Latest news with #Dem-held

Politico

10 years of Trump

Presented by With help from Eli Okun and Bethany Irvine On the Playbook Podcast this morning, Jack and Dasha discuss an extraordinary weekend of news in the run-up to Donald Trump's trip to the G7 summit in Canada — and how the president has shaped all our lives over the past 10 years. Good Monday morning. This is Jack Blanchard. A DECADE LIKE NO OTHER: It's 10 years to the day that Trump descended that famous golden elevator in New York's Trump Tower and announced he was running for president. That slow ride down, that first boisterous, rambling press conference; other surreal moments that were met with shrugs of amusement at the time but can now be seen as a turning point in America's history. Trump has dominated the decade that followed — unpredictable, inescapable, among the most consequential political figures of our lives. Nobody saw it coming. But there were hints of what lay ahead, writes my POLITICO colleague Alex Burns, who was there in Trump Tower on June 16, 2015, to watch the drama unfold. 'A few things come to mind,' Alex recalls, via a Slack message to Playbook on Sunday night. 'For starters: The crowd. This was not like the Romney/Santorum/Gingrich events of 2012 or the MAGA rallies that would come later. The people at the base of the escalator were besuited, bejeweled, familiar with the tanning bed. We know them well now — the Trump Hotel/Doral/Bedminster set.' Another: 'In Trump's strutting, meandering speech, there was one earnest digression that lodged in my memory. Trump recalled his long-deceased father warning him away from Manhattan real estate, and said he insisted to his father: 'I've got to go into Manhattan. I've got to build those big buildings. I've got to do it, Dad. I've got to do it.' The line drew zero attention that day … It just captured the core of Trump's grasping, striving, consuming ambition to make it in the big time.' Finally: 'Around the announcement, I spoke with a few Trump associates who proved especially prescient. One, Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy, predicted some Republicans would embrace Trump because they craved access to celebrity culture. Another, Geraldo Rivera, said Trump would do well because he was simply more interesting to watch than Jeb Bush. I didn't quote this at the time, but I have it in my notes: 'He rates,' Geraldo said of Trump. 'That's the bottom line. He rates.'' In today's Playbook … — Relief as police arrest suspect following Minnesota state senator shootings. — Trump meets world leaders at the G7 summit as the Middle East burns. — Trump recasts immigration U-turn as an attack on Dem-held cities. LAST NIGHT IN MINNESOTA WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz hailed the work of law enforcement officers after the suspect in the shooting of two state senators was finally apprehended. Suspected gunman Vance Boelter was captured — after a 48-hour manhunt — in Sibley County, Minnesota, not far from his home, after a police officer saw him fleeing into woodland. Police chiefs said Boelter was armed but gave himself up without a struggle. The Minnesota Star Tribune has a liveblog from the late-night presser. Assassin strikes: The arrest follows the weekend assassinations of Minnesota state House Democratic leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, who were shot and killed in their home in the early hours of Saturday morning. That attack followed a similar assault earlier in the night on Hortman's colleague and near-neighbor, state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman. They both were shot multiple times in their home but survived — as did their daughter Hope, whom Yvette reportedly shielded from incoming fire. Kill list: An apparent list of several dozen targets was discovered, including other Democratic politicians as well as Planned Parenthood locations. But police who rushed to check on the Hortmans following the initial shootings at the Hoffman residence caught the suspect in the act, helping cops to identify him. Walz said last night: 'When the story comes out … the heroic actions by the Hoffman family and their daughter Hope saved countless lives.' Where do we go from here? Congress returns today in a state of shock and alarm after the assassinations, which have left politicians nationwide rattled over personal security. At the request of Senate leaders, the Senate sergeant at arms and Capitol Police are due to brief senators tomorrow, per POLITICO's Jordain Carney. 'We have to reevaluate how we are protecting members of Congress and staffs in the face of rising threats,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will also hold a virtual briefing tomorrow, Axios' Andrew Solender reports. Disagreements in Congress: Despite widespread condemnation of the killings, there are some divides among over how much security is necessary. On a weekend call, rank-and-file House Republicans pressed for concrete steps to beef up security, but one member told Axios that GOP leaders weren't receptive to changes. Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) said he may force a vote on a rare House 'secret session' to discuss security. Fear at state level: With America's political violence epidemic hitting the state level, legislators are grappling with whether they should continue to have their home addresses publicly posted, NYT's Mitch Smith reports. Others questioned the wisdom of continuing a life devoted to public service. 'Honestly I'm struggling with this news,' Ohio state Sen. Casey Weinstein wrote on Facebook. 