DOGE’s Ransacking of the Social Security Administration Has Left Us All to Float in a Data Security Vacuum

Posted on by Allegra Kirkland

This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis.

What would you do if you found out a stranger accessed a federal database then walked away with your Social Security number? What if this person also walked away with your place and date of birth, citizenship status, race, ethnicity, the names of your parents — and all of their information too? You might ask how the stranger got access, why he stole your information and, ultimately, what pernicious plans he may have in store. Above all, you’d be outraged by the prospect of your data being passed around like trading cards.

Unfortunately, we’re past the hypothetical stage. Recent reporting from the Washington Post  detailed a whistleblower’s complaint that a DOGE staffer left the Social Security Administration (SSA) in possession of two highly restricted databases of U.S. citizen information. While the Post has not independently confirmed the accusations in the complaint, they’re being investigated by the SSA’s internal watchdog, and follow other claims of fishy activity by DOGE at SSA. If the claims are true, the sensitive information on 500 million living and dead Americans is at risk of exposure.

Continue reading “DOGE’s Ransacking of the Social Security Administration Has Left Us All to Float in a Data Security Vacuum” →

Trump Has Epic Social Media Meltdown Over Right-Wing Iran Dissent

Posted on by Hunter Walker

President Donald Trump fired off an extraordinary Truth Social tirade on Thursday directed at some right wing commentators who have broken ranks over their concerns about his war in Iran. Trump’s post, which was 482 words long, called out ex-Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, conspiracy theory broadcasters Alex Jones and Candace Owens, and the former Fox News hosts Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson. 

“They have one thing in common, Low IQs. They’re stupid people, they know it, their families know it, and everyone else knows it, too!” Trump declared in the post, which extensively featured non-standard grammar and punctuation. “Look at their past, look at their record. They don’t have what it takes, and they never did! They’ve all been thrown off Television, lost their Shows, and aren’t even invited on TV because nobody cares about them, they’re NUT JOBS, TROUBLEMAKERS, and will say anything necessary for some ‘free’ and cheap publicity.”

Trump has faced a rare level of opposition from the right in the weeks since late February when he launched strikes against Iran in conjunction with Israel. The war, which was clearly out of step with Trump’s campaign promise to avoid foreign military conflicts, angered both the non-interventionist wing of his MAGA movement and far right antisemites who are disturbed by the U.S.’s relationship with Israel. Those tensions have mounted as Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused oil prices to spike and threatened large-scale economic disruption. 

On Tuesday, after Trump threatened to launch an attack that would destroy Iran’s “whole civilization” if that country did not make a deal with him, both Greene and Owens called for his removal from office, joining a chorus of congressional Democrats calling for the same. Jones accused Trump of threatening “genocide” and said the president sounded “like an unhinged super villain from a Marvel comic movie.” Carlson —who was the top rated host in Fox News’ primetime lineup prior to his ouster in 2023 amid a series of controversies that included his promotion of content with white supremacist themes — encouraged military officials to disobey orders from Trump, whose conduct he dubbed “evil.” Trump’s threat culminated in a ceasefire deal with Iran that was largely dictated by that country. Kelly, who left Fox News for a poorly rated run at NBC in 2017 before turning to podcasting, had declared that Trump’s agreement with Iran “sounds very much like surrender.” 

In his social media attack on the critics, Trump painted them as opportunists who were no longer allied with his movement.

“They think they get some ‘clicks’ because they have Third Rate Podcasts, but nobody’s talking about them, and their views are the opposite of MAGA,” Trump wrote. 

Apparently unaware of the contradiction inherent in claiming no one is discussing these commentators while simultaneously addressing them from the White House, Trump went on to make various personal attacks against each of his critics for, among other things, their levels of education and professional achievement. This included mocking Owens, who was sued for defamation after falsely claiming France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, was born a man. 

“To me, the First Lady of France is a far more beautiful woman than Candace, in fact, it’s not even close!” Trump wrote. 

While the growing dissent among right wing figures is especially notable, Trump’s threat to eliminate Iran’s “civilization” also spurred mounting calls for his removal from Democrats. Overall, polls show most Americans oppose the war in Iran. That includes majorities of Democrats and independent voters. Despite the criticism from the far right that has drawn Trump’s ire, most Republicans are supportive of the war effort. Still, the opposition to the conflict and concerns about rising gas prices have helped drag Trump’s approval rating to a record low.  

Trump concluded his extraordinary diatribe by insisting the war is not actually a reversal of his vision for the country. He also suggested anyone who thinks otherwise doesn’t understand his “MAGA” platform. 

