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Who’s In Control of D.C.’s Police?

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Washington Post: “A day after President Donald Trump said he would deploy the National Guard in the nation’s capital, federalized the local police department and issued officers a far-reaching mandate to ‘do whatever the hell they want’ to curb crime, it remained unclear what new directives, if any, D.C. police would receive from their new federal managers.”

“District officials said they were still in command of the department, operating as usual having received no new orders from the Trump administration.”

The Bulwark: “We’re already seeing at least one immediate effect: A surge of federal officers loitering around with too much time on their hands.”

Trump Has Made Himself Head of the Chip Industry

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New York Times: “In just eight months, Mr. Trump has made himself the biggest decision maker for one of the world’s most economically and strategically important industries, which makes key components for everything from giant A.I. systems to military weapons. And he has turned the careful planning of companies historically led by engineers into a game of insider politics.”

“The intrusion into private business underscores how far this administration has veered from the hands-off economic philosophy of President Ronald Reagan, which guided the Republican Party for decades.”

“Economic historians have said it is the most aggressive federal incursion into the U.S. economy since the Obama administration’s actions in 2009 to rescue banks and the auto industry and avoid a worsening financial crisis. This time, they say, the intrusion is unprovoked.”

Quote of the Day

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“Crime stats in big blue cities are fake. The real rates of crime, chaos and dysfunction are orders of magnitude higher.”

— White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, on X.


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There’s No Good Replacement for Government Data

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“There’s a new fear among investors and CEOs: flying blind on investments without sufficient data on the economy’s health,” Axios reports.

“The U.S. government produces some of the world’s premiere economic data. The future of those indicators looks murkier than ever, with no private sector source readily available to replace them.”

Republicans Hold Clear Edge in Redistricting Fight

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Washington Post: “Republicans appear to hold the advantage in the nationwide scramble, according to strategists and nonpartisan analysts, with more opportunities to shift the lines in their favor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats have vowed to ‘fight fire with fire’ since the GOP moved to add five red seats in Texas, but they face many barriers.”

“Republicans are eyeing ways to add a dozen or more red House districts across Texas, Florida, Missouri, Ohio and Indiana, despite some legal hurdles and reservations from local Republicans.”

“Democrats are looking to retaliate with five more blue seats in California, and they are exploring other options, including in Maryland and Illinois. They control fewer states than Republicans, however, and they have already maximized their power in others. In some cases, they would have to work around independent commissions set up to prevent gerrymandering.”

Loomer Accuses Marjorie Taylor Greene of Corruption

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Laura Loomer said that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) “is using her campaign fundraising to enrich her daughter Taylor Greene Robinson, who she has funneled over $113,279.09 in ‘staff payroll’ from her campaign funds since March of 2024 even though the daughter lives out of state in Yoakum, Texas.”

When Greene’s eldest daughter, Lauren Greene, responded, Loomer replied with additional attacks: “Your mom ruined your family. She cheated on your father. She is a skank. Don’t get mad at me for speaking the truth about your slut mom.”

Will the Senate Trust Trump’s Pick with Economic Data?

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Punchbowl News: “President Donald Trump’s pick to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics isn’t an understated wonk or lifelong civil servant. E.J. Antoni is currently chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation.”

“If confirmed, Antoni would replace Erika McEntarfer, who was fired by Trump following significant downward revisions in the prior jobs report. Those revisions are a standard part of the BLS process, intended to improve the quality of government data month-over-month.”

“This isn’t a typical nomination, even by the uneven standards of the Trump administration. Trump’s firing of McEntarfer cracked open real fears about the long-term quality and reliability of core U.S. economic data — in particular, metrics that don’t square with Trump’s declaration of a ‘golden age’ for the United States.”

‘Stop Trump’ Protesters Target Vance

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JD Vance’s U.K. trip has caused a stir, with locals staging a “Vance not welcome party” on Tuesday after the U.S. vice president’s motorcade arrived in the picturesque Cotswolds, CNBC reports.

“Bullies not welcome here,” read one sign, while another called to “make America moral again.”

The Financial Times reports Vance’s surprise vacation was arranged by an unlikely holiday planner: George Osborne, the former Conservative chancellor, aided by his old boss David Cameron.

Laura Loomer’s Next Target

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Laura Loomer wants to oust Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s top aide, Stefanie Spear, Politico reports.

Said Loomer: “I think that there’s a clear intention by Stefanie Spear to utilize her position to try to lay the groundwork for a 2028 RFK presidential run.”

White House Sharply Lowers Expectations for Summit

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“President Donald Trump expects his encounter with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week to be a ‘listening exercise,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday, sharply downplaying the possibility that a deal to end the war in Ukraine could be imminent despite a warning from the president last week that Kyiv needed to ‘get ready to sign something,’” the Washington Post reports.

“The lowered expectations for Friday’s meeting in Alaska came as Russia made significant battlefield gains in eastern Ukraine and appeared to be in little mood to offer concessions that might be necessary to achieve a durable halt in the fighting.”

Stock Market Brushes Off Trump’s Tariffs

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“At least for now, the U.S. stock market is on board with President Donald Trump’s increasingly aggressive use of executive power when it comes to tariffs,” NBC News reports.

“On Tuesday, major stock indexes hit fresh all-time highs as investors digested an inflation report that was mostly tamer than feared. While the details of the report suggest an overall mixed picture for the economy, it suggested fears of large immediate price increases from Trump’s tariffs may no longer be warranted.”

European Leaders to Call Trump and Vance on Ukraine

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Virtual meetings between Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders are scheduled for this morning, NBC News reports.

European leaders and Zelensky will hold an initial call, followed by a second call that includes Trump and Vance. After that, a third call will be held, likely including Zelensky and representatives from a coalition of countries supporting Ukraine.

New York Times: Before Trump talks to Putin, Europe wants to bend his ear.

Axios: Zelensky scrambles to avert disaster as Trump meets Putin.

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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