Patel’s White House hangover

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Apr 25, 2026 View in browser   By Adam Wren and Dasha Burns Presented by  With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray Good Saturday afternoon. This is Adam Wren. The consensus from our team is that Semafor had the best overall scene and food (short-rib grilled cheese sandwiches and oxtail empanadas), Grindr’s shindig lived up to the hype, UTA at Osteria Mozza had the glitziest guests and the Executive Branch was the hardest ticket to come by with the best early 2000s vibes (thanks, Nelly). Read on for all the coverage you can handle of last night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner weekend festivities — and a preview for one of tonight’s fiercest faceoffs. Get in touch. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Things aren’t looking great for FBI Director Kash Patel. Speculation ramped up this week over which ranking administration chief will go next after Pentagon head Pete Hegseth ousted his Navy secretary — with President Donald Trump’s blessing. Now, a top White House official tells Dasha that Patel is likely the next Cabinet-level official to go. “It’s only a matter of time,” the official, who was granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter, said of the FBI director. There are several reasons, the official said, but top among them is the number of negative stories centered on the FBI director is “not a good look for a Cabinet secretary,” and Trump is fed up with the level of distraction. Earlier this month, The Atlantic published a story recounting allegations that Patel had episodes of “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences.” Patel denied the allegations and sued The Atlantic for defamation. The New York Times reported in February that Patel instructed FBI agents to provide a full-time security detail for his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins. The FBI told The Times she needed the protection because she faced death threats. The FBI declined to comment on Patel’s future. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “Under President Trump and Director Patel’s leadership at the FBI, crime across the country has plummeted to the lowest level in more than 100 years and many high profile criminals have been put behind bars. Director Patel remains a critical player on the Administration’s law and order team.” Of course, the usual caveats apply: Trump is known to change his mind frequently. But if the president wants to project he’s shaking up his Cabinet ahead of the midterms, now’s the time. Trump already fired AG Pam Bondi, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Labor chief Lori Chavez-DeRemer in this latest purge ahead of the all-important November midterms. DRIVING THE DAY After nearly a year and a half in office the second time around, Trump is engaging in some of Washington’s most time-honored traditions this week: struggling to exit a war in the Middle East, caving to an entrenched senator holding a nominee hostage, and attending tonight’s White House Correspondent’s Dinner after years of resisting. But will he arrive as conqueror or supplicant? “He goes to WHCA as both tourist and terrorist,” said Raheem Kassam, the editor of the National Pulse and investor into the MAGA hangout Butterworth’s. “Much like his reshaping of the Trump Kennedy Center, he knows you have to disrupt the left’s cultural touchstones from within. To them, he’s ISIS. To MAGA, he’s infiltrating the establishment’s most sacred safe spaces.” Let’s take them in order. There were two jokes we heard on the party circuit last night: Predictions (we think?) that mentalist Oz Pearlman will manipulate Trump into ending the Iran war; and that Trump will invade Cuba to ruin the party. Jokes aside, POLITICO’s Nahal Toosi is out this morning with a look at the morass of negotiating efforts with Iran. Trump posted to X that he’s “possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position” and has “all the time in the World.” Behind that, though, is the cold hard reality of tradition. “The details are incredibly important,” Michael Singh, a former George W. Bush official who dealt with the Middle East, told her. “Each new administration has to learn those details the hard