| | | |  | | By Zack Stanton | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine Good Sunday morning, and Happy Easter to those who celebrate. This is Zack Stanton. Get in touch.
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | 
President Donald Trump has fewer guardrails and more accommodating advisers and Cabinet officials this term. | Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images | DECISION DAY: On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border. It gave Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem 90 days to submit a report to him advising on conditions there and “whether to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807.” Welcome to Day 90. That deadline is here, and the Hegseth-Noem recommendation is due. What will they suggest? CNN’s Natasha Bertrand, Haley Britzky, Jake Tapper and Priscilla Alvarez report that Hegseth and Noem are not expected to recommend invoking the act, and will tell the president “that border crossings are currently low and that they don’t need additional authorities at this point to help control the flow of migrants.” That reporting has not yet been matched by other outlets. Invoking the Insurrection Act could allow the president to “use active-duty forces trained for combat overseas or federalized National Guard troops to suppress a ‘rebellion,’ temporarily suspending the Posse Comitatus Act, which typically restricts the use of military involvement in domestic law enforcement,” WaPo’s Dan Lamothe and Marianne LeVine write. There’s some history here: During his first term, amid mass civil rights protests following the murder of George Floyd by police, Trump was interested in invoking the act and deploying the military to suppress demonstrations. (The NYT later reported that aides went so far as to draft a proclamation doing just that.) That spurred a standoff with Gen. Mark Milley and top brass at the Pentagon, who vehemently opposed the idea. Now, Trump has fewer guardrails and more accommodating advisers and Cabinet officials. Where first-term Defense Secretaries Jim Mattis and Mark Esper routinely reined in some of Trump’s extreme decisions, Hegseth is widely regarded as a MAGA true believer — a fact that was a major selling point in his favor as Trump built his second-term administration. And recent precedent — like Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 in the ongoing wave of deportations — suggests an administration willing to invoke arcane laws to pursue its policy agenda and throttle institutions it sees as hostile to Trump’s ends. The president’s bulldozer approach figured heavily in protests across the country this weekend, as demonstrators decried “what they see as threats to the nation’s democratic ideals,” AP’s Philip Marcelo writes. “The disparate events ranged from a march through midtown Manhattan and a rally in front of the White House to a demonstration at a Massachusetts commemoration of ‘the shot heard ’round the world’ on April 19, 1775, marking the start of the Revolutionary War 250 years ago.” At Concord yesterday, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey made the comparison explicit, albeit while avoiding mentioning Trump by name. “We live in a moment when our freedoms are once again under attack from the highest office in the land,” Healey said, per the Boston Globe’s Aaron Pressman. “We see things that would be familiar to our revolutionary predecessors: the silencing of critics, the disappearing of people from our streets, demands for unquestioning fealty.” (One night earlier, protesters projected a similar message onto Boston’s Old North Church, famous for its role in Paul Revere’s ride.)
| | | | A message from PhRMA: Chances are your insurer and PBM are owned by the same big health care company. They also own big chain pharmacies – and are even buying doctors' offices. When middlemen own it all, you lose. It's time to protect patients and rein in the middlemen. See how. | | | | The backdrop to these protests is the saga of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose story has been able to hold the nation’s attention to a degree rare in this “flood the zone” era of constant news. Partly, that’s because this is a fight the White House thinks it is winning. But it’s also because to many in Washington and elsewhere, this fight feels like a “line in the sand” moment. It would be a mistake to see this as a criticism coming simply from the left. “Trump intends to illustrate that he has amassed uncheckable power,” National Review’s Andrew McCarthy wrote yesterday. “That is, having extirpated what made the Republican Party conservative and constitutionalist, and with Congress thus no obstacle (at least for the next 21 months), the president wants it known that such constitutional constraints on executive power as courts and due process are no longer operative.” (Again: This is the National Review.) It also comes as the administration faces down the Supreme Court. Over the weekend, the court issued a ruling halting all Alien Enemies Act-based deportations for the time being — an uncharacteristically swift action indicating “a deep skepticism about whether the administration could be trusted to live up to the key part of an earlier ruling after the government had deported a different group of migrants to a prison in El Salvador,” NYT’s Adam Liptak writes. The White House’s response: “We are confident in the lawfulness of the Administration’s actions and in ultimately prevailing against an onslaught of meritless litigation brought by radical activists who care more about the rights of terrorist aliens than those of the American people,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told POLITICO in a statement yesterday afternoon. But to critics of the administration, that sort of messaging only underscores the importance of litigating the specifics of the Abrego Garcia case. “The only way Trump wins the argument is if he can subsume all these specifics — deporting longtime nonviolent residents, flouting courts, conspiring with fellow dictators to stash people in foreign gulags — under the rubric of fighting ‘illegal aliens,’” The New Republic’s Greg Sargent observes. “If Democrats don’t engage, they’ll only make it easier for Trump and [deputy chief of staff Stephen] Miller to recast those specifics as ‘hey, we’re just keeping out illegals.’” Among those litigating the specifics: Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who did the “full Ginsburg” on this morning’s Sunday shows on the heels of his visit to El Salvador to speak with the imprisoned Abrego Garcia. On ABC’s “This Week,” host Jonathan Karl asked Van Hollen about California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent suggestion that this issue is “the distraction of the day, the art of distraction. This is the debate they want. This is their 80/20 issue, as they’ve described it.” Van Hollen responded forcefully. “I don’t think it’s ever wrong to protect the Constitution and protect due process rights,” the Maryland Democrat said. “I think what Americans are tired of is people who want to put their finger to the wind to see what’s going on. And I would say that anyone that’s not prepared to defend the constitutional rights of one man when they threaten the constitutional rights of all doesn’t deserve to lead.”
| | | | A message from PhRMA:  
Insurers own PBMs, pharmacies – even doctors' offices. It's time to protect patients and rein in the middlemen. | | | | SUNDAY BEST … — Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) on whether the U.S. is in a constitutional crisis, on CNN’s “State of the Union”: “We’re getting closer and closer to a constitutional crisis. Why do I think that we’re not full-blown in one? Because the judges are standing up and doing their job. Because you’re starting to see a little inkling of some Republicans — all we need is four in the House, four in the Senate — to stand up on things like tariffs. … As long as these courts hold and the constituents hold and the Congress starts standing up, our democracy will hold. But Donald Trump is trying to pull us down into the sewer of a crisis. There is no doubt about it.” — House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) on whether Trump has the legal authority to deport U.S. citizens to El Salvador, on “State of the Union”: “I think right now, what he’s doing is absolutely legal, which is removing those that do not have legal status in this country, that have proven to be the worst of the worst. This is what he promised Americans he would do. … It seems to me that these Democrats are representing the illegal aliens against the very constituents, the U.S. citizens, that they’re supposed to be protecting.” — Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) on Van Hollen and Abrego Garcia, on NBC’s “Meet the Press”: “[Van Hollen] is utterly and gloriously wrong. I mean, most of this gauzy rhetoric is just rage-bait. Unless you’re next-level obtuse, you know that Mr. Garcia is never coming back to the United States, ever. And that’s not because of President Trump. That’s because of Mr. President [Nayib] Bukele. … Look, this was a screw-up, in my opinion. The administration won’t admit it, but this was a screw-up. Mr. Garcia was not supposed to be sent to El Salvador. … [But] I don’t see any pattern here.” — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Democrats’ “cost of living week of action” this week, on “This Week”: “We have to continue to talk to the American people about our plans. We recognize that housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, utility costs are too high, child care costs are too, high insurance costs are too high. America is too expensive.” TOP-EDS: A roundup of the week’s must-read opinion pieces.
| | | | POLITICO IS BACK AT THE 2025 MILKEN GLOBAL CONFERENCE:
From May 4–7, California Playbook will deliver exclusive, on-the-ground coverage from the 28th Annual Milken Institute Global Conference. Get behind-the-scenes buzz, standout moments, and insights from leaders in AI, finance, health, philanthropy, geopolitics, and more. Subscribe now for your front-row seat to the conversations shaping our world. | | | | | 9 THINGS FOR YOUR RADAR 1. THE RESULTS ARE IN: Former Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) has won the Oakland mayoral election, per the East Bay Times’ Shomik Mukherjee. Lee crossed the 50 percent threshold in the latest tallying of ranked-choice votes, triumphing in a close race over Loren Taylor. The longtime progressive D.C. icon will now be tasked with stabilizing a city government that’s been in turmoil lately; she campaigned on plans to bring business and labor together. 2. THE PURGE COMES TO FOGGY BOTTOM: “Trump Administration Draft Order Calls for Drastic Overhaul of State Department,” by NYT’s Edward Wong: “A draft White House executive order proposes a drastic restructuring of the State Department, including eliminating almost all of its Africa operations and shutting down embassies and consulates across the continent. The draft also calls for cutting offices at State Department headquarters that address climate change and refugee issues, as well as democracy and human rights concerns. … “The signing of the executive order [as soon as this week] would be accompanied by efforts to lay off both career diplomats, known as foreign service officers, and civil service employees … The draft executive order calls for ending the foreign service exam for aspiring diplomats, and it lays out new criteria for hiring, including ‘alignment with the president’s foreign policy vision.’” 3. IRAN LATEST: After indirect talks yesterday, the U.S. and Iran said they would move forward in the effort to construct a new nuclear deal, per Reuters. Technical talks at the “expert level” will take place Wednesday in Oman, followed by more indirect negotiations between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and special envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday, Araghchi said. A U.S. official said they made “very good progress” this weekend. The big questions: The Trump administration remains divided over whether Iran can be allowed to keep nuclear stockpiles and enrich some uranium. If so, as Araghchi indicated, that would be a step back from Trump’s initial hard-line stance … and rather similar to the Barack Obama deal from which Trump withdrew in the first place, NYT’s David Sanger, Farnaz Fassihi and Lara Jakes report. 4. WAR IN UKRAINE: The latest U.S.-proposed framework for a Ukraine ceasefire would include recognizing Russian control of Crimea, CNN’s Kylie Atwood and Catherine Nicholls report. That could be difficult to swallow for Ukraine, which has protested Russia’s illegal occupation of the territory for the past 11 years. Witkoff is expected to meet with Russian officials again soon to try to get Moscow on board the ceasefire plan. But some Russians are losing hope they once had that Trump could end the war, NYT’s Anton Troianovski reports. He cites “people in the Kremlin’s orbit” as fed up with both Trump’s lack of progress and “President Vladimir V. Putin’s apparent inflexibility.”
| | | 5. ED MARTIN’S LEGAL REVOLUTION: The acting U.S. attorney for D.C. filed a motion earlier this month that could lay the groundwork for the Justice Department to try to reverse Peter Navarro’s criminal conviction for contempt of Congress,WaPo’s Spencer Hsu reports. Reminiscent of the Justice Department’s decision to drop the investigation of NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Martin (who’s advocated for Navarro) has gotten an appeals court to postpone oral arguments while DOJ reconsiders Navarro’s claims of immunity from executive privilege. The decision would ultimately be up to AG Pam Bondi, but if the government changes course, “the appeals court might need to appoint an attorney to argue in support of Navarro’s conviction.” 6. WHAT THE E-RING IS READING: Recently fired top Pentagon officials Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll and Darin Selnick pushed back sharply last night over their “unconscionable” terminations. In a joint statement, they said they “still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for” after being fired as a result of leak investigations. “Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks,” they said. The latest turmoil “add[s] to a tumultuous week for the Pentagon” under Hegseth, POLITICO’s Jack Detsch and Paul McLeary write. “The lack of public support for their former boss is notable.” New this morning: Hegseth is starting to build back the thinned-out ranks of his top staff. He will tap Col. Ricky Buria as a senior adviser, POLITICO’s Daniel Lippman and Jack scooped for Pros. Currently a junior military assistant to the secretary, the active-duty Marine will retire from the military for the new position. 