Outlet profile

MS NOW

235 graded reports on Clad. Volume is public; the outlet's average grade, lean & social sentiment unlock with a free account.

Clad has been grading MS NOW segments since Jun 2026 — 235 reports so far, published several times a week. Its most-covered subjects on Clad: Trump, Iran, Elections. Every report checks the segment's load-bearing claims against primary sources, then scores the coverage for factual accuracy, political lean, and how the public received it — so you can see how MS NOW's reporting holds up story by story, not just take its word for it.

MS NOW's average grade, average political lean & social sentiment across all 235 reports unlock with a free CladFacts account — no card required.

Latest reports

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Trump touts $15B Iowa steel plant and Korean-funded Alaska pipeline as done deals

Oct 3, 2026

The MS NOW segment critiqued President Trump's recent economic announcements as empty promises in the final weeks before the 2026 midterms. It focused on his Oval Office unveilings of a $15 billion steel plant in Iowa's Lee County and a natural gas pipeline in Alaska funded by South Korea, plus a rally in Mobile, Alabama timed to a river bridge groundbreaking. Local Iowa TV6/KWQC reporting highlighted discrepancies between White House claims of active construction and the absence of land records, permits, or site specifics. The Alaska Beacon and Korean officials disputed the pipeline investment as finalized. The segment closed with visuals of a half-empty arena and noted Biden-era funding for the Alabama bridge. Sourcing relied on local investigative journalism, the Alaska Beacon, Trump's own rally remarks, and implied White House press events. No Trump administration or company representatives were interviewed; throughline framed announcements as election-timed gimmicks amid declining rally crowds.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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Norm Eisen: Trump eyes Insurrection Act out of voter fear amid red-state midterm swing

Oct 1, 2026

The segment features Norm Eisen and MS NOW hosts discussing Trump's recent comments in a Time interview where he declined to rule out invoking the Insurrection Act or declaring an emergency before the 2026 midterms. They link this to his fear of voters in traditionally red states now showing Democratic gains due to his low approval and issues like tariffs and the Iran war. Much of the discussion centers on Trump's short-lived ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, a Trump-appointed judge's ruling restoring access, and calls for media solidarity against perceived bullying. Guests argue there is no insurrection to justify military deployment and that courts would swiftly intervene, referencing past Supreme Court rebukes on National Guard use. Sourcing relies heavily on the Brennan Center for analysis of the Insurrection Act's lack of constraints on the president, Trump's public statements, and recent polling trends. No administration officials or conservative voices appear; the throughline is that Trump's 'manic' actions test democratic institutions, with hosts predicting he will invoke the Act despite legal barriers.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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Senate Republicans grill ex-special counsel Jack Smith over Trump probe records

Sep 29, 2026

MSNBC's "MS NOW" previewed and analyzed the September 29, 2026, Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where former special counsel Jack Smith testified as the sole witness. Republicans, led by Chairman Chuck Grassley, focused on alleged abuse of authority in obtaining phone toll records and text messages from lawmakers during the Trump election interference and classified documents probes. Democrats defended the investigations and used the platform to highlight evidence of Trump's actions on January 6 and classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. The cases were dismissed after Trump's 2024 reelection per DOJ policy against prosecuting a sitting president. The segment relied on hosts and contributors including Jennifer Rubin, with no direct footage or live analysis from the hearing itself. Sourcing was primarily prior reporting on Smith's testimony, House Judiciary referrals by Jim Jordan, and Senate disclosures about records from carriers and the National Archives; guests emphasized Smith's willingness to testify and claimed no inaccuracies in his prior answers.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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Gas hits $4.49 amid Iran conflict as Trump cancels $810M in migrant funds

