Rachel Maddow cites example after example of Donald Trump going out of his way to help criminals, including some really terrible ones, so the idea that Trump's concerns about crime are behind his deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C. does not seem to hold water. Looking more closely at what Donald Trump has done instead of what he has said points to the more likely explanation that Trump really likes pointing the U.S. military at the American people.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump and his health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have canceled hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for mRNA vaccine research, a move that has been widely panned by health experts across the political spectrum, including members of Trump's first administration.

Rachel Maddow points out that the thing most Americans were dreading has come to pass, and the United States has changed profoundly in only six months of authoritarian rule. "We have a consolidating dictatorship in our country." With freedoms likely to continue to be curtailed in deference to Donald Trump's power, that means Americans have the most tools for democratic resistance right now.

In an election year of astronomically high stakes, in the absolutely crucial Senate race in North Carolina, Democrats got their wish with popular former Governor Roy Cooper entering the race. Fresh from announcing his candidacy, Cooper talks with Rachel Maddow about his accomplishments leading North Carolina, and what he hopes to bring to Washington, D.C.

Rachel Maddow takes a look at the sudden flood of artificial intelligence-generated fake stories on social media, using false stories with her at the center as examples. These false stories have her doing everything from rescuing Texas flood victims, to having a baby, to starting her own news network, none of which are true. The lesson is that now, more than ever, it is important to check the source of anything you see or read.

Rachel Maddow introduces viewers to the unfamiliar image of Donald Trump's pick to lead FEMA, David Richardson, who finally made an appearance in Texas more than a week after flooding killed scores of people.

As the death toll continues to rise and search and rescue teams continue to look for victims, the devastating flood in Kerr County, Texas show not only the vital role of weather forecasters, but also climate researchers who help make more accurate predictive models, and the coordinators and other administrators with the experience to make sure the right people are working with the right information. Eric Holthaus, meteorologist and climate journalist, talks with Rachel Maddow about the challenges weather officials face with climate change and staffing cuts under the Trump administration.

Rachel Maddow reviews the cast of characters that staff important national security roles in the Trump administration, and whose lack of qualifications for their jobs matters even more now that Donald Trump's bombing of Iran has raised the threat level for Americans everywhere in the world.

Rachel Maddow shows that despite Donald Trump's admonitions against protesting, and despite physical threats from local law enforcement, and despite genuine public safety concerns, Americans would not be denied their right to protest against Donald Trump and came out by the millions on Saturday for "No Kings" marches and rallies.