The Common Ills: 2026

Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Blanche LOSES IT as One of His Most Senior DOJ Officials QUITS Rather Than Serve Under Trump and Him

The Flip Begins | Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio Are Now Pointing The Finger At TRUMP!!

Trump WORLD ROCKED After Russell Brand Is SENTENCED For Assault!!

🚨Fox CRASHES ON LIVE TV as END IS NEAR!!!

Another One Gone | Stephen Miller's Wife, Katie Miller Shuts Down Her Podcast and Hakeem Says NO!

'Only real purpose is to make Colin Jost's job harder': REACTION to Hegseth's presser

🚨Trump’s Inner Circle ALREADY FLIPS!!

The Snapshot

Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Chump continues struggling with reality, AG Toad Blanche is right by his side distorting the law to aid Chump, Hegseth has another scandal that he thought he could hide (by giving orders over the phone and not writing them down, Hegseth may be facing impeachment this week, Boe-Boe may not be returning to Congress, convicted rapist Russell Brand will miss his days funnin' with Chump and the administration, and much more.

Chump is reeling from the beating he took in the midterms. He keeps insisting his name was not on the ballot when he spent over six weeks insisting to the American people that they should pretend his name was on the ballot. As Jimmy Kimmel noted the day after the midterms. "You were on the ballot. You're like dog hair, you're on everything. You've infected every nook and cranny of our lives. You divided this country like no one else ever has. The only time you ever brought us together was yesterday, when we all teamed up to get rid of you!" Chump is humiliated and when he's humiliated? He's at his most irrational. Which is why he is accusing Democrats of breaking the law for their plans to seek oversight and accountability. Attorney General Toad Blanche has already fallen in line behind Chump is attempting to bully and threaten members of Congress.

Jacob Sullum (the Libertarian publication REASON) notes Blanche is a little shaky on the actual law:

Blanche himself has repeatedly defended an indictment charging former FBI Director James Comey with threatening to assassinate Trump by posting a photo of seashells arranged to form the numerical slogan "86 47"—a ubiquitous expression of opposition to the president that does not even come close to the Supreme Court's definition of a "true threat." In light of that precedent, it is not exactly reassuring when Blanche says the viability of prosecuting lawmakers for "threatening" members of the Trump administration "depends on what the crime is and what they have done."

Blanche nevertheless may have a hard time finding a crime to pin on Trump's congressional critics. The "criminal act[s]" that Trump perceives include trying to impeach federal officials when "there have been no impeachable acts committed," which he describes as an "illegal process" and "extortion at the highest level," saying legislators "should be held accountable" for attempting it. But the Constitution gives Congress complete discretion in identifying "high crimes and misdemeanors," which need not include conduct that would qualify as a criminal violation.

Trump also averred that Democrats are "threatening our Donors, some of the most respected people anywhere in the World, with imprisonment, and many other levels of punishment, just because they happen to be Republicans, or Republican supporters," which he described as "Weaponization and Lawfare at another level." Trump amplified that complaint in a subsequent post: "The threats being made by the Democrat Party against innocent Republican Donors and Party Members are absolutely unprecedented, and totally illegal. Please report them to the Department of Justice, IMMEDIATELY!"

What is Trump talking about? As Reason's Tosin Akintola notes, some Democrats have suggested that their investigations will "extend to the actions of private companies and industries they perceive as allies of the president." Last week, for example, Sen. Ron Wyden (D–Ore.) said he was "putting the special interests that have worked hand-in-hand with Trump to rip off American families for the last year and a half on notice." When he is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Wyden warned, they "will be forced to answer" for "their role in hurting the American people and enabling Trump's corruption."

Whatever you think of that plan, it does not qualify as a threat of "imprisonment," unlike Trump's response. While Wyden is promising to conduct congressional hearings, Trump is threatening criminal prosecution, and his attorney general does not seem inclined to refuse his marching orders.

Steve Benen (MS NOW) boils it down thusly, "In other words, one day after the president condemned congressional oversight as “weaponization and lawfare,” the attorney general, taking his marching orders from Trump, told a national television audience he’s open to prosecuting members of Congress — or at least trying to — for asking questions the White House and its allies don’t want to answer." And it's moments like these that explain why Harry Litman (THE NEW REPUBLIC) argues that the most impeachable official in the administration is Blanche:

For the last 20 months, the Justice Department hasn’t been flirting with authoritarianism. It has been an antidemocratic stronghold, embracing practices that don’t happen in a democracy, and that in fact define authoritarian rule.

Democratic Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia has stated the umbrella case for impeaching and removing Blanche. The menu of possible articles runs long: illegal firings, including Maurene Comey’s, as a federal judge ruled last week; an early push, with his deputy Emil Bove—now, incredibly, a federal appellate judge—to ship immigrants out of the country whether or not the law allowed it; a sit-down with Ghislaine Maxwell not long before she landed in a minimum-security camp.

Yet if I were drafting the articles, I’d opt to set aside for the time being all those horrendous abuses in the sycophantic service of Donald Trump and advance a single count: that Blanche has wielded the power of federal prosecution to punish the president’s enemies.

As Vladimir Putin’s persecution of Alexei Navalny shows, a single instance tells you everything about a regime, and a single instance would justify impeachment and removal. With Blanche, we have a long and growing list: Jim Comey, three times over. Letitia James. Cassidy Hutchinson. Six Democratic lawmakers, for making a video about illegal orders.

A one-count article of impeachment reduces the overall firepower of the case against Blanche, but it trains Congress’s and the nation’s focus on reprisal prosecutions, the practice of Trump 2.0 that is the singular paradigm of authoritarianism. Three reasons make the reprisal count the right one.

First, reprisal prosecutions don’t merely abuse power; they violate the Constitution in and of themselves. The Supreme Court has called punishing someone for doing what the law allows “a due process violation of the most basic sort.” When the charges are brought in retaliation for protected speech, as with Comey or the six Democratic lawmakers, the prosecution violates the First Amendment as well.

