Trump's corruption becomes a campaign issue as GOP Congress flunks on accountability

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Episode: Trump's corruption becomes a campaign issue as GOP Congress flunks on accountability
Date: April 23, 2026
Host: Jen Psaki (MSNOW)
Guests: Lawrence O’Donnell (MSNBC), Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jen Psaki and guest host Lawrence O’Donnell delve into the mounting corruption scandals facing Donald Trump’s administration as the 2026 midterms approach. The focus is on the lack of Republican congressional accountability, the potential for Democratic oversight should they reclaim the House or Senate, and the real-time impact of Trump’s personal and family entanglements on American politics and policy. Key interviews with Senators Jon Ossoff and Cory Booker contextualize these issues within electoral politics and the ongoing war with Iran.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Democrats Gain Ground in Virginia; Redistricting and the Fight for Accountability

[00:59-04:13]

• Virginia voters approve a new congressional map, likely netting Democrats four new House seats—potentially flipping control in November.
• A judge has blocked the map, but an appeal is expected to succeed.
• O'Donnell underscores the significance: “Last night, voters in Virginia made clear they are not going to lay down and allow Trump to hold onto power in Congress through any means he chooses.”
• The new map levels the playing field for the House, and if Democrats win back control, “that means subpoena power, investigations, and real accountability for Trump’s White House.”

2. Trump’s Foreign Entanglements & Potential Treasury Bailout to the UAE

[04:13-07:11]

• New Wall Street Journal report reveals the UAE's request for a U.S. currency swap — i.e., a financial bailout.
• The UAE holds nearly a 50% stake in “World Liberty Financial,” the Trump family’s crypto business, involving $2 billion in deposits and deep financial ties.
• Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessant, pleads ignorance about the staggering conflicts of interest.
• O'Donnell: “This is the heart of the president’s family business…crypto now accounts for the majority of Trump’s net worth.”

3. More Conflicts: Rare Earth Deal, IRS Lawsuit, White House Fundraising

[07:11-13:15]

• Senator Chris Van Hollen attempts to grill Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about a controversial rare earth mineral deal involving his family’s firm, Cantor Fitzgerald.
• Ongoing $10 billion Trump lawsuit against the IRS—Justice Department appears ready to settle, creating another massive conflict as Trump’s former personal attorney leads the DOJ.
• Lack of transparency about hundreds of millions in White House ballroom fundraising; donor identities shielded.

4. Senator Jon Ossoff Interview: Fighting Corruption and Tying it to Voters’ Lives

[13:15-24:24]

• Ossoff lambasts the “Mar-a-Lago mafia” and explains that American politics is now “coin-operated. Money goes in, favors come out.” [13:15]
• Lays out how Emirati money is entangled in US policy, naming Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and their direct business with Middle Eastern royalty.
• Quote: “The way that UAE money from Emirati royals has compromised this White House is astonishing. It may be one of the most significant scandals in American history.” [17:06 — Ossoff]
• Connects policy decisions (Medicaid cuts, insurance losses) to systemic corruption and the interests of the mega-rich: “That corruption… is so corrosive to people’s quality of life, their standard of living, and also to their confidence in the political system.” [20:42 — Ossoff]
• With Democratic control comes the power to call for real testimony and oversight: “For the sake of governing the United States… there has to be accountability.” [22:35 — Ossoff]

5. Accountability, the Senate Map, and 2028 Speculation

[21:17-28:57]

• Ossoff commits to investigations if Democrats flip the Senate: “It’s going to be necessary for the folks who are doing wrong right now and lining their own pockets… to testify under oath and to be held accountable.” [22:04]
• Dismisses speculation about a 2028 presidential run, warning that without fair midterm outcomes in 2026 there may not be a “free and fair presidential election in 2028.” [28:09]
• Repeated appeals to listeners for campaign support.

6. Senator Cory Booker Interview: War, Congressional Paralysis, and FBI Overreach

[32:09-44:32]

• Booker is incensed over the lack of congressional oversight during the war with Iran, as Senate Republicans enable Trump’s unchecked power.
• Quote: “Republican leadership is called no open hearings, no sufficient accountability, no substantive oversight. They are kowtowing to a president and allowing him into a reckless war.” [32:09 — Booker]
• Critiques the economic impact of the Iran war, calling it a “colossal and costly blunder… one of the worst presidential decisions to go to war that we’ve ever seen in American history.” [34:07]
• Denounces the apparent misuse of the FBI for retaliatory purposes (targeting a NYT reporter covering Kash Patel’s personal life): “It’s an abject abuse of power and a chill of the First Amendment.” [40:30]
• Decries the “woefully underqualified” Trump cabinet and the increasing number of scandals: “Trump hired a woefully underqualified cabinet and key positions… now the chickens are coming home to roost.” [43:34]

7. Additional Notable Segments

• Reports on ousters in the Pentagon during wartime; Pete Hegseth’s “combative managerial style” and dismissals of top military officials. [31:04+]
• Ongoing attacks on voting rights and the looming threat of further election interference heading into November.
• Trump’s online response to Virginia losses—claiming “a rigged election” and signaling likely escalation of rhetoric closer to Election Day. [24:24]

---

Memorable Quotes

• Lawrence O’Donnell [01:58]: "No matter what dirty tricks are tried... over and over again, people in this country are showing up and making clear they have had enough of Trump's accountability-free administration."
• Senator Jon Ossoff [13:15]: "Never before have we seen so little effort to hide so much corruption. The Mar-a-Lago mafia has taken American corruption to spectacular new heights."
• Senator Jon Ossoff [17:06]: “The way that UAE money…has compromised this White House is astonishing. It may be one of the most significant scandals in American history.”
• Senator Cory Booker [32:09]: "They are kowtowing to a president and allowing him into a reckless war with grave consequences and a shredding of our constitutional intent."
• Senator Cory Booker [40:30]: "It's an abject abuse of power and a chill on the First Amendment."
• Senator Jon Ossoff [28:09]: “I have zero interest in running for president in 2028. … If we do not restore checks and balances in these midterm elections, I don’t know that we have a free and fair presidential election in 2028.”

