Good morning. Hazy after 11 AM, with a high around 87 today. Skies will clear overnight, with a low near 67. The Nationals visit the Mets again this evening. 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:
Dean Wareham, “New World Julie.” Wareham’s new LP, “That’s the Price of Loving Me,” has been in rotation in my house since it appeared in late March. This song recalls his work with Galaxie 500, and it’s one of many very nice moments on this dreamy collection. Wareham plays Songbyrd tonight with Honey Stomach.
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:
LA-test: “Other states are next,” California Governor Gavin Newsom warned in a televised speech Tuesday night about President Trump‘s decision to attempt to capitalize on protests against his immigration crackdown in Los Angeles by sending troops. (NYT) Protests have spread across the country. (NBC News) While some coverage of the confrontation paints LA as a war zone, the reality is it’s an extremely large city and protests are contained to relatively small areas. (LAT) Leaders in the city imposed a curfew downtown Tuesday night. (AP) The LAPD said it’s making “mass arrests.” (CNN) Trump’s deployment will cost $134 million, a Pentagon official said. (Politico) US Senator Tom Cotton reprised his “send in the troops” op-ed. (WSJ)
The screws tighten: Interim US Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba said a jury has indicted US Representative LaMonica McIver over a confrontation at an immigration facility in Newark last month. (NBC News) McIver said she looks forward to her day in court. (NorthJersey.com) Trump said anyone who protests his birthday parade in DC this weekend “will be met with very big force.” (The Independent) Some members of the military are concerned about the optics of marching in a parade for Trump while he cracks down on protests using troops. (NYT) The administration plans to deport people in the US illegally to Guantánamo. Citizens of Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, and Italy could be among them. (Washington Post) Some Republicans urged the administration to limit its deportation push to criminals. (Axios)
Tweet surrender: Elon Musk said he regretted “some of” his posts about Trump, and that they “went too far.” (NYT)
Monumental change: Trump said he’d restore Confederate names at US military bases. (NYT) Members of a crowd filled with military members and their families booed former President Biden, Newsom, and journalists during Trump’s speech. (The Hill) Meanwhile: The DOJ asserted that Trump “has the authority to abolish national monuments meant to protect historical and archaeological sites across broad landscapes, including two in California created by his predecessor at the request of Native American tribes.” (AP)
The next culture war? Southern Baptists voted to work toward overturning laws and court rulings that legalized gay marriage at their annual meeting. (AP) Some cited the “successful effort that overturned the right to legal abortions as a possible blueprint for the new fight.” (NYT)
Administration perambulation: The US and China said they’re close to an agreement that would ratchet down the trade war. (WSJ) China believes it has the upper hand. (Washington Post) Trump said he plans to wind down FEMA after this year’s hurricane season. (Washington Post) DNI Tulsi Gabbard said her office used AI to help determine which files about the assassinations of President Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy to release. (AP) The administration has proposed defunding a suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth. (NBC News) The VA will pay OPM to help it conduct mass layoffs. (Government Executive) ABC News dropped Terry Moran after he criticized Trump and top aide Stephen Miller. (CNN) RFK Jr. dismissed a panel of vaccine advisers “in part because all were appointed by a Democratic president and some had made donations to Democrats.” (NYT) The White House is about to pave over the Rose Garden’s grass. (AP)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Danny Hogenkamp is a young tech CEO in DC. He wants you to inspire you to live without your phone.
• We met Daniel Bernier, who’s proposed a ballot initiative in DC that would end the practice of changing clocks twice a year.
• The House GOP is looking at ways to stick it to DC this week. (Though: They’re not looking at fixing the hole they made in the District’s budget, the NYT reports.)
• Red Imported Fire Ants are the hot new thing to worry about.
Local news links:
The Norton question: National news media have picked up on the story of whether DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton should remain in Congress. The NYT cites Washingtonian’s reporting about a recent appearance at Arena Stage. (NYT, Washingtonian) Norton said yesterday that she plans to run again. Her spokesperson later released a statement saying Norton was “in conversations” about what’s next. (Politico) “A dam is breaking on Norton.” (Axios D.C.)
Politics on parade: Few Republican lawmakers said they’d stay in DC for Trump’s birthday parade this weekend. (Politico) More than three quarters of Americans said they opposed the parade. (PRRI) Arlington will get road closures, too. (ARLnow)
• The Smithsonian Institution will conduct “a thorough review of all of its content in its 21 museums and zoo to eliminate political influence and bias,” a move that Trump wanted. (WSJ)
• The DC Council threw NBC4 Washington reporter Mark Segraves out of a meeting where they discussed funding a new Commanders stadium on the old RFK site. (Mark Segraves) “[A]t a time when THEY complain about Trump tactics, your DC Council is meekly following Chairman Phil Mendelson’s gutting of the open meetings act.” (Tom Sherwood) “The Council will have to vote to delay the RFK legislation.” (NBC4 Washington) The Commanders say they plan to hold 200 events a year at the new facility. (WBJ)
• Trump will head to the Kennedy Center for a preview performance of “Les Misérables” and fundraiser this evening. Some cast members said they’ll sit this one out. (Washington Post)
• TJ Oshie announced his retirement. (NBC4 Washington)
• Democrats in Virginia’s Senate rejected Governor Glenn Youngkin‘s choices for boards at public universities. (Washington Post)
• An agreement between DC and Georgetown University will expand public access to the Potomac. (WUSA9)
• A small house in Wheaton is a piece of local LGBTQ history. (Greater Greater Washington)
• The Eastern Senior High School needs financial help to get to London. (WUSA9)
• DC Fire & EMS spox Vito Maggiolo remembers a 1970 DC concert by Sly Stone, who died this week. (WTOP)
• Freddie Lutz said he passed out before he rallied and got married on a float at Pride this weekend. (WUSA9)
• Police in Howard County shot and killed a man they said was carrying a “large spear.” (WTOP)
• Police arrested a man they said climbed American University’s radio tower. (WTOP)
Wednesday’s event picks:
• Aussie punks Civic play Pearl Street Warehouse.
• Watch “The Greatest Showman” outdoors at Alethia Tanner Park.
• A’Lelia Bundles discusses her new book, “Joy Goddess,” at MLK Library.
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.