way. The Iranians on the other hand are often the same or similar teams who have negotiated these terms with multiple American administrations. You may receive what you think is a concession by the Iranians, but when you delve into it, it’s a concession from you to Iran.” The question facing Trump: “Is he prepared to agree to a deal that ultimately leaves the Islamist regime in place?” Nahal writes. As Washington celebrates amid war time, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a guest of CBS tonight, Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are traveling to Pakistan today to restart negotiations to end the war with Iran. VP JD Vance isn’t traveling to Pakistan but will be “on standby” to join the negotiations. “We’ve certainly seen some progress from the Iranian side in the last couple of days,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Friday.  And then there’s Trump’s Justice Department dropping its probe of the costly, yearslong renovation of the central bank’s headquarters, opening the door for Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) to end his blockade of Kevin Warsh’s confirmation to replace outgoing Fed Chair Jerome Powell. White House spokesperson Kush Desai said, “American taxpayers deserve answers about the Federal Reserve’s fiscal mismanagement, and the Office of the Inspector General’s more powerful authorities best position it to get to the bottom of the matter.” Leavitt said the investigation wasn’t “dropped” so much as moved to another authority. Will other GOP lawmakers take a cue from Tillis and realize they may have more leverage than they’ve exhibited so far in Trump 2.0? All of that brings us to tonight — and Trump’s latest act of bowing to tradition. Inside the Washington Hilton, for the first time as president, he’ll attend the WHCD, returning from a crypto event at Mar-a-Lago. As we scooped yesterday, he’s expected to bring jokes. Unlike Trump’s 2011 roasting by Barack Obama, this time he’s got the microphone — and all of the Washington-establishment headaches that come with it.   A message from UnitedHealth Group: Health care is too complex, expensive and unreachable for far too many. At UnitedHealth Group, we’re determined to improve it. Through digital tools that give patients upfront information on provider costs, performance and location, we’re helping people make informed decisions – and save hundreds of dollars annually. We’re also making it easier for patients to get care by bringing it directly to them, with 19 million home visits last year alone. Learn more.   5 THINGS THAT STUCK WITH US 1. WAR REPORT: It remains unclear how much progress the U.S. and Iran can make after Iran said yesterday no direct negotiations were planned. Part of the trouble is that top Iranian leaders are split over how much they’re willing to concede, WSJ’s Benoit Faucon and colleagues report. Hard-liners in Tehran slammed negotiators for being willing to talk about the country’s nuclear program. Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) called for Trump to scrap the ceasefire and restart the war, per POLITICO’s Leo Shane III. In the meantime, the Treasury Department slapped major sanctions on ships doing business with Iran, with a particular focus on China. The fundamental irony: Trump’s first-term decision to withdraw from Obama’s Iran nuclear deal turbocharged Iran’s uranium enrichment, “leaving them closer to a bomb than ever before,” NYT’s William Broad and David Sanger report. 2. THE DOGE DEATHS: The Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID and upending of PEPFAR led to a rising tide of HIV and AIDS in Zambia, NYT’s Stephanie Nolen reports. Though the country managed to keep most people on HIV treatment with emergency measures, it slashed prevention and testing efforts — and now, in small towns across northern Zambia, the number of acute cases has skyrocketed. “Today, a pared-down system is operating on reduced U.S. support, and Zambia may lose that help entirely in the next few days” if it doesn’t accept a deal the U.S. is demanding to fork over more mineral resources. 