Sep 26, 2026

The MS NOW segment reported record-high September gas prices at $4.49 per gallon nationally and diesel at $6.50, linking both to volatility in the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S.-Iran military conflict that began with strikes on Feb. 28, 2026. It highlighted rising 30-year mortgage rates above 7%, an AP anecdote of a young Texas driver struggling with trade-offs between groceries and fuel, Costco using $184 million in tariff refunds to cut prices on everyday goods, a new poll showing young men (18-30) shifting from 2024 Trump support toward Democrats over cost-of-living issues, and Trump's announcement canceling $810 million in congressionally approved spending on migrant and trafficking-victim programs via a rare pocket rescission. Guest Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, blamed Trump's tariffs (called the highest since the 1930s) and the Iran conflict for preventing inflation from reaching the Fed's 2% target and causing the price spikes, criticized Republican lawmakers for not supporting a war-powers resolution, and warned the rescission undermines Congress's power of the purse.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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MSNBC panel ties Trump Xi dinner, taxpayer ad to GOP midterm distancing

Sep 24, 2026

The segment opens with the new government-funded Trump 'Love Me' ad airing on Fox News and Newsmax, which the White House calls a 'patriotic' PSA but critics label illegal propaganda. It ties this to Trump's unpopularity, a White House state dinner for Xi Jinping attended by tech CEOs including Musk, Bezos, and Altman, and Republicans distancing themselves ahead of midterms. Guests Jesse Larrick and Rob Flaherty, Democratic strategists and podcast hosts, discuss Byron Donalds removing Trump references from his Florida gubernatorial site, GOP senators voting against a war powers resolution on Iran despite public calls to end the unpopular war, and the competitive Kansas Senate race between Roger Marshall and Adam Hamilton. The panel portrays these as signs of desperation among Republicans tied to Trump's record.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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Trump White House bans CNN, MS NOW, Politico over Iran coverage

Sep 23, 2026

The MS NOW segment covered an emergency federal court hearing on a lawsuit by CNN, MS NOW, and Politico seeking restoration of White House press credentials after President Trump banned the outlets for alleged fake news and national-security violations. Attorney Ted Boutrous argued the ban violated due process and the First Amendment; the Justice Department defended it as a privilege revocable for publishing sensitive information. Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee who previously ordered Jim Acosta’s credential restored, focused on lack of required notice and opportunity to respond under D.C. Circuit precedent. The report also discussed one cited Politico story based on a White House-arranged call with an anonymous senior official—later identified as JD Vance—estimating 80-85% odds of an Iran deal, which the White House now claims harmed national security. The segment closed with criticism of Trump’s UN speech threatening to “annihilate” Iran and broad claims about his polling on inflation, tariffs, and the Iran war.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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Psaki debunks Trump admin defenses of CNN, MS NOW, Politico White House ban

Sep 22, 2026

The MS NOW segment features former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki dissecting White House talking points defending President Trump's ban on reporters from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, which revoked their hard passes after he cited 'fake news' and negative coverage. Psaki contrasts the 2009 Obama Treasury decision to initially exclude Fox News from a pool interview (quickly reversed after network protest) with the permanent credential revocation and briefing exclusion under Trump. She also rejects national security justifications for restricting munitions reporting by citing a recent Pentagon Inspector General report acknowledging shortfalls, mocks Mike Waltz's involvement in a prior Signal chat leak, and notes low viewership for the new 'Trump TV' livestream launched amid network pool protests. Sourcing draws on Psaki's firsthand Obama experience, direct quotes from Major Garrett in 2009 and recently, the Pentagon IG report, Daily Beast viewership figures, and Rep. Mike Simpson's comments to Punchbowl News. No Trump administration officials or defenders appear; the throughline is that all justifications fail and the move has backfired, uniting other outlets in resistance.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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Ossoff demands Collins release records on aide's white nationalist ties

Sep 22, 2026

MSNBC host Lawrence interviewed Sen. Jon Ossoff about his Republican opponent Rep. Mike Collins in the 2026 Georgia Senate race. The segment focused on leaked group-chat messages first reported by Slate in which Collins' then-deputy chief of staff Kip Talley discussed using congressional resources to assist imprisoned Holocaust denier and internet troll Charles Johnson, while briefing white nationalists including Nick Fuentes and Richard Spencer. Ossoff demanded Collins release full records. The broadcast then criticized Collins' Senate Leadership Fund-backed AI-generated ads mocking Ossoff's campaign spending on makeup and hair services, calling them fraudulent and evidence Republicans have 'nothing' to run on. It closed with attacks on Trump's UN General Assembly speech threatening to 'annihilate' Iran, framing it as a war crime, and cited polling claiming majority opposition to the war and Trump's handling.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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Trump converts planned DC Triumphal Arch into military drone and sniper complex

