Good morning. Another cold morning, and then the frigid weather of late will begin to ease. A high of around 37 today, and a low near 27 overnight. The Capitals visit Minnesota tonight. The Capital City Go-Go host the Delaware Blue Coats this morning. 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:
El Cousteau. “Ballad of France.” The terrific DC rapper (and sartorial trendsetter) plays Songbyrd tonight with QPKO, Miles Ave, and Kelow LaTesha.
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:
Brown shooting: The FBI released photos of the suspected shooter at Brown University, asking for the public’s help in identifying him. (CNN) FBI Director Kash Patel once again rushed to publicize an earlier lead that didn’t pan out, raising further concerns about his competence. Patel’s deputy, Dan Bongino, plans to leave his job soon. (NYT) Patel’s boss, President Trump, blamed Brown—seriously—for the FBI’s delay in finding the suspect. (The Hill) His administration has established a top-to-bottom pattern of posting first and asking questions later following tragedies. (NBC News)
Big mouth strikes again: Trump also inserted himself into the tragic killing of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, muscling his way into the spotlight with a post that blamed Reiner for his own murder by way of “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” (Reiner was not a Trump voter.) The President continued to attack Reiner later in the day, calling the director “very bad for our country.” (NYT) This was a bit much even for some Republicans, who criticized the President’s grave-dancing. (Politico) Even some conservative influencers ventured that Trump’s words could be construed as a misstep. (Washington Post) Meanwhile: Police in Los Angeles arrested Reiner’s son Nick Reiner on suspicion of the homicides. (LAT) Reiner and Nick reportedly got into a heated argument at a party hours before. (People)
Playing defense: The Pentagon will undergo a major reorganization to satisfy Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth‘s desire to consolidate command. The plan would “reduce the number of top military headquarters — known as combatant commands — from 11 to eight while cutting the number of four-star generals and admirals who report directly to Hegseth.” (Washington Post) The US military struck three more boats yesterday, killing eight people. (AP) DOD said it was “escalating” an investigation into US Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a veteran who appeared in a video that reminded troops they may disregard unlawful orders. (Axios) Kelly’s attorney called the investigation a “unprecedented and dangerous overreach.” (Democracy Docket)
Cliff notes: The White House continues to dither about how to address Covid-era Obamacare subsidies that will expire at the end of the month as divisions among Republicans in Congress stymie action on the Hill. (Politico) The Congressional tussling is “further strengthening Democrats’ political hand as the Obamacare cliff looms.” (Punchbowl News) GOP moderates are in a tight spot. (Politico) House Speaker Mike Johnson avoided questions yesterday about Trump’s words about Reiner. (Manu Raju/X)
Suits you, sir: Trump filed a lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation, asking for $10 billion in damages over a documentary edit. (AP) He filed the suit in Florida, a venue that might prove troublesome for his case, since the documentary didn’t air in the US. (Politico) The Beeb says it will defend itself. (BBC News) Related: The Pulitzer Prize board asked Trump to produce tax returns and health records to prove his claims of damage over reporting they honored with prizes, which he claims caused him emotional and financial distress. (Law & Crime)
Administration perambulation: The gilded ballroom Trump demolished the East Wing to build (and which he plans to name for himself) won’t be ready until 2028, months before his term ends. (CBS News) The administration claimed construction “must continue for unexplained national security reasons” in response to a lawsuit filed by the National Trust. (AP) Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner pulled out of a planned Trump-branded development in Serbia “after the project sparked protests and the indictment of a senior Serbian politician.” (WSJ) Trump designated fentanyl as a WMD. (Politico) Administration officials celebrated with sheet cake as they dismantled USAID, cutting “programs in ways that guaranteed widespread harm and death in some of the world’s most desperate situations.” (ProPublica) Two Congressional Republicans called for expelling Muslims from the US following a mass shooting in Australia. (NYT) The feds charged members of a group called the Turtle Island Liberation Front with planning a bombing campaign in Southern California. (AP) California hired two former CDC officials who have criticized the administration. (NYT) Donald Trump Jr. got engaged to Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson. (Page Six) Departing US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Real America’s Voice correspondent Brian Glenn are engaged. (The Hill)
You’ve still got time to pick up some locally made gifts, by Daniella Byck:
We’re less than ten days from the biggest gift-giving day of the year, and if you’ve made a list, checked it twice, and realized you still need to pick something up, we’ve got recommendations on where to shop local. Director of Creative Anna Marina Savvidis is a fan of Locally Crafted in Gaithersburg, which is stocked with items made by area artists. “Their stickers are all over my kids’ water bottles, and they have some of the best-smelling candles.” Style Editor and gift guide curator Amy Moeller likes Steadfast Supply in Navy Yard for paint-by-numbers sets, embroidery kits, and art prints. “I also love Three Littles for gifts for my kids,” she says. “They’ve got great toys for things like bath time and car rides (we love the Tegu blocks) and a lot of cute accessories, too.” For an edible gift, Food Editor Jessica Sidman recommends Rice Market on 14th Street. “They have all kinds of artisanal Asian food products—I recently bought some chili crisp and a nori seaweed spread that’s delicious on rice—plus a really unique selection of sakes and wines, cookbooks, and home goods.” Meanwhile, I’ve been lurking around Laurel Leaf in Takoma Park, where three shops sell vintage wares, secondhand books, and plants under one roof. I love a good DIY, so I’ll be turning tarot card matchbooks into bespoke wall art. For more ideas, take a look at our gift guide, featuring 67 gifts from places around town.
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Workers at the Duck & the Peach, La Collina, and the Wells have unionized, joining similar efforts at other DC restaurants.
• Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby were the inspirations (kind of) for the main characters in “Heated Rivalry.”
• The holiday décor at the St. Regis melded perfectly with this winter wedding.
Local news links:
• DC Mayor Muriel Bowser defended outgoing Police Chief Pamela Smith, saying a House Oversight Committee report that accused Smith of juking stats served a “politically motivated timeline.” (Washington Post)
• Jayden Daniels is out for the rest of the season. (ESPN)
• Katie Ledecky beat Katie Ledecky’s record at the Katie Ledecky Invitational in College Park. (WTOP)
• Outgoing Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is staying mum about his future plans. (AP)
• Slick-Sleddin’, the Life of a Snowgirl, Clear-‘n’-done: Here are this winter’s names for Arlington’s snowplows. (ARLnow)
• RIP former Washington Post columnist Robert J. Samuelson, who died Saturday. He was 79. (Washington Post)
Tuesday’s event pick:
• Story District visits the Capital Jewish Museum to share narratives of LGBT+ Jews in the Federal City.
See more picks for this week from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.
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.
