| | | |  | | By Jack Blanchard with Dasha Burns | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine and Ali Bianco On today’s Playbook Podcast: Jack and Adam Wren pick through the now-imminent prospect of a government shutdown, the fallout from Trump's Ukraine U-turn and the return of Democratic ghosts of the past.
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| Good Wednesday morning. This is Jack Blanchard. Get in touch. LAST NIGHT’S TV: An unbowed Jimmy Kimmel took aim at President Donald Trump and FCC Chair Brendan Carr last night in a blistering, emotional return to ABC. Kimmel tore into the Trump administration for its “dangerous … anti-American” bid to have him canceled, and heaped praise on the conservative politicians and commentators who spoke up for freedom of speech. “This show is not important,” Kimmel said. “What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.” Kimmel blended humor with invective. “I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours,” he deadpanned, “me or the CEO of Tylenol.” Robert De Niro made an appearance, playing a mafioso-style Carr issuing threats to ABC. And addressing the expected sky-high audience for last night’s show, Kimmel said: “You almost have to feel sorry for [Trump]. He tried his best to cancel me — instead he forced millions of people to watch the show … He might have to release the Epstein files to distract from this.” Kimmel came close to tears as he partially addressed his own comments — about Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer — which sparked the initial backlash from the right. “I want to make something clear,” he said, voice wavering. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.” Later, he hailed the words of forgiveness that Erika, Kirk’s widow, delivered at Sunday’s memorial. “It touched me deeply,” Kimmel said. “If there's anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that. Not this.” Catch-up service: Watch the whole opening monologue Not impressed: Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet, Kirk’s former producer, who said Kimmel should have offered a full apology for wrongly suggesting the suspected killer was a MAGA supporter. “Not good enough,” he wrote on X. Trump, meanwhile, has yet to respond, but took to Truth Social an hour before the show to complain about its return — and to issue further threats against ABC. “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” Trump wrote at 10:35 p.m. “The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now.” And there’s more: Trump threatened to “test ABC out” with a new legal complaint following Kimmel’s return, accusing it of political bias and describing the comedian as “another arm of the DNC.” “Let’s see how we do,” Trump said. “Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative.” In today’s Playbook … — A week to go until a government shutdown … and the headwinds do not bode well. — Why Europe is cautious at Trump’s Ukraine U-turn. — First Kamala Harris, now Hillary Clinton. Are Democrats too focused on the past?
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is in the spotlight as the chances for a shutdown rise. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | ONE WEEK TO GO: The risk of a federal government shutdown a week from now is spiking. Shutdown “drama” has been a tediously circular Washington story since … forever. But Trump’s decision yesterday to cancel funding talks with Democratic leaders on the Hill obliterated one of the last possible off-ramps for either side ahead of the Sept. 30 funding deadline. And there are strong political pressures on both parties to let this play out. Dems have been torn for weeks. They know — as we all do — the received wisdom: that the American public hates shutdowns and tends to blame whichever party failed to back a funding bill. And they know exactly how a shutdown is likely to play out. It’s hard to see Republicans buckling under pressure — meaning at some point, Dems would have to come back to the table, and likely with nothing to show for it. But sometimes in politics, resistance is the point. Think of it this way: Forcing a shutdown is the legislative equivalent of Sen. Cory Booker’s (D-N.J.) record-busting 25-hour filibuster earlier this year: futile, but also guaranteed to secure wall-to-wall media coverage, and to show Dem activists that at least some in the party are willing to use every tool at their disposal to fight back. It’s hardly a secret that elected Democratic politicians — and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in particular — are under intense pressure to offer more muscular opposition to the incursions of Trump 2.0. Schumer took endless flack from within the party — particularly the left-leaning grassroots — for backing GOP spending plans in March. Indeed, as POLITICO’s Lisa Kashinsky reports this morning, Schumer’s “increasing toxicity” within his party is such that opposing his leadership is becoming a “litmus test” in Democratic Senate primaries. “POLITICO surveyed major Democratic candidates across open Senate races and seats the party is aiming to flip,” she writes. “Of the 18 who responded, none endorsed Schumer for leader.”
| | | | A message from Solana Policy Institute: The next generation of U.S. financial infrastructure is open-source and blockchain-based—built by developers creating transparent systems that empower consumer choice. As Congress crafts digital asset legislation, we must preserve historical protections for open-source developers. The future of American financial innovation depends on protecting those building it today. Learn more. | | | | For their part, Republicans see only opportunity. The White House is confident it can use a shutdown to make the Dems look obstructionist, wildly partisan and chaotic. (Naturally, these are all charges Dems would throw straight back at Trump’s GOP.) And as POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill reports, veteran Republicans battle-scarred by past political battles over shutdowns believe their opponents are walking into a trap. Just as significantly, there remains the intriguing question of how Trump — and key allies like budget chief Russ Vought — might use a shutdown to their policymaking advantage. “If the government does shut down, Trump and the White House Office of Management and Budget would have the power to decide which agencies and offices would stay open and which would go offline until the deadlock is resolved,” WaPo’s Jacob Bogage and Riley Beggin report. Who needs DOGE when you have the Dems? These were the exact reasons why Schumer chose to avert a shutdown in March. But the amount of heat he took for that decision is also the exact reason he looks ready to make a different choice this time. Schumer has got his story straight. “The world is totally changed from March,” he said last week, with Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” now law and GOP cuts to Medicaid budgets a reality. Obama-era credits to ACA premiums are due to expire at the end of the year, and Dems have made their extension a totemic issue. While some vulnerable House Republicans are sympathetic, there is no sign of the GOP leadership getting on board. Which means: We have two parties with plenty of reasons to decide a shutdown might just work for them. And as POLITICO’s Jordain Carney reports this morning, at the moment, there is little-to-no working relationship between Schumer and Senate Majority Leader John Thune that could unearth an 11th-hour solution. For more on Schumer and Thune’s “shutdown stalemate,” read POLITICO’s Inside Congress. Of course: Washington being Washington, a last-minute deal is always possible. Enough Democratic senators might yet flinch when they return to D.C. next week. Equally, the Dems are out to make a point to their supporters. The longest-ever shutdown was the 35-day stretch in Trump’s first term. … In the spirit of Booker, could we see that beaten this time?
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| | | | TRUMP VS. THE WORLD UNGA GAMES: Trump is back in the White House this morning after a whirlwind 24 hours in New York City. The president has no public events on his schedule today following yesterday’s action-packed schedule at the U.N. The moment that actually mattered: The bilateral with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where the Ukrainian president finally appeared to win Trump over to his worldview. Trump’s astonishing 280-word Truth Social post shortly after — in which he said Ukraine could win back all the territory Russian President Vladimir Putin has seized — marked the final stage of a seven-month journey for the president. It's been quite a ride. In case you’ve forgotten: Trump came into office vowing to make nice with Putin, and quickly dispatched Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and VP JD Vance to warn Europe that Ukraine must give up occupied lands. The nadir was the public Oval Office blow-up with Zelenskyy at the end of February, which left allies fearing the worst. “You don’t have the cards” to win, Trump told the Ukrainian shortly before he threw him and his entourage out of the White House. Seven months later, Ukraine is apparently in position to get its land back and Zelenskyy is a “brave man” who’s “putting up one hell of a fight.” It all looks like a triumph of diplomacy, with Western leaders having worked tirelessly on this relationship throughout the year. But even Zelenskyy admitted he was “a little bit” surprised by the latest shift, in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier last night. (Playbook would love to hear what Vance and Hegseth make of it all.) The reaction in Europe remains cautious, as diplomats have witnessed too many Trump mood swings to feel assured. “We just have to make sure Trump doesn’t speak to anyone else for the next three years,” one official told Playbook dryly. Another tells my Brussels Playbook colleague Sarah Wheaton that Trump is “always one Putin call away from doing something not great.” Also worth noting: Yesterday’s affirmation of support for Zelenskyy contained no practical commitments from Trump and no suggestion he’s about to push new sanctions on the Russian economy. He also wished “both countries well” and concluded: “Good luck to all!” — which is not normally how you address two nations at war. What everyone is talking about: Causing a far bigger ruckus than simple matters of war and peace is EscalatorGate — the White House-fueled conspiracy theory that supposed Trump-hating U.N. officials forced the president to walk up the stairs before his speech yesterday by sabotaging his escalator. As evidence, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted a Times of London article from last weekend in which anonymous U.N. officials had joked about precisely such an act. Clean-up operation: With the White House raging, the U.N. conducted a swift inquiry and concluded the escalator’s safety override had in fact been tripped by Trump’s own videographer, who’d raced ahead to film the president's arrival. The temporary failure of Trump’s teleprompter during his speech was also laid at the White House's door. But MAGA world is having none of it. Leavitt was out on Fox News last night pressing the case against U.N. “sabotage.”
| | | | Introducing Global Security: POLITICO’s weekly briefing on the policies, regulatory battles and industrial shifts shaping defense and security across continents. We connect what happens in Washington, Brussels and beyond to what gets funded, what gets built and who benefits. Subscribe now to access the free preview edition. | | | | | NEWS FROM THE WILDERNESS YESTERDAY, KAMALA … Today, Hillary Clinton. Another ghost of failed elections past is returning to TV screens this morning as Clinton pops up to talk politics on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” She’s also due to appear at the Clinton Foundation’s annual meeting in New York today, alongside husband Bill and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. (Newsom was on Stephen Colbert’s show last night, issuing more dire warnings about 2028.) Kamala Harris’ recent media blitz, meanwhile, is only adding fuel to the fire for Democrats still licking their wounds after 2024, POLITICO’s Elena Schneider reports this morning. Harris’ new book about her failed campaign, “107 Days,” has proven surprisingly punchy about Democratic colleagues — needling some in the party who are keen to move on. What they’re saying: “At a time when people are looking for a vision and leadership ... and want to see leaders rise to the level of threat facing the country, it's pretty crazy she chose to write a gossip book that prioritizes the pettiness of her politics,” says one adviser to a potential 2028 candidate. “It's embarrassing for her, and for all Democrats, considering she was the leader of the party less than a year ago.” A former Biden and Harris campaign staffer added that if voters “start seeing [Harris] as a sore loser,” that’s “the risk” for her politically. NEW IN TOWN: Former Pima County supervisor Adelita Grijalva won last night’s special election to fill her late father's congressional seat in Arizona, defeating GOP candidate Daniel Butierez, per POLITICO’s Andrew Howard. The widely anticipated win comes after Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) passed away in March; his daughter will now serve out the remainder of his term. Notably, Grijalva’s election also means she “will become the 218th and clinching supporter of a bipartisan effort to force public disclosure of federal investigative files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein,” Andrew writes. She should be sworn in early next month. TRAIL MIX: Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) is weighing a potential Senate bid against Democratic Sen. Ed Markey in 2026, the Boston Globe’s Sam Brodey reports. Several political figures have “approached Moulton about running because they are concerned over Markey’s age,” Brodey writes. (Markey will be 80 next year.) On Wisconsin: Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wisc.) is joining the crowded GOP field in Wisconsin’s gubernatorial election. “Madison politics may smell like the barn, but I know how to clean up the bull,” Tiffany said in a video launching his campaign. His entrance into the race “could center the primary race on national issues,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Lawrence Andrea writes. “Tiffany … spoke with President Donald Trump about the governor's race after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers announced this summer he would not seek reelection. He received a muted response from the president, who could play a decisive role in a GOP primary.”
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| | | | BEST OF THE REST PAGING COREY LEWANDOWSKI: Star podcaster Theo Von laid into DHS last night for posting a social media video celebrating mass deportations featuring a clip of him speaking. “Yooo DHS i didnt approve to be used in this,” Von wrote. “I know you know my address so send a check. And please take this down and please keep me out of your ‘banger’ deportation videos. When it comes to immigration my thoughts and heart are alot more nuanced than this video allows. Bye!” DHS has yet to respond. NERVES IN THE WHITE HOUSE: Trump advisers were less than thrilled with Monday's chaotic autism announcement, where a “frustrated” Trump went way further in his warnings on Tylenol and vaccines than had been planned, POLITICO’s Megan Messerly and colleagues report. Aides “are uneasy with Trump’s willingness to raise women’s alarm when the evidence is mixed about the risk of taking Tylenol, and virtually non-existent with regard to vaccines,” Megan and co. report. But Trump was impatient to take action. And he jumped the gun: “The initial plan was to release a literature review on the state of research into autism causes and treatment options on Sept. 29,” they report. “Tylenol is one of 31 hypotheses. Next, they planned an announcement that working groups would begin new studies. Next year, they expected initial findings from those efforts. … To their frustration, Trump wanted to move forward anyway.” GUILTY: Ryan Routh, the man who attempted to assassinate Trump at his Florida golf course last year, was found guilty of all counts yesterday following two hours of jury deliberation, per the AP. Shortly after the verdict was read, Routh reportedly tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen before officers swarmed him and dragged him out. He will be sentenced on Dec. 18 and faces life in prison. MUSK READ: Hundreds of federal employees who lost their jobs at the General Services Administration under the DOGE purges have until the end of the week to decide whether they want to return to their roles, AP’s Joshua Goodman and Ryan Foley report. According to an internal memo, the GSA has told former employees that those who accept “must report for duty on Oct. 6, after what amounts to a seven-month paid vacation.” LOST AND FOUND: “FBI says it found classified documents in John Bolton’s DC office,” by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney: “A description of the documents gathered in the Aug. 22 search suggested they included materials that referenced weapons of mass destruction, the U.S. mission to the United Nations and records related to the U.S. government’s strategic communications. … The material gathered in the search underscore the potential criminal exposure for Bolton. The federal government has brought prosecutions in the past for those who knowingly retain classified information outside of secure or approved channels.”
| | | | 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 | | D.C. ‘BEAUTIFICATION’ LATEST: A large bronze statue of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands was unveiled on the National Mall yesterday. “The National Park Service issued a permit for the sculpture that allows it to remain on the Mall until 8 p.m. Sunday,” WaPo’s Joe Helm reports. “The purpose for the artwork stated on the permit application is ‘to demonstrate freedom of speech and artistic expression using political imagery.’” OUT AND ABOUT — Robert O’Brien and Alex Gray’s firm, American Global Strategies, hosted a reception Monday night at Le Bernardin on the sidelines of UNGA. SPOTTED: Mike Waltz and Julia Nesheiwat, Larry Kudlow, Morgan Ortagus, Nick Snyder, Brian Cavanaugh, Jimmy Loomis, Anny Vu, Charles Harder, Erin Walsh, James Skinner, Madeleine Westerhout and Katie Price. — Emerge hosted its third annual Level Up Event during Congressional Black Caucus week at The Observatory at America's Square last night, celebrating the leadership of Black women. A special toast was given to A’shanti Gholar, the first Black leader of Emerge, to celebrate her five-year anniversary as president and CEO. SPOTTED: Jalisa Washington-Price, Amanda Edwards, Jheanelle Wilkins, Phylicia Porter, Jennifer Riley Collins, Nola Haynes, Monique Pressley and Carrie Pugh. TRANSITIONS — Andrew Episkopos is now an associate at Holtzman Vogel. He previously worked for Judge Allison Eid with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. … Erika Ose is now a legislative affairs manager at the National Hydropower Association. She previously worked for Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and is a Tom Reed alum. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Reps. Erin Houchin (R-Ind.) and Jefferson Shreve (R-Ind.) … Casey Means … WSJ’s Katy Stech Ferek … Michael Kennedy … Craig Shirley … CNN’s Nicky Robertson … Will Nuckols … Amazon’s Nate Blake and Phil Wolgin … Connolly Keigher … Kelsey Coates … Derek Pangallo … Sharon Yang of Meta … Shea McCarthy of Thorn Run Partners … EC Wheatley of the Herald Group … Gaden James … FTI Consulting’s Will Allison … American Securities Association’s Adam Rice … Jon Davidson … POLITICO’s Lisa Leonard, Sofia Bertini El Dada and Brian Kidd … Lara Barger … Joe Householder … American Energy Leadership Institute’s Vik Ath … Taryn Rosenkranz of New Blue Interactive ... CJ Mahler … Generra Peck … Moe Tkacik … Patrick Davis … former Rep. Joseph Kennedy II (D-Mass.) … Marcel Kaminstein … Mark Gracyk … Olivia Altman 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 Solana Policy Institute: The next generation of U.S. financial infrastructure is open-source and blockchain-based—built by software developers creating transparent systems that empower consumer choice. As Congress crafts digital asset legislation, we must preserve historical protections for open-source software developers.
America's welcoming approach to software development enabled our leadership in groundbreaking technologies. But regulatory uncertainty is driving talent overseas. Our share of all global open-source developers dropped by more than 50 percent from 2015-2025, weakening our competitive edge. To maintain our status as the "crypto capital of the world," Congress must protect the builders and service providers who build and power it.
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