The Dictatorship
The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe: ‘This is the Epstein class ruling our country’
This is the Feb. 9, 2026, edition of “The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe” newsletter.Subscribe hereto get it delivered straight to your inbox every Monday through Friday.
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance was a jolt of Latino pride coursing through a country whose greatest strength, as Ronald Reagan once said, is its immigrants.
At the start of his electrifying show, Bad Bunny quietly handed his Grammy to a young Hispanic boy. It was a small gesture that spoke volumes.
Then came the explosion of vivid colors and cultural references — a celebration of Latino American life. Families dancing together, generations working side by side, communities building their own American dream.
Unlike the hyperchoreographed spectacle of a J.Lo show, this was an authentic snapshot of people rejoicing in who they are — children and seniors alike filling the stage with joy, energy, and love.
The performance was a testament to the diverse spirit of the Americas, stretching from Canada’s Arctic Circle to the tip of Chile.
More than 130 million viewers saw the vastness and depth of Latino culture choreographed in a big, brilliant, romantic way.
Elsewhere, the contrast could not have been sharper.
An alternative Super Bowl halftime show featured performers like Kid Rock lip-synching trite, audience-specific lyrics for a preening crowd. The event was organized by self-righteous elites who chose a performer whose career has included songs glorifying the exploitation of girls and women — even lyrics celebrating his fondness for underage girls.
Lines that read as if they were torn straight from the pages of the Epstein files.
Back on the main stage, Bad Bunny offered something entirely different — a cultural marker in the age of Trump that transcended language and politics.
“The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
In his closing moments, Bad Bunny looked straight into the camera and said he reached this stage by never losing faith.
Believe. Believe. Believe.
And you can get here, too.
“This is the Epstein class ruling our country. They are the elites they pretend to hate.”
— Sen. Jon OssoffD-Ga., campaigning for re-election in Atlanta on Saturday
BAD DAY FOR THE PATRIOTS
It was a rough day at the office for the Patriots’ QB, Drake Maye. The 2nd year standout felt the crush of Seattle’s pass rush. The Seahawks won Super Bowl LX 29-13.
A CONVERSATION ABOUT BAD BUNNY
The Super Bowl halftime show drew more than 130 million viewers — and a predictable outcry from the MAGA right. David Drucker, John Heilemann, Jonathan Lemire, Katty Kay, and Al Sharpton joined us to discuss the performance, the backlash, and what the moment revealed about America on its biggest stage.
JS: A lot of the criticism of the halftime show was framed as moral outrage. Rev. Al, what do you make of the reaction we’re seeing?
AS: You have people who want to look the other way and turn the page on their own behavior while holding everyone else to a moral standard. That alone tells you a lot.
There was a prayer breakfast last week— traditionally bipartisan, meant to bring people together — and the president used it to attack his enemies. Then later that same day, there was a video depicting former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes. And after all that, they wonder why people don’t take their pretensions of moral authority seriously. Look at how they behave.
JS: On the performance itself, David Drucker, what did you think?
DD: I don’t get offended very easily. I don’t own any of Bad Bunny’s music — I know I’m not the target demographic — but I watched it and thought it was a good show. It was entertaining.
JS: Critics said it wasn’t “American.” How did it look to you?
DD: I grew up in Los Angeles, and this felt very American to me. In major cities across the country, people speak all sorts of languages. That’s just how America works.
JS: From the NFL’s perspective, why did this choice make sense?
DD: The NFL has decided its growth market is international. Next year they’re scheduled to have nine regular-season games overseas — Australia, Brazil, Mexico City. The NFL is looking to grow its business, and this fits.
JS: John Heilemann, what did this moment signal to Hispanic Americans?
JH: For Hispanics, who’ve long been treated as the “other,” this had to be an extraordinary night — one of the most powerful institutions in America recognizing that we are Americans. And the NFL is so big that it simply doesn’t care what Donald Trump or the MAGA right tweets.
