Elie Mystal

Justice Correspondent & Columnist

@ElieNYC

Elie Mystal is The Nation’s justice correspondent and a columnist. He is also an Alfred Knobler Fellow at the Type Media Center. His first book is the New York Times bestseller Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution, published by The New Press. You can subscribe to his Nation newsletter “Elie v. U.S.” here.

Protesters demonstrate in lower Manhattan in support of Mahmoud Khalil on March 10, 2025.

We Are Asking the Wrong Questions About Mahmoud Khalil’s Arrest We Are Asking the Wrong Questions About Mahmoud Khalil’s Arrest

The only relevant question is not “How can the government do this?” It is “How can we who oppose this fascist regime stop it?”

Mar 12, 2025 / Elie Mystal

Introducing “Elie v. U.S.”

Introducing “Elie v. U.S.” Introducing “Elie v. U.S.”

A preview of Elie Mystal’s new weekly newsletter.

Mar 7, 2025 / Elie Mystal

Donald Trump greets Chief Justice John Roberts as he arrives to deliver an address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol on March 4, 2025.

The Supreme Court Just Ruled Against Trump—but Don’t Get Too Excited The Supreme Court Just Ruled Against Trump—but Don’t Get Too Excited

Even as the court rejected Trump’s freeze on USAID, it effectively gave him another chance to delay sending life-saving money abroad.

Mar 6, 2025 / Elie Mystal

Donald Trump applauds while delivering a State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol in 2018.

The Democrats Should Boycott Trump’s Speech to Congress This Week The Democrats Should Boycott Trump’s Speech to Congress This Week

Refusing to attend the speech would be the first indication that Democrats are not just playing politics—and playing them badly—but resisting.

Mar 3, 2025 / Elie Mystal

Joy Reid hosts “The ReidOut on February 24, 2024.

The Value of Joy The Value of Joy

By canceling Joy Reid’s cable news show, MSNBC has not only silenced a brilliant host: It’s silenced the next Black voice you haven’t yet heard.

Feb 25, 2025 / Elie Mystal

Donald Trump delivers remarks after signing an executive order at his Mar-a-Lago resort on February 18, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida.

This Executive Order Reveals the Trump-Musk Endgame This Executive Order Reveals the Trump-Musk Endgame

A recent order aimed at destroying independent regulatory agencies isn’t just about taking control of the state—it’s a giant cash-grab in disguise.

Feb 21, 2025 / Elie Mystal

New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Eric Adams? How Do You Solve a Problem Like Eric Adams?

As long as Eric Adams refuses to resign, New Yorkers must contemplate other options, including—but not limited to—intervention by the state’s governor.

Feb 19, 2025 / Elie Mystal

Elon Musk prepares to speak at Donald Trump's Inauguration Day rally at the Capital One Arena on January 20, 2025.

Elon Musk’s Vision Is Coming Into Focus—and It Looks a Lot Like Neo-Apartheid Elon Musk’s Vision Is Coming Into Focus—and It Looks a Lot Like Neo-Apartheid

Apartheid was, first and foremost, a business plan—one that the South African–born Musk seems to be reworking for the modern age.

Feb 13, 2025 / Elie Mystal

How Trump Could Remake the Supreme Court for a Generation

How Trump Could Remake the Supreme Court for a Generation How Trump Could Remake the Supreme Court for a Generation

Donald Trump is poised to become the first president since FDR to have appointed the majority of high-court justices. His potential picks are terrifying.

Feb 11, 2025 / Feature / Elie Mystal

Tech billionaire Elon Musk speaks live via a video transmission during the election campaign launch rally of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party on January 25, 2025.

The Courts Can’t Stop the Trump-Musk Coup The Courts Can’t Stop the Trump-Musk Coup

While the lawsuits being filed against the Trump-Musk administration are righteous, they will not “save” us from this nightmare.

Feb 7, 2025 / Elie Mystal

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