Playbook: Jimmy Kimmel hits back  —  With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine and Ali Bianco  —  Good Wednesday morning.  This is Jack Blanchard.  Get in touch.  —  LAST NIGHT'S TV: An unbowed Jimmy Kimmel took aim at President Donald Trump and FCC Chair Brendan Carr last night in a blistering, emotional return to ABC.

Trump's Tylenol diatribe was rooted in frustration … Still, Trump's address from the White House Monday, full as it was with errors and overstatements, is causing headaches for his advisers.  They are uneasy with Trump's willingness to raise women's alarm when the evidence is mixed …

After mechanical challenges, UN says Trump's team to blame for nonworking escalator and teleprompter  —  President Trump's visit to the U.N. got off to a shaky start when an escalator stopped right after he got on it.  A U.N. official said the U.N. understands someone from the president's party ran ahead …

Apple Pulls The Savant From Its Release Schedule  —  The latest series debut from Apple TV+ has been put on ice.  The Savant, a buzzy new Jessica Chastain-led thriller which features themes and storylines that echo recent politically sensitive real-life events, was originally set to premiere this Friday …

Nexstar ABC Affiliates To Continue Preempting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”  —  Company Will Monitor the Show as it Returns to ABC  —  Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST), today announced that the company's owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will continue to preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

Trump administration rehires hundreds of federal employees laid off by DOGE  —  Hundreds of federal employees who lost their jobs in Elon Musk's cost-cutting blitz are being asked to return to work.  The General Services Administration has given the employees — who managed government workspaces …

This Is About So Much More Than Lisa Cook  —  The core constitutional claim behind President Trump's effort to oust Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors is the same claim he makes to justify nearly all of his attempts to seize power: that Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution …

Johnson and Thune's new dilemma: A GOP fight over abortion … But now prominent anti-abortion groups are wading into the debate, pounding the halls of Congress to make their case that the enhanced tax credits for ACA insurance premiums function as an indirect subsidy for services designed to end pregnancies.

Trump's stunning pivot on Ukraine thrills hawkish Republicans  —  Senate Republican foreign policy hawks praised President Trump on Tuesday for posting that he believes Ukraine can “win” the war against Russia and take back all of its lost territory. … Several key GOP congressional leaders …

The Texas A&M Purge Takes a Page From Authoritarian Playbooks  —  Four academics have been demoted, fired or ousted following a dispute over gender in a children's literature class.  —  Across the globe, there's a clear playbook for how authoritarians suppress academic freedom.

Statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands placed on National Mall  —  The work is the latest installation in Washington by an anonymous group of artists critical of the president.  —  A spray-painted bronze statue titled “Best Friends Forever” that depicts President Trump …

Is the Jimmy Kimmel Saga a Sign that the Tide is Turning?  —  Why we may not be Russia or Hungary  —  It's irrefutable now: Trump is nakedly following the playbook of autocrats like Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban.  As his poll numbers fall, he is rushing to lock in permanent power …

NJ PBS and state unable to reach deal.  Will this be the end of the local news network?  —  WNET Group, the company that runs local broadcasting channel NJ PBS and the media outlet NJ Spotlight News, will not sign a new contract with the state, possibly marking the end of an era for the local news network.

Kimmel reinstatement preempted Disney+ price increase  —  The Handbasket reported first Monday evening on Bluesky … A quick one for you-  —  Monday night, just after sending out the latest edition of The Handbasket, I got a big scoop that I published on Bluesky: Disney was set …

Peter Thiel Wants Everyone to Think More About the Antichrist  —  During appearances, the billionaire has offered his analysis on technology, government and a biblical perspective on the end times  —  Peter Thiel, the billionaire investor in data, AI, defense and weapons development technology companies …

You Don't Know Jack … Posobiec, of course, was no ordinary grieving ally—he has spent years spreading misinformation, promoting conspiracy theories, and inciting harassment against journalists.  —  So it was jarring, to say the least, to see him appear on CNN's air.

The Trump Murder Policy  —  PN is supported by paid subscribers.  Become one ⬇️  —  🌎 Subscribe to PN 🌎  —  During his unhinged rant to the United Nations yesterday, Donald Trump tried to turn his lawless attacks on purported “drug boats” in the southern Caribbean into a punchline of sorts.