To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes Trump Just Did Something No President Has Tried Since 1798
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Feb 17, 2026 
Susan Glasser, New Yorker staff writer known for political reporting, discusses Trump's unprecedented attempt to indict six members of Congress. She unpacks legal protections, grand jury pushback, and historical parallels to 1798. They also touch on DHS requests to tech firms, media chilling effects, and the risks when leaders escalate under threat.
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Navalny Poisoning Reflects Putin's Methods
- Susan Glasser recounts Alexei Navalny's poisoning and international confirmation of a rare toxin.
- She connects the poisoning to Putin's pattern of eliminating opponents and the likely approval of the Kremlin.
White House Alignment Harms U.S. Standing
- Putin's portrait still appears in the White House context of Trump's accommodating stance toward dictators.
- Glasser calls this alignment damaging to U.S. moral standing and alliances.
Video Was Core Political Speech
- The video targeted at service members reminded them they need not obey illegal orders and counts as core political speech.
- Glasser emphasizes First Amendment and Speech or Debate protections for members of Congress.