Good morning. Sunny with a high around 64 today—solid fleece vest weather. Cool and clear overnight, with a low around 41. The Washington Wizards will visit Detroit tonight in a preseason matchup. 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:
Randy Travis, “Deeper Than the Holler.” Travis has been unable to sing live since his 2013 stroke. Tonight at Hagerstown’s Maryland Theatre, his band will perform his No. 1 hits with James Dupre on vocals, and Travis “will very much be a part of the show,” according to the venue’s website.
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:
Shutshow: The government shutdown is 16 days old. A federal judge yesterday blocked the Trump administration’s plan to lay off thousands of federal workers during the lapse in appropriations, saying the White House “appeared not to follow the law” when it issued reduction-in-force notices to eight agencies. (Washington Post) Speaking on a podcast published before the ruling, OMB head Russell Vought said the administration plans to lay off “north of 10,000” people. (Politico) On the same show, Vought also said “he wants to close the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau even though President Donald Trump’s administration has argued in court that there is no such plan.” (Reuters) While some Democrats in Congress believe courts will half the layoffs, others say reversing them must be part of negotiations to end the shutdown. (Politico) One office targeted by layoffs? HHS’s Office of Population Affairs, which “provides contraception for millions of low-income women.” (NYT) Trump also signed a memo that would “expand his administration’s authority to repurpose unspent federal funds to pay members of the military during the government shutdown,” though the legality of such a move is not clear. (NYT) The GSA began to implement “phased furloughs”—and its notice “states multiple times that furloughed employees are guaranteed back pay once the shutdown ends.” (Federal News Network) Boo at the Zoo is canceled due to the shutdown. (Smithsonian’s National Zoo) Meanwhile: The administration wants to double the bailout to Argentina. (Washington Post) And it’s “preparing sweeping changes at the Internal Revenue Service that would allow the agency to pursue criminal inquiries of left-leaning groups more easily.” (WSJ)
The morning hate: A young male staffer for US Representative Dave Taylor, a Republican from Ohio, appeared to display a flag with a swastika on his cubicle wall. Asked about the flag by Politico, Taylor’s office called the US Capitol Police to investigate. (Politico) The Nazi symbol appears amid fallout from a nasty group chat by Young Republicans, messages from which leaked earlier this week. Two more participants lost their jobs yesterday. (Politico) While some Republicans condemned the messages, Vice President JD Vance lamented that someone might “grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke, telling a very offensive, stupid joke is cause to ruin their lives.” (AP)
Penta-gone: Almost the entire Pentagon press corps turned in their badges and left the building yesterday after their outlets declined to sign new rules instituted under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. (Washington Post) They “vowed they’d continue robust coverage of the military no matter the vantage point.” (AP) Here’s an annotated guide to what the new rules actually say. (NYT) Meanwhile: A Marine Corps birthday event in California that Hegseth and Vance plan to attend could shut the 5 between LA and San Diego from Friday to Saturday while ships fire live ordnance toward Camp Pendleton. (KABC)
Voting wrongs: The Supreme Court “appeared ready to gut a key tool of the Voting Rights Act” during a hearing yesterday. Such a change could boost “Republican electoral prospects by eliminating majority Black and Latino districts that tend to favor Democrats.” (AP) Should such a change occur, “the House would not be competitive in most election years.” (NYT) Checking in: Trump said yesterday he might attend a Supreme Court hearing on the legality of his tariffs. He’d be the first US President to do so. (CNBC)
Administration perambulation: Trump wants to send troops to San Francisco. (Politico) A judge in Cook County, Illinois, has enjoined ICE from arresting people during courtroom visits. (AP) Trump again floated the idea of relocating World Cup matches from cities he doesn’t favor—which is most US cities. (The Athletic) The administration is likely to overhaul the nation’s immigration system to “help mostly white people who say they are being persecuted while keeping the vast majority of other people out.” (NYT) Trump hosted corporate donors to his planned ballroom at the White House last night. (WSJ) The administration has authorized covert action aimed at regime change in Venezuela. Trump acknowledged the action yesterday. (NYT) The President ordered more investigations of his enemies yesterday in a meeting with Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. (NYT) Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will yank $40 million in funding from California, saying the Golden State refuses to adopt its English-language requirements. California says it’s already got English-language rules in place. (The Hill) Lawmakers are spending a lot on personal security these days. (NOTUS) “A U.S. Border Patrol video featuring antisemitic lyrics by Michael Jackson went viral on X on Tuesday,” drawing praise from far-right commenters on Elon Musk‘s social media platform. (Gizmodo)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Michelin added eight new restaurants to its DC guide—and we’ll find out next month whether any of them will receive stars.
• Eduardo Peñalver will be the next president of Georgetown University.
• Cheryl Hines is beginning to speak about husband RFK Jr. and MAGA as she flogs her new memoir—and she seems to be on board with some of his goals.
• Puerto Rican hotspot Qui Qui reopened in Park View recently, and owner Ismael Mendez says the new digs are an upgrade.
• A really big exhaust hood. A butler’s pantry. Here are seven ways to give your kitchen a glow-up.
• The bride wore a custom floral jacquard dress. There were accents of fruit. Photos from a beautiful, Renaissance-inspired wedding.
Local news links:
• Tonight’s debate between Virginia attorney general candidates Jason Miyares and Jay Jones, which will be live-streamed, should be pretty interesting. (Washington Post)
• Stephen Miller will sell his house in Arlington because people wrote in chalk on the sidewalks outside. (ARLnow)
• Trump criticized the probation sentence received by two 15-year-olds who assaulted DOGE star Edward “Big Balls” Coristine. (Washington Post)
• Trump claimed the National Guard troops he deployed in DC have engaged in hand-to-hand combat with members of a Venezuelan gang. The military organization that oversees the deployment said that never happened. (The Intercept)
• Former Casa Ruby founder Ruby Corado was ordered jailed after her sentencing hearing went awry, with her lawyer citing an “irreconcilable breakdown in the attorney-client relationship.” (Washington Blade)
• What has happened to the Kennedy Center’s willow trees?
• A Swedish company will test a flying electric ferry on the Potomac next week. (ALXnow)
• Remember: The Alexandria City High School Titans are undefeated this season. (Alexandria Times)
• The solution to “Kryptos,” a statue in the CIA courtyard that has fascinated cryptographers for decades, turned out to be in the Smithsonian. (NYT)
Thursday’s event picks:
• Druski brings his parody Instagram live show “Coulda Been Records” to Capital One Arena.
• Saul Williams and Carlos Niño perform at the Black Cat.
• The Middleburg Film Festival opens with “Jay Kelly,” which stars George Clooney and Adam Sandler.
See more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.
We’re seeking nominations for our 500 Most Influential People list. Get ’em to us by December 5!
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.
