What a week.
A U.S. citizen was shot and killed on Saturday by government agents in the streets of America.
The federal agency that killed Alex Pretti repeatedly lied about the shooting, initially claiming that he approached agents intending to slaughter them.
White House officials then managed to upset the National Rifle Association after the FBI director, the Treasury secretary, and Donald Trump himself suggested that Pretti was shot 10 times because he was legally carrying a gun.
By Monday, Trump backtracked in the face of widespread public outrage.
By Tuesday, U.S. Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino was out.
And on Wednesday, White House border czar Tom Homan announced that officers would be disciplined if they failed to follow protocol.
Soon after, the FBI raided a Georgia election center near Atlanta, with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard personally overseeing the seizure of voter rolls.
That chilling act followed two troubling developments. First came last week’s revelations that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency operation had improperly taken voter information — including Social Security numbers — while working with a political vendor. Soon after, Attorney General Pam Bondi moved to strong-arm Minnesota officials into handing over the state’s voter data.
Then today came the news that the Trump administration is arresting reporters for covering protests in Minnesota, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon.
Another day, another shock to our constitutional republic — and another attack on constitutional norms.
And every day, we have to answer that lawless rage with our voices, our votes, and our humanity.
This requires good Americans to defend their constitutional rights, choose compassion over violence, and work tirelessly to “make gentle the life of this world.”
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And as you go about making the world a better place for you and me, be sure to stay bundled up!
Monday is Groundhog Day, but before Punxsutawney Phil weighs in on the fate of spring, winter has more to say. A frigid weekend lies ahead, with a “bomb cyclone” expected to batter an already ice-locked East Coast.
Some television events on the menu for those staying indoors include the finals of this year’s Australian Open (though the time difference puts the women’s and men’s finals at 3:30 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday, respectively). On Sunday night, at the more reasonable start time of 8 p.m. ET, is the 68th annual Grammy Awards, hosted for the fourth consecutive year by comedian Trevor Noah.
For those braving the arctic temperatures in New York City, the world-famous Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is underway at Madison Square Garden, and in still snowed-in Washington, D.C., you can enjoy the Washington DC Auto Show.
In warmer climates, Homestead, Florida, features the 77th Annual Homestead Championship Rodeo, while in Los Angeles all you punk rockers out there can unleash your inner Joey Ramone tonight at Punk Rock karaoke at the Lodge Room.
Elsewhere across the country: Beer drinkers can take a swig at the Big Barn Beer Fest in Hobart, Indiana; and fans of Elsa and Anna can let it go at Disney’s “Frozen” stage musical in Austin, Texas.
Now, on to your questions.
MAILBAG
Trump’s Department of Justice somehow got a warrant to enter a Fulton County elections office to remove voter material and ballots, with Tulsi leading the charge. To me this is Trump laying more groundwork for the 2026 elections. Am I wrong?
— Dave, Rio Vista, Calif.
No. You’re not wrong.
When you put everything in context, the unprecedented seizure of voting files in Georgia followed Pam Bondi‘s bizarre demand for Minnesota voting data.
Americans should remember that Donald Trump repeatedly tried to overturn the results of a presidential election he lost. In Georgia, we all heard his voice on tape demanding that Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger “find” enough votes to declare him the winner.
Despite the blizzard of lies pushed by Trump, Rudy Giuliani, and a band of unethical lawyers, more than 60 federal lawsuits brought by Trump and his allies were thrown out.
Now, with the president telling Republicans that he would be impeached multiple times if they lost the midterm elections, Trump understands exactly how high the stakes are. And considering how badly his party is getting hammered in poll after poll, the White House has to know the truth: They likely can’t win — unless they don’t play fair. The president even told a reporter that America doesn’t need elections in 2026.
Let that be your warning. And let it be mine.
When are we (i.e., the media) going to start stating the obvious … that the ICE charades have nothing to do with purely immigration enforcement, but rather the sharper sword of intimidation, instilling widespread fear, making state-sponsored blackmail legal, and cultivating distrust of everything that our Union is built on and provisioned for the last 250 years.
