Good morning. Sunny with a high around 68 today. A chance of some showers overnight, with a low near 48. The Wizards visit the Pacers this evening. I wish you a meaningful Veterans Day. My sincere thanks to people who’ve served—and also to their families.
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I can’t stop listening to
A Place to Bury Strangers, “You Got Me.” This NYC combo, which (pedalheads take note) includes Death by Audio founder Oliver Ackermann, plays Black Cat tonight with Detroit electro-punks Adult.
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 Pete hereafter
House Republicans thwarted an attempt to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday, narrowly voting to punt the resolution to a committee. (Washington Post) The impeachment effort was led by a Republican, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, but Democrats could try it again when they take over Congress next year. (NYT) Before the vote, there were enough Republicans in the Senate who were open to hearing charges against Hegseth to try him there if such a resolution had passed the House. (Politico) Eleven Democrats missed the vote, with some blaming gridlock—the actual, not the metaphorical, kind. (Washington Sun) Earlier in the day, Hegseth gave a fighty press conference where he claimed that attacks on him were in fact attacks on American troops. (WSJ) His security detail threatened to remove journalists who did “not maintain decorum and act professionally.” (Washington Post)
Kennedys enter
Nine relatives of John F. Kennedy sued to stop construction on President Trump‘s planned Triumphal Arch near Arlington Cemetery. Recent Washington Post reporting showed that the structure would cast shadows on the former President’s grave. (Washington Post) Construction has already been paused due to a different case. A veterans group is suing to stop the arch, as are Arlington, the commonwealth of Virginia, the District, and a historian. (NYT) Trump, of course, has also tried to add his name above JFK’s on a DC arts complex. (Politico) Whistleblowers have alleged to members of Congress that the Interior Department is destroying documents about construction on Trump’s pet projects ahead of the Democratic takeover. The department says it’s following the law. (CNN)
Congressional corner
US Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio will lead House Republicans once they’re in the minority next year. (Axios) In the Senate, US Senator John Thune will continue as Republican leader. (NYT) Democrats haven’t held their leadership elections yet, but US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont said he wouldn’t support Chuck Schumer of New York to be majority leader, saying, “the time is now for change.” (NBC News) Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said he’s been phoning colleagues, another indication that he plans to challenge Schumer. (MS Now) Trump and Senate Republicans hope to confirm a bunch of judges before the timer dings. (Washington Sun)
Administration perambulation
A federal judge in Florida allowed Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC to proceed. (Bloomberg) The Atlantic can seek records from the Justice Department and the FBI, a judge ruled in FBI Director Kash Patel‘s defamation case against the publication, which in April reported that Patel’s “excessive drinking and unexplained absences” had affected his work. (Axios) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved to a military base because of Iranian threats. He’s the latest administration official to seek such accommodations. (NYT) A company connected to the family of a Venezuelan billionaire pardoned by Trump fired his former lawyer Alina Habba Mildon, whose $50 million contract with the firm enraged the President. (NYT) New Jersey officials filed an ethics complaint against Mildon stemming from a case in which Mildon, a dues-paying member of Trump’s Bedminster golf club, represented an employee there who said she’d been sexually harassed by a manager. (Washington Sun) Trump’s new chief of staff, Stephen Miller, hopes to “win back young and minority men” to the MAGA cause. (Axios) The US Postal Service said it needs help from Congress to avoid closing post offices and cutting services. (Politico) A new ICE policy shields information about detainees’ locations from their lawyers and families. (NYT) GAO analysts say the Defense Department “cannot accurately track about $31 billion of F-35 parts it owns.” (Stars and Stripes) British police arrested an as-yet-unnamed US Army soldier “on suspicion of being involved in a Russian espionage operation.” (Bloomberg) A federal appeals court in Richmond ruled that the administration cannot request journalists’ LinkedIn records in a leak investigation. (Politico) Trump wants to “pick a man” as his next press secretary. (Fox News)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com
• In his own words, 99-year-old DC broadcasting and sports legend Charlie Brotman looks back on his career.
Local news links
• Things don’t look especially great for Waymo’s hopes to place robotaxis on DC streets. (City Cast DC)
• US Senator Mark Warner of Virginia wants to revisit the decision to move FBI HQ to Maryland. (WBJ)
• Pardoned J6er Jake Lang‘s plan for a right-wing rally on January 3 intended to stop Congress from certifying the midterms has hit a snag: Congress doesn’t certify such results. (City Cast DC)
• Someone burgled $5,000 worth of violins from a District elementary school. (Fox 5)
• Bystanders in Crystal City restrained a man police say tried to stab people there. (ARLnow)
• Alexandria won’t get the Wizards and Caps in Potomac Yard, but it might get a new sports complex at Cameron Run that would replace its Great Waves water park. (ALXnow)
• DC high school senior Lamont Butler wore a coat and tie under his uniform during a game last week, telling his coach, “I’m about business tonight.” (Washington Sun)
• Baseball All-Star (and former Nats executive) Bob Boone has died at 78. (Athletic)
• If you hear a drone in the wee hours tonight, don’t worry: It’s just a test. (Washington Sun)
Things to Do
• The National Air and Space Museum’s new exhibit “Modern Military Aviation” opens today.
• Lay wreaths at the World War II Memorial this morning.
• Honor the United States Colored Troops with a reading of names at the African American Civil War Memorial Museum.
• There are all sorts of events at Arlington National Cemetery today.
See more picks 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.
