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Politico
19-05-2025
- Business
- Politico
GOP reconciliation bill inches forward
Presented by With help from Jennifer Scholtes, Meredith Lee Hill and Samuel Benson QUICK FIX — The House Budget Committee clears the way for Republicans' sweeping tax and spending package to move forward. — Anti-hunger advocates warn the House's cuts to nutrition assistance and other food programs will make people hungrier — and less healthy. — USDA tees up its reorganization plan for May 27, days after a court order barring further staff reductions is set to expire. The court could extend the pause on staff cuts, however. HAPPY MONDAY. It's May 19. Welcome to Morning Agriculture. I'm your host Marcia Brown. Have you seen the MAHA Commission's anticipated report or know what's in it? Get in touch at marciabrown@ or in Signal at marciagbrown.68. Follow us @Morning_Ag for more. Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. Driving the day BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL: Lawmakers gave the go-ahead to Republicans' tax and spending package late Sunday night, paving the way for $300 billion in cuts to the nation's largest anti-hunger program. The move comes after holdouts demanded last-minute changes to the bill. As our Jennifer Scholtes and Meredith Lee Hill write, House Republican leaders have not yet publicly detailed possible changes or briefed the full House GOP Conference, and those concessions to fiscal hawks could endanger support among moderate Republicans wary of changes like speeding up enforcement of Medicaid work requirements and swiftly ending green energy tax perks enacted during the Biden administration. NUTRITION CUTS: House Agriculture Committee's sweeping portion of the 'big, beautiful bill' includes complicated policy tweaks like limiting updates to the Thrifty Food Plan, the basis for calculating SNAP benefits, stricter work requirements and cutting smaller programs altogether. The proposal saves $300 billion, and is enough for lawmakers to include $60 billion in spending on farm bill programs like crop insurance. But anti-hunger advocates say this ultimately results in fewer people getting nutrition assistance and, over time, benefits that don't keep pace with food inflation. On average, benefits are about $6 a day. Time crunch: Stricter work requirements means millions fewer eligible people, according to the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. This also means that parents newly forced to meet work requirements will have less time to cook, pushing them toward quick, time-saving meals, many of which are highly processed, explains Benjamin Scharadin, assistant professor of economics at Colby College. 'These fiscal and money pushes might directly be in contrast to the MAHA pushes,' said Scharadin, noting that households with tighter budgets rely on calorie-dense foods. 'Those foods are much more convenient,' he added. 'The exact situation we're talking about with able-bodied workers now, like kids being involved in it. If you have kids, you're rushing to get them from school, and you're working. Convenient foods that are calorie dense and have a high satiation point are huge. But those foods don't necessarily have the nutrition aspect.' Nutrition education: An anti-obesity initiative at USDA would get the axe under the House approved plan, saving $5 billion. House Republicans say that the program has little evidence of efficacy, citing a 2019 GAO report. MA readers will remember that supporters say the programming has improved since the report and that killing it contradicts MAHA objectives. 'It's really MAHA for low-income people,' Jerry Mande, adjunct professor of nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told your host. 'Not just SNAP recipients, but all low-income people.' SNAP-Ed supporters have also stood up a new website advocating to save the program. Impact on citizens: Immigrant rights' advocates are also warning that the proposal would cut SNAP access for lawfully present immigrants, including asylees, survivors of domestic violence and child trafficking. Under the GOP proposal, only U.S. citizens and lawful green card holders would be eligible. Currently, green card holders must wait five years to qualify for SNAP. These changes will likely impact U.S. citizen children, said Esther Reyes, campaign strategist for the Protecting Immigrant Families coalition. 'This would be tragic if it only affected noncitizens,' she said. 