🚨🚨BREAKING: Judge says Trump DOJ subpoenas of Tim Walz and other Democrats are unconstitutional

 

A federal judge on Monday blocked the Justice Department from forcing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other officials to turn over records in its probe of Democratic resistance to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, calling the move a retaliatory effort to “harass political opponents.”

In a 30-page ruling, district Judge Patrick Schiltz found that subpoenas were “part of an unconstitutional effort to coerce Minnesota officials into assisting the federal government with enforcing civil immigration laws and to harass and retaliate against them for failing to do so.”

The order is yet another rebuke of the Justice Department by a federal judge over the agency’s efforts to investigate or prosecute President Donald Trump’s personal and political enemies.

“The Department is not conducting a criminal investigation, but is instead using the grand jury process for other (unlawful) purposes,” wrote Schiltz, an appointee of former President George W. Bush.

His ruling voids subpoenas sent to the offices of Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties. The subpoenas had sought records and information on whether Democratic officials obstructed immigration enforcement through their public resistance to the administration’s deployment of thousands of agents to detain migrants accused of living in the US illegally.

Over the winter, the Trump administration conducted a monthslong federal immigration surge in the Twin Cities, which set off mass protests and led to the fatal shootings of two US citizens. More than 4,000 undocumented immigrants were arrested in Minnesota, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

State and local officials publicly decried the effort, and Trump in turn accused those officials of fueling violent protests.

Schiltz said there is “overwhelming” evidence that the subpoenas were issued only to pressure the state officials, noting that senior Justice Department officials have repeatedly threatened to punish states that have so-called sanctuary policies. And, he said, the department “has struggled-without success-to identify a single plausible investigatory justification for the subpoenas.”

Schiltz also noted the Constitution expressly allows Minnesota to decide not to devote its resources to enforcing federal immigration law.

The Justice Department said in a Monday statement it will continue to review what it calls “obstruction” of federal investigations.

“The Department takes the unlawful obstruction of federal law enforcement operations extremely seriously and will continue to act in full compliance with the law to investigate these matters,” the DOJ said.

Walz hailed the ruling in a statement posted on X, saying the investigation into him “was politically motivated, unconstitutional and meritless.”

“The U.S. Justice Department is pursuing criminal investigations into the President’s political opponents,” Walz said. “This case was just one example of that, but we are seeing daily reminders of this administration’s lawlessness — in Minnesota and around the country. We all must continue to seek justice and uphold the rule of law.

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Frey also lauded the ruling, saying that “subpoenaing political opponents because they spoke on behalf of their constituents violates the core tenets of our democracy and human decency.”

🚨BREAKING: DOJ may be able to release potentially embarrassing Biden audio recordings unless courts step in

 

Former President Joe Biden is in an uphill battle to try to stop the Justice Department from sharing recordings it collected of him speaking to his ghostwriter in 2016 and 2017, during which his speech and memory faltered.

Court decisions on Friday and into next month are poised to revive questions over Biden’s mental acuity during his presidency — and even in the years before.

The Justice Department is set to provide about two hours of recordings of Biden speaking to writer Mark Zwonitzer to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee in the next three weeks, unless a court steps in to block the move, which would be unusual.

Before the House committee’s request for the tapes is resolved, the conservative Heritage Foundation already won a judge’s initial endorsement last week for the public release of the tapes.

The foundation hasn’t yet received the recordings or transcripts of them, however, because Biden is appealing. A federal trial-level judge has already paused the release of the tapes for three weeks, to allow the appellate court in DC time to weigh in.

DC District Judge Dabney Friedrich — siding with the Heritage Foundation on Friday after listening to the tapes for herself — wrote that the Justice Department was within its abilities to decide to release the tapes now. She also said the Justice Department plans to redact parts of the tapes, and she decided “that Biden’s privacy arguments largely overlook the Department’s recent redactions and reasonings.”

Friedrich agreed that Biden’s interest in keeping the tapes private was somewhat diminished by the publication of his resulting memoir, “Promise Me, Dad,” among other reasons.

“After the latest round of redactions, the Zwonitzer materials contain no mention of highly sensitive topics like illness or death, nor do they mention any non-public persons, including members of Biden’s family,” Friedrich wrote Friday. “The remaining materials largely contain Biden’s discussion of foreign policy — including his references to what may have been classified material in his possession — and his decision not to run for President in 2016.”

Heritage has sought the tapes for years, believing that Biden is captured in the recordings being forgetful and losing his train of thought well before he became president.

