| | | |  | | By Jack Blanchard with Dasha Burns | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine and Ali Bianco On the Playbook Podcast this morning, Jack and POLITICO White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss the latest on the Epstein files, Trump’s looming incursion into Chicago … and the Democratic senator having a very special year.
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| Good Wednesday morning. This is Jack Blanchard, oddly transfixed by the overnight pictures of Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un all hanging out in Beijing. Oh, to be a fly on the wall … Naturally, Donald Trump had plenty to say about it all. ALSO WEIRDLY HYPNOTIZING: This footage of Eric Trump trying his hand at sumo wrestling against a Japanese Yokozuna over the weekend. (Yes, of course he gets beat.) PLUS — SOME ACTUAL OVERNIGHT NEWS: Trump’s use of 18th-century wartime powers to deport a planeload of Venezuelans earlier this year was illegal, an appeals court ruled last night. As POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein report, a (conservative-majority) 5th Circuit panel rejected Trump's invocation of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, saying there had been no “invasion” to justify its use. Surprise, surprise: It means another landmark test of Trump’s presidential power is likely headed for the Supreme Court. They just keep coming. In today’s Playbook … — An Epstein files news conference brings a reality check for D.C. — Chicago battens down the hatches as Trump readies the troops. — SCOTUS to the rescue? Trump will push today for a rapid ruling on tariffs.
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The furor over the Jeffrey Epstein files is still simmering despite President Donald Trump's attempts to squash the story. | Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo | REALITY CHECK: You could almost forget, amid the political feeding frenzy this summer over the non-release of the Epstein files, that at the heart of this case lie the most heinous crimes imaginable. That stark reality will be brought jarringly back into focus here in D.C. this morning when we hear directly from 10 of Jeffrey Epstein’s survivors in what should be a remarkable news conference on the steps of the Capitol. Stop what you’re doing and listen: “These victims haven't spoken for decades,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) — one of the co-organizers of today’s presser — told Fox News earlier this week. “When the American people actually hear the victims for the first time, they are going to sympathize. Their hearts are going to be broken … There are a lot of other rich, powerful men, politicians, business leaders, who have committed abuse and who have not been held accountable.” The press conference kicks off at 10:30 a.m., and there’s little doubt the testimonies will be powerful. At least one House member who met with victims in private yesterday left in tears. There will be wall-to-wall coverage on cable news and plenty of viral clips for social media. Even Trump’s hyperactive Truth Social feed will struggle to change the subject. Suddenly this case will look less like a partisan political story, and more like a serious crime scene. And that’s difficult for the White House — especially if the survivors themselves are among those calling for the files to be released. “They're creating this perception of transparency — but the reality is it's not there,” Sky Roberts, the brother of victim Virginia Giuffre, told CNN last night. “We will not back down until we see some sort of justice.” That’s not to say that these aren’t highly politicized moments. Khanna and his unlikely new partner, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), have organized today’s press conference as part of a broad campaign to push the White House into a highly uncomfortable spot over Epstein. It can hardly be a coincidence that one is considered to have moonshot hopes of a 2028 presidential bid, while the other is perhaps Trump’s greatest GOP foe on Capitol Hill. Reminder: Khanna and Massie’s bipartisan bill proposing the full, unredacted release of all Justice Department files on Epstein will hit the floor of the House if they can muster 218 colleagues to support it. That means that even with universal Democratic support, their discharge petition still needs six House Republicans to get it over the line. Numbers game: As of this morning, Massie has three Republican names on his list, along with his own. Tellingly, they are three of the most maverick and outspoken MAGA world types in the House — Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Mace of South Carolina. Massie only needs two more to hit the magic number — but he must now be concerned, as GOP leadership puts the screws on would-be rebels, to see elements of support draining away. GOP’s big play: As you probably saw, last night’s big move by the GOP leadership was to release some 33,000 files related to the Epstein case that were subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee. But while that overall number sounds big, House Democrats on the committee said 97 percent of these documents were already in the public domain. “There is no mention of any client list,” said Oversight ranking member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.). Off-ramp: Clearly, a partial release of semi-redacted files is not going to sway people who believe the government has been covering up the truth on Epstein for many years. But the document dump may yet serve as an off-ramp for wavering Republicans on the Hill who are reluctant to cross the president. (Massie said the White House was ringing round GOP House members last night.) Case in point: Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee told CNN’s Manu Raju that given last night’s document release, the discharge petition is now a “moot point.” Other would-be-rebels made similar noises. Will Massie get his petition over the line? We'll hear the latest from Trump himself … at around 11.20 a.m., when he hosts new Polish President Karol Nawrocki at the White House. Also happening in Congress today: Top White House officials including press secretary Karoline Leavitt and deputy chief of staff James Blair will be on the Hill to brief GOP lawmakers on how best to sell the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to the American public, my POLITICO colleagues Meredith Lee Hill and Rachael Bade report this morning. Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio will also present a slate of fresh polling on the new laws. It’s a sure sign that the big GOP summer push to sell the BBB to voters didn’t go as smoothly as the White House would have liked. Expect plenty of talk about “tax cuts for working families” in the weeks to come. More from POLITICO’s Inside Congress
| | | | A message from Booz Allen: Booz Allen is helping the Department of Homeland Security fight drug cartels at the border with advanced analytics. When American lives are at stake, our tech steps up. Learn more. | | | | THE MAGA ARMY ANY DAY NOW: Chicago is bracing for a federal invasion before the end of this week after Trump confirmed the worst-kept secret in Washington. “We’re going in,” he told reporters in the Oval Office yesterday. We still don’t know which day it’s coming, although Friday has been widely touted. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said yesterday he has “reason to believe that the Trump administration has already begun staging the Texas National Guard for deployment in Illinois," so it really could be any day. Clearly, it’s going to be a massive story when this happens. Chiefly because this is the president of the United States sending troops into America’s third-largest city — something that is never going to be normalized — but also because of the all-out resistance of local leaders like Pritzker, who has spent the past few days sounding like he’s trying to out-Newsom Gavin Newsom. Notable quotable: “Once they get the citizens of this nation comfortable with the current atrocities committed under the color of law, what comes next?” Pritzker asked ominously at a news conference yesterday. Pritzker’s all-out resistance stands in stark contrast to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has clearly decided that, given the District’s unique status, working with Trump is her least worst option. She issued an executive order yesterday requiring local coordination with federal law enforcement “to the maximum extent allowable” by law. She said on X her order will “provide the pathway forward beyond the Presidential emergency.” Here for the long haul: “By law, Trump’s federalization of the D.C. police force lasts 30 days and is set to expire next week,” WaPo notes. “Bowser’s announcement may quell any showdown over what happens after that deadline passes by authorizing continued coordination between the city and federal authorities.” Less impressed: The D.C. public. Yet another grand jury refused to indict in Washington yesterday, this time in the case of a man accused of making threats to kill Trump. “It is extraordinarily rare for a grand jury to balk at returning an indictment,” AP reports. “But it has happened at least seven times in five cases since Trump last month ordered a surge in patrols by federal agents and troops in the District of Columbia." Also unimpressed: A judge in California, who yesterday ruled Trump’s use of the National Guard in Los Angeles illegal.
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| | | | THE ECONOMY, STUPID MOVE FAST AND TAX THINGS: Trump will today ask the Supreme Court for an “expedited ruling” to overturn last Friday’s big appeals court decision that his tariffs on foreign imports are illegal. The president told reporters he’ll be petitioning SCOTUS today for a swift judgment on his use of emergency powers to impose tariffs. Such a ruling may well come before the end of the year. Last Friday’s decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit called into question Trump’s entire economic policy — a situation Trump described yesterday as an “emergency.” Seeking to justify a rapid decision from the Supreme Court, Trump told conservative talking head Scott Jennings on his radio show that the “uncertainty” triggered by the ruling was already harming the stock market and broader U.S. economy. But but but: Analysts say it’s rising bond market yields that have shaken up the nation’s stock exchanges, per the AP. Uncertainties around the global economy have triggered a bond selloff which — paired with growing tensions between the White House and the Federal Reserve over the Fed’s independence — has rattled investors, the WSJ reports. Fascinatingly, Trump is also now making the case that having a president who can unilaterally impose tariffs gives America more than just added economic clout. “It’s not only the money that comes in — it's the power to negotiate,” Trump told Jennings, claiming he could not have negotiated peace settlements in various parts of the world without the threat of tariffs. “I can say — ‘if you do that, then I’m going to charge you tariffs on that.’”
| | | | 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. | | | | | TRAIL MIX A NEW YORK MINUTE: Former Biden trade official Dylan Hewitt is announcing a run today against Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.). Hewitt, 33, is a seventh-generation Upstate New Yorker and the son of a former elementary school principal and a social worker, according to his campaign. “This campaign is for every person who believes we deserve jobs that pay enough to live, health care we can always count on and a fair shot at success,” Hewitt said in a statement. Unmissable Empire State goss: Longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler’s announcement that he’s stepping down at the end of his term has triggered a flurry of rumors about who will run for his New York seat. “Yet in a coveted Democratic district that is home to billionaires, chief executives, artists and political dynasties, operatives began compiling a roster of potential wild card candidates, too,” NYT’s Nicholas Fandos reports. Among the names mentioned? Former FTC Chair Lina Khan, Gen Z darling (and John F. Kennedy grandson) Jack Schlossberg, former New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney and even — drum roll — Chelsea Clinton, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel reports. This one really could be good fun. SHE’S RUNNING: Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson has launched her campaign for Iowa’s Senate seat, aiming to replace two-term Sen. Joni Ernst, who yesterday formally announced that she won’t seek reelection. Hinson “has long been seen as a potential successor to Ernst,” POLITICO’s Gregory Svirnovskiy reports. CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: EMILY’s List announced this morning that San Diego Attorney Marni von Wilpert has launched a campaign for the newly proposed 48th District of California, creating a potential face-off against incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.).
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| | | | BEST OF THE REST DANCE OF THE SUPERPOWERS: It’s well worth checking out the footage from China’s massive military parade overnight, where China’s Xi was joined by sympathetic world leaders (including Russia’s Putin and North Korea’s Kim). The event was designed to showcase not just China’s fast-growing military might, but also a show of alternative strength to American leadership on the world stage, per the NYT. The leaders of Iran, Pakistan and other authoritarian nations all lined up alongside Xi. A GOOD TIME TO SIGN UP FOR THIS: “Global Security,” a new transatlantic briefing from POLITICO on defense policy and global risk, launches Sept. 9 at the DSEI industry trade show in London. The newsletter links U.S. and EU policy to real-world impacts across industries and will be free through the end of the year, then exclusive for Pro readers. Start your preview today THE BRITISH ARE COMING: Trump’s old pal Nigel Farage — a key member of the 2016 Brexit campaign and now leader of the hard-right populist party Reform UK (currently ahead in the polls in Britain) — will testify this morning before the House Judiciary Committee on the impact of European online safety laws. The hearing is entitled “European threats to American free speech and innovation,” which should give you an idea of what’s coming. Expect fiery testimony from Farage, who has regularly lambasted the U.K.’s online safety policies — culminating in a dramatic shouting match with Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) during a July congressional visit to the U.K. Watch via C-SPAN Also happening today: Farage’s other employer, the conservative U.K. media outlet GB News — regularly touted as Britain’s answer to Fox — is celebrating the launch of its new Washington bureau tonight with a reception in downtown D.C. SAY A PRAYER: VP JD Vance and his wife Usha will travel to Minneapolis today and are expected to hold private meetings to express condolences to families affected by the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting, per the Minnesota Star Tribune. WHAT LISA COOK IS READING: A D.C. Circuit Court has ruled Trump’s bid to oust Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Kelly Slaughter was illegal — officially reinstating the Biden appointee to her job, POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney report. TARGETED KILLING: Just days after the Pentagon sent warships to the Caribbean to counter drug trafficking, Trump confirmed the U.S. military had blown up a boat suspected of carrying cocaine from Venezuela, killing 11 people, per the WSJ. The president posted the actual video on Truth Social, adding: “Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE!”
| | | | 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 | | Cory Booker announced he’s engaged to girlfriend Alexis Lewis via Instagram. Rudy Giuliani recounted the story of his car accident on his podcast. OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED yesterday morning at the 80th Anniversary of V-J Day Observance co-hosted by Friends of the National World War II Memorial and the National Park Service at the National World War II Memorial: Kevin Griess, Jane Droppa, Kevin Trimble, Dave Yoho, Eddie Janek, Arlester Brown, Dominick Critelli, John Weiss, Frank Cohn, Gideon Kantor, Bernard Stearns Duskin Jr., Jeff Donahue, Callan Saffell, Harry Miller, Dixon Hemphill, James Behrend, James Quinn, James Thompson and David Hatcher. — Puck hosted a live event at the Pendry last night with drinks and discussion featuring conversations with House Agriculture Chair Glenn Thompson and Elizabeth Burns-Thompson of Modern Ag Alliance. SPOTTED: Leigh Ann Caldwell, Liz Gough, Abby Livingston, Tucker Eskew, Ashley Callen, Adrienne Elrod, J.P. Freire, Michael Moroney, Scott Mulhauser, Annie Adair, Liz Johnson, Tizzy Brown, Hunter Hawkins, Amy Lawrence, Erin McPike, Marissa Mitrovich, Justin Peligri, Anne Perron, Mariel Saez, Todd Webster, Jordan Wolman, Chanse Jones, Lydia Johnson, Ben Goldey, Wilken Yu, Jonathan Kott, Michael Falcone, Govind Shivkumar, Sam Feist, Ali Hattamer and Alex Bigler. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Brad Dayspring is joining Purple Strategies, where he will be executive director. He previously spent nearly a decade at POLITICO, most recently as EVP of global comms and brand, and is a George W. Bush, Eric Cantor and NRSC alum. — Axiom Strategies is launching a new identity and redesigned website today, marking the firm's 20th anniversary. See the new site MEDIA MOVE — Yasmin Khorram is now a reporter on POLITICO’s federal economy team focused on U.S. business. She previously was a senior tech reporter at Yahoo Finance and is a CNBC and CNN alum. TRANSITIONS — Former Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) will be president and CEO of the Internet and Television Association. … Kayla Blado is now EVP of labor comms at Hailstone Communications. She previously was director of congressional and public affairs at the National Labor Relations Board. … Dave Dorey is now a partner at Fisher Phillips. He previously was a partner at Liff, Walsh & Simmons and is a Labor and DHS alum. … … Hannah Matesic is now AVP for government affairs at the Association of American Railroads. She previously was deputy assistant secretary for congressional affairs at DOT. … The Herald Group has added Ben Cowlishaw and Mike Bushnell as directors, Vivek Kakar as a digital associate, Grace Sedlazek as an associate and Allison Lees as controller. ENGAGED — Caroline Kehrli, staff member for the House Armed Services Committee, and Zach Taylor, director of government affairs at LeoLabs, got engaged over the weekend in Annapolis, Maryland. — Cristina Corbin, editorial producer at ABC News, and Kuba Wuls, photojournalist at NBC News, got engaged on Saturday at Jockey's Ridge State Park on North Carolina’s outer banks at sunset. Wuls' best friend, CNN photojournalist Taka Yokoyama, flew in from Atlanta to secretly film the event. The couple met in New York in 2023. Pic … Another pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Brian Stelter (4-0) … Edward Felsenthal … Bloomberg’s Kristina Peterson … Rick Perlstein … John Mercurio of the MPA … POLITICO’s Jennifer Yachnin, Flin Hyre, Kelly Garrity and Ashley Chen … Lucia Alonzo of Michael Best Strategies … John Zogby … CBS’ Erica Brown … Mari Manoogian … Rita Hite of the American Forest Foundation … Dominic Hawkins of NAACP … Roll Call’s Mary Curtis … NBC’s Adam Reiss … AFSCME’s Tiffany Ricci … Paul Merski of the Independent Community Bankers of America … Bruce Moyer … Teresa Davis Morgenstern … Tiffany Waddell of the National Governors Association … Tripp Donnelly … former Reps. Michael Barnes (D-Md.), Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.) and Michael Huffington (R-Calif.) … Mara Stark-Alcala … Kathi Wise … Melinda Warner … Graeme Crews … Kathleen Stanton of the Personal Care Products Council … Jamie Simpson of the Council for Innovation Promotion … Stuart Malec of the Progressive Policy Institute … Jonathan Silver … Sarah Peters of HB Strategies … Oheneba Amponsah ... Jayne Visser 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.
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