Good morning. A chance for some light rain early in the day, but otherwise, mostly cloudy with highs around 67. Great news for people who love wind: Expect gusts up to 47 mph this afternoon. The Capitals will play the Islanders in New York tonight—remember last time they did that? Let’s bring it up again! The Nationals are still in Pittsburgh. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @kmcorliss.19 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below.
Our Cutest Dog Contest is now live. Enter by April 30!
This roundup is now available as a morning email newsletter. Sign up here.
A great book on my nightstand:
“Anagrams” by Lorrie Moore. Moore is probably my all-time favorite author in any genre, and “Anagrams” is probably my all-time favorite of her works. I reread it more or less every year and each time, the writing is prettier, funnier, and even more devastating, all at once. Maybe the passage of time is making me more sensitive to stories with central themes of loss, but I suspect my ever-growing love for this book is mostly a testament to the enduring genius of Moore’s writing. Underlined in my paperback copy from sophomore year of college: “I forage through my life and everywhere—there, there, and there—it is only me in it, the very same me, the same harmless lump, the same soggy weirdo, the same sleeping, breathing bun.” If I didn’t have to write the rest of this newsletter, I would go back to bed now.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
Garcia case update: During a meeting at the White House yesterday, President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he will not release mistakenly deported Maryland man Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia back to US custody. He called the notion of freeing Garcia “preposterous,” saying, “I don’t have the power to return him to the United States.” If El Salvador did want to send Garcia back to the US, Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Trump administration would provide a plane. But, she added, “He was illegally in our country.” Remember: The Justice Department said Garcia was deported due to “administrative error,” not because of his immigration status. (AP) Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen has asked for a meeting with Bukele to discuss Garcia’s case. (Scott MacFarlane) Van Hollen says that if Garcia isn’t home by mid-week, “I plan to travel to El Salvador this week to check on his condition and discuss his release.” (CBS News) US District Judge Paula Xinis is scheduled to hold another hearing this afternoon, where she’ll determine whether the Trump administration is heeding her order to get Garcia back to Maryland. It’s definitely possible that the Supreme Court will have to pipe up on this again, since last week’s ruling does not outline specific steps for how the administration should “facilitate” Garcia’s return—only that it should. (Politico)
Scarlet Crimson letter: Yesterday, Harvard University president Alan Garber told students and faculty that the school will refuse to comply with a list of demands made by Trump last week—including guidance to cut DEI programs, crack down on international students who are “supportive of terrorism or anti-Semitism,” and practice “viewpoint diversity” when hiring. (NPR) Harvard’s lawyers sent a written response to the administration, saying, ” The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government.” (Read: pound sand.) (Harvard) The federal government promptly froze $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard. (AP) This cut is just about six times the size of the one that bent Columbia’s knee last month. (Politico)
State of affairs: The Trump administration has a plan to cut nearly half of the State Department’s budget—including cuts to most funding for international groups like the United Nations and NATO, various global health programs, and state-run educational opportunities like the Fulbright Program. A US official familiar with the matter says it’s likely the White House’s spring budget proposal will look “substantially similar to what the memo outlines.” (NYT) The proposal was developed by State Department officials Douglas Pitkin and Pete Marocco, who left the agency last week. (Wall Street Journal)
Taking stock: Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene invested between $21,000 and $315,000 into the stock market on April 8 and 9—just before Trump flung the markets skyward with the announcement of his 90-day tariff pause. She says she has an outside financial adviser who makes investments for her, and did not respond to a question about whether she knew about the tariff pause in advance. (Business Insider) She also sold between $51,000 and $100,000 worth of Treasury bills. (Wall Street Journal)
Administration perambulation: In keeping with tradition, Trump will skip this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. (Axios) Breaking down DOGE’s mass deregulation campaign. (NYT) AP journalists say they weren’t included in the press pool covering Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Bukele yesterday—even though a federal judge ordered the White House to re-grant access to the news agency. (The Hill) “It’s not good for Europe to be the permanent security vassal of the United States,” Vice President JD Vance told British news site UnHerd yesterday—his first major interview with a European outlet since taking office. He also moaned a bit about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and low-key blamed Europe for the Iraq War (UnHerd) Then, for good measure, he dropped Ohio State’s National Championship Trophy during the team’s White House visit. (USA Today)
How to spend National Park Week, by Daniella Byck:
National Park Service sites around the country waive their entrance fees seven days a year, and one of those days is approaching on Saturday, April 19. In honor of National Park Week, take a hike on more than 500 miles of trails in Shenandoah National Park, search for wild horses on Assateague Island, or gaze at the stunning cascade in Great Falls—all sans entrance fees. It’s supposed to be a hot, summery day, so be sure to bring water to stay hydrated.
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
- Read up on the 2025 RAMMY Award nominees.
- Our Capitol Hill neighborhood guide.
- How archaeologists preserved a historic canal in Alexandria.
Local news links:
-
- A new budget fix: DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has informed Congress that she’s invoking a 2009 law enabling the District to increase its spending by 6 percent, a move that her office says would scale our $1.1 billion budget gap back to $410 million. (Washington Post)
- Some Big Law firms in the area are pushing back on Trump. (Axios DC)
- States like Ohio, Florida, and Texas are jonesing to house DC’s federal agencies, should they be relocated. (Washington Post)
- Apartments in Arlington have shrunk by an average of 70 square feet over the past decade. (ARLnow)
- Sandy Spring Friends School will close at the end of this academic year. (TheMoCoShow)
- Measles at the I Street Five Guys. (WJLA)
Tuesday’s event picks:
- Check out experimental cellist Mabe Fratti at Songbyrd.
- Catch opening night of the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Signature Theatre.
See more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.
Did you miss our 100 Very Best Restaurants List? It’s here.