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:59-04:13] – Opening, Virginia redistricting, and stakes for the House
• [04:13-07:11] – Trump, UAE cryptocurrency entanglement, potential bailout
• [07:11-13:15] – Rare earth company deal, IRS lawsuit, White House fundraising secrecy
• [13:15-28:57] – Senator Jon Ossoff interview: corruption, investigations, Senate control, 2028
• [28:57-32:09] – Return to war coverage, Pentagon leadership turmoil
• [32:09-44:32] – Senator Cory Booker interview: unaccountable Congress, economic fallout of war, FBI abuses, SPLC DOJ charges, and cabinet scandals

---

Overall Tone & Takeaways

• Urgency and frustration pervade the episode, with both hosts and guests emphasizing the scale of Trump-era corruption and the critical importance of the 2026 midterm elections in restoring congressional oversight.
• The guests’ language is direct and often cutting, repeatedly using terms like “corruption,” “abuse of power,” “reckless,” and “unprecedented.”
• The threat to democratic institutions—from unchecked executive power, to the weaponization of federal law enforcement, to the erosion of voting rights—is cast as both immediate and existential.
• Both senators argue that corruption is not only pervasive but deeply entwined with everyday American hardships, amplifying inequality and undermining faith in government.

---

Conclusion

This episode of The Briefing with Jen Psaki offers a sharp, detailed look at the political and ethical crises gripping Washington, focusing on the Trump administration’s conflicts of interest, lack of congressional oversight, and how these issues are likely to shape the crucial 2026 midterm elections. The message is clear: restoring accountability depends on voter action and, ultimately, shifting the balance of power in Congress.

Transcript

[Freedom From Religion Foundation Announcer]

America is an idea. For 250 years, that idea has helped expand our rights and our freedoms, but progress isn't guaranteed. Today. Those founding principles are being challenged by efforts to mix religion and government. The Freedom From Religion foundation is working to protect the Constitution and keep power where it belongs, with we the people. Visit FFRF US MSNOW or text MSNOW to 511-511-Text MSNOW to 511-51-511 and keep state and church separate. Text fees

[Abercrombie Kids Advertiser]

School's almost out and at Abercrombie Kids, new warm weather staples are in. It's a one stop shop for everything on their checklist, like tees, shorts and swim. So planning what they'll wear is a breeze. For outfits that keep up with them and easier mornings for you, stop by Abercrombie Kids, Shop in the app, online and in stores.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Okay. Did you think this administration couldn't get any crazier? Did you think we'd reach the ceiling on the super crazy if you did, I'd ask you to consider the headlines we've gotten just in the last couple of hours today. I mean, Pete Hegseth has just ousted the Secretary of the Navy at a time when the US Is enforcing a massive naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. And then there's this story from the New York Times reporting that the FBI tried to investigate a journalist after she wrote about Kash Patel's 20 something year old girlfriend receiving all sorts of government perks like say, a SWAT team security detail that escorted her around, including when she was going out at night. We're gonna have Senators Cory Booker and Senator Jon Ossoff here tonight to discuss all of that and much more. But first, I just have to start with Virginia because last night the voters in Virginia did something really big. They approved a new congressional map, a map that nets Democrats four more likely seats in the House of Representatives. And just to put this in perspective of what it means nationwide, as the New York Times put it, going into last night, Republicans had a two to three seat edge in the House of Representatives. But Virginia's new map after redistricting, I should say. But Virginia's new map leaves the national redistricting war at roughly a draw. So that's a big deal. Now, I should note that a judge has temporarily blocked Virginia's new map, but that decision is likely to be appealed and that appeal seems likely to win. So the bottom line is this. Last night voters in Virginia made clear they are not going to lay down and allow Trump to hold onto power in Congress through any means he chooses. They made the midterms a fair fight. Now, to be clear eyed, Trump and his minions are not giving up either. They're going to try to gerrymander more Trumpy states. I mean, Florida is their next target. And Trump clearly has plans to mess with the elections themselves. We all know that. We'll keep talking about it. But here's what we've seen so far in election after election. No matter what dirty tricks are tried, no matter the intimidation tactics and the disinformation, over and over again, people in this country are showing up and making clear they have had enough of Trump's accountability, free administration and had enough of the spineless leaders in Congress who blindly follow him and allow him to do many of the things he continues to do. And to be clear, after last night, the Democrats have never been in a better position to win back the House of Representatives in November. And yeah, Trump would still be in the White House. He would. But control of the legislative branch of government means subpoena power. It means investigations. It means people will be in charge who are actually going to hold the President and his administration to account. And that matters now more than maybe ever before. Let me tell you what I mean. I mean, earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal broke the news that the United Arab Emirates is asking the United States to throw them a financial lifeline to use something called a currency swap to buoy the UAE's economy. Well, last night Trump said he's considering it.

[Interviewer]

Is there some type of swap possible to currency swap with the UAE to help if they need it? And do you think there would be backlash because it's such a wealth or perceived to be such a wealthy country? Is that under consideration? It is, but it's been a good country.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

It's been a good ally of ours. Now, the question is, when Trump says that he might use the U.S. treasury to prop up the UAE because in his words, it has been such a good ally, does he mean such a good ally to the United States of America or does he mean to Donald Trump personally? Because, I mean, four days before Trump was inaugurated last year, an investment firm tied to a member of the UAE's royal family paid half a billion dollars for a 49% stake in the Trump family cryptocurrency company World Lib Liberty Financial. The Wall Street Journal reports that the way that investment was structured steered $187 million toward Trump family entities. Another $31 million reportedly went to entities affiliated with the family of Steve Witkoff. Yes, Steve Witkoff that guy. One of Trump's top negotiators in the Middle east, whose family co owns World Liberty Financial. Now, a few months after that reportedly happened, an investment firm backed by the UAE provided the Trump and Wyckoff families with yet another another windfall, depositing $2 billion into, you guessed it, World Liberty Financial. Now, both President Trump and Steve Woodkoff say they have divested from World Liberty Financial and have not been involved with the company or any of its deals since Trump took office. And of course, World Liberty Financial says that deals with the firm do not grant investors any access to government decision making of any kind. But here's the thing. This is the heart of the President's family business. His sons, too, these days. This is the heart of it. According to an analysis from Forbes last year, crypto now accounts for the majority of Trump's net worth. World Liberty Financial is the Trump family's crypto company. And according to the Wall Street Journal, the UAE owns nearly 50% of it. The UAE deposited $2 billion in the company, potentially netting the Trump and Wyckoff families tens of millions of dollars in interest a year, as long as the UA doesn't withdraw that money. And now Trump is considering giving his foreign benefactor a huge, enormous financial lifeline on the taxpayer's dime. And his treasury secretary, Scott Besant, who could actually facilitate that lifeline to the uae, is pretending as he does that Trump has no conflict of interest here.

[Senator Chris Van Hollen]

Do you dispute the fact that Sheikh Tanun, through his company, invested $5,500,000,000 in World Liberty Financial just before the President was ignored?

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

No.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

You contest that?

[Senator Cory Booker]

I'm unaware of that.

[Senator Chris Van Hollen]

You're not aware of that?

[Senator Cory Booker]

I'm not aware of that.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Okay, okay, okay. That was today. Besant claim the Secretary of Treasury, he had no clue about any of this. Now, the Wall Street Journal, kind of the paper of record for financial nerds like Besant, wrote a piece laying all of this out in January. But Bessant claimed, yeah, he had no idea. 40 members of Congress even wrote Bessen himself a letter demanding answers on this exact issue two months ago. And yet Bessant sat in front of the US Senate today and still played dumb. But as much as Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen held Bessen's feet to the fire today, and he did, that's all he could do because Democrats are not in the majority. But if Democrats can get the majority in the House this November, that changes letters like this one demanding answers about the UAE's reported stake in the Trump family's crypto business. Those would no longer just be strongly worded letters. Those could become subpoenas. Rather than avoiding questions from Congress, officials from the Trump administration would have to answer Congress's questions, often under oath. And there are a lot of questions that the American public deserves answers to right now. I mean, today, Senator Chris Van Hollen tried to grill Trump's trade secretary about yet another potential corruption scandal. Back in January, the Trump administration bought a stake in a rare earth mineral company, giving the company $277 million in direct funding and another $1.3 billion in loans. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was reportedly central to putting together the deal. And wouldn't you know it, so was Lutnick's old Wall street firm, Cantor Fitzgerald. It was the lead placement agent for the private investor portion of the deal. Now Lutnick himself is divested from the firm, which is currently run by his two adult sons. And the firm Cantor Fitzgerald has not commented on the deal. An official from the Commerce Department said that the deal was negotiated directly between the rare earth mineral company and the government, with no involvement from Cantor Fitzgerald. But again, this is one of the issues where Democrats in Congress have demanded answers, and there are still a lot of questions. Democrats wrote a letter to Lutnick about all of this two full months ago, along with a detailed list of questions. But today in the Senate, Letnick still didn't have any answers ready for them.

[Senator Chris Van Hollen]

Can you respond to the letter? Would you respond to the letter by the end of this month that we sent that lays out some of these questions?

[Senator Cory Booker]

I will take another look at the letter and see if we can work

[MSNow Daily Newsletter Promoter]

together to resolve your issues.

[Senator Chris Van Hollen]

I would appreciate that, Mr. Secretary.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Okay, we'll see. Not holding my breath on that one. Right now, Democrats in Congress are fighting with their hands tied behind their backs, and they are doing a heck of a job trying. But without a majority in either house of Congress, all they can really do is ask the Trump administration to answer their questions. And just asking, clearly that isn't working. I mean, for months now, Democrats have been demanding answers from the treasury and the justice department about Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. Late last week, Reuters reported that the Justice Department and the IRS are actually in talks to settle that lawsuit. So the Justice Department, run by Trump's former personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, is negotiating with Trump's irs, which ultimately answers to Scott Besant. Yeah, we already talked about that guy and his evasiveness and Trump himself negotiating over how many of your tax dollars they should give. Trump Democrats have been Demanding answers as to what exactly is going on there for months. But today, Todd Blanche was asked about, actually, yesterday he was asked about it, and here's what he said.

[Kash Patel]

You have the president in the White House pressing, obviously, for some personal money, and then you have him being your boss. How do you sort of, just broadly speaking, how do you sort of handle that sort of issue?

[Senator Cory Booker]

We handle. The Department of Justice handles complicated decisions involving those type of issues every day, all day. And not just this Department of Justice, every Department of Justice handles issues like that.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Do they? Now? I worked in two White Houses with many attorney generals. I mean, who were in office, who. There you go. No, Justice Department has never had to handle something like that. No, never. That is not an everyday issue. That is a historic, unprecedented act of corruption. And it would be great to be able to show the American people how the sausage is being made there so they can see for themselves just how gross it is. I mean, yesterday the Washington Post published details from the Trump administration's contract governing the fundraising they have done to make Trump's new multi, multi hundred million dollar White House ballroom. You know the one. Not only has the White House declined to disclose the total amount raised and the identities of all the donors, but it has conveniently excluded itself from conflict of interest protections. The White House says that this is all just, it's all just standard procedure and framed the use of private donations as a, quote, boon for taxpayers. But with no transparency here, we have no idea if those private donors are expecting something in return. And judging from the record here, I suspect many of them might be. Again, Democrats have been demanding answers on this front for months, but a subpoena sure would be handy. What voters did last night in Virginia, leveling the playing field for the midterms, that gets Democrats closer to that goal. But given the sheer volume of scandals here, given the unbelievable amount of potentially corrupt actions happening all over the Trump administration right now and how much work it will take to get to the bottom of all of. I think the Democrats can and should shoot for more than just the House. Earlier this month, the Cook Political Report shifted four Senate races toward Democrats, the exact amounts of seats Democrats need to gain for a majority. As the New York Times chief political analyst Nate Cohn put it earlier this week, a Democratic Senate is now a real possibility. It's felt that way more and more over the last couple of weeks. And one of the seats that will be pivotal for Democrats to hold onto to have a shot at that majority is Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff's. And Senator Ossoff is betting that Georgia's voters care about all of this potential corruption, too.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Never before have we seen so little effort to hide so much corruption. The Mar a Lago mafia has taken American corruption to spectacular new heights. But corruption in America runs a lot deeper than Donald Trump, because how does American politics really work? It's coin operated. Money goes in, favors come out.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Joining me now is Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia. There's always so much to ask you about, and especially given the state of corruption in this administration and this country. I want to get to most of that, but first I have to ask you about some news that just broke today, which is that the Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, was ousted, it seems by Pete Hegseth. And this, of course, is coming at a time when the US Is right in the middle of a war with Iran, when we're learning about how long it's going to take to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, even if that's resolved. And this is a long list of firings. What's your reaction to that ouster?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Yeah, thank you again for having me. Jen and I met with Mr. Phelan when he was trying to get confirmed by the Senate. He was not an impressive man or an impressive nominee for that role, and it appears he's not done a good job in that role. In addition to what's happening overseas, they were trying to resuscitate shipbuilding in the United States with very limited success. But what's happening right now in the Strait of Hormuz is a geostrategic and economic calamity and a huge self inflicted wound. It appears that the president has gotten himself stuck and is desperately trying to extricate himself from his own mistake. It is worth Remembering that now 13Americans have been killed in action, hundreds wounded, thousands of civilians killed. Munitions it will take years to replace. Grave damage to our standing and position in the world. And yet the regime in Tehran is still intact, as are their ballistic missile and drone forces, as is their ability to choke off global energy supplies, as is their stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which they only built after President Trump shredded President Obama's Iran deal.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

So you are in the long list of things that Secretary Hegseth has done and the people he's ousted. It doesn't sound like this is the top of your list of concerns.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Look, he has been lying to the American public about this war from day one, as has the president. And they have misled the public about why we're at war. They've misled the public about the progress of the war. And they've executed this operation with astonishing incompetence, doing immense economic damage and undermining our national security.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

No question about everything you just said. And it is all tied, especially given who their negotiators are to, as I referenced, this unbelievable level of corruption. You gave a banger of a speech this weekend where you talked about a lot of this. We just played a clip of that. But I want to ask you about a piece of news that really just broke yesterday, which is that the Trump administration seems to be considering a form of a financial lifeline, I guess you could call it, to the UAE especially. I mean, there's questions about that alone, but especially given the massive financial entanglements of the Trump administration, the Trump family. What do you make of that?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Well, let's call it what it would be, which is a bailout for the United Arab Emirates. The financial entanglement. The way that UAE money, Emirati money from Emirati royals has compromised this White House is astonishing. It may be one of the most significant scandals in American history. Who are the president's two chief negotiators in the Middle East? Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Witkoff and his family are partners. His son, Zach Witkoff, is the key partner in the Trump family crypto business, which has received vast sums of money from Emirati royalty. The spy chief, the national security advisor in the United Arab emirates acquired a 49% stake in that business before the United States agreed to grant the UAE access to our most sensitive AI chips. Then you have Jared Kushner, his private equity firm, Affinity Partners, which, in addition to receiving billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia, has received a lot of Emirati money. The people doing our diplomacy are at the same time doing personal business across the region that's enriching the first family. And meanwhile, my constituents in Georgia are paying $4 for gas, paying more for groceries, rent, power and a meal out at a restaurant than ever before in American history. At the same time, the first families raking in billions of dollars. And my message for everybody out there watching at home is that if you are fed up with the brazen, disgraceful level of corruption and the abuse of power happening in this administration, I need your help in this US Senate race, the most competitive Senate race in the country, where I'm the only Democrat running for reelection in a state that Donald Trump won. Please contribute what you [e-mail], electjon.com One

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

of the messages as you've been out there speaking publicly to constituents and giving speeches is about the impact of the Trump administration's corruption on people like the ones that you represent in Georgia right now, and the impact of that on their everyday lives. It's not just international, that is, it's eye popping, disgusting, insane what you just outlined. It's also domestic. I mean, the corruption. I mean, Trump is currently in talks to settle a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS regarding the leak of his tax returns. And today the attorney general was asked about it and he basically said, we do all sorts of deals like this all the time. This is normal course of business. And I bring that up because as you talk about quite frequently, it's not a one off. It's not just the UAE bailout, it's across the board. What do you make of all of the minions in the administration also? And the impact of that, the president

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

shaking down the US Government, suing the United States and having people that he put in power decide what to do about that. But here's the thing. When you throw people off their health insurance and drive up their insurance premiums and gut the Medicaid program in order to cut taxes for the wealthiest people in the country, that's also corruption. That's the corruption that's endemic in our political system. That's the corruption beneath all of this that predates Donald Trump and indeed, in my view, gave rise to Donald Trump. I just learned today that more than half of a million of my constituents have lost their health insurance this year alone because the administration, instead of wanting to help people afford insurance, wanted to give yet another tax break to the wealthiest people in the country and corporate America. We have a hospital in Georgia that's closing its labor and delivery unit because of the Medicaid cuts. Instead, those funds are going to a tax cut overwhelmingly for the rich. That's corruption. And that corruption is so corrosive to people's quality of life, their standard of living, and also to their confidence in the political system.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

One of the reasons, and I just talked about this, why elections like your race in Georgia and others are so important, is because right now there's no accountability for what we're seeing out of this administration because Congress and senators like yourself can speak out, you can send strongly worded letters, you can cry to band together with Republicans, but you don't have subpoena power right now. Senate Democrats don't, neither does the House. When you think about what can be done, if you are in a Senate majority, you win your seat. Other senators Other challengers win their seats. What does that look like in terms of cracking down on this corruption that we're seeing that's rampant, as you talked about, and holding people to account? Who comes first that you want to question? And what would you want to do first to really change the course of this?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Look, first of all, just checking, the unconstrained abuse of executive power is essential and only possible with a decisive victory in these midterm elections. And then, yes, there's the necessary accountability, the level of misconduct, the scope of misconduct is literally unprecedented in American history. And not out of any sense of vengeance, not for punitive, partisan reasons, but for the sake of governing the United States. Well, it has to be investigated and there has to be accountability. I spent much of the first four years of my term in the Senate investigating wrongdoing in the federal government. I issued a subpoena to compel the testimony of the head of the Bureau of Prisons to look into corruption and civil rights abuses in America's prisons. I had executives at a contractor that ran housing on American military bases testify under oath about how they were mistreating American military families. And it is going to be necessary for the folks who are doing wrong right now and lining their own pockets while they do it to come and testify under oath and to be held accountable.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Is there one person at the top of your list?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

I think there are so many priorities for investigation and oversight. But as I mentioned in my speech on Saturday, the incredible conflicts of interest in the midst of this diplomacy. Like imagine if a sitting ambassador conducting diplomacy for the United States was at the same time asking the Saudi Crown Prince for hundreds of millions of dollars. It is obscene. And there has to be transparency. There has to be investigation. There has to be accountability.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

We have to take a very quick break, but first I wanted to show you something unhinged, I guess, but predictable that the President posted online today. Because one of the things I think everybody needs to be clear eyed about, and we've seen this over and over again, is the more he loses, the more he grows unhinged and thinks about what he wants to do leading up to the election. And he wrote, quote, a rigged election took place last night in the great Commonwealth of Virginia. It's pathetic and desperate sign of things to come. But I'll ask you about that next.

[Freedom From Religion Foundation Announcer]

America is an idea. For 250 years, that idea has helped expand our rights and our freedoms, but progress isn't guaranteed. Today, those founding principles are being challenged by efforts to mix religion and government. The freedom from Religion foundation is working to protect the Constitution and keep power where it belongs with we the people. Visit FFRF us Ms. Now or text Ms. Now to 511-511- text Ms. Now to 51151 and keep state and church separate. Text fees may apply.

[Serta Counting Sheep Announcer]

Let's check in on the SERTA Counting sheep why aren't we counting anymore?

[Serta Perfect Sleeper Advertiser]

Well, the all new SERTA Perfect sleeper has the Q4 support system that helps relieve aches and back pain.

[Serta Counting Sheep Announcer]

We'll never get counted again.

[Serta Perfect Sleeper Advertiser]

Nope.

[Serta Counting Sheep Announcer]

Save this Memorial Day Shop at a retailer near you.

[Designer Shoe Warehouse Advertiser]

At dsw, we ask the important questions like what shoes are you going to wear? Whether you're prepping for wedding season, festival season or just planning the ultimate vacay, the right shoes can make or break an rsvp. So own the moment. You've got big plans and we've got just the shoes at the perfect price, of course. Get ready to get ready with Designer Shoe Warehouse. Head to your DSW store or dsw.com today and let us surprise you.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

We are back with Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia. Before the break, I read you this post from Trump. Not surprising, he obviously lost in the vote. Virginia voters went to the polls and made clear they want to hold him to account and level the playing fields. But when you think about, and you must think about this, especially given what's happening Georgia and you're on the ballot, what he could get up to leading up to November and what people need to be clear eyed about, where does your mind go in terms of what we should be prepared for?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Well, of course, Georgia and Fulton County, Georgia have been at the heart of the president's conspiracy theories and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election from the very beginning. And we saw him send Tulsi Gabbard, the nation's senior most intelligence officer, to oversee that ballot rate in Fulton County. But they made such a mistake launching that attack on voting rights in the state of Georgia, the cradle of the civil rights movement, where so much was given, so much was sacrificed to secure the right to vote. And the people's answer will be overwhelming the defiant determination to exercise voting rights in Georgia that's being awakened by their attacks on the franchise. But I say again, folks need to be paying attention to this Senate race in Georgia. You know, a year ago maybe I was worried folks were despairing a little too much right now, to be honest with you. I worry about complacency. I worry. But folks don't know that the national Republican Party has vastly more resources right now than the national Democratic Party. And yes, we have momentum and yes, we have the wind in our sails. But my campaign has to put resources aside to prepare to fight off all these attacks on voting rights. And so I will mention again, and forgive the repetition, but if you've not yet supported me in this Senate race out there across the country, it's electjohn.com, help us defend voting rights in Georgia.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Politics 101 has always run scared, even as voters and activists. Before I let you go, I mean, when you give speech speeches like the one you gave this weekend, there is a lot of chatter out there about you putting your hat in the ring for president, you running for president. Does that chatter reached your inbox yet?

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

I've heard some of that. I have zero interest in running for president in 2028. I love serving the state of Georgia. I've got two young daughters. And to be honest with you, I think that the 2028 fantasy football risks distracting us from the urgent task at hand if we do not restore checks and balances in these midterm elections. I don't know that we have a free and fair presidential election in 2028. So let's keep our eyes on the ball, folks. We need to win decisively in Georgia in every battleground state and in every competitive U.S. house district this fall. And folks out there ask yourselves whether you are doing what you need to be doing right now. It's a collective effort. All of us need to be taking action in defense of our republic.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Senator Jon Ossoff up for reelection, one of the most targeted, if not the most targeted Democratic senator in the country right now.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Did I mention it's electjohn.com?

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

you mentioned it a few times, but there you go. Third time's the charm. Thank you for being here.

[Senator Jon Ossoff]

Thank you.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

It has been quite a night for the crack team in Donald Trump's cabinet. The New York Times is reporting that Kash Patel's FBI began investigating a Times reporter after she wrote about Patel's girlfriend. Not normal at all. And Pete Hegseth just ousted the Navy secretary during a naval blockade in the Middle East. Not normal at all either. Senator Cory Booker is standing by with his reaction to all of this insanity, and he joins me next.

[Serta Counting Sheep Announcer]

Let's check in on the Serta counting sheep. Why aren't we counted anymore?

[Serta Perfect Sleeper Advertiser]

Well, the all new Certa Perfect sleeper has the Q4 support system that helps relieve aches and back pain.

[Serta Counting Sheep Announcer]

We'll never get counted again.

[Serta Perfect Sleeper Advertiser]

Nope.

[Serta Counting Sheep Announcer]

Save this Memorial Day Shop at a retailer near you.

[Designer Shoe Warehouse Advertiser]

You know that thing where you get

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

an amazing pair of shoes at a

[Designer Shoe Warehouse Advertiser]

really great price and want to tell everyone about it?

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Yeah.

[Designer Shoe Warehouse Advertiser]

So do we. Here at Designer Shoe Warehouse. We'll give you something to brag about, like the latest styles from brands you love or the trends everyone's obsessing over,

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

or shoes that make you feel like, well, you.

[Designer Shoe Warehouse Advertiser]

So go ahead, show off a little bit. Buying shoes that get you and prices that get your budget. Head to your DSW store or dsw.com today DSW. Let us surprise you.

[MSNow Daily Newsletter Promoter]

Stay up to date on the biggest issues of the day with the MSNow Daily Newsletter. Each morning you'll get analysis by experts you trust, video highlights from your favorite shows.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Voters weighed in Donald Trump's dismissal of their concerns has been weighing on his political standing.

[MSNow Daily Newsletter Promoter]

Updates on our latest podcasts and election coverage, plus written perspectives from the newsmakers themselves, all sent directly to your inbox each morning. Get the best of MSNow all in one place. Sign up for MSNow Daily at Ms. Now.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Tonight, the Trump administration announced that the Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, would be leaving his role immediately. Now, he didn't exactly come into the job with an impressive resume or a wealth of applicable experience, but the thing here is that it's a part of a pattern in Pete Hegseth's combative managerial style at the Pentagon. Earlier this month, Hegseth gave Army Chief of Staff Randy George the boot, reportedly because Hegseth suspected he leaked a story to the New York Times. That's what really got him going. So far, Hegseth has fired dozens of military officers and counting. And just an FYI, we're obviously still at war with Iran, and the US Is still engaged in a massive naval blockade in the Middle East. And remember, just last week there were reports about troops who were stationed there not having enough food to eat. Now, on that front, a Short time ago, 46 senators, most of them Democrats, tried again to pass a bill to rein in the president's war powers. And 51 senators, most of them Republicans, said no. And here's what Senator Cory Booker had to say about that before Pete Hegseth went and fired another top Pentagon official during a war.

