Spin Cycle: Cue The Meltdowns, And The Tiny Violins

For those who don’t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week’s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.

As President Donald Trump rapidly approaches the end of his first month in office, Democrats and media have started to let the mask slip. As more and more of Trump’s nominees make it through the confirmation process — despite numerous Democrat attempts to throw up roadblocks — the response from both elected Democrats and media personalities reveals that the panic has truly begun to set in.

And nothing has provoked the fight-or-flight response more than billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as they have effectively “declared war on the Deep State,” systematically rooting out the waste and abuse that have kept federal agencies (and the politicians who funnel the money their way) on a taxpayer-funded gravy train.

On ABC News’ “This Week,” anchor Jonathan Karl started in on the Trump administration, calling their actions thus far “breathtaking” before admitting that the president was essentially just making good on promises that he had made while on the 2024 campaign trail.

He then cut over to White House correspondent Mary Bruce — who went straight for Musk, framing the story in a way that painted the SpaceX CEO as the one in charge rather than as someone simply doing the bidding of President Trump and, by extension, the voters. That particular imagery — Musk in a leadership role with Trump taking a backseat and getting less media attention — has been used repeatedly by those attempting to drive a wedge between the president and the billionaire by denying Trump what they believe his ego needs.

“A remarkable scene in the Oval Office — Elon Musk holding court, answering questions for the first time about his efforts to dismantle the federal bureaucracy … On the chopping block this week: tens of thousands of federal jobs,” she said.

“A remarkable scene in the Oval Office — Elon Musk holding court, answering questions for the first time about his efforts to dismantle the federal bureaucracy … On the chopping block this week: tens of thousands of federal jobs.” @MaryKBruce reports: https://t.co/DsfbqibTKG pic.twitter.com/Tsg7vebIES

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 16, 2025

Karl then pivoted to an interview with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), where he raised the question of New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his recently-dropped federal corruption charges — along with his apparent willingness to cooperate with the Trump administration on illegal immigration.

Ignoring the fact that the charges were only brought against Adams by former President Joe Biden’s Justice Department *after* he had already signaled his desire to work with federal immigration authorities — prompting many to think that the charges were politically-motivated — Jeffries charged ahead, suggesting the burden was on Adams to prove the absence of corruption.

“Mayor Adams has a responsibility to convince the people of New York City … that he’s not simply taking orders from a Trump administration, a Trump Department of Justice, or Trump officials,” Jeffries claimed.

“Mayor Adams has a responsibility to convince the people of New York City … that he’s not simply taking orders from a Trump administration, a Trump Department of Justice, or Trump officials," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries tells @JonKarl. https://t.co/QNYzyfKJa8 pic.twitter.com/liCCvU1PfK

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 16, 2025

On CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) went after Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Adams case, arguing essentially that it was evidence of political corruption for the Justice Department to dismiss charges that on their face looked to have been politically motivated.

“One would expect more from the Attorney General of the United States,” Raskin, who became a household name largely because of his role in the second impeachment of President Trump immediately pivoted to bang the impeachment drum again.

Calling the move “an attack on the Department of Justice for engaging in corruption prosecutions,” he added that it “could be impeachable in a different political environment.”

"One would expect more from the attorney general of the United States," Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, says of AG Pam Bondi after the DOJ moved to drop its corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams.

Raskin tells @margbrennan the move… pic.twitter.com/jV9ETs3UoC

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) February 16, 2025

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) took a similar tone on CNN’s “State of the Union,” where she claimed that Mayor Adams’ willingness to protect the people of New York City from criminal illegals was actually proof positive that he had allowed President Trump and his administration to turn Adams into a “political pawn.”

She then claimed that it would be up to Republicans to show “courage” and “fortitude” by joining with Democrats in their opposition to Trump’s actions — which she claimed constituted a “major assault on the justice system.”

Democratic @SenAmyKlobuchar tells @DanaBashCNN the Trump administration has turned NYC Mayor Eric Adams into a "political pawn" and says Republicans need to start showing "courage" and "fortitude" against what she calls Trump's "major assault on the justice system." pic.twitter.com/caB1S4FjrY

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) February 16, 2025

Anchor Dana Bash also spoke with Border Czar Tom Homan, pressing him to refute the idea that there was a quid pro quo agreement between the Trump administration and Adams, given his willingness to allow federal immigration enforcement officers access to Rikers Island.

“No, I think that’s ridiculous,” Homan shot back. “I don’t think it had anything to do with it.”

"No, I think that's ridiculous… I don't think it had anything to do with it."

White House border czar Tom Homan denies allegations of a quid pro quo between New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the Trump administration, after Adams agreed to give ICE access to Rikers Island… pic.twitter.com/tXMvcymLwg

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) February 16, 2025

Rep. Laura Gillan (D-NY) took things a step further during the show’s weekly panel discussion, suggesting that if Adams was working with federal immigration authorities, Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) should step in and remove him from office.

“Adams is not above the law,” she claimed.

New York @RepLauraGillen calls for Hochul to remove NYC Mayor: "Adams is not above the law." pic.twitter.com/NQc05xv8td

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) February 16, 2025

On NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” the focus was on Ukraine and comments from both Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirming the administration’s position on not allowing the embattled nation into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Host Kristen Welker interviewed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Trump administration’s efforts to help bring about the end of the war Russia began, and Zelenskyy used the moment to warn there was a “high risk” that Russia — despite being at a stalemate with only Ukraine as its opposition — was likely to attack other NATO countries.

Zelenskyy warns of ‘high risk’ Putin will invade NATO countries: Full interview https://t.co/8HNRsnSeoy

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) February 16, 2025