| | | |  | | By Jack Blanchard with Dasha Burns | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine, Ali Bianco and Rachel Umansky-Castro Programming note: There’s no Playbook Podcast this morning, nor any Playbook PM newsletter this afternoon, due to the federal holiday. Both will return on Monday. Your morning Playbook newsletter will be with you every day, as always. Good Thursday morning, and a very Happy Thanksgiving. This is Jack Blanchard. An honor to be with you on this special holiday. HAVE YOU SAID THANK YOU ONCE? Your Playbook author certainly has much to be thankful for this morning — not least a wonderful family who agreed to move to D.C. at the start of this year so I can write this storied newsletter. And thank you all, for starting each morning with Playbook, now 10 months into its latest iteration. Drop me a line (after your first cranberry collins, or whatever) and let me know how it’s going.
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | 
National Guard troops were on patrol at Farragut West Metro station yesterday afternoon when they were shot by a lone gunman. | Mark Schiefelbein/AP | BREAKING OVERNIGHT — SUSPECTED SHOOTER HAD CIA LINKS: The man suspected of shooting two U.S. National Guard troops near the White House in what President Donald Trump has called a “heinous assault” and “act of terror” was a former Afghan soldier who worked alongside the CIA in Kandahar, according to reports last night. The suspected shooter, widely named in the media as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, had been offered resettlement in America after the fall of Kabul in 2021 due to his “prior work with the U.S. government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force,” CIA Director John Ratcliffe told Fox News. The latest: U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro told reporters at a news conference this morning that the two soldiers who were shot are 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe — both of whom she said remain in “critical condition.” Pirro said the “appropriate charges” as of this morning are “three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, as well as possession of a firearm during a crime of violence,” per WaPo. “Officials described the shooting as a targeted attack, and no potential motive has been established.” AG Pam Bondi told Fox News this morning that “if something happens” to the soldiers, the Justice Department will “do everything in our power to seek the death penalty” and terrorism charges are being considered. And there’s more: NBC published an interview with a relative who said Lakanwal had served in the Afghan army for 10 years alongside U.S. Special Forces. “We were the ones that were targeted by the Taliban in Afghanistan,” the relative told NBC. “I cannot believe it that he might do this.” The suspect’s identity has made this horrific shooting a huge political story, triggering fresh debate about immigration and reopening old rows about the wisdom and safety of Joe Biden-era refugee programs. “The individual — and so many others — should have never been allowed to come here,” Ratcliffe told Fox News. “Our citizens and service members deserve far better than to endure the ongoing fallout from the Biden administration’s catastrophic failures.” But politics just gets ugly in moments like these. Within hours of the shooting yesterday, prominent liberals were using it to attack Trump’s decision to send troops onto the streets of D.C., while prominent conservatives were using it as justification to double down on their mass deportation agenda. What we know so far: Two National Guard soldiers were on patrol at Farragut West Metro station, two blocks north of the White House, yesterday afternoon when they were shot in what D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called a “targeted attack,” POLITICO’s Jacob Wendler and Ben Johansen report. Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot and critically injured. The suspect was injured by a third member of the National Guard and detained. Jeff Carroll, a D.C. police official, told reporters that the gunman “ambushed” the guard members before he was shot and taken to a hospital. He said there are no other suspects at this time. CBS reported last night that the suspect was not cooperating with the authorities. But MAGA world has heard enough. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed last night the suspect had come to the U.S. via the Biden administration’s “Operation Allies Welcome” program, the yearlong project to resettle tens of thousands of Afghans deemed “vulnerable” after the fall of Kabul. And the right is seething. Told you so: MAGA figures, led by VP JD Vance, last night re-shared their stark warnings from 2021 that substandard vetting would mean large numbers of high-risk people being brought into the country. They are demanding a fearsome policy response. And here it comes: As you probably saw, Trump made a video address to the nation last night from Mar-a-Lago, where he’s spending the Thanksgiving holiday. He was quick to blame Biden — “a disastrous president” — for what happened, and confirmed an extra 500 troops will be sent to D.C. over the coming days. More significantly, Trump vowed to double down on deportations, with a particular focus on Afghans who arrived under the Biden-era program. “We must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden,” Trump said. Shortly after, USCIS announced a moratorium on all Afghan immigration processing.