'But for U.S. citizen children, if their parents fall under one of [these categories and] lose access to SNAP, there will be greater food insecurity for the entire family.' According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 1 in 4 children in the U.S. live in immigrant families, 89 percent of whom are U.S. citizens, as of 2022. State burden: The biggest savings come from forcing states to pay a bigger portion of SNAP costs, including shouldering the cost of benefits — starting at roughly 5 percent depending on the state's error rate — and 75 percent of the administrative costs of the program. The plan has prompted some states, including Alabama, to warn that they just can't afford it, and would be forced to cut back benefits. GOP proponents of the plan argue it will incentivize states to root out fraud. But, but, but: The bill still has a ways to go to become law. And some key ag senators, including Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), are already suggesting the need for 'a do-over.' AROUND THE AGENCIES USDA REORG INCOMING: Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins plans to announce USDA's reorganization plan and further staff reductions later this month, according to documents obtained by POLITICO your host reported late Friday evening. Rollins, who has previously said a major reorganization of USDA is forthcoming, plans to announce the details on the morning of May 27, according to the documents. A week later, on June 3, she is expected to announce a third deferred resignation program with a deadline of June 10 for a 'targeted audience.' The reorganization announcement is set to come four days after the expiration date of a court order prohibiting USDA from following through with any more job cuts and the first work day after Memorial Day weekend. IN THE STATES SNAP WAIVERS: As of May 15, seven states have requested permission from USDA to ban junk food, like soda or candy. Last week, Rollins' home state of Texas joined the group. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis became the first Democratic governor to submit a waiver request last week, too. 'We are one of the healthiest states in the nation, and these new SNAP criteria, if approved, will help bring healthier choices into food deserts and help Coloradans stay healthy while supporting Colorado farmers,' Polis said in a statement. 'SNAP provides critical help to Colorado families, and Congress should not cut the food assistance nor shift costs to the states.' Rollins has promised to rush through the requests, but USDA did not respond to a request for comment when asked for an update on the timeline for waivers. Refresh: Waivers allow states to make changes to the SNAP program with their state, but they operate like pilots. The changes must be temporary and states must report its success to USDA. Asked for comment, USDA spokesperson Seth Christensen said in a statement: 'These waivers are still under review and FNS has not approved or denied any at this time.' He added: 'This collaboration includes holding daily technical assistance calls with each submitting state as proposals are under development.' What's next: Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz told our Samuel Benson that Utah intends to submit its waiver request 'within the next few days.' They must do so before July 1, as mandated by their state legislature. Row Crops — Rollins will be in Nebraska today with Gov. Jim Pillen and Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.). — Brazil announced its first outbreak of bird flu on a commercial farm. (Reuters) — The New York Times asks: What if a grocery store was more like a farmers' market? — President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said it is 'logistically complicated' to feed hungry Gazans. THAT'S ALL FOR MA! Drop us a line and send us your agriculture job announcements or events: gyarrow@ marciabrown@ jwolman@ sbenson@ rdugyala@ and gmott@
Politico
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Playbook PM: Gorka: Russia deal ‘imminent' — but offers no timeline
Presented by THE CATCH-UP STATUS REPORT: 'Lots of talk, little outward progress as House GOP closes in on megabill,' by POLITICO's Meredith Lee Hill and Ben Leonard FROM THE SECURITY SUMMIT: POLITICO hosted a newsy Security Summit today, bringing together senior administration officials, military leaders, key lawmakers and industry executives for a host of discussions on defense and security priorities under President Donald Trump. One of the most lively discussions wrapped up the day when Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counter terrorism, sat down with Playbook's own Dasha Burns to close out the summit. Gorka repeatedly skewered the Biden administration's work and policies, stating proudly: 'We're back in the business of counterterrorism.' The highlights: On Ukraine: As high-level diplomats meet in Turkey today to continue negotiations to end Russia's war in Ukraine, Gorka stressed the importance of 'halting the bloodshed' and getting Vladimir Putin to the table for a final deal, though he conceded that the Russian president cannot be forced into it. 'Deals are all about timing. When the time is right, that's when the president is in the room with Putin,' Gorka said. He also indicated that such a moment is 'imminent' — though he declined to offer any details about what that means. On immigration: In a particularly contentious moment, Gorka said that 'due process has never been skirted' by the administration, underlining that the designation of a terrorist organization gives the White House broad powers. 