Maddow: Trump admits what the attack on Iran is really for

In a rambling press conference full of bizarre answers to questions about the war he started against Iran, Donald Trump admitted that he is doing it "for the other parts of the world." Rachel Maddow looks at how Russia is benefitting tremendously from Trump's attack on Iran, even as it helps Iran target American interests, and how Trump has set off a global energy crisis of historic proportions. ** Shortly after this episode began, Rachel shared new video of the dignified transfer of the remains of Sgt. Benjamin Pennington. The video provided to the media is without an audio track, so we've removed that from this podcast. But we've kept the conversation Rachel had with Col. Jack Jabobs about the recent history of the dignified transfer of the remains of fallen U.S. service members. Rep. Jim Himes joins to discuss the Trump administration's rationale for attacking Iran. Rachel Maddow reports on how the horrifying stories coming out of Donald Trump's existing immigrant prison camps are not only tanking Trump's approval ratings with the American public but are hindering his ability to bring his nationwide prison camp plan to reality. And the wheels are coming off Donald Trump's extremely narrow House majority as lame duck Republicans have less reason to show up for work as the year wears on and they move on to other things. Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rachel Maddow and her MS NOW colleagues track the primary election returns in Texas and North Carolina, with Ali Velshi offering special statistical insights from the big board as one of the most closely watched elections, the Democratic Senate primary between Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico mired in legal complications after polling place confusion in Dallas.  The panel and special guests offer analysis of what the early voting patterns suggest about Donald Trump's political strength, the tone of public opinion in the United States and what it all could mean for the midterm elections later this year. Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"They're not sending their best." Rachel Maddow reviews how the collection of unqualified culture warriors Donald Trump has put in charge of key facets of the United States national security apparatus is much worse than merely incompetent now that Trump has started a war with Iran and stoked a new level of threat against Americans and American interests. MS NOW's Carol Leonnig reports on new firings at the FBI that included members of an elite counterintelligence squad specializing in neutralizing threats from Iran. The firings came just before Trump started a war with Iran, setting up a whole new threat environment for Americans and American interests. Senator Tammy Duckworth joins Rachel to discuss Donald Trump's incoherent explanation for attacking Iran and the burden America's men and women in uniform are taking on for Trump's whim. And Donald Trump's Justice Department under Pam Bondi is in trouble with a judge again. Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rachel Maddow joins MS NOW's ongoing live breaking coverage of the United States' attack on Iran. Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Listen to MS NOW’s Special Coverage of President Trump’s 2026 State of the Union Address. During his speech, Trump touted the ending of DEI policies nationwide, railed against the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling, and attacked the Somali community of Minnesota. Hear Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace, Chris Hayes, and more react to Trump’s remarks, along with the Democratic response from Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger. Visit ms.now for more coverage. Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rachel Maddow considering the tradition associated with the State of the Union address in which one member of the president's Cabinet does not attend the event in case something happens that prevents everyone in attendance at the speech who would ordinarily be part of the presidential succession from being able to serve. But in Donald Trump's case, his Cabinet is so full of scandal and disgrace, designating a survivor seems impossible. Rep. Pat Ryan discusses rallying local resistance against Donald Trump's planned network of ICE prisons. Rachel Maddow reports on an important sign of light for the rule of law: federal judges losing patience with Donald Trump's Department of Justice for repeatedly defying orders, particularly in immigration cases.    Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rachel Maddow shares highlights from a judge's remarks in rejecting Donald Trump's power to dismantle a national monument i Philadelphia to hide the fact that George Washington owned slaves. The judge compared Trump's censorious "anti-woke" edict to the mission of the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's 1984.Independent journalist Georgia Fort talks with Rachel Maddow about ICE harassment of media and activists.Rachel Maddow reviews the latest batch of terrible poll numbers for Donald Trump, including on issues that are meant to be his political strength, and points out that his familiar trick of making empty promises he has no idea how to keep are insufficient distraction from the cruelty of ICE and the paucity of his economic ideas that are turning Americans against him.New Hampshire State Rep. Wendy Thomas joins to discuss the fight against a new ICE prison in the town of Merrimack, New Hampshire and the waffling indecision by Republican governor, Kelly Ayotte. Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“MS NOW Presents: Clock It” is an invitation to the liveliest and most informed groupchat in your feed. Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels are long-time political powerhouses. And they understand more than most how culture influences politics, and the role politics plays in culture. On “Clock It,” they’re helping you put your finger on the pulse of the hottest political gossip and their off-air conversations too colorful for TV.In the first episode of their new show, “Clock It,” they’re joined by actors Tony Goldwyn and Myles Frost for a conversation about making thought-provoking art when political tensions are at their highest. And they dig in on the Super Bowl halftime show, why cuts to The Washington Post matter for democracy, and the race to the Senate in Texas.Stay here to get a sneak peek. Then search and follow the show to get new episodes every Thursday. Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump is, of course, mentioned thousands of times in the Epstein files, as one would expect given his close relationship with notorious pedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, but Trump's association with many of the names in those files did not end with Epstein's arrest, or even death. Rachel Maddow highlights some of the mentions that are oddly still enjoying impunity.The fight against Donald Trumps anti-immigrant agenda is being engaged with ferocity by ordinary citizens from all walks of life, including local who don't want their town to play host to one of Donald Trump's new immigrant prison camps. Rachel Maddow argues that major law firms who were made to look foolish cowering in the face of threats from Trump in 2025, would do well to seek redemption in 2026 by joining the effort to stymie Trump's plans of a nationwide network of immigrant prison camps.Michael Wriston, co-founder of Project Salt Box, talks with Rachel about using records of government contracts to figure out what the Department of Homeland Security is planning as it looks to build a network of immigrant prisons.Senator Jon Ossoff joins to talk about Doanld Trump's fixation on losing in Georgia in 2020 and the threat Trump poses to free and fair elections in Georgia as soon as the coming midterms. Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels were once at odds as White House staffer and White House reporter. Now they’re friends and colleagues—each co-hosting their own shows at MS NOW. But their off-air conversations are where the real action is. Their new show, “MS NOW Presents: Clock It” is an invitation to their groupchat, the liveliest—and most informative—in news. Whether it’s ICE getting dispatched to the Super Bowl because Bad Bunny’s doing the halftime show, or Nicolás Maduro’s Nike Tech fit, or Michael B. Jordan’s sole Oscar nomination despite playing three roles in Sinners, there is no collision between culture and politics that this show won’t document and decipher. Symone and Eugene see exactly what’s going on—and they want you to clock it, too. New episodes drop every Thursday, starting February 12th. Search for “MS NOW Presents: Clock It” and hit “follow” so you don’t miss an episode. Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.