It’s Monday. I’ve always said the “Scott’s Tots” episode of “The Office” is the absolute cringiest episode in all of television. Well, if you watched “The White Lotus” last night, I think “Scott’s Tots” just got knocked down to the No. 2 spot. 🫠
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A meeting of the MAGA minds:
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U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg ruled this morning that he will not lift his earlier ban on the Trump administration using the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans.
Back story: The Trump administration tried to deport Venezuelan migrants who they believe are part of a gang to El Salvador. A federal judge blocked this order, starting a battle between the Trump administration and the judge. The administration bypassed the judge’s order and sent the planes to El Salvador. Trump called for the judge to be impeached over the dispute, then Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts basically said Trump and GOP allies pushing for impeachment were out of line.
Boasberg’s argument this morning: He argues the migrants should receive hearings to determine whether they’re part of a gang before their deportations.
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DOGE just hit a big roadblock:
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A federal judge this morning indefinitely blocked the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to sensitive data from three federal agencies.
- The Department of Education (think: all of the personal information associated with student loans)
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The Department of the Treasury (think: personal data associated with taxes, Social Security, etc.)
- The Office of Personnel Management
Why?: U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman cited the Privacy Act of 1974. At the time, Congress was concerned that a single bureaucrat could instantaneously collect everyone’s personal information.
🔎 Read the judge’s decision
Related read, via The Washington Post: ‘Why DOGE is struggling to find fraud in Social Security’
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➤ AND A SNAG IN TRUMP’S PLAN TO GUT THE EDUCATION DEPT.:
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A group of advocacy organizations is suing the Trump administration’s efforts to shutter the Department of Education.
Involved in the lawsuit: The NAACP, the National Education Association and public school parents.
^ And speaking of the Education Department: In a CNN interview, Education Secretary Linda McMahon wouldn’t rule out the possibility that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could be involved in schools’ vaccination policies.
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➤ LATE-NIGHT HOSTS ARE GOING TO HAVE A FIELD DAY WITH THIS:
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President Trump posted a photo of his portrait hanging in the Colorado State Capitol, demanding that it be taken down because he thinks it looks “purposefully distorted.”
More from Trump’s post: “Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves, but the one in Colorado … was purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before. The artist also did President Obama, and he looks wonderful, but the one [of] me is truly the worst. She must have lost her talent as she got older.”
He blames Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), adding that “Jared should be ashamed of himself.”
I won’t make you wait any longer. 📸 Here’s the photo
So, what do you think — Did the artist do him dirty?
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➤ JUST POSTED — OMG, WHAT?:
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The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg writes, “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans.”
They did what now?!: Goldberg elaborates. “U.S. national-security leaders included me in a group chat about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. I didn’t think it could be real. Then the bombs started falling.”
Omg: “I, however, knew two hours before the first bombs exploded that the attack might be coming. The reason I knew this is that Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, had texted me the war plan at 11:44 a.m. The plan included precise information about weapons packages, targets, and timing.”
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What do you have to show for the past 60+ days?:
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We’re nearing the two-thirds mark of President Trump’s first 100 days in office, and his legislative agenda is still in limbo while House and Senate Republicans squabble over the approach.
The latest: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and committee chairs will meet tomorrow to discuss the path forward, per Punchbowl. Republican leadership is hoping to have the first step passed by Easter — and Johnson thinks it can all be completed by Memorial Day — but some Republican senators are skeptical of that timeline, according to The Hill’s Alexander Bolton’s reporting.
Reminder — what exactly is Trump’s legislative agenda?: Extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and instituting his energy and border priorities
Where things stand: The House passed the first step in the process before recess. They’re calling on their Senate counterparts to get on the same page and pass that budget resolution. (Senators have a differing strategy, but the House’s plan got Trump’s blessing.) This morning, House Republican leaders issued a joint statement pressuring Senate Republicans to pass their resolution.
Basically…
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Former Rep. Mia Love (Utah), who was the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, has died at 49 from brain cancer.
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What do you think about our new look?!:
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The House and Senate are in. President Trump is in Washington.
(All times EST)
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Today. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth left for his trip to Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines and Japan. 📹 Watch Hegseth board his flight
2 p.m. Trump and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) deliver remarks. 💻 Livestream
2 p.m. A State Department press briefing. 💻 Livestream
3 p.m. Trump participates in a Greek Independence Day celebration. 💻 Livestream
5:30 p.m. Two Senate confirmation votes. 📆 Today’s agenda
6:30 p.m. First and last House votes. 📆 Today’s agenda
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🧀 Celebrate: Today is National Cheesesteak Day.
👀 D.C. gossip: Golf star Tiger Woods is dating Donald Trump Jr.’s ex-wife, Vanessa Trump.
🎭 The Bidens’ night on the town: Former President Biden and former first lady Jill Biden attended the opening night of the Broadway show Othello. 📸 Jill’s rooftop photo
🎤 Comedians are particularly anxious: Celebrities including Adam Sandler and Nikki Glaser celebrated honoree Conan O’Brien last night at a Kennedy Center event. On the red carpet, Glazer told reporters that comedians are worried about making jokes about Trump, concerned they could be “doxxed” or even “detained.”
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