Musk tenure ends awkwardly with report of drug use

Summary

Episode Summary: "Musk Tenure Ends Awkwardly with Report of Drug Use"

Release Date: May 31, 2025
Host: Rachel Maddow
Podcast: The Briefing with Jen Psaki by MSNBC

In this compelling episode, Rachel Maddow delves into the tumultuous end of Elon Musk's tenure as a presidential advisor, spotlighting new allegations regarding his drug use. The episode weaves through political hypocrisy, the handling of addiction issues by prominent figures, and the broader implications of Musk's reported behavior on his professional relationships and governmental roles.

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Elon Musk's Alleged Drug Use and Tenure in the White House

Maddow opens the discussion by contrasting President Trump's public appearances with those of President Joe Biden, emphasizing the somber mood at Biden's event honoring veterans. The spotlight quickly shifts to Elon Musk, whose tenure in the Trump administration has come under intense scrutiny following a New York Times report detailing extensive drug use.

Key Points:

• New Allegations: The New York Times reported that Musk's drug consumption included ketamine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, and Adderall, allegedly affecting his health and behavior [02:45].
• Behavioral Impacts: Reports suggest Musk exhibited erratic behavior, such as insulting cabinet members and displaying Nazi-like gestures during interviews [02:56].
• Government Security Concerns: Musk's use of these substances raises questions about his security clearance and the potential conflicts of interest arising from his dual roles in business and government [15:25].

Notable Quotes:

• Elon Musk on Addiction: “[...] I have addiction” [03:03].
• Jim Acosta on the Issue: “If he’s using all of those things together, I mean, that can be a toxic brew for disaster” [13:29].

Political Hypocrisy in Addressing Addiction

The episode critically examines the differing responses of Donald Trump and Joe Biden to issues of addiction within their circles, highlighting a stark contrast in empathy and policy approaches.

Key Points:

• Trump's Stance: While Trump aggressively targets Hunter Biden's struggles with addiction, advocating extreme measures like the death penalty for drug dealers, he appears indifferent to similar allegations against his allies [07:55 – 09:41].
• Biden's Response: In contrast, Biden has publicly mourned personal losses and expressed support for his son Hunter, despite facing political attacks that exploited Hunter's addiction [02:45 – 03:17].
• Republican Double Standards: Republicans are criticized for their relentless scrutiny of Biden's family while remaining silent or dismissive about allegations against allies like Musk [17:44 – 18:44].

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump on Drug Dealers: “Under my plan, unless you have the death penalty for drug dealers, you'll never get rid of the drug problem” [09:13].
• Rachel Maddow on Hypocrisy: “Trump has one set of rules for the people around him and another for basically everybody else” [09:41].

The Oval Office Meeting and Its Aftermath

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the bizarre Oval Office meeting between Trump and Musk, which included unexpected behaviors and culminated in Musk's departure from the administration amidst controversy.

Key Points:

• Ceremonial Oddities: The meeting featured Trump wearing a novelty "Doge Father" T-shirt, giving Musk a gold key, and displaying unusual behavior such as lingering glances and a black eye attributed to Musk’s son [07:10 – 10:23].
• Media Confrontation: During the meeting, journalist Jim Acosta confronted Musk about the NYT allegations, leading to a strained and evasive exchange [12:31 – 13:40].
• Impact on Tesla and Musk’s Brand: The episode questions whether Musk's alleged drug use and erratic behavior have irreparably damaged his professional reputation and his company’s standing [19:00 – 20:30].

Notable Quotes:

• Musk’s Evasive Answer: In response to the drug use report, Musk deflected by attacking the New York Times’ credibility, referencing their coverage of "Russiagate" [07:19 – 07:55].
• Jim Acosta on Reporting: “If the reporting is correct, that’s problematic. And I think the journalists have a duty to ask” [17:44].

Broader Implications and Legacy of Musk’s Tenure

Maddow explores the long-term consequences of Musk's actions while in office, including potential damage to governmental operations and international relations.

Key Points:

• Security Breaches: Musk’s team, referred to as the "DOGE team," reportedly accessed sensitive government databases, leading to security vulnerabilities [06:40 – 07:10].
• Foreign Aid Cuts: The administration’s termination of over 80% of foreign aid grants has been linked to humanitarian crises, with estimates of 300,000 deaths resulting from these cuts [06:40 – 07:10].
• Future of Musk’s Involvement: Despite the controversies, Trump indicated that Musk and his associates might not entirely exit their governmental roles, leaving uncertainties about their continued influence [10:13 – 10:23].

Notable Quotes:

• Rachel Maddow on Foreign Aid: “Those cuts [...] have already resulted in about 300,000 deaths, most of them children” [07:10 – 07:20].

Interview with Don Lemon: Reflecting on Musk’s Interview

Don Lemon joins Maddow to reflect on his prior interview with Musk, providing insights into the journalist’s perspective on the unfolding situation.

Key Points:

• Premonition in Interview: Lemon recalls how his earlier questioning of Musk about his ketamine prescription proved prescient in light of the NYT's later reporting [14:11 – 15:25].
• Journalistic Responsibility: Lemon emphasizes the importance of holding powerful figures accountable, irrespective of their personal relationships or political affiliations [17:44 – 18:44].

Notable Quotes:

• Don Lemon on Ketamine Use: “He uses it to deal with depression” [15:25].

