Why Donald Trump Is Attacking Me—and You

Publisher's Roundup, 9

You may have seen that on Friday afternoon, Donald Trump lashed out at me over and over again during a speech at the Department of Justice. At me…and at you, dear Contrarians. He is doing this because we are successfully challenging his lawlessness together. For this week’s publisher’s note, I want to encourage you to perceive his targeted vitriol as a badge of honor.

What can be gleaned about Trump’s motivations? Well, a pattern has emerged. When my litigation colleagues and I helped secure a court order protecting 6000 FBI agents from being targeted by the president several weeks ago, he responded the next day by announcing that my security clearance would be pulled.

On Wednesday, we enjoyed another big win in court —one of the many successes we have secured in the dozens of legal actions we have taken against Trump since January. The following day, we helped win a preliminary injunction restoring the jobs of tens of thousands of workers his administration illegally fired, and he responded yesterday with this absurd attack, making evident that we are successfully under his skin.

And how should we respond? By redoubling our shared efforts.

These effective legal actions are where you come in. The Contrarian’s motto is “Not Owned by Anybody.” Instead of going into some billionaire’s pocket, our profits are rolled back into these litigation battles. By subscribing, you are participating in the fight against Musk and Trump’s illegal activities and reckless cuts.

If you haven’t yet subscribed, I hope you will do so to send a message to Trump: we aren’t backing down. And if you have subscribed, thank you! Please consider inviting others to do so.

Of course, the main reason to subscribe is that you get access to all of our amazing content! I know I’m biased, but this week proved just how remarkable that is.

It’s the economy, stupid

Jen Rubin started the week off with a look at the Trumpcession: how Trump’s massive layoffs of federal workers, erratic and inflationary tariffs, and plans for a huge deficit increase are helping him run the economy into a ditch…again

In Trump’s tariffs will not end well. David Bernell and Ambassador Thomas Graham (Ret.) outlined the certain future of the trade war Trump is trying so hard to start: a lot of consumer pain and a truly global escalation of conflict.

Bringing prices down? Not. Nick Anderson offered an honest visual on how well Trump is doing driving prices down. (Very well, if what you’re asking about is Tesla stock…)

Jared Bernstein chimed in on how Trump’s reckless economic agenda united the country…

because Trump’s tariffs are deeply unpopular, and being felt across the nation.

And speaking of uniting the country…

The Contrarian covers the Democracy Movement. We have continued covering the latest in the nationwide fight citizens are waging to reclaim our democracy back. This week we saw protests in Iowa, Maryland, and North Carolina; Reno, Chicago and NYC. We saw support for Ukraine, more action against Tesla, strong rejections of the detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, and much more. Our opposition depends on public action, and we’d love to feature yours! Send images to info@contrariannews.org.

Jen Rubin and Ezra Levin discuss effective tactics of resistance. Jen Rubin and Ezra Levin, co-founder of the grassroots powerhouse Indivisible, talked about the power of speaking out, finding community, and building a resistance movement.

Maria Peralta and Jen Rubin on community organizing and collective action

As we see more and more Americans take to the streets to rally against the Trump-Musk regime, Jen Rubin interviews Maria Peralta about the strength of public opposition.

Our weekly installment of The Democracy Index from Joyce Vance, this week penned by Joshua Kolb, struck an optimistic note–due to the rulings that we’ve seen over the past few days.

What the Answer to the Shutdown Bluff Should’ve Been

“Go ahead, make my day.” The MAGA continuing resolution put the “CR” in crap. Jen and I covered the ups and downs of the battle against the CR, and its heroes and villains, in real time during one of our thrice-weekly Coffee with the Contrarians (on Substack Live) at 9:15 a.m. ET.

Max Stier explained why—this time—the all-too-familiar threat facing us is different, in his essay on a double-barreled government shutdown. With the Trump administration’s relentless destruction of the federal workforce and its insidious and unconstitutional elimination of critical public services, Congress was already dealing with a second de facto government shutdown.

