Inside the Justice Department Where the President Calls the Shots  —  With an accidental social-media post, Trump showed how much had changed since his first term  —  WASHINGTON—In his second term, President Trump has taken control of the Justice Department in ways he could have only dreamed of during his first.

Jury Refuses To Indict Chicago ICE Protesters In Latest Revolt Against Trump Overreach  —  This is your TPM evening briefing.  —  A grand jury Tuesday night declined to indict two protesters in the Chicago area accused of assaulting law enforcement, the latest in a shocking string of failures by the Trump Department of Justice.

Israel and Hamas agree to ‘first phase’ of plan to end fighting and release hostages, Trump says  —  Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners, U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday.

PORTLAND: Fake News Ignores Antifa Violence, Residents' Pleas for Help  —  For years, an Antifa-led hellfire has turned Portland into a wasteland of firebombs, beatings, and brazen attacks on federal officers and property — yet the Fake News remains in shameful denial about the Radical Left's reign of terror.

Swalwell: Republicans planning ‘jail break’ revolt over Epstein files  —  Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) predicted Wednesday that dozens of Republicans may ultimately support legislation requiring the Department of Justice to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump has yet to provide Congress hard evidence that targeted boats carried drugs, officials say  —  The Trump administration has yet to provide underlying evidence to lawmakers proving that alleged drug-smuggling boats targeted by the U.S. military in a series of fatal strikes …

Trump to get a ‘routine yearly’ medical check-up — his second in 6 months  —  The White House said Trump would be at Walter Reed Medical Center and undergo a checkup after a planned meeting with service members in the facility.  —  President Donald Trump will sit for a “routine yearly check up” …

A quarter of FBI agents are assigned to immigration enforcement, per FBI data  —  The large number of reassignments reflect a vast reshaping of the agency and could put other priorities at risk  —  Nearly a quarter of FBI agents across the country are currently assigned to immigration enforcement …

Florida Man Arrested on Federal Criminal Complaint Alleging He Maliciously Started What Became the Palisades Fire  —  For Immediate Release  —  U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California  —  LOS ANGELES - A former Pacific Palisades resident now living in Florida has been arrested …

Trump administration officials seriously discussing invoking Insurrection Act, sources say  —  A decision is not expected to be imminent, one source said, but debate within the administration has shifted recently to more deeply exploring how and when the act might be invoked.

Republicans Caution White House on Inflicting Shutdown Pain  —  Some GOP lawmakers have warned the president's aides against mass layoffs and sharp cuts to government assistance  —  WASHINGTON—Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other senior GOP lawmakers have quietly advised the White House …

Pam Bondi Is a Piece of Work  —  U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi went before the Senate yesterday where she was supposed to provide testimony about critical Justice Department matters of which she has direct knowledge.  —  Instead, Bondi evaded answering the senators' questions.

‘Get out of my f—king shot’: Katie Porter tears into staffer in newly released video … “You also were in my shot before that.  Stay out of my shot,” Porter said.  —  The staffer, whom POLITICO is not identifying out of privacy concerns and who was not the source of the video, declined to comment.

Pope Leo Ramps Up His Trump Feud With Order to American Bishops  —  NEW COMMANDMENT  —  The Chicago-born pontiff has sharpened his criticism of the Trump administration and reportedly decided to take action.  —  Pope Leo has escalated his growing feud with the Trump administration …

Homeland Security Cyber Personnel Reassigned to Jobs in Trump's Deportation Push  —  The US Department of Homeland Security has shifted hundreds of national security specialists, including cyber personnel, into jobs that support President Donald Trump's deportations and said it would dismiss anyone …

Vance heads to Indiana after Republicans warn White House of stalled redistricting push … Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, a Republican, conveyed his concerns about the redistricting effort's chances in the state Senate to the White House last week, two people familiar with those discussions told POLITICO.

Pro-Hamas Mobs Shut Down Streets on the Anniversary of Israel's Darkest Day  —  Pro-Hamas protesters commemorated the anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel by doing what they do best: Getting arrested for behaving like petulant thugs in Boston, Massachusetts.

Jeffries, Lawler get into confrontation over ObamaCare: 'You're embarrassing yourself'  —  House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) traded pointed barbs in the halls of the Capitol on Wednesday, after the moderate Republican confronted the Democratic leader …

Scoop: Ubisoft cancelled a post-Civil War Assassin's Creed last year  —  Company leadership deemed the project too controversial for the moment, sources tell Game File  —  In July of last year, word began to trickle through Ubisoft that an ambitious new installment of the company's top franchise, Assassin's Creed, had been cancelled.