3. THE BULLDOG AT THE FCC: “How Brendan Carr is building Trump-friendly broadcasting behemoths,” by POLITICO’s John Hendel: “Conservative television broadcasters are getting bigger under Donald Trump — and thanks to his top communications regulator, they may get enhanced power to mute the president’s critics. The Federal Communications Commission’s approval of a $6.2 billion merger between the TV station owners Nexstar and Tegna is one step toward agency Chair Brendan Carr’s goal of boosting local broadcasters’ market heft … For his next move, Carr is considering ways to make it easier for local stations to preempt network programs without triggering breach-of-contract penalties.” 4. IMMIGRATION FILES: A federal appellate court struck down Trump’s ban on asylum-seekers on the southern border, per CNN. The 2-1 ruling in Washington said Trump illegally ended processing of asylum claims by declaring an “invasion” of immigrants. That landmark Day One move helped effectively end the country’s asylum system — and also drove down border crossings to very low levels. The appeals judges ruled Trump’s “unprecedented” proclamation likely jeopardized migrants’ lives. This could be headed to the Supreme Court; the administration vowed to appeal. 5. LIKE A ROLLING STONE: “Roger Stone is back in the lobbying game,” by POLITICO’s Daniel Barnes: “Stone, who registered his first federal lobbying client in eight years on Trump’s 16th day back in office, has reported earning $2.7 million so far during the second Trump administration. Almost half of that total, $1.2 million, came in the first three months of 2026 alone … The demand for Stone’s one-man lobbying shop, Drake Ventures, has come from a range of groups from Native American tribes to rare earth suppliers and miners to a MAGA House candidate and more. It reflects the political reality that success in Washington comes easier to those with a direct line to the Oval Office.”   A message from UnitedHealth Group: With innovative technologies and upfront pricing, UnitedHealth Group is helping make health care easier to afford, navigate and get.   CLICKER — “The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics,” edited by Matt Wuerker — 17 funnies M. Wuerker - Politico GREAT WEEKEND READS: — “If I Tried to Escape, I Would Be Killed,” by Shelly Kittleson in The Atlantic: “A kidnapping in Iraq.” — “The Insurmountable Flood,” by Bloomberg’s Alexandra Levine and colleagues: “Investigators say child predators are now only limited by their imagination.” — “Inside Kash Patel’s life as a hockey playing, high school coaching, Olympic locker room partying sports fanatic,” by CNN’s Isabelle Khurshudyan — “And You Thought You Hated Your Brother?” by NYT’s Jacob Bernstein: “For a decade and a half, Prajit and Projjal Dutta have led the market for South Asian art in the United States. Now they rarely speak to each other, except through lawyers.” — “The Rise of the Epstein Democrat,” by The New Yorker’s Jon Allsop: “In demanding the release of the Epstein files, the Party has embraced a radically new way of fighting Donald Trump. Is it a good idea?” — “How Shelley Moore Capito became a West Virginia powerhouse,” by the Washington Examiner’s David Sivak   A message from UnitedHealth Group: UnitedHealth Group makes care easier to get and afford through digital tools and home visits.   TALK OF THE TOWN HAPPENING TONIGHT — It’s the battle of the after-parties, with more than a handful of post-White House Correspondents’ Dinner spots racking up RSVPs. But many who are out and about tonight will pick their poison between NBC’s aptly branded “The After Party” at the French Embassy, or the more evocative MS NOW’s “Democracy After Hours” at the DuPont Underground. So what can we expect? “As our second event of the weekend, the after-party will retain the iconic feel,” an NBC spokesperson told Playbook. Expect some nods to some of NBC’s biggest upcoming moments including World Cup coverage and their 100th anniversary. And what about the underground scene? “We wanted something that felt unpredictable and imaginative,” MS NOW’s Richard Hudock told Playbook. “It’s a little gritty yet, yes, but elevated and unbuttoned enough that people will want to hang around. … Expect a clear-top tented blue carpet nearly all the way down 19th Street, leading to the entrance. Stay for some unexpected small moments.” MS NOW will debut a permanent art installation by local D.C. artist Jay Coleman that “honors the Washington press corps,” Hudock said. It’ll feel like a buzzy speakeasy and smell a little like the Ritz Carlton lobby. But be aware: Both parties have completely maxed out attendance. NBC has been at capacity for weeks, the network told Playbook. So wear comfortable shoes for those lines. ABOUT LAST NIGHT — Nelly was a huge hit at the Executive Branch party last night, performing several songs for a room full of Trump administration officials, reporters covering those officials and big names in business. (Many knew every lyric.) CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz and his wife, Lisa, danced like two kids at prom. Servers brought around caviar bumps, and there was a Champagne tower at the entrance. The party was so exclusive, members of Congress not on the list were turned away. SPOTTED: Harmeet Dhillon, Alexi Lalas, Clay Travis, Dahntay Jones, CFTC Chair Mike Selig, Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (R-Ariz.), Chris Klomp, Nate Morris, Joe Kernen, Tony Tata, Alexa Henning, acting AG Todd Blanche, David Sacks, Omeed Malik, Garrett Ventry, Alayna Treene, Julie Tsirkin and Melanie Zanona. — Everyone in D.C. was at the much-anticipated Grindr party … until they weren’t. The Grindr mansion was immaculate — ice sculptures of the Grindr logo, several open bars (complete with martinis featuring the logo), a pool, etc. But the party closed at 11 p.m. sharp — and no one wanted to stay after the drinks stopped flowing. “This party is a little voyeuristic,” one senior Biden administration official said. “All the straight people are here to look around and see who’s gay.” Overheard: “I left here single, this is bullshit,” said Keith Edwards. … “I’m not going to that shit,” Jim Acosta said of tonight’s dinner. On a serious note: The Human Rights Campaign ran an ad geofenced to both the Grindr party and the dinner tonight urging people not to let PrEP get defunded. “Partygoers and dinner guests are going to rub elbows with folks undermining access to HIV prevention and care,” a spokesperson said. “We want them to know what’s at stake.” The ad — Cafe Riggs was the place for the greater Democratic machine to start the night off, with Crooked Media hosting their pre-party at the iconic D.C. restaurant last night. It was a “safe space” for the minority party to unwind in the background of Trump’s Washington, as one attendee put it to Playbook. SPOTTED: Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Lucinda Treat, Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor, Dan Pfeiffer, Andrew Mamo, Sean Savett, Kara Voght, Reese Gorman, Adriene Hill, Reid Cherlin, Shaniqua McClendon, “Real Housewives” stars Bronwyn Newport and Todd Bradley, Chi Ossé, Brian Tyler Cohen, Symone Sanders Townsend, Jesse Rodriguez, David Hogg, Luke Russert, Sam Stein, Eugene Daniels, Brian and Jamie Stelter, Pamela Brown, Molly Jong-Fast, Mark Leibovich, Sami Sage, Michael Scherer, Ari Schwartz, Morris Katz, Suzanne Lambert, Tony P, Keith Edwards, Adam Mockler, Sawyer Hackett, Christine Delargy and Rebecca Sharer. — The Motion Picture Association’s reception hosted with America250 last night featured a red carpet with a photographer and the MPA’s usual displays of famous movie paraphernalia (including a recent “Hocus Pocus” addition). Like this year’s WHCD festivities as a whole, there were relatively few celebrities, though Nyle DiMarco, Mark Kassen and Tracy Gilchrist of “holding space” fame were there. Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.) told Playbook she was most excited for mentalist Oz Pearlman this weekend. Outside, Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner chatted with former POLITICO CEO Patrick Steel. Inside, guests nibbled red-white-and-blue desserts, mini Maine lobster rolls and loaded tater tots. SPOTTED: Charles Rivkin, Rosie Rios, Gail MacKinnon, John Mercurio, Matt Friend, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, Moroccan Ambassador Youssef Amrani, Andrea Mitchell, Kasie Hunt, James Lloyd, Shannon Sprenger, Mike Allen, Jim VanderHei, Susan Fox, Clete Willems, Alexa Verveer, John Valenti, Dan and Rhoda Glickman, Vlad Duthiers and Megan Crawford. — In the grand central atrium of the Australian Embassy, which hosted a soiree with DC Modern Luxury magazine, guests hit the dance floor and ate outback hand pies and lemon myrtle chicken. Upstairs was a live oyster shucker. After the event hit capacity, a lengthy line formed outside — but staff waved everyone in once it started raining. “Real Housewives” star Ashley Darby was overheard trash-talking some of her co-stars. Also SPOTTED: Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Dana Bash, Jessica Powers, Andrea Mitchell, David Chalian, Michael Geremia, Heather Caygle, Courtney Subramanian, Sara Cook, Steve Thomma, Chinyere Hubbard, Alex Thompson and Michelle Hackman. — British Ambassador Christian Turner and Claire Turner and the Daily Mail hosted a reception at Turner’s residence. SPOTTED: Katie Davies, Rich Caccappolo, Alison Hennessy, Wills Robinson, Jen Smith, Michael Brear, Matt London, Kelly Laco, Luke Carron, Chelsea Ritschel, Matt Wheatland, Jana Hocking, Laura Collins, Richard Ellis, Nikki Schwab, Nick Allen, Charlie Spiering, Jon Michael Raasch, Kate Gill, Nathan Giannini, Eunice Chi, Mark Rykken, Elina Shirazi, Phillip Nieto, Henry Jones, Jacqueline Fuller, Henry Timms, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, Mark Halperin, Harris Faulkner, Emily Compagno, Brian Kilmeade, Scott Jennings, Aishah Hasnie, Jimmy Failla, Mitchell Jackson, Greta Van Susteren, Leah McSweeney, Bev Turner and Ashley Davis. — UTA held its WHCD weekend party at Osteria Mozza, where Stephen A. Smith was seen leaving and hopping into an Escalade. SPOTTED: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Jen Psaki, Jake Tapper, Molly Jong-Fast, Dana Bash, Don Lemon, Brian Kilmeade, Chuck Todd, John Quiñones, Douglas Murray, Kelly O’Donnell, Dasha Burns, Katy Tur, Tony Dokoupil, James Longman, Matt Gutman, Vladimir Duthiers, Dylan Byers, Bari Weiss, Jay Wallace, Rachel Scott, Kellyanne Conway, Gisele Barreto Fetterman, Symone Sanders-Townsend, Adam Faze, Zach Levi, Dhani Jones, Devon Spurgeon, Tammy Haddad, Cesar Conde, Jay Sures, Donna Sharp, Julian Jacobs, Marc Paskin, Ryan Hayden, David Evenchick, Rene Jones, Jerry Silbowitz, J.B. Fitzgerald, Andrew Lear, Adam Leibner and Ziad Ahmed. — Outside the Creative Coalition’s “Right to Bear Arts” dinner, hosted at crypto bar PubKey, “Young Sheldon” star Iain Armitage took selfies with queuing fans. The dinner, which wrapped up with a celebrity-studded jam band, followed arts funding advocacy on the Hill earlier in the day. SPOTTED: Tim Daly, Michael Chiklis, Wendie Malick, Pamela Adlon, Asher Grodman, Rob Morrow, Robin Bronk and Thomas Pacchia. — Semafor’s party at Justin Smith’s Kalorama home featured Caribbean-inspired food from chef Chris Morgan and music by DJ Lance Reynolds, with Docta Yew on djembe. The party filled to capacity by 9:30 p.m., with staff telling waiting guests that they couldn’t let anyone else in “out of respect for Justin's house.” SPOTTED: Ben Smith, Mark Lazarus, Cesar Conde, Andrew Mamo, Patrick Steel, Jan Bayer, Sam Feist, John Harris, Jim Bankoff, Alessandra Galloni, Rachel Levitan Keidan, Maeve Coyle, Jodie Ginsberg, Julia Ioffe, Daniel Lippman, Stephanie Penn, Rosie Rios, Katie Robertson, Molly Ball, Swati Sharma, Jessica Sibley, Steve Thomma, Nicholas Wu, Jess Bravin, Audrey Cook, Mike Inacay, Anna Johnson, Lisa Kashinsky,  Jamie Seltzer, Adrian Elimian and Dylan Byers. — The Washington AI Network hosted a “TGAIFriday” brunch with Meta at the Waldorf Astoria, featuring Tammy Haddad, Dina Powell McCormick, Andrew Bosworth, Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) and a blind U.S. Army veteran who now uses Meta AI glasses. SPOTTED: Oz Pearlman, Joel Kaplan, Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei, Chris Ruddy, Paul Ryan, Kellyanne Conway, Jonathan Swan, Mike Gallagher, Stephanie Cutter, Adrienne Elrod, Shanti Stanton, Brad Todd, Brett McGurk, Mike Gallagher, Josh Dawsey, Elena and Robert Allbritton, Gisele Fetterman, Jennifer Griffin, Susanna Quinn, Justin Smith, Margaret Spellings, Mark Halperin, Mark Isakowitz, Nick Luna, Norah O’Donnell and Sean Spicer. — SPOTTED at the party hosted by Qatari Ambassador Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani and Washingtonian CEO Cathy Merrill at the Four Seasons: Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.) and Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.), CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz and Lisa Oz, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Kari Lake, Kellyanne Conway, Mark Ein, Norah O’Donnell, Anna Palmer, Nahal Toosi, Steve Clemons, Paige Willey, William Billbrough, Michael Kratsios, Nick Luna, Daniel Via, John Allen, Hamad Al-Muftah, Katherine Lugar, Rich Edson, Marshall Cohen, Heather Podesta, Matt Swift, Jennifer Newsom, David Zervos, Ashley Davis, Robert Allbritton, Meridith McGraw, Keith Krach, Jarrod Agen, Jonathan Nabavi, David and Catherine Bohigian, Lt. Col. William Swenson, Sam Feist, Tom McMillen and Christina Sevilla. — Fox News hosted a celebration of the 30th anniversary of “Fox News Sunday” at Cafe Milano, where CEO Suzanne Scott pledged that “its commitment to truth, dialogue, and public service will continue to inform and strengthen our democracy for years to come.” SPOTTED: Jay Wallace, Shannon Bream, Bryan Boughton, Doug Rohrbeck, Jessica Loker, Owen Renfro, Bret Baier, Juan Williams, Karl Rove, Kellyanne Conway, Porter Berry and Scott Wilder. — Meghan McCain, Jessica Reed Kraus and Vanessa Santos hosted the “renegade women’s cocktail party.” SPOTTED: Cheryl Hines, Sage Steele, Lynne Patton, Landon Clements, Yemisi Egbewole, Leah McSweeney, Dakota Meyer, Bobby Kennedy III, Harris Faulkner, Ben Domenech, Mary Katharine Ham, Taylor Hathorn, Larry and Meredith O’Connor, Ryan Colby, Kevin Walling, Alex Stroman, Theresa Payton, Scott Jennings, Lydia Moynihan, Billy Binion, Emily Domenech, Nomiki Konst, Brent Scher, Gloria Taylor, Jasmine Wright, Hogan Gidley, Paula Dhier, Ryan Manion, Alex Swoyer, Farahn Morgan, Caroline McKee, CJ Pearson, Zack Peter, Robby Soave, Martin Marks, Jacqui Heinrich, Jamie Kirchick and Josef Palermo, Adam Coleman, Sean Spicer, Erik Rosales, Clay Travis, Beatrice Peterson and Kara Voght. — The Voto Latino Foundation hosted its 18th annual “Our Voices” reception, celebrating awardees Weijia Jiang, Amna Nawaz, Laura Barrón-López and Carlos Eduardo Espina. Also SPOTTED: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Angela Padilla, Reps. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.) and Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), David Hogg, María Teresa Kumar, Beatriz Lopez, Eve O’Toole, Ingrid Duran, Estuardo Rodriguez, Santiago Mayer, Spanish Ambassador Ángeles Moreno Bau, Eugene Daniels, Priscilla Alvarez, Omar Jimenez, Lisa Rubin, Emmy Ruiz, Olivia Troye, Ed O’Keefe, Jim Acosta, Kurt Bardella, Hector Sanchez Barba, Katharine Pichardo, Camilo Montoya-Galvez, Geoff Bennett, Fin Gómez and Cesar Conde. NEW MEDIA: Outside the Capitol building yesterday, POLITICO’s Riley Rogerson chatted with the buzziest three reporters in town to get the details on what’s really going on with TMZ’s new D.C. team. Among the revelations: yes, those tweets about Call Your Mother and Tatte were jokes. And no, they won’t pay for information. Jacob Wasserman, Charlie Cotton and Jakson Buhaj say they’re serious about doing genuine journalism on a mixture of hard and soft news. And Cotton was newly impressed by one backbencher: “I didn’t know Shomari Figures existed until like a few days ago. And now I do. And now I am punishing myself because I should have known because here’s this amazing guy doing amazing things.” KEEP AN EYE ON THIS: “Firm Building Trump’s Ballroom Got a Secret No-Bid Contract for a Nearby Job,” by NYT’s David Fahrenthold and colleagues: “The Biden administration in 2022 had estimated [Lafayette Park fountain repairs] would cost $3.3 million. But Mr. Trump’s government agreed to pay Clark [Construction] $11.9 million to do it, and later added tasks that increased the contract to $17.4 million … The Trump administration did not post it in public databases of federal spending … Contracting experts said [internal Park Service] documents revealed that the government had repeatedly used unusual procedures to bypass competition for the project and increase the price it expected to pay.” WHAT MELANIA TRUMP IS UP TO: The first lady announced she’s adding a third beehive to the White House grounds — this one made to look like the building itself. It could add another 30 pounds of honey to annual White House production. See a photo, via AP’s Darlene Superville MEDIA MOVE: KJ Cline is now an associate video producer at POLITICO. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: PBS NewsHour’s Geoff Bennett … John Anzalone … Erica Suares of American Policy Ventures … Steve Murphy of MVAR Media … Ashlee Strong Gault … Peter Daou … David Gardiner … Andy Sigmon … Bill Duhnke … Teddy Goff of Precision Strategies … POLITICO’s Alex Nieves and Sam Benson … TelevisaUnivision’s Emory Roberts … Smythe Anderson … Mike Tuffin of AHIP … former Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) … Seth Amgott … former Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-Pa.) … Jaclyn Rothenberg … Julie Roginsky … Raben’s Michael Yudin … Patrick Mellody … Wendy Anderson … Kathy Baird … Emily Singer … Jim Mustian … JP Brandt of Thorn Run Partners … Garrett Quinn Jr. … Kristen Ricciardelli THE SHOWS (Full Sunday show listings here): FOX “Fox News Sunday”: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries … acting AG Todd Blanche. Panel: Kellyanne Conway, Susan Page, Karl Rove and Juan Williams. NBC “Meet the Press”: Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) … Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). Panel: Leigh Ann Caldwell, Lanhee Chen, Adrienne Elrod and Melanie Zanona. MS NOW “The Weekend: Primetime”: Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.) … Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) … Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.) … Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) … retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling … Steve Hilton. CNN “State of the Union”: CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz … Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). Panel: Scott Jennings, David Urban, Xochitl Hinojosa and Kate Bedingfield. NewsNation “The Hill Sunday”: Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) … Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) … Frank Kendall. Panel: Charles Lane, Kate Andrews and Kellie Meyer. ABC “This Week”: Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) … Wendy Sherman … Richard Haass. Panel: Donna Brazile, Chris Christie and Jason Riley. CBS “Face the Nation”: British Ambassador Christian Turner … Mike Wirth. Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn’t happen without our editor Giuseppe Macri and deputy editor Garrett Ross. Correction: Yesterday’s Playbook incorrectly included Gabriella Khan in the birthday list.   A message from UnitedHealth Group: Today, the health care system isn't working as it should. For many, managing medical bills or finding a specialist is frustrating and confusing. At UnitedHealth Group, we believe people should have clarity before they ever walk into a waiting room. That’s why we’re building digital tools to make the experience easier and better. Imagine comparing providers based on location and performance or seeing exact out-of-pocket costs before booking an appointment – no surprises, no hidden fees. Whether it’s a health plan that shows upfront co-pays or personalized search tools, we’re working to make the system easier. And for those who can’t get to a clinic, we meet them where they are, having completed 19 million home visits last year alone. 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Most cold plunges force you into a bad trade

Cramped squat or compressed diaphragm. We built Spire to fix both. ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

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Secret to Daily Detox✨

are you getting your greens? ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

SHOP RECIPES FACEBOOK GROUP

You know I'm all about greens. Always have been, always will be. But I also know that juicing every single day isn't realistic for most of us.   So I bottled the benefits: The PuriVibe Chlorophyll Shot gives you daily detox support, more energy, and that inner freshness, in one quick mix. No juicer, no prep, no cleanup.   Just tear, pour, drink, done.   This is 15 years of green juice obsession in its simplest form. I'm really proud of it and I think you're going to love it.   Chlorophyll has traditionally been used for body odor support & internal freshness + everyday detox.  I personally like it for blood sugar balance.    Try it here → PuriVibe Chlorophyll Drink     Love + Juice,  GLASS BOTTLES PURIVIBE SUPERFOOD JUICES ACCESSORIES SHOP AMAZON

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