“MAGA is about WINNING and STRENGTH in not allowing Iran to have Nuclear Weapons. MAGA is about MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote, adding, “These people have no idea how to do that, BUT I DO, because THE UNITED STATES IS NOW THE ‘HOTTEST’ COUNTRY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!“

Melania Wants Hearings for Her Husband’s Friend’s Victims?

Posted on by Nicole LaFond

While the Justice Department actively attempts to shield fired-Attorney General Pam Bondi from having to sit for a deposition before the House Oversight Committee about the DOJ’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, the first lady is actively calling for more Epstein related hearings.

Continue reading “Melania Wants Hearings for Her Husband’s Friend’s Victims?” →

Democrats Sound Alarm About Trump Effort to Obtain Backdoor War Authorization 

Posted on by Emine Yücel

Experts have for months been telling TPM that any vote by Congress to fund President Donald Trump’s war in Iran could end up being construed under the law as a passive approval by the legislature of a war it did not greenlight — as has happened with past conflicts.

And as Republicans tee up votes on various aspects of war funding, Democrats are sounding the alarm.

Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, told reporters on Thursday she thinks providing money for the ongoing Iran war — which the Trump administration waged without any authorization from Congress — would be a backdoor way to get congressional lawmakers to authorize the war.

Continue reading “Democrats Sound Alarm About Trump Effort to Obtain Backdoor War Authorization “ →

Thanks for Coming Out in Austin

Posted on by Josh Marshall

I want to thank everyone who came out to see us last night in Austin, Texas for our live recording of The Josh Marshall Podcast featuring Kate Riga. We had such a good time. I also wanted to thank our cosponsor, The Texas Observer, and the Observer’s news and politics editor, Justin Miller. It was so great to see all of you. As I told you last night, other than a few layovers when I was younger, I had never been to Texas before. As you guys say, it’s a whole other country. I’ve been to much of the South and Midwest. I grew up on the West Coast. But for whatever reason, I’d never been to Texas. I know Austin is a particular part of a very big state. But I really enjoyed my limited time there. And I really enjoyed getting a chance to meet so many of you.

Do you want us to come to your town or burg? Let us know. We’re slowly making our way across the country and particularly branching out from our usual haunts in DC and New York. We’ve now done live episodes of the pod in New York, DC, Chicago and Austin. And we plan to do multiple each year going forward around the country. So we’re always looking for good TPM towns to visit.

GOP Election Officials Say Trump’s Voter Suppression Exec Order Won’t Hold Up In Court

Posted on by Nicole LaFond

Hello and welcome back to The Franchise! 

Two current and former Republican election officials have now thrown cold water on President Trump’s new push to demand the creation of dystopian state-by-state citizenship lists and scale back the use of mail-in ballots in the upcoming midterm elections.

Continue reading “GOP Election Officials Say Trump’s Voter Suppression Exec Order Won’t Hold Up In Court” →

Even After Trump’s Wild Threats, House GOP Blocks Dems From Voting on Iran War

Posted on by Emine Yücel

House Democrats on Thursday tried to rein in the Trump administration’s unauthorized Iran war while the House is on its two-week Easter break.

A group of House Democrats — including Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), James Walkinshaw (D-VA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), and Emily Randall (D-WA) — attended the House’s pro forma session Thursday morning in an attempt to pass a war powers resolution with unanimous consent.

The effort failed when the member presiding over the session as speaker pro tempore, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), ignored House Democrats’ efforts, effectively blocking them from even bringing up the resolution. 

The presiding chair gaveled in around 11:30 a.m. followed by the opening prayer, approval of the journal and the pledge of allegiance. Then, Smith immediately gaveled out, declaring the House adjourned around 11:34 a.m. without recognizing the Democrats as they yelled.

“The constitution is very clear that the power to declare war rests with the Congress of the United States,” Beyer told reporters at the House steps following the pro forma session. “That’s what we tried to do this morning. The pro forma speaker ignored us, which is a tragedy, but we will keep fighting.”

The effort to pass the war powers resolution with unanimous consent was largely symbolic as — even if the chair recognized Democrats — it would have been enough for even one Republican member to object to it to stop it from passing on the House floor.

The Democratic push to bring up the war powers resolution while the House is on a two-week Easter recess comes as President Donald Trump makes statements around the Iran war, which Congress has not authorized, that have alarmed even some of his own political allies. 

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday as he demanded Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s violent Easter Sunday threat to destroy the country prompted Americans of all political stripes to urge the representatives to intervene and stop the president, said Scanlon.

