| | | |  | | By Jack Blanchard with Dasha Burns | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine and Ali Bianco Good Thursday morning. This is Jack Blanchard. Get in touch. LATEST FROM MINNEAPOLIS: “On Wednesday evening, hundreds prayed, wiped away tears and held each other during a packed vigil at a nearby school’s gym where Gov. Tim Walz and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, along with Catholic clergy, joined the mourners,” AP reports, following yesterday’s mass shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School that killed two children and wounded 14 more kids and three elderly parishioners. How the horror unfolded: “Minneapolis Catholic schoolchildren listened to a prayer, then ducked for cover from gunfire,” via AP’s Jesse Bedayn and Giovanna Dell’orto On the shooter: Also via AP: “23-year-old Robin Westman did not have an extensive known criminal history, acted alone and legally purchased the weapons recently. Federal officials referred to Westman as transgender, and the mayor decried hatred being directed at ‘our transgender community.’ Westman’s gender identity is not clear.” Videos posted online by Westman included the scrawled words “kill Donald Trump,” per the New York Post. And so … the culture wars: Anguished Dems are talking furiously about America's near-unique lack of gun control laws. The MAGA right is talking furiously about the shooting suspect’s apparent gender identity and mental health issues. The atmosphere is highly charged. And Trump himself has yet to weigh in. In today’s Playbook … — Crisis at the CDC as RFK Jr. clears out the top brass. — Gavin Newsom tells POLITICO that Trump will try to stay in office beyond his second term. — Trump’s D.C. crackdown fails to land among American public — and local juries.
| | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | 
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is moving to assert his authority over public health policy. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images | RFK’S BIG DAY: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s shock move last night to force out one of America's most senior public health officials is the most dramatic step so far in his MAHA revolution. But there is much more to come. Get ready. ICYMI: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is in crisis today after its top director was fired and other senior leaders quit en masse following a catastrophic falling out with RFK Jr. over vaccine policy. The White House said last night that Susan Monarez had been fired as head of the CDC only 27 days after being confirmed in her post by the Senate. Her lawyers fought back, accusing RFK Jr. of “weaponizing public health for political gain” and “putting millions of American lives at risk” with “reckless, unscientific directives.” They insist only Trump himself can fire the CDC chief. Also out: Other senior officials including the CDC’s chief medical officer, Debra Houry; Demetre Daskalakis, the CDC’s top respiratory illness and immunization official; and infectious disease expert Daniel Jernigan. Unreal: In a blistering resignation letter, Daskalakis — who came to prominence as Joe Biden’s mpox czar and is a longtime target of the right — said new HHS policies “do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health.” Specifically, he accused Kennedy and his Make America Healthy Again allies of “the intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines” and “favoring natural infection and unproven remedies.” He added: “Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults.” No going back: This looks like a watershed moment in Kennedy’s seven-month tenure at HHS, as the longtime anti-vaccine advocate moves to assert his authority over public health policy. He has already slashed staffing numbers, installed vaccine skeptics in key positions and — yesterday — narrowed the availability of the latest coronavirus vaccines this coming fall. So what’s next?