Jen Rubin and Rep. Shomari Figures on Trump's threats to constituents. Jen interviewed Representative Shomari Figures on an impending government shutdown, Congressional power in the face of Musk, and the Republican threat to Medicaid.

The credulous mouthpieces laundering Republicans’ talking points. Why would the GOP shut down our government, grow our debt, and destroy vital services to increase Musk & Bros' staggering wealth?

A Wisconsin Referendum on Musk Is Here

Jen Rubin and Ben Wikler on the Upcoming WI Supreme Court Election. On April 1, Wisconsin residents will go to the polls in a critical judicial election to fill an empty seat on the State Supreme Court.

Elon’s On the Ballot. David Litt reminded us that early voting for that seat starts in a matter of days. Wondering what you can do? Do this!

Public opinion is plunging for Elon because he is destroying Social Security from within. Jeff Nesbit wrote that amidst the blitzkrieg of DOGE propaganda and bureaucratic chaos, Elon Musk’s endgame on Social Security is coming into focus: he intends to destroy it.

Elon Musk’s social insecurity. The billionaire’s reckless claims seem intended to manufacture outrage to justify an end to what many Americans rely on for survival, but what he refers to as an “entitlement program.”

Elon Musk: The accidental sovereign? Brian O’Neill highlights how history has shown us what happens when private industry becomes so deeply embedded in war that it starts shaping its outcomes.

Rule of Law Holds Strong

A House Misguided. This month’s all-Contrarian episode of Talking Feds, with Harry Litman, Jennifer Rubin, Katie Phang, and me analyzed Trump’s lie-filled address to Congress, the SCOTUS’s narrow affirmance of the district court order to walk back the USAID withdrawal, and the cases–many of which I litigated–that are now calling the Administration out for ignoring the commands of Congress.

Mark S. Zaid and Jen Rubin discuss ongoing litigation against the Trump Administration. Jen and attorney Mark S. Zaid discussed the lawsuit we filed at State Democracy Defenders Fund and Zaid himself against the government for the wrongful termination of the FEMA CFO.

Calling All Ethical Lawyers. Amidst Trump’s unrelenting, vindictive assaults on pillars of the American justice system and legal profession, Mimi Rocah saw a glimmer of hope–and a call to action–in the many lawyers, firms, and judges who have embraced their duty to fight back.

Words and Phrases We Could Do Without. Despite such acts of bravery, this week Jen held a linguistic funeral for the Department of “Justice”—something we desperately need to remain in working order but which, under Trump, is simply not worthy of its title. Perhaps the Department of Retribution would be more accurate? The Department of Intimidation?

Trump vs. SCOTUS might be the ultimate test of our democracy. Josh Levs analyzed evidence of resistance where Trump (and, maybe, the rest of us) least expected it—but where it couldn’t be more important: among his own picks to the Supreme Court.

Jen Rubin and Mike Zamore discussed the detention of a Columbia activist and explained why the case is one more extreme, unconscionable example of the Trump administration’s illegal attacks on free speech.

Trump’s “Woke” Presidency Cancels the Constitution. Nobel Peace Prize-winning attorney and human rights advocate John Terzano wrote that “wokeness,” as defined derisively by the right as a policing of language and embrace of ideological dogmatism, is far from dead at Trump’s hand (as he has claimed). Rather, it is thriving in our current administration—its version defined by extreme attacks on our First Amendment.

Meanwhile…

Him Again? Andrew Cuomo is the latest alleged abuser to stage a post-MeToo comeback. In Andrew Cuomo’s new front-runner bid for Mayor of New York, Meredith Blake saw more evidence that, thanks to Trump, the bar for acceptable behavior may be lower than ever (for powerful men only, of course).

The Real Cost of the Death Penalty. New York City public defender Eliza Orlins’s video addresses the racist history of the death penalty, the brutality of the various execution methods, and its massive expense.

Mayors Push Back against Trump’s Immigration Fear-Mongering. Shalise Manza Young wrote on the impassioned, excoriating testimony of blue city mayors in the face of more anti-immigration kabuki theater from administration officials and congressional Republicans.

A Nation at the Crossroads. Brenda Jones, speechwriter for the late Rep. John Lewis, offered a galvanizing reflection on the 60th Anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery marches and the new crossroads at which our nation now finds itself. In the words of one of my heroes, Rep. Lewis’ words: “Don’t give up, don’t give in, don’t give out. Don’t get lost in a sea of despair.”

Jen Rubin and Ilan Goldenberg discuss ceasefire in Ukraine and the right to protest and the implications of the new 30-day US-Ukraine ceasefire agreement. They also dug into the recent unlawful arrest and detainment of Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil.

Women’s History Month is a time for optimism, notes Jennifer Weiss Wolf. Our reaction to current events—and our commitment to action—requires that we hold tight to the hope and resilience that our foremothers possessed.

Jess Piper and Jen Rubin on failing Democratic strategy in rural America. Missouri’s own Jess Piper joins Jen Rubin to talk about how Trump’s policies are disproportionately harming rural Americans, and how the Democratic Party cannot abandon the rural vote if we want to be successful.

Trump’s deliberate destruction of biomedical research institutions have ground NIH to a halt and sent shockwaves through academia and the biomedical research institutions.

Our Full-Court Press

We all must stand up for the First Amendment. Judges and litigants in particular must hold the line against Mad King Donald.

Carron J. Phillips urges how essential it is that the whitewashing of the news must end, much as this administration seems hellbent on targeting everyone. The press must continue to highlight and reflect the masses of diverse faces that make our country so distinct.

Azza Cohen–filmmaker, writer, and former Vice President Kamala Harris’s official videographer and director of video in the White House–wrote the first piece in her new series for us, Split Screen, which looks at how images shape perception.

Is There a Murrow in the House? The legendary, inimitable Marvin Kalb writes on how Edward R. Murrow exemplified a free press unbowed by autocracy—if American democracy is to survive, we need his like again.

Which reminds me, there was so much more that was reprehensible about Trump’s DOJ speech yesterday, besides his lashing out at me. He attacked other lawyers like my friends Marc Elias and Andrew Weissmann (also a Contrarian contributor) — which is totally unacceptable. And, as members of the press, we Contrarians denounce all of Trump’s comments suggesting that, for example, MSNBC and CNN are “illegal.” Such rhetoric is not only idiotic and un-American, it’s also extremely dangerous—we must not allow these petty threats to shred the fabric of who we are as a nation.

The point of him ranting like that from DOJ, a department of such historic power and presence, is not lost on us. We stand with all those wrongly singled out, and we are ready to push back in the court of public opinion, with you, and in the court of law, as we did with a coalition of lawyers defending The Associated Press against Trump.

Keep Laughing and Stay Nourished

Fire sale by RJ Matson, and ‘Auto Graft’ with Tom the Dancing Bug brought comic relief.

The Washington Post seemingly forgot that The Contrarian is the only place where you’re able to enjoy Jen Rubin’s editorial banter. We decided to remind them: Want to chat with Jen Rubin? This is the only place you can.

Jamie Schler offered up a recipe for salade nicoise, with a reminder of the season we’re entering; when hope springs eternal!

And if you’ve been with us from the beginning, you know we never go a week without giving a shout-out to our Contrarian pet of the week…meet Esther, courtesy of our own Meghan Houser.

And finally, we kicked off the weekend with this video that our Contrarian colleagues made—having a little bit of fun ridiculing one of Trump’s more ludicrous claims about me.

Thanks for being with us this week and for standing with me in the fight to hold Trump accountable. Your subscriptions enable us to continuing doing that, while offering full access to content you can trust. We truly could not do this without you.

Jen and I will see you 9:15 am ET Monday morning for Coffee with the Contrarians.

Until then!

Warmly, Norm