Conservatives have also sought to review the findings of special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden speaking to the ghostwriter about foreign affairs and examined whether Biden illegally disclosed classified details in the conversations. Hur noted in his final report that Biden conversed with Zwonitzer in a way that was “painfully slow” and revealed the former vice president struggled to remember things or even read his own notes.

“Whether President Biden did, in fact, leak classified information, whether President Biden was in fact impaired, and whether senior Members of the Biden-Harris Administration covered up Biden’s apparent cognitive decline is and will continue to be a salient issues in the upcoming 2026 Election,” lawyers for the Heritage Foundation wrote to Friedrich on Friday afternoon as they push to get the tapes quickly.

The Justice Department during Biden’s presidency resisted turning the tapes over to groups that requested them, but the agency has changed course in recent weeks under Trump.

A separate court case in which Biden is fighting to prevent the tapes from being handed over to Republican lawmakers could be resolved soon as well. Biden’s lawyers have repeatedly argued that he deserves privacy for parts of conversations that Hur didn’t previously make public, and that the Justice Department’s transparency is motivated by the Trump administration’s animosity toward Biden.

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Rep. Jim Jordan, who now chairs the House Judiciary Committee, has been attempting to gain evidence collected from Biden’s ghostwriter for years.

Most recently, the Justice Department agreed it would wait another three weeks to provide Jordan the recordings as the court fights continue.

Federal judges have rarely intervened when the Justice Department, in the executive branch, agrees to provide information or evidence in its possession to Congress.

Separate audio recordings of Biden being interviewed by Hur in 2023 have already been released publicly. More heavily redacted versions of the Biden-Zwonitzer transcripts from 2017 have also previously been made public.

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It was in Biden’s interviews with prosecutors that he forgot the years of his vice-presidential term and the year of his son Beau’s death.

Hur ultimately declined to charge any crime, concluding that a jury likely would see the then-president “as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” and struggle with determining whether Biden had the presence of mind in 2017 to willfully and improperly share classified details.

Trump went back to his political happy place — but voters may not follow

 

Donald Trump went back to where it all started.

After months waging an inconclusive conflict with Iran and pursuing his Washington makeover and revenge tour, Trump returned to the campaign trail Tuesday to reclaim the persona of a political prize fighter who transformed the GOP.

He chose Pennsylvania, a state dear to his heart that twice helped him win the White House and where he escaped an assassination attempt, to try to pivot away from the punishing costs of the war to a midterm election pitch.

“We’re the hottest country in the world,” the president declared.

Yet Trump’s histrionics revealed the downside of his political method. The rhetoric that stirs his base often alienates many other voters and can’t sustain his political capital as he tries to govern. And his inability to view his presidency and economic performance as anything less than stellar jars with a sour national mood and leaves Republican candidates exposed.

Bouncing off a rowdy partisan crowd, Trump was noticeably more engaged than in his drowsy recent Oval Office appearances or in a rambling news conference at the end of the G7 summit in France last week.

He unfurled his full repertoire, proclaiming that he’d saved jobs with tariffs and launched a manufacturing renaissance. He falsely claimed Democrats were election cheats; misleadingly implied transgender women were taking over women’s sports and accused “sleepy” former President Joe Biden of presiding over a migrant invasion. Trump connected with mock self-effacing humor, as cheers of “USA, USA” rocked a Mack truck plant, resonant of the MAGA crescendos in his victorious 2016 and 2024 elections.

Often at Trump rallies, supporters look like they’re having the time of their lives, underscoring how his bond with blue collar voters he lured away from the Democratic base is as much cultural — and based on vibes — as economic.

“It feels like a fight,” marveled UFC fighter Bo Nickal after he was called on stage and surveyed the febrile atmosphere, just over a week after slugging it out in a cage in the White House lawn on Trump’s 80th birthday.

Sometimes presidents, worn down by the drudgery of the job, rediscover their political identities when they take to the road. Trump’s crowds recharge his political battery and hint at something more substantive to his political project than his recent fixations, like his attempt to build a physical legacy in granite and gold with the White House ballroom project and in patriotic blue paint at the algae-clogged reflecting pool on the National Mall.

Yet, Trump’s weave of bombast, exaggeration and falsehood represents a taste only acquired by his most loyal voters. And he needs a far wider cohort of Republicans, independents and lapsed Democrats to turn out in November.

So while he recreated his political happy place Tuesday, his speech felt like the right argument for the wrong election.