JS: Was Bad Bunny actually a risky choice for the league?
JH: No. The NFL followed the data. This is the most streamed artist in the world, on the biggest stage anywhere. That’s not bold — that’s smart.
JS: Jonathan Lemire, how political was this performance, and in what way?
JL: Only subtly — in its inclusiveness. It was a love letter to Puerto Rico and to all the Americas. And in this moment, that message of unity over division is something a lot of Americans wanted.
JS: Katty Kay, what stood out to you?
KK: The politics was the joy. People expected something confrontational, but instead it was a celebration of heritage and love. The final message — that the only thing more powerful than hate is love — made it very hard to be offended.
JS: John, what’s the takeaway?
JH: Whatever you think of the music, this was one of the most exquisitely produced halftime shows ever. And it shut up the critics in every possible way.
This conversation has been condensed and edited for brevity and clarity.
OLYMPIANS SPEAK OUT
American athletes have long carried domestic politics onto the international stage. From Tommie Smith and John Carlos Black Power salute at the 1968 Mexico City Games to the U.S. women’s soccer team kneeling in 2021, the Olympics have often reflected the country’s political tensions back to the world.
That tradition resurfaced almost immediately at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games. Asked about representing Team USA during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, freestyle skier Hunter Hess said he had “mixed emotions,” adding that there was “a lot going on” he wasn’t a fan of.
Donald Trump responded angrily on Truth Social, calling Hess “a real Loser” and saying he never should have made the team. Rep. Byron DonaldsMegyn Kellyand Jake Paul quickly joined the criticism.
Other American athletes echoed those concerns. Teammate Chris Lillis said he feels “heartbroken about what’s happened in the United States,” while figure skater Amber Glenn said the LGBTQ community has struggled during the Trump administration — a reminder that sports and politics have never been as separate as critics insist.
EXTRA HOT TEA
Prediction market companies Kalshi and Polymarket — platforms that allow you to bet on, oh, anything and everything — may have been banned from advertising at Super Bowl LX, but they got eyeballs and bets rolling anyway. Here’s how last night played out in wager world:
$500M (Kalshi) and $55M (Polymarket) on the outcome of the Super Bowl
$397M on which player would get the most fantasy points (Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers surpassed Patriots quarterback Drake Maye for the final time just past 8:45 p.m. ET)
$1.5M on how long the halftime show would last.
$113.5M on Bad Bunny’s opener (“Titi Asked Me”)
One person with a Polymarket account created the day before the game got every single bet on celebrity appearances — even unannounced guests like Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin — on the halftime show, strengthening claims that prediction market companies encourage insider trading.
ONE MORE SHOT
While East Coast residents endured subzero temperatures, Canadians asked “What’s that aboot?” as they celebrated the Quebec Winter Carnival in Quebec City, Canada. Here, a hearty soul smiles after jumping into the snow for a “snow bath.”
ON THE RADAR
In the coming days, actorsHalle BerryandChris Hemsworthwill join us to discuss their new film “Crime 101.”
Stay tuned for more!
CATCH UP ON MORNING JOE
Mika Brzezinski is the co-host of MS NOW’s Morning Joe, founder of “Know Your Value” and author of four best-selling books, including “EARN IT!: Know Your Value and Grow Your Career, in Your 20s and Beyond” (Hachette Books; May 7, 2019) with co-author Daniela Pierre-Bravo. Prior to joining BLN in 2007, Mika was an anchor of CBS Evening News Weekend Edition and a CBS News correspondent who frequently contributed to CBS Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes.
The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination, a spokesperson said late Wednesday, as two retiring Republicans on the panel dug in over President Donald Trump’s personal “anti-weaponization” deal with the government he runs.
Sen. Chuck Grassley’s decision to delay the committee vote that had been set for Thursday marks a setback for one of Trump’s highest-profile Cabinet nominees, at the hands of Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a pair of Republicans set to leave the chamber next year.
