Good morning. Rain possible before 2 PM, with a high around 85. Rain chances continue this evening, with a low near 64. The Nationals visit the Mets today. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below.
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I can’t stop listening to:
Sly & the Family Stone, “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be).” RIP to a true American original: Sly Stone died yesterday at 82.
Take Washingtonian Today with you! I’ve made a playlist on Spotify and on Apple Music of my daily music recommendations this year.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
Wannabe in LA: The administration deployed 700 US Marines to protests in Los Angeles last night. “Like the National Guard troops, they are prohibited from conducting law enforcement activity such as making arrests unless Trump invokes the Insurrection Act.” (CNN) “The Pentagon was scrambling Monday to establish rules” for this mission. (AP) Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to use the military to arrest civilians, a “grave escalation.” (SF Chronicle) California sued the administration over its deployment of National Guard troops, with Attorney General Rob Bonta saying, “The President is trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends.” (Washington Post) This may surprise you, but Stephen Miller was involved in prompting a raid that helped sparked the protests. (WSJ) Voices from LA. (Washington Post) Lies and conspiracy theories about what’s going on in LA are having a grand old time on the internet. (NYT) President Trump said people in masks should be arrested. He doesn’t mean ICE agents. (Reuters)
You had one jab: Health Secretary RFK Jr. “fired all 17 members of the advisory committee on immunization to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, saying that the move would restore the public’s trust in vaccines.” (NYT) The move “marks the latest move by Kennedy that raised alarms among proponents of vaccines.” (Washington Post) Kennedy wrote an op-ed about the decision. (WSJ) Meanwhile: NIH scientists published a letter that criticizes the administration and director Jay Bhattacharya. (Ars Technica)
Have fun storming the castle: The Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents declared that Secretary Lonnie Bunch was the only person who makes personnel decisions, an indirect rebuke of Trump, who claims to have fired National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet. (Washington Post) Bunch emailed employees yesterday, urging “nonpartisanship.” (NYT)
Administration perambulation: The White House wants Texas to redistrict to help prevent a Democratic takeover of the House next year. (NYT) A very weird incident involving an aide to Hegseth “adds to the growing portrait of dysfunction inside Hegseth’s front office.” (The Guardian)
A few more Flag Day ideas, by Daniella Byck
The Army (among others) will celebrate its birthday on June 14 with a big parade, but you can also mark the day away from the crowds expected downtown. Mount Vernon will pay tribute to the 250th anniversary of George Washington taking control of the Continental Army with a full day of programming, including a Potomac River boat parade and a chance to hang with the First Virginia Regiment’s horses. The United States Air Force Band Max Impact, stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, will perform a waterfront concert at National Harbor at 7 PM. Saturday is also Flag Day, which is a great opportunity for vexillologists to visit some of the area’s notable flags, from the Star-Spangled Banner at the National Museum of American History to one of the largest flying flags in the country—plus 13 smaller flags—at Spirit Park in Oxon Hill.
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• We chatted with S.L. Price about his fascinating new book about lacrosse.
• Brad Bondi really, really lost his bid to lead the DC Bar.
• Koryouri Urara brings Japanese homestyle cooking to Georgetown.
• We attended a conference for centrist Democrats.
• A timely reminder: DC’s mayor doesn’t control the DC National Guard. The President does.
• We spoke with two professors at U.Va about whether Virginia’s school cellphone ban will help kids.
Local news links:
Are you not entertained? Trump’s birthday parade will in some cases require “four days of closed streets for a 90-minute parade.” (Washington Post) Rocket launchers and missiles will be featured. (Axios D.C.) How Trump got the parade he’s wanted for a long time. (Washington Post)
• Delayed treatment plans. Overcrowded detention centers. A shortage of beds. The Washington Post investigates how DC’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services has fared under Mayor Muriel Bowser‘s administration. (Washington Post)
• Bowser said she had “some regrets” about requesting that the feds reopen Dupont Circle park. (Washington Post)
• The FBI will leave the Woodies Building, its pied-a-terre on F Street, Northwest. (WBJ)
• A 16-year-old boy was sentenced in the murder of Bryan Smith. (WUSA9)
• The Smithsonian will offer events around next weekend’s summer solstice. (Northern Virginia)
• A bear from Maryland visited Herndon, where he got shot with a tranquilizer dart, fell out of a tree, and got a ride to Shenandoah National Park. (NBC4 Washington)
Tuesday’s event picks:
• Catch Bad Medicine Comedy’s show sketch show “Time to Pretend” at DC Improv.
• Take bachata and salsa lessons on the Georgetown Waterfront.
• Go on a social run with FITDC.
See 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.