7. BORDER SONG: “This Canadian Mayor Once Revered Trump. Not Anymore,” by POLITICO Magazine’s Calder McHugh in Niagara Falls, Ontario: “[Jim] Diodati’s new posture toward the U.S. president is evident on the mantelpiece in his office, where Diodati has prominently displayed two hats: ‘CANADA IS NOT FOR SALE’ and a ‘51’ with a line through it. … Ahead of Canada’s April 28 elections, the nation’s relationship with the United States has become the defining issue of the campaign. The financial implications of the looming trade war are huge and destabilizing for the national economy, but so too are the much harder to quantify emotional costs of estrangement.” 8. WAR REPORT: “Yemen’s Houthi rebels report US strikes in the capital and a coastal city,” by AP’s Samy Magdy: “The Houthis’ media office said 13 U.S. airstrikes hit an airport and a port in Hodeida, on the Red Sea. The office also reported U.S strikes in the capital, Sanaa. There were no immediate reports of casualties. … United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday said he was ‘gravely concerned’ about the [Thursday] attack on Ras Isa, as well as the Houthis missile and drone attacks on Israel and the shipping routes.” 9. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “With Trump back in power, World Bank walks a tightrope on climate work,” by POLITICO’s Sara Schonhardt and Zack Colman: “The World Bank has softened its once-vocal cheerleading for climate action as the Trump administration evaluates its support for international organizations and works to cut funding for climate programs. As head of the largest public development financier, World Bank President Ajay Banga has been emphasizing jobs and Republican-friendly energy sources like nuclear power and natural gas. … [T]he bank is downplaying its messaging of climate work out of self-preservation even as its underlying climate policy has not changed.”
| | | | Cut through policy complexity and turn intelligence into action with POLITICO’s Policy Intelligence Assistant—a new suite of tools designed to save you time and demonstrate your impact more easily than ever—available only to Pro subscribers. Save hours, uncover critical insights instantly, and stay ahead of the next big shift. Power your strategy today—learn more. | | | | | | | TALK OF THE TOWN | | JD Vance met with Pope Francis at the Vatican this morning, swapping Easter greetings and getting chocolate Easter eggs for the Vance kids. TRANSITION — Abby McHan is now deputy to the associate director for legislative affairs at OMB. She previously was policy director for the Republican Study Committee. BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): PAHO/WHO Federal Credit Union’s Michael Ray HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin … Brett McGurk … NBC’s Carol Lee … WSJ’s Molly Ball … POLITICO’s David Siders, Shar Uddin and Jose Ramirez … Evan Smith … Colin Reed of South & Hill Strategies … Michigan AG Dana Nessel … Lee Moak … Floodlight’s Emily Holden … Kyle Feldscher … Emily Rodriguez … Lee Ferran … Josh Delaney … Tess Whittlesey of Sen. Alex Padilla’s (D-Calif.) office … Lyft’s Heather Foster … Sarah Ferris … Marc Rotenberg of the Center for AI and Digital Policy … Conner Swanson … Ashley Woolheater … Ethan Susseles … Eric Bovim … Penta’s Melissa Manson … Patrick Collins … former Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) … Mary Springer … former Reps. Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.) (94) and Cindy Axne (D-Iowa) (6-0) … Lindsey Mask … Zachary Baum … Rational 360’s Jay Hauck … Leon Harris … Denise Gitsham Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us at 202-556-3307. Playbook couldn’t happen without our deputy editor Zack Stanton and Playbook Daily Briefing producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
| | | | A message from PhRMA: Insurers own PBMs, pharmacies – even doctors' offices. As a result, a few big health care companies decide what medicines you can get and what you pay at the pharmacy counter. Middlemen are taking more control of your health care, driving up costs and making it harder to get the care you need. When middlemen own it all, you lose. It's time to protect patients and rein in the middlemen. See how. | | | | | | | | Follow us on X | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | |
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