| | | | A message from McDonald's: Extra Value Meals are back at McDonald's, which means Americans can save when you make it a meal. McDonald's is committed to providing quality food at a good value, so this month, fans can get even deeper discounts on two of the most popular Extra Value Meals, the $5 Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles® Meal and $8 10 pc. Chicken McNuggets® Meal, for a limited time*. | | | | It’s worth remembering, amid the anger, that the resettlement of Afghans who’d served alongside the U.S. military had overwhelming public support after the fall of Kabul. This Ipsos poll from September 2021 shows around three-quarters of Americans supported admitting Afghans who’d either worked with the U.S. government or served in the U.S.-allied Afghan special forces. But questions around the vetting of those individuals will continue to grow in the wake of yesterday’s shootings. Conservatives last night were digging out clips such as this, of then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki insisting in November 2021 that all arrivals had received a “thorough screening and background check process;” and this, of then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas struggling to explain how many people had actually been vetted before those flights left the chaos of Kabul. The bigger picture: The White House and the broader conservative movement are quickly framing this incident as proof their tough immigration policies — the mass deportations, the refugee clampdown — are essential for the safety of America. “This attack underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation,” Trump said. Vance added: “We must redouble our efforts to deport people with no right to be in our country. Already some voices in corporate media chirp that our immigration policies are too harsh. Tonight is a reminder of why they’re wrong.” Expect to hear plenty more of that in the days ahead.
| | | 9 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 1. UKRAINE LATEST: In rapidly changing negotiations over the Ukraine war, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. doesn’t want to provide security guarantees to Ukraine until after a peace agreement is reached, POLITICO’s Paul McLeary and Jack Detsch scooped. Rubio’s comments Tuesday to European allies also sought to reassure them that Trump will make sure Ukraine is safe, but Kyiv’s supporters on the continent remain worried that the U.S. is tilting too much toward Russia. The State Department contested this story, saying the security guarantees will have to be part of the deal itself. More movement: Army Secretary Dan Driscoll warned Western diplomats that Russia is building up a significant number of long-range missiles, which he framed as another reason to try to usher the Ukraine war toward a resolution soon even on terms Kyiv dislikes, NYT’s Andrew Kramer reports. The analysis marks “an important shift for the Russian arms industry,” which could give Moscow a boost on the battlefield. Meanwhile, the U.S. is talking to Belarus about Minsk’s authoritarian government freeing another 100 or more political prisoners, Reuters’ Gram Slattery scooped. A key player: Driscoll, a friend of Vance, has suddenly emerged as one of the administration’s top interlocutors on the war. “He is viewed by many in Congress as one of the few Trump administration Pentagon officials who can work with lawmakers in both parties,” NYT’s Helene Cooper and Anton Troianovski report. Driscoll is also considered not optimistic about Ukraine’s prospects in the war. He’ll travel again to Ukraine soon to talk with officials there, WSJ’s Lara Seligman and colleagues report, also writing that U.S. officials see him as “easy to talk to and an effective and charismatic leader.” And a notable absence: Driscoll’s rise has coincided with the relative absence of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from the Ukraine efforts, Jack and Paul report. The White House doesn’t mind: They’re happy to have Hegseth focused on policy, domestic culture wars, partisan spats and loyalty to Trump. (White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt disputed the characterization and insisted Hegseth is “deeply involved in all national security matters.”)
| | | | A message from McDonald's:  
Start your morning with a $5 Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles® meal – which comes with Hash Browns and a small coffee – for a limited time*. | | | | 2. THE ‘SEDITION’ DEBATE: As Hegseth focuses on going after six Democratic members of Congress who reminded troops not to follow illegal orders, the Trump administration risks a political backlash from its “sedition” accusations, POLITICO’s Nick Wu and colleagues report. The six have already seen a big burst of publicity. The kerfuffle also elevates a group of largely moderate Dems with national-security backgrounds who want to claim a cultural mantle of patriotism. Though it remains to be seen how this story will shake out, any effort to prosecute Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) under military law could be tough for the administration to win, Reuters’ Tom Hals and colleagues report. 3. THE GERRYMANDERING WARS: A panel of federal judges declined to block North Carolina’s new congressional map for 2026 yesterday, a win for Republicans’ gerrymander that could give them 11 of 14 House seats, WRAL’s Will Doran reports. They found that the new map was not an unconstitutional racial gerrymander but simply just a partisan power grab, which the Supreme Court has allowed. State GOP leaders celebrated it as protecting the “America First agenda,” while challengers, including the NAACP and Common Cause, are likely to appeal, potentially taking the case to the Supreme Court. 4. IMMIGRATION FILES: “Legal status of 350,000 Haitian migrants to expire in early February, U.S. officials announce,” by CBS’ Camilo Montoya-Galvez: “[T]hey will be eligible for deportation in early February unless they have other legal means to remain in the U.S. … Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made the decision after the Trump administration’s initial attempts to end the TPS protections of hundreds of thousands of Haitians earlier this year were stalled in federal court. … The TPS program for Haiti is now set to expire on Feb. 3.” 5. WHAT TAIPEI IS READING: After getting an earful from Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump subtly encouraged Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi to tone down her rhetoric on Taiwan and not anger China, WSJ’s Lingling Wei and colleagues scooped. Though “he didn’t pressure Takaichi to walk back her comments” on the call, Tokyo didn’t love the message. At a press conference today, the leading Japanese spokesman denied the report, but didn’t provide specifics on what Trump and Takaichi discussed, per Bloomberg’s Isabel Reynolds and colleagues. 6. CARIBBEAN REPORT: “US Forces Will Use Dominican Republic Base in Cartel Campