The NIH budget is on a fast track to disaster  —  An NIH insider explains what Republicans are likely to do next, and what we can do … A Trump administration budget proposal leaked a few days ago specifies a massive budget cut for NIH — 44%, for over $20 billion in cuts.

The group chats that changed America  —  THE SCOOP  —  Last Thursday morning, a bit before 10 am in Austin and nearly 11 pm in Singapore, Joe Lonsdale had enough of Balaji Srinivasan's views on China.  —  “This is insane CCP thinking,” Lonsdale, a co-founder of Palantir, wrote to a 300-member Signal group.

Why Trump's Sinking Poll Numbers Matter  —  The White House got an early start this morning.  Minutes ago, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to the briefing-room podium to announce a pair of executive orders: one focused on “strengthening and unleashing” American law enforcement to pursue criminals …

Trump is softening his tariff talk.  But the damage may already be done.  —  The economic effects of new trade wars could be hard to dodge even if talks yield new deals soon.  —  With 14 months remaining before the United States' 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, Stacy Blake should be placing big orders …

JB Pritzker implores Democrats to fight Trump as the potential 2028 candidate visits New Hampshire  —  In an interview with NBC News, Pritzker says if Democrats reclaim Congress, they will hold the administration responsible if it has violated the Constitution.

New Yorkers Boo and Jeer GOP's Lawler at Circus-Like Town Hall  —  Boos, shouts and insults dominated New York Representative Mike Lawler's rowdy town hall on Sunday as the GOP lawmaker's constituents seethed over President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress.

Lawyers for Deported U.S. Citizen Kids Say Moms Were ‘Coerced’ Into Taking Them  —  As Marco Rubio insists two deported Louisiana mothers voluntarily brought their children with them, attorneys for the families say that's a lie  —  Three U.S. citizen children were illegally removed …

‘I Run the Country and the World’ … b  —  efore we begin, a primer on the science of arranging an interview with a sitting American president:  —  In ordinary times, reporters seeking an on-the-record encounter with the commander in chief first write an elaborate proposal.

Scoop: Trump staff puts immigrants' mug shots on White House lawn  —  Trump administration officials late Sunday began placing dozens of posters of arrested unauthorized immigrants along the White House driveway.  — It's a provocative, sure-to-be-controversial move aimed …

Agriculture isn't nearing trade war tariffs crisis, ‘it is full blown crisis already’ farmers say … The clock is ticking on trade deals that the U.S. will need to strike with many nations, most notably China, to avoid what Trump's Treasury Secretary has described as an “unsustainable” tariffs war.

Over 100 immigrants arrested in raid on underground Colorado nightclub where active-duty military members worked, feds say  —  More than 100 immigrants, allegedly in the country illegally, were detained in Colorado Springs after an overnight raid at what authorities described as an underground nightclub in a strip mall.

Elite Universities Form Private Collective to Resist Trump Administration  —  Separate from the public dissent, a group of school leaders are strategizing behind the scenes about how to respond and push back against the White House  —  Leaders of some of the nation's most prestigious universities …

‘60 Minutes’ Calls Out Paramount for Executive Producer's Exit in Rare On-Air Rebuke  —  All seemed normal in the first 98% of Sunday's broadcast of “60 Minutes” on CBS.  But the remaining 2% may have shocked viewers.  —  In the show's “Last Minute” segment, correspondent Scott Pelley told …

Trump's justice department appointees remove leadership of voting unit  —  Donald Trump's appointees at the Department of Justice have removed all of the senior civil servants working as managers in the department's voting section and directed attorneys to dismiss all active cases …

The Age of Realtime Deepfake Fraud Is Here  —  “At least now I saw you're way more gorgeous and more beautiful than you were in the photo you sent me,” an older white man with a greying beard says during a Skype video call.  He is talking to an elderly woman who appears to be in her car, staring into her phone's front-facing camera.

Trump's second term will be the worst presidential term ever  —  Tragically, the president's second term is already more lawless and more authoritarian than any in US history  —  In his first 100 days back in office, Donald Trump has made a strong case that his second term will be by far the worst presidential term in US history.

146. Denaturalization and Expatriation  —  There is no lawful way to “deport” U.S. citizens.  And although citizenship can be revoked, any attempt by the government would run into significant statutory, constitutional, and practical obstacles.  —  Welcome back to “One First,” …

A Road Map of Trump's Lawless Presidency, According to 35 Legal Scholars  —  In his first hours back as president, Donald J. Trump did an extraordinary thing: He made a direct assault on the Constitution.  He declared that his government would no longer treat U.S.-born children …

April 27, 2025  —  Last night a new club opened in the wealthy Georgetown neighborhood in Washington, D.C. It's called “Executive Branch,” and it's an invitation-only club backed by Donald Trump Jr. and megadonor Omeed Malik.  Dasha Burns of Politico reported that it costs more than half a million dollars to join.

It's the tariffs, stupid  —  Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook.  —  Let's get into it.  —  → How do you stand up to DONALD TRUMP, anyway?  —  → PIERRE POILIEVRE and MARK CARNEY make their closing arguments.  —  → DOUG FORD's advice to the Conservative leader.

The bubble that created Trump is the reason he's stumbling  —  The White House is now a bubble where loyalty, not ability, defines success.  —  Consider Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.  —  No one should be surprised that Hegseth is flailing in his new role, one of the most arduous …