— Patrick P., Hobe Sound, Fla.
Donald Trump promised that his immigration raids would target the worst of the worst. Instead, we are seeing a 5-year-old child being thrown in a detention center. We are seeing a 37-year-old mother shot in the face while trying to leave a protest area. And we are seeing a VA nurse shot repeatedly in the back for acting as a good Samaritan after Border Patrol officers shoved a woman into the snow.
These raids are not about removing dangerous criminals from the streets. They are about driving up deportation numbers and sending a very clear message to states and cities: The federal government can come in and crush them anytime it wants.
Obviously, the White House has overplayed its hand, and officials know it. But expect continued Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids to take place across America — and the Trump administration to constantly push the boundaries of the executive branch’s Article 2 powers. That is the White House’s stated admission, and it will travel over any constitutional norm it can so long as Congress and the Supreme Court refuse to push back.
Joe, have you listened to the lyrics of “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield? This 1966 Vietnam anthem is even more relevant today.
— Dale R., Venice, Fla.
The Buffalo Springfield classic feels all too relevant to events in America six decades later.
Stephen Stills wrote the song in just 15 minutes, after watching a riot on the Sunset Strip. He was disturbed by the unrest and feared for America’s future.
The song would be attached to the Vietnam War, civil rights protests, the National Guard shooting at Kent State, and a string of events over the next six decades. And again, here we are.
Step out of line, the man comes to take you away …
Joe, now that we’re to the heart of winter, it’s time to talk about summer and boats. Please tell us about your lobster boat — as a real workboat, what’s the make, length, and power plant? What upgrades are you making for 2026?
— Jordan O., Traverse City, Mich.
Jordan, thank you for that wonderful question. When the snow is piled high along the side of the road and the temperature is well below freezing, it is a wonderful escape to think about summer — and getting back out on the water with my lobster boat.
Jewel is a 40-foot fiberglass beauty named after my grandmom, who raised four children in rural Georgia through the toughest years of the Great Depression. She was a mighty force — someone who built her family on the values of faith, hard work, and the hope of better days ahead.
My mother had just one dress when she was growing up. My grandmom would wash it outside and iron it every morning before school. Because of Jewel’s strength of character, the kids never knew they were poor. My grandmom also seemed to have a direct line to God — and that connection always made a great difference in our lives.
The boat that bears her name is a 2001 RP lobster boat. A single-screw, diesel, fiberglass beauty that gets the job done.
When I first asked friends where I could find a working lobster boat, they sent links for Hinckleys, yachts, and other high-end picnic boats. I would correct them politely and say, “I’d really like a working lobster boat.“
Then came photos of lobster boats that had been painstakingly converted into wood-paneled luxury cruisers.
So I made it simple: Where can I find an old, 40-foot lobster boat — diesel, single-screw, fiberglass from bow to stern?
A few weeks later, Jewel came into my life, and summers have not been the same since!
After seeing me bring it into the dock, a boat captain laughed and said, “That one will get heads turning at the yacht club.” I replied: “Well, since I’m not a member of any yacht club, I think I’ll be just fine.”
Now, of course, I take out friends with larger, more “refined” yachts who love Jewel and are thinking about making a rough-and-ready lobster boat their next purchase.
For my family, it’s been a perfect fit — from Florida all the way up the East Coast!
NIGHTCAP
Joe will appear on “Real Time with Bill Maher” tonight! Don’t miss the show on HBO at 10 p.m. ET.
ONE MORE SHOT
English singer, drummer, and artist Phil Collins turns 75 today!
SPILL IT!
Next week, actor Ian McKellan will join us to discuss his new play, “The Ark.”
Have a question? Ask here, and we may feature your question on the show.
CATCH UP ON MORNING JOE
Former Rep. Joe Scarborough, R-Fla., is co-host of MS NOW's "Morning Joe" alongside Mika Brzezinski — a show that Time magazine calls "revolutionary." In addition to his career in television, Joe is a two-time New York Times best-selling author. His most recent book is "The Right Path: From Ike to Reagan, How Republicans Once Mastered Politics — and Can Again."