Within hours after a gunman opened fire on an immigration field office in Dallas, killing at least one yesterday, FBI Director and former MAGA influencer Kash Patel tweeted out an incriminating photo.

It showed what he claimed were bullet casings that read, “Anti-ICE.”

But judging from social media, no one was buying it—and when a nation stops believing its own government, democracy itself is in danger.

WHAT’S GOING ON: Around 7 a.m. local time Wednesday, a gunman attacked an immigration field office from a nearby building.

One ICE prisoner was killed and two others were wounded, before police say the gunman turned the gun on himself.

Despite the fact that no ICE agents or other law enforcement were harmed in the attack, Patel, J.D. Vance, and other administration officials were quick to declare the shooting as an attack on ICE.

Patel tweeted out that picture as proof.

BUT BUT BUT: Patel—and the Trump administration at large—have a long history of jumping to conclusions and twisting news events to fit their narrative.

For example, in the hours after Charlie Kirk’s murder, Trump himself was quick to label the attack as the work of “radical leftists.” More than two weeks later, we still don’t know what the accused gunman’s politics were or his motive.

Patel—appointed as one of the nation’s chief law enforcement officers without any qualifying experience—also made major mistakes in the hours after Kirk’s killing.

As the governor of Utah was about to give a news conference, Patel furiously—and falsely—announced on social media that the suspect was in custody. That turned out to be a lie—or worse—a mistake.

In fact, his tendency towards rapid, unchecked public statements has led to bipartisan skepticism about his credibility and the integrity of FBI communications under his leadership.

ZOOM OUT: The problem isn’t just Patel and it’s not new. It’s years of Trump’s nonstop lying have left the public with no reason to believe anything the government says.

From crowd sizes to COVID to election results, he’s conditioned millions of Americans to see every official statement as a lie.

BOTTOM LINE: That’s poison for a democracy. Our government only works if citizens trust that what they’re told—even when ugly or inconvenient—is grounded in fact.

That’s why scandals like the Pentagon Papers or Iran-Contra were so explosive: they punctured that fragile trust. And it took years, even decades, for institutions to claw back some credibility.

The good news, however, is that trust can be rebuilt. But it takes deliberate effort, transparency, and leaders who are willing to resist the impulse to weaponize every tragedy for short-term gain. It’s hard, but it’s possible.

GO DEEPER: The best Social media reactions to Kash Patel’s bullets photo.

Former FBI Director James Comey—long a target of Trump’s rage—is facing charges pushed through by loyalists after independent prosecutors warned there was no case. The spectacle shows Trump dismantling the Justice Department’s independence to settle scores, weaponizing the law in ways that reek of authoritarianism. Full story from CNBC.

With Democrats and a handful of Republicans joining forces, Congress is on the verge of forcing an unprecedented floor vote to release Jeffrey Epstein’s case files—thanks to a rare discharge petition that just reached the magic 218 signatures. Terrified of what might come out, Trump’s allies are working behind the scenes to pressure members to back off, exposing how deeply the Republican establishment fears transparency when it threatens the billionaire class and their enablers. Full story from CNN.

OMB chief and Project 2025 author Russ Vought is telling agencies to prepare permanent reduction-in-force plans targeting programs “not consistent with the President’s priorities”—a thuggish escalation that turns a shutdown into an excuse to purge civil servants. This is austerity cosplay for a billionaire’s government: hold healthcare funding hostage, then use the chaos to kneecap public services and reward the private contractors who feast when the state is hollowed out. Full story from The Wall Street Journal.

A new Suffolk University poll finds Democrat Zohran Mamdani with a 20-point advantage over independent Andrew Cuomo in the race for New York City mayor, with affordability and crime topping voter concerns. Despite attacks painting him as anti-Semitic, a majority of likely voters reject that smear—signaling that Mamdani’s unapologetically progressive platform, including housing, justice, and defiance of Trump’s agenda, resonates far more than the old guard politics of Cuomo, Sliwa, or Adams. Full poll results.

Yesterday we asked, given Jimmy Kimmel’s triumphant return to late night, do you think Trump will still try to get Kimmel canceled for good?

Charles voted yes, “because Trump is a deeply disturbed and thin-skinned individual!”

Strepani voted yes and said: “Trump just can't take a joke, nor can he stand to lose a fight, even though he loses them all the time.”

Scruffycrew voted no: “Mr chicken usually backs off when something this huge blows up in his face. He’ll just try diverting attention to another ‘crisis’ of his own making.”

Paula voted no and said: “It could happen, but if it does, it will cause an even greater reaction. The people have spoken and will continue to speak and be heard!”

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