Letters from an American

April 30, 2026 Trump’s approval rating hits a new low for overall job performance and for handling the economy, Gas prices continue to rise, Iran seems unlikely to open the Strait of Hormuz, Pete Hegseth testifies in front of House and Senate Armed Services Committees, On May 1, under the War Powers Act, Trump must either end the Iran war or get congressional approval, Corruption widens as does incompetence, Florida summarily approves a gerrymandered map, Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v Callais opens door to undercut access to the vote, Louisiana’s governor declares a state of emergency, suspending the primary elections, Other states are considering redistricting in the wake of the Callais decision, Trump worries about the upcoming election. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 29, 2026 Trump and King Charles give very different speeches in Washington DC, Trump’s speech portrays the US as no longer a nation based on Enlightenment principles, Trump suggests that the Atlantic Charter was an affirmation of a shared gene pool between the US and the UK, In his speech to a joint session of Congress, King Charles describes the US as having been founded on the revolutionary idea of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, King Charles aligned these ideas with the ideals of English Common Law and the Magna Carta, He also calls for resolve to help the people of Ukraine fight off the Russians, King Charles urges the US to join the UK in rededicating themselves to service of their people and the peoples of the world. Trump seems to miss the point of King Charles’s speech. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 28, 2026 Administration tries to blame Democrats for incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Trump continues to claim the incident proves need for his proposed White House ballroom, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche files motion to dissolve the court's preliminary injunction stopping the ballroom construction, Trump desperately needs a win, Stalemate in Iran continues, Gas prices are at their highest level in four years, Reports suggest that the US military post in Kuwait where six service members died was unprotected, House measures are bottled up, reports suggest Mike Johnson is losing control, Trump is ramping up attacks, going after Jimmy Kimmel and James Comey. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 26, 2026 The Department of Justice demands that the National Trust for Historic Preservation drop its lawsuit against Trump’s White House ballroom, Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate claims that the shooting at the WHCA dinner proves the need for the ballroom, The administration has awarded a $17.4 million no bid contract for the repair of two fountains, Public money will pay for the fountain repairs, By May 1st, a deadline determined by the War Powers Act, Congress must either authorize the Iran War or let Trump continue the war without congressional approval, Trump has claimed the War Powers Act is unconstitutional, The idea that the president can act without authority from Congress demolishes a fundamental principle of our democracy. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 25, 2026 Trump decides to attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the first time, Trump has tried to silence the press during his second term, Trump and the First Lady were rushed out of the event after word that an armed man was outside the event, No one at the event was harmed, The right to freedom of the press is enshrined in the Constitution, While the press was openly partisan in the early days of the republic, by the 1880s the country began to push back and the number of independent newspapers took off, Reporters looking for stories began to station themselves at the White House, White House reporters organized the WHCA in 1914, The WHCA ensured that journalists who covered the White House would have access to press passes, After Trump’s re-election, the administration would no longer recognize the role of the WHCA in managing the White House press pool. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 24, 2026 On April 25, 1945, delegates from 50 nations met to establish the United Nations, In the 1941 Atlantic Charter, Roosevelt and Churchill had laid out principles for an international system to prevent future world wars, The Declaration by United Nations formalized the alliance that would stand against fascist Axis powers, Representatives from the US, UK, Soviet Union, and China drafted the Dumbarton Oaks Proposal for the UN in 1944, As WWII came to an end, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met in Yalta and agreed to convene a conference of the nations of the UN, The UN Charter was adopted unanimously, The Charter declared the signers’ commitment to live in peace with each other and to work for the advancement of all peoples. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 23, 2026 Pete Hegseth asks Secretary of the Navy John Phelan to resign, Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg moves to take over responsibility for shipbuilding and Navy acquisitions, Trump sides with Hegseth who has purged the military of its most senior ranks, The Pentagon cracks down on the independence of the newspaper Stars and Stripes, Republicans are trying to stengthen the power of the President, Republicans turn to budget reconciliation so they don’t have to negotiate with Democrats over funding, More than 100 former NASA astronauts launch a non partisan organization to protect American democracy. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 22, 2026 Virginia voters support a constitutional amendment to temporarily redistrict the state, VA judge rules the amendment and the referendum were invalid, Virginia’s attorney general will challenge judge's decision, The partisan gerrymander race stated in Texas, Republicans are trying to excuse their partisan actions while jumping on Democrats for similar behavior, This pattern is not new, having played out before the Civil War, In 1856, northerners shocked southern leaders by calling them out for trying to destroy democracy, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks out about the importance of Democrats defending themselves, echoing that moment. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 21, 2026 Trump makes confusing statements about where things stand in Iran, Iranian officials say they are not sure about going to Pakistan for talks with the US this week, Reports indicate that Trump is considering using money from the US Treasury to shore up the finances of the UAE, Trump extends ceasefire with Iran, but Iran responds by saying it means nothing, Trump’s approval rating sinks to a new low, Administration demands election records from Wayne County and Detroit, MI, Mike Johnson suffers two embarrassing losses in the House, Virginia passes a redistricting referendum that may boost Democrats’ chances of winning four more seats in the House. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 20, 2026 Reporting indicates Trump entered the Iran War convinced that Iranian people would support it, The closing of the Strait of Hormuz has left Trump unable to figure out a way out of the war, The two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran expires on April 22, Insider trading over Trump’s war announcements appears to be widespread, Jared Kushner is doing business on his own behalf with the Saudis while leading diplomacy in the Middle East, Reporting in the Atlantic suggests Kash Patel’s behavior is endangering national security, Patel sues the Atlantic, Trump's secretary of labor resigns, becoming the third person, and third woman, to leave his cabinet. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 19, 2026 The Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1776, marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War, Just over a year later, the colonists would declare that the people had the right to be treated equally before the law and the right to govern themselves. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 18, 2026 The opening of the Strait of Hormuz is short lived, The fragile temporary ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is cracking, Iran has not agreed to further talks with the US, Damage from Trump’s attack on Iran means that high oil prices will persist for weeks, US plans to seize commercial ships in international waters, Trump’s erratic behavior is causing wide concern even with former allies on the right, Supporting Trump appears to be a losing proposition in Europe. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 17, 2026 Strait of Hormuz opens after 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon takes effect, Trump hits media circle announcing that the war with Iran is over, Trump claims Iran has agreed to all the US terms, but Iran’s top negotiator rejects these claims, Article in the Atlantic claims FBI's Kash Patel is barely functioning, House Democrats create task force to focus on corruption in the administration, Several organizations have filed briefs challenging Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS, Members of the House and the Senate introduce act to ban presidents and vice presidents from stealing taxpayer money. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 16, 2026 Congress is back in session, Republicans are reckoning with Victor Orbán’s fall, With Trump’s erratic behavior, rising oil prices, and the Iran War, Republicans are rushing to grab turf before the midterms, Administration is targeting Minnesota by overturning the ban on mining upstream from the Boundary Waters, Trump is threatening to fire Jerome Powell again, Tulsi Gabbard has sent criminal referrals for Trump’s enemies to the DOJ, MAGA loyalists are realizing that there may be repercussions for their actions, Republicans are turning back to Islamophobia to reclaim support from their base, Past supporters are considering abandoning their investments in Trump interests, Trump posts frantically about the White House ballroom. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 15, 2026 Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln spent the evening of April 14 at Ford’s Theater in Washington, That night, John Wilkes Booth entered the presidential box and fatally shot Lincoln, As Americans mourned Lincoln’s death, Andrew Johnson restored the political power of the Confederates, Congress fought back, and after discrimination based on race became punishable, the Confederate rhetoric turned to economics, Right wing movements, claiming they fought for individual liberty expanded, eventually joined the planning and execution of the January 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021, Trump pardoned the participants, On April 15, President Abraham Lincoln died, breaking the hearts of those who supported his actions to preserve American democracy. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 14, 2026 Viktor Orbán’s loss of control of the Hungarian government has changed the political game in the US, Trump’s emotional state “seems to be fraying,” Trump’s post, depicting him as Jesus, has generated an outcry from his followers, Rep Jamie Raskin introduces a bill to create a commission to evaluate the president’s mental state, The 25th Amendment establishes a process for evaluating a president’s fitness for office, The disastrous situation in Iran continues as Republicans refuse to take a strong stand against the war, Pam Bondi does not show up to testify under oath before Congress about her handling of the Epstein files. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 13, 2026 Péter Magyar won the Hungarian election in a blowout, He revealed that Viktor Orbán was using government money to finance CPAC in the US, The modern day Republican Party has followed a historical pattern, endorsing the idea that society works best if a few wealthy men run everything, When Trump was elected, wealth had concentrated among the top 1% and skewing the vote was underway to advance this ideology, Orbán’s model was irresistable to right wing leaders, Trump and Vance have followed Orbán’s model, The dramatic rejection of Orbán by Hungarian voters represents a rejection of the radical right, FDR, calling for a “new deal” offered a blueprint for rebuilding democracy. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 12, 2026War with Iran has pushed inflation to 3.3% - the fastest rate of growth in almost two years, Energy costs skyrocket as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, J.D. Vance negotiates with Iran in Pakistan but quickly announces that the negotiators could not reach an agreement, While negotiations were underway in Islamabad, Trump watches a UFC match in Miami, Trump announces a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Viktor Orban, championed by MAGA, loses bid for re-election in Hungary, Pope Leo XIV speaks out against the administration’s claim that the war in Iran is a holy war, Trump attacks Pope Leo XIV in response. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 11, 2026 On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces fired on South Carolina’s Fort Sumter, South Carolina had left the Union the previous December, When Abraham Lincoln took office in March, 1861, seven Southern states had left the Union, forming their own provisional government, The Confederate government rested on the belief that Black men are not equal to white men, Northerners rejected the white southerners’ attempt to destroy the principles of the Declaration of Independence, After the attack on Fort Sumter, Lincoln called for troops to put down the rebellion against the government, The Civil War would take hundreds of thousands of lives at huge cost, But by its end, the institution of human enslavement was destroyed. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

April 10, 2026 Donald Trump’s genocidal threats earlier this week terrorized millions of Iranians and thus violated the Geneva Conventions, Trump continues to try to assert his power over Iran, Trump has issued further threats in an interview and on social media, Trump is throwing the economic might of the US behind authoritarian Viktor Orban of Hungary in his run for re-election, Trump’s actions this week have given momentum to those trying to rein him in, Democrats are asking the president’s physician for a detailed report on Trump’s health, Pushback is being seen across the US, and rock and roll legend Bruce Springsteen is giving voice to that power. Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe