| | | |  | | By Jack Blanchard with Dasha Burns | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun and Bethany Irvine
| | | Good Monday morning. This is Jack Blanchard, sun-cooked and happy after a glorious May weekend. Memorial Day is one week away, and summer is all but here. THE REVOLUTION CONTINUES: Your author is thrilled this morning to announce the next steps in our ongoing overhaul of the Playbook operation, as we build a team fit to conquer this and every morning in D.C. politics. Playbook stalwarts Zack Stanton and Garrett Ross have secured richly deserved promotions to senior roles after years of service to this newsletter. Zack becomes Playbook’s supervising editor, deploying his razor-sharp editing skills and wise news judgment to even greater effect, while Garrett becomes deputy editor in a new leadership role. And POLITICO rising star Ali Bianco joins our team as Playbook reporter, working alongside our intrepid Eli Okun and Bethany Irvine. Many congrats to all. WHAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT: The statement from Joe Biden’s office dropped like a bombshell at 3:56 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. Having been seen by medical professionals earlier last week “for a new finding of a prostate nodule,” the 82-year-old former president was diagnosed on Friday with Stage 4 prostate cancer, with metastasis to the bone. This is, his office acknowledged, “an aggressive form of the disease” — it has a Gleason score of 9 on a 10-point scale — and Biden and his family are now “reviewing treatment options.” In short, it’s terrible news. An outpouring of support: As you’d expect, the tributes from his former White House colleagues flooded in. “Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family,” wrote Barack Obama. “Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life,” wrote Kamala Harris. Supporters shared the moving TV moment in 2017 when Biden consoled Meghan McCain about her father John’s own cancer diagnosis. Support came from across the political divide: “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis,” wrote President Donald Trump, on Truth Social. “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.” And far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote: “I’m sorry to see this news. Cancer is truly awful. My Dad passed away in 2021 with cancer. Prays for Joe Biden and his family.” And in years gone by, that would have been it. A bipartisan show of support for a former president of the United States upon their diagnosis with what would appear to be incurable cancer. But this is 2025. So, no, it didn’t go like that. MAGA-adjacent social media is lit this morning with accusations that this announcement is suspicious, on two grounds. And you can hardly ignore just the noise, given all we’ve learned this past week. First is the extraordinary timing, coming with Biden at the center of a firestorm of accusations that he was losing his mental faculties while in office and that his closest aides covered it up. The book helping shape those allegations, “Original Sin” by Alex Thompson and Jake Tapper, is literally out tomorrow. The conversation around those claims will inevitably feel different now. Just check out this quote from David Axelrod, the former Obama aide and frequent Biden critic, who told CNN any discussion about the former president’s mental acuity “should be more muted and set aside for now as he’s struggling through this.” You can imagine how that’s going down on the right. Second, and more significantly, there are accusations spreading like wildfire — including from Trump’s son, Don Jr. — that aspects of this tragic diagnosis stretch back further than last week, and that Biden’s cancer was kept quiet while he was in office. Certainly, plenty of doctors say it would be unusual — though far from impossible — for prostate cancer this serious to suddenly emerge out of the blue. Far-right activist Laura Loomer’s claims from back in July 2024 that Biden had a terminal illness are now being reamplified by his critics. Pro-MAGA X users are also reupping Biden’s statement to camera in 2022, when he bluntly said he had cancer, which aides insisted at the time was a misunderstanding. None of which proves anything. Publicly available facts are sparse, and plenty of people are outraged this is even being discussed at such a sensitive time. But it does matter. Given the already intense scrutiny of Biden’s mental and physical state — and that he insisted he was in good health while trying to secure another four-year term as president with his party’s fulsome support — these accusations are not going away quietly. In today’s Playbook … — Trump preps for Putin call … by shouting some more at Bruce Springsteen. — GOP megabill squeaks through another key vote, setting up a Wednesday showdown. — But the markets aren’t impressed, with bond yields rocketing higher.
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | 
Russian President Vladimir Putin believes he has a “strong hand” as he prepares to talk by phone with President Donald Trump today. | Evan Vucci/AP Photo | UKRAINE ON THE BRAIN: Trump will hold showdown talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and — separately — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this morning as he tries, again, to bring the Ukraine war to a close. The U.S. president will speak with Putin at 10 a.m. and Zelenskyy shortly after, having expressed optimism on Saturday that this could at last be the moment to agree a ceasefire and end the war. It follows last week’s circus in Turkey, which saw Putin fail to turn up to his own peace negotiations, deploying only a junior team in his stead. What’s on Trump’s mind: Posted on Truth Social at 1:34 a.m. this morning by the president of the United States, a few hours ahead of his call with Putin: “HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT? WHY DID HE ACCEPT THAT MONEY IF HE IS SUCH A FAN OF HERS? ISN’T THAT A MAJOR AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION? WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? …AND HOW MUCH WENT TO OPRAH, AND BONO??? I am going to call for a major investigation into this matter” [Edited by Playbook for length] What’s on Putin’s mind: More helpfully, Bloomberg has published another of its mysterious, no-byline articles which cites a “person familiar with the Russian president’s thinking” ahead of the call. It reports Putin believes he has a “strong hand” in these talks and little incentive to offer meaningful concessions, given he’s “confident that his forces can break through Ukraine’s defenses by the end of the year.” So the million-ruble question remains: How will Trump react if there’s no real progress (again) today? There are concerns inside Europe he’ll either try to force through a disastrous deal from Ukraine’s perspective, or just abandon the whole peace idea — plus U.S. support on the battlefield — altogether. But nobody knows for sure. It’s also true there have also been signs of growing frustration from both Trump and his wider team at the stalling tactics from the Kremlin, and the lack of engagement with Trump’s desire for peace. This past weekend saw one of the biggest barrages of Russian drone attacks against Kyiv so far. (So much for “Vladimir, STOP!”) And Trump’s pal Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has teed up a hard-hitting package of Russian sanctions that could hit Congress as soon as this week, should the proposal for peace fall apart. Ahead of today’s calls, European leaders have been working overtime to get the message into Trump’s head that new sanctions on Putin are exactly what’s needed, coupled with support for Ukraine. Trump spoke with his golfing buddy Alexander Stubb — the president of Finland and an arch-Putin critic — on Saturday, and then the leaders of Britain, France and Germany in a conference call Sunday afternoon (h/t the FT). So is the U.S. president listening? “President Trump is starting to be impatient,” Stubb said afterward (per the Guardian), “but in the right direction, that is, towards Russia.” We shall see. This all follows last week’s surreal spectacle of a grand diplomatic dance performed entirely for an Audience of One. Zelenskyy’s role is now that of the obedient peacemaker, trying to convince Trump he’s not the problem. Western leaders are busily trying to get Trump to conclude that it’s Putin taking him for a ride. And Putin is trying to show just enough interest in these peace talks to keep Trump onside, without making the slightest concession. Every side appears to be playing its part to appeal to just one man.
| | | | A message from the Alzheimer's Association: Congress Can Connect Americans to Alzheimer's Solutions: This is the most hopeful time in the history of Alzheimer's. Breakthrough research — made possible by bipartisan support in Congress — has led to the first FDA-approved treatments, earlier detection, improved diagnosis, and better support for caregivers. With over 7 million Americans living with this fatal disease, and their nearly 12 million caregivers, Congress must accelerate, not stop, progress. Congress, it's up to you. | | | | Also playing a new role … VP JD Vance, who was all smiles with Zelenskyy yesterday when he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met the Ukrainian leader in Rome. It was all a far cry from their last get-together — the Oval Office showdown in February which left the whole world agog. Who knows? It may even be a further sign Vance has softened a little on Europe as the year has rolled on. Waiting for white smoke: Keep an eye on Trump’s Truth Social feed — plus the Russian news wires — for the first readouts on how today’s calls actually went. Trump has a White House Rose Garden press event with first lady Melania at 3 p.m., and will hopefully answer questions directly at that stage. He’s also speaking at a Kennedy Center event tonight. … And speaking of white smoke: Vance and Rubio had an audience with Pope Leo XIV this morning, a day after the pope met Zelenskyy.
| | | | A message from the Alzheimer's Association: False claims are spreading — including the dangerous myth that the NIH has focused Alzheimer's research only on one target called beta Amyloid. Publicly verifiable facts prove this is untrue. Let's move past the confusion, and continue strong bipartisan support for life-saving research. | | | | MEANWHILE ON THE HILL BACK ON TRACK: The Republicans’ tax-and-spend megabill made it through the House Budget Committee last night — at the second attempt — and now moves to its penultimate House stage … a Rules panel hearing on Wednesday morning scheduled for *checks watch* 1 a.m. (Fear not! Playbook will stay up to watch so you don’t have to. Our Inside Congress colleagues will also keep you apprised of all the latest.) Plenty still to do: Speaker Mike Johnson is then aiming for a showdown floor vote on Thursday, he told reporters, giving him every chance to meet his self-imposed Memorial Day deadline for the bill. But the negotiations among the competing camps within the razor-thin GOP majority are far from over. Johnson will meet this evening with the Main Street Caucus, including moderates worried about cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, POLITICO’s Jennifer Scholtes and Meredith Lee Hill report. He may sit down with other factions too, per Punchbowl. How the hard-liners were won: In the end, the four fiscal conservatives who tanked the first House Budget vote on Friday switched their votes to “present” last night, allowing the bill to move forward, after haggling with GOP leaders all weekend. Though the agreed concessions have not yet been made public — Johnson called them “minor modifications” — holdout Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) indicated they included a quicker timeline for new Medicaid work requirements and the further slashing of clean-energy tax credits. But but but: The delicate GOP dance will continue all week, given every concession to a hard-liner could repel a moderate, and vice versa. Roy emphasized that “the bill does not yet meet the moment,” and doesn’t (yet) sound like he’ll vote yes on the floor. The Freedom Caucus sounded the same note, saying the “present” votes were designed “to signal the need for further negotiations.” Separate talks over the state and local tax deduction (SALT) have also yet to be resolved, though the latest draft includes an increased $40,000 cap. Reminder: If and when the bill ever gets to the Senate, there are further — and likely significant — changes coming. The big question: Such are the GOP divisions over issues like cutting Medicaid, plenty of members may ultimately look to the White House for a final play call. “In the end, the president is gonna have to weigh in on where he stands on Medicaid,” one person involved in negotiations tells our colleagues. Where the president stands: Happy! For now, at least: “CONGRATULATIONS REPUBLICANS!!!” Trump posted, following the vote. His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has a White House press briefing at 9 a.m.
| | | | Did you know Playbook goes beyond the newsletter—with powerhouse new co-hosts at the mic? Tune in to The Playbook Podcast every weekday for exclusive intel and sharp analysis on Trump’s Washington, straight from Jack Blanchard and Dasha Burns. Start listening now. | | | | | THE ECONOMY, STUPID MARKET WATCH: U.S. futures down … Treasury yields soaring up … The dollar down … Gold up … It was a familiar tale on the markets last night following Moody’s shock downgrading of the U.S. credit rating on Friday, per Bloomberg. Don’t be surprised if the S&P 500 follows suit this morning. Reminder: Moody’s warned that leaders of both parties have allowed the debt to expand for decades — and that the Republicans’ megabill would grow it further, by trillions of dollars. “The downgrade risks reinforcing Wall Street’s growing worries over the US sovereign bond market,” Bloomberg notes. Not feeling moody: Trump administration officials remain bullish, however, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissive of Moody’s on yesterday’s “Meet the Press.” He heads to a meeting with his G7 counterparts in Canada tomorrow with a focus on rectifying trade imbalances, per Reuters’ David Lawder. For your radar: The well-connected Maria Bartiromo said on Fox News yesterday that the next big trade deal(s) will be coming this week. And Bessent said on CNN that beyond 18 key trading partners, the U.S. may end up striking “regional deals” to cover much of the rest of the world — a tacit acknowledgment that Peter Navarro’s “90 deals in 90 days” was never realistic. But but but: Some countries are now pondering whether China’s approach — act tough to gain leverage, then strike a deal — is actually a better model for dealing with Trump, Bloomberg’s Katia Dmitrieva reports. The U.S. retreat from all-out-trade-war with Beijing “surprised governments from Seoul to Brussels that have so far stuck with the US’s request to negotiate rather than retaliate.” Japanese officials will be in town this week.
| | | | A message from the Alzheimer's Association:  
The Alzheimer's Association is working with bipartisan lawmakers to make meaningful policy changes. More work remains. | | | | BEST OF THE REST BIG MOMENT IN GAZA: The Israeli Cabinet last night agreed to immediately resume the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza, per Axios’ Barak Ravid. It’s a significant breakthrough, given widespread concern over disease and starvation in the territory as Israel tightens its grip. “In recent days, international pressure increased,” Ravid writes, “particularly from the Trump administration and many European countries.” But Israel is still pressing ahead with the next stage of a massive military incursion, even as ceasefire talks continue in Qatar. CNN has the latest. THE MAGA REVOLUTION: The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments at 9:30 a.m. in a clash over the EPA’s efforts to rescind Biden-era climate grants. The nonprofit Climate United sued the agency and Citibank over the frozen funding; and after a lower court ordered the billions of dollars to start flowing again, the appellate court temporarily refroze the money. It hasn’t ruled on the merits as yet. First in Playbook: The Department of Government Efficiency and its sweeping layoffs may still be going strong, but Elon Musk has taken a significant step back from the forefront of political conversation, POLITICO’s Jessica Piper and Holly Otterbein report. Trump and other top Republicans barely mention him anymore — perhaps a political boon for the GOP, given Musk’s unpopularity. It’s a rapid shift from the richest person in the world’s ubiquity in the early months of Trump’s second term. But “Democrats say they can still use him as a boogeyman.” Read the full story MEDIAWATCH: “Shapiro solicits backers — or buyers — for a built-out Daily Wire,” by Semafor’s Max Tani and Liz Hoffman: “The Daily Wire has entered a moment of transition, having built the young audience and subscription base its cable rivals — led by Fox — covet while apparently trying to bring down spending on a widening array of projects.” Its last round of funding valued the company north of $1 billion.
| | | | Policy moves fast—stay ahead with POLITICO’s Policy Intelligence Assistant. Effortlessly search POLITICO's archive of 1M+ news articles, analysis documents, and legislative text. Track legislation, showcase your impact, and generate custom reports in seconds. Designed for POLITICO Pro subscribers, this tool helps you make faster, smarter decisions. Start exploring now. | | | | | | | TALK OF THE TOWN | | Susie Wiles may be White House chief of staff, but she’s still got her eye on Northeast Florida — specifically decrying a state plan to swap public land. IN MEMORIAM — “Michael Ledeen, a Reagan revolutionary, passes at 83,” by Asia Times’ David Goldman: “After his service in the Reagan administration, Ledeen held the Freedom Chair at the American Enterprise Institute for twenty years, before moving to the Foundation for Defense of Democracy.” SPOTTED: Ivanka Trump touring the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in Philadelphia yesterday afternoon. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Mari Manoogian is now executive director of The Next 50. She previously was Midwest battleground political director on the Harris campaign and is a former Michigan state representative. Full press release — The Economic Security Project is bringing on four new fellows from the Biden administration: Jamie Keene, Anisha Steephen, Vaishant Sharma and Merici Vinton. Keene previously was special assistant to the president for equality and opportunity. Steephen was the first senior policy adviser for racial equity at the Treasury Department. Sharma was director of economic policy at the National Economic Council. Vinton was a senior adviser to the IRS commissioner in the U.S. Digital Service. TRANSITIONS — Mark DeVito is now managing director and head of brand strategy at SKDK. He most recently was chief strategy officer at Yes& Agency. … Ramón Correa is now legislative director for Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.). He previously was oversight director at USDA in the Biden administration and is a Sylvia Garcia alum. WEEKEND WEDDING — Former Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) and Deborah Warren got married Friday night at his house in McLean, in a ceremony officiated by Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.). The couple first met in 1985, when he was mayor of Alexandria and she was hired by the city, and they realized that they’d grown up in neighboring towns. They started dating in 2010. SPOTTED: Rep. Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Megan Beyer, Terry and Dorothy McAuliffe, Tom Davis and Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, Jeff and Vicki Miller, Tom McMillen and Judy Niemyer, Patrick Kennedy, Virginia state Del. Mark Sickles, Brian and Karyn Moran, Terry Lierman, Joe Trippi and Kathy Lash, John Braun, Rich and Suzanne Carroll, Chris Gaspar, Austin Durrer, Kris Brown, Melissa Gatewood, Nadine Slocum, Chris Cushing, Mike Lucier, Paul and Margaret Reagan, Mike McBride, Zach and Nora Cafritz, Manica Noziglia, Heath Bumgardner and Pete Lawson. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) … Yebbie Watkins … Allie Brandenburger … POLITICO’s Marcia Brown, Catherine Chang, Athul Nattamai, Jacob Lewis and Kate Murphy … Brian McKeon … Sydney Simon of Rep. Seth Moulton’s (D-Mass.) office … Ernst & Young’s Bob Schellhas … Cynthia Alksne … Beth Rossman … CBS’ Mary Hager … Mike Reilly of MVAR Media … Poorvie Bishnoi of Monument Advocacy … David Marin of Viatris … John Hlinko … DSCC’s Margaret O’Meara … John Laufer … Heritage’s Cody Sargent … Texas Tribune’s Rebekah Allen … Bill Danvers … Samira Burns … Keith Richburg … former Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.) … Destine Hicks Lundy … Freedom Together Foundation’s Rakim Brooks … Charlie Spiering … Amanda Byrd … Crosby Armstrong … Cliff Madison … Jessica Jennings Hart 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 editors Zack Stanton and Garrett Ross and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
| | | | A message from the Alzheimer's Association: Congress Can Connect Americans to Alzheimer's Research, an Investment in America's Fiscal Health
As the most expensive disease in the nation, untreated Alzheimer's is a major driver of rising federal and state spending, adding to America's long-term debt.
The bipartisan path forward is clear: Sustained NIH investment in Alzheimer's and dementia research. This commitment accelerates innovation, leading to effective treatments, early detection and prevention strategies, and reduced long-term costs for families, Medicare and Medicaid.
Supporting NIH research is not just compassionate policy; it is a smart fiscal strategy with strong bipartisan backing in Congress and overwhelming support among the American public.
Together, let's create a future free from Alzheimer's and all other dementia.
Congress: Invest in research today, ensure a healthier and more fiscally sustainable tomorrow. | | | | | | | | 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 | Canada Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | |
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