Second, reprisal prosecutions are designed to cow dissent more broadly. Blanche’s prominent targets—a former FBI director, a witness who testified to Congress, lawmakers who reminded troops of their duty—cast a broad shadow over other political critics. Along with intimidating political adversaries, that is the point. Each case warns every potential critic, witness, and whistleblower to keep quiet or face criminal prosecution. And because a reprisal prosecution does its damage before any judge rules, and prosecutors enjoy absolute immunity from damages, the courts can’t undo it. Impeachment is the one remedy that reaches the official responsible.

Third, and most important, prosecuting the leader’s enemies on manufactured or nonexistent charges is the bright line between democracy and autocracy. It’s the unmistakable mark of authoritarianism.

Meanwhile Ashlyn Walker (OK) reports:

Todd Blanche has been ordered to answer questions from Jeffrey Epstein‘s alleged victims after a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s top law enforcement official could not completely avoid scrutiny over explosive remarks he allegedly made about the FBI’s handling of the disgraced financier’s s– abuse investigation, OK! can reveal.

According to court documents obtained by OK!, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe issued a November 5 ruling allowing Epstein survivors to submit up to 10 written questions to Blanche, despite granting the government’s request to block his deposition for now.

The legal battle stems from a July 16, 2026, meeting in Washington, D.C., where Blanche allegedly acknowledged serious failures in the FBI’s investigation of Epstein.

According to a November 3 court filing, attorneys representing Epstein survivors claim Blanche told those attending that the FBI’s case against Epstein “was handled improperly before 2007.”

The filing also alleges Blanche delivered an even more startling admission to the victims.

“You got screwed over by the FBI, but I cannot fix the FBI’s lack of investigation,” Blanche allegedly said.

Turning to Priss Pot Pete Hegseth. Stephen Collinson (CNN) reports:

But the first confrontation, over a potential House of Representatives vote to impeach Hegseth, will do more to test how the midterm wipeout has hurt Trump’s authority among Republicans than Democrats’ capacity to restrain him.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie plans to bring articles of impeachment against Hegseth this week as the Pentagon chief intensifies a vehement campaign to keep his job despite criticism of his conduct of the Iran war.

There are growing suggestions that even many Republicans would like the combative Hegseth gone, especially after Rep. James Comer expressed reservations about him last week. Comer, unlike his fellow Kentuckian Massie, who was beaten by a pro-Trump rival in his primary, remains loyal to the president.

The White House is standing by Hegseth, so far. Trump told reporters last week his defense secretary was doing “a very good job.” And Hegseth reacted to Miller’s promotion by portraying him as a fellow fighter against the president’s enemies with a social media post reading “Stand. Fight.”

Hegseth’s viability, however, could be undermined by a strong vote against him by GOP members. Those who’ve lost their jobs amid public fury over Iran may have little incentive to stand strong with him and the president. It seems unlikely that there will be the two-thirds majority in the Senate needed to convict and remove Hegseth from office in an impeachment trial. But he’s made few friends in the Senate, and these are volatile political days.

The Hegseth impeachment drama will unfold against the last rites of the lame-duck Republican-led Congress, which must pass a funding bill by December 11 to keep the government open. The defense secretary’s controversial presence may also complicate the Senate passage of a critical defense spending bill.

Robert Jimison (NEW YORK TIMES) notes the charges US House Rep Thomas Massie is bringing in his articles of impeachment:

Mr. Massie, who lost his primary in May to a challenger backed by President Trump, has introduced eight articles of impeachment against Mr. Hegseth, three of them focused on his conduct of the war with Iran.

The articles accuse the defense secretary of waging war without congressional authorization and continuing the military campaign after Congress voted to direct the president to terminate the conflict or seek authorization to continue it. The resolution also accuses Mr. Hegseth of violating deadlines under the War Powers Resolution, which requires the withdrawal of American forces from unauthorized hostilities after 60 days, with a possible 30-day extension.

The remaining charges accuse Mr. Hegseth of carrying out unlawful military strikes against suspected drug traffickers; unlawfully capturing Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro; conducting unauthorized military operations in Yemen; disregarding laws intended to minimize civilian casualties; and abusing his power by retaliating against Senator Mark Kelly for protected speech.

It is up to Speaker Mike Johnson to decide whether the chamber will vote on each of the eight articles or if they will be considered as a package.

Priss Pot Pete is a joke and a fool. He has been involved in one scandal after another since being confirmed by the Senate (and JD Vance in the tie breaking vote) to be Secretary of Defense. The scandals continue. Brendan Rascius (INDEPENDENT) reported yesterday:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked promotions for military officers who supported Covid-19 vaccines and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, according to a new report.

Citing three military officials, MS NOW reported that Hegseth sidestepped the Pentagon’s merit-based promotion process in favor of new criteria that disproportionately affected women and people of color.

“I was like ‘you gotta be kidding me’,” a senior official said. A Pentagon spokesperson, meanwhile, told The Independent that the department remains “committed to ensuring that all advancement is merit-based.”

Throughout his 21-month tenure, Hegseth has reshaped the Pentagon’s senior leadership, ousting dozens of generals and admirals. In September, he announced plans to reduce their ranks by 20 percent, adding that “no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps” would be tolerated.

Directions on how this would be done were given over the phone to avoid a paper trail. This leak is part of a series of leaks that will be rolling out from the man enemies Hegseth has made since becoming Secretary of Defense. Travis Gettys (RAW STORY) adds:

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s office kept secret paper files of internet search printouts and used them to block the promotions of senior Navy officers, most of them women and people of color, and that process may have violated federal law, according to a new report.

A senior official with in-depth knowledge of flag and general officer selection told MS NOW that Hegseth’s executive office built “paper-only files” filled with internet search results that the officers under consideration couldn’t see. Instructions about the new criteria came over the phone instead of in writing. Two officers whose promotions were withheld confirmed the official’s account.

[. . .]

The officers had already been chosen by the Navy’s selection boards, which by law weigh performance, experience and education. Hegseth’s office then went after the officers over things like allowing a celebration with rainbow flags, speaking at a Hispanic Heritage Month event, joining an International Women’s Day panel, or encouraging sailors to get COVID-19 vaccines.