“We have attempted to do that today,” Scanlon told reporters of the blocked effort. “We urge our Republican colleagues to grow a spine. Have the courage to do the right thing.”

Senate Democrats are also planning to bring up their own war powers resolution in the upper chamber next week.

“This will be the FOURTH time we’ve forced a War Powers vote,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said in a social media post. “This time, after threats from @POTUS to extinguish an entire civilization, Republicans must join us in voting to end this war once and for all. Our country is worse off because of Trump’s strategic ineptitude. Enough is enough. Pass the War Powers Resolution, end the war.”

Some Republicans have suggested openly they would expect to vote on a war powers resolution if the war lasts longer than the 60-to-90-day window set in the Vietnam-era War Powers Resolution, which requires the president to obtain congressional approval for operations that continue beyond that time frame.

Democratic representatives continued their own campaign urging their Republican colleagues to vote to limit their president’s Middle East rampage. And Ivey highlighted Republican Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), who on Tuesday took to X to push back against Trump’s murderous rhetoric.

“[L]et me be clear: I do not support the destruction of a ‘whole civilization,’” Moran wrote. “That is not who we are, and it is not consistent with the principles that have long guided America.”

On Wednesday, the U.S., Israel, and Iran entered a two-week ceasefire, which Iran almost immediately claimed had been violated as Israel continued to bomb Lebanon. Even if the ceasefire holds and negotiations go forward, Jacobs, who is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said during the Thursday press conference that Trump still needs to be held accountable for his unprecedented threats in recent days. 

“Threatening genocide is not a negotiating tactic. It is important that even though we were able to get this ceasefire — which I pray holds — that we hold this President accountable for what he threatened,” Jacobs told reporters. “Because threatening genocide is not just against international law. It’s against our federal law too, and it is our job as Congress to stand up.”

Pentagon Threatened Pope After He Criticized Trump

Posted on by David Kurtz

Avignon, Antipopes, and WTAF

In January, a senior Pentagon official summoned the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States and issued a stunning threat, The Free Press reported this week: “The United States has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church had better take its side.”

WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 03: U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee at the Hart Senate Office Building on March 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Committee met to examine an update on the National Defense Strategy. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby proceeded to raise with then-ambassador Cardinal Christophe Pierre the Avignon papacy of the 14th century, a protracted period of French royal interference in the Roman Catholic Church that resulted for a time in dueling popes sitting in Rome and Avignon, France (I’m condensing more than a century of papal history into a single clause).

Entry of Antipope John XXIII (1360-1554) in Constanza to celebrate the ‘Council of Constance’ (1414) convened by a proposal from the emperor Sigismund, to end the Great Schism, He declared the superiority of the latter on the Pope and deposed three popes: John XXIII, Benedict XIII and Gregory XII, and elected Martin V as pope only in Christendom, Engraving. (Photo by Prisma/UIG/Getty Images)

Christopher Hale, who is the editor of the Letters from Leo newsletter, independently confirmed the Free Press report and adds these two morsels to the schism between the American pope and American president:

  • “[S]ome Vatican officials were so alarmed by the Pentagon’s tactics that they shelved plans for Pope Leo XIV to visit the United States later this year.”
  • “Other officials in the Vatican saw the Pentagon’s reference to an Avignon papacy as a threat to use military force against the Holy See.”

Too many layers of hubris, ignorance, and ahistoricism to unpack entirely here. More narrowly, there’s deep provincialism at play here, too, as conservative Catholics in America — especially those with the fervor of adult conversions to Catholicism — are especially rankled by internationalist popes like Leo XIV and Francis before him who have decidedly more moderate theologies and emphasize Catholic social teaching.

The White House and Pentagon each took issue with how the Free Press characterized the meeting, but neither denied its account.

Going G-R-E-A-T!

A sampling of headlines from leading U.S. news outlets on the tenuous ceasefire with Iran:

Absurdist Headline of the Day

This would have been surreal in the 10 days before the ceasefire, but now it’s an absurdist comedy headline: US Asks Allies for Quick Plans to Secure Hormuz After Ceasefire

It’s especially absurd because at the same time the Trump administration is asking allies for help to fix what it broke, it’s also doing this: Trump Team Explores Punishment for NATO Countries That Didn’t Support Iran War

Latest on the Middle East …

  • Iranian counterattacks against its Persian Gulf neighbors now appear to have paused.
  • At least 203 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded by Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday in the deadliest day of the conflict there.
  • The Strait of Hormuz remains throttled by Iran:

Four ships were allowed to pass Wednesday, the fewest so far in April, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence, down from more than 100 a day before the war. Iran is requiring ships to work out toll arrangements ahead of time and then pay the fees in cryptocurrency or Chinese yuan, mediators and shipbrokers said.

Quotes of the Day

This moment requires clarity. So let’s be clear: the Strait of Hormuz is not open. Access is being restricted, conditioned and controlled.

Iran has made clear — through both its statements and actions — that passage is subject to permission, conditions and political leverage. That is not freedom of navigation. That is coercion.

  • Mohammed Baharoon, director-general of the B’huth Dubai Public Policy Research Center, a think tank in the UAE:

Iran is the only one that is happy with the outcome. They have now been re-established as the policeman of the Gulf. We woke up to a deal that doesn’t reduce the risk, but instead replaces it with a bigger risk.

Trump DOJ Watch

  • Ed Martin is seeking to move his DC bar disciplinary proceeding to federal court.
  • Subpoenaed former Attorney General Pam Bondi is trying to get out of testifying before the House Oversight Committee next week about the Jeffrey Epstein files.
  • Lawfare’s Molly Roberts goes deep on why the Trump DOJ’s prosecution of Smartmatic under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is so suspicious.

The Purges: Immigration Judges

More than 100 immigration judges (out of some 750 total) have been dismissed by the Trump administration in an unprecedented purge that threatens to strip any semblance of due process from immigration proceedings.

The Corruption: DHS Contracts Edition

Following on reporting last month from the WSJ and CNN, the WaPo takes its stab at the burgeoning investigation of how DHS contracts were handled under Kristi Noem, Corey Lewandowski, and a little-known contractor named Kara Voorhies.

The Corruption: Ballroom Steel Edition

A European steelmaker is donating tens of millions of dollars worth of structural steel to President Trump’s vanity ballroom project, the NYT reports.

Court Steps In On California Ballot Seizure

The California Supreme Court halted the investigation by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco that led to the seizure of 650,000 ballots from a 2025 special election. The court’s intervention came the same day that newly released documents show the investigation was spurred by a conservative “election watchdog” group.

An Inconvenient Truth for RFK Jr.?

WaPo: “The acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has delayed publication of a CDC report showing the covid-19 vaccine cut the likelihood of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for healthy adults last winter by about half, according to two scientists familiar with the decision.”

Zeldin Keynotes Climate Denier Confab

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin was the keynote speaker at a climate change deniers conference in D.C. organized by the Heartland Institute.

Hot tips? Juicy scuttlebutt? Keen insights? Let me know. For sensitive information, use the encrypted methods here.

TPM Live: QAnon, the Rothschilds and Other Conspiracy Theories That Won’t Go Away

Posted on by Allegra Kirkland

Conspiracy theories have become an inescapable part of American politics. I’ll talk to TPM contributing writer Mike Rothschild about his work as a researcher on conspiracy theories and how they spread, why some conspiracies endure, and what happens when fringe ideas are legitimized by some of the most powerful people on earth. 

Join us at 1 pm ET on Substack Live.

How RFK’s War on Fluoride Is Taking Over the Dentist’s Office

Posted on by Allegra Kirkland

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy has maintained that the target of his war on fluoride is ingested fluoride — specifically that from fluoridated drinking water and oral supplements. But the misinformed policy efforts to ban community water fluoridation and restrict access to fluoride supplements are having spillover effects in dentists’ offices. 

Twenty years ago, as a pediatric dental resident in Iowa City Donald Chi had his  first encounter with a family that did not want a topical fluoride treatment for their child. At the time, these patients were rare, but not unheard of. Today, in his practice at Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in Seattle, he estimates that the clinic sees up to six families a day who say no to fluoride. 

Some anti-fluoride activists and policymakers have drawn a line between ingested fluoride and the varnishes and gels that are applied by professionals. Topical fluoride usually comes in the form of a quick-drying gel or varnish, and is most often applied by a dental professional or other health care provider. Extensive research shows that it strengthens the enamel of the teeth, prevents tooth decay, and even helps to reverse cavities, especially in high-risk populations like children, who tend to eat sugary diets and brush teeth inconsistently. 

That distinction is lost on many lay people. For Chi, the rise of topical fluoride hesitancy can be traced to the unsupported claims about community water fluoridation coming from top policymakers, which has created confusion for parents, sowing the seeds of doubt regarding the safety of fluoride in general.

“That’s all that needed to really create chaos in the system,” Chi said. 

Continue reading “How RFK’s War on Fluoride Is Taking Over the Dentist’s Office” →