by Steve Benen | Nov 11, 2026 | Maddowblog, White House
One of the more unusual political stories to emerge in the run-up to Election Day reached the public a few weeks ago, when we learned about a $50 million contract for one of Donald Trump’s former defense attorneys. Now, that contract is no more.
The New York Times reported:
Alina Habba Mildon, one of President Trump’s former lawyers, was fired last week by the family company that gave her a $50 million contract weeks before Mr. Trump granted a pardon to the family’s patriarch.
In a letter dated Nov. 4, the company, Concord Partners, terminated Mrs. Mildon citing a “failure to perform duties,” according to a person close to the family and documents obtained by The New York Times. The person said Mrs. Mildon’s priorities appeared to shift away from Concord after she started dating Turhan Mildon, a 25-year-old Turkish investor, earlier this year.
The controversy began in earnest earlier this year, when Trump pardoned Julio Herrera Velutini. Unfortunately for the White House, it quickly became clear that Velutini had not only hired a former member of the president’s legal defense team, but also that the pardon came on the heels of generous campaign contributions Velutini’s daughter made to Trump’s super PAC.
It’s worth emphasizing that Velutini didn’t exactly need a presidential pardon: He was facing felony bribery and other charges in the United States, but his Trump-aligned defense attorney helped negotiate an unusually lenient plea deal in August 2025. Velutini ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor campaign finance violation.
But that wasn’t quite enough. Velutini still hoped to wipe the slate clean altogether.
To that end, the Times reported a few weeks ago that the
by Jeff McCausland | Nov 11, 2026 | Opinion, Politics, White House
On the 107th anniversary of the first Veterans Day, our nation is facing one of the most challenging national security environments in modern history. The day gives us an opportunity to reflect on how the 2.1 million Americans in uniform view their ongoing service to the nation.
Because the U.S. military reported a massive turnaround from pandemic-era lows and broadly met or exceeded its recruiting and retention goals for active-duty, National Guard and most reserve forces for fiscal 2026, the Trump administration argues that there’s a high level of satisfaction across the force. However, some of that success has been attributed to a cooling civilian job market; significant junior military pay increases, including historic 10% enlisted pay raises in recent years; expanded pre-enlistment academic and fitness preparation courses; and restructured recruiting commands. A recent poll, however, suggests many military personnel feel abandoned by politicians and society and have decided to leave the service as soon as possible.
Major overseas deployments and a high operational tempo (OPTEMPO) due to the war in Iran have increased the strain on service members and their families, with significant implications for future recruiting and retention.
Major overseas deployments and a high operational tempo (OPTEMPO) due to the war in Iran have increased the strain on service members and their families, with significant implications for future recruiting and retention. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and destroyer USS Spruance were each deployed for more than 300 days. Spruance set a post-World War II record with 342 days underway. A brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division has spent eight months in the region, and its soldiers were recently told their
by Ebony Davis | Nov 11, 2026 | culture, News, White House
Members of the Kennedy family filed a motion to join a federal lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s proposed Independence Arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
In a 27-page filing Tuesday, nine children and grandchildren of Robert F. Kennedy and Edward M. Kennedy asked to intervene in litigation challenging the administration’s plans to construct the massive arch at Memorial Circle near the cemetery in Washington.
“President Donald J. Trump is attempting to unlawfully erect a massive arch that will permanently cast shadows over and damage historically significant sightlines to the existing gravesites and memorials established in the Kennedy family’s honor at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as to the memorials of hundreds of thousands of fallen American heroes,” the filing said.
The proposed monument would stand at least 250 feet tall, more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial. The Kennedy relatives argue that the arch would disrupt a historic sightline designed to symbolize national reunification after the Civil War.
The family has a “particular interest in protecting the Kennedy Gravesites” as a memorial to its legacy, their attorneys wrote.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has already blocked construction of the arch through at least next week while the legal challenges proceed.
The filing comes days after the National Capital Planning Commission approved the administration’s plans for the arch on Nov. 5.
The project already faces multiple lawsuits, including one filed in February by private plaintiffs. The District of Columbia and Virginia also filed separate lawsuits Oct. 31, which a federal judge consolidated that same day.