'I'm worried for my family. I worry I'm putting them in harm's way by being in office.' The bottom line: Nobody seems to have any idea how to stop this phenomenon spiraling further and further out of control. DRIVING THE DAY WAR SUMMIT: Trump sits down with fellow G7 leaders in Canada this morning as the world grapples with a dizzying array of crises. Top of Trump's mind at the annual G7 summit at Kananaskis, west of Calgary, will be the escalating conflict in the Middle East, where Israel and Iran last night continued to trade barrages of deadly missile strikes. But front and center too will be global trade, immigration and the war in Ukraine, with the White House lining up a series of face-to-face talks with relevant world leaders over the next two days. The first of those … is scheduled for today at 11 a.m. ET (9 a.m. local time) with the summit's host, Canadian PM Mark Carney, and you'd imagine trade will be the central theme. (Trump also has a first bilateral scheduled at this summit with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the other U.S. neighbor bearing the brunt of his tariffs.) Carney will press Trump on defense issues, too, and there should be a chance for reporters to ask both leaders questions at the very top. The only question that matters: Is Trump going to get the U.S. military directly involved with what now looks like an era-defining moment in the Middle East? Some observers believe Iran's regime is teetering on the brink, and that a historic opportunity presents itself. Opponents point to Trump's numerous pledges to end American involvement in foreign wars. 'It's possible we could get involved,' Trump told ABC's Rachel Scott yesterday. 'But we are not at this moment involved.' It was hardly a hard 'no.' This struggle continues to be played out in MAGA world, with commentators as diverse as Newt Gingrich (here) and Laura Loomer (here) pushing for regime change; while opponents like Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (here) and Tucker Carlson (basically everywhere) urge America to avoid involvement at all costs. For the time being, Trump seems hopeful the devastating losses suffered by Iran will force its leaders to cut a deal he can herald as a win. Exhibit A: All those extraordinary stories yesterday revealing that Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to take out Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This was first revealed by Reuters and then rapidly confirmed by multiple other outlets soon after — and the Trump administration's willingness to have this story out there really does tell its own story. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu did not deny the reports were true when interviewed on Fox News. Latest from the war zone: Israel last night sustained another barrage of Iranian missile strikes as citizens sheltered from the blasts, per Reuters. Once again, residential areas were hit, and minor damage was reported at the U.S. Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv. One extraordinary thing about this conflict is the high-quality video footage of ballistic missile attacks now being captured and instantly shared on social media. So you can see Iraqis watching last night's Iranian missile launches here; and then terrifying first-person videos of the incoming strikes on residential blocks here and here. Not for the faint hearted. Also worth your time: 'Crimes of the Century: How Israel, with the help of the U.S., broke not only Gaza but the foundations of humanitarian law' — a 10,000-word investigation on Israeli conduct in Gaza by NY Mag's Suzy Hansen …. And 'Opinion: Iran's Target Isn't Just Israel. It's Us,' by Mathias Döpfner, chair and CEO of Axel Springer, POLITICO's parent company. Also on Trump's itinerary in Canada … Some kind of progress on the war in Ukraine, given Trump has a bilateral meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy scheduled in the next 36 hours — their first face-to-face meeting since that dramatic sit-down in the Vatican on April 26. Expect Zelenskyy to (again) make the case that Russian President Vladimir Putin is stringing Trump along, and that it's time for the U.S. to get serious on sanctions. But Trump spoke to Putin by phone only this past Saturday, and gave little indication that he's about to change tack. IMMIGRATION NATION DEFINITELY NOT A U-TURN: On his flight to Canada, Trump tried to clarify his latest volte-face on immigration, having instructed ICE officers to stop targeting the agricultural and hospitality industries (per an NYT scoop last Friday). That move was driven by months of pressure from strained industries, conveyed to Trump in a pivotal call by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Axios' Brittany Gibson and colleagues report. But the shift in position was proving predictably unpopular on the MAGA right. Hence … last night's lengthy Truth Social post, which — once you've filtered out the false accusations and the odd conspiracy theory — amounted to a newsy announcement that ICE raids will now be targeted at Democratic-run inner city areas. 'We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America's largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside,' Trump wrote, the random capitalization all his own work. It looks like a neat way of explaining the pivot away from rural areas. Why it matters: Trump is attempting a tricky balancing act here — delivering on his pledge of the 'biggest mass deportation in history' without damaging key economic sectors or undermining his own support base. The end result may well be more scenes like those we saw in LA last week, which — as Playbook has previously noted — Trump's White House believes played out well for them. Watch this space. Meanwhile in the real world: Last week's high-profile meatpacking plant raid in Omaha, Nebraska, left the business reeling and the city's immigrant population fearful, NBC's Nicole Acevedo reports. But the company also quickly saw a surge of interest in the newly vacant positions. Separately, WaPo's Teo Armus and Rasha Ali have the story of a Sudanese couple, one currently here in the U.S., who had hoped to marry but are now kept apart by Trump's travel ban. The protests: LA was way calmer yesterday, with just 200 people protesting after Saturday's big 'No Kings' demonstrations, per the LA Times. LA police said another 35 people had been arrested during Saturday's protests, bringing the total since June 7 to 561. But tragedy struck in Salt Lake City, Utah, where a 'No Kings' protester died after being shot by someone on the protest's 'peacekeeping team,' who was trying to shoot at a different suspect, per The Salt Lake Tribune. BEST OF THE REST FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Emil Bove's judicial nomination has fractured the conservative legal community, with some establishment critics warning that he'd value loyalty to Trump over the law, POLITICO's Ankush Khardori writes. It's an early flashpoint in what has become a growing divide between MAGA diehards and Federalist Society types, who were allied in Trump's first term. Some prominent conservatives say Bove's record makes his fitness to be a judge questionable. It's not clear yet how he'll fare in the Senate. But as Ankush writes, many of the boundaries Trump is pushing have their roots in arguments by the conservative legal establishment that now questions him. Survey says: An overwhelming majority of Americans continue to believe the president must follow court orders, even as Trump allies threaten a constitutional crisis, per a new NBC poll. Eighty-one percent of voters say the administration has to obey rulings that certain executive actions are illegal, though it's 50/50 among MAGA supporters. 2026 WATCH: There's now 'widespread' chatter among Republicans about whether Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) might not run for reelection, WSJ's John McCormick and Lindsey Wise report, even as Democrats see her as more vulnerable due to her 'we all are going to die' comment, which went viral after a recent town hall. MORE DNC TURMOIL: Top union leaders Randi Weingarten and Lee Saunders both resigned from the DNC, indicating deep disagreements with Chair Ken Martin's leadership of the party, NYT's Shane Goldmacher and Reid Epstein report. The prominent labor leaders had supported Ben Wikler in the DNC chair election, and Weingarten had supported David Hogg's controversial move to back primary challenges. Their departure letters, which warned that the DNC was failing to expand the tent or make sufficient changes, amount to 'a major rebuke' of Martin and 'a significant erosion of trust in the D.N.C.' NATIONALIZATION BY ANOTHER NAME? ''Golden Share' in U.S. Steel Gives Trump Extraordinary Control,' by NYT's Ana Swanson and Lauren Hirsch: 'New details of the agreement show that the structure would give President Trump and his successors a permanent stake in U.S. Steel, significant sway over its board and veto power over a wide array of company actions, an arrangement that could change the nature of foreign investment in the United States. … Activities requiring the president's permission include the company transferring production or jobs outside the United States, closing or idling plants before agreed-upon time frames and making certain changes to how it sources its raw materials.' HACK ATTACK: Multiple WaPo journalists had their emails compromised by a cyberattack that may have originated from a foreign government, WSJ's Dustin Volz and colleagues scooped. Those affected included national security, economic policy and China reporters. TALK OF THE TOWN Tom Carper said he's not a fan of retirement: 'I fear for my country, I fear for democracy. I miss my friends, I miss my colleagues,' he said aboard an Amtrak. AND THE AWARD GOES TO — The Partnership for Public Service is announcing its annual Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals (Sammies) winners ahead of tomorrow's awards ceremony, honoring the federal government's top civil servants at a more fraught moment than ever for that workforce. The winners: The top prize goes to David Lebryk, the longtime Treasury official in charge of government payments, whose work helped recover $7 billion in wrongful payments last year — and who was forced out in January after he refused to give DOGE access to the system. Other honorees include the officials who negotiated Medicare Part D prescription drug prices, created an online passport renewal system, reduced IRS wait times and developed a supercomputer for nuclear simulations. Read about all 23 winning people/teams MEDIA MOVE — Peter Cook is joining NOTUS as senior director of partnerships. He most recently has been director of strategic partnerships at POLITICO. TRANSITIONS — John Barsa is joining Continental Strategy as a partner. He previously was acting USAID administrator in Trump's first term. … Alex Floyd is joining the new anti-Trump war room Defend America Action as rapid response director. He previously was rapid response director at the DNC, and is an Andy Beshear alum. … Lauren Oppenheimer is joining Brunswick Group as a director. She most recently was chief of staff and senior deputy comptroller for public affairs at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. … … Graeme Crews will be senior director of media and public relations at Brady United. He previously was comms director for Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. … Valeria Ojeda-Avita will be chief comms officer for BOLD PAC. She previously was deputy chief of staff, senior adviser and comms director for Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.). … Jane Vickers is now a press assistant for the House Energy and Commerce Committee. She most recently was a press assistant for Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.). HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Playbook's own Zack Stanton … Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) … Don McGahn … Michael Isikoff … Phil Singer of Marathon Strategies … Liz Bourgeois … NPR's Steve Inskeep … POLITICO's Madison Fernandez, Sophie Gardner, Greta Forslund, Nicole Norman and Cristina Gallotto … Colin Diersing … PBS NewsHour's Rachel Wellford … Cook Political Report's Jessica Taylor … Matt Gruda … Indira Lakshmanan … Matthew Bartlett … Mark Tapscott … Frank Sánchez … Rocky Deal … former Rep. Robert Hurt (R-Va.) … Reid Wilson … Angela Kelley … Phil Cox of GP3 Partners and P2 Public Affairs … Jared Kamrass of Technicolor Political … Jim Kim of the American Cleaning Institute … Ryan Yeager Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@ or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Zack Stanton, deputy editor Garrett Ross and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath. Correction: Yesterday's Playbook misstated the number of years that have elapsed since June 2020. It has also been updated to clarify the role played by National Guard military police in the June 2020 federal response to the protests in Lafayette Square.