Good morning. More rain and increasing humidity today with a high around 90. Rain chances continue into the evening, clearing overnight, with a low near 75. Juventus will face Al Ain FC in the first DC game of FIFA’s Club World Cup at Audi Field this evening. The Nationals lost their tenth game in a row last night; they’ll face the Colorado Rockies at home again tonight. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below.
Washingtonian Today will be off for Juneteenth and back on Friday morning. This roundup is available as a weekday email newsletter. Sign up here.
I can’t stop listening to:
Kendrick Lamar, “DNA.” No notes. Lamar plays Northwest Stadium tonight with SZA.
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:
Iran amok: President Trump is considering a strike on Iran and on social media demanded “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” from Tehran. (WSJ) Iran is in turn preparing to strike American bases in the Middle East should the US join the conflict between Israel and Iran, which began on June 13. (NYT) Vice President JD Vance attempted to soften the ground for critics on the MAGA right who don’t favor foreign intervention, casting any possible action against Iran as consistent with Trump’s stances in the past and saying he had to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. (Axios) The prospect of the US intervening in the conflict has opened a schism among the President’s supporters in right-wing media, with Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon warning against such a move. (NYT) When asked about US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard‘s recent testimony before Congress that Iran wasn’t close to getting a nuclear weapon, Trump said, “I don’t care what she said.” (AP) Trump was incensed that Gabbard posted a short video last week that blamed “political elite and warmongers” for pushing the US toward war. (Politico) Here’s how Trump’s stance on war with Iran has shifted. (NYT) Oil prices rose following Trump’s saber-rattling. (NYT)
Raid in Manhattan: Masked federal agents detained, then released, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander after he attempted to escort an immigrant from a Manhattan courthouse. Video does not appear to back up ICE’s claims that Lander, who is among the Democratic candidates for mayor, assaulted officers. (The City) Lander is the fifth public official whom feds have detained recently. (NYT)
Administration perambulation: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was whisked to a DC hospital last night after suffering an allergic reaction. The agency says Noem is “alert and recovering.” (CNN) An “Appeal to Heaven” flag—the same right-wing symbol that flew over Samuel Alito‘s beach house—flew over Small Business Administration HQ in DC last week. (Wired) Trump’s gyrations on workplace raids have businesses perplexed. (NYT) A federal appeals court in California “appears poised to permit President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles to continue uninterrupted despite the protests of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.” (Politico) Vaccine expert Fiona Havers, who recently left the CDC, says “a lot of Americans are going to die” if Health Secretary RFK Jr.‘s attempts to change US vaccine policy are successful. (NYT) The Senate’s version of Trump’s budget bill “would give the White House $100 million to reorganize federal agencies as President Trump sees fit, without congressional input.” (Government Executive) Trump says his large new flagpoles will go up at the White House this morning. (Washington Examiner) White House aide Sergio Gor hasn’t submitted paperwork for a background check despite being in charge of vetting others. (New York Post)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• An anti-Trump statue has appeared on the National Mall. Like the tongue-in-cheek “salute” to January 6 rioters that appeared in the same area last year, this one appears to have a Hollywood connection.
• A beautiful, rainy wedding in Annapolis.
Local news links:
Virginia primaries: State Senator Ghazala Hashmi has declared victory in the race to become the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor. The AP hasn’t called the race yet, but Hashmi leads her closest rival, former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. (WTVR) Jay Jones bested Shannon Taylor to become the party’s nominee for attorney general. (Washington Post) Takis P. Karantonis easily secured nomination to the Arlington County Board, beating James DeVita. (Washington Post) Incumbent Patrick Hope appears to have won decisively in a contested House of Delegates race. (ARLnow) Live election results. (Virginia Mercury) Takeaways. (Washington Post)
• A truck carrying a tank from Trump’s military parade this past weekend struck and killed a pedestrian on New York Avenue Monday. (USA Today)
• Ketanji Brown Jackson got a $3 million advance for her memoir. (Politico)
• A federal appeals court said a DC couple couldn’t sue Georgetown University over a student’s off-campus pot smoke. (WBJ)
• The DC Council gave preliminary approval to Councilmember Brooke Pinto‘s anti-crime plan. A final vote could occur in July. (The DC Line)
• DC Mayor Muriel Bowser wants stricter youth curfew laws. (Washington Post)
• Jarett Lewis, who was previously convicted of impersonating an aide to former US Representative John Lewis (no relation) to score free football tickets, got a two-and-a-half-year sentence for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a DC nonprofit to “fund a lavish lifestyle.” (WUSA9)
• A Maryland man was found guilty of the 2023 murder of Mariame Toure Sylla. (WTOP)
• There’s less and less of minuscule Lanier Heights. (Greater Greater Washington)
• Construction will begin next week on the Dupont Circle deck project and will last about two years. (NBC4 Washington)
• Former Minor Threat bassist Steve Hansgen says he’s hopeful he’ll receive a kidney transplant. (WTOP)
Wednesday’s event picks:
• Tony Keith Jr. discusses his latest book, “Knucklehead,” at Planet Word.
• Watch “Barbie” outdoors for free at Alethia Tanner Park.
• Listen to Jahnel Daliya at Milian Park.
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.