Trump offers little to Americans stuck in a cost-of-living crisis

As he raged against the failure of Congress to pass restrictive election laws, Trump offered little to Americans struggling to afford their grocery bills or high housing costs. People worried about health care access might have been puzzled by his screed against alternative energy or his odd takeaway from his military adventures in Iran and Venezuela that “the ideology of the Muslims is slightly different than the ideology of the Catholics.”

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The 70% of Americans in a recent CNN/SSRS poll who think he’s done a bad job on the economy are unlikely to have much patience with his claim Tuesday that he “inherited” everything that’s going wrong from Democrats.

And Trump’s promise that the end of the war means Americans’ cost of living woes will be swept away is hardly convincing, since the same economic vise was making life difficult for millions of people before he launched the war. “Prices are coming down right now at levels that you’ve never seen. And now, with oil crashing, you’re going to see something really amazing,” Trump pledged.

The president offered another sign Wednesday that he’s more concerned about his priorities than the economic forces bearing down on many Americans. He refused to sign the largest housing affordability bill in a generation that just passed Congress with rare bipartisan majorities. Trump is using the measure as leverage to try to force Republicans to pass a sweeping bill to overhaul elections — even though party leaders say the measure lacks sufficient support.

The deficiencies of Trump’s performance are especially important in places like the suburbs of Allentown, which hosted him Tuesday. If Republicans lose House seats in such swing districts countrywide, his final two years in the White House will be a miserable grind of Democratic investigations and roadblocks on whatever is left of his political agenda.

“We’ve got to win the midterms,” the president said, in one of his few direct references to the election. This is notable after an early summer in which he’s been largely absent from the campaign trail.

Trump has repeatedly frustrated Republicans and his own White House staff by mocking the concept of “affordability” that is dominating US politics and represents the Democratic Party’s best hope of a return to power on Capitol Hill — if it can overcome its own challenges in coining strong political themes.

On stage on Tuesday, the best arguments came not from the president, but from supporters selected to make the case for his policies. Sergeant Sam Elias of the Bethlehem Police Department, a father of six, testified that one of Trump’s signature policies — cutting taxes on overtime — had made life far easier. “For my family, these savings have translated to what was once a day trip to the park … is now an overnight stay at the Jersey Shore,” Elias said.

Social media and campaign ads can multiply such moments, but in a Trump rally and in the roaring wave of Truth Social invective that he spouts every day, they tend to get swamped.

Trump now looks backwards rather than to the future

The president has never been a conventional politician. In 2016, his rallies heralded an unprecedented and unorthodox political talent who tore up the textbook of presidential politics. As he rose, he watched his crowds like a hawk, using them as a vast focus group as his MAGA fans reacted to his new lines. Those that hit the spot would then be rolled out over and over again. On Tuesday, however, he was more retrospective than groundbreaking.

Still, he showed that he remains an entertainer, an outsider and a scourge of political correctness. He’s still a lightning rod for liberals and knows how to get jeers by claiming the reporters and cameras that follow him are fake news.

But from the moment he stepped to the microphone and declared “I won this state in a landslide,” Trump appeared to be in the grip of his own preoccupations.

And in his closing refrain “we will make America wealthy again. We will make America healthy again … We will make America strong again. We will make America proud again,” he was conjuring a reality that, recent polls show, a majority of citizens lack faith he will ever achieve.

Trump needs more than his base to show up in November to spare Republicans.

Simply voicing the greatest hits of 2016 and 2024 won’t be enough.

👉 CowboySoup Recipe

 

Crockpot Cowboy Soup: A Hearty One-Pot Wonder

There’s nothing quite like the comforting embrace of a warm, hearty soup, especially when it’s as rich and flavorful as this Crockpot Cowboy Soup. Perfect for those cozy nights in, this soup is a delightful blend of tender beef, hearty vegetables, and beans, all simmered together in a luscious, savory broth. It’s a one-pot wonder that brings the flavors of the Old West right to your kitchen—ideal for those looking to create a meal that is both satisfying and simple. With just a few steps, you can have a delicious, wholesome dinner simmering away, filling your home with mouthwatering aromas.

Ingredients Overview

1 pound ground beef: This provides a rich, savory base with a robust flavor that’s perfect for a comforting soup.

1 large onion, diced: Adds a layer of sweetness and depth, enhancing the overall flavor profile.

2 cloves garlic, minced: Offers a subtle, aromatic bite, rounding out the savory notes.

2 cups diced potatoes (about 2 medium potatoes): Adds heartiness and texture, making the soup more filling.

1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed: Contributes a creamy texture and a hint of sweetness.

