Breaking overnight: A gunman shot two Israeli Embassy staffers near the Capital Jewish Museum in Judiciary Square late Wednesday. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were shot as they left an American Jewish Committee event at the museum. Police say 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago chanted “Free, free Palestine” after he fired at the pair. They also say Rodriguez told them where he disposed of his weapon afterward. President Trump called the shooting “based obviously on antisemitism,” and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said, “I want to be clear that we will not tolerate this violence or hate in our city.” (Washington Post/NYT)
Rain and thunderstorms likely today, with a high near 70. A chance of rain overnight, with a low around 53. The Nationals host the Braves this evening. D.C. United won in a shootout against Charlotte FC in a US Open Cup game last night.
You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below. This roundup is now available as a morning email newsletter. Sign up here.
I can’t stop listening to:
The Wedding Present, “Kennedy.” I love this band’s blend of tuneful British postpunk and American indie noise. They will perform their entire 1989 album “Bizarro,” which includes this gem, at the Black Cat tonight. Confidential to the region’s bald Gen X men with glasses: See you there.
Take Washingtonian Today with you: I’ve made a mammoth playlist of this year’s music recommendations, which I’ll keep updating. Here’s the Spotify version, and here it is on Apple Music.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
US diplomacy in 2025: Trump met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House yesterday and confronted him about what Trump said was evidence of white genocide in South Africa. He mischaracterized footage that he showed Ramaphosa. (NYT) Trump made a number of false claims at the meeting. (AP) The event “showcased Trump’s selective, and racially polarizing, view of entrenched challenges in a country that endured nearly half a century of state-sanctioned segregation.” (Washington Post) One of the documents Trump showed Ramaphosa was a blog post from a site called American Thinker about a tragedy that occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Barrons)
The legislative branch: The House approved Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The tax and immigration package will now head to the Senate. (Washington Post)
Immigration: A federal judge said the US “unquestionably” violated a court order when it flew eight people to South Sudan Tuesday without providing them due process. (AP) Another federal judge, in New Jersey, harshly criticized DOJ prosecutors for the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after a scuffle at an ICE facility in the Garden State. (New Jersey Globe) Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa called Baraka’s arrest a “worrisome misstep.” The prosecution office, led by former Trump attorney Alina Habba, has also filed charges against US Representative LaMonica McIver. (Politico) After it became clear that the administration had deported Maryland’s Kilmar Abrego García in error, officials debated how to spin the fiasco. (NYT)
Defense: The US accepted a luxury 747 as a gift from Qatar, which Trump intends to use as a replacement for Air Force One. The US will pay to harden the plane. (NYT) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held a prayer service at the Pentagon yesterday “in which President Trump was praised as a divinely appointed leader.” (NYT) Hegseth said the services would continue as monthly events. (CNN) Most of the books yanked from the Naval Academy library over Hegseth’s “DEI” concerns have returned. (AP)
Integrity: Trump will host the top investors in his memecoin at his golf club in Virginia tonight. Some stick-in-the-muds think this is somehow corrupt. (Politico) The attendees paid, on average, $1 million for their seats. (NBC News)
Administration perambulation: Health Secretary RFK Jr. could release his “Make America Healthy Again” report today. (WSJ) How Elon Musk blew it with the Trump administration. (The Atlantic) The White House removed transcripts of Trump’s speeches from its website and replaced some of them with videos. (NBC News) Many of the vehicles for the CDC to communicate with the public “have gone silent” since the administration took power. (NPR) Two men convicted of crimes in the January 6, 2021, pro-Trump riot at the US Capitol visited the White House. (NPR) Donald Trump Jr. mused about running for President one day. (Politico) Hackers deleted FOIA requests at numerous federal agencies earlier this year. (Bloomberg) Golden Dome won’t work. (404 Media) Hey, thanks for your help, but…: Trump’s tariffs get a thumbs up from Liz Truss, who was briefly prime minister of the United Kingdom. (Washington Post)
Hidden Eats, by Ike Allen
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• I spoke with Jonathan Capehart about his new memoir, “Here I Am.”
• The US Army said it would be responsible for any damage done to DC roads by military vehicles brought in for a parade that will coincide with Trump’s birthday. Here’s everything we know so far about the June 14 event.
• Memorial Day events. Also: Anthony Anderson and Gene Simmons will appear at DC’s Memorial Day parade.
• Yoshi Ota, the former chef of Sushi Gakyu, has opened Sushi Gaku (yes, that’s correct) in Georgetown.
• Longtime Fairfax congressman Gerry Connolly died yesterday at 75.
• Musk is never leaving, is he?
Local news links:
• Deborah Rutter disputed Trump loyalist Ric Grenell‘s assertions that the Kennedy Center was mismanaged and rife with “fraud.” (Washington Post) Rutter said that under her leadership, the center set up a $10 million fund to smooth over financial storms. (WUSA9)
• Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares asked federal authorities to look into admissions at Fairfax’s Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. (Washington Post)
• DC Councilmember Brianne Nadeau may not run for reelection. (WAMU)
• The Kalorama house of Navy Secretary John Phelan sustained fire damage Monday. (CBS News)
• Gaithersburg’s Woodfield Estates neighborhood has become a haven for rowdy parties, and Montgomery County officials hope fines will thwart the mayhem. (ABC7)
• Metro will use self-driving trains on the Red, Yellow, and Green lines. (Washington Post)
• Alexandria’s city council approved new lights at Episcopal High School after a “robust discussion.” (Alexandria Times)
• Frances Tiafoe will be among the draws at this year’s DC Open. (Washington Post)
• DOJ cut grants to violence-prevention groups in DC. (WUSA9)
• You can bid on a piece of Pimlico history. (WTOP)
• Service fees are extremely confusing in DC restaurants now. (Washington Post)
• Dulles and National will get new eating and drinking options. (WBJ)
Thursday’s event picks:
• The Hong Kong-inspired Spring Night Market comes to the rooftop of Union Market.
• DelFest, headlined by the Del McCoury Band and folk singer Sierra Ferrell with the Travelin’ McCourys, begins in Cumberland, Maryland.
• London rapper Central Cee comes to the Fillmore Silver Spring.
See lots more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.
We’re now taking suggestions for this year’s “Most Powerful Women” list. You can nominate someone here. Know someone we should consider for our Tech Titans feature this year? Put their name forward here. Did you miss our 100 Very Best Restaurants List? It’s here.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