Of 31 officers selected for one-star rank, about 15 got reports, and nine were withheld. Every woman and minority on that list except one was removed. On the two-star list, the only woman selected and every person of color were taken off.

[. . .]

Legal experts say the way it was done could be a serious problem. Under federal law, only the president can remove individual names from one- and two-star promotion lists. The defense secretary can approve or reject a list only as a whole. Officers facing a delayed promotion are entitled to written notice and a chance to respond. The officers told MS NOW they got neither.

“If ‘professionally unqualified’ can mean ‘executed a lawful program the current Secretary opposes,’ the promotion system and law has no function left,” said Cody Harnish, a military defense attorney and former Army judge advocate general, who called the removals “illegal.”

Illegal. And yet Priss Pot Pete is trying to play the victim. He spoke to the press yesterday and plans a press conference today to plead for his job. Konstantin Toropin (AP) notes it would be his first press conference "in over 180 days." On Monday, Priss Pot Pete got prissy and tried to hide behind the troops declaring, "If you want to take issue with what we did in Epic Fury or Rough Rider or nabbing Nicolas Maduro, you're taking issue with the troops and what they accomplished, which is historic." No, Prissy, we're taking issue with your plans and conclusions. And, check the polls, the American people can't stand you. Laura Esposito (DAILY BEAST) notes:

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ripped the secretary of defense Sunday morning, accusing him of making America “less safe.”

“I would just tell you, from my perspective, he is completely incompetent. He’s like an eight-year-old playing with toy soldiers every day,” Shapiro, 53, said on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.

“He is someone who I think is making America less safe, and there has to be real accountability.”

Pete's day of reckoning is approaching. This day was actually supposed to have come in September. That's when US House Rep Thomas Massie first introduced articles of impeachment against Prissy. But Speaker of the Closet Mike Johnson immediately sent House Republicans home to avoid a vote being taken. That was known in real time but for those who need a Republican to declare it to be true, Maria Villarroel (IRISH STAR) reports:

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz claimed the House of Representatives has been in recess for months because Republicans did not have enough votes to prevent an impeachment of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. His comments come as an impeachment vote on the controversial Cabinet member looms.

During a recent podcast appearance, the Republican senator claimed that the House has been out of session to prevent a vote on Hegseth’s impeachment. Those claims, however, have not been verified.

“One of the reasons the House has been out of session for a couple of months,” Cruz said. “The reason they’ve been out of session is that they didn’t have the votes to stop a Hegseth impeachment back in September.”

Moving over to Congress, Boe-Boe may not be returning. That's per CNN's Ellis Kim and Jennifer Nehrer:

Retired Rear Adm. Eileen Laubacher, a Democrat, will flip Colorado’s 4th District, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, ending conservative firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert’s tenure in Congress.

Boebert’s loss comes after she elected to run in a more conservative district last cycle in an effort to preserve her political future. But Laubacher, who served more than three decades in the Navy, capitalized on the national headwinds against the GOP and focused her campaign on affordability issues.

The win denies Boebert, an ally of President Donald Trump and one of the most outspoken conservatives in the House Republican conference, a fourth term. Boebert was first elected in 2020, after she upset a fifth-term Republican incumbent in a primary.

As Elaine noted last night:

Boe-Boe entered Congress in 2020 claiming to be a family values candidate. May 11, 2023, she filed for a divorce from her husband who was the father of their four children. September 10th, she was out on a date in public when she and her date engaged in heavy petting in a theater where the musical BEETLEJUICE was being performed. October 10, 2023, her divorce was granted. She's been a single parent since. GOOGLE AI notes:

Tyler Boebert, the 21-year-old eldest son of U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert, was arrested and charged with felony child sexual exploitation and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The Arrest: Tyler Boebert was arrested by the Garfield County Sheriff's Office on August 9, 2026, and posted a $10,000 bond the same day

The case involves three felony counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two felony counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, stemming from a 2024 incident where he allegedly shared explicit media involving a 17-year-old on Instagram.

This was not his first run-in with the law. Amanda Pampuro (COURTHOUSE NEWS) reminds, "In 2024, Boebert pleaded guilty to a single charge for attempting to commit identity theft related to a spree of vehicle break-ins committed around the small Colorado city of Rifle. The judge granted Boebert a deferred sentence. He is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on the identity theft case on Sept. 10."

She leaves Congress with a jailbird for a son and without a husband. Those are apparently her real family values.

In other news, Russell Brand is human trash who's been convicted of rape in England. Ann's covered this in "Grifter and rapist Russell Brand," "More accusations at convicted rapist Russell Brand" and "Rapist Russell Brand." Holly Baxter (INDEPENDENT) notes:

Russell Brand has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for rape and sexual assault in London, but just a few weeks ago, he was sitting onstage next to Trump administration official Mehmet Oz at a September conference for MAHA Action, joking obliquely about the very serious allegations against him.

Brand had almost been late because he was distracted backstage, “hugging the secretary for agriculture,” said Oz, during introductory remarks. “She initiated that contact, I should make clear, doctor!” Brand replied.

Both Oz and Brand laughed heartily at the apparent cleverness of the joke.

Of course it looks bad now, but it should’ve looked bad then, when the court case was on the horizon, so let’s not expect much hand-wringing from Oz, MAHA-maven RFK Jr., and the other Trump health officials who embraced Brand over the past two years.

And indeed, Brand has been making jokes like this for years in plain sight. His ‘I’m just telling it like it is’ persona meant that he was announcing he would sleep with pretty much anyone from under the age of consent upwards during his early 00’s standup routines. He often encouraged young women to line up outside gigs and wait for him so he could have sex with them afterwards.

For a long time, yes, Brand managed to get away with just looking like a shameless Lothario. He managed that even when there was evidence of an undercurrent of viciousness and misogyny: calling up Andrew Sachs to “prank him” on-air while lewdly describing how he’d slept with Sachs’ granddaughter; saying during a live interview with Vanessa Feltz that he’d like to have sex with her and her two teenage daughters, the youngest of whom was 15 at the time; performing a mean-spirited comedy routine about Katy Perry in the immediate weeks after their divorce, where he heavily implied that she was bad in bed.

In other words, Brand wasn’t just a tomcat who strutted around talking about the size of his libido. He was someone who, again and again, spoke about women with dehumanizing derision. Whether that woman was an ex-wife or an interviewer or the secretary for agriculture, it always came back to objectification. (Remind you of anyone?)

So he was a perfect fit for Chump and Chump's administration. After awhile, you'd think Chump would be asked about all these predators that he has surrounded himself with.

Let's wind down with this from Senator Tammy Duckworth's office:

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement announcing she will vote against advancing the permitting reform bill:

“It couldn’t be clearer that Americans are sick of abuses of power, sick of the sky-high cost of living and sick of business as usual. While I appreciate some of the changes in the latest version put forward by committee leadership, the bill still isn’t good enough. Not for Illinois, not for the communities who won’t have a say in data centers and development coming into their neighborhoods and not for the entire nation.”

“After Americans issued a complete and total rejection of Donald Trump, Congress should not be rushing to pass a bill that would hand that same man even more power to put Big Oil and Big Tech over ratepayers. I cannot support a bill that depends on the empty promises of Trump, who violates the law every day and continues to hold up billions in energy funding from blue states like mine simply because we did not support him in the last election. I’m also skeptical that we’ll be successful in lowering costs for the American people by passing a bill that is supported by data centers and utility corporations who are jacking up their costs.

“Americans empowered Democrats to fight for them. We must use that power to fight for a better deal that prioritizes people over profits, establishes stronger guardrails and protects states like Illinois against any future retaliation by the President.”

-30-

The following sites updated:

The New Republic

Trump Has a Secret Plan to Evade Accountability. Will Dems Defeat It?

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TPM – Talking Points Memo

A New Way of Thinking About How Trump and His Allies Have Transformed the US Government

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Mikey Likes It!

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Ruth's Report

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Like Maria Said Paz

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Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude

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Trump’s COLLAPSE Takes EVEN DARKER TURN!!!

Former Trump Senior White House Advisor Breaks Down The Players in The White House Corrpution Game!

'DOJ HAS WITHERED' under Donald Trump, Rachel Maddow says of her new book

Trump watches DOMINOES FALL!!!

IT IS OFFICIAL! THE WITCH IS GONE!

‘Can we NOT?’: Trump revives the Big Lie—and gets pushback from his own allies

OH SH*T: Trump EXPOSED by Host MID-INTERVIEW, VISIBLY PANICS!

One of RFK Jr 's Closest Allies Just Turned on Trump's White House | The Kinzinger Report Podcast

Maddow: 'A million' reasons to IMPEACH Hegseth

Sen. Mark Kelly says Hegseth has three ways out—and Trump has a choice

Monday, November 09, 2026

🚨MAGA Mike FREAKS OUT as NO ONE SHOWS!!!!

Trump’s corruption makes us 'less safe': Sen. Cory Booker

🚨Trump’s DOWNFALL Gets Worse…MAGA CALLS IT QUITS!!!

Maddow: After Hegseth, watch for impeachment of Trump's A.G. Todd Blanche

THIS BLACK MAGA WAS A VICTIM OF RACISM AND HOMOPHOBIA AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US SAW THIS COMING!

'Lighting the Constitution on FIRE': Top Trump lackey makes SHOCKING move on Trump's behalf

Former Trump Senior White House Advisor Breaks Down The Players in The White House Corrpution Game!

🚨 Hegseth TERRIFIED as JUDGEMENT DAY Arrives, Republicans BREAK and he is DONE!!

EXCLUSIVE: Hegseth EXPOSED for using MADE-UP criteria to block promotions for women

Trump JUST CRACKED at PRESSER!!!

🚨Trump SPIRALS As Hegseth Faces ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT!?!

'Generational LOSERS': Nicolle SHREDS Trump admin for DOUBLING DOWN on cruel and corrupt agenda

Trump PANICS as IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES HIT!!

Trump SPIRALS as Senate Democrats Vow to use PROCEDURAL BLOCKS to DENY Him any more Federal Judges!

MAGA Tears Flood the Internet

Trump BLOWS Dog Whistle and AG Blanche Complies Making his Impeachment Inevitable?!?

Trump BOMBASTIC as Judge Taps Former DOJ Leader as Special Master to Investigate His Admin & DOJ!!!

Ex-HHS advisor accuses ousted Trump Chief of Staff Wiles of catering to special interests

🚨 Trump gets news he FEARED from Speaker Johnson!

What will the #1 issue be for the new Congress? Rep. Jayapal says affordability and accountability

🚨Dems RETURN and MAKE HIM SUFFER!!!

But It’s Okay When Bernie Sanders Says It!!

Hegseth 'doesn't have' authority to do things he's done: Ret. Lt. General on potential impeachment MS NOW MS NOW

Trump let them SPY ON US?!

🚨 Impeachment is HERE—Republicans TURN on White House as Trump SCRAMBLES!!

'HEGSETH HAS TO GO': Rep.-elect and combat vet Cait Conley warns 'national security at RISK'

🚨 Fox COLLAPSE ON LIVE TV just Got EVEN WORSE!!!

The Snapshot

Monday, November 9, 2026. AG Toad Blanche continues to falter in comprehending his job, Priss Pot Pete may be on the way out this week, Senator Elizabeth Warren calls out Secretary of Education Linda McMahon for her failures regarding student loans, and much more.

Priss Pot Pete Hegseth is noted by Ben (MEIDASTOUCH NEWS) above. He was also noted on CBS' FACE THE NATION yesterday when Margaret Brennan spoke with former Navy vice admiral and newly elected to the House of Representatives Nancy Lacore:

MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary Hegseth released a video Thursday arguing that attempts to oust him from office are about his rebuilding of the force Here's a clip.

