Steve Benen

@stevebenen

Rachel Maddow Show producer, MaddowBlog author, MS NOW contributor, and author of Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past

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Steve Benen@stevebenen· 4d

All told, the U.S. economy has added 542,000 jobs over Trump’s 19-month second term. Over the previous 19 months, the economy added over 2.7 million jobs. To date, the White House hasn’t even tried to explain why the job market worsened after Trump took office. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

Steve Benen@stevebenen· 10d

Some might see this and assume it’s fake, but Trump actually published it. The White House perpetrated a fraud on the public, and after the DOJ was forced to abandon a baseless prosecution, Trump doubled down on the self-satisfying fiction he prefers to reality and threw Pirro under the bus.

Steve Benen@stevebenen· 11d

What an interesting choice of phrases. The U.S. economy certainly *was* the “envy of the world,” though it’s not anymore. The Economist ran this cover in October 2024 — a month before Trump won a second term, as Biden's presidency neared its end.

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jul 10

To the relief of Democrats in Maine (and elsewhere), Platner formally exited this afternoon, instead of waiting until Monday.

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jul 9

Platner's out. "We believe that for the movement to continue, it can't be me. And for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations."

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jun 29

Critics of the Slaughter decision: The court just increased presidential power in ways unseen in generations, overturning a century of precedent. Trump: The court just increased presidential power! In ways unseen in generations! Overturning a century of precedent!

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jun 20

Ahem.

Steve Benen@stevebenen· May 18

Trump, two weeks ago: “I have some of the best poll numbers I've ever had.” Reality, today:

Steve Benen@stevebenen· May 11

Schumer's new "Dear Colleague" letter makes repeated use of a notable phrase: "Ballroom Republicans."

Americans do not need a ballroom. They need relief. They want their Congress and their President to address the growing cost crisis bearing down on families across the country. Everywhere you look, Americans are paying more to make ends meet – more for gasoline, more for health care, more for electricity and more for housing – because Republicans keep putting Trump’s priorities ahead of working people. That is what today’s Republicans have become: Ballroom Republicans — asking working families to pay the price while Donald Trump pockets the perks.

Let me make one thing very clear: Senate Democrats will not let them jam through this bill without making them answer for their endless cost hikes, health care cuts, and every dollar diverted from American families to Trump’s priorities. Democrats will fight the Republicans’ reconciliation bill with every tool we have. We will bring Byrd Rule challenges. We will offer floor amendments. And we will force vote after vote to make the choice unmistakable: will Republicans vote to help American families — to lower costs, to restore savage health care cuts, to roll back cost-spiking tariffs — or will they vote to fund Trump’s gaudy ballroom?

Steve Benen@stevebenen· May 7

I get the sense that Republicans find this terribly inconvenient, but Jeffries borrowed the “maximum warfare” phrase from a Trump White House official. It appeared in an August 2025 NYT article (tinyurl.com/mrx24tdm) about Trump’s gerrymandering crusade.

Steve Benen@stevebenen· May 1

Watching Republicans like Steve Scalise rewrite recent history on gas prices is exasperating. Watching Republicans like Tim Scott rewrite the present is worse. I mean, really, who looks at this and decides to tell a national audience, “Gas prices continue to come down”? www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Apr 12

Imagine having access to a time machine and being able to send a message to Pennsylvania Dems circa 2022.

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Apr 7

As it turns out, it's not just House Dems: Leading Senate Democrats also issued a joint statement responding to Trump's stated plans to destroy "a whole civilization" tonight:

Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense and Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s threat that “a whole civilization will die tonight” in Iran:

“We speak today with one voice and one purpose: to condemn President Trump's threat to extinguish an entire civilization.

“This is not strength. Intentionally destroying the power, water, or basic infrastructure upon which tens of millions of civilians depend to punish the very civilians who suffer at the hands of the Iranian regime would constitute a war crime, a betrayal of the values this nation was founded on, and a moral failure. It’s unconscionable to threaten the lives of so many people – grandparents, children, families – simply because they were born in Iran. President Trump’s reckless threat makes Americans less safe, further destabilizes our nation and economy, and puts at greater risk U.S. service members. It only serves to push us further away from the only viable solution to this war: a diplomatic one. The president must not follow through on this threat.”

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Apr 7

After Trump wrote, in reference to Iran, “A whole civilization will die tonight,” the entirety of the House Democratic leadership issued this joint statement:

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Apr 5

I saw this circulating and assumed (hoped?) that it was fake. Alas, it’s real. Not only does it reflect a rapidly unraveling president, it comes just days after he expressed indifference to the Strait of Hormuz during his WH address. (“We don’t need it. We haven’t needed it, and we don’t need it”)

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Apr 3

The new job numbers look good, but I’m mindful of the larger context: Job growth during the first 15 months of Trump’s second term: 321,000 jobs Job growth during the last 15 months of Biden’s term: 1.9 million jobs The Trump White House has no explanation for this. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Apr 2

You know, Tom Cotton probably should’ve watched what happened next in “The Dark Knight” before tweeting this.

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Mar 9

As oil prices soar, remember: It was four days ago when Trump said he helped “stabilize” gas prices, touting the “decisive action” his administration took “to help keep down the oil prices.” Yeah, about that... www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Mar 6

Trump vowed to turn the economy around, and in a way, he kept his promise. Unfortunately, as the woeful job numbers prove, that meant turning around a healthy economy and delivering an unhealthy one. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Feb 28

Sometimes, the "there's always a tweet" meme lands a little differently.

In September 2013, amid concerns about a possible U.S. confrontation with Iran, Donald Trump published a tweet that read, “Remember what I previously said — Obama will someday attack Iran in order to show how tough he is.” The Republican added, two months later, “Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly — not skilled!”

A year earlier, the then-television personality wrote, “Now that Obama’s poll numbers are in tailspin — watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate.”

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Feb 5

Schumer and Jeffries present their list to Republican leaders, "laying out clear legislative actions to rein in ICE and stop the violence." They also called for "fully ramping down the surge in Minnesota and removing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from her position."

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jan 27

Interesting statement from the House Democratic leadership on Kristi Noem and impeachment

Taxpayer dollars are being weaponized by the Trump administration to kill American citizens, brutalize communities and violently target law-abiding immigrant families. The country is disgusted by what the Department of Homeland Security has done.

Republicans are planning to shut large parts of the government down on Friday so that the DHS killing spree unleashed in Minnesota can continue throughout America. That is immoral.

Dramatic changes at the Department of Homeland Security are needed. Federal agents who have broken the law must be criminally prosecuted. The paramilitary tactics must cease and desist. Taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, not kill them in cold blood.

The violence unleashed on the American people by the Department of Homeland Security must end forthwith. Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives.

We can do this the easy way or the hard way.

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jan 25

Schumer and Senate Dems sound pretty serious about rejecting the existing DHS funding bill. The latest from his office:

Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer released the following statement calling on Senate Republicans to work with Senate Democrats to pass funding for five appropriations bills and work to overhaul the Department of Homeland Security funding legislation:

“Senate Democrats will not allow the current DHS funding bill to move forward.

“Senate Republicans have seen the same horrific footage that all Americans have watched of the blatant abuses of Americans by ICE in Minnesota.

“The appalling murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti on the streets of Minneapolis must lead Republicans to join Democrats in overhauling ICE and CBP to protect the public. People should be safe from abuse by their own government.

“Senate Republicans must work with Democrats to advance the other five funding bills while we work to rewrite the DHS bill. This is best course of action, and the American people are on our side.”

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jan 24

Just released by Schumer's office.

“What’s happening in Minnesota is appalling —and unacceptable in any American city. Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE. I will vote no.

“Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included.”

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jan 15

Dear White House press secretary, Donald Trump referred to the FBI as the “Gestapo” repeatedly a few years ago. Did his rhetoric also lead to violence? Follow-up question: If Trump compared federal agents to the “Gestapo,” why is it beyond the pale for others to do the same thing now?

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jan 12

After failing spectacularly to deliver on his promises about job creation, Trump tried to rebrand failure as “amazing.” That’s demonstrably ridiculous. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jan 11

Putting aside Lindsey Graham’s eagerness to undermine his own institution, after Nixon vetoed the War Powers Act in 1973, Congress overrode him. House vote: 284-135 Senate vote: 75-18 In both instances, the majorities were bipartisan. (Many liberal Dems balked and said it didn’t go far enough.)

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Jan 3

Someday, this guy is going to hear about Trump’s pardon for former Honduras' Juan Orlando Hernández — a convicted drug trafficker who boasted that he would “stuff the drugs up the gringos’ noses” and accepted a $1 million bribe to allow cocaine shipments to pass through his country — and be amazed.

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Dec 19

If White House officials want a public discussion about private-sector job growth, that’s fine, but they may not like where the conversation ends up. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

Steve Benen@stevebenen· Dec 17

If Trump’s team looked at the latest jobs data and saw a “strong” report, that might help explain why he’s failing so spectacularly: The White House doesn’t even know what economic success looks like. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...