Donald Trump’s Military Parade and Its Controversies

Shifting focus, the episode covers President Trump’s plans to host a grand military parade in Washington, D.C., overshadowing the annual Vietnam Veterans ceremony.

Key Points:

• Parade Preparations: Trump’s military parade, scheduled for his 79th birthday, is set to include tanks, armored vehicles, helicopters, and thousands of troops, costing an estimated $45 million [32:43 – 33:07].
• Impact on Veterans: The parade's construction forces the relocation of the Vietnam Veterans ceremony to Virginia, eliciting strong emotions from veterans and their families [36:48 – 37:01].
• Administrative Overreach: Trump’s executive orders aim to replace longstanding traditions with displays that reflect his personal glorification, disregarding the historical significance and respect owed to veterans [33:00 – 36:48].

Notable Quotes:

• President Trump on Parade: “We're going to have to try and top it. But we had a lot of planes going over. We had a lot of military might” [32:43 – 33:07].
• Veteran’s Wife on Parade: “I don’t feel anger. I think I’m just really sad. But I’m still going to honor my husband” [34:23 – 34:33].

Youth-Led Climate Lawsuit Against the Trump Administration

In addition to political controversies, the episode highlights a significant lawsuit filed by young climate activists challenging Trump’s environmental policies.

Key Points:

• Lawsuit Details: Twenty-two plaintiffs aged 7 to 25 have sued the Trump administration, arguing that the rollback of environmental protections infringes on their constitutional rights to a clean and healthful environment [37:01 – 39:03].
• Personal Impact: Activist Ripley shares personal experiences of how climate change has directly affected her life in Montana, underscoring the urgent need for environmental reforms [39:03 – 43:16].
• Call to Action: Ripley encourages listeners to support the lawsuit by raising awareness, spreading the word, and advocating for renewable energy solutions [41:05 – 42:26].

Notable Quotes:

• Ripley on Personal Impact: “When I see climate change impact those things that I love to do, it is really impactful on my life, on my mental health and on my physical health as well” [40:20 – 41:05].
• Ripley on Support Needed: “We need support from everyone. And I think this fight is not Gen Z's alone” [42:08 – 43:16].

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Conclusion: This episode of The Briefing with Jen Psaki provides a thorough examination of Elon Musk's controversial departure from the White House amidst serious allegations, juxtaposed with broader political hypocrisy regarding addiction. Additionally, it sheds light on President Trump's grandiose plans overshadowing veterans' honors and the fervent activism of youth challenging detrimental climate policies. Through incisive interviews and pointed analysis, Rachel Maddow and her guests offer listeners a comprehensive understanding of these intertwined political and social issues.

Transcript

[Jim Acosta]

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[Rachel Maddow]

So today, while the current President was in the Oval Office for what I can only characterize as a very strange photo op with his billionaire bestie, the former president, Joe Biden was in Delaware. Now, it's only, of course, a short train ride from Washington. Very just not even two hours. But today it felt like an entirely different universe. Because today in Delaware, at an event honoring veterans, Joe Biden gave his first public remarks since announcing his cancer diagnosis. And that actually wasn't the only reason his remarks were significant.

[Donald Trump]

For the Bidens, this day is the.

[Jim Acosta]

10Th anniversary the loss of my son.

[Rachel Maddow]

Beau spent a year in Iraq. And to be honest, it's a hard day.

[Donald Trump]

Being with all of you, quite frankly, makes things a little bit easier. It really does. So thank you for allowing me to grieve with you.

[Rachel Maddow]

That's right. As the president, former president said, it was 10 years ago today that Beau Biden lost his battle with cancer, which is yet another stark reminder of all the heartbreak Joe Biden has faced throughout his life. From the car crash that killed his first wife and daughter to the loss of his son, to the cancer diagnosis he faces today. And of course, on top of all of that, there's always been the struggle with addiction faced by Joe Biden's only surviving son, Hunter. You probably remember how that struggle was made far more difficult by Joe Biden's political opponents. I certainly remember. You probably remember how for so many years, the Republican Party and its allies in the media would not let us, or him or anyone in their family forget about it.

[Donald Trump]

His son, Hunter, who is A corrupt drug addict, the President's crackhead son.

[Rachel Maddow]

It is so bad Hunter Biden can't afford crack cocaine. Thirst of Hunter Biden on his way.

[Jim Acosta]

To go get a crack pipe.

[Elon Musk]

Imagine this video is mainly smoking crack.

[Rachel Maddow]

But when I say something, how dare you?

[Elon Musk]

He has addiction.

[Rachel Maddow]

I would say all Americans except Hunter Biden that suffer from drug addiction and alcohol addiction would never be placed on boards of companies.

[Donald Trump]

Yeah, I filed a bill to get.

[Elon Musk]

To the bottom of that. We're calling it the Hunter Bill. Stands for helping understand narcotic traces at.

[Rachel Maddow]

The Executive Residents Act. So a lesson in fatherhood. As long as your son is smart, who care if he's a crackhead party boy who leaves a trail of destruction everywhere he goes? So it was aggressive, it was mean, it was unfair, it was over the top. And Hunter Biden had no official role in his father's White House. He also wrote an entire book about his own battle with addiction. That didn't stop Republicans from cruelly and relentlessly attacking him over. It didn't stop Republicans from taking a personal and difficult battle won, by the way, that millions of American families have faced and used it for political fodder. Well, flash forward to today. Those same Republicans, many of whom you just saw, were remarkably silent about some new reporting in the New York Times. Here's the lead. As Elon Musk became one of Donald J. Trump's closest allies last year, he was also using drugs far more intensely than previously known, according to people familiar with his activities. The Times goes on to report that Mr. Musk's drug consumption went well beyond occasional use. He told people he was taking so much ketamine, a powerful anesthetic, that it was affecting his bladder, a known effect of chronic use. He took ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms. And he traveled with a daily medication box that held about 20 pills, including one with the markings of the stimulant Adderall, according to a photo of the box and people who have seen it. Now, NBC has not independently verified that reporting, and the Times reports that it's unclear whether Musk's alleged drug use continued during his time in Trump's White House. But as the story points out, during his time as a presidential advisor, Musk has exhibited erratic behavior, insulting cabinet members, gesturing like a Nazi, garbling his answers in a staged interview. So today, as Elon Musk made his exit sort of from the White House, we're all digesting that completely wild new reporting from the Times. And we're also reflecting on the chaos he's caused during his time in Washington. I mean, his DOGE team gained access to sensitive government databases full of Americans personal information. They got into hostile standoffs with career government workers, and they slashed government programs with very little oversight, the lasting damage of which I suspect we will be learning about for a very long time to come. I mean, the administration says it has terminated more than 80% of all foreign aid grants. And Michelle Goldberg of the New York Times spoke to a global health expert from Boston University who estimated that those cuts, quote, have already resulted in about 300,000 deaths, most of them children, and will most likely lead to significantly more by the end of the year. Now, just for context, 300,000, that's a population roughly the size of Pittsburgh. Roughly 300,000 may have already died as a result of those cuts. And that's just part of the legacy Elon Musk leaves behind today as he says he is stepping back from his role in the Trump administration. Now, today, the president held a kind of weird going away ceremony for Elon Musk in the White House. And it was kind of everything we have come to expect from an Oval Office meeting with Trump and Musk. You can see it on your screen there. I mean, Donald Trump sat behind the Resolute desk while Trump stood over him, weirdly glancing around the room while sporting a novelty T shirt that says the Doge Father. You can see it there a little bit. He also had a very noticeable black eye, which Musk said his son gave him after Musk asked him to punch him in the face. So there it for some reason, Trump gave Musk a shiny gold key. They spent some time commenting on the gold on the ceiling. And at one point, Trump made everyone watch while he played clips of favorable news coverage on a laptop, as one does, I suppose, in the Oval Office if you're Trump. But eventually, Elon Musk was asked a question about the New York Times reporting on his alleged drug use.

[Jim Acosta]

The president mentioned that you had to.

[Journalist]

Deal with all the slings and arrows during your time at doge. There's this New York Times, some of the people you know, some of the media organizations in this room were the, the slingers.

[Elon Musk]

Well, so there is a New York.

[Journalist]

Times report today that accuses you of blurring between Is the New York New York Times. Is that the same publication that got a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting on the Russia gate? Is it the same organization? I gotta check my Pulitzer counter. It is, but so I think that, I think the judge just ruled against the New York Times for their lies about the Russiagate hoax. And that they might have to give back that Pulitzer Prize, that New York Times. Let's move on. Okay, next question.

[Rachel Maddow]

Let's move on. Next question. Now, as weird and jam packed as that bizarre answer was, I'll just note that a judge did not actually rule against the New York Times. Musk is likely referring to a case Trump brought against the Pulitzer Prize board, where the judge recently allowed the case to move forward. Maybe, maybe. But as bizarre as that whole thing was, none of that, as you saw in that video, seemed to bother Donald Trump at all. None of it. None of anything happening in there. Trump does not seem to care about alleged drug abuse when the person accused of doing it is his friend and big donor. But when it comes to everyone else, Trump is pretty harsh. It's not just the attacks on Hunter Biden, which you've already seen. There are plenty of those. Trump has already made cuts to funding for addiction recovery programs. He has proposed further cuts for vital overdose prevention drugs. On top of all of that, Trump has repeatedly claimed he wants to implement the death penalty for drug dealers, at least the ones he doesn't like.

[Donald Trump]

Sir, I heard you want the death penalty for drug dealers.

[Jim Acosta]

Why?

[Donald Trump]

Look, unless you have the death penalty for drug dealers, you'll never get rid of the drug problem. They were involved in selling marijuana, mostly marijuana, and she got like 50 years in jail.

[Jim Acosta]

But she'd be killed.

[Donald Trump]

Under your plan, huh?

[Jim Acosta]

As a drug dealer?

[Donald Trump]

No, no, no. Under my. Oh, under that. If you notice that every country that has the death penalty has no drug problem, they execute drug dealers. And when you think about it, it's very humane. You look at their skin gets eroded, their teeth are. You can tell. I mean, you can see a person that takes a lot of drugs.

[Rachel Maddow]

You can tell. I mean, you can see a person that takes a lot of drugs. You would think that someone who thinks about drug use in those terms would maybe have an issue or a few with these new allegations against Elon Musk. But of course, Trump doesn't care, because Trump has one set of rules for the people around him and another for basically everybody else. And as if to emphasize that point, today, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that even though Elon is supposed to be leaving his government position and everything, we may or may not now know, Trump may let him stay around.

[Donald Trump]

Anyway, many of the Doge people, Elon are staying behind, too. So they're not leaving. And Elon's really not leaving. He's going to be back and forth.

[Rachel Maddow]

I think Elon's really not leaving. He's going to be back and forth, I suppose. And to borrow a phrase from Elon Musk, Trump is basically saying, let's move on. Next question. Don Lemon is standing by. He was one of the first reporters to press Elon Musk about a lot of things, including his alleged drug use, and he joins me live in just 90 seconds.

[Don Lemon]

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[Rachel Maddow]

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[Jim Acosta]

You'Ve admitted that you've had you have a ketamine subscription prescription.

[Journalist]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jim Acosta]

You do?

[Journalist]

Yes.

[Jim Acosta]

What's that for?

[Journalist]

Well, I mean it's pretty private to ask somebody about a medical prescription, you know, but it's, I think it's something I'd say like there are times when I have sort of, I don't know, like a negative chemical state in my, in my brain, like depression I guess. And then ketamine is helpful for getting one outside out of a negative frame of mind. Well listen, in fact I generally, obviously I'm not a Doctor. But I would say if someone has depression issues, they should consider talking to their doctor about ketamine instead of SSRIs.

[Jim Acosta]

You're doing it under a doctor's care, right?

[Journalist]

Yeah, yeah. Literally, it's a prescription from an actual. A real doctor. Not like, you know.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah, but do you. Do you feel like you ever abuse it?

[Journalist]

I don't think so. I mean, if you use too much ketamine, you can't really get work done. You know, I can't really get wasted because I can't get my work done.

[Rachel Maddow]

That was journalist Don Lemon interviewing Elon Musk for the first ever episode of his YouTube show, which was a little over a year ago. And he reflected on the importance of that interview in his subsequent memoir, I Once Was Lost. Joining me now to reflect on it a bit more is Don Lemon. Don, it's great to see you looking back at that exchange with Musk. You wrote about it in your book. You've obviously thought about it. It was prior to his tenure at the White House, of course, but I'd love to get your thoughts in light of the new reporting we saw in the New York Times today.

[Jim Acosta]

Well, that's the first thing I thought about, was the interview, by the way. Thank you for having me on, Jim. The first thing I thought about was the interview when I read the New York Times story, and I said, wow, that was really prescient in that interview. He was not happy with that of questioning, but eventually got to an answer that I thought was that was helpful to a lot of people. And he talked about in the book, and I just want to read this line. He said, the reason I mentioned the ketamine prescription on the X platform was because I thought maybe this is something that could help other people. That's why I mentioned it in the book. I said, that was a great answer. That's one that was worth waiting for. And that's why I kept pressing him, because as he says that, he uses it to deal with depression, doing stories on depression and mental health and pts. We know that guided therapy, as long as it's under a doctor's care or a trained professional's care, can be very helpful. But one of the other reasons, Jen, I always ask him about it is because back then he had government contracts and you have to have a certain level of security and you have to have drug tests. So I wanted to know. And it wasn't. He took umbrage with me asking him, saying it's pretty personal. One of the only reasons I asked is because he had mentioned it and had spoken about it publicly before and had been reported on.

[Rachel Maddow]

You know, just to echo. And you've said this before. You said this during the interview. I've said this, too. I mean, there's been a lot of research, encouraging research about psychedelics and ketamine being one of them, in treating a range of things. PTSD people have been through trauma under a doctor's guidance. I think what was in the Times reporting today was that it was significantly more than that. Right. Which means it's significantly more, according to the Times reporting, than what he admitted to in your conversation a year ago. Right?

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah, yeah.

[Don Lemon]

If that.

[Jim Acosta]

Porting that reporting is correct. Yeah. And it's very dangerous. The reporting mentioned ecstasy, it mentioned Adderall. And listen, I don't have a personal relationship with Elon Musk, so I don't know what he's doing personally. The only time, the only knowledge that I have is what he told me in that interview and what's been reported. But if he's using all of those things together, I mean, that can be a toxic brew for disaster. And look, I'm so glad that you framed it in a way in the beginning to talk about people who are dealing with substance abuse in this country, because many, many people and many, many families are touched, unfortunately, by substance abuse, whether it's alcohol or drugs or prescription drugs. And so I think we need to take the stigma off of that. And if by talking about this, then I think that's good. But considering, as you know, if you have government contracts and you have to have a security clearance, that can be problematic if you're using those drugs and you're doing business with the government and the, and the leader of the free world.

[Rachel Maddow]

Back in my time of applying for security clearance, you couldn't have even smoked marijuana, weed, any number of times in order to get a security clearance. I don't necessarily agree with that, but that's how stringent it typically is. Let me ask you about. I mean, one of the things that struck me and I started the show talking about this a little bit, is that to your point, there are millions of families out there who have dealt with, struggled with, battled through, are still battling through addiction or by a family member. I mentioned, obviously, Hunter Biden, the impact that that has had on Joe Biden and the Biden family. He wrote an entire book about it. He was relentlessly attacked by Trump, by Republicans in a cruel, harsh, over the top way. They were all silent today on the reporting on Elon Musk, the Fact that.