'You don't need due process' when you are fighting against terrorist organizations, Gorka argued. When pressed about the handful of judges who have ruled against the administration's moves, Gorka said, 'So what? Could a judge be wrong?' prompting an audible response from someone in the audience. 'Are you really hissing? What kind of child are you?' Gorka said to the audience. 'We are trying to save lives.' On Iran: Gorka indicated that one of the most pressing issues looming over Trump's Middle East trip this week is the efforts to secure a nuclear deal with Iran. 'The shoe is on the foot in Iran and it's time for them to decide,' Gorka said. He noted that the threat of 'maximum disastrous consequences' should present Iran with only 'one logical decision' to avoid U.S. retaliation. How likely does he think Iranian leaders are to make that decision? 'Yet to be decided.' When it comes to the administration's general approach to the Middle East, Gorka said 'eight years ago it was security, the destruction of ISIS, the Abraham Accords. Now, it's prosperity.' JACK AND JAKE: Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser for former President Joe Biden, sat down with Playbook's Jack Blanchard to talk about the news of the day — including the physical and mental acuity of his former boss. One of the more explosive episodes reported in Alex Thompson and Jake Tapper's new book, 'Original Sin' ($27), details occasions when Biden forgot the names of top staffers, including Sullivan. Asked point blank if that was true, Sullivan did not outright deny it — though he said he did not 'recall that ever happening.' 'I will tell you that Joe Biden knows my name,' Sullivan said, noting that the two remain in contact. 'I was surprised to see that in the book.' Asked more generally about Biden's fitness for office, Sullivan said his experiences with the former president did not disqualify him, though he also said he 'cannot speak on behalf of aides, unnamed people or on behalf of what folks reacted to when they saw him in public.' On his old job: Sullivan outright dismissed any suggestion that someone could jointly perform the duties of both national security adviser and secretary of State, as Marco Rubio is currently doing. 'One thing I never thought as national security adviser is, 'Hey I have some extra time,'' Sullivan said. 'I think it's actually ludicrous.' JET FUMES: Trump's stated interest in accepting a lavish jet plane as a gift from Qatar was a consistent topic du jour, with some of the most notable comments coming from senior GOP lawmakers, who added to the chorus of uncomfortable Republicans, POLITICO's Connor O'Brien writes. The Dem response: 'Dems move to block Middle East arms sales over Qatar plane deal,' by POLITICO's Robbie Gramer and Joe Gould More summit coverage: 'GOP lawmaker says India, Saudi Arabia most vital for US security interests over next decade' … 'Senior House Dem offers rare praise for Trump' … 'US space chief warns of emerging threats from China and Russia' … 'Former NASA chief: Trump's budget takes 'a chainsaw and a meat-ax' to space agency' Good Thursday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at gross@ 8 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 1. DOHA DEALS: As Trump heads to the final stop of his Middle East trip, those leaving Qatar festivities are writing in to Dasha with some more intel: Inside the room: The Qataris pulled out all the stops to commemorate Trump's historic visit — this being the first official state visit to Doha by a U.S. president, and the first state dinner hosted by His Highness the Amir in honor of a U.S. president. One person present at the dinner described two standout moments from the evening. The first was a big 'happy birthday' shoutout from the president to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. The Qatari orchestra then played 'Happy Birthday' for her. The second was a performance from a surprise guest: The Qataris arranged for Lee Greenwood, one of Trump's favorite singers, to attend and sing 'God Bless the U.S.A.' Who else was there: We brought you a partial list of attendees in this morning's Playbook. Now, we have a few more names to add to the list. SPOTTED: Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani; envoy Steve Witkoff; Bridgewater CEO Nir Bar Dea; Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson; Mukesh Ambani from one of India's largest companies, Reliance Industries Limited; Dina Powell McCormick of BDT & MSD Partners; Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google; Lakshmi Mittal, executive chairman of ArcelorMittal; Chris Buskirk, the co-founder and CIO of 1789 Capital; Todd L. Boehly, the co-founder and CEO of Eldridge Industries; and Fox News anchor Bret Baier. Thought bubble: Even by the lavish standards of the events thrown by each of the nations Trump has visited during his Mideast trip, the Qataris' decision to bring in Greenwood was a special touch, Dasha writes in. For Trump, it's not just about cutting deals, it's about garnering these sorts of grand performances of respect. 