Playbook PM: Trump's looming Russia decision

Politico

5 days ago

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THE CATCH-UP
FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE: President Donald Trump may be growing increasingly fed up with Russian President Vladimir Putin's battlefield intransigence, but Moscow isn't backing down.
'Playing with fire': After Trump's latest Truth Social warning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov today maintained that Russia has to prioritize 'its own national interests' over anything else, per Reuters. Peskov said Russia was 'grateful for the mediation efforts of President Trump personally' to end its war on Ukraine. But Moscow doesn't sound at all close to a peace deal.
Behind the scenes: What would it take for Putin to actually end his invasion? He wants a written vow from Western leaders that they won't expand NATO to the east (i.e. Ukraine and more), Reuters reports. Putin would also demand the end of some sanctions on Russia, Ukrainian neutrality and safeguards for the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine. And then, of course, there's his insistence on retaining the four regions of Ukraine his troops have occupied. 'Putin is ready to make peace but not at any price,' one top Russian official says.
The big question for Trump: The president is reportedly facing a major decision on whether the U.S. will crack down on Russia, pressuring it to the negotiating table. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that when he met with Trump at the Vatican last month, Trump 'supported that if Russia does not stop, there will be sanctions,' per WaPo. And German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who met with Zelenskyy today, said the Europeans are engaged in serious talks with the U.S. about new sanctions on Russia.
What the president is thinking: In the Oval Office, Trump expressed disappointment at the recent Russian assault and said he expects to know within roughly two weeks how serious Putin is about a ceasefire — or if he's stringing the U.S. along. 'And if he is, we'll respond a little bit differently,' Trump said. (As reporters have noted, Trump also offered the two-week timeline in April and nine days ago.) Asked about sitting down with Putin and Zelenskyy as the Ukrainian leader has proposed, Trump added, 'I will if it's necessary.'
Also notable: Trump continued to sound an encouraging note on talks with Iran, saying that 'we're going to see something very sensible.' And he confirmed that he'd asked Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu not to strike Iranian nuclear facilities: 'I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now, because we're very close to a solution.'
Good Wednesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at [e-mail].
7 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. THE CUTS: After months of anticipation, the White House plans to send a small rescissions package to Congress next week, seeking to formalize an early fraction of the Department of Government Efficiency's cuts, POLITICO's Meredith Lee Hill and Jennifer Scholtes report. The bill is expected to center on two favorite GOP targets: funding for NPR, PBS and USAID. That follows recent criticism by Elon Musk of Republicans' reconciliation bill, which has prompted growing MAGA calls for the GOP to cut spending more, including by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Speaker Mike Johnson today publicly applauded DOGE and said the House was 'eager and ready' to act on rescissions.
But but but: The rescissions bill's future in Congress, where many Republicans have demanded the clawbacks for a while but moderates could balk, is uncertain. The savings — $9.4 billion, per NOTUS' Daniella Diaz and Reese Gorman — would be a drop in the bucket of federal spending.
The latest cuts: The administration is expected to dismantle Voice of America as early as today, laying off the 800 staffers who are still at the agency, POLITICO's Ben Johansen scooped. The nonpartisan network, which for 80 years has worked to provide journalism and news in countries without the free flow of information, has been dark for two months after facing attacks from Trump, who has labeled it as biased.
Staggering toll: Despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio's contention that USAID cuts haven't killed anyone, NPR's Gabrielle Emanuel reports that indeed, 'people have died as a result of aid cuts.' She talks to one Nigerian family that lost a 7-year-old with sickle-cell disease when a USAID-funded clinic they relied on temporarily closed. That follows similar reporting on deaths in Myanmar and South Sudan. Though NPR notes that 'it is very hard to pin down precise numbers,' one research study estimates roughly that close to 300,000 people have died from the foreign aid cuts. Rubio has said that is entirely inaccurate.
Four Pinocchios: Rubio's claims in Congress last week earned a brutal fact-check from WaPo's Glenn Kessler, which digs into the assumptions behind the Boston University model and the chaos wreaked by the administration's abrupt shuttering of foreign aid. 'One might quibble over whether tens of thousands — or hundreds of thousands — have died. But you can't call it a lie.'
2. DEPORTATION DIGEST: In April, the Trump administration finally started to deport more people than Joe Biden's administration did the year prior, as the machinery of stepped-up immigration enforcement whirs into gear, NBC's Julia Ainsley and Laura Strickler scooped. ICE deported more than 17,200 people last month, significantly higher than in February and March. But that number is still far short of Trump's deportation goals — and even the pace set by Barack Obama in 2013. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and especially Stephen Miller excoriated immigration officials over the pace of arrests last week, ordering them to hit 3,000 daily, Axios' Brittany Gibson and Stef Kight scooped.
The fallout: Increased deportations give a lift to Winnifeld, Louisiana, home of a major ICE detention facility, where the ancillary economic benefits have won over many locals, WaPo's Molly Hennessy-Fiske reports. But in Asheville, North Carolina, the end of temporary legal protections for Nicaraguans and Ukrainians could hamstring the workforce of one of only two companies that make U.S. military parachutes, WSJ's Ruth Simon reports.
3. FIT FOR A PRINCE: 'A Desperate Haiti Turns to Erik Prince, Trump Ally, in Fight Against Gangs,' by NYT's David Adams and colleagues: 'Erik Prince, a private military contractor and prominent supporter of President Trump, is working with Haiti's government … Mr. Prince's team has been operating the drones since March, but the authorities have yet to announce the death or capture of a single high-value target. … Mr. Prince has also been scouting Haitian American military veterans to hire to send to Port-au-Prince and is expected to send up to 150 mercenaries to Haiti over the summer. He recently shipped a large cache of weapons … [O]fficials and civilians alike say they are eager for any overseas help.'
4. TRAIL MIX: Democrat Stefany Shaheen jumped into the open race for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District, WMUR-TV's Adam Sexton scooped. The daughter of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and a former Portsmouth city councillor, she emphasized health care in her launch. She may face a heated primary against Maura Sullivan. … The White House's Morgan Murphy is 'strongly considering' a bid for the Alabama Senate seat vacated by GOP incumbent Tommy Tuberville, The Daily Caller's Reagan Reese scooped. He's a former Tuberville staffer who crafted the senator's 2023 blockade on Pentagon promotions over abortion.
5. THE NEW INSPECTORS GENERAL: 'Trump oversight picks include scandal-hit ex-lawmaker, antiabortion lawyer,' by WaPo's Meryl Kornfield and Lisa Rein: 'Trump has named six replacements in recent weeks, including three with clearly partisan backgrounds. Two of those have controversial histories and two have ties to the agency they would be responsible for investigating. … But critics of Trump's shake-up say several of those nominated seem to fit one requirement: Loyalty to the White House.'
6. CAPITULATION CORNER: Paramount chair Shari Redstone is close to a decision 'any day now' on reaching a settlement with Trump in his lawsuit against CBS' '60 Minutes,' the N.Y. Post's Charlie Gasparino reports. But Paramount's board is struggling with what to do — and examining whether striking the deal could expose them to charges of bribery that wouldn't be covered by their insurance, as the company hopes to get its Skydance deal approved. There's also concern about potential civil or criminal charges, or congressional Democrats investigating. 'Redstone's decision is said to be imminent and she has told people it is her preference to settle the matter and move on with her life.'
7. SPY GAMES: 'CIA chief faces stiff test in bid to revitalize human spying,' by WaPo's Warren Strobel and Ellen Nakashima: '[A] pair of Hollywood-quality videos that play on divisions within President Xi Jinping's government … are part of a new CIA strategy for recruiting potential foreign agents from afar. It's a strategy that has already borne some fruit in Russia … The CIA needs more spies. The traditional tactics of human espionage, increasingly, are not working … The CIA's success in recruiting foreigners to share vital secrets with the United States has declined sharply in recent years.'
TALK OF THE TOWN
Cory Booker is quickly turning his record-breaking 25-hour Senate floor speech into a book, 'Stand,' which will come out Nov. 11.
Nancy Mace's former staffers say she had them create burner accounts to defend her on social media.
Alex Padilla and Tim Sheehy are the Senate's new odd couple, bonding over wildfire legislation, their families, margaritas and Modelos.
PLAYBOOK METRO SECTION — 'Vietnam vets' annual ceremony relocated from D.C. due to Army parade,' by WaPo's Olivia George: 'After discussing logistics with the U.S. Secret Service, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, which hosts the ceremony, decided to move the event from the memorial six miles south to Alexandria. … [That] has stirred grief, sadness and anger among … some of the loved ones.'
TRANSITIONS — Emily Domenech has been tapped to lead the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, signaling that the body will take a more 'assertive role,' POLITICO's Josh Siegel scooped for Pros. She most recently was an SVP at Boundary Stone Partners, and is a Mike Johnson and Kevin McCarthy alum. … Matthew Christiansen is now a partner in Wilson Sonsini's energy and climate solutions practice. He previously was general counsel at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. …
… Alex Rosenwald is now a director at DCI Group. He previously was senior director of comms at The Hill. … Laura Akowuah is now special counsel at Cooley. She previously was acting director of the office of enforcement in the FDA's Human Foods Program. … Stephen Gallagher is now an associate at Watchtower Strategy. He previously was staff assistant/press assistant for Rep. John McGuire (R-Va.).
BONUS BIRTHDAY: Jonathon Jones of Tiber Creek Group
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