[Jim Acosta]

They think that it's insulting or somehow should not be spoken about or asked about, I think is just too cute by half. It's hypocrisy. And you played the sound bites of everyone mentioning that. Now, again, if the reporting is correct, and the New York Times, of course, is a legit organization, right? One of the most respected newspapers in the world. And the reporters, they don't mess around there. So if the reporting is correct, that's problematic. And I think the journalists have a duty to ask. And I think they have a duty not only to ask Donald Trump, but to ask President Trump because President Trump is a man who hired him. And to ask Republican representatives because they made such a big deal about Hunter Biden and laughed about his addiction when he admitted that he had an addiction. Joe Biden admitted that he had an addiction and said, I stand by my son. And lots of families are dealing with this. So I think it's complete hypocrisy, which is not surprising coming from the Republicans in the MAGA group right now.

[Rachel Maddow]

Let me ask you, I mean, you are one of the most curious people I know. You've been a journalist for many, many years. It feels like there's still a lot we don't know. I mean, if you got another chance to interview Musk or for other people who may interview him, what would you want to know or learn?

[Jim Acosta]

Well, I would want to know what he learned over the last year, if it was worth it to have his company, perhaps to have permanently damaged his. His brand and especially Tesla, in a sense. I would want to know that. Because, Jen, I'll give you an anecdote here. I see people who, you know, you see the stickers on the back of the Teslas, right? Saying, you know, it'll say no, Elon, or this is.

[Rachel Maddow]

Yeah, we have a lot of those in here. Around here, too. Yeah.

[Jim Acosta]

And I have seen people who are ordering Ubers or Lyfts, and if it's the Tesla, they cancel it and they order another car. So I would want to know if it was worth it for him and if it was also worth it for people to pry into his personal life. Because if you reporters, people are going to pry into your personal life if you're in the public eye. So I want to. I would want to ask him that and want to know what the last year for him has been like and why he changed his mind. It seems in that interview where he said, I don't think that I'm going to be involved in political campaigns. And I don't see myself right now donating to any political campaign. And I think $270 million is what he ended giving Donald Trump.

[Rachel Maddow]

True. I mean, he did lose that Wisconsin race, but do you think he's gonna walk? It seems a little unclear. I mean, he had this dramatic event today in the Oval Office. There was another celebration, but it seems a little open on whether he's actually walking away. Trump wants him to walk away or not. And what's exactly gonna happen there moving forward? What do you think?

[Jim Acosta]

Well, I. Look, if I were him, and I'm not, I would be dealing with the business at hand. And I think he can have a much better impact, a bigger impact on society if he actually leans into the businesses that he owns rather than the government. I think that's really important. But he can only work 100. I believe it's 135 days before he has to give financial disclosures or before it becomes a conflict of interest. So if he's going to continue to advise the president or other people in the government, one would think that that would be government employment. And so if. So, if they're going to do that, then is he going to comply with the financial disclosures? And if it's a conflict of interest, is he. And is the administration willing to deal with whatever the consequences from that are.

[Rachel Maddow]

Those are big questions. I don't know that I'd want to do all of that if I were him. Don Lemon, it's great to talk to you, as always. Thank you so much for taking the time.

[Jim Acosta]

It's good to see you. Thank you very much, Jim.

[Rachel Maddow]

Okay, we're gonna take a break, but after that, we're gonna talk about an Iowan. Iowan tells Senator Joni Ernst that Republican cuts to critical programs will cause people to die. The response from Joni Ernst. We're all going to die. It's literally what she said. In all my years in politics, I've really never heard an answer quite like that one. Nathan Sage is running against Joni Ernst in a race for her Senate seat. He was actually in the audience for that town hall. I'm sure she wasn't delighted by that. And he's going to join me next.

[Don Lemon]

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[Prolon]

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[Rachel Maddow]

Warehouse we believe that shoes are an.

[DSW]

Important part of, well, everything from first steps to first dates, from all nighters to all time personal bests.

[Rachel Maddow]

From building pillow forts to building a.

[DSW]

Muddy for all the big and small moments that make up your whole world. DSW is there and we've got just the shoes. Find a shoe for every you from brands you love at brag worthy prices at your DSW store or dsw.com.

[Jim Acosta]

And.

[Rachel Maddow]

Then you can look at Medicaid cuts, Medicaid reforms, I should say Medicaid reforms, I should say forcing millions of Americans to lose their health care. Sorry, can I start over? That was that answer was that was Republican Congressman and Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee someone who should know better than a better way to answer it at least Jason Smith of Missouri struggling to spin the massive Medicaid cuts central to the big Republican budget bill the House passed last week. Now up until this morning, that was the biggest foot and mouth quiet part out loud, Freudian slip moment, whatever you want to call it, we have seen from a Republican about that bill. But this morning one of his fellow Republicans said hold my beer. Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst held her first in person town hall of the year. And even though she held that town hall meeting at 7:30am on a Friday morning, which was on purpose, I AM Certain approximately 100 people showed up. But I bet she wishes she hadn't. And they hadn't. Because during that town hall, while answering a question about how Trump's big budget bill would throw millions of people off Medicaid, Senator Ernst said this they are not eligible. So they will be coming off.

[Prolon]

So people are not well, we all.

[Rachel Maddow]

Are going to die. So for heaven's sakes, for heaven's sakes, folks. For heaven's sakes, folks, calm down. All Senator Ernst said was. Let me just check my notes here. We are all going to die. Literally, what she said. That is certainly one way to spin taking health care away from millions of Americans. Now, saying something like that on a tape in a room full of people would be a bad day for any politician any day of the week. But to make matters worse, for Senator Ernst, among the hundred or so people that attended today's event was this guy.

[Elon Musk]

Out of Iowa, a surprise challenger, Democrat Nathan Sage. I'm fighting for a Democratic party that people like me will actually want to be a part of. People like my dad, myself, my kids, all the people like us, the DC elites, the ruling class, they don't want me. But I think maybe you will. I'm Nathan Sage, dad, mechanic, sports radio host, vet, child of a trailer park in Iowa. And I'm gonna kick corporate Republican Joni Ernst's ass next November.

[Rachel Maddow]

Nathan Sage is the first Iowa Democrat to enter the race to face off against Iowa's Republican Senator Joni Ernst next fall. And he joins me now. Great to see you. That's quite an ad. We debated whether we could play the end, given you had a little curse word in there, but it's spicy in a good way. So let me ask you first. I mean, you were at Senator Ernst town hall today, as I've just mentioned. What was your response in the moment when she tried to spin Medicaid cuts by saying, we are all going to die?

[Elon Musk]

Well, first of all, thank you for having me. I'm still in shock. I'm still pretty pissed off, honestly. What she said was a direct slap in the face to so many working class Americans that are trying to survive and need Medicaid to survive. And clearly, senators like Joanie, backed by billionaires, don't care about us. They don't care, literally, if we live or die now. And that's why I'm here. That's why I'm doing what I'm doing. And that's why I ask people to go to my website, sage4senate.com hit the donate, hit the volunteer, be a part of this movement. Because we need to get politicians like Joni, that don't work for the working class out of there so we can get people like me in there that are going to fight for what's right. And it's literally, literally life and death right now, according to Joni.

[Rachel Maddow]

No, it is life and death around a lot of things around Medicaid cuts and a lot of other things in this bill, also around all of the damage Doge has done. And we started the show talking a little bit about Elon Musk and his sort of departure from Washington. Sen. Ernst is also the head of the Senate Doge Caucus. There's such a thing now that Elon Musk is supposedly, I guess, on his way out. But what do you make of Doge and Senator Ernst, specifically her involvement in all of it?

[Elon Musk]

I think it's ridiculous. I think Joni, who is a veteran, clearly we learned in the military you never leave a fallen comrade, you never leave someone behind, has no problem leaving comrades and fallen men behind. When she's okay with 80,000 VA jobs going away. She talked about today about how all the VA benefits aren't going to go away. Well, you know, when you take 80,000 VA jobs away, you make that the whole VA a little bit slower, a little bit more inefficient. So if you're trying to be inefficient, be efficient with Doge, then you take job. It doesn't make any sense. And at the end of the day, it's to appease billionaires, it's appease the administration, and it's a p to appease the people that, that she has to toe the line for.

[Rachel Maddow]

Let's talk about how you're gonna defeat her. There's still a primary. There's a lot of time to go. But Trump did win Iowa by more than 13 points just a few months ago. Things can change. Political wins can change. But what's your plan to win the state back?

[Elon Musk]

You know, looking at the state of Iowa, Trump won because he talked about lowering the cost of living. And we work. I'm a working class candidate. We have so many working class Americans in Iowa that are just struggling every sing to survive literally every day. The rich keep getting richer, the poor get poorer. We are trying to figure out how to put food on our tables. We're trying to just make ends meet. And that's where we got to start. We got to raise wages, we got to lower cost of health care, we got to lower the cost of daycare. We got to make paid sick leave a real thing. And we just got to make life more affordable. And I feel like that is something that cuts along both lines, both parties. Everybody is affected by it and everybody wants it. Everybody wants a better, bigger piece of the pie. And that's why I'm here, because if you watch my video, you know that I have no problem saying the things that need to be said to get the attention drawn to what we're look what we're fighting for. And we're not going to back down. We're going to keep trying to do what we can to survive because that's what we've been doing this whole time as working class individuals.

[Rachel Maddow]

You said something to my colleague Jonathan Capehart last month. A lot of other people running for office have said something similar. People who are in office, who are in the Democratic Party have said something similar. You said you want to tear the Democratic Party down and build it back up from the studs. Tell us more. I mean, practically speaking, what do you mean by that?

[Elon Musk]

You know, when it looks, we look at Iowa and it seems like there's a lot of dysfunction with the Democratic Party and we have a lot of people that are, the way I look at it are, you know, the elitist or the soft handed doctor's kid or somebody that comes to our neighborhood and says certain things and promises the world. And it doesn't end that way for us. We go through the same cycle over and over and over, over and expect a different result. And I think that we need to make it where we have more working class candidates. We need to overturn Citizens United and allow people like myself and more working class individuals to get into races with that where they have a chance to win. Because that's real representation that the people that, that go through it every day and understand the struggle of everyday life here in Iowa, they, they're the ones that can speak on it and they're the ones that should be representing those people and not having some elitist telling us, you know, how they're going to do something and then it not happen. So I think we start at the lower level. You got to hit grass. You got to meet people in Iowa, you got to meet them in the rural areas. You got to have those conversations. We got to establish a better base of that, especially in the rural areas and get all on the same talking points that we're trying to better life now, not five years from now, not ten years from now, but right now.