2. SCOTUS WATCH: 'Trump's birthright order gets frosty reception, but justices appear ready to limit nationwide blocks,' by POLITICO's Josh Gerstein and Hassan Ali Kanu: 'Trump's executive order purporting to end birthright citizenship found no traction at the Supreme Court Thursday, but the justices sounded inclined to rein in a legal remedy judges have used to halt many of Trump's early policy moves, from restricting immigration to cutting federal spending to ending anti-diversity initiatives. How we got here: 'Three district judges have deployed that tool — known as a nationwide injunction — to block Trump from implementing his birthright citizenship order. None of the justices spoke up in defense of the order's legality during more than two hours of oral arguments, and several suggested that the order is almost surely unconstitutional. At the same time, the conservative justices seemed intent on devising a way to prevent, or at least limit, district judges from issuing nationwide injunctions against federal policies.' 3. 2028 WATCH: For decades, presidential candidates have been coy about their true intentions in seeking the White House, often opting to demur or dodge the question, especially with years to go before the race. That appears to be changing, though. The 'days of the shadow primary are giving way to a franker, more overt set of potential 2028 presidential primary candidates, many of whom are bluntly acknowledging they're taking a serious look at running — two and a half years out,' POLITICO's Elena Schneider reports. The Democratic Party's paltry performance in 2024 has voters clamoring for a new face to carry the banner, and there's no shortage of those who think it could be their turn. Still, the would-bes are mostly in the behind-the-scenes 'audition phase.' Read the full story for the latest maneuvers from the likes of Andy Beshear, Gavin Newsom, Amy Klobuchar, Rahm Emanuel and plenty more. 4. A HEADLINE TRUMP WON'T LIKE: 'Walmart CFO says price hikes from tariffs could start later this month, as retailer beats on earnings,' by CNBC's Melissa Repko: 'Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said tariffs are 'still too high' – even with the recently announced agreement to lower duties on imports from China to 30% for 90 days. 'We're wired for everyday low prices, but the magnitude of these increases is more than any retailer can absorb,' he said. 'It's more than any supplier can absorb. And so I'm concerned that consumer is going to start seeing higher prices. You'll begin to see that, likely towards the tail end of this month, and then certainly much more in June.'' 5. FED UP: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told a research conference this morning that the central bank is 'in the process of making adjustments to its overarching policy-setting framework to account for meaningful changes in the outlook for inflation and interest rates following the 2020 pandemic,' WSJ's Nick Timiraos reports. 'The review isn't likely to influence how the Fed is currently setting interest rates. Powell has previously said the Fed could complete that process and unveil the results by August or September.' 6. THE STORM BEFORE THE STORM: The Trump administration has made no secret of its intention to either slash FEMA or eliminate it altogether. Now, a new report from the disaster relief agency is flashing a bright red warning light at a critical time, CNN's Gabe Cohen reports. An internal review ordered by acting Administrator David Richardson finds that FEMA 'is not ready' for hurricane season, which begins on June 1. The document outlines a number of struggles at the agency, 'including a general uncertainty around its mission, lack of coordination with states and other federal agencies, low morale and new red tape that will likely slow responses.' 7. FALLOUT: 'Top Sexual Assault Hotline Drops Resources After Trump Orders,' by NYT's Maggie Astor: 'Fearing the loss of federal funding, the nation's largest anti-sexual-violence organization has barred its crisis hotline staff from pointing people to resources that might violate President Trump's executive orders to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The organization, RAINN (the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) has removed more than two dozen resources for L.G.B.T.Q. people, immigrants and other marginalized groups from its list of permissible referrals, according to documents obtained by The New York Times.' 8. CLICKER: 'Inside Elon Musk's X Feed: Trumpism, Falsehoods and Lots of Love for Elon Musk,' by NYT's Stuart Thompson: 'The New York Times recreated a version of Mr. Musk's personal feed by opening a new account on X and following the same 1,109 users that he follows. We then analyzed more than 175,000 posts from the accounts that he follows, using a service that collects data from X. … The resulting feed, shown in this article as a selection of posts curated from the much larger set, revealed ample praise for Mr. Musk and his various priorities, mixed with a torrent of right-wing outrage over progressive politics.' Another Musk read: 'The Trump Administration Leaned on African Countries. The Goal: Get Business for Elon Musk,' by ProPublica's Joshua Kaplan, Brett Murphy, Justin Elliott and Alex Mierjeski TALK OF THE TOWN JD Vance is planning to go to the Vatican for Pope Leo XIV's first service on Sunday. USDA'S FACELIFT — 'Enormous brooding banner of Trump now hangs next to Lincoln outside Department of Agriculture,' by The Independent's Oliver O'Connell: 'There's a new addition to the streetscape outside the Department of Agriculture building in Washington, D.C., causing a stir online. Looming down from the pillared front of the neo-classical facade is an enormous, brooding picture of President Donald Trump, adapted from his official presidential portrait. Another banner further along the front of the building depicts President Abraham Lincoln. Both include the USDA logo and the text: 'Growing America Since 1862.'' POD RACING — After an election that pushed podcasts to the forefront of the political world, YouTube is out with its first-ever weekly podcast chart, ranking the top-100 most-popular podcast playlists on the platform in the U.S. based on watch time. Joe Rogan's pod, the tip of the spear in the so-called manosphere, is at the top of the list. Other notable political pods that made the top 50 include those of Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Tim Miller. See the full list OUT AND ABOUT — Capitol Hill Books hosted a conversation with Katie Bo Lillis for her new novel, 'Death of a Racehorse,' ($29.99) with Pamela Brown last night. SPOTTED: Wolf Blitzer, Alex Marquardt, Pete Muntean, Evan Perez, Natasha Bertrand, Warren Strobel, Gordon Lubold and Mychael Schnell. — The 43rd Annual March of Dimes Gourmet Gala was held at the National Building Museum last night, where attendees raised around $1.5 million and Reps. Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.) were honored. SPOTTED: co-chairs Austin Burnes, Danielle Burr and Whitney VanMeter, honorary co-chairs Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Wesley Britt, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Annie Coons, Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) and PJ Cunnane, Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) and Camille Pfluger and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Sydney Gallego, Karen Knutson, Jamie Wall, Lisa Hanna, Liz Reicherts, Mimi Braniff, Laura Siegrist, Tara Hogan Charles, Carol Quillen, Lucia Lebens, Ron Bonjean and Jacquelyn Cameron. — Whole Foods Market held its Supplier Showcase and Reception at the South Capitol Hill store last night, bringing together company executives, policy staff and small business suppliers. SPOTTED: Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Alyssa Vescio, Kevin Doty, Ann Marie Hourigan, Jori Fine, Matthew Fontenot, Morgan Orem, Samuel Murray, T.A. Hawks, Anna Nix Kumar, Mike Glymph, Carlye Winfrey and Kaycie Goral. — The Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art hosted an exclusive Eid Reception and gallery tours last night, with a host committee comprising Chase Robinson, Amna Nawaz, Asif Ali, Aasif Mandvi, Maneet Ahuja, Swati Sharma, Mohaimina Haque and Anita Chatterjee. SPOTTED: Saagar Shaikh, Nirupama Rao, Rajiv Satyal, Yasmin Elhady, Swayam Bhatia, Farhan Latif, Negin Sobhani, Alisha Chen, Amna Khilji, Ehteshamul Haque, Sam Hyun and Shaneli Jain. TRANSITIONS — Sarah Schmidt is now VP and head of federal government relations at Fresenius Medical Care. She most recently was health policy director for Senate Majority Leader John Thune and is a Palantir, CVS Health, Rob Portman and Michael Burgess alum. … Holland & Hart is adding Jennifer Scheller Neumann and Amelia Yowell as of counsel. Scheller Neumann previously was chief of DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division appellate section. Yowell previously was an appellate attorney in DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@ or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Zack Stanton and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
Politico
12-05-2025
- Business
- Politico
Playbook PM: What to expect from Trump's Middle East trip
