Produced & Directed By Donald Trump After a bad week, Trump debuts a riotous reality show Dan Rather and Team Steady Jun 9 Credit: Getty Images Before we move to the Trump train wreck du jour, some words about last week’s Musk mutiny. It was a remarkable moment in time — not just because of the snarky, escalating cage match between the richest man in the world and the world’s most powerful politician, but because it is a reminder of how much better life was before January 2025. Elon Musk’s vociferous critique of Trump’s big ugly bill was shocking, and much of it had the added advantage of being true. Suddenly, it was as if the fog lifted, the clouds parted, and a bright ray of truth broke through. For a moment — and it was just a moment — it felt like we were living in the real world again, not one dominated by distortion and lies delivered by a wannabe king and his court. Before the handlers moved in, Trump was clueless about how to respond as Musk eviscerated his “big, beautiful bill.” Trump couldn’t deflect the truth bombs being hurled by a man with 220 million followers on his own social media platform. Powerful words like “total abomination” and “disgusting” were unleashed on the president and his signature piece of legislation. But then the right-wing media machine kicked in and the narrative suddenly changed. Trump said it was Musk who “went crazy.” We’ve become so numb to all the nonsense that the truth about sending this country deeper into debt, eliminating health care for millions, and taking food subsidies away from children has been lost. The Trump/Musk kerfuffle is tied to the latest disaster unfolding in Los Angeles. Last week was not a banner one for the president. His very public war of words with Musk alerted a lot of Americans and perhaps a few senators to recognize the many significant problems with the budget bill. It may be that the Senate’s version will be different from the one passed by the House, which would cause a prolonged reconciliation debate. Maybe. At any rate, Trump wanted the whole thing done by July 4th. That seems less likely now. To distract from his stalled legislation, the fight with Musk, and the ongoing issues with his tariffs, Trump went to the authoritarian playbook. He needed to do something to remind his base that he is a powerful guy who does powerful things. So Trump ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the FBI to execute raids across Los Angeles in search of “suspected” undocumented workers. The probability that the raids would spur protests was high. That’s exactly what Trump wanted and expected. Smaller raids in Massachusetts and San Diego last week led to angry confrontations with law enforcement. Los Angeles is an even bigger stage, and it delivered. Trump got his made-for-television crackdown. To add to the theater of the absurd, conservative television personality Dr. Phil McGraw and his camera crew were embedded with ICE agents as raids took place. Three days of protests across the city gave Trump an opportunity to federalize the National Guard, a legally dubious move. Now 700 Marines — Marines! — are heading to Los Angeles to assist the National Guard, even though the protests had quieted as of Monday. For Trump, the show must go on. NAZI Stephen Miller called the violent protests “an insurrection.” Politico dubbed it a “major political event.” Let’s add that it was choreographed, with Trump exploiting 2000 members of the United States military as props. So Trump got his distraction, and as a bonus he got a public showdown with a political rival (Governor Gavin Newsom) over his core issue (immigration) in the bluest of blue states (California). It is a fight Trump has been girding for since he took office. Televised riots are the perfect backdrop to highlight the White House’s messaging on immigration. It is a manufactured show of force that Trump’s base will applaud. Not to be out PR-ed, Newsom invited MSNBC cameras into the command center to capture his own show of strength. He called Trump’s actions “manufactured chaos and violence.” In an interview with MSNBC’s Jacob Soboroff, Newsom said, “This is about authoritarian tendencies. This is about command and control. This is about power. This is about ego. ‘My way or the highway.’ This is a consistent pattern of practice of recklessness.” Border czar Tom Homan has threatened to arrest California political leaders. “He knows where to find me,” Newsom responded. Today, Trump told reporters, “I would do it if I were Tom.” Keep in mind that Newsom didn’t request the troops. So, unlike in normal circumstances where governors request the National Guard to support local and state law enforcement, these troops are under Trump’s command, with no state coordination. They are under the direction of the president in this dangerous reality show brought to you by Trump & Co. It’s a safe bet that none of this would have happened if Trump hadn’t lit the fuse. California’s attorney general filed suit against the administration, saying the state’s sovereignty was “trampled” by Donald Trump. ***NOTE TED CRUZ LIES!***** To add to the chaos, we have splintered social media coverage spreading disinformation with no backstop. Over the weekend, Senator Ted Cruz posted a video of a burning police car. The voiceover said “this … is … not … peaceful.” He is correct: It isn’t peaceful, nor is it from last weekend. The video was shot in 2020. We need to remember this isn’t political policy; it is political theater intentionally being played out in the public square. Trump guru Steve Bannon says he believes conducting government in the full view of the American people builds trust. He may be on to something, but trust can come only if the things the administration does are worthy of it. What is happening in Los Angeles and playing out in the media this week certainly is not worthy of trust. It does, however, further distrust and division. Steady is free, but to support my team’s efforts to protect our democracy through the power of independent journalism, we’d appreciate it if you would consider joining as a paid subscriber. It keeps Steady sustainable and accessible for all. If you are not able to upgrade, we understand. No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading. Stay Steady, Dan