1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed: Adds a hearty, earthy flavor that pairs well with the spices.

1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes: Provides tanginess and a rich tomato base that complements the beef.

1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained: Brings a pop of sweetness and color to the dish.

4 cups beef broth: The base liquid that creates a savory, flavorful broth.

1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Rotel): Introduces a bit of heat and an additional layer of tomato flavor.

1 packet (1 ounce) ranch seasoning mix: Adds a creamy, herby flavor that balances the spiciness of the taco seasoning.

1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning mix: Infuses the soup with bold, spiced flavors typical of Tex-Mex cuisine.

1 teaspoon smoked paprika: Adds a smoky depth to the soup, enhancing the overall flavor.

Salt and pepper, to taste: Essential for balancing and enhancing all the flavors in the soup.

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce: Introduces a savory, umami depth to the soup.

Optional toppings: Shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, cilantro, jalapeños, or tortilla strips for added texture and flavor.

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

1. Brown the Ground Beef

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until it’s no longer pink, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté for another 3-4 minutes until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Drain any excess fat and transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.

2. Add the Vegetables and Beans

Add the diced potatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, corn, and diced tomatoes with green chilies to the slow cooker. This mix of vegetables and beans creates a hearty base for your soup.

3. Season the Soup

Stir in the beef broth, ranch seasoning mix, taco seasoning mix, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together until well combined. The seasonings are what make this soup stand out, infusing every bite with layers of flavor.

4. Cook the Soup

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. The soup is ready when the potatoes are tender, and the flavors have melded together beautifully. This slow cooking process allows the ingredients to blend, creating a rich, flavorful soup.

5. Serve and Garnish

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with your favorite toppings, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, cilantro, jalapeños, or crispy tortilla strips. These toppings add extra flavor and texture, making each bowl unique.

Valuable Tips for a Seamless Cooking Experience

Prep Ahead: Dice all your vegetables and measure out your seasonings the night before to make the morning prep faster.

Use Fresh Garlic and Onion: Freshly minced garlic and diced onion provide a more robust flavor compared to their powdered counterparts.

Customize Your Spice Level: Adjust the amount of diced tomatoes with green chilies or add fresh jalapeños to make the soup as spicy or mild as you prefer.

Thicken the Broth: If you prefer a thicker soup, mash some of the potatoes or beans during the cooking process.

Freeze for Later: This soup freezes well! Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three months.

Storage and Reheating Tips

Storage: Let the soup cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheating: To reheat, transfer the soup to a pot and warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally until hot. Alternatively, microwave individual portions in a microwave-safe bowl for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the soup in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

20 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?

Yes, ground turkey is a great lean alternative to beef and works well with the seasonings in this soup.

2. What can I use instead of canned beans?

You can use dried beans, but you’ll need to soak and cook them first according to package instructions.

3. Can I make this soup on the stovetop?

Absolutely! Simply follow the same steps and let the soup simmer on low for about an hour.

4. How can I make this soup spicier?

Add more diced tomatoes with green chilies or a dash of cayenne pepper for extra heat.

5. Can I add other vegetables?

Yes, feel free to add your favorite vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach.

6. Is this soup gluten-free?

The soup is gluten-free as long as the ranch and taco seasoning mixes are labeled gluten-free.

7. How can I make this soup dairy-free?

Skip the optional toppings like cheese or sour cream, or use dairy-free alternatives.

8. Can I double the recipe?

Yes, this recipe can easily be doubled if your slow cooker is large enough.

9. Can I use chicken broth instead of beef broth?

Yes, chicken broth will work, but the flavor profile will be slightly different.

10. How do I prevent the soup from being too salty?

Use low-sodium broth and seasonings and adjust salt to taste at the end.

11. Can I use a different type of potato?

Yes, Yukon Gold or russet potatoes work well in this soup.

12. What can I serve with this soup?

Serve with a side salad, crusty bread, or tortilla chips.

13. Can I add pasta to the soup?

Yes, small pasta shapes like macaroni or ditalini would work well, added in the last hour of cooking.

14. How do I know when the soup is done?

The soup is ready when the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.

15. Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?

Yes, fresh tomatoes can be used; just dice them and use about 1 1/2 cups.

16. What kind of cheese goes well with this soup?

Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend cheese all pair nicely with the flavors.

17. Can I add rice to the soup?

Yes, you can add cooked rice towards the end of the cooking time for a heartier soup.

18. How can I make the soup thicker?

Mash some of the potatoes or beans, or add a slurry of cornstarch and water.

19. Is it okay to use frozen potatoes?

Yes, frozen diced potatoes are a great shortcut and work well in this recipe.

20. How do I add a smoky flavor to the soup?

Smoked paprika adds a nice smoky depth; you could also add a dash of liquid smoke.

20 Secrets for Achieving Culinary Perfection with Crockpot Cowboy Soup

Brown the Meat Well: This adds depth and flavor to the soup.

Layer Flavors: Add ingredients in stages to build complex flavors.

Use Fresh Herbs and Spices: They provide a more vibrant flavor than dried ones.

Deglaze the Pan: Use a splash of broth to scrape up the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan after browning the meat.

Add Acidity: A splash of vinegar or a squeeze of lime juice brightens up the flavors.

Use Homemade Broth: For the best flavor, use homemade beef broth if possible.

Don’t Rush the Cooking: Slow and steady cooking allows flavors to develop fully.

Season Throughout: Add a little salt at each stage to build flavor.

Adjust Consistency: Use a hand blender to blend some of the soup if you want a creamier texture.

Keep the Lid On: Resist the urge to lift the slow cooker lid while cooking; it retains heat and moisture.

Barack Obama confronts the work that remains for Democrats — and for him

 

Former President Barack Obama during a campaign event for former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Virginia, at the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia on November 1, 2025. Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Chicago —  Former President Barack Obama on Thursday is getting what he wanted for so long: his words carved into stone, a monument to his presidency entering the Chicago skyline.

Walking through his $850 million, multiuse presidential center the past few months, Obama went down the slide in the playground and tried out the chairs, noting which ones needed stoppers to keep from scuffing the floors. He asked for the whole text of an exhibit on sports to be redone, frustrated that the original text didn’t seem written by a true fan.

But he also told a gathering of his campaign and administration alumni, the night before the center’s opening, that he didn’t believe in nostalgia and didn’t intend to wallow in it.

“I think nostalgia implies this sentiment that there’s this thing in the past that was somehow golden and better, but is unattainable now,” he said Wednesday. “And it lets us off the hook, because it makes us feel like, ‘Well, you know, that was wonderful, but now, this is the reality, and there’s not much we can do about it.’”

A decade after he walked out of the Oval Office, Obama is still the most popular living president and the primary unifying figure in a party racked by leadership disputes and fights over its direction on key issues. But his legacy beyond those elbowing for their spots in the VIP section of Thursday’s opening is more complicated.

Crowds gather on January 20, 2009, at the National Mall in Washington, DC,  for the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama.

Crowds gather on January 20, 2009, at the National Mall in Washington, DC, for the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama. Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post/Getty Images

To some, talk of hope and change can come off as naïve or a disconnected relic after President Donald Trump’s two successful campaigns. Particularly to his critics on the rising left, Obama’s perceived lack of boldness while president, particularly on foreign policy and economic issues, is exactly what led their party and the country overall to now.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, an old Obama friend, described the presidential center as an “active, engaged endeavor to lift up and train leaders for the future.”

“I really reject the notion that somehow Barack Obama is responsible for what came after,” he added. “I guess we’re all responsible in many ways for where we are. I mean, I didn’t vote for it, but we all have a share of responsibility for where the country is today.”

Throughout the presidential center, there are signs Obama asked to be added throughout, all on the same theme: “The Work That Remained,” a phrase that popped up in his second-term speeches and throughout his post-presidency.

Voices are featured in several spots through the museum arguing that Obama went too far or didn’t go far enough, including on topics such as immigration, climate change, healthcare and gun violence — the last of which he has often cited as a great failure of his presidency.

Hagiography comes with every presidential library. The “Economic Crisis and Recovery” exhibit, for example, notes the banking collapse Obama inherited and explains how he “responded boldly to rescue and rebuild it on a new foundation for growth and prosperity.” The “Work That Remained” plaque blames Congress for not addressing what Obama believed were the underlying problems of the economy, including “to make it easier for employees to form unions, for guaranteed paid sick and family leave, and for a higher minimum wage,” according to a preview photograph shared with CNN.

The Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago, IL, on Thursday, May 14, 2026.

The Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago, IL, on Thursday, May 14, 2026. The Obama Foundation

“He took the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and traded it to Wall Street,” said Matt Stoller, a liberal writer on economics. Added Stoller: “He lit the fuse for authoritarianism under Donald Trump. He created the world for Donald Trump to come into.”

But top Democrats are eager to stand with Obama whenever they can.

“It’s very hard to sit 10, 20 years later and cast judgment. I was a beast of an athlete back in my day, but there’s not a game that I played that I can’t think of things I could have done better if I could go back and relive them,” said New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, who played football at Stanford. “But in the time, Barack Obama was a hero and saved our economy and advanced our nation along really specific indices that are lasting and still are making a difference.”

Jeffries is frequently on the phone or in rooms with Obama. Their conversations range from the personal to gut checks on strategy to political advice like supporting what became last year’s government shutdown.

Jeffries, who is on track to be House speaker if Democrats take the majority in November, offered a Chicago sports reference to describe how central he sees Obama’s ongoing role for the party.

“President Obama was Michael Jordan while he was in office,” Jeffries said, “and he’s Phil Jackson out of it.”

A retirement that was never very retired

Obama, 64, has bristled publicly and privately about how involved he’s been in politics, in part due to Trump’s enduring influence and the way that former President Joe Biden’s time in office turned out.

But despite his annual reluctance to campaign more than a few days in each election cycle, Obama still loves the dominance he has in Democratic politics – even as his closest advisers, several of whom spoke to CNN for this story, argue his engagement is about more than ego.

“It’s certainly flattering, but points to something more important: the country is still largely aligned with his vision and his story,” said Eric Schultz, an adviser who’s been helping Obama craft his post-presidency since working for him in the White House. “It’s a dark time, but if elected officials from across the country are seeking his voice, that’s a pretty good sign that his theory of the case still very much resonates.”

An easy measure of how Democratic candidates feel about Obama is the rate of endorsement requests coming into his office that, according to people familiar with the matter, has remained as high as ever. Another is the focus groups in California last year that showed him the best messenger for Democrats’ ballot proposition to newly gerrymander the state. Or all the ways he’s invoked, from Republican Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt arguing, “I feel like him and I have the same experience,” to Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz announcing she would run in a majority-Black district in a video with a vintage “HOPE” poster displayed over her shoulder.

When Obama got involved with the spring campaign for Virginia Democrats’ successful but since-overturned gerrymandering referendum, Jeffries noted that ads on both sides of the issue featured comments from the former president.

Not long after Zohran Mamdani won his primary for New York City mayor in June 2025, Obama was on the phone, giving advice on getting governing right, offering to be a sounding board. Both got a credibility bump: Mamdani with skeptics of a then-33-year-old democratic socialist, Obama with the young change-makers he always wants to be counted with.

According to people familiar with the matter, toward the end of a meeting earlier in the year, Obama made his standard offer to let him know if there was more he could do to help. Mamdani pitched one idea that didn’t gel, then came back asking for help promoting his push for universal childcare.

Obama joined Mamdani to read to preschoolers and sing “Wheels on the Bus” at a childcare center in the Bronx, arranged around a trip to New York the Obamas were making to see a performance of the play they are co-producing on Broadway. It felt an especially long way from Mamdani’s 2013 tweets, like the one still up from the then-21-year-old Bowdoin student, “Hasnt Obama shown that the lesser evil is still pretty damn evil?”

Though he has not been officially bringing in prospective 2028 presidential candidates as he was already doing at this point ahead of the 2020 election, Obama has hosted both Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at his Washington office for longer meetings.

“I understand the frustrations that people have right now with the way things are going,” Moore said. “I share them. I think there are people frustrated with the level of defensiveness, I think the people frustrated with the direction the country’s going right now. President Obama is not the reason for it. It was leadership like his that was the antidote when we saw this before.”

It’s not just in the museum where Obama is debating his own legacy.

“Of course I would have wanted something better and single-payer and the rest,” Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari, who introduced him last year at a meeting with other freshman House Democrats and described his eye-opening rundown of dealing with the politics of passing the Affordable Care Act, which passed in 2010. “But this was the 2000s and that wasn’t going to happen.”

As a junior in high school, Ansari was knocking on doors for Obama’s campaign. She said seeing him 20 years later in the room with her, just a few months after she got her own congressional pin, was surreal.

“We have a new generation of leaders coming up right now, current members, people running for office at different levels across the country who represent hope and change for the new group of high schoolers that are out there right now,” Ansari said. “That’s Obama’s entire legacy.”

Hope and Trump

Obama sees his role at this point more as ensuring a different worldview will win out through carefully chosen moments of speaking out, according to people familiar with his thinking. He is building his Obama Fellows civic engagement programs. He wants to keep doing more of the bending of “the arc of the moral universe,” as Martin Luther King Jr. said in a quote he often cites, while also trying to provide a rudder to keep his party from moving in directions he fears will be self-defeating.

