The Weekend

7am: The racist video on his social media account was posted late Thursday, the fifth day of Black History Month, and depicts the Obamas as apes -- a longtime racist trope that has deep historical roots. The post sparked backlash with Democratic and Republican lawmakers quickly condemning it. Symone Sanders Townsend and Miles Taylor join The Weekend to discuss the president's post and his refusal to admit any wrongdoing.

8am: The impact of "Operation Metro Surge" will be felt for weeks to come, especially for the courts. A group of former federal prosecutors and civil-rights attorneys have signed a letter to  Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding transparency in the Minnesota investigations. One of the lawyers who wrote that letter, former Federal Prosecutor and Chief of the Criminal Division in the Southern District of New York, Perry Carbone, joins "The Weekend" to discuss.

9am: The administration first cut the funding in last october's shutdown, alleging it was to ensure it wasn't used on "unconstitutional dei principles." Now the Gateway Development Commission overseeing the project is also suing in a separate case, claiming the Department of Transportation breached several grant and loan agreements and that the suspension is politically motivated. All of this just one day after new reporting revealed the stunning quid pro quo from the president's officials to Sen. Chuck Schumer to help rename Penn Station and Dulles Airport after President Donald Tump in exchange for the federal money. Rep. Rob Menendez joins The Weekend to discuss the latest on the project.

7am: Republicans are worried about a Democratic blowout in both chambers of Congress. One race they're focusing on is GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's seat in Georgia, where 21 candidates are already on the ballot. Plus, the only Senate Democrat up for re-election this year is Jon Ossoff, who delivered a fiery speech attacking the Trump administration for being out of touch. MS Now Political Analyst Eugene Robinson and Stuart Stevens, Senior adviser at the Lincoln Project, join "The Weekend" to discuss.

8am: This week the Labor Department said job openings in December dropped to their lowest level in five years, and layoffs surged in January to their highest level since 2009 during the Great Recession. Even members of President Trump's party are raising the alarm heading into this year's midterms. Senate Repbulicans worry backlash to Trump's handling of the economy and his aggressive deportation policies could cause a Democratic wave that sweeps both the House and Senate. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) joins The Weekend to discuss the current state of the economy. Actor Lena Waithe also joins The Weekend to discuss her new play Trinity and the Trump administration's attempt to rewrite Black history in America.

9am: Congress faces a big week in the ongoing investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein case. His accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, will testify virtually before the House Oversight Committee, but her lawyer confirmed to MS Now that she will exercise her Fifth Amendment right to stay silent. Plus, beginning on Monday, Congress will gain access to the unredacted versions of the three million Epstein files. Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico, who serves on the House Oversight Committee, joins "The Weekend" to discuss.