[Rachel Maddow]

Nathan Sage, thank you so much for joining me on a Friday night. I really appreciate it.

[Elon Musk]

I appreciate it.

[Rachel Maddow]

Yeah, great having you. Remember that big ridiculous military parade Trump is holding on is birthday in a couple of weeks? Well, it turns out his vanity project is going to displace an annual parade for Vietnam veterans. I'm going to tell you all about it when we come back Two weeks from tomorrow, Donald Trump will finally get the military parade he's been pretty much begging for. Ever the fanboy for the pomp and the glitz of a big show, whatever it looks like. Trump first became enamored with the idea in 2017 after seeing France's military parade on Bastille Day. And even months after attending, he just couldn't get it out of his head.

[Donald Trump]

It was one of the greatest parades I've ever seen. It was two hours on the button and it was military might. Because of what I witnessed, we may do something like that on July 4th in Washington down Pennsylvania.

[Jim Acosta]

I don't know.

[Donald Trump]

We're going to have to try and top it. But we had a lot of planes going over. We had a lot of military might.

[Rachel Maddow]

Now, Trump never got the military parade he envisioned during his first term, though after multiple delays, Trump did manage in 2019 to put on a July 4th salute to America. But it lacked that something special he really, really wanted, like tanks rolling down the streets of Washington, D.C. and all that was due to several factors, like big concerns over costs, the fact that the tanks, weighing nearly 60 tons each, would rip up D.C. roads, and the Pentagon's real alarm, understandably over the optics. I mean, Trump's first secretary of defense, four star General Jim Mattis, reportedly said that he would, quote, rather swallow acid than watch the military parade that Trump wanted. It's quite a memorable quote. And the vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reportedly told colleagues at the Pentagon that the parade that Trump wanted was what dictators do. Well, that was then and this is now. And now Donald Trump has an administration full of yes men and yes women, including a former weekend cable host running the Pentagon. And so Donald Trump will finally get the parade he's always dreamed of. Now, to be clear, plans have been in the works for a while now to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Army. But at some point this year, those plans changed to include the massive parade in D.C. on June 14, which also happens to be Trump's 79th birthday. Go figure. Now, preparations for that event are already underway, and it will reportedly include about 130 vehicles, including tanks, armored fighting vehicles, trucks towing artillery launchers, 50 helicopters, and 9,000 troops. Those troops will be housed in government buildings and will be sleeping on cots and in their own sleeping bags, according to NBC News. They will also be expected to dine on ready to eat rations during their stay here for this parade. I imagine those accommodations have something to do with cost cutting. This is of course, the administration that likes to brag about its focus on cutting wasteful spending. And yet the whole thing is still expected to cost as much as 45 million. A figure, by the way, that doesn't include paying to fix damaged roads, cleanup security. But that's actually not the only cost of Donald Trump's strongman vanity parade. See for more than three decades, veterans of the Vietnam War and their families have held an annual ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans memorial in Washington, D.C. to honor those who served and died. And this year, for the first time, that ceremony is being forced to move out of D.C. to make room for Trump's military parade. This year, the ceremony for Vietnam War vets will be held a few miles away in Virginia and feature a three quarter scale reproduction of the iconic wall memorial. And while many who plan to attend still feel the gesture from the organizers of the ceremony is genuine, and it certainly is, some also feel like it won't be the same. One veteran speaking with Stars and Stripes said, quote, visiting the wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is sacred. This is like putting up a model of the Statue of Liberty. A wife of a veteran told the Washington Post, I don't, I feel anger. I think I'm just, I don't feel anger. I think I'm just really sad. But I'm still going to honor my husband. And another veteran's wife said, I respect the 250th anniversary of the Army. That is not a small deal. But our heroes are being shoved aside. This is no way to honor the army or our country. Amen to that. Coming up, the one lawsuit against Donald Trump you probably haven't heard about. Maybe you have, but it's one with some very young plaintiffs. We're going to talk to one of them when we come right back. Do you remember a few months ago when Donald Trump tried to brand himself as Mr. Clean.

[Donald Trump]

Clean Air, clean water, the cleanest water and the cleanest air. The cleanest water, crystal clean. And I want absolutely clean air. And we had it. We had H2O.

[Rachel Maddow]

We had H2O. Still don't know what that means. But this clean air, clean water tagline was basically Trump's attempt to address how he would combat the growing climate crisis, which is to say, not at all. I mean, just hours after he was sworn into office, Trump signed a bunch of executive orders that, among other things, threatened clean air and water protections, withdrew the US from the Paris climate agreement, and rescinded environmental justice initiat. Months later, Trump signed another executive order that aimed to turbocharge the coal industry and his EPA administrator, Lee Zeldin, rolled back rules that prevent certain types of toxic forever chemicals from leaching into our drinking water, because that just screams clean air and water. Thankfully, there are some leaders in this country who are actively fighting against pollution and for a livable planet. They include a group of young climate activists who have previously filed lawsuits against multiple states and won with the argument that they have a fundamental constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment. Amen. And now they're doing it again. This week, 22 plaintiffs ranging from age 7 to 25 filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over his anti climate executive orders. They argue that Trump's executive orders violate their fifth Amendment rights to life and liberty by infringing on their health, safety and prospects for the future. And joining me now is one of the plaintiffs on that lawsuit, an 18 year old climate activist named Ripley. Ripley, thank you so much for joining me. And let me just start by saying I am so impressed with you. I mean, when I was 18, I was not filing lawsuits. I was not as concerned about the climate as I should be. So your parents and your community must be so incredibly proud of you. And thank you for being here with me tonight. But let me ask you, I mean, your fellow activists have joined and won several lawsuits before, but this is the first time you've become a plaintiff in this way. Tell me what inspired you to do it and what does it feel like?

[I]

Right. Well, it's extremely exciting, frankly. And what inspired me to do it is that I have been doing climate activism for many years and I have witnessed in my own life the way that climate change has impacted me. I've been put on pre event evacuation, having a sheriff come up to my door and tell me to start packing my things in case my house might burn down. I have seen the rivers in my hometown flood to the point where I can't do recreational activities on them. And when I saw, I went up to Helena and I saw the plaintiffs of the Held v. Montana trial, youth in my own state, just like me, taking their state to court and winning. It was incredibly inspiring. So when I got the opportunity to be a part of this case, I jumped on it.

[Rachel Maddow]

It's remarkable. I want to. You live in Montana, as you just mentioned, and one of the actions of the Trump administration has been turbocharging the coal industry and exempting power plants. And you mentioned the impact on your life. I mean, you're a high school student. You're just trying to live your life as anybody your age. What is that like? And what should people understand about how it's impacting you day to day?

[I]

Well, on a day to day basis, it can take quite a huge mental toll. And as I mentioned, I've seen the impacts on my day to day life. As someone who lives in Montana, the outdoors are extremely important to me. I've grown up backpacking with my dad, I've grown up camping, hiking, rafting, doing all of these things. And when I see climate change impact those things that I love to do and that I've done all of growing up, I mean, nature is really just, it's an outlet, it's a place where I can let go of my anxieties. And when I'm prevented from going outside, from doing those things, it is really impactful on my life, on my mental health and on my physical health as well.

[Rachel Maddow]

There are a lot of people watching right now who probably care about the climate crisis as much as you do, who may want to be a part of the but either don't know how or it feels overwhelming to find constructive ways to do so. What would you tell them?

[I]

Absolutely. I mean, it is important to take care of your mental health when you're facing something like climate anxiety. But ultimately there are so many things that you can do to support just in your day to day life. And one of the things that you can do is support cases like this. When youth bring up cases, I mean, this is no small feat. We're suing the President of the United States and we need all hands on deck, frankly. So anything that you can do, going to our children's trust, learning about the case, spreading the word, talking to your social circles about fossil fuels and the harm that they do, and the fact that wind and solar energy are the cheapest and most efficient forms of energy that we have. These are important conversations to be having and things that you can do in your everyday life to support the fight against climate change.

[Rachel Maddow]

Very good instruction. One of the reasons I wanted to talk to you is that it feels to me like there's a lot of weight being put on the shoulders of your generation around the climate crisis. This lawsuit is a good example of that. How do you feel about the weight of that?

[I]

It's a lot of pressure. It's really daunting to have an adult come up to you and say that you are their hope or you're the reason that they're not worried about the future. That is so much pressure. And what I really think is that we need to viewing Gen Z as this golden savior generation that's going to deliver us from the shackles of climate change, because that's not what we are. And we need support. We have a lot of pressure riding on us and we need any sort of support from any sort of people, from all sorts of generations. I mean, older generations hold the political and the financial power right now that younger generations like Gen Z don't hold. So it's very important that we have support from everyone. And I think that this fight is not Gen Z's alone.

[Rachel Maddow]

Ripley, I'm betting you inspired a ton of people watching. So thank you so much for joining me explaining this court case and why it's so important to you personally. I really appreciate it. Coming up, Donald Trump is trying to fire the director of the National Portrait Gallery. And you'll never guess why. You may guess why, but I'm going to tell you why after a quick break. The National Portrait gallery in Washington, D.C. has a home for every president, every first lady, from the portrait of George Washington on the $1 bill to Kehinde Wiley's portrait of Barack Obama and the portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama by Amy Sherrill, a black female artist. That one featured in a viral photo of a two year old girl. You can see her right there named Parker, staring at the first lady thinking she looked like a queen, which is an amazing photo. The National Portrait Gallery is part of the Smithsonian Institution, opened to the public more than a half century ago. But in his ongoing assault on federally funded arts and humanities, President Trump is trying to fire the National Portrait Gallery's director. Her name is Kim Sayet. She's the first woman to hold the role, and during her time in charge, she has worked on improving the museum's communications in Spanish and focused on diversifying the art and artists in their collection, which is a great thing. Trump's announcement of her firing also comes as the National Portrait Gallery is set to host a Family Pride event just this weekend. Trump might not even have the authority to fire her, but it's no surprise that Trump is targeting say it for being, as he calls her, a strong supporter of dei. In March, Trump signed an executive order saying in part that DC's museum visitors should not be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that destroy, distort our shared history. It's not clear whether that means he would just prefer more portraits of himself in there telling our history, or if he wants to make sure that there are no more moments like this one where little kids come to the gallery and look up and see someone who looks like them. That does it for me tonight.

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