Good morning. Rain—and even a chance of snow—early this morning before temperatures climb to a high of around 53. A low near 36 overnight. The Capitals are back after the Olympics break and host Philadelphia tonight. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below.
This roundup is available as a morning email newsletter. Sign up here.
I can’t stop listening to:
Ben Reilly, “Don’t Lose the Plot!” The Atlanta rapper plays Songbyrd tonight.
Take Washingtonian Today with you! I keep ridiculously long playlists on Apple Music and on Spotify of this year’s music recommendations. Here are 2025’s songs (Apple, Spotify), too.
Tell *us* where to go: Typically, we’re the ones giving readers travel recommendations. But this year, we’re asking you to share your opinions, too. Nominate your favorite place to stay in our travel survey, and you could win a $100 gift card—and your picks may end up in our May issue.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
SOTU in review: President Trump spoke before Congress for almost two hours last night, insisting the economy was “roaring” and berating Democrats who attended his State of the Union address. (AP) He tried to engineer a viral moment: He asked lawmakers to “stand up” if they agreed that the US government should protect citizens rather than immigrants, then blasted Democrats who didn’t rise. (NYT) He gave a few more details about the rationale behind his massing of military forces near Iran. (Washington Post) “It was, for better or worse, a speech not likely to change the political trajectory of Trump’s second term.” (Politico)
The response: In the Democratic response, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger focused on affordability and asked, “Is the President working for you?” US Senator Alex Padilla of California delivered a response in Spanish and talked about Trump’s immigration crackdowns, the cost of living, and Trump’s plans to disrupt this fall’s midterm elections. (NPR) Some Democrats held counter-programming events. (Politico) Many Democrats sat out the speech, and some walked out. US Representative Al Green of Texas was escorted out of the chamber—for the second year in a row—after he displayed a sign that read, “Black people aren’t apes,” a reference to a video Trump posted online during Black History Month that portrayed former President Obama and Michelle Obama as primates. (NOTUS)
Epstein, Epstein, Epstein: Trump didn’t mention the government’s release of files about the disgraced, deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein during his speech, but the issue was nonetheless present in the chamber. Many of Epstein’s victims attended as guests of Democratic lawmakers. (Washington Post) Many Democrats wore pins that read, “Release the files.” (Axios) The Department of Justice, which recently unfurled a banner featuring Trump’s mug on its DC HQ, “withheld some Epstein files related to allegations that President Trump sexually abused a minor” and “removed some documents from the public database where accusations against Jeffrey Epstein also mention Trump.” (NPR) Democrats are investigating. (Politico) The scientist Richard Axel said he would step down as head of a Columbia University neuroscience institute over revelations in the files about his friendship with Epstein. (NYT) Bill Gates apologized to employees of his foundation for fraternizing with Epstein and said he “did nothing illicit” and “saw nothing illicit.” (WSJ)
Administration perambulation: The FBI’s response to a mass shooting at Brown University last December was delayed because no planes were available—Director Kash Patel was using one to visit family in Florida and ordered another held for a “team that would not normally respond to the scene.” (MS Now) Trump’s new global tariffs on imports, imposed after the US Supreme Court invalidated his earlier tariff regimen, went into effect at a 10 percent rate, not the 15 percent he announced. (NYT) Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth threatened a government contract for the AI company Anthropic unless it agreed to allow the Pentagon unrestricted use of its tech. (AP) Hegseth also appears to be continuing his campaign against US Senator Mark Kelly. (Politico) A federal judge denied the government’s request to search the devices of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson. (Washington Post) DOJ sued UCLA, claiming the school hadn’t done enough to tamp down antisemitism on campus. (NYT) The administration is mulling a new requirement that banks collect citizenship information from customers. (WSJ)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Is your bartender or barista spying on you? It’s not out of the realm of possibility in DC.
• The National Mall will be covered with tulips 0n March 15—and you can take some home.
• Here’s where you can catch Oscar-nominated films around town.
• Our guide to shopping, dining, and fun stuff to do in Silver Spring.
Local news links:
• Congress waited too long to produce a disapproval resolution about DC’s tax structure this year, DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb argued in a legal opinion. (Washington Post) “If neither the Trump administration nor Congress challenges the opinion, D.C. taxpayers can go about their local tax filings as normal.” (NBC4 Washington)
• The House narrowly defeated legislation inspired by last year’s deadly crash over the Potomac after the Pentagon objected to it. (NYT)
• Police in Fairfax have in custody a person of interest in the matter of a woman found dead at a bus stop. (DC News Now)
• Police in Prince William County named suspects they say sprayed an eye irritant at a Woodbridge BJ’s while, they say, they exited the store after stealing merchandise. (WUSA9)
• Police in Arlington arrested a man they say is behind a spate of burglaries. (ARLnow)
• Algal blooms in the Potomac abetted by the massive sewage spill are the next thing we can worry about. (WTOP)
• Compass Coffee cofounder Harrison Suarez opposes the bankrupt chain’s sale to Caffè Nero. (WBJ)
• DC’s Department of Public Works says it’s investigating a video that appears to show a sanitation worker throwing bins and strewing trash around an alley. (Fox5)
• Trump plans to slap his name on the Kennedy Center Honors, too. (WTOP)
Wednesday’s event picks:
• SOST holds an artsy party to commemorate the close of Black History Month.
• Enjoy the music of “Rent” in concert at Strathmore.
• “Sitting Still,” a documentary about the landscape architect Laurie Olin, shows at the National Building Museum.
See more picks for today and 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.