(BEGIN VC)

PETE HEGSETH (Defense Secretary): Diversity is not our strength. Our unity is. Men and women, they're not the same thing, but in the military they must be held to the same standard. Strong young men who believe in something greater than themselves are admirable.

(END VC)

MARGARET BRENNAN: Went on to call being transgender a mental illness. He dismissed a reference to white rage. He said that seemed to be maybe about renaming military bases and taking confederate general names off of them.

Of all of these initiatives, what do you think the impact has been on the U.S. military?

NANCY LACORE: You know, I've said since I launched this campaign, Pete Hegseth is the most unqualified secretary that this nation has seen. He has caused significant damage to us as a country and put us at risk and really damaged the readiness of our entire military force. He is focused on the wrong things. He should be focused on strategy and readiness instead of these things that are down in the trenches.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, what do you think would be an impeachable offense? Because I know there is an effort underway in this Congress to do so. You've said you hope that gets taken care of before you come to Washington.

NANCY LACORE: Yes, I mean, I think there's probably plenty. And I do believe that this will be handled before I get there. You know, we can talk – we can tie this war as one thing that is extremely damaging to our country. Some of the things that we saw going on down – off Venezuela as well. But really it comes back to, you know, it's all a part of the problem with the corruption and the lack of strategy which is doing nothing but really driving up costs for people. And that's what people really care about. And so, that's what I want to focus on when I get to Congress.

John Oliver addressed Priss Pot Pete last night on HBO's LAST WEEK TONIGHT

The man expected to become Speaker of the House in January, US House Rep Hakeem Jeffries, spoke of Hegseth on ABC's THIS WEEK yesterday with Jonathan Karl:

KARL: Well, let me ask you about Pete Hegseth because Thomas Massie, of course a Republican, tells me that he intends to introduce a resolution of impeachment of Hegseth, as defense secretary, as soon as tomorrow? Are you going to support that? Will Democrats vote in favor of that impeachment resolution?

JEFFRIES: I'm a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution. The so-called secretary of defense has abused his power, undermined our national security, and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed prices on the American people and made the country less safe. Pete Hegseth has got to go.

KARL: And you’re confident -- all of the Democrats are going to join you on that?

JEFFRIES: We’ll certainly have that conversation on Tuesday morning when we reconvene for the first time in Washington, D.C. But I believe there will be incredibly strong support for that resolution.

Which makes Chump sad and nervous. The embattled and amatuerish Priss Pot remains in the news with one questionable move after another. David McAfee (RAW STORY) notes, "Government watchdog groups say Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth likely broke federal law by having Pentagon staff and taxpayer-funded resources produce a self-promotional video attacking Democrats as he fights to keep his job, The Washington Post reported Friday." In other news, Lara Seligman, Lindsay Wise and Michael R. Gordon (WALL STREET JOURNAL) report:

With a vote on his impeachment looming next week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is digging in his heels and vowing to stay at his Pentagon post for the rest of the Trump administration.

Hegseth has reassured his allies that he is not angling for Marsha Blackburn’s Tennessee seat in a Senate that will now be controlled by Democrats, Pentagon officials said.

If his congressional opponents vote to impeach him, Hegseth will seek to use the confrontation as a platform to aggressively defend his agenda, which includes the war with Iran, the ouster of senior military officers and rolling back past diversity policies.

Until Friday, there had been talk that a save face measure might be available. Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, had run for governor of Tennessee and was elected last Tuesday. It was floated that Hegseth wanted to be appointed by her to her spot. The move from Secretary of Defense to US senator was thought to be a face saver for Priss Pot. But on Friday, that opportunity appeared to vanish. Bennito L. Kelty (RAW STORY) adds:

Tennessee Gov.-elect Marsha Blackburn, who will appoint her own replacement in the U.S. Senate, is not considering Hegseth for the seat, according to sources close to her who spoke to the Nashville Banner on Friday. The outlet reported Saturday that Hegseth, who faces potential impeachment, had been rumored as a pick and was reportedly being pushed by Trump ahead of Tuesday's election.

Speculation about Hegseth picked up at the end of September, when he attended a University of Tennessee football game that Trump and Blackburn also went to, the Banner reported. Hegseth also owns a home in Sumner County, Tennessee.

But a source close to Blackburn repeatedly denied that any meeting or conversation about the appointment took place, the outlet reported. The same source told the Banner and other reporters this week that "D.C. won't pick the next senator."

Chump's having to face that America's not that crazy about him. Edith Olmsted (THE NEW REPUBLIC) notes:

President Donald Trump scurried away from reporters Friday who asked about his new loser status.

[. . .]

Trump quickly departed from the press gaggle, as one reporter shouted after him, “How does it feel to lose?” The president continued to flee and did not respond.

He's still lying publicly but inside he knows the truth. He came into office -- having tricked and fooled a bunch of people -- with almost half of Americans supporting him and now it's only a third. He's lost support. He's the con man whose suckers caught on and turned on him.

Senator Maria Cantwell's office issued a statement from her on the midterms, "Big night for those of us fighting for lower gas and grocery prices, voting rights, and against corruption. America didn’t just speak tonight, it yelled that it wants change." Senator Maggie Hassan's office issued a statement from her on the midterms, "This historic failure of a President just got a historic rejection at the ballot box. Granite Staters and Americans nationwide are demanding an end to President Trump’s costs and corruption, and we now have the opportunity to write the next chapter in our country’s history. The new majorities in Congress must focus on affordability and accountability for the American people. We must use every tool at our disposal to rein in this President, end this illegal war in Iran, and reverse his tariffs. And as part of my new role on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, we will investigate and expose the corruption that is hurting taxpayers and Americans."

Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester's office issued the senator's statement on the midterms:

“The American people sent a clear message tonight: they have had enough of the President’s unchecked, self-serving power and the complicity of his allies. They want policies that put their families first, and across the country, they have placed their trust in strong candidates firmly committed to fighting for their constituents above all else.

