Trump Snubs Wes Moore, Scott Bessent Reportedly Spat in His Own Food at a Local Restaurant, and DC May Get More Parking Tickets

Good morning. Sunny with a high around 72 today. A low near 54 overnight.

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I can’t stop listening to

Chavela Vargas, “La Llorona.” This Mexican folk song is the soundtrack for a remarkable scene between Victoria Luengo and Bárbara Lennie in Pedro Almodóvar’s terrific new film, “Bitter Christmas.” It shows at AFI tonight; advance tickets are sold out, but you might be able to get in via a standby line that’s scheduled to form at 6:30.    

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 Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they attacked targets within Saudi Arabia early Wednesday. (AP) Yemen’s government posted video of its forces driving over Houthis as it fights to dislodge them from positions they’ve taken near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. (Reuters) Despite intelligence from the US, the Saudis did little at first to halt the rebels’ advance. (NYT) Speaking in Alaska, Vice President JD Vance said Iran must “do something meaningful” with regard to its capacity for nuclear enrichment if it hopes to end the war President Trump launched more than seven months ago. (Reuters) The price of heating oil has shot up because of the war, causing economic pain that will land heavily on the Northeast. (Axios) The administration blocked US Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut from visiting a US base in Qatar. (Washington Sun)

California steamin’

Trump’s comments about the possibility of Iran attacking Los Angeles and San Diego at a rally over the weekend continued to reverberate in California, where Governor Gavin Newsom instructed the state’s Threat Assessment Center to be on the alert. (Politico) The White House insists the furor is a “media freakout” that’s “not rooted in reality.” But Trump’s recursive manner of speaking often leads to moments like this. (NYT) When “taken in context, [Trump’s] remarks don’t appear to be ‘advocating’ an attack on U.S. cities or suggesting their destruction would be an acceptable cost.” (FactCheck.org)

The ads

Trump’s U-turn on the taxpayer-funded political ads he bought time for on US airwaves will only apply to future spots: The White House says his super PAC MAGA Inc. will only pay the cost of future commercials and won’t reimburse the government for the millions it’s already spent on them. (NYT) House Speaker Mike Johnson said it was “good” that the PAC will now foot the bill but defended the ads as simply “pro Americana.” (Politico)

Administration perambulation

Former CIA officer David Rush will plead guilty to wire fraud in a bizarre case that involves gold bars stored in his Virginia home and the purchase of real estate in Florida. Rush will also admit to sharing information about a confidential US source with a foreign official. (NBC News) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent frequently loses his temper and dresses down subordinates. But beyond his personal style—he reportedly spat in his own food after Code Pink activists confronted him at DC’s Reveler’s Hour last year—Wall Street views his tenure with increasing skepticism. (WSJ) ABC is second-guessing its political coverage “for fear of angering the administration,” the broadcaster’s lawyer told a judge yesterday. The FCC has forced a review of eight ABC stations’ licenses under pressure from Trump and the agency’s leader, Brendan Carr. (Politico) Trump’s political advisers Chris LaCivita and James Blair helped a pro-Russian party in the Balkans amid the US midterms. (NYT) That’s not landing well among some Republicans. (Playbook)

Recently on Washingtonian dot com:

• For Vladimir Putin, sports are a political tool. That’s where Alex Ovechkin comes in to the picture.

• Tammy Freeman-Burton and her husband, Louis Burton, have both made it through breast cancer diagnoses. Now they’re encouraging others to get screened.

• Looking for a ghost tour this spooky season? We’ve got you.

Local news links:

• The White House didn’t allow Maryland Governor Wes Moore to speak at an event yesterday where Trump trumpeted a big investment in shipbuilding. The administration says Moore was invited to attend, but only as a guest. (Washington Sun)

• Vindicated local Olympic canoeist Davey Hearn asked inspectors general at the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior to look into his prosecution over now-dismissed charges that he damaged the Reflecting Pool. (NBC News)

• DC could finally get more parking tickets. (NBC4 Washington)

• Could a new policy help organize the crowded airspace over DC when Marine One takes off? Officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of weird incidents in August. (Washington Post)

• A worker in Potomac got his lower body trapped in a trench that collapsed yesterday. Rescue crews freed him after about three hours. (MoCo Show)

• If you bought food at Capital One Arena between October 2024 and the end of 2025, you may have some cash coming to you. (WUSA9)

• Adams Morgan’s shuttered Potter’s House will become the site of a holiday market next month. (City Cast DC)

• I got some texts about this one yesterday: A new iteration of the Post Pub will open on L Street, Northwest. (PoPville)

Things to Do:

• Michael Douglas discusses his new book, “One Helluva Ride,” with Kelly Corrigan at Sixth & I.

• Marcia Chatelain talks about her book “How Bright the Path Grows” with Ashley Preston at Politics and Prose.

• Do crafts, enjoy some fika treats, and take in a puppet show at House of Sweden’s Family Day.

See more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.