The Kennedy relatives argue that the monument threatens the burial sites of their parents and grandparents, including former President John F. Kennedy, Robert
by Jake Traylor | Nov 11, 2026 | News, White House
The White House Cabinet secretary, a high-ranking official who serves as a liaison between the president and the cabinet, is expected to soon depart the administration according to two current and one former White House official all familiar with the internal discussions.
Meghan Bauer’s exit comes as Trump implements staff changes he has said could be coming following the Republican party’s major losses in last week’s midterms.
Two additional sources familiar with the personnel changes, also granted anonymity to share sensitive details, tell MS NOW that Bauer will transition out of the White House around the turn of the year, staying on for a couple remaining months to help with the leadership transition.
According to two current White House officials Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Bauer over the past few months and the president has held discussions with senior staffers this week about her removal.
The cabinet secretary heads the Office of Cabinet Affairs, working closely with the chief of staff coordinating between the president and the heads of each cabinet.
On Friday the president announced Susie Wiles would be replaced by Stephen Miller as chief of staff. Asked about his decision to replace Wiles and if he was unhappy with his team because of the midterm results Trump told reporters, “It’s just time, Sometimes you change. The election wasn’t my election. I wasn’t on the ballot. If I was on the ballot, you saw the rallies. They were the biggest, most powerful rallies in the history of the midterm elections.”
According to two sources familiar with Bauer’s departure, the responsibilities of her role could be consolidated under Miller and others in the West Wing.
In
by Ja'han Jones | Nov 10, 2026 | Congress, elections, News Analysis, White House
Democrats are preparing to investigate President Donald Trump’s brazen regime once they take control of Congress in January — and tellingly, a bunch of conservative influencers seem to think the investigations are warranted.
While gorging myself on right-wing analysis of the midterms last weekend, I noticed a trend of these influencers openly saying that corruption has been rampant among people in Trump’s orbit. Former health official Calley Means has gained attention for his claims about corruption within the Trump administration, but he’s certainly not the only one on the right who is sounding the alarm.
These posts from conservative influencer Mike Cernovich speak to the trend I’m talking about.
“If Democrats go after scum, they will sweep 2028, as the public will be aghast,” he wrote on X.
If Democrats go after scum, they will sweep 2028, as the public will be aghast. Pardons for sale. Insider trudging. World Liberty Financial. Gulf oil money for “investment funds.” It would be a bloodbath. But my guess is Dems will focus on harassing Elon, which will backfire.— Cernovich (@Cernovich) November 5, 2026
In another post, he wrote that “there were real crimes being committed in the White House” that Democrats can investigate.
There were real crimes being committed in the White House. Democrats do not need fake impeachments as during 45. Will they have the discipline to focus on the criminals inside and around the WH, or will they seek the limelight of harassing RFK JR and Elon, which will backfire?— Cernovich (@Cernovich) November 5, 2026
The point here is not that these claims are revelatory or to be taken as fact simply because they’re coming from folks who
by Steve Benen | Nov 10, 2026 | Congress, Maddowblog, White House
There was an unexpected exchange during Donald Trump’s latest “60 Minutes” interview, in which the president reflected on the unpopularity of his administration’s mass deportation agenda. His comments sparked a conversation of sorts — including criticisms from the White House’s allies on the right.
When CBS News’ Ross Douthat asked specifically whether he thought his deportation policy went too far, Trump responded, “I think it might be too tough. … That hurt me.”
As the discussion moved forward, the Republican went further, suggesting that the White House might “work something out” with the incoming Democratic majority, reaching a bipartisan compromise on immigration policy. “I think that’s something that’s actually doable.”
The reactions from several Republican officials, conservative think tanks and MAGA activists was swift and predictable: They don’t want a bipartisan deal; they want more deportations.
They shouldn’t be too concerned about a breakthrough agreement. In fact, I’m reminded of a story from nearly nine years ago.
In January 2018, as policymakers worked on an immigration deal ahead of a government shutdown deadline, Trump urged Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill to work on a solution, which he vowed to support, explicitly telling them that he didn’t care what was in it.
Soon after, the president spoke to Sen. Dick Durbin, and the Illinois Democrat explained that a bipartisan deal was in place. Trump asked if then-Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham was on board, and Durbin said he was. The president then invited Durbin and Graham to the White House.
Graham and Durbin thought the discussion would be with Trump. It was not: The bipartisan duo were surprised to arrive at the White House and find several anti-immigration