“Congress has been given a mandate by the American people. When we return to Washington, we’ll be ready to answer the call. We’re going to work together to bring down the cost of gas and groceries, ensure everyone has access to quality, affordable health care, reverse Trump’s harmful tariffs, rein in the unauthorized war in Iran, and advance legislation that delivers tangible results for every American, regardless of how they voted. It’s time to build a brighter future for our country, and we’re ready to get to work.”

Senator Tammy Duckworth's office notes her remarks delivered following the midterms:

Last night, Americans sent a clear message:

They are sick of Donald Trump’s bulls**t.

They are tired of him promising one thing in the morning then going back on his word by the afternoon.

They’re done with him putting his self-interest over our national interest.

So we’re here today to let those folks know that we hear them.

That we’re with them.

That we’re just as pissed off as they are.

And that… with Juliana joining our ranks in DC… we’re going to use every seat we gained to fight back against Trump and fight for what American families really need.

The reality is, from utility bills to grocery bills, health care to child care, far too many Americans feel like they’re one bad day… one doctor’s appointment… one stop at the gas pump away from disaster.

Far too many fifth-generation farmers have told me that they can’t sleep at night, because they don’t know if they can hold on long enough to hand the farm to a sixth generation.

Meanwhile, Trump has quite literally said that he doesn’t “give a damn” about inflation so long as he makes a fortune. And every day, his actions show that he means it.

Well, I give a damn. We give a damn.

That’s why you better believe that in this next Congress, we’re going to fight

Where there is corruption, there is Toad Blanche. Pocharapon Neammanee (HUFFINGTON POST) notes:

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche drew online criticism after jumping in to represent incoming White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, with people reminding him he’s not supposed to be the administration’s personal lawyer.

“I’ll tell you what, Stephen Miller has a lawyer. It’s me. It’s me and the entire Department of Justice,” Blanche told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham Friday night.

[. . .]

[US House Rep Robert] Garcia took another jab at Blanche during an appearance on MS NOW on Saturday, telling the panel, “He’s not the lawyer of the president, even though in his head that’s what he wants to be”

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) told Blanche on X “You did not swear an oath to trump, or to trump’s chief of staff. You swore an oath to the United States Constitution.”

Stephen Miller's promotiong has caught the attention of Congress. Senator Alex Padilla's office issued the following on Stephen Miller:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) released the following statement after President Trump announced Stephen Miller will be the next White House Chief of Staff:

“Five days ago, Americans across the country loudly and clearly rejected Donald Trump’s agenda. Voters demand lower costs, an end to the chaos, and a government that works for them. I know Trump heard them, but sadly and predictably, he’s choosing to double down, handing the keys of the West Wing to the man most responsible for this Administration’s failures and most harmful policies.

“Stephen Miller is the architect of the cruelest immigration policies this country has seen in modern times: family separations, detainment of babies and children, militarized raids, arbitrary arrest quotas, and the horror unleashed in communities across the country. Californians have watched federal agents target their neighborhoods, terrorize families outside our schools and workplaces, and sow fear in communities across the state.

“Trump is doubling down – so will we. We will use every tool at our disposal – oversight, investigations, subpoenas, and our leverage over federal funding – to expose this Administration’s abuse of power and hold those responsible accountable.”

###

And let's also note this statement issued by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee:

Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released the following statement after Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller had been promoted to serve as Trump’s Chief of Staff.

"Just days after the American people rejected his corrupt and lawless presidency, Donald Trump is doubling down. Stephen Miller is the architect of the unconstitutional ICE raids that have terrorized our communities and kidnapped and killed American citizens and immigrant families.

"Oversight Democrats will continue to investigate Miller for his misconduct, and we will fight against his hateful policies in Congress and the courts.

"Stephen Miller should lawyer up," said Ranking Member Robert Garcia.

###

Toad Blanche appeared on CNN's STATE OF THE UNION where moderator Dana Bash spoke with him:

BASH: Hello. I'm Dana Bash in Washington, where the state of our union is watching a sea change. It is a new day in Washington, as the scope of the Democrats' extraordinary sweeping election win is becoming clearer and clearer. But, for Republicans, the new reality is just settling in, and there are growing signs this morning that President Trump is digging in. He elevated his most controversial aide, Stephen Miller, to be his chief of staff. And, yesterday, the president ordered his Justice Department to look into Democratic leaders for -- quote -- "threatening to investigate" his administration. You're going to hear from both sides this morning. In moments, I'm going to speak with the Democratic leader who is warning the president's whole orbit to -- quote -- "lawyer up." But, first, let's start with the Attorney General. Here with me now is Attorney General Todd Blanche. Thank you so much for being here this morning, sir. President Trump said -- quote -- "I am ordering the Department of Justice to look into this criminal act" -- end quote. Are you going to follow that order and investigate Democratic members of Congress? And what is the criminal act you think he's referring to?

TODD BLANCHE, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, what we have seen over the past several days and even over the past several weeks are outright threats, many -- many by elected members of Congress and some senators against anybody that's conservative and anybody that happens to be a Republican. They have threatened donors. They have threatened individuals who are in college and might want to work for conservative institutions or for a conservative government or for President Trump. And that is extremely troubling, and it should be troubling to everybody in this country.
And over the last several days, we have seen the rhetoric even rise up, to the point where they're already -- before they're even in power, they're already talking about investigations and impeachments, with no basis, no facts, just out there running around. That should be something that President Trump is very concerned about, and certainly I am as well.

These are not "outright threats." There are no threats of violence. This is the wining party announcing that they will exercise oversight -- something that has been missing in Congress for nearly two years now. The administration has been breaking rules -- continues to break rules -- and the incoming Congress is noting that those days are over and that there will be investigations. A threat?

A threat would be, "You do this or we're doing that." There's no threat. There is simply the announcement that this Congress intends to follow the law and, of course, nothing could trouble Toad Blanche more than someone wanting to follow the law.

BASH: Yes, well, they are they are talking about investigation as part of their oversight role that is prescribed by the Constitution, which you know is very well laid out.  Is that what you're concerned about?

BLANCHE: Wait. Hold on a second. Sorry.