[Senator Cory Booker]

What is this body doing? Nothing. Republican leadership is called no open hearings, no sufficient accountability, no substantive oversight. They are kowtowing to a president and allowing him into a reckless war with grave consequences and a shredding of our constitutional intent by our founders.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Joining me now is Senator Cory Booker, who you just saw given that fiery speech of course, a Democrat from New Jersey and also a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. So much to ask you about, always. Let me just first start by asking you about the ouster of the Army Secretary.

[Senator Cory Booker]

Yeah. The frustrating thing with me is you're seeing somebody who is not qualified for that position. Literally Elon Musk threatening Republican senators. They would run primaries against him if they didn't give a pass to something that even they, someone even they knew was unqualified. You say managerial style. I say he has no managerial capabilities, no managerial experience to do a job this big. And his sort of reckless, punishing removal of some of our highest ranking military people who have extraordinary experience, throwing them out in the midst of a war today, it's just yet another testimony to his incompetence, in my opinion, and not only that, to how dangerous his recklessness is.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

This is all happening and I guess everybody knows this. Who's watching? We're in the middle of a war. We don't know what's happening. We still don't know the purpose. We don't know any details of the negotiations. We know very little, except for two real estate guys are negotiating an end to this. So there we are. But the Washington Post reported today that the Pentagon told Congress it could take as long as six months to remove the mines from the Strait of Hormuz. That is a long time. I think longer than many people anticipated. That could mean much longer. In terms of the economic impact, what can be done to address kind of the economic long term pain there?

[Senator Cory Booker]

I mean, look, this is what we were saying from the beginning. This president was thrusting us into war with no pretext, no reason for going in. It shifted multiple times and then no way of coming out. And think about this. Now the regime is stronger than it was, more extreme, I should say, than it was when they walked, when they came in. The highly enriched fissile material is still within that country. They now have seen how their low cost drones can actually, in a asymmetric way, really hurt American. American allies. They've discovered this new strength of leverage that they would never have dared to do before. But we cornered them in without anticipating that they would do it, which is shutting down the Strait of Hormuz with a global economic shock. They now realize they have this almost like superpower and an ability to do that we can't stop them from doing right now. So Donald Trump has made this situation worse. More extreme regime and more pain on top of that. That pain is being bared by the American people who are seeing their Costs explode amidst this global oil shock. This is a colossal and costly blunder on this president will go down with one of the worst presidential decisions to go to war that we've ever seen in American history.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

I just played a clip of you speaking on the Senate floor. You seem incredibly frustrated, for good reason. And I think for a lot of people watching as you're watching this war unfold and not knowing anything, you see vote after vote and Senate Republicans consistently voting it down, they seem unwilling to change their view. And I say this as you're somebody who joined 39 other Democrats and voting to support a bloc on hundreds of millions of dollars worth of aid to Israel, something you did for the first time, there's a willingness on your part to look at things from a fresh eye. What do you think needs to be done to get Republicans? Can it be done? Will they move over to vote for a War Powers Act?

[Senator Cory Booker]

Well, I'm going to continue to stand up in the context of this disastrous war that is getting worse as Americans are paying higher and higher costs for us to get us to focus in on this folly. And the reality is, and I read on the Senate floor today, about a soldier that had the strength and courage when he lost his comrades in a drone attack to say that what the Secretary of War is saying is not true. He's standing up. He's on the front line. He's doing his job. He's showing a fidelity and loyalty to the Constitution and fulfilling his duties. And what are we doing back here? The senators have one obligation. They swore an oath to a Constitution. War powers lie with us. And what is Republicans doing? Oh, you guys are out there defending our Constitution, defending our country. We can't even stand up and do our job, which is to provide oversight, to ask the tough questions to this administration, to have accountability, checks and balances, open hearings. They're doing none of it. They're surrendering their job. And this president is taking that surrender as permission to continue to persecute a failed war effort. That all of us are paying the costs, but none of them as much as the cost paid by the hundreds who have been injured in our military armed services and those 13 that have died. It is unconscionable and shameful for this Senate to not step up and do something. And that's why we're trying to force a debate onto the Senate floor.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Trump is betting they're not going to grow spines. They have not grown spines. We have to take a very quick break. You know how this goes. You're Going to stay with me. Thank you for that. But before, I wanted to just ask you about the latest on an increasingly long line of damaging headlines about Cash Patel's FBI. And this one involves a reported investigation into a reporter who asked uncomfortable questions about Kash Patel's girlfriend. I'm very eager to get your thoughts on this as somebody who's spoken out about a lot of things. We'll get them when we come back. Cash Patel has collected quite the list of embarrassing and very much disqualifying headlines lately. I mean, the man could make a full scrapbook at this point, including the Atlantic's blockbuster reporting. We talked about this just last Friday from last week about allegations of excessive drinking and unexplained absences. Now, Patel denies everything in that story and has filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit. And here's what he said yesterday when he was asked about it.