Sep 21, 2026

The MS NOW segment opens with criticism of President Trump for focusing on the Kennedy Center and a proposed Triumphal Arch in Washington, D.C., rather than ending the war with Iran or lowering fuel costs. It features Trump's recent Truth Social post announcing the arch—planned for Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery and the Arlington Memorial Bridge—will double as a 'top-grade military complex' for drones, snipers, and ammunition storage at the 'strong request' of the U.S. military for national security. Host Lawrence O'Donnell interviews Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who calls the idea ridiculous, doubts the military request, and links it to a press ban on outlets including MS NOW. The discussion pivots to high gas prices, Trump's handling of Iran, alleged corruption, and an upcoming election for accountability. Sourcing relies on Trump's post, Kelly's unnamed high-level Pentagon contact, and anecdotal guest statements. No opposing Republican voices or independent military experts appear. Graphics are not mentioned; the throughline frames Trump's priorities as insulting to Americans struggling with costs amid war and domestic projects.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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Retired Gen. Hertling calls Trump’s 250-ft. Arlington arch ‘ludicrous’ military site

Sep 21, 2026

The MS NOW segment features retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling and panelists discussing President Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch at Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery. They critique Trump’s recent claim that the arch will serve as a ‘top-grade military complex’ for drones, snipers, and ammunition storage under a national-security justification, calling it implausible and a ‘vanity project.’ The discussion covers legal challenges from veterans, potential protests, impacts on historic views and traffic, and parallels to Trump’s East Wing demolition for a ballroom and disputes over the Kennedy Center. Sourcing relies on the general’s military expertise, a New York Times correspondent citing Democratic lawmakers and polls, and on-air graphics of the site. Guests include legal analyst Katherine Christian and Puck/NYT’s Leanne Caldwell; the throughline is that the project reflects personal fixation amid declining approval ratings and economic concerns ahead of midterms.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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Rushdie equates Trump media ban to authoritarian narrative control

Sep 19, 2026

The MS NOW interview with Salman Rushdie and his wife Rachel Eliza Griffiths promotes their new documentary 'Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie,' which uses her hospital footage to document his recovery from the 2022 stabbing. The segment recounts the 1989 fatwa over 'The Satanic Verses,' the August 12, 2022 attack at Chautauqua where Rushdie was stabbed 15 times, losing sight in one eye, and his physical rehabilitation. It pivots to the day's breaking news of President Trump's ban on MS NOW, CNN and Politico from the White House, drawing parallels to threats against free expression. Rushdie and Griffiths describe the attack as domestic terrorism, emphasize reclaiming the narrative through art and love overcoming hatred, and urge legal action plus voting in about 40 days to counter democratic backsliding. The conversation references an International IDEA report on U.S. institutional decline.

▶ Source: MS NOW

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MSNBC panel slams Trump family ties to Putin-linked oligarch over Trump Jr. wedding funding

Sep 17, 2026

The segment focused on ProPublica reporting that Russian businessman Umar Kremlev funded much of Donald Trump Jr.'s post-wedding celebrations on a private Bahamian island in May 2026, including island rental and fireworks, with payments routed through a Dubai entity tied to the International Boxing Association he leads. Host Nicolle Wallace and guests former Obama deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, ex-CIA Director John Brennan, and former DOJ pardon attorney Liz Holley framed this as emblematic of 'rampant and brazen' Trump family corruption and a counterintelligence risk given Kremlev's documented close ties to Vladimir Putin. The panel discussed broader alleged self-dealing involving crypto, UAE, and Saudi investments by Trump relatives. Guests drew parallels to ethical standards in the Obama White House and questioned what favors Russia might seek in return.

▶ Source: MS NOW