Good morning. Partly sunny with a high around 81 today. A low near 64 overnight. The Mystics host the Atlanta Dream for a must-win playoff game at CareFirst Arena this evening. (Why not Capital One Arena? Well, for one thing, the Jonas Brothers already reserved the room.)
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I can’t stop listening to:
Stephen Wade, “Old Joe Clark.” Longtime Washingtonians may remember Wade’s decade-long run at Arena Stage with his show “Banjo Dancing.” This evening at Politics and Prose, he’ll discuss his book “Our Common Life” with Tom Cole.
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:
Dunk is dead: A GOP plan to put a bow on lawmakers’ investigation of Jack Smith, the former special counsel who investigated President Trump, went kerblooey yesterday when US Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri attempted to catch Smith in a lie about a sporting event he attended in 2024. Schmitt was convinced evidence showed Smith was at an Atlanta Hawks game. Trouble is, Smith was in Maryland watching the Iowa Hawkeyes. (NBC News) Schmitt’s nuclear gaffe overshadowed a hearing that “had the feeling of finality.” (Politico) Before his Wile E. Coyote moment, Schmitt had been mentioned by People Who Mention Things Around Official Washington as a potential 2028 running mate for Vice President JD Vance. (Axios)
Spot of bother: Trump pushed for recent government-funded TV ads that celebrate him, including one that was substantially the same as a 2024 campaign commercial. The money came from US Customs and Border Protection funds. (WSJ) The Department of Homeland Security has set aside about $20 million for the campaign. (AP) Flashback: Ironically, a government-funded ad campaign led to the end of Kristi Noem‘s tenure as Homeland Security Secretary. (AP) Trump is choosing which ads to air and more are coming. (Axios) An attempt on the Hill to chastise Trump over the ads went up in smoke yesterday. (Politico)
Court bouillon: The Supreme Court allowed the administration to continue deporting people to countries they didn’t come from while it prepares to hear arguments about the policy this December. (NYT) A federal appeals court declined to block a judge’s order that sanctions Trump and his lawyers over their conduct in his lawsuit against the IRS. (Bloomberg) The President formally dropped his efforts to thwart a $5 million payout to E. Jean Carroll. (Guardian)
Administration perambulation: By way of a 26-page letter (to Americans??? We’re not exactly a 26-page-letter kind of people), Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps urged US voters to vote against Republicans this fall. (Reuters) Trump launched an official US government AI chatbot yesterday. The tool immediately displayed incongruity with the President’s frequent claims about tariffs, election law, and government spending. (NYT) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth plans to reduce the top ranks of military officials “by as much as 20 percent.” (Washington Post) ICE plans to hire 5,000 new employees before the end of the year. The agency is still working through background checks on thousands of staffers, including immigration officers, it hired in 2025. (NYT) A federal regulator is looking into trades made by former US Representative and frequent Trump critic Adam Kinzinger. (Politico) A wave of scandals is lapping at the ankles of FBI Director Kash Patel. (Doomsday Scenario) AI “is much better informed than any doctor in the country,” Health Secretary RFK Jr. declared at a MAHA summit in DC yesterday. (NYT) Kristi Noem filed for divorce from her husband, Bryon Noem. (MS Now) Could the Nobel Committee do the funniest possible thing? (AP)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Here they are, the Most Powerful Women in Washington. The 300 folks on this list occupy sectors that include politics, law, education, business, science, and nonprofits.
• Davey Hearn, the Olympic kayaker upon whom the administration tried to pin its botched Reflecting Pool project, will headline a rally about the White House’s plans for East Potomac Park on Sunday.
• The pro hockey and basketball seasons are nearly upon us. Here’s what’s new to eat and drink at Capital One Arena.
• A firsthand report from last weekend’s pro-data-center party.
• Here are some great casinos in the region.
Local news links:
• People in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties should continue to use water sparingly while the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission tries to get power restored to a treatment plant. (Washington Sun) The utility says it “made solid progress overnight” and urged customers to flush their toilets less often, take short showers, and knock off watering their lawns. (WSSC)
• Federal officials told advocacy groups they were unaware of Trump’s plans, announced on his social media site this month, to festoon his planned Triumphal Arch with drones and snipers. Preservationists contend that the arch’s new tactical focus requires a fresh review of the project. (Washington Post)
• What’s the DC Council going to do about Trayon White now that the council member’s bribery trial has collapsed? For the most part, its members aren’t talking about it. (City Cast DC)
• US Senator Mike Lee of Utah derailed legislation that aimed to protect the Kennedy Center from being demolished by the administration. (Washington Sun)
• What were National Guard troops and federal agents doing outside a DC high school Monday? (City Cast DC)
• A new Virginia law that aims to punish traffic scofflaws could overwhelm the commonwealth’s courts. (Virginia Mercury)
• Police in Fairfax charged the driver of a garbage truck with killing a 13-year-old boy who was on a bike. (NBC4 Washington)
• The Virginia-based chain MyEyeDr. will acquire hundreds of optometry practices previously owned by Missouri-based EyeCare Partners. (WBJ)
• It’s looking like a poor year for pawpaws. (BethesdaToday)
• A rabid skunk was found in Maryland. (WUSA9)
Wednesday’s event pick:
• Join your fellow “Survivor” fans for a watch party at DC9.
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.
