Good morning. Hot and humid today with a high around 91 and showers and storms likely this afternoon. Rain and storms are likely overnight, too, with a low near 72. The Nationals are at Colorado again this evening.
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I can’t stop listening to:
Death Cab for Cutie, “I Will Follow You into the Dark.” For me, the lyrics “Catholic school / As vicious as Roman rule” still hit as hard as “I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.” Death Cab for Cutie play Merriweather Post Pavilion tonight with Japanese Breakfast.
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.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
The war: The US struck targets in Iran for the tenth night in a row overnight, and Iran attacked a civilian tanker ship that traversed the Strait of Hormuz near Oman. (AP) The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they would impose a blockade on Saudi Arabia, presumably by aiming to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. (CNBC) Such a move if successful could push oil prices even higher. (Reuters) Mediators in the region have proposed a new ten-day ceasefire. (Axios) US intelligence assessments say the two countries are “stuck in an indefinite limbo between peace and war” and that US attacks probably won’t soften Iranian resolve. (Washington Post)
Our troops: The US military identified two the service members killed during the past weekend’s fighting: Tyler James Feehan, who was 25, and Isabella Gonzales, who was 19. (AP) Nearly 100 US service members were injured in the last two weeks, the Pentagon said. (Washington Post) An Iranian missile struck US troop housing in Jordan. (WSJ) Iran struck US forces three times in the last week; the Pentagon didn’t disclose the attacks or the number of people injured. (NYT)
At home: Some Republicans in the Senate want more oversight of the war. (NOTUS) GOP members “are being asked to vote to fund an unpopular war over which they have had no meaningful oversight, and which they have never voted to approve.” (NYT) They’ll question Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair General Dan Caine today. (Punchbowl News)
Blame Canada: Days after President Trump threatened to raise tariffs on Canada because of smoke from wildfires, the White House announced new tariffs against our northern neighbors, which it said were in response to Canada’s “discriminatory treatment of American products.” (WSJ) Affected items include “wine, hockey sticks, cement, dairy products, plywood, paper and furniture.” (NYT) The tariffs won’t go into effect for 30 days, so some sort of off-ramp may be possible. (AP)
Algae, original gangsta: Olympic canoeist David Hearn‘s attorneys want to have an expert examine the Reflecting Pool. The judge in the government’s case against Hearn—whom it claims vandalized the water feature—warned the feds that repairs the administration intends to make to the pool’s surface could have a negative impact on its case. His trial will begin September 28. (Washington Post) “If last year’s emblem of prosecutorial overreach was the Sandwich Guy, this year’s has become the Canoe Guy.” (Atlantic)
Administration perambulation: The Justice Department sought phone records from New York Times journalists and their relatives, an “extraordinarily aggressive and unorthodox attempt by the Trump administration” to find the source of leaks about security deficits in a jet Qatar gave to Trump. (NYT) DOJ is also investigating Harvard over Chinese-funded scholarships that it says may discriminate against American students. (AP) The White House rejected thousands of pardon applications this month, US pardon czar Ed Martin told US Attorneys in a letter. Petitioners had hoped to be included in a rumored batch of 250 Trump pardons on July 4 that did not happen. (NYT) The White House has “actively courted” US senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn in attempts to get them to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general. Both say questions about an agreement between DOJ and Trump to end a lawsuit he filed against the IRS are blockers. (Politico) A federal judge in Minnesota threw out an administration lawsuit against Minnesota and said states have the right to regulate immigration activities. (Courthouse News) FBI Director Kash Patel plans to visit Russia this October. (Politico)
Take a day trip in your hometown, by Daniella Byck:
Typically, this section is dedicated to getting out of town for the day. However, this week, I’m encouraging you to double down and embrace your inner tourist. Check out that special semiquincentennial exhibit you’ve been putting off because you were avoiding the National Mall mayhem, pop into the Smithsonian Castle for a limited time, or explore new additions at the Air and Space Museum. You could even do all three. At lunchtime, make a beeline to Bar Americano, a kiosk serving grandma slices and natural wine between Air and Space and the National Gallery of Art. Finally, one of my favorite views in the city is the Old Post Office Tower on top of the current Waldorf Astoria. The observation deck recently reopened after a closure in October, and you can see the cityscape and landmarks from above. The perspective always makes me a little misty-eyed about my favorite city.
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Pizzeria Paradiso will close its Georgetown location.
• Here’s what you need to know about cyclosporiasis in the Washington area.
Local news links:
• The Kennedy Center’s HR department “quietly carried out a mysterious internal probe about workplace culture issues” earlier this year. Workplace culture may comprise most of the culture available at the lightly programmed arts complex. (Playbook)
• Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate partied in DC with Paolo Zampolli in the days before they were arrested in Miami. (Daily Beast) In charging documents unsealed yesterday, British investigators “accused both brothers of choking women, sometimes until they passed out, and then raping them.” (NYT)
• Elsie Jacobs is an 85-year-old community organizer who doesn’t work for the Prince George’s County sheriff’s department. She nonetheless charges landlords fees she says are “none of your business” to arrange evictions by deputies. (Baltimore Banner)
• Police in Charles County say a man stole a school bus. (WUSA9)
• A bear strolled through downtown Frederick this past weekend. (DC News Now)
Tuesday’s event picks:
• It’s the first day of the Loudoun County Fair, which runs through Saturday in Leesburg.
• Hayley Fleming discusses her debut romance novel, “Thighs Wide Shut,” with Ava Wilder at East City Bookshop.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington hosts a “brain break” at Met Park.
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.
