Playbook: “What we’re watching here is the first major gaffe of the new administration — or at least the first since the aborted federal payments freeze of the first week. Since then, this administration has appeared way more competent than Trump’s first, which was plagued by farcical errors and scandals. But this story feels like something straight out of Trump 1.0 — and crucially, the clean-up operation has not been much better. Dems will be encouraged by all of that.”
“So watch this space: The White House knows this needs to be a one-off, and that the story needs putting to bed fast. So expect more forceful pushback today.”