Presented by THE CATCH-UP THE SALT LINE — House Republicans' sweeping tax legislation is expected to include a $30,000 cap to the state and local tax deduction and a new income cap of $400,000 on taxpayers who are able to claim the bigger writeoff, POLITICO's Meredith Lee Hill and Benjamin Guggenheim report. The House Ways and Means Committee is set to unveil the full bill later today that will include a broader list of President Donald Trump's proposed tax cuts. It's all still up for negotiation: The $30,000 cap comes in below the demands from key SALT-sensitive Republicans — a bloc of whom called that figure 'insulting' last week. In a call today, Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized that nothing is final. 'There's no set number yet. That's the whole thing. This is still being resolved,' he said. Discussions 'over the contours of the policy are expected to continue all the way up to a floor vote' expected for next week. Trump still looms large: The president told reporters that he 'just called' Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to inform them about the cost savings they could recoup for their party-line megabill from his tariff regime and the 'most favored nation' drug pricing executive order he signed today, POLITICO's Irie Sentner reports. A splash of cold water: The provisions that Trump touted this morning are not included in the current draft legislation and 'would be unlikely to get the near-unanimous GOP support needed for passage.' More on the EO: 'Trump promises to slash drug costs, tying US prices to those paid abroad,' by POLITICO's David Lim HITTING THE ROAD — Trump today is embarking on a four-day trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for the first official state visit of his second term. Here's a rundown of what to expect as the week unfolds … And what not to expect … Good Monday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at birvine@ 6 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 1. RUSSIA-UKRAINE LATEST: All eyes will be on Istanbul later this week as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aim to hold face-to-face peace talks starting on Thursday. Though details of the talks are still being hashed out, Trump told reporters today he's considering joining the two world leaders during his trip abroad. 'I was thinking about flying over,' Trump said. 'There's a possibility of it, I guess, if I think things can happen.' Notable: Zelenskyy also encouraged Trump to join the talks this morning after Trump floated the idea. 'I hope that the Russians will not evade the meeting. And of course, all of us in Ukraine would appreciate it if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting in Türkiye,' he wrote in a post on X. 'This is the right idea. We can change a lot. President [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan] can indeed host highest-level meeting. Thank you to everyone who is helping.' Tick, tick, tick: German officials announced that Europe will kick off a new round of sanctions against Russia by the end of the day unless the Kremlin agrees to abide by the 30-day ceasefire proposed by Europe and Ukraine over the weekend, Reuters' Tom Balmforth and Yuliia Dysa report. Ukrainian authorities reported a series of overnight attacks from Russia that continued into the early hours this morning, arguing the Kremlin is 'completely ignoring' the proposal. 2. A SIGH OF RELIEF: The suddenly struck deal between the U.S. and China over the weekend comes as a massive reprieve today to uneasy investors, who will be thrilled to see markets rallying in response to the trade truce. So, what's next? Though the detente is in place for the next 90 days, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reassured reporters today that the talks are far from over, per the WSJ. 'Bessent said the U.S. still had grave concerns about its unbalanced trading relationship with China,' including manufactured subsidies and currency management. The secretary also noted that both sides 'agreed to a framework to keep talks progressing, which he said should help avoid any future tit-for-tat escalation.' 3. DEEP IN THE HEART: The Senate Leadership Fund is out with new polling in the highly watched Texas Senate race, and the latest results don't look great for longtime incumbent John Cornyn, Punchbowl's Ally Mutnick reports. Though the GOP leadership-backed PAC is supporting Cornyn as he faces off with Texas AG Ken Paxton, recent polling has stoked GOP fears that Paxton could upend the race. A look at the numbers: The survey, which was conducted from April 27 to May 1 by The Tarrance Group, shows Paxton with a 16-point lead over Cornyn — 56 percent to 40 percent. In a three-way contest with Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), who is also considering a run, Cornyn's deficit drops to 10 points: Paxton leads with 44 percent to Cornyn's 34 percent and Hunt slotting in with 19 percent. The 30,000-foot view: 'Those results underscore a real fear for Republicans — that Paxton, a MAGA loyalist who has faced a slew of legal troubles, is best positioned to win a primary but could struggle in a general election. Yet more importantly, this poll is devastating for Cornyn … Privately, some GOP operatives increasingly believe there may be no path for him to secure the nomination. It's not the first survey to suggest Cornyn is in trouble, but this one comes from Cornyn allies.' 