Will Saletan

The guy who sent them there then becomes president and he pardons all of the thugs who beat up the cops, right? And then he goes into the FBI and and starts purging anybody. So they've demanded lists of anybody at the agency and anybody in the Justice Department, I believe, like thousands of people who were involved in any of the prosecutions of the criminals who worked for Trump.

The guy who sent them there then becomes president and he pardons all of the thugs who beat up the cops, right? And then he goes into the FBI and and starts purging anybody. So they've demanded lists of anybody at the agency and anybody in the Justice Department, I believe, like thousands of people who were involved in any of the prosecutions of the criminals who worked for Trump.

So Trump's got this paramilitary organization, he's put them back on the street, and he's now going after, purging the law enforcement officials who prosecuted them successfully in front of juries, right? They were objectively convicted. It's not clear to me how far this goes.

So Trump's got this paramilitary organization, he's put them back on the street, and he's now going after, purging the law enforcement officials who prosecuted them successfully in front of juries, right? They were objectively convicted. It's not clear to me how far this goes.

So Trump's got this paramilitary organization, he's put them back on the street, and he's now going after, purging the law enforcement officials who prosecuted them successfully in front of juries, right? They were objectively convicted. It's not clear to me how far this goes.

And just to come back to our original question, Tim, it's not clear to me at what point the American public is going to care about this. If Trump is being Mr. Law and Order against immigrants, is the public going to care that he's letting these criminals out and prosecuting the prosecutors?

And just to come back to our original question, Tim, it's not clear to me at what point the American public is going to care about this. If Trump is being Mr. Law and Order against immigrants, is the public going to care that he's letting these criminals out and prosecuting the prosecutors?

And just to come back to our original question, Tim, it's not clear to me at what point the American public is going to care about this. If Trump is being Mr. Law and Order against immigrants, is the public going to care that he's letting these criminals out and prosecuting the prosecutors?

Now, in the context of violent crime, Trump's pose and the Republican pose is they're the party of law and order. They stand for the cops. They back the blue against the criminals. Now, we've established that's not true because of the January 6th pardons, the purge of the FBI. What's actually going on is Trump's and the Republican Party's distinction is between foreign and domestic, right?

Now, in the context of violent crime, Trump's pose and the Republican pose is they're the party of law and order. They stand for the cops. They back the blue against the criminals. Now, we've established that's not true because of the January 6th pardons, the purge of the FBI. What's actually going on is Trump's and the Republican Party's distinction is between foreign and domestic, right?

Now, in the context of violent crime, Trump's pose and the Republican pose is they're the party of law and order. They stand for the cops. They back the blue against the criminals. Now, we've established that's not true because of the January 6th pardons, the purge of the FBI. What's actually going on is Trump's and the Republican Party's distinction is between foreign and domestic, right?

We're against foreign lawbreakers. We're against people who entered this country illegally. We're against someone who steals a tube of toothpaste who came from overseas. But domestically, we're happy to pardon the people who committed violent crimes. Let me take this over to your point about Doge, though. So here we have a private organization. So you probably know this better than I do, Tim.

We're against foreign lawbreakers. We're against people who entered this country illegally. We're against someone who steals a tube of toothpaste who came from overseas. But domestically, we're happy to pardon the people who committed violent crimes. Let me take this over to your point about Doge, though. So here we have a private organization. So you probably know this better than I do, Tim.

We're against foreign lawbreakers. We're against people who entered this country illegally. We're against someone who steals a tube of toothpaste who came from overseas. But domestically, we're happy to pardon the people who committed violent crimes. Let me take this over to your point about Doge, though. So here we have a private organization. So you probably know this better than I do, Tim.

Doge's legal status, right? They're not a government department, right? None of this is authorized by Congress. This is one guy, Donald Trump, having won one election, basically usurping power, right? They're taking over. Congress appropriates, Congress establishes programs. The executive decides, no, you know what? I don't care what the Article Two branch, Article One branch did.

Doge's legal status, right? They're not a government department, right? None of this is authorized by Congress. This is one guy, Donald Trump, having won one election, basically usurping power, right? They're taking over. Congress appropriates, Congress establishes programs. The executive decides, no, you know what? I don't care what the Article Two branch, Article One branch did.

Doge's legal status, right? They're not a government department, right? None of this is authorized by Congress. This is one guy, Donald Trump, having won one election, basically usurping power, right? They're taking over. Congress appropriates, Congress establishes programs. The executive decides, no, you know what? I don't care what the Article Two branch, Article One branch did.

I'm gonna usurp this. I'm gonna end this program, cut off these funds. Not only am I gonna do it, I'm the elected guy. I'm gonna give my buddy, who's not even a government official, right, access. These people coming in from Musk, what authorization do they have? So Trump's basic position is,

I'm gonna usurp this. I'm gonna end this program, cut off these funds. Not only am I gonna do it, I'm the elected guy. I'm gonna give my buddy, who's not even a government official, right, access. These people coming in from Musk, what authorization do they have? So Trump's basic position is,

I'm gonna usurp this. I'm gonna end this program, cut off these funds. Not only am I gonna do it, I'm the elected guy. I'm gonna give my buddy, who's not even a government official, right, access. These people coming in from Musk, what authorization do they have? So Trump's basic position is,