Tillis holds the cards in Trump Fed clash — and won't fold … Tillis is blocking Trump's Fed chair nominee, Kevin Warsh, until the Justice Department drops an investigation into Powell.  And the stalemate is leaving him in limbo with no clear off-ramp in sight.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor issues unusual apology over ‘hurtful’ remarks about colleague Brett Kavanaugh  —  The liberal Supreme Court justice had criticized her conservative colleague while she was talking about an opinion he wrote last year in an immigration case.

In the House, Republican Plans Go Awry Amid Party Divides  —  Fresh off a two-week break, lawmakers returned to turmoil in the House, where legislation to reopen the Department of Homeland Security is stalled and the G.O.P. is struggling to keep its agenda on track.

Key Trump lawyer who tried to overturn 2020 election permanently disbarred  —  The California Supreme Court Wednesday permanently disbarred John Eastman — a key architect in President Donald Trump's failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election — delivering one of the most consequential …

Hegseth Borrows Violent Prayer from ‘Pulp Fiction’ to Bless Iran War at April Pentagon Worship Service  —  For the second month in a row, Pete Hegseth, who likes to call himself “secretary of war,” read a violent prayer — that echoes a scene in the Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction …

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas blasts progressivism as threat to America  —  He said values in the Declaration of Independence have “fallen out of favor.”  —  Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Wednesday delivered a televised broadside against progressivism …

Amid quarrel with pope, Trump strips Miami charity of funding to house migrant kids  —  The Trump administration has abruptly canceled an $11 million contract with Catholic Charities to shelter and care for migrant children who enter the U.S. alone, ending a relationship between the Catholic Church …

Kennedy's new podcast might satisfy MAHA, but it won't save ‘Republican bacon’  —  Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new podcast stands to gratify his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) base after recent letdowns, though whether it will be able to energize …

Trump's ‘Triumphal Arch’ Draws Backlash, Even From an Expert Who Proposed It  —  The story of how President Trump quadrupled the size of the original proposal for the arch follows a now-familiar pattern.  —  During his first term, President Trump visited the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to attend …

Kennedy to Testify Before Congress for First Time This Year  —  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to defend staff and funding cuts at the Health and Human Services Department he oversees.  —  Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will testify on Capitol Hill on Thursday to defend President Trump's plan …

RFK Jr. once chopped off a dead raccoon's penis to ‘study later’ while on a family road trip  —  Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an avid animal genitalia researcher in his spare time, once pulled the family sedan to the side of the road after spying a dead raccoon and swiftly cut off its sex organs so he could “study them later.”

Trump believes diet soda kills cancer cells, Dr Oz reveals  —  Physicians issue reminder to public after TV doctor and CMS chief relays president's claim on Don Jr podcast  —  Donald Trump defended his consumption of diet soda by suggesting it might help prevent cancer …

Ahead of 2028, Vance Collects Cash, Chits and Contacts … Vice President JD Vance's unusual second job as the finance chair of the Republican National Committee is exactly the kind of role an ambitious presidential aspirant might dream up.  —  He's been able to do some good for the party …

I Was Falsely Accused of “Censorship” in The Free Press.  Then Their Editors Censored The Truth.  —  I prefer to keep drama off main in this newsletter, so I would rather not have to publish a post like this.  But one of the things I've been meaning to write about is the way that partisan media ecosystems protect their own.

Trump tests loyalty of Christian supporters as erratic behavior escalates  —  The president maintains his hold on the Christian right, but his bluster, fight with the pope and portrayal of himself as a Jesus-like figure strain that bond.  —  Summary  —  The willingness of his supporters …

Harvard Asks Donors to Endow $10 Million Professorships for ‘Viewpoint Diversity’ Initiative  —  Harvard is quietly asking donors for $10 million gifts to establish new endowed professorships in a sweeping bid to reshape its faculty under the banner of “viewpoint diversity,” according to two people familiar with the initiative.

Scoop: Trump discussed “Jesus” meme with Bill Pulte before posting it, sources say  —  Before President Trump posted an image of him as a Christ-like healer, he discussed the meme with his controversial housing finance chief Bill Pulte, Axios has learned.

ODNI sends criminal referrals to DOJ for ex-IG, whistleblower tied to Trump impeachment  —  The criminal referrals come after DNI Gabbard said newly-declassified records reveal a ‘coordinated effort’ to advance 2019 Trump impeachment  —  EXCLUSIVE: The Office of the Director …

White House calls oil CEOs as energy prices squeeze voters … The impromptu conference with leading executives comes as the Trump administration escalates confrontation with Iran, whose closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to joint U.S.-Israel attacks has spiked global oil prices and created fuel shortages in some countries.

Labor Dept. Investigates Texts Among Secretary's Family and Staff  —  Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer asked staff members to bring wine to her hotel room, and to keep in touch with her husband and father.  —  The Labor Department's inspector general is reviewing material showing …

New Jersey voters head to the polls for a special election to fill Gov. Mikie Sherrill's House seat  —  Progressive activist Analilia Mejia and Republican Joe Hathaway are competing in New Jersey's 11th District, which Democrats carried by 9 points in the 2024 presidential election.

Largely secret donors pour millions into election that could tip Congress  —  Most of the almost $100 million raised to influence the vote, heavily favoring Democrats, comes from nonprofits that don't have to disclose their donors.  —  Summary  —  Massive amounts of money are flowing …