“We are having some drama at the moment!”

Rachel Maddow showed me last night that my Bond novel ‘The Royal Janitor’ has come true. On the same show she proved my novel ‘The Gideon Computer has come true. Now add the truth that Paul Anderson made three movies about me, them you are invited to wonder, as I wonder……WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!

John Presco

As of March 2026, Rachel Maddow reported on rising diplomatic tension, noting that Denmark, a U.S. ally, has made preparations to defend itself and its territory, Greenland, against potential actions by the U.S.. This follows sustained interest from Donald Trump and J.D. Vance in acquiring Greenland and allegations that the U.S. is mistreating a NATO ally.

“And Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up and you said, ‘Let’s do it because you can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.’ So we are now having really good discussions. They started last, er, night, a little bit, the night before that…”

LoginBecome a Member

NewsletterWhatsAppFacebookInstagramTwitterThreadsBluesky

🏳️‍🌈 100% LGBTQ+ Owned

Politics

Rachel Maddow decries “unbelievably dramatic” series of crises Trump has caused across the world

“If you were pitching a movie, the people you were pitching it to would say no, that’s too over the top.”

Photo of the author

Molly Sprayregen (She/Her)March 24, 2026, 3:01 pm EDT

Share: 

FacebookRedditBlueskyThreadsCopy LinkShare


Rachel MaddowRachel Maddow | YouTube screenshot

“To put it lightly, we are having some drama at the moment.”

That’s how out MSNow correspondent Rachel Maddow summed up the general state of the world as Donald Trump continues his authoritarian-like reign over the United States.


Related

“He is not well”: Trump finds most bizarre way to describe sending ICE to airports


Insights for the LGBTQ+ community

Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more.* Frequency EmailEmail *Frequency *

  • Daily Brief
  • Week in Review
  • Week in Good News

Sign Up

In a recent segment, Maddow spent nine minutes providing an overview of what has happened across the country as a result of Trump’s erratic actions, outlandish threats, and general incompetence.

Maddow opened with a report that a few weeks ago, Denmark sent soldiers to Greenland armed with explosives to blow up airport runways in an effort to prevent U.S. troops from landing in the country that Trump has repeatedly threatened to forcibly annex.

“It’s fricking Denmark!” Maddow yelled.

“They are literally and officially our allies, but they had to send troops out with live ammunition and blood supplies and live explosives… on a real deployment on which they planned to disable the airfields in Greenland to protect their territory against us,” she explained.

Maddow said the story was almost too wild to be true: “If you were pitching a movie, the people you were pitching it to would say ‘No, that’s too over the top.’”

She also reminded viewers that because Denmark is part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which requires member countries to come to one another’s aid in war, the U.S. would be at war with all of NATO if Trump ever tried to take Greenland.

She then moved on to the fact that Trump, along with Russia, has been throwing his support behind Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+, anti-democratic, far-right, fascist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as has Russia.

Then, she continued, there’s the fact that Iran has essentially cut off access to the critical oil shipping waterway known as the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for the U.S. attacks, or, as Maddow put it, due to Trump “inexplicably starting a war with Iran for reasons he has yet to explain and with goals he has yet to credibly articulate.”

“It really seems like Donald Trump has started something he has absolutely no idea how to finish, and aside from everything else this war is doing, there is a very real prospect it is going to crater not only our own economy, but the world economy, with Trump having no plan for that whatsoever,” she said.

She added that the Federal Reserve recently announced that there has been zero net job creation in the past six months and that Trump administration policies have led 2 million Americans to lose their health insurance.

Then, there’s the mess of air travel. She first decried yet another collision that happened on the Trump administration’s watch, this one between an Air Canada aircraft and a fire truck at New York City’s LaGuardia airport. The accident killed two and left dozens injured.

Beyond that, she said, not only is the price of jet fuel skyrocketing due to the war in Iran, but security lines are out of control due to the fact that TSA agents are not currently being paid, as Congress has not struck a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Meanwhile, Trump has sent ICE agents to “help” at airports, though they reportedly appear to be just milling around making people uneasy rather than contributing anything worthwhile.

Trump has since said he won’t make a deal to fund TSA until the Senate passes the SAVE Act, which would disenfranchise voters and swing elections toward Republicans.

In short, things are messy.

Trump’s lesbian niece, Mary Trump, expressed similar sentiment in a recent blog post, where she wrote that she is “sick to death of losing — lives, opportunities, security, institutional knowledge, the country’s reputation — because the most incompetent, reckless, and dangerous loser ever to disgrace this planet has unchecked power.”

Mary Trump scorned her uncle as a “flaccid little man” who has no idea what he’s doing and can’t stop lying to the American people.

“Donald continues to claim that we’ve won the war, while complaining that our allies aren’t helping us fight the war. We won it, but now we haven’t won it. We were winning. Now we’re not. We don’t need NATO’s help anymore, except of course, we desperately do. And if they don’t give us the help we do not need, unless we do need it, Donald will continue to insult and threaten them,” she wrote.

It’s perhaps no surprise that Americans are massively dissatisfied with Trump right now. CNN’s chief data analyst, Harry Enten, recently explained that voters overwhelmingly believe Trump has made them worse off financially.

In February, before the Iran attacks even began, Enten outlined a massive shift in Independents. He said it is “the weakest that Donald Trump has ever been” with that group, expressing shock as he showed that his favorability among Independents dropped from -13 in February 2025 to -47 today.

In March, out former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg expressed similar sentiments to Maddow’s and Mary Trump’s, saying the president, “Went off and launched a war without planning, without being ready for even some of the most basic things.”

“This is clearly amateur hour at the Pentagon and in the White House,” Buttigieg said, “and again the price is being paid by all of us.”

‘Let’s do it’: Trump pins push for war with Iran on Pete Hegseth in latest shift

President Donald Trump offers new account of circumstances leading up to commencement of Operation Epic Fury, suggesting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was particularly enthusiastic about bombing campaign

Joe SommerladTuesday 24 March 2026 16:16 GMT

Bookmark popover

Removed from bookmarksClose popover

https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.752.0_en.html#deid=%22%22&eventfe_experiment_ids=%5B%5D&fid=%22goog_55986406%22&genotype_experiment_data=%7B%22experimentStateProto%22%3A%22%5B%5B%5B45713128%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C745150931%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C1%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C749060184%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C128%5D%5D%2C%5B841585769%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45761044%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45722344%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45706017%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45740207%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45668885%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45685340%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45765927%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45734716%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45735891%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45663239%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45715032%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45661356%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B839547366%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45676441%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45645574%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45688859%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45656766%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45710689%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45710688%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45685601%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45685602%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C500%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45767902%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C500%5D%5D%2C%5B45756824%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45747172%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B775241416%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B781107959%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B781107958%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B792614055%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B781107957%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45729602%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45753603%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45753604%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45658982%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45725657%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B%5B16%2C%5B%5B1%2C%5B%5B31089630%5D%2C%5B31089631%2C%5B%5B45668885%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B1000%2C%5B%5B95332046%5D%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C%5B%5B95332047%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95338769%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45645574%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95338770%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45645574%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C2%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B50%2C%5B%5B95345206%5D%2C%5B95345207%2C%5B%5B45661356%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B1%2C%5B%5B95351425%5D%2C%5B95351426%2C%5B%5B45676441%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B20%2C%5B%5B95356068%5D%2C%5B95356069%2C%5B%5B45685601%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45685602%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95356070%2C%5B%5B45685601%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45685602%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95356071%2C%5B%5B45685601%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45685602%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C100%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B1%2C%5B%5B95373378%2C%5B%5B792614055%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95373379%2C%5B%5B45747172%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B781107959%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B792614055%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B781107957%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C%5B%5B95375930%5D%2C%5B95375931%2C%5B%5B45734716%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95376520%2C%5B%5B45734716%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45735891%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C%5B%5B95378095%5D%2C%5B95378096%2C%5B%5B45740207%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95378629%5D%2C%5B95378630%2C%5B%5B45729602%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95381582%2C%5B%5B45729602%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45753603%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95381583%2C%5B%5B45729602%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45753604%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95382403%5D%2C%5B95386528%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45767902%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45756824%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95386532%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45767902%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C100%5D%5D%2C%5B45756824%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95386533%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45767902%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C300%5D%5D%2C%5B45756824%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95386534%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45767902%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C500%5D%5D%2C%5B45756824%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B1%2C%5B%5B95384561%5D%2C%5B95384562%2C%5B%5B846355750%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95385117%5D%2C%5B95385118%2C%5B%5B45761044%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C%5B%5B95385193%5D%2C%5B95385194%2C%5B%5B45765927%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C1000%2C1%2C1000%5D%5D%22%7D&imalib_experiments=%5B95322027%2C95331589%2C95332046%5D&is_eap_loader=false&managed_js_experiment_id=0&page_correlator=1889308455108283&pvsid=4114403679573017&top_accessible_page_url=%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Famericas%2Fus-politics%2Ftrump-pete-hegseth-iran-war-b2944426.html%22Donald Trump appears to pin blame for Iran war on Pete Hegseth: ‘You were the first one to speak up’

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read more

President Donald Trump appeared to try to pin the blame for the Iran conflict on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Speaking at a Monday roundtable event for national military and law enforcement leaders in Memphis, Tennessee, the president said of the circumstances leading up to the February 28 launch of Operation Epic Fury: “I called Pete, I called General [Dan] Caine, I called a lot of our great people – we have a lot of great people – and I said, ‘Let’s talk.’

“‘We’ve got a problem in the Middle East. We have a country, known as Iran, that has for 47 years been just a purveyor of terror and they’re very close to having a nuclear weapon.

ADVERTISEMENT

Learn more

Carbon-Neutral AdInspired by

“‘We can keep going and get that 50,000 up to 55 and 60 with no end, or we can take a stop and make a little journey into the Middle East and eliminate a big problem.’

President Donald Trump speaks with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Memphis Air National Guard Base. Trump said Hegseth was one of the first people to speak up in support of the Iran war.
President Donald Trump speaks with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Memphis Air National Guard Base. Trump said Hegseth was one of the first people to speak up in support of the Iran war. (Reuters)

“And Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up and you said, ‘Let’s do it because you can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.’ So we are now having really good discussions. They started last, er, night, a little bit, the night before that…”

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.