BASH: Or you're concerned about something else?

BLANCHE: Wait, wait, wait, wait. No, no, no, no, no. They have a very unique role in oversight. I agree. Have you been listening to the rhetoric the past couple days? You honestly think that all they're doing is talking about their oversight obligations when they're talking about going after basically every member of the Cabinet, they're talking about impeachments, they're talking about going after companies, private companies who happen to have made investments in this country over the past couple of years?  That is not oversight. I welcome oversight. Oversight is exactly something they should be doing.

No, he doesn't welcome oversight. He's made that obvious in the case journalist Katie Phang has brought against him over the release of The Epstein Files. He has refused to comply repeatedly with the judge's orders in that case. Blanche does not welcome oversight, he instead attempts to elude it.

BASH: So are you saying that you are going to investigate them? And what you just described, is there a crime there?

BLANCHE: Well, what I just -- it depends on what's said.  So, yes, there could be. You have free speech in this country. You are you are allowed to be critical of President Trump, of me, of this administration. But when the threats become so vile and so dangerous that you are telling people in college that they better be careful if they want to work in the Trump administration because somebody will come after them, at some point, you have to draw the line. And I'm not saying that -- necessarily that every case is going to be prosecuted, but we have a real problem at this -- in this country if a young person in college is getting threatened by a United States senator that, if they go to work for President Trump, they're going to be subjected to investigations and lawyers.  You have an incoming chairman threatening without -- they're not even in charge yet -- saying "Lawyer up" to anybody in particular. So, if that doesn't bother you, if that doesn't bother your viewers, then we really need to kind of wake up in this country, because it certainly bothers me.

BASH: So what Democrats argue is the record that you have so far in the Justice Department is going after some of the president's perceived enemies in court, without success, from James Comey, to Letitia James, even a former Olympian who was accused of vandalism at the Reflecting Pool, which was dismissed.  So, how is the way that the DOJ is going after, unsuccessfully, the president's perceived enemies any less sort of egregious, to use the way that you described it, than what they're doing?

BLANCHE: You selectively talked about three cases over the past two years...

BASH: Those are just examples.

BLANCHE: ... as opposed to the -- as opposed to the thousands and thousands of cases this Department of Justice has brought over the past two years. There's a reason why crime is at historic lows. And while you can spend your time on Sunday morning talking about two investigations and two cases, one of which is ongoing, by the way, and cases where, by the way, this Department of Justice dismissed the charges against that Olympian -- so after there was charges brought and new information came to light...

BASH: Yes. Yes.

BLANCHE: ... the charges were dismissed.

BASH: A judge also said that he would dismiss it also.

BLANCHE: So while it's easy for -- while it's easy for you to talk about -- while it's easy for you to talk about...

BASH: But I'm talking about the -- in terms of politics and perceived political enemies, which is what you're bringing up here.  But I do want to ask you about another thing that the president said. He said that the Democratic lawmakers are extortionists and they should be imprisoned. Is that a possibility?

BLANCHE: Well, it depends on what the -- what the crime is and what they have done.  But, listen, what President Trump is talking about -- and it's easy -- it's easy to sit here and talk about the president's TRUTHS without actually talking about what he's responding to -- is you have members of Congress who after Tuesday have done nothing but threaten everything that's happening in this administration.
That is not governing. That is not leading. That is not oversight. I mean, you have Stephen Miller getting promoted to chief of staff, and, within moments, within moments, the leaders of the Senate and the Congress start threatening him, OK? That's not oversight. That's not governing. That's not leading. That's actually a disappointment.  And it's sad. And the president has every right...

Yes, real accountability is sad for a crook like Toad who doesn't respect the law or his position as Attorney General. He's either too stupid or too crooked to grasp what his role is supposed to be -- probably a combination of too stupid and too crooked. What he is doing is threatening Congress. It's not going to work because Congress has the law and the Constitution on their side. But he thinks he can threaten and bully and scare because that's how he and Chump and the rest of the administration have behaved for nearly two years now.

Let's wind down with this from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:

Lawmakers amplify concerns raised by state student loan ombudspersons in 7 states and D.C.

“Failures in federal student loan servicing have repeatedly posed severe and costly problems for American families”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) led 31 colleagues on a letter to Department of Education (ED) Secretary Linda McMahon highlighting serious concerns regarding the federal student loan servicing system that were recently raised by a coalition of eight state Student Loan Ombudspersons.

“Failures in federal student loan servicing have repeatedly posed severe and costly problems for American families. . . . Rather than tackle these servicing failures, the Trump administration has enabled more to occur,” wrote the lawmakers.

In September 2026, the Student Loan Ombudspersons in Massachusetts, Washington, California, Oregon, Nevada, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, and Illinois sent a letter to Secretary McMahon highlighting “recurring systemic problems involving income-driven repayment (IDR) plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) that materially affect borrowers’ payment obligations, loan balances, and access to forgiveness.” The Ombudspersons raised a host of specific issues, including inaccurate calculations of monthly payments, loan balances, and IDR payment counts, and severe delays in the processing of IDR applications.

“The scale and severity of the errors documented by the Student Loan Ombudspersons—and their recommended solutions—demand immediate consideration and a meaningful response,” concluded the lawmakers.

Federal representatives from all eight jurisdictions represented by the Ombudspersons signed the letter. In addition to Senator Warren and Representative Pressley, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), along with U.S. Representatives Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Lou Correa (D-Calif.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Val Hoyle (D-Ore.), Emily Randall (D-Wash.), and Kim Schrier (D-Wash).

Senator Warren has led the fight to make our higher education system more affordable, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable for incompetence and malfeasance. She launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education:

On October 6, 2026, following a push by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle ED via interagency agreement.
On September 3, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) raised their concerns in a letter to Department of Education (ED) Secretary Linda McMahon about ED’s use of the $1 billion that Republicans’ One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act(OBBBA) allocated to ED for student loan administration. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined the letter as well.
On August 27, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) led a group of senators in investigating federal student loan servicer MOHELA on the company’s plans to address the false delinquency notices that it reportedly sent to numerous student loan borrowers.
On July 30, 2026, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s bipartisan 21-1 vote to advance Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bill Cassidy’s (R-La.) College Transparency Act out of committee, Senator Warren released the following statement.
On July 21, 2026, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced the Accreditation Reform and Enhanced Accountability Act of 2026 (AREAA). The legislation would take steps to reduce student debt and protect students and taxpayers by reforming higher education accreditation and centering student outcomes and consumer protection. On July 16, 2026, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Francis Brooke, nominee to be Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Treasury, to answer basic questions about the largest student loan default crisis in recorded history, which the Treasury Department has now inherited as part of President Trump’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. Mr. Brooke was unable to answer questions about the size of the default crisis and potential effects on Social Security benefits for seniors with defaulted loans.
On July 16, 2026, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Francis Brooke, nominee to be Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Treasury, to answer basic questions about the largest student loan default crisis in recorded history, which the Treasury Department has now inherited as part of President Trump’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. Mr. Brooke was unable to answer questions about the size of the default crisis and potential effects on Social Security benefits for seniors with defaulted loans.
On July 6, 2026, in response to a May 2026 request from U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent government watchdog, confirmed it would investigate whether the Trump administration’s dismantling of the Department of Education (ED) is harming ED’s ability to root out waste, fraud, and abuse of Title IV financial aid funds.
On June 8, 2026, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Merkley (D-Ore.), along with Representatives Pressley (D-Mass.) and Carson (D-Ind.), led 62 members of Congress in pressing the Department of Education to immediately address the largest student loan default and delinquency crisis on record, which has been made worse by the Trump administration’s policies.
On May 28, 2026, in response to a request from Senator Warren (D-Mass.), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent government watchdog, confirmed the expansion of its investigation into the Department of Education’s (ED) transfer of critical programs to other agencies through interagency agreements (IAAs), including the transfer of student loan default collections to the Department of the Treasury. GAO previously confirmed it had initiated an investigation into ED’s transfer of grant programs for career and technical education and adult education to the Department of Labor.
On May 21, 2026, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to open a new investigation into whether the Trump administration’s dismantling of the Department of Education (ED) is harming ED’s ability to root out waste, fraud, and abuse of Title IV financial aid funds.
On May 4, 2026, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released new responses from the Department of Education and the Treasury Department demonstrating that the agencies cannot articulate a clear purpose or plan for implementing their illegal interagency agreement (IAA) transferring the administration of federal student loans to the Treasury.
On April 28, 2026, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pressed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s new Student Loan Ombudsman, Geoffrey Gradler, on his plan to protect student loan borrowers, especially given his past censorship of a key student loan report at the CFPB and his background as a lobbyist for lenders. The senators also asked him to recuse himself from past clients’ matters that might come before his office at the CFPB.
On April 2, 2026, Senators Warren, Sanders, Wyden, Murray, and Baldwin—all top Democrats on influential education committees—pressed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to rescind their plans to move the administration of federal student loans to the Treasury Department, the latest move in the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.
On February 23, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), along with Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), released a response from the Department of Education (ED) to their November letter regarding a potential sale of the federal student debt portfolio.
On February 19, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) pushed Education Secretary Linda McMahon on concerns that the U.S. Department of Education is apparently obstructing Congressional efforts to hold federal student loan servicers accountable for underperformance.
On February 2, 2026, Senator Warren released a new report revealing the findings of their investigation into how private student loan lenders will reap the benefits from cuts to federal student loan access enacted in Republicans’ Big, Beautiful Bill (OBBBA). The report is the first Congressional analysis of the impacts of the OBBBA’s student loan restrictions on the private lending market.
On January 22, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) led their Senate colleagues in demanding answers from Trump Education Secretary Linda McMahon about the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate affordable student loan repayment options for millions of Americans.
On December 8, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in writing to the federal student loan servicers to ensure they are providing borrowers with the customer service they deserve in the wake of the Trump administration’s student loan policy whiplash. The senators sent letters to MOHELA, Nelnet, EdFinancial, Maximus, and CRI.
On December 1, 2025, Senator Warren published an op-ed in USA Today calling for Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to resign following the recent news that President Trump and Secretary McMahon plan to further dismantle the Department of Education (ED).
On November 17, 2025, Senator Warren led over 40 of her colleagues in a letter urging Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to immediately end any plans to sell or transfer the federal student loan portfolio to the private market.
On November 10, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in a letter urging the Trump administration to use the IRS’s existing legal authorities to stop the looming “tax bomb” facing borrowers who obtain income-driven repayment (IDR) discharges of their student loan debt.
On October 15, 2025, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) led 70 members of Congress in a letter calling on the Trump administration to address the ongoing and unprecedented wave of student loan delinquencies and defaults, which threatens the financial stability of millions of people and could have disastrous effects on the American economy.
On September 19, 2025, following a push by Senator Warren and nine other senators, the Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education agreed to open an investigation into DOGE’s infiltration of internal systems, including the scope of its access to sensitive student loan borrower information and its impact on borrowers’ rights and privacy.
On August 26, 2025, Senator Warren led colleagues in sending a follow-up letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon condemning the Department of Education for deliberately hiding the “Submit a Complaint” button on the Office of Federal Student Aid’s website, firing employees responsible for providing customer service to borrowers and families and misleading Congress about the scope of these firings.
On August 4, 2025, Senator Warren led eight Senators in pressing major private student loan lenders on their plans to serve the incoming surge of borrowers who will be pushed to the industry because of Republicans’ recently passed “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
On July 17, 2025, Senator Warren released a new 23-page report, “Education At Risk: Frontline Impacts of Trump’s War on Students,” highlighting warnings from 11 major national education and civil rights organizations on the impact of the Trump Administration’s dismantling of the Department of Education (ED), slashing support to millions of American students, primary and secondary school teachers, administrators, parents, and student loan borrowers.
On July 15, 2025, Senators Warren and Sanders, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, urging her to reverse the interest hike on student loan borrowers in the SAVE forbearance.