional, that they are arguing that certain checks on it are not constitutional and that they were prepared to take their chances in court and see whether what they could get away with.

As Jonathan said, we made clear that Trump and his allies were looking for ways to maximize the executive branch's power and that they believe this is constitutional, that they are arguing that certain checks on it are not constitutional and that they were prepared to take their chances in court and see whether what they could get away with.

Now, there was one blemish to that, which was this memo that went out from the Office of Management and Budget that froze congressionally approved funding for federal aid and grants across government and created mass confusion and ultimately was rescinded. So that was them testing the limits and not succeeding. That was the rare problem point for them.

Now, there was one blemish to that, which was this memo that went out from the Office of Management and Budget that froze congressionally approved funding for federal aid and grants across government and created mass confusion and ultimately was rescinded. So that was them testing the limits and not succeeding. That was the rare problem point for them.

Everything else they have done, particularly as pertains to immigration, has worked the way they've wanted it to. Which is to say what? How has it worked? Which is to say that they have not been stymied by loud protests. They have had some court challenges that they expected, but those have just kind of gone on and workmanlike. fashion as opposed to the resistance that we saw in 2017.

Everything else they have done, particularly as pertains to immigration, has worked the way they've wanted it to. Which is to say what? How has it worked? Which is to say that they have not been stymied by loud protests. They have had some court challenges that they expected, but those have just kind of gone on and workmanlike. fashion as opposed to the resistance that we saw in 2017.

And they are hitting some numbers on arrests of migrants who they say have criminal records. And they are narrating that and making mugshots available and making public these numbers about the volume of people who they have arrested. And mostly, Michael, they're facing a pretty dampened Democratic pushback, especially compared to what we saw in 2020.

And they are hitting some numbers on arrests of migrants who they say have criminal records. And they are narrating that and making mugshots available and making public these numbers about the volume of people who they have arrested. And mostly, Michael, they're facing a pretty dampened Democratic pushback, especially compared to what we saw in 2020.

It depends. I mean, Michael, I don't think in every single case that the Supreme Court is going to to Trump. But they do have a conservative supermajority, and that gives a lot of hope to Trump and his allies. I also just want to, and Jonathan should answer this question as well, but I do want to make one other point. Flooding the zone is everything.

It depends. I mean, Michael, I don't think in every single case that the Supreme Court is going to to Trump. But they do have a conservative supermajority, and that gives a lot of hope to Trump and his allies. I also just want to, and Jonathan should answer this question as well, but I do want to make one other point. Flooding the zone is everything.

They are taking so many different actions that it is incredibly hard for the media and for his critics to keep up. And so you lobbed 10 shots and maybe two work. And for them, that feels like a win. But Jonathan probably has a better answer.

They are taking so many different actions that it is incredibly hard for the media and for his critics to keep up. And so you lobbed 10 shots and maybe two work. And for them, that feels like a win. But Jonathan probably has a better answer.

Well, that's true. But the issue is the Congress is not really doing anything to push back, right? I mean, we have been on this path for some time. The two people who were the strongest oppositions to Trump in his first term in Congress were the Senate Majority Leader and the House Speaker, Paul Ryan. McConnell always maintained a difficult relationship with Trump.

Well, that's true. But the issue is the Congress is not really doing anything to push back, right? I mean, we have been on this path for some time. The two people who were the strongest oppositions to Trump in his first term in Congress were the Senate Majority Leader and the House Speaker, Paul Ryan. McConnell always maintained a difficult relationship with Trump.

McConnell is not the leader anymore, and McConnell is actually somewhat marginalized. He can be an effective behind-the-scenes player, but he is not representative of where the majority of the Republican senators are. Most of them are very much aligned with Trump.

McConnell is not the leader anymore, and McConnell is actually somewhat marginalized. He can be an effective behind-the-scenes player, but he is not representative of where the majority of the Republican senators are. Most of them are very much aligned with Trump.

If you have Republican majorities in both houses and they are not going to object when the White House does that and, in fact, are generally going to shrug, which is what we've seen, then, of course, Trump is going to take as much as these folks are going to give him. There's not a lot of pushback, and that's what Trump was counting on.

If you have Republican majorities in both houses and they are not going to object when the White House does that and, in fact, are generally going to shrug, which is what we've seen, then, of course, Trump is going to take as much as these folks are going to give him. There's not a lot of pushback, and that's what Trump was counting on.

Look, I think the Kash Patel is going to see his role as different from FBI directors of the past, regardless of whether it's the version of the Senate hearings or the one on the podcasts. But the one on the podcast is the one who appealed to Donald Trump, which is why he appointed him. in this role.

Look, I think the Kash Patel is going to see his role as different from FBI directors of the past, regardless of whether it's the version of the Senate hearings or the one on the podcasts. But the one on the podcast is the one who appealed to Donald Trump, which is why he appointed him. in this role.