Good morning. Pleasant weather greets the workweek (and back-to-school day in DC), with sun and a high around 84. A low near 62 tonight. 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:
Cody Summit, “All People.” “Freedom as a weapon in the land of liberty” is a lyric that resonates with me this morning. Summit, a Baltimore-based guitarist and singer, plays Rhizome tonight with Taylor Hollingsworth.
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:
Guns of Truxton: National Guard troops are now carrying weapons in Washington, DC, and may detain people to be arrested. The troops, many sent by red state governors, have often been seen guarding Union Station and the Mall. (Washington Post) The Pentagon has been planning a similar show of force in Chicago for weeks. (Washington Post) Democrats have begun to push back. (NYT) Maryland Governor Wes Moore wrote a letter to President Trump, inviting him to visit Baltimore, another city Trump has singled out in his ever-escalating threats against areas that didn’t vote for him. Trump posted on his social media website that he would not accept. (Fox 5 DC) A New York Times reporter spent a day observing many of the court cases brought as a result of Trump’s crackdown and found that “government lawyers have been instructed to file the most serious federal charges, no matter how minor the incident.” (NYT) Former DOGE staffer Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, whose alleged carjacking and beating by 15-year-olds triggered this whole situation, posted a video of himself working out. (Daily Beast) Hmm, that’s not optimal: At a crucial time for the District, DC police officers say Police Chief Pamela Smith “has disappeared amid the pressure and alienated her staff.” (Washington Post)
Let’s step back: Trump’s “breezy demeanor” during appearances before the press where he discusses asphalt and grass has “served to obscure the brazen expansion of his executive authority and a deployment of the military within the United States that is without precedent and far beyond constitutional precedent.” (Politico) The Washington Post compared video taken by bystanders with propaganda from the White House. (Washington Post) Right wing media operations claim Washingtonians are overwhelmingly happy with Trump’s crackdown. (Media Matters for America) A reminder: No. (Washington Post) “Maybe when Trump picks a new target, D.C. will go back to being what it is, a city with a largely Democratic citizenry who aren’t allowed to send a voting member to Congress—a reasonably vibrant, reasonably high-functioning American city, with housing that’s too expensive and a crime problem that is real but improving.” (The New Yorker)
Epstein, Epstein, Epstein: The Department of Justice released a transcript of its interview with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, who is seeking a pardon from Trump. Maxwell said she never saw Trump “in any inappropriate setting” with his former friend, the disgraced, deceased financier Jeffery Epstein. Maxwell was convicted of grooming young women for Epstein’s abuse. (Washington Post) Somewhat incredibly, Maxwell “insisted she was unaware of any sexual contact between Epstein and minors.” She also said she never saw anything untoward happen with regard to Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, or RFK Jr., now the US Health Secretary, who she said went on a “dinosaur bone hunting” trip with her and Epstein. (Politico) Maxwell’s claims mean either that she was “innocent all along” or that “she is a serial liar.” (Playbook) Trump’s online fans view Maxwell’s interview as complete vindication of their guy. (Politico) US Representative Summer Lee of Pennsylvania said Saturday that the documents DOJ has provided to Congress so far are “recycled content already made available to the public.” (CNBC)
Weaponization watch: The FBI searched John Bolton‘s home in Bethesda Friday. Trump’s former national security adviser became a critic of the President. Trump claimed he didn’t know anything about it. (AP) Miles Taylor said he’s expecting similar treatment. (The Hill)
Administration perambulation: Mail companies around the world have begun to suspend delivery of some packages to the US as they grapple with new tariff rules. (Washington Post) Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell suggested an interest rate cut—a priority of Trump’s—may be in the works. (Politico) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, claiming a “’loss of confidence,’ a catchall term Hegseth has used to justify the sacking of other senior military officers this year.” (Washington Post) Trump said Intel had agreed to give ten percent of itself to the United States, a move that “further deepens Trump’s intervention in private enterprise in a manner largely unseen outside times of war or economic crisis.” (Washington Post) There will be 300,000 fewer federal workers by the end of the year, OPM director Scott Kupor said. (NYT) Maryland Governor Moore said he was considering a redistricting plan for the Free State. (The Hill) Kilmar Abrego García was released Friday. ICE now hopes to deport the Maryland man, who it wrongly deported in the first place, to Uganda. (Washington Post) Trump said the World Cup draw for 2026 will take place at the Kennedy Center. (CNN) Who said it: RFK Jr. or Dr. Nick? (The New Republic) British foreign secretary David Lammy went fishing with Vice President JD Vance but did not secure a license first. He has been warned. (Sky News)
The best thing I ate last week, by Ann Limpert:
Michael and Ally Stebner, the couple behind Sterling destination restaurant Local Provisions, opened Brasserie Royale just last month in the Cascades Marketplace, but it feels like it’s been around far longer. The Paris-inspired spot is cozy and chic—I imagine it’ll feel even more so in winter, when sipping Julia Child’s onion soup feels more on-season. Delicious as the soup was, my favorite dish of the very lovely evening was a grilled filet of halibut, with a preparation that also called to mind chilly nights: buttery mashed potatoes, caramelized mushrooms, and a tangy pommery mustard jus to brighten it all up. I can’t help but recommend one other dish, since it might be a late-summer thing: a plate of goat-cheese filled ravioli with a creamy golden-tomato butter. (46290 Cranston St., Sterling.)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Andy Shallal talks about mixing restaurants and politics.
• Deborah Tannen talked to us about her love of language.
• Frances Tiafoe, Carla Hall, Corinna Delgado: Dan Swartz rounds up the best photos from July’s parties.
Local news links:
• Trump said he’d seek $2 billion from Congress to “beautify” DC. That would be the same Congress that blew a $1 billion hole in DC’s budget earlier this year and never got around to fixing it. (NBC4 Washington)
• The Department of Education asked George Mason University to apologize for what it described as “unlawful DEI policies.” (Washington Post)
• Ben Vinson III will step down as Howard University’s president. The school’s former president, Wayne A.I. Frederick, will serve as interim leader. (Washington Post)
• ICE says it won’t be present at the first day of school in DC but that it may pop by in the future. (NBC4 Washington)
• Montgomery County would like to hear your thoughts on its parking robot. (WTOP)
• The Commanders traded Brian Robinson to the 49ers. (NBC Sports)
• DC Shadow Representative Oye Owolewa announced plans to retire. (WTOP)
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.
