| | | |  | | By Adam Wren | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine and Ali Bianco On today’s Playbook Podcast: Adam and Dasha talk shutdown politics, what’s driving Donald Trump’s new focus on Portland and preview today’s White House meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu.
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| Good morning, and happy Monday. This is Adam Wren. Get in touch. TOP TALKER: Senate Democrats aren’t the only ones planning to ride out a portion of a potential shutdown in the lap of luxury. On Saturday, Playbook told you about a “Napa Retreat” the DSCC had planned for Oct. 13-14, which drew outrage from some Democrats. Today, we have something from the other side of the aisle: On Oct. 3-5, the NRSC will be huddling at the five-star Sea Island Resort in Georgia for its fall meeting. Amid tony surroundings — and as federal jobs and crucial government services hang in the balance — they’ll participate in golf, pickleball, fishing and shooting, according to an invitation obtained by Playbook. An NRSC spokesperson declined to comment when asked whether the event would still happen during a shutdown. In today’s Playbook … — Portland braces for Trump’s ire. — Congressional leaders head to the White House to meet with Trump and discuss a possible shutdown off-ramp. — Netanyahu has a one-on-one with Trump.
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Oregon AG Dan Rayfield is pushing back against President Donald Trump's “normalization” of the use of military forces in the U.S. | Jenny Kane/AP Photo | THE CRACKDOWN: First came Los Angeles. Then, Washington, D.C. Now, President Donald Trump’s ongoing federal crackdown on big cities comes to Portland, Oregon. Trump announced on Saturday that he was ordering the Defense Department to send troops to Portland and use “full force” in response to demonstrations outside of ICE’s field office in South Portland since early June — and which, he said, were interfering with immigration enforcement. Yesterday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered some 200 members of the 6,500-strong Oregon National Guard to be called into federal service for the next 60 days. Now, Oregon and its largest city, Portland, have filed suit in federal court to block the deployment, alleging that the administration’s “provocative and arbitrary actions threaten to undermine public safety by inciting a public outcry.” Feeling déjà vu? “The lawsuit closely tracks a similar suit filed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom in June, when Trump deployed the Guard and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles against the wishes of state and local officials,” POLITICO’s senior legal affairs reporters Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney write. “Though Newsom won a quick restraining order, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the lower court’s decision, effectively allowing the deployment.” One key question: Will this suit play out any differently than California’s? “That's why we’re filing the lawsuit, right?” Oregon AG Dan Rayfield told Playbook late Sunday when we posed that question to him. He casts this as a line-in-the-sand moment for the nation. “I think part of what we’re seeing in America right now is a normalization about using the U.S. military in ways that we just haven’t used them before — in ways that we believe to be unlawful,” Rayfield told Playbook. “This, for us, truly is something [on which] you can't stay quiet.” Pressed further, Rayfield argued that the conditions on the ground do not merit the deployment of military force. “This is not an invasion,” he said. “This is not a rebellion, and there are no facts at all that indicate that there’s an inability to execute the laws of the United States.” The White House, of course, sees this situation differently. They pointed Playbook to a litany of examples justifying the deployment, citing what they said were “antifa militants” rolling a guillotine in front of an ICE facility earlier this month, as well as video of one area resident who confronted demonstrators for disturbing the peace in the neighborhood back in June. The view from 1600 Penn: “President Trump is using his lawful authority to direct the National Guard to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following months of violent riots where officers have been assaulted and doxxed by left-wing rioters,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Playbook. “The president’s lawful actions will make Portland safer.”
| | | | A message from PhRMA: America's biopharmaceutical companies are expanding U.S. manufacturing, advancing research and adding high-skilled American jobs. Learn how PhRMA member companies are supporting patients, workers and communities around the country. | | | | The legality of the operation is but one facet of the situation. There’s the lived reality on the ground in Portland, where “no one knows what happens next,” POLITICO’s states news reporter Natalie Fertig — herself a former resident of the Rose City — told us. “While the city awaits National Guard troops and the outcome of their lawsuit, both of which could take a few days, Portlanders and city officials — including Gov. Tina Kotek and Mayor Keith Wilson — turned out in the hundreds to voice their displeasure at a series of protests and marches on Saturday and Sunday. Lawmakers are continuing to caution Portlanders to deescalate.” Wilson will hold a press conference today at 6 p.m. Eastern with other mayors from the region, per a city official. But it’s unclear whether deescalation attempts will succeed, given that the administration’s actions are provocative by design. “Trump’s statements invigorated what had been months of relatively low-key demonstrations by a small group of people opposed to the president’s immigration raids,” The Oregonian’s Noelle Crombie reports. From the White House’s POV, the confrontation is the point. “In some ways, Portland is an obvious exemplar of what Mr. Trump argues is wrong with liberalism in the United States,” NYT’s Anna Griffin reports, citing the city’s “long history of political protest, a large and active L.G.T.B.Q. community and a legislative penchant for tweaking the federal government in the name of home rule.” It has the makings of a “heads, I win; tails, you lose” situation for the Trump administration. If they send in troops and it spurs more demonstrations or if protests turn violent, it will likely be used to justify further escalation and militarization. On the other hand, if they send in troops and things continue to be relatively peaceful outside the ICE facility, it’ll likely be spun as evidence of the efficacy of Trump’s approach. That sort of provocation isn’t limited to Oregon. Yesterday in Chicago, “dozens of armed federal immigration agents” patrolled the downtown area in a “show of force,” the Chicago Tribune’s Adriana Pérez and Cam’ron Hardy report. Zooming out: The suit and underlying deployment of troops represents another test of Trump’s maximalist use of power to achieve his domestic policy aims — and of the guardrails that exist to constrain that power.
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PhRMA members have committed hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S., supporting patients, workers and communities around the country. Learn more. | | | | SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: At the end of the day tomorrow, when the calendar turns to Oct. 1, government funding will lapse and a federal shutdown will begin — unless, of course, a stopgap spending measure is agreed upon. At 3 p.m. today, Trump will meet with the top four congressional leaders to discuss the possibility of exactly that. Don’t hold your breath. What to expect: “The meeting could provide a path for a last-minute U-turn away from a shutdown, or — more likely — it could all be a mirage that sends Washington careening over the funding cliff,” POLITICO’s Jordain Carney, Nick Wu and Meredith Lee Hill write this morning. The dividing lines remain clear: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are expected to press for an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of 2025. Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are expected to not budge, even as open enrollment is set to begin on Nov. 1. (NBC’s Kristen Welker asked Thune about that on “Meet the Press” yesterday.) But but but: Our colleagues at POLITICO’s Inside Congress newsletter have a must-read this morning on “new signs of coordination on a potential health deal” among Republicans. The state of play: “A group of Senate Republicans is working on a proposal for later this year that would pair an extension of the subsidies with conservative policy changes,” per Inside Congress. “Members of the contingent are talking with White House officials and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz to make sure any blueprint would be in alignment between lawmakers and the White House.” Retribution Tour 2025: Republicans warn that “Trump will make a shutdown politically painful, given his latitude over what agencies and programs stay open,” our colleagues write. “I’d be much more worried if I was a blue state,” Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) said. (Along those lines, a source close to Trump told CBS’ Robert Costa that “the president privately welcomes the prospect of a shutdown because it will enable him to wield executive power to slash some government programs and salaries.”) Even so: Three Trump officials tell Inside Congress that the administration hasn’t yet finalized closure plans for agencies. As one put it: “I think it all hinges on [Monday’s] meeting.” Buckle in. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Ad it up: If you’re curious how this is all likely to be wielded on the campaign trail, look no further than Virginia, where a new $250,000 ad buy from Affordable Virginia hits GOP Rep. Jen Kiggans with a one-two punch of shutdown politics (always salient in the federal worker-heavy commonwealth) and rising health care costs. “Republicans in Congress are holding our wallets hostage,” a narrator says. “And they're threatening to shut down the government unless they get their way.” Watch the 30-second spot
| | | | Join us for a POLITICO Policy Outlook: Cybersecurity: incisive conversations on how the U.S. and its allies can counteract looming security risks without hampering the pace of technological innovation. Don't miss Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kemba Walden, former acting National Cyber Director and more. Register Now. | | | | | MIDDLE EAST LATEST THE ART OF THE DEAL: The congressional leader summit isn’t the only headline-making meeting at 1600 Penn today. At 11 a.m., Trump will welcome Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House (his fourth visit since January), with a bilateral discussion and lunch to follow, culminating in a must-watch press conference at 1:15 p.m. On the agenda: the Trump administration’s sweeping, 21-point peace proposal. Among its planks: an immediate end to military operations in Gaza, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of all hostages in Hamas custody, no Israeli annexation of the West Bank and an international trusteeship for Gaza, with an Arab and Muslim international security force. Trump’s goal: The president will “try to close the gap with a Netanyahu who Trump believes is losing his grip on power, according to two senior administration officials granted anonymity to discuss the meeting,” POLITICO’s Eli Stokols, Dasha Burns and Felicia Schwartz report this morning. Said one of the officials: “Bibi is on his own island. Not just from us, from his own government.” Netanyahu’s goal: Placate Trump without alienating his own domestic support. That could prove a tough needle to thread. Netanyahu was complimentary of the intricate 21-point plan floated by the administration yesterday. “I hope … we can make it a go,” he told Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich. And on Sunday afternoon, the PM met again with special envoy Steve Witkoff and signaled an openness to the proposal, per ABC’s Jordana Miller. Even so, the proposal could be a tough pill to swallow, because “what’s on offer is politically problematic for Netanyahu,” CNN’s Tal Shalev writes. “His far-right allies, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, oppose any negotiation with Hamas and are pushing for permanent occupation of Gaza, and their threats to topple the government if the war ends prematurely have shackled Netanyahu’s strategic decision-making.” But the political calculus has shifted here, too. “Public polling makes clear that generational change is coming that is set to reshape U.S. policy toward Israel in fundamental ways,” POLITICO’s Felicia Schwartz writes in a sweeping analysis piece. “On both the left and the right, young Americans are growing more skeptical of offering unconditional U.S. support to Israel, particularly as the death toll in Gaza rises and the possibility of Palestinian statehood dims. At the same time, younger Israelis are veering hard to the right, becoming more nationalist and religious and less sympathetic to the Palestinians, a shift that will create more tension in the U.S.-Israel relationship in the years to come. A collision looks unavoidable.”
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America's biopharmaceutical industry is driving economic growth across America. See how. | | | | BEST OF THE REST FOR YOUR RADAR: In an interview last night with NBC, Trump said he “would think” the Justice Department is investigating former FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom Trump accused of “inappropriate” behavior, NBC’s Yamiche Alcindor and Alexandra Marquez report. What Trump said: “‘I would imagine. I would certainly imagine. I would think they are doing that,’ Trump said in a phone call when he was asked whether the Justice Department should investigate Wray. … ‘I think it’s very inappropriate what he, what he did. And I think a lot of his service was very inappropriate.’” SCORE ONE FOR THE HATERS: New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced yesterday that he is ending his bid for reelection — the latest drop in a stunning nosedive for a man whose 2021 election led some pundits to look to him as a potential national leader for the Democratic Party. Who now?: “Rather than throw his support behind one of the remaining candidates, the incumbent took a veiled shot at Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist who won the Democratic primary in June,” POLITICO’s Joe Anuta and Jeff Coltin report. “‘Beware of those who claim the answer is to destroy the very system we built together over generations,’ the mayor said.” The fallout: Though Trump has long desired to winnow down the mayoral field, “the incumbent’s exodus is unlikely to cause any major ripples” in the race, Joe and Jeff write. Adams “has been polling below 10 percent, meaning he does not have many votes to be divvied up among the remaining candidates.” Related read: “Swaggering, Scandalous, Strange: There Will Never Be Another Eric Adams,” by NYT’s Matt Flegenheimer PAINT THE TOWN RED: Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed into law a new congressional map widely expected to net the GOP another U.S. House seat by ousting Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. The map faces multiple legal challenges, the Kansas City Beacon’s Ceilidh Kern reports, and a political one, too: If organizers with a group called “People NOT Politicians” are able to collect 110,000 signatures by December, “the new map will not be able to go into effect until it is passed by a majority of voters statewide.” EPSTEIN LATEST: Supreme Court justices will gather today for a private conference to decide (among many other cases on the agenda) whether or not to review Ghislaine Maxwell’s challenge to her sex trafficking convictions. SCOTUSblog’s Kelsey Dallas has a useful walkthrough of the procedure. TUNE IN TOMORROW: POLITICO is hosting its Policy Outlook Transportation event at Union Station. On the agenda: the future of American road transportation and the latest on electric vehicle infrastructure under the Trump administration. The event will feature live interviews with Deputy Transportation Secretary Steven Bradbury, Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Genevieve Cullen of the Electric Drive Transportation Association, and more. Click here to register to attend and watch the livestream
| | | | Introducing Global Security: POLITICO’s weekly briefing on the policies and industrial shifts driving transatlantic defense. We track how decisions in Washington, Brussels and beyond ripple across borders — shaping the future of security and industry. Sign up today for the free preview version. | | | | | | | TALK OF THE TOWN | | OUT AND ABOUT — Ned’s Club hosted a wrap party to celebrate the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference week on the Club’s D.C. rooftop last night. SPOTTED: Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.) and Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), Reggie Love, Keenan Austin Reed, Michael White, DaShawn Simon, Matthew Featherstone, Michael Reed, Nathan Weiss, Maya Valentine, Nicole Venable, Demetria Lucas, Andrew Morris, Matthew Spikes, Cameron Trimble, Tasha Cole, Yebbie Watkins, Joiwind Ronen, Symone Sanders Townsend, Brandy Jackson, Kendrick Meek, Todd Valentine, Vincent Evans and Charmion Kinder. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Sandra Torres has founded the PR and media consulting firm Contigo. She previously worked at Advoq. — Monique Patrick will be chief finance and strategy officer at Community Catalyst. She most recently worked at the CDC Foundation. TRANSITIONS — The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition is adding Richard Parker as senior policy adviser and Michele Sumilas as national engagement director. Parker previously worked at Food for the Hungry. Sumilas previously worked at Bread for the World. … Marisol Samayoa is now senior director for broadcast and emerging media at Bully Pulpit International. She previously worked for Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and is a Mark Kelly and Pete Buttigieg presidential campaign alum. WEDDING WEEKEND — Alex Stepahin, legislative director for Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), and Jack Rosemond, special assistant to the president for legislative affairs, got married Saturday in Ocracoke, North Carolina. Patrick McHenry officiated. SPOTTED: Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), James Min, Jeff Freeland, Jordan Cox, Drew Nirenberg, Chris Bien, Katherine Sears, Kate Lair, Dominique and Chad Yelinski, Jessica and Colin McCune, Noelle and Preston Howey, Hailee Hampton, Will and Cally Barry, Clara Cargile, George Pulizzi and Charlotte Law. BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Calley Means of the White House HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Salena Zito … Robbie Kaplan … Larry Burton of Sen. Dan Sullivan’s (R-Alaska) office … David Nather … former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson … Stephen Parker … POLITICO’s Ryan Hutchins and Jade-Snow Joachim … Marissa Martinez … Bloomberg Government’s Oma Seddiq … Riley Swinehart … Finn Partners’ Scott Widmeyer and Jessica Ross … Will Saletan … Ryann DuRant of Citigroup … Anton Vuljaj … Shawn Pasternak of S-3 Group … Brian Shankman … Kevin Pérez-Allen of Signal Group … Elvir Klempic … Aviva Rosenthal of the Smithsonian … Paul Bock … former Rep. Max Sandlin (D-Texas) … Lisa Osborne Ross … former Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) … Marisa Salemme of the Senate Finance Dems … CBS’ Tory Coughlan … Kelly Ward Burton … Melissa DeRosa … Precision’s Laura Gaffey 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 PhRMA: America's biopharmaceutical companies have committed to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S., expanding manufacturing, advancing research and adding high-skilled American jobs across the country. Today, there are 1,574 biopharmaceutical facilities across the country that are manufacturing innovative treatments. The industry directly employs more than one million workers and supports an additional 3.8 million U.S. jobs. See how PhRMA members are supporting patients, workers and communities across America. | | | | | | | | 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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