America 250 — Commentary on the state of America approaching its 250th anniversary

February 19, 2026 Large banner featuring Trump’s face is displayed on Justice Department headquarters. The decision to place one on the storied Justice Department building amounted to a striking symbol of the erosion of the department’s tradition of independence from White House control. – Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press

February 12, 2026 Dear Pam Bondi, (A Letter From A Father) – John Pavlovitz

February 5, 2026 “Confidential” Agreements Show Trump Administration’s Plans for States’ Voter Data At least 10 states have handed over their full voter files to the Justice Department. – Eileen O'Connor, Brennan Center for Justice

January 27, 2026 Wnat Should Americans Do Now? We need a mass movement for basic decency. – George Packer, The Atlantic

January 26, 2026 Donald Trump Wants This Chaos. It Means More Power in His Hands. To you and me, Renee Good and Alex Pretti are tragic victims of authoritarian overreach. To the Trump regime, they’re exhibits in building the case for martial law. – Michael Tomasky, The New Republic

January 20, 2026 Trump Versus the World. What’s Wrong with Donald Trump Is Wrong All the Way Through Him – Jeffrey Blehar, The National Review

January 9, 2026 Trump Has Odd Views on Domestic Terrorism. The president seems to think that beating police officers is “peaceful,” but attempting to flee from them is terrorism. – Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic

January 7, 2026 America built the global order. Now it's tearing it down. – Ian Bremmer

January 6, 2026 MAGA's Foundational Lie: The movement claims to stand with the police. Trump’s decision to pardon the cop-beaters of January 6 exposed his movement for what it is. – Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic

January 6, 2026 White House Publishes Completely Bullshit Account of the Attack on the U.S. Capitol Incited by Trump After Losing the 2020 Election. – Yes, the actual White House posted this.

December 16, 2025 Trump’s Appalling Reiner Reaction Is a Sign of Something Deeply Wrong - This president cannot discern moral right and wrong. – Jim Geraghty, The National Review

December 2, 2025 It’s time to talk about Donald Trump’s health (again) - The most consequential topic in the world is the simple question: Is the President mentally fit to serve? – Garrett Graff

December 1, 2025 Immigration Crackdown, Looming War: Desperate Acts of a Desperate Man - The path that Trump is poised to take the nation down is deeply dark—and deeply unpopular. – Michael Tomasky, The New Republic

November 21, 2025 ICE Wants to Go After Dissenters as well as Immigrants. The Trump administration is being open about its plans to violate Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights. – Faiza Patel & Matthew Ruppert, Brennan Center for Justice

November 21, 2025 The Question of Decency. Orwell, Trump, and the Dangers of a Profoundly Indecent Man in the Presidency. – Andrew Sullivan

November 21, 2025 Debunking 5 Myths about Immigration in the U.S. – American Immigration Council

November 20, 2025 Trump accuses Democrats of 'seditious behavior, punishable by death,' for urging military to ignore illegal orders – NBC News

November 18, 2025 Trump Told a Woman, ‘Quiet, Piggy,’ When She Asked Him About Epstein: The comment continues the president’s long-standing pattern of denigrating female journalists. – Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic

October 27, 2025 ICE’s Hiring Surge Is Already a Disaster: It's cutting standards and racing to hire exactly the wrong people, precisely as predicted. – Garrett Graff

October 8, 2025 The Heritage of American Terror: Cruelty may become pervasive, but we cannot let it become anonymous. – Charles M. Blow, The Bitter Southerner

October 8, 2025 Trump's Plan to Remain on His Throne – Marc Elias, Democracy Docket

August 25, 2025 America Tips into Fascism: Today is different than before. – Garrett Graff

August 14, 2025 Trump’s Entry Bans Aren’t Really About National Security. His proclamation uses cherry-picked justifications to block immigrants from Muslim and African countries. – Margy O-Herron, Brennan Center for Justice