Neither Obama nor Trump is letting the other go, given the issues like healthcare and the Middle East that shaped both their presidencies. Trump often posts about Obama using his middle name, Hussein. And just on Wednesday, Trump said in comparing their respective negotiations with Iran, “They laughed at Obama and they said, ‘He’s a stupid son of a bitch.’”

That was, of course, after Obama in an interview with “Good Morning America” leading up to the library opening criticized Trump’s war in Iran and said, “It is doubtful that any agreement that arises is going to be significantly different or a significant improvement from the deal that we had in the first place.”

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama speak onstage at a stakeholders event at the Obama Presidential Center on June 16, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. The Obama Presidential Center will officially open on June 18.

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama speak onstage at a stakeholders event at the Obama Presidential Center on June 16, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. The Obama Presidential Center will officially open on June 18. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Pool/Getty Images

Obama decided not to invite Trump to the opening, eschewing the traditional bipartisanship around presidential centers last seen at George W. Bush’s library in 2013. Trump posted an AI-generated image showing a garbage bag atop Obama’s tower and saying it will be “a ‘Mecca’ for those who hate America!”

Obama’s despair about Trump’s second term remains high, particularly around Republicans not pushing back. But he was pleased when he heard GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy, who lost his Louisiana primary last month after failing to re-ingratiate himself with Trump for his vote in an impeachment trial to convict him over the January 6 riots, made an unannounced visit to the center two weeks ago.

Cassidy was in the area for his granddaughter’s graduation from the University of Chicago a few blocks away, and staff reached out for advance tickets to the soft launch. The two don’t have an active relationship and didn’t talk after. According to a person familiar with his reaction, Obama said that’s part of the spirit he wants for the center.

Appearing with her husband on Wednesday night at the campaign and administration alumni event, Michelle Obama offered a more pointed goal. She said the center was there “to lay this legacy so that nobody — nobody — can act like this didn’t happen.”

Savory Stuffed Cabbage Rolls ​The Roll-Up Squad: ​16-18 Huge cabbage leaves ​1.5 lbs Lean ground beef ​3/4 cup Raw white rice ​3/4 Large onion & 1 garlic clove recipe in comments

 

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Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe: A Timeless Comfort

Stuffed cabbage rolls are a nostalgic and comforting dish, perfect for a cozy family meal or a special occasion. The combination of tender cabbage leaves filled with a savory meat and rice mixture, all simmered in a rich tomato sauce, brings together classic flavors in an effortless way. This recipe, with its Eastern European roots, invites you to slow down and savor each step. Whether you’re new to making stuffed cabbage rolls or a seasoned cook, the simple elegance of this dish will be a joy to prepare and even more delightful to eat.

Ingredients Overview 📝

Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that make this dish special:

Cabbage: This leafy vegetable not only forms the base of your rolls but also becomes meltingly tender after slow-cooking. Select a medium head of cabbage, about 3 pounds, ensuring the leaves are large and pliable for easy rolling.

Ground Beef and Ground Pork: The mixture of beef and pork creates a balance of flavors and textures. Using half and half allows for a nice savory richness without being too heavy.

Tomato Sauce: This rich and slightly tangy sauce is used both in the filling and the baking liquid. Be sure to divide it as needed, as it coats the rolls beautifully and adds moisture during cooking.

Onion: Finely chopped onion adds a mild sweetness and aromatic depth to the filling.

Uncooked Long Grain Rice: The rice will cook inside the rolls, soaking up all the delicious flavors of the meat and tomato sauce, giving the filling a soft and tender texture.

Dried Parsley Flakes and Fresh Dill: These herbs give a fresh and slightly grassy note to balance the richness of the meats.

Cayenne Pepper: Just a touch adds a subtle heat that livens up the entire dish. You can adjust this depending on your preference for spice.

Diced Tomatoes and Sugar: The diced tomatoes give additional texture to the sauce, while the sugar helps to balance the acidity, creating a rounded flavor profile.

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Cabbage

Boil the Cabbage: Begin by boiling a large pot of water. Cook the cabbage in the boiling water for about 5-7 minutes, or just until the outer leaves begin to pull away easily from the head. This makes the cabbage leaves pliable and easy to roll. Once softened, remove the cabbage from the water and set aside 12 large leaves for your rolls.

Step 2: Prepare the Filling

Mix the Meat and Rice: In a large mixing bowl, combine the uncooked ground beef, ground pork, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, chopped onion, uncooked rice, dried parsley flakes, salt, fresh dill, and cayenne pepper. Mix everything well until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

Step 3: Prep the Cabbage Leaves

Cut the Vein: Lay each cabbage leaf on a cutting board. Use a knife to carefully cut out the thick vein at the base of the leaf, making a shallow V-shape. This step ensures that the leaf will roll up smoothly.

Step 4: Assemble the Rolls

Fill the Leaves: Place about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture near the base of each prepared cabbage leaf. Overlap the cut ends of the leaf, fold in the sides, and then roll up tightly from the cut end. Repeat this process for all 12 cabbage leaves.

Step 5: Prepare the Dutch Oven

Layer the Cabbage: Slice any remaining cabbage and place it in the bottom of your Dutch oven. This adds extra flavor and prevents the rolls from sticking to the bottom.

Step 6: Add the Rolls

Arrange the Rolls: Lay the cabbage rolls seam-side down on top of the sliced cabbage. This helps them hold their shape as they cook.

Step 7: Make the Sauce

Prepare the Tomato Mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the undrained diced tomatoes, the remaining tomato sauce, and sugar. Stir to mix well.

Step 8: Cook the Rolls

Pour and Bake: Pour the tomato mixture evenly over the cabbage rolls. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid or foil, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until the cabbage rolls are tender and the filling is fully cooked.

Helpful Tips 🌟

Tip #1: For easy rolling, make sure your cabbage leaves are thoroughly softened by boiling. If they are still tough, return them to the pot for a few more minutes.

Tip #2: When mixing the meat and rice, use your hands to gently combine the ingredients without overworking the mixture. This keeps the filling light and tender.

Tip #3: For a slightly tangier sauce, you can add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to the tomato mixture.

Tip #4: If you prefer a spicier version, increase the cayenne pepper to 1/4 teaspoon or add a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Storage and Reheating Tips 🍴

Storing Leftovers: Once cooled, store any leftover cabbage rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing for Later: These cabbage rolls freeze wonderfully! Place the cooked and cooled rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag, where they’ll keep for up to 3 months.

Reheating: To reheat, place the rolls in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F until heated through. If reheating from frozen, allow the rolls to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

20 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ❓

Q1: Can I use all beef or all pork instead of a mixture? Yes, you can use just beef or pork, but the mixture gives a more balanced flavor and texture.

Q2: Can I make this dish ahead of time? Yes, you can assemble the rolls a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate them. Bake when ready.

Q3: What can I substitute for rice? You can use quinoa or cauliflower rice for a low-carb alternative.

Q4: Can I use ground turkey instead of beef and pork? Absolutely! Ground turkey works well for a lighter version.

Q5: Can I cook these in a slow cooker? Yes, layer the rolls in a slow cooker, pour the sauce over, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Q6: What should I do if my cabbage leaves tear? Use torn leaves on the bottom of the pan to prevent the rolls from sticking.

Q7: How can I add more flavor to the filling? Try adding minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, or grated Parmesan to the filling.

Q8: Can I use brown rice instead of white rice? Yes, but be aware that brown rice may need more liquid and a longer cooking time.

Q9: What can I serve with cabbage rolls? Mashed potatoes, crusty bread, or a fresh salad pair well.

Q10: Can I make this dish vegetarian? Yes, substitute the meat with a plant-based alternative or a mixture of mushrooms and lentils.

Q11: How do I know when the cabbage rolls are done? The rolls are done when the cabbage is tender and the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160°F.

Q12: Can I skip the sugar in the sauce? Yes, but the sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes.

Q13: How many rolls does this recipe make? This recipe makes 12 stuffed cabbage rolls.

Q14: Can I add cheese to the filling? You can add cheese like mozzarella or Parmesan for a richer filling.

Q15: How do I prevent the rolls from falling apart? Be sure to roll the cabbage leaves tightly and place them seam-side down.

Q16: What size should my cabbage be? A medium cabbage (about 3 pounds) works best for even-sized rolls.

Q17: Can I use jarred tomato sauce instead of canned? Yes, jarred sauce works as long as it’s a simple tomato variety.

Q18: Is it okay to use dried dill instead of fresh? Yes, but reduce the quantity by half as dried herbs are more concentrated.

Q19: How can I make these gluten-free? Ensure your tomato sauce and spices are gluten-free and consider using a gluten-free grain like quinoa.

Q20: Can I add bacon or sausage to the filling? Yes, adding chopped bacon or sausage would add a nice smoky flavor.