Jonathan Lemire
@jonlemire.bsky.social
Co-host: Morning Joe, MSNBC Contributing Writer: The Atlantic Author: "The Big Lie." Ex-AP, Politico, NY Daily News. Dad, Mr. Carrie Melago, Red Sox fan
NEW: Inside a flailing presidency A real theme this year: Many of Trump’s actions—quite a few impetuous and ill-considered—have only hurt him and his fellow Republicans ahead of the midterms Now the bottom may be falling out - with fears of a blue wave www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
What Is Trump Doing?
Poll after poll shows that Trump’s presidency is not going well. And he has only himself to blame.
theatlantic.com
NEW: President Trump is now far smaller on the world stage He was riding high after the Venezuela raid but is stuck in Iran. He’s alienated allies. His UN appearance seemed to accomplish little And he is showing surprising deference to China’s Xi www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The Deferential President
Not long ago, President Trump could claim that he ran the world. Now he’s waiting at the bottom of a set of airline steps for the Chinese president.
theatlantic.com
NEW: The public had already soured on AI even before industry leaders warned about, gulp, human extinction Alarm bells went off and Washington seemed ready to act. Except for President Trump Inside Trump’s rabid, seemingly out-of-touch defense of AI: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Trump’s See-No-Evil AI Policy
Lawmakers from both parties are worried. But the president isn’t listening.
theatlantic.com
NEW: The Trump administration is publicly saying the Iran war is nearly over and all but won But behind the scenes, including in the positioning of the Navy, it is quietly preparing for a long conflict -- one that could escalate again after the midterms www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
Trump Is Preparing for a Long War
The military is doing long-term planning for its force in the Persian Gulf, risking further strain on the Navy.
theatlantic.com
NEW: I wrote about September 11, 2001 So much has changed in New York since the day I experienced there 25 years ago And so much for our nation has been lost www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
How 9/11 Changed New York—And America
The attacks 25 years ago inspired a sense of national unity. It has since been shattered.
theatlantic.com
NEW: A desperate White House has settled on an economic pressure campaign against Iran It may work - and have the added benefit of pushing the unpopular conflict out of the headlines ahead of the midterms But it may be slow. And prices would remain high www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The Real Reason Trump Wants Economic Sanctions in Iran
The quieter, longer-term strategy could help push the conflict out of the minds of voters ahead of the midterms.
theatlantic.com
NEW: You are reading this story only because the White House didn’t want you to Ossoff’s line about Trump’s close aide enraged the West Wing. But its efforts to silence the story inadvertently took it from the shadows to the mainstream Meet Natalie Harp: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Now Everyone Knows Natalie Harp
The West Wing’s explosive response to a fleeting jab didn’t kill the story. It enabled days of coverage.
theatlantic.com
“Every time Trump touts a breakthrough in talks, Tehran seems to delight in changing its terms and yanking away a possible deal. It’s like Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown, except this time, the pigskin is the Strait of Hormuz” www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
Trump’s New Strategy of Nothing
But how long can the impulsive, reactive president show restraint?
theatlantic.com
NEW: Nothing has worked for Trump in Iran. So now he’ll try….nothing The White House’s new push won’t be threats or talks but rather economic pressure that, over time, may force Tehran to buckle But Trump is not known for patience. And the GOP is worried www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
Trump’s New Strategy of Nothing
But how long can the impulsive, reactive president show restraint?
theatlantic.com
“Even when troops see Iranian missiles approaching, they are forced to decide in a matter of seconds whether to expend a limited number of interceptors or hope for the best, the defense officials told us” www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
How the U.S. Squandered Its Strategic Advantage
Idle threats and munitions shortages have boxed Trump in.
theatlantic.com
NEW: The United States is running out of missiles The Pentagon is worried about protecting assets in the Middle East and around the world. Trump lashed out at officials about the depletion And the shortage may force the U.S. to settle for a bad Iran deal www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
How the U.S. Squandered Its Strategic Advantage
Idle threats and munitions shortages have boxed Trump in.
theatlantic.com
“Trump reacted in fury, posting that the Iranian regime was ‘unbelievably duplicitous,’ when decades of history would suggest that Tehran was, in fact, very knowably duplicitous” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The Once-Shameless President Is Deeply Embarrassed
As Donald Trump faces one humiliation after another, he is attacking those he blames.
theatlantic.com
Donald Trump has recently shown a newfound ability to be embarrassed—and is willing to use the levers of government to menace those he blames for his humiliation, @jonlemire.bsky.social argues:
The Once-Shameless President Is Deeply Embarrassed
As Donald Trump faces one humiliation after another, he is attacking those he blames.
bit.ly
NEW: President Trump suffered a pair of embarrassments when he got bad headlines over the botched Reflecting Pool and new Air Force One And in both cases, an angry Trump lashed out - and his government took extraordinary steps to punish those he blamed www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The Once-Shameless President Is Deeply Embarrassed
As Donald Trump faces one humiliation after another, he is attacking those he blames.
theatlantic.com
Zelensky needs help from Elon Musk to get through the coming winter—but that agreement may hinge on Donald Trump’s willingness to make the call to his billionaire friend, officials tell Simon Shuster, Missy Ryan, and @jonlemire.bsky.social. theatln.tc/U8o0VgOB
NEW - EXCLUSIVE: Zelensky’s plan for Ukraine to survive winter involves Starlink access in Russia so drones can hit key targets there Elon Musk hasn’t agreed. This week, Zelensky asked Trump to intervene Trump was noncommittal. And the plan is in doubt www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
Zelensky Asked Trump for a Favor From Elon Musk
Ukraine wants to start using Musk’s Starlink to target ballistic-missile launchers inside Russia.
theatlantic.com
“Trump’s grievances were met mostly with silence. Some of the president’s allies have begun to privately wonder how he might handle a new, reduced status. No one suspects that he’ll take it well” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Trump Crashes Into Reality
The president is learning that limits to his power—and, soon, his relevancy—do exist.
theatlantic.com
@jonlemire.bsky.social talks about the latest national political news, including on Trump, Netanyahu, Zelensky and the midterms. Listen: wnyc.org/browse/shows...
Tuesday Morning Politics: Trump, Netanyahu, Zelensky and the Midterms | WNYC
Jonathan Lemire talks about the latest national political news.
wnyc.org
NEW: President Trump has finally crashed into the limits of his power He can’t escape the Iran war. Republicans have begun to defy him And as the midterms approach, he will soon face his worst fear: His coming irrelevance www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Trump Crashes Into Reality
The president is learning that limits to his power—and, soon, his relevancy—do exist.
theatlantic.com
Mullin picked up the nickname “Kung Fu Plumber” in influential MAGA text chains (He owns a plumbing-and-HVAC business and is a former mixed-martial-arts fighter) Key voices in Trump’s orbit attacked Mullin as “soft” and an “appeaser” of ICE opponents www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Inside Trump’s Reversal on ICE
Attacks from immigration hard-liners had the president worried about looking weak.
theatlantic.com
NEW: Inside Trump’s reversal on ICE traffic stops The president received an onslaught of pressure from MAGA base and did not want to appear weak And there is scrutiny on Secretary Mullin, who the West Wing says ordered the pause without telling Trump www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Inside Trump’s Reversal on ICE
Attacks from immigration hard-liners had the president worried about looking weak.
theatlantic.com
NEW: Lindsey Graham’s sudden death rattled both ends of Pennsylvania Ave He and Trump had a tumultuous relationship but had grown close - and Graham’s passing leaves the White House without a reliable Senate ally, upending the months ahead www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Trump Loses His Wingman
Lindsey Graham’s sudden death leaves a void that the White House can’t afford
theatlantic.com
NEW: Some halftime reading! The America 250 celebration did not unify the nation: too political, too Trumpy But there’s a surprising source of patriotism: the World Cup - and how the rest of the globe fell in love with America again (Now get a goal!) www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The Other Celebration of America
The World Cup has provided the unity that was lacking from the official 250th celebrations.
theatlantic.com
“Trump continued to waffle as to what could be next—even suggesting a new bombing campaign if Iran does not comply, a threat that few take seriously. His attempts at unpredictably were quite predictable, and Iran has proved itself to be anything but cowed” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The Meltdown
One day that captures how Trump has gone from unpredictable to chaotic
theatlantic.com
NEW: The Meltdown Blowing up a bill signing. A shouting match with a GOP senator. A sparely attended rally. Iran tensions. NATO broadsides. And - oh, yes - that green reflecting pool One day that captures how Trump has gone from unpredictable to chaotic: www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The Meltdown
One day that captures how Trump has gone from unpredictable to chaotic
theatlantic.com
“Trump’s evolution into a lame duck is accelerating, and the world will soon focus on the 2028 contenders hoping to replace him “World leaders, once cowed, have begun to defy him. Trump’s defeat in Iran, and the way he lost, may hasten his irrelevance” www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
Trump in Defeat
The president went to war triumphant and will likely leave greatly weakened.
theatlantic.com
“Trump’s own anger masks a desperate desire to find an off-ramp from a conflict that did not go the way he had planned, an outcome that has threatened to leave the United States—and Trump—reduced in the eyes of the world” www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
Trump in Defeat
The president went to war triumphant and will likely leave greatly weakened.
theatlantic.com
NEW: President Trump lost. The war he waged against Iran promises to conclude this week in a humbling whimper And the United States is now left weaker—diminished militarily, strategically, economically, and perhaps morally www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
Trump in Defeat
The president went to war triumphant and will likely leave greatly weakened.
theatlantic.com
“Why, you might sensibly ask, is a soccer organization giving out such awards? Trump didn’t seem to care, beaming as he wore the new medal —and further celebrated peace by commissioning a military operation in Venezuela, and then launching a war on Iran” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The World Cup of Ugh
Why isn’t this more fun?
theatlantic.com
NEW: The World Cup of Ugh What was supposed to be a joyful American summer is clouded with angst and dread. High ticket prices. Slumping demand. Travel bans. ICE agents. A war. And so much Trump Can it be saved? www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The World Cup of Ugh
Why isn’t this more fun?
theatlantic.com