“Chairman Grassley works to set President Trump’s nominees up for success in committee, not failure. Senators Cornyn and Tillis want written assurances from the Department of Justice regarding the Trump-IRS settlement,” the committee spokesperson said.
Blanche’s nomination to permanently head the Department of Justice needs the support of either Cornyn or Tillis to make it out of the committee to a vote by the full Senate, assuming all Democrats remain opposed.
“Why don’t you call over the Department of Justice and tell them they have one hour and 50 minutes to get me what I asked for,” Cornyn told reporters Wednesday afternoon amid the hardening standoff over his demand that Blanche and the DOJ put in writing a commitment never to pursue the president’s prized “anti-weaponization” fund, and to clarify the terms of Trump’s personal deal with the Internal Revenue Service.
Tillis told MS NOW that the conversations were complicated by the need for the Justice Department to get “several parties” to agree on the language of the statement Cornyn and Tillis are seeking.
“What I’ve advised the chair, and I would assume Senator Cornyn said something similar, is that we’re not prepared to vote yes yet,” he added.
“The Department has been in regular communication with Committee members for weeks, and we look forward to continuing to work productively with Senators to address any concerns,” a Justice Department spokesperson said in response to the decision to postpone the committee vote.
Cornyn was set to meet with Blanche on Wednesday morning, but the meeting was called off after Blanche failed to meet the senator’s demand for written proposals to modify the controversial settlement agreement he brokered between Trump and the IRS. The Republican senator is set to leave Congress when his term ends in January after a bruising May primary loss to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Trump’s chosen candidate.
“Maybe John Cornyn’s upset with me because I didn’t endorse him,” Trump told reporters Wednesday afternoon in the Oval Office. “I don’t know what it is, but I haven’t heard that there’s a problem. I heard (Blanche) is going through quite nicely.”
Cornyn made clear to Blanche during his confirmation hearing that he will not get his support until he agrees to reopen and modify the settlement. Due to the committee’s narrow Republican majority, one GOP “no” vote is enough to sink Blanche’s nomination.
The senator has asked Blanche to provide proof that the proposed nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund established as part of the deal between Trump and the IRS is formally dead, and he has also demanded Blanche narrow the tax audit immunity provisions the settlement afforded to Trump and his family.
Blanche has publicly stated that his department has dropped the fund, but he and the DOJ have dodged requests from Cornyn and a federal judge to put that in writing.
After announcing his meeting with Blanche would not take place Wednesday morning, Cornyn told reporters that changes from Blanche “in a modified release form” would be acceptable, but that “for some reason … they simply refuse to do it,” referring to the DOJ.
Shortly after the meeting was called off, a Justice Department official told MS NOW that the department “provided a written proposal to Senator Cornyn’s staff yesterday following ongoing discussion with both the Committee and the Senator’s office.”
Cornyn said that proposal was “not responsive” to his demands because it did not address the tax audit immunity provisions in the settlement, one of his key demands.
In May, Blanche signed an addendum as part of the deal that granted Trump, his family and his businesses immunity from pending IRS tax audits. That agreement, which has been decried by former IRS officials and legal experts as unlawful self-dealing, is being contested in federal court.
Cornyn noted that Blanche testified under oath that he could meet the request during his confirmation hearing.
“Maybe they think I’m just going to give up or you know, go along, but they’re mistaken,” Cornyn said when asked why he thinks the DOJ could be slow-walking his request.
Kevin Frey contributed to this report.
Sydney Carruth is a breaking news reporter covering national politics and policy for MS NOW. You can send her tips from a non-work device on Signal at SydneyCarruth.46 or follow her work on X and Bluesky.
Mychael Schnell is a reporter for MS NOW.
Ebony Davis is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked at BLN as a campaign reporter covering elections and politics.
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived this week for his tour of Washington, he may have had a mission in mind.
Netanyahu needed to overcome his newly diminished stature and waning influence over his once close friend President Donald Trump as both leaders grapple with the unpopularity of a war they started together and is escaping their control.