4. BY THE BOOKS: 'The leadership of the Library of Congress is in apparent dispute,' by POLITICO's Josh Gerstein and Katherine Tully-McManus: 'A DOJ official said President Donald Trump appointed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as acting Librarian of Congress. But the official who now holds that post, Robert Randolph Newlen, disputed a change had been made in an email to library staff Monday morning. 'Congress is engaged with the White House and we have not received direction from Congress about how to move forward,' Newlen wrote in an internal email to Library of Congress employees.' 5. IMMIGRATION FILES: The Trump administration spent at least $21 million transporting migrants to Guantanamo Bay on military aircrafts between between January and April, with the average flight cost totally over $26,000, NBC News' Courtney Kube scoops. 'The naval base there currently holds 32 migrants, according to a defense official, a tiny fraction of the 30,000 that President Donald Trump promised. Guantanamo has held a total of just under 500 migrants since Trump announced the effort in January, and it has never held more than 200 at any one time. Many of the migrants flown there are believed to have been flown back to the U.S.' 6. ANNALS OF INFLUENCE: The bidding ends today on the auction that will grant one of the Trump family's top crypto-coin investors a dinner with the president and a tour of the White House. After its announcement last month, the auction 'has set off a spectacle that has drawn bipartisan criticism, triggered a suspicious trading pattern, and left a sitting United States president wide open to attempts to corruptly influence him,' NYT's Eric Lipton and David Yaffe-Bellany report. Though most of the coin's buyers are impossible to identify, 'the bidders' buying patterns, documented on a public ledger called the blockchain, suggest that a large share of the investors are based abroad. Many of the purchases took place on overseas crypto platforms like Binance or Bybit that do not allow United States-based users. … Under federal law, noncitizens are barred from donating to political campaigns. But nothing stops them from buying a $TRUMP memecoin.' TALK OF THE TOWN Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his family swam in Rock Creek yesterday. TRANSITIONS — JR Kennelly is now president of OnPoint Data Strategy. He previously was director of strategic partnerships at i360. … Blake Schofield is now general counsel at the Children's Hospital Association. He previously was senior legal counsel at Lee Health. … Taylor Weeks Armentrout is now VP of government relations at Axiom Space. She previously was director of government affairs at Virgin Galactic. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@ or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Zack Stanton and Playbook Daily Briefing producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
White House to send Congress a formal request to nix $9.3B for PBS, NPR, State Department
The White House will soon ask Congress to cancel $9.3 billion already approved for foreign aid initiatives, public broadcasting and other programs, according to a White House official granted anonymity to speak freely. Congress is expected to receive that so-called rescissions request when lawmakers return from their two-week recess later this month. To nix the funding, the House and Senate will each have to vote at a simple-majority threshold to approve the formal ask. The White House package is expected to target funding for the State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, U.S. Institute of Peace and other programs. A Trump administration document obtained Monday also shows the White House is considering a larger request to revoke funding for State and USAID, as well as asking Congress to cut those budgets by almost half for the upcoming fiscal year. Some GOP senators in farm states have objected to cutting USAID programs that buy wheat and other products from U.S. farmers to provide food aid for hungry populations abroad. Meredith Lee Hill and Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.
Politico
14-04-2025
- Business
- Politico
White House to send Congress a formal request to nix $9.3B for PBS, State Department
The White House will soon ask Congress to cancel $9.3 billion already approved for foreign aid initiatives, public broadcasting and other programs, according to a White House official granted anonymity to speak freely. Congress is expected to receive that so-called rescissions request when lawmakers return from their two-week recess later this month. To nix the funding, the House and Senate will each have to vote at a simple-majority threshold to approve the formal ask. The White House package is expected to target funding for the State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, U.S. Institute of Peace and other programs. Some GOP senators in farm states have objected to cutting USAID programs that buy wheat and other products from U.S. farmers to provide food aid for hungry populations abroad. Meredith Lee Hill and Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.