[Kash Patel]

I can say unequivocally that I never listen to the fake news mafia. And as when they get louder, it just means I'm doing my job.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

That's one way to answer it. It isn't shocking, I should say, to hear a MAGA loyalist like Patel rail against journalists. That's basically what they do. But what is shocking is the reported lengths the FBI, under his leadership seems willing to go to to retaliate against the press. According to the New York Times, who spoke to someone briefed on the matter, the FBI began investigating Times reporter Elizabeth Williamson after she published an eye popping story about Patel and his country singer girlfriend. Now, according to her previous reporting, Patel used federal resources, including rotating SWAT teams to provide security for his girlfriend at her performances, her personal engagements, and for Aaron Sis. It's crazy. Now, in a statement to the Times, an FBI spokesman said it was false that the bureau had ever investigated the Times reporter, adding that while investigators were concerned about how the aggressive reporting techniques crossed lines of stalking, no further action regarding Williamson or the reporting was ever pursued by the FBI. But according to a person briefed on the matter who spoke to the Times after that February story was published, FBI agents interviewed Patel's girlfriend, searched databases for information on the reporter, and recommended moving forward to determine whether she broke federal stalking laws, the investigation ultimately fell flat among Justice Department officials who viewed it as retaliation.

[Senator Cory Booker]

Yeah.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

And determined that there was no legal basis to proceed. But that's all what we learned today. New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker is still here with me at the table. He's, of course, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee as well. The administration's hostility toward the press is not exactly a new thing. I mean, in January, the FBI under Patel raided the home of a Washington Post reporter. But what's your reaction to the case where it seems that Patel's FBI started at least an investigation into a journalist who simply because she reported on something he didn't like about his personal life?

[Senator Cory Booker]

It's an abject abuse of power and a chill of the First Amendment. And so this is a bully who, by the way, that was what we call a non denial admission where he's over drunk on the job or inebriated on the job, he couldn't even answer a straight no to that question. And when a reporter does the investigation and has sources, not only former FBI agents, but current people that are working for the FBI and writes a fair story in terms of sourcing it, citing it, and for him to now not only criticize the story, but use the resources of the FBI to intimidate, to investigate, that is a chill on the First Amendment to chill on one of the most sacrosanct principles, which is freedom of the press. And I think it's something that yet again shows that he should not have been hired in the first place, should not have been Senate confirmed, and most definitely should be removed from that position.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

I played video of Patel, of course, berating the press earlier, and that was at a press conference that he and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanchen where they announced financial charges against the civil rights group the Southern Poverty Law Center. And the thing that is, there's so many crazy things about this, but Trump's DOJ is basically claiming that the organization is guilty of financial fraud because donors were not aware that some of their donations were to paid informants who were embedded in hate groups. And notably Blanche, in that presser, accused the SPLC of paying sources to stoke racial hatred. That, of course, seems very different from what was actually laid out in the grand jury indictment. But what's your understanding of these charges and what do you think this is all.

[Senator Cory Booker]

I mean, that's the irony. You're accusing one of the preeminent organizations that investigates hate groups for horrific, awful things. They have decades and decades of going after the Klan and other groups that target minorities, and now you're trying to, I guess, swift boat them and accuse them of the exact same thing that they're investigating. Hating the haters. I don't understand it. And this exhibits, to me, not only Donald Trump's America and use of the Justice Department, but even worse than that, it just exhibits clearly that Sash Patel in his hearings, we Were asking him about enemies lists. By using the power of his office to target political enemies and take resources away from what the FBI should be doing, helping to arrest dangerous criminals, get guns off of our streets, stop foreign interference in our elections, they have reduced some of these agencies, departments to do this kind of work. And that is stunning to me, given all the challenges we have for American national security.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

And paying informants is something that happens. It's a very normal thing that happens. What do you make? I mean, I have been. There seems to be this desperation for people to hold onto their jobs. Trump knows that he's using that. They're willing to do any range of things. I mean, both Blanche and Patel made sure they were the ones announcing these charges. They're the faces of the investigation. What do you make of that and kind of what's going on there?

[Senator Cory Booker]

Well, Trump hired a woefully underqualified cabinet and key positions, and we know this because many of them barely got through by one or two votes. Republican people I know well who seem to have to contort themselves to be that final vote that got the person off the line or they had to threaten and cajole people to do it. Well, now the chickens are coming home to roost. We're seeing scandals and conflicts of interest and misdeeds and showing up drunk at work or misusing the authority that was granted to you not by the president, but by the people of the United States. This is an exhibition of Donald Trump's inadequacies as a leader and the kind of cabinet that he chose personal loyalty over qualifications to do the work of the American people. Cash Patel is the most recent, but there will be more.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

Senator Cory Booker, always a pleasure. Thank you for being here and speaking your mind out there today on the Senate floor, too.

[Senator Cory Booker]

Thank you so much.

[MSNBC Host Lawrence O'Donnell]

We have to take a very quick break. Lawrence has Senator Adam Schiff and Congressman Jamie Raskin standing by. It's going to be a great show. We'll be right back. A quick reminder that once a week I Show up on YouTube with a feature I call Socky Bombs. I would love for you to check it out. And all you have to do is grab your phone, turn on the camera and focus it on the QR code. That square full of squiggles. You can see it right at the bottom of your screen. And that's gonna take you right to the playlist where I talk about lots of stuff we couldn't get to on the show. More on politics, more on crazy stuff. The Trump people are doing more all sorts of things. That does it for me tonight. That does it for me tonight. You can catch the show Tuesday through Friday at 9pm Eastern on Ms. Now. And don't forget to follow the show on Blue sky, Instagram and TikTok.

[Abercrombie Kids Advertiser]

School's almost out. And at Abercrombie Kids, new warm weather staples are in. It's a one stop shop for everything on their checklist, like tees, shorts and swim, so planning what they'll wear is a breeze. For outfits that keep up with them and easier mornings for you, stop by Abercrombie Kids shop in the app, online and in stores.