National Guard troops deployed in D.C. and Dems make redistricting a core issue: Morning Rundown

NBC News

2 days ago

National Guard troops arrive in Washington, D.C., as Mayor Muriel Bowser strikes a critical tone about Trump. Young men with bachelor's degrees have a tougher time landing a job after college. And a 122-year-old garment company's 'Made in America' identity is a point of pride — amid slimmer profit margins.
Here's what to know today.
Trump's National Guard deployment a test for D.C. Mayor Bowser
President Donald Trump's plan to address crime in the nation's capital moved forward yesterday with the arrival of National Guard troops to the D.C. Armory to report for duty and assist with local law enforcement.
The mobilization officially marks the beginning of their deployment, and all 800 soldiers ordered by Trump to the city should be operational by the end of the week, a senior Army official said. A defense official said guard members will specifically be engaged in crowd management, perimeter control, security and communications support for law enforcement.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser struck a critical tone about Trump in remarks to community leaders last night, characterizing his actions as an 'authoritarian push.' But on the whole, her response to the mobilization has been far more measured than those of Democrats, both in the D.C. area and nationally, who have repeatedly and forcefully hammered the Trump administration, reporters Jonathan Allen and Megan Lebowitz write in an analysis.
Earlier this week, Bowser pointed out that the city and federal agencies have a long history of working together for special events in the city. She also struck a neutral tone after a meeting yesterday with Attorney General Pam Bondi, saying she was focused on 'how to make the most of the additional officer support that we have.'
Bowser's reaction to Trump might have something to do with the law, federal money and a long-standing threat to repeal self-government in the city being lined up behind him, giving the mayor little choice but to comply. And she's at a disadvantage as her administration fights to get Congress and Trump to reverse course on a law enacted this year that froze $1 billion in city money.
What happens next is being watched closely by municipal leaders across the country, said Justin Bibb, the mayor of Cleveland and president of the Democratic Mayors Association.
More coverage of Trump's D.C. takeover:
Black civil rights leaders and mayors of several cities said Trump's move is 'fundamentally grandstanding.' And by suggesting that other cities run by Black mayors may be next, Trump was 'playing the worst game of racially divisive politics,' one mayor said.
Trump said 'we will give you places to stay' in urging homeless people to leave D.C. But when pressed on where these people would go, the Trump administration suggested existing shelters or jail.
Redistricting: the unlikely issue at the center of Democratic politics
Redistricting was once an issue that made voters' eyes glaze over. Not anymore. The ongoing standoff between Republicans and Democrats in Texas, as the GOP moves to redraw district maps mid-decade (rather after the new census in 2030) and Democrats seek to stop them, has put the issue in the burning hot center of Democratic politics. And potential 2028 White House candidates are inserting themselves into the fight.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker — whose state is hosting many Democratic lawmakers who left the Texas to deny a quorum in the state House — is taking on the role of protector-in-chief and has vowed to stand in the way of Trump and Texas officials who authorized civil arrest warrants. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has threatened to pursue a redraw of his state's congressional maps if Republicans move forward with their plans in Texas. And other governors, including Colorado's Jared Polis, Maryland's Wes Moore and Hawaii's Josh Green, recently spoke about the issue at a National Governors Association Meeting.
Any Democrats hoping to draw attention on the national stage must show the base they know how to take off the gloves, says one leader at a progressive grassroots group. Read the full story here.
More politics news:
Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to take place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, a White House official said.
The White House is reviewing the Smithsonian's museum exhibitions, materials and operations — and plans to commemorate the country's 250th anniversary — to ensure it aligns with Trump's views of history.
The national debt surpassed $37 trillion, years sooner than pre-pandemic projections.
College-educated young men struggle in a slowing job market
With hiring by employers slowing and fewer jobs than anticipated being added to the economy, one group of workers is finding it difficult to get their foot in the job market: young men with bachelor's degrees. An NBC News analysis found that they are slightly likelier to be unemployed than young men with just high school diplomas. Data also shows the unemployment rate for young men with bachelor's degrees is 6%, compared to 3.5% for young women with the same level of education.
This shift in employment prospects for young men is tied partly to the changing dynamics of the labor market. For one, much of the job growth in the U.S. has been driven by the health care and social services industry, in which 80% of workers are female. At the same time, the tech industry has been hit particularly hard by recent layoffs, and a Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed 11,000 manufacturing jobs were lost last month.
For young men such as Emanuel Barcenas, a 25-year-old with a computer science degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology, the search for a job has been a long, frustrating process. Despite having applied for more than 900 jobs, Barcenas has only gotten a handful of interviews. 'I'm trying my best, but I guess my best isn't good enough,' he said. Read the full story here.
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The man suspected of gunning down three people outside a Target store in Austin, Texas, was identified as a 32-year-old man who police found naked, holding a Bible and claiming to be Jesus.
Medicare enrollees who buy the optional Part D drug benefit may see substantial premium price hikes next year.
Frozen out of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, European leaders including Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy are to push the U.S. president in a virtual call on Wednesday over growing alarm there could be a disastrous agreement for Kyiv.
Is 'War of the Worlds' the worst movie of 2025? Some think the movie's tagline, 'It's worse than you think,' pretty much sums things up.
Fake German heiress Anna 'Delvey' Sorokin was accused of dumping pet rabbits in a Brooklyn park after a photoshoot, and now she said she has received hundreds of death threats.
Staff Pick: Denim-maker's 'Made in the USA' identity is a point of pride
Americans spend over $500 billion on clothing a year, but only 2.5% of it is made in the U.S. That number got me wondering: In a time when global sourcing is cheaper and easier than ever, why would a brand choose domestic manufacturing? What does it take to survive? And what could that say about the prospects for reshoring apparel manufacturing?
That's when I discovered Round House, a 122-year-old garment maker still sewing jeans in Oklahoma. Their jeans are priced at $70 a pair, more affordable than most 'Made in America' brands, and the company pays their employees above-market wages. It survives not by cutting corners or maximizing profit, but through a devotion to heritage, a commitment to community and a stomach for razor-thin margins. A foreign-made arm of the business also helps keep the lights on.
In many ways, the company fits Trump's 'America First' vision, but their story proves just how tough it is to produce clothing domestically. — Jing Feng, business and economy producer
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