| | | | A message from Booz Allen: Booz Allen uses the most advanced tech to engineer, build, and deploy what nobody else can. So our nation can stay ahead. It's how we win every time, everywhere. It's in our code. Learn more. | | | | Incoming: The moment that really animated the MAHA movement actually came on Tuesday, midway through Trump’s epic three-hour Cabinet meeting. It went somewhat under the radar, but Kennedy told those present he will be making a major announcement next month on what he says are the real causes behind autism. Brace yourselves: “We're finding interventions, certain interventions now that are clearly, almost certainly causing autism,” Kennedy claimed, “and we're going to be able to address those in September.” Trump responded by citing the rise in autism cases and said: “There has to be something artificially causing this, meaning a drug or something … We’re going to do some things.” The pair are planning a major news conference next month. Reminder: Kennedy launched an inquiry into the causes of autism back in April, and we’ve had no detail from HHS as yet. But as recently as July 2023, Kennedy — then a Democratic candidate for president — told Fox News: “I do believe that autism comes from vaccines.” That may or may not offer a hint of what’s to come. (Another reminder: Any such alleged link has been repeatedly debunked and discredited over the past 25 years.) Back to last night: Multiple outlets confirm vaccine policy was indeed at the heart of Kennedy’s falling-out with Monarez. WaPo’s Lena Sun and colleagues — who bagged the scoop on Monarez’s ouster — describe a dramatic meeting on Monday where Kennedy and his aides grilled the CDC chief “on whether she was aligned with the administration’s efforts to change vaccine policy.” They add: “Kennedy and one of his top advisers, Stefanie Spear, also pushed Monarez to fire her senior staff by the end of this week.” No thanks: Monarez refused, they report, and tried enlisting the help of Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate HELP Committee, who thought he’d secured key commitments from Kennedy to protect vaccines in return for his support during his Senate confirmation. But Cassidy’s involvement only further angered Kennedy, WaPo reports, and Monarez was told “she could either resign or be fired.” Sack race: This triggered the extraordinary standoff that played out yesterday evening, when HHS officials said Monarez had been forced out, only for her lawyers to publish a defiant letter insisting this was untrue and that she would not quit. The White House then issued a statement saying she had been terminated. But early this morning her lawyers pushed back again, insisting only Trump himself can personally fire her. No doubt offering some clarity … will be White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who’s due to brief the press corps at 1 p.m. Trump is signing executive orders at 3 p.m., although as things stand that’s due to be closed to the press. Where do we go from here? Presumably a new CDC chief will be sought who’s more in line with Kennedy’s vaccine skepticism — though they will have to run the gauntlet of the Senate. (Trump’s original pick, the vaccine-skeptic David Weldon, was withdrawn before he even made the confirmation hearing over fears he lacked GOP support.) Cassidy warned last night that “these high profile departures will require oversight by the HELP Committee.” It sounds like yet more blockbuster Senate hearings lie in wait. Footnote: Resistance fans will note that one of Monarez’s lawyers is none other than Abbe Lowell, the same Washington superlawyer representing Fed Governor Lisa Cook (whom Trump said he was firing on Monday), and who has previously represented Hunter Biden. He has become the go-to choice for victims of Trump’s government weaponization, as POLITICO’s Daniel Barnes writes.
| | | | A message from Booz Allen:  
| | | | CALIFORNIA SCREAMIN’
| 
“People actually think this guy’s serious about having another election?” Newsom said, referring to Trump. | Steve Jennings for POLITICO | YOUR ALARM BELLS, THEY SHOULD BE RINGING: Gavin Newsom last night warned Trump is creating “the world’s largest private police force” with his $75 billion expansion of ICE and claimed the president wants to remain in power beyond his second term. In a combative appearance at POLITICO’s first California Policy Summit, the California governor — and potential 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful — urged his party to “fight fire with fire” in the face of what he called Trump’s “authoritarian actions.” Because the threat to American democracy, Newsom said, is now very real. In his own words: “People actually think this guy’s serious about having another election?” Newsom asked. “Wake up. You will lose your country. This is not about Democrats. This is about all of us.” Newsom described a private meeting during which a smirking Trump knowingly showed him a portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt — the only president to have served more than two terms. He added that Trump aides keep sending him “Trump 2028” hats. Not playing games: Newsom used his warnings as justification for the gerrymandering effort now underway in California, which he’s pitched as a temporary response to the GOP’s partisan redistricting of Texas. “These guys are not screwing around,” he said. “We’re not going to play with one hand tied behind our back … They don’t play by the same rules. I am sick and tired of Democrats in this country being on the losing end and our democracy being on the losing end.” ICE ICE, Baby: Newsom was also fiercely critical of the way Trump has used military and law enforcement agencies to pile into cities like Los Angeles and D.C., describing Trump as displaying “not just authoritarian tendencies, but authoritarian actions.” He said he expects to see ICE and other law enforcement agencies sent to polling booths during election time and hinted at Trump using some sort of emergency declaration to jeopardize the democratic process. “I don’t think Donald Trump wants another election,” he said. The context: Newsom has positioned himself as an early potential contender in the 2028 Democratic primary race by defining himself against Trump. His strident opposition to Trump’s military incursion into LA; his redistricting bid and his no-holds-barred approach to social media have all won favor with grassroots Dems crying out for their party to be more pugnacious in their response to Trump’s second term. Last night we saw Newsom leaning in harder than ever to that dynamic. Further reading: POLITICO’s Melanie Mason and Dustin Gardiner have plenty more from last night’s Newsom interview; and you can watch the whole thing back here. The full breakdown: “Padilla’s options, Porter’s brushback, and Newsom’s crusade: 7 takeaways from POLITICO’s California summit”
| | | | Playbook goes beyond the newsletter — with powerhouse co-hosts at the mic. Join Jack Blanchard and Dasha Burns every weekday on The Playbook Podcast for exclusive intel and sharp analysis on Trump’s Washington. Start listening now. | | | | | LAW AND ORDER CAPITAL PUNISHMENT: Newsom’s comments come as debate swirls over how Dems should respond to Trump’s crackdown on Washington, and his threat to replicate the approach in other deep-blue cities nationwide. Trump this week echoed suggestions that Democrats are walking into a “trap” by opposing his clampdown, making themselves look weak on crime. We hear ya! Yesterday, a group of Democratic mayors huddled on a private call to discuss “what they saw as an urgent need for Democrats to define themselves as strong stewards of public safety — before Republicans brand them first ahead of pivotal elections,” NYT’s Katie Glueck reports. And D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser certainly struck a careful balance in a news conference yesterday, agreeing that crime is down and “neighborhoods feel safer” due to the federal presence, NBC’s Rebecca Shabad reports. But but but: Bowser drew a clear distinction between the work federal officers are doing and the presence of immigration enforcement and National Guard troops. “We know having masked ICE agents in the community has not worked,” Bowser said. “And National Guards from other states has not been an efficient use of those resources.” And guess what? The American public appears to be largely panning Trump’s law-and-order blitz. A new Quinnipiac University poll shows 56 percent of registered voters nationally oppose Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Washington. Naturally, opinions diverge sharply along partisan lines. While 93 percent of Democrats and 61 percent of independents oppose Trump’s move, 86 percent of Republicans support the deployment. Also worth flagging: Nationally, 37 percent of voters now approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president, while 55 percent disapprove, according to the Quinnipiac survey. More from POLITICO’s Jacob Wendler Sub-optimal: Strikingly, Washington-based juries also seem unmoved by the crackdown. “Federal prosecutors on Tuesday were unable to persuade a grand jury to approve a felony indictment against a man who threw a sandwich at a federal agent on the streets of Washington this month,” report NYT’s Alan Feuer and colleagues. It’s the second such failure inside a week. This is actually a pretty big deal. NYT notes that it’s “extremely unusual for prosecutors to come out of a grand jury without obtaining an indictment,” as prosecutors control what information jurors hear and the “probable cause” standard is a famously low bar to hurdle. It’s a “sharp rebuke by a panel of ordinary citizens against the prosecutors assigned to bring charges” in Trump’s federalization push, NYT writes. Coming attractions: Administration officials are now eyeing a Navy base north of Chicago as a hub for federal immigration enforcement, WaPo’s Dam Lamothe reports. “Officials at Naval Station Great Lakes on Wednesday acknowledged having received a request from the Department of Homeland Security that seeks ‘limited support’ for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” If permissions are granted, the base would serve as a training center and would provide ICE with “facilities, infrastructure, and other logistical needs.”
| | | | A message from Booz Allen:  
| | | | BEST OF THE REST ON THE ROAD AGAIN: On the heels of last week’s trip to Georgia, VP JD Vance today heads to Wisconsin as the White House continues to talk up Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. He’s also expected to sit down for an interview with Fox News’ Will Cain. IMMIGRATION FILES: Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facility could be emptied by the end of the week following a federal judge’s ruling ordering the site to be dismantled in about two months’ time, WaPo’s Lori Rozsa reports. DHS is moving detainees to other facilities. OVERNIGHT IN KYIV: “Russian Missile and Drone Attack Kills at Least 14 in Kyiv,” by NYT’s Maria Varenikova: “The attack, which [officials] said also injured at least 45, was the largest on Kyiv since President Trump’s summit in Alaska with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia nearly two weeks ago.” WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE: “Denmark’s foreign minister summoned the top U.S. diplomat in the country for talks after the main national broadcaster reported Wednesday that at least three people with connections to President Donald Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland,” per the AP. Though State Department officials confirmed that the deputy chief of mission in Copenhagen, Mark Stroh, met with the Danish officials, it did not comment on “on the actions of private U.S. citizens in Greenland.” THE NEW WAR ON DRUGS? The U.S. is sending eight warships south on an anti-cartel mission, raising suspicions that the Trump administration might take military action against Venezuela, WaPo’s Tara Copp and colleagues report. One defense official noted the ships were taking part in an “‘enhanced counter narcotics operation’ to carry out drug interdiction missions in Latin America.” PLAYING DEFENSE: “Inside Pete Hegseth’s Civilian Purge at West Point,” by Jasper Craven for POLITICO Magazine: “The remaining civilians face restrictions and uncertainty, including what the academy has described as a $10 million budget ‘shortfall’ for civilian pay.” RETRIBUTION ROUNDUP: Ankush Khardori pens his latest Rules of Law column for POLITICO Magazine: “How Seriously Should You Take Trump’s Revenge Tour?”
| | | | Don’t just keep up with policy shifts — set the pace. POLITICO Pro’s Policy Intelligence Assistant combines unmatched reporting with advanced AI to deliver sharper insights, faster answers, and two powerful report builders that turn intelligence into impact. Try it free for 30 days. | | | | | | | TALK OF THE TOWN | | Barack Obama revealed his favorite books of the summer. And yes, “Abundance” is on the list. STATE OF THE UNION — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced the Trump administration was taking over management of Washington’s Union Station, WaPo’s Rachel Weiner reports. Duffy also “announced that the federal government would not move forward with construction of a big, more modern train hall attached to the historic one,” effectively shelving a long-planned $10 billion expansion. TRANSITIONS — Clement Abonyi Jr. is now a senior director at Mindset. He most recently was legislative advocacy director for America’s Credit Unions and is a Maxine Waters alum. … Jessica DeLoach will be deputy director of public and media relations for the Southern Poverty Law Center. She previously was senior comms manager for the Partnership for Public Service. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Alexander W. Titus, the newly promoted chief of staff at the Council of Economic Advisers at the White House, and Daniela Titus, director of donor comms at the American Federation for Children and an R Street alum, welcomed Hailey Marie Titus on Aug. 10. She came in at 8 lbs, 8.5 oz and 21 inches long. Pic BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Matt Kunkel HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) … WSJ’s Ken Thomas … Pat Pelletier … Semafor’s Morgan Chalfant … Mallory Jaspers … Emma Tomaszewski of Rep. Mike Thompson’s (D-Calif.) office … Arlet Abrahamian … American Airlines’ Ben Halle … Lindsay (Gill) Jack … WaPo’s Silvia Foster-Frau and Marty Kady … Janet McUlsky … NBC’s Sarah Carlson Brooke … Gary Shapiro … Jessica Herrera-Flanigan … Ellen Carmichael Gugenberger … Hilary Halpern … former Defense Secretary Bill Cohen … Thomas Winslow … FT’s Rhonda Taylor … Callie Strock … Ann Jablon … Robert Simpson … Sheryl Sandberg … Kyla Cole of Rep. Shomari Figures’ (D-Ala.) office … Emma Weir … POLITICO’s Chinelle Ekanem … Ellen Ratner … William Califf of the Alabama AG’s office … R.C. Hammond … American Conservation Coalition’s Brooke Ogles 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 Zack Stanton, deputy editor Garrett Ross and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
| | | | A message from Booz Allen: From stopping drugs at the border to missile-destroying satellites, Booz Allen tech counters the most dangerous threats. It's in our code. Learn More. | | | | | | | | 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 | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment