Trump Bureau of Labor Statistics nominee was bystander outside Capitol on Jan. 6, White House says  —  The White House said E.J. Antoni was in town for meetings unrelated to Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.  —  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's pick to run the Bureau …

Zelenskyy faces his ‘moment of maximum pressure’  —  Weakened at home, the Ukrainian president must try to shape the Alaska talks from afar as battlefield losses mount  —  Volodymyr Zelenskyy was still reeling from the most serious domestic political crisis of his presidency …

“Alarming”: Trump's Threat of Troops in Cities Just Got Much Scarier … President Trump's vaunted dispatching of troops into Washington, D.C., has managed to be both buffoonish and authoritarian.  Thus far it has involved little more than handfuls of National Guard members standing around and taking selfies.

Man Charged With Assaulting Federal Agent With Sandwich in D.C.  —  A video showed a man repeatedly calling a group of officers “fascists” before throwing a sub sandwich at one.  —  A man accused of throwing a sandwich at a federal agent who was patrolling Washington this week …

Republican Senator Says He Doesn't Wear Seatbelt in D.C. Because He Fears Being Carjacked: 'I Don't Buckle Up'  —  Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said he does not wear a seatbelt while driving in Washington, D.C., lest doing so prevent him from acting quickly in case he's carjacked.

Maggie Haberman Says Pushing Back in Trump Risky for Dems: ‘There Is a Crime Problem Everywhere’  —  CNN commentator and New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman said Democrats risk seeming out of touch when they push back on President Donald Trump over his policing takeover.

Trump Administration Can Withhold Billions in Aid, Appeals Court Rules  —  In a 2-to-1 vote, a federal appeals court panel ruled that foreign aid groups that sued to recover funds that President Trump froze cannot challenge the decision.  —  A federal appeals court panel cleared …

Playbook: Buttigieg responds to Gaza criticism  —  With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine and Ali Bianco  —  Good Thursday morning.  I'm Adam Wren.  Send me your tips: Get in touch.  —  In today's Playbook ...  — Pete Buttigieg tells Playbook what he really thinks about Israel and Gaza.

Illinois judge denies Paxton's request to help arrest Texas Democrats  —  An Illinois judge on Wednesday declined Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's (R) request to hold Texas Democrats who fled there in contempt.  —  Paxton reached across state lines to seek a ruling that would effectively force …

Defending Trump's Orders Leaves DOJ Lawyers Showing Strain, Seeking Delays  —  Mass departures from the US Justice Department and a rising flood of lawsuits are squeezing government lawyers defending administration policies, with signs of strain spilling into court.

Texas Republicans are betting Latino Trump voters will stick with them.  That's no sure thing.  —  The congressional maps Republicans are drawing to boost their chances of keeping control of Congress depend on, to varying degrees, preserving their gains with Hispanic voters.  —  Just now

Unyoke the Sciences From the Humanities  —  Arts and sciences typically cohabitate.  Should they?  —  Things are going badly for universities.  They are in the crosshairs of an erratic and aggressive government willing to threaten anything in its path.

A GOP divide is growing over Trump's redistricting play … These strange divisions underscore the complex political dynamics of the president's latest power play.  It's become a loyalty test that could boost Republicans' chances of keeping their trifecta in Washington …

First lady Melania Trump puts Hunter Biden on $1B notice over ‘false, defamatory’ Epstein comments  —  The Daily Beast retracted an article and James Carville apologized after publishing similar claims  —  EXCLUSIVE: First lady Melania Trump is putting Hunter Biden on $1 billion notice …

“Competitive authoritarianism” and America's slide toward it  —  You can still vote.  It just might not mean much.  —  Public Notice is supported by paid subscribers.  Become one 👇  —  Last week, Trump announced that he wants to change the census so that it excludes undocumented immigrants.

Multiple law enforcement officers shot in southern Virginia  —  Multiple law enforcement officers have been shot in southern Virginia, a congressman said Wednesday.  U.S. Rep. John McGuire, who represents Virginia's 5th congressional district, said in a post on X that his thoughts and prayers …

Trump will host cage match at the White House  —  The UFC fight will take place on the White House lawn on July 4, 2026, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's independence.  —  On July 4, 2026, President Trump plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's independence by hosting a UFC match on the White House lawn.

Scoop: White House suspicious of Lewandowski's “temp” work  —  Corey Lewandowski doesn't want to clock out of his temporary government gig.  So, administration officials believe, he's avoiding clocking in. … - But administration officials tell Axios they believe Lewandowski …

Electricity prices are surging, opening up a new line of attacks against Republicans  —  Just now  —  Good morning, Early Birds.  We are two days away from a two-week newsletter break, but who's counting?  Send tips to [email protected].  Thanks for waking up with us.

Scoop: Schumer courts Peltola for Alaska Senate race  —  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is quietly pressing former Rep. Mary Peltola (D) to plunge into the Alaska Senate race. … Landing Peltola would give him a third statewide winner to cause problems for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).

Bessent says he'll push to end congressional stock trading … Speaker Mike Johnson resisted Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's (R-Fla.) plans to try to force a floor vote on a ban in September.  But just as the effort to pass a full-out ban has bipartisan support, it also has fierce bipartisan opposition …

New Trump Stats Guru Has a Giant Picture of Hitler's Favorite Ship  —  NAVAL GAZING  —  E.J. Antoni is just a history buff, the White House says.  —  Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics has a giant picture of Adolf Hitler's favorite battleship in his office—and he isn't afraid to show it.

'He doesn't feel safe': Family speaks out after teen with disability is mistakenly detained by federal agents  —  The boy's mother said one agent told them the mistake amounted to an “exciting story to tell.”  —  The mother of a 15-year-old California boy who was briefly detained by federal agents …

How One Oregon Activist Is Using a Decades-Old Liberal Policy to Stall Green Energy Projects in Rural Areas  —  Irene Gilbert is a 76-year-old retired state employee on a mission, fighting energy projects like large wind farms in Oregon's rural communities.  Renewable energy advocates …

Veterans Beg Ron DeSantis to Stop Killing Them  —  BACKSTABBER  —  Ron DeSantis, who is a veteran himself, has overseen the executions of five vets this year alone.  —  Ron DeSantis is under fire for turning against his fellow service members and letting executioners slaughter five veterans this year alone.

Trump revokes Biden order promoting competition in the US economy  —  Move further unwinds initiative to crack down on anti-competitive practices in agriculture, drugs and labor  —  Donald Trump on Wednesday revoked a 2021 executive order on promoting competition in the US economy issued by Joe Biden, the White House said.

Proponent of Medicaid cuts set to brief House Republicans as they plot another megabill … Those staff-level meetings continue as House GOP leaders try to plot a way forward amid skepticism over whether another sprawling domestic policy bill is even possible given the difficulties Republicans had coming to agreement over the first one.

Bessent Has Yet to Fully Divest Assets, Raising Concern at Ethics Agency  —  The Treasury secretary has been slow to shed assets, including farmland, posing potential conflicts of interest.  —  The U.S. government's ethics watchdog agency said this week that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent …