Kinzinger & Sykes: Bread and Circuses at the White House

Plus: The Headlines of the Day.

Charlie Sykes

May 28, 2026

A UFC cage at the White House. The Texas GOP picks Paxton. Megyn Kelly is shocked at Trump’s corruption. Trump’s Iran quagmire lingers on. And a new definition of what it means to be a hero.

Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger joins me for a wide-ranging conversation on today’s “To the Contrary” podcast.

ICYMI:

Subscribers can listen to an ad-free version right here… or you can watch on YouTube / Listen (and subscribe) on Apple/ Spotify / iHeart / RSS Feed

Happy Thursday.

A note to readers: Right now, fewer than 10 percent of our readers are paid subscribers. That’s okay, because this newsletter — and the podcasts — are free. But if you find what I do is worth something to you, I hope you will consider a subscription.

That comes to about 27 cents a day, less if you subscribe annually, for a daily dose of sanity. And both the dogs and I are immensely grateful for your generous support.

Catching up

Trump orders the DOJ to assault the woman he assaulted. “Justice Department launches a criminal investigation into Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll” | CNN Politics
The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the former magazine columnist who accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The investigation is focused on whether Carroll committed perjury in testimony tied to her two civil lawsuits against the president – one alleging he sexually abused Carroll in a New York department store in the mid-1990s, and a second for defaming her when in 2019 he repeatedly denied the assault, said she wasn’t his type and claimed she made it up to boost sales of a book.
Flashback: “ Judge clarifies: Yes, Trump was found to have raped E. Jean Carroll” The Washington Post
A reminder that this is the party that embraces convicted felon Donald J. Trump. So, the instant pivot on the deeply corrupt and immoral ken Paxton is not really a surprise, is it? “GOP Senate Leader John Thune Backs Ken Paxton, the Texas Candidate He Didn’t Want” - WSJ/ NRSC deletes posts bashing Ken Paxton after Texas runoff win over Sen. John Cornyn/
“35 Former Federal Judges File Motion to Reopen Trump’s Lawsuit Against IRS to Block $1.8B Slush Fund”
The 35 former judges, appointed by presidents of both parties, wrote in Wednesday’s filing in federal court in Florida that the plaintiffs misled the court by not disclosing any settlement in their notice to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit.
“The purported ‘settlement’ that the parties never placed before this Court raises profound questions about the parties’ candor toward the Court and manipulation of the judicial system, which threatens to undermine confidence in the administration of justice,” the judges wrote.
Imagine being the State Dept chode who has to explain to Oman that the president was ~~too senile to know what we saying~~ joking when he said the U.S. would “blow up” the country.
President Trump threatened to attack Oman Wednesday if the Arab nation partners with Iran to assert joint control over the Strait of Hormuz….
“It’s international waters, and Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that. They’ll be fine.”
Laser-focused on affordability, amirite? “Trump $250 bill pushed by Treasury appointees” - The Washington Post
Jill Biden has a credibility problem. Ron Fournier isn’t buying the former First Lady’s claim in her new book that she thought that Joe Biden was having a stroke during his disastrous debate performance.
[If] the president’s wife had thought he was having a stroke, Joe Biden would have been rushed to a hospital that night, thoroughly examined, kept for observation, and forced to disclose the medical scare to the public.
None of that happened, which means she’s lying. Or it did happen, which means she’s part of a massive conspiracy to cover up the stroke scare. I’ll give Team Biden the benefit of the doubt and say she’s lying.