His meeting at the White House with Trump on Tuesday, which was closed to the press, was the first face-to-face encounter between the two allies since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint attack against Iran on Feb. 28.
Trump gave him a muted welcome and afterwards simply described the meeting as “very good.” “Obviously, many important subjects were discussed,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
Rather than an intimate one-on-one setting, the Oval Office was full of top U.S. officials — Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
But Netanyahu continued the full court press on the Trump administration.
Over the course of two days, in addition to seeing Trump and attending Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral at the Capitol, Netanyahu also met separately with Vance, Hegseth, and Rubio, White House and Israeli officials confirmed to MS NOW.
The Israeli prime minister’s slate of meetings with key U.S. national security officials comes at a pivotal moment in the Iran conflict as tensions escalate in the region and Americans increasingly sour on the war. A recent Quinnipiac poll shows 60% of American voters opposing U.S. military action against Iran and 74% against sending U.S. ground troops into Iran.
Not only does Trump face pressure as Republicans face an uphill battle to retain congressional control in this fall’s midterms, Netanyahu’s fate as prime minister is at stake in Israel’s upcoming September elections – and he can’t afford to lose Trump’s favor.
The talks largely focused on what to do next as Iran continues to menace shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and retaliate against American bases in the region and launch attacks on Gulf allies.
According to a senior Israeli official who was granted anonymity to describe the closed-door meeting, President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu did not come to a final decision after discussing three paths forward: get a “good deal” focused on Iran’s nuclear program and enriched material, have no deal and instead continue the blockade and economic pressure, or take escalated military action.
But Netanyahu did not tell Trump what he should do – nor did he express a preference.
The senior Israeli official noted Netanyahu has not ruled out diplomacy – as long as it is coupled with “very strong pressures,” calling the push to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program “a contest of will and a contest of force.”
“There are ways of squeezing them and squeezing them and squeezing them and negotiating at the same time,” the official said.
Netanyahu did not present President Trump with new intelligence regarding the underground Iranian nuclear facility Pickaxe Mountain, per the senior Israeli official, noting the U.S. and Israel already are constantly sharing intelligence – and know where Iran’s highly enriched material is. “We don’t think it’s moved, and I think we have a pretty good grasp on that,” the official said.
During their meeting on Tuesday, Trump and Netanyahu discussed ways Israel and the U.S. can work together to stop Iran’s nuclear program and get the Strait of Hormuz open to maritime trade, the senior Israeli official said.
The two leaders also discussed a third goal: to continue to undermine the Iranian regime and “possibly create future conditions for a change in that area.” U.S. officials have backed away from pursuing paths that would overthrow the current leadership, but Netanyahu still believes that could happen.
“The chasm that has been created between the people and the regime is not about to be closed,” the senior Israeli official said of Netanyahu’s thinking.
Netanyahu advised Trump in February that Israeli intelligence indicated launching strikes against Iran would lead to the toppling of the Islamic Republic’s regime – and five months later, the slain ayatollah’s son retains power with a close circle of hardliners, calling into question the accuracy of Israel’s intelligence apparatus.
But the senior Israeli official said at the time, Netanyahu did not promise the Iranian people would take fate into their own hands following a coordinated attack. Rather, he chose his words carefully and said that an attack could create conditions to “advance the probability or the possibility that that would happen.”
The conditions needed for the Iranian regime to fall, “did not materialize,” the official told MS NOW, adding, “not for lack of insight, but for either operational failure or decisions that were made.”
Despite Netanyahu insisting Israel and the U.S. are on the same page, differences still remain: the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and the Saudi nuclear arrangement did not come up during Wednesday’s White House meeting, according to a second Israeli official granted anonymity to describe sensitive discussions.
Meanwhile, the conflict continues to spread, with an Iranian drone attacking a U.S. gas storage tanker off the coast of Egypt on Wednesday.
Trump indicated he would not let Iran’s latest action slide, telling reporters on Wednesday that the U.S. would retaliate against Iran even as he leaves room for diplomatic talks to resume.
“It’s our turn, and we’ll see if we get there with an agreement at some point,” Trump said. “But we’re going to hit them very hard.”
As for what it would take for Israel to join the U.S. strikes, the senior Israeli official said that if Israel is attacked by Iran, “We will respond very, very forcefully and very quickly. And I think Iran would make a great mistake.”
Julia Jester covers politics for MS NOW and is based in Washington, D.C.
International rage over FIFA’s close ties to President Donald Trump has reached a fever pitch after soccer’s governing body announced a plan to sell a significant stake to an investor group led by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law.
The president and his family have all but turned the White House into their personal piggy bank. And FIFA — which has its own sordid history of corruption — seems to have made itself a party to Trump’s self-enrichment under Gianni Infantino’s leadership, such as by paying for space inside Trump Tower in New York. (The organization has defended the office rental as a World Cup outpost.)
Soccer is seen by many as a unifying game. But Trump’s incorporation of FIFA into his political dynasty is threatening that idea.
FIFA has announced plans to sell a large minority stake in a new company that will run its main events, including the World Cup and Club World Cup, as part of a plan to triple the amount of development money it dishes out to its 211 member associations.
Under the proposals — which are subject to approval by a majority of those national associations and FIFA’s 37-member council — a new entity called FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE) will take over all commercial operations, while FIFA remains the game’s global governing body and retains a majority stake in FFE.
A press release from FIFA confirmed the plans and said Thrive Eternal, which was launched by Joshua Kushner, is expected to lead the investment group that would control FIFA Forward Enterprise. FIFA did not clarify why Thrive Eternal was selected, and Kushner was already dabbling in sports.
But Trump basically has already given son-in-law Jared Kushner carte blanche to dictate U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East while simultaneously hatching business plans in the region. (Jared Kushner has denied any conflicts of interest.)
Joshua Kushner reportedly has been a major donor to Democrats. But, predictably, the idea of another Kushner becoming financially entwined with the World Cup — the world’s most popular sporting event — and basically being dropped into a position of global significance isn’t going over well. Several other soccer governing bodies have expressed concerns, including Europe’s UEFA.
“This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross,” UEFA said in a statement about The Athletic’s report, adding: “The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade — especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee also rebuked the plan, writing on X: “Apparently the fake Peace Prize and giant lease with Trump Tower weren’t enough — now Infantino performs a kickback hat trick by pursuing a multibillion-dollar deal with Jared Kushner’s brother to sell ownership stakes in the World Cup to private investors.”
FIFA, Donald Trump’s favorite corrupt racketeering enterprise in world sports, is now going directly into business with the Trump family!
Apparently the fake Peace Prize and giant lease with Trump Tower weren’t enough—now Infantino performs a kickback hat trick by pursuing a… https://t.co/knSZibuMea
— House Judiciary Dems (@HouseJudiciary) July 28, 2026
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., has already launched an investigation into the FIFA leader’s relationship with the Trump administration, while dozens of European lawmakers — citing concerns about “potential breaches of political neutrality” — have called for the FIFA Ethics Committee to investigate Infantino. This new proposal seems unlikely to assuage those concerns.
But what it does seem likely to do is fuel global anger toward the U.S. — the kind that has been growing since Trump retook office.
And when you consider that, it’s truly remarkable how the same MAGA movement whose members whined for years about politics mixing with sports is now in lockstep with a president who seems dead-set on casting his shadow over every sports event he can.
This post on X basically sums up the foul stench around FIFA’s latest proposal.
Sepp Blatter was Infantino’s predecessor as FIFA president and oversaw the organization amid some of its many scandals. When heof all people, is warning about how Trump and Infantino’s relationship is “deeply damaging” soccer, it’s a sign of how far FIFA has descended into the gutter.
Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.
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