The Scandal Will Also Be in How They Brush It Aside 

The Scandal Will Also Be in How They Brush It Aside

There should be consequences for top government officials convening on Signal to discuss war plans. We fear there won’t be.

William Kristol

, 

Andrew Egger

, and 

Jim Swift

Mar 25, 2025

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We’re getting over a case of the Mondays here at The Bulwark. But not the kind from Office Space. A former colleague worried yesterday afternoon that we “might OD on schadenfreude today.” Alas, we did not! Two months into Trump II, the writers gave us an amazingly comical scandal from the “but her emails” crew. And now, the clean up. Happy Tuesday.

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US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz speaks with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 24, 2025. (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)

👊🇺🇸🔥

Bill Kristol

If a scandal comes to light and no one does anything about it—is it a real scandal?

I suppose we’ll find out.

Don’t get me wrong: The fact that the most senior national security officials in the United States government hopped on to a commercially available messaging app to discuss details of a forthcoming U.S. military operation is a scandal.

Indeed, their behavior suggests that these officials have been doing this routinely to discuss all manner of issues, including the most highly classified ones. A failure to observe government rules and laws has probably been business as usual for the Trump administration. In other words, a further and more widespread scandal very likely lurks beneath the surface.

A basic investigation would uncover this. But the shockingly irresponsible, cavalierly reckless, and likely illegal conduct of top government officials should lead to more than that. It should be grounds for resignation and perhaps prosecution. It should lead to widespread outrage. It should result in real demands for accountability, not just from the opposition but from the president’s own party. There should be consequences.

 

Your move, tennis suits

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Drama is brewing in the game of tennis and Zendaya is nowhere near it this time. The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), a group co-founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil and financially backed by Bill Ackman, sued a group of the sport’s governing bodies yesterday over working conditions. The lawsuit, which also names 12 pro players as plaintiffs, claims athletes are “stuck in a rigged game,” alleging that the bodies engage in monopolistic practices that put players’ financial and physical health at risk. Some grievances aired by players in the 163-page suit include allegations of: Longer tournaments and inconsistent scheduling, which make some pros play at all hours of the night. Excessive anti-doping checks. Minuscule prize payouts compared to other high-profile sports. The governing bodies also allegedly have an iron grip on players’ image rights, which prevents them from making money with sponsorships. Mandatory participation rules and tournaments changing the type of balls they use, which the suit alleges can lead to more injuries. Big picture. The lawsuit is the biggest push by top players to literally change the game. But it’s not the only country club sport looking for a pay bump: Three years ago, the game of golf was splintered when the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV league courted top players with wads of cash.—MM

World Cup Kiss Conviction

World Cup Kiss Conviction Former Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault yesterday for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without consent after the 2023 Women's World Cup final. Spain's High Court fined Rubiales $10,434 and ordered him to stay at least 200 meters from Hermoso and not communicate with her for a year. Rubiales and three codefendants were acquitted of a separate coercion charge for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to declare the kiss consensual. The incident occurred during the medal ceremony following Spain's victory in Sydney. Hermoso, who plays in the Mexican soccer league and for Spain's national team, stated the kiss "tarnished" one of the happiest days of her life, while Rubiales claimed it was consensual. The Spanish penal code classifies a nonconsensual kiss as sexual assault. The scandal led to Rubiales' resignation and a three-year FIFA ban.

Harvard Profs Sue Trump Administration Over Removal of LGBTQ Research From Website

Harvard Profs Sue Trump Administration Over Removal of LGBTQ Research From Website

FRIDAY, March 14, 2025 -- Two Harvard medical school professors are suing the Trump administration, arguing that their research was unfairly removed from a government-run website. Their studies, focused on improving patient safety and reducing...

South Carolina moves ahead with ‘cruel’ firing squad execution despite outcry

South Carolina moves ahead with ‘cruel’ firing squad execution despite outcry

Brad Sigmon, 67, will be first executed by gunfire in US in 15 years as supporters call for clemency

The US will conduct its first execution by firing squad in 15 years on Friday in South Carolina, despite widespread concerns about the safety and cruelty of this method and growing calls for clemency.

Brad Sigmon, 67, is scheduled to be shot to death by three South Carolina prison employees, part of a series of rapid executions the state has pursued in the last six months as it revives capital punishment. After a 13-year-pause in killings, due to limited supplies to carry out executions, the state now directs men on death row to choose their method of death – electric chair, lethal injection or firing squad.

Trump Administration Sued for Freezing Funds That Help Protect Vulnerable Species Like Rhinos and Elephants

Trump Administration Sued for Freezing Funds That Help Protect Vulnerable Species Like Rhinos and Elephants

Environmentalists are urging the Trump administration to reverse a decision to freeze funding for important conservation work aimed at protecting iconic at-risk species, which includes anti-poaching patrols for vulnerable elephants and rhinos.

The Center for Biological Diversity sent a notice of intent to sue to the administration on Wednesday over the funding cuts.

“The Trump administration’s funding freeze for anti-poaching patrols and other international conservation work is maddening, heartbreaking, and very illegal,” said Sarah Uhlemann, the Center for Biological Diversity’s international program director, in a press release from the nonprofit environmental organization. “These Fish and Wildlife Service funds help protect elephants, rhinos and other animals across the globe that Americans love. No one voted to sacrifice the world’s most iconic wildlife to satisfy some unelected billionaire’s reckless power trip.”

Haskell library responds to Kristi Noem’s ’51st state’ remark - Another bully

Haskell library responds to Kristi Noem’s ’51st state’ remark By William Crooks Local Journalism Initiative A recent visit by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to the Haskell Free Library and Opera House has sparked strong reactions on both sides of the border, with community members decrying what they see as disrespectful remarks made during her appearance. Noem visited the historic cross-border library on Jan. 30, accompanied by U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security officials, and the Secret Service. Her visit was unannounced until the morning of her arrival, when federal agents informed library staff that she would be touring the space. According to reports, Noem stood on the American side of the library, declared, “USA number one,” and then stepped onto the Canadian side, saying, “The 51st state.” Witnesses, including library staff, found the remark inappropriate. “My employees were very shocked by what they saw,” said Sylvie Boudreau, president of the library’s board of trustees. She was in another room speaking with Homeland Security officials at the time of the incident but later heard about it from multiple staff members and volunteers. “They were surprised that she would do something like that,” she said. “For us, it was not respectful.” She also noted that Noem’s staff found the remark amusing. The library, which has stood for over a century as a symbol of cross-border unity, operates in a unique legal grey area, allowing Canadians and Americans to enter from their respective countries without passing through an official border crossing. Given its history and role in fostering international community ties, Noem’s remarks have been widely condemned as needlessly provocative. “The library was made to unite the two communities, to unite the people from the United States and Canada,” Boudreau emphasized. “It was very loose, and everything was fun. We’ve always been one big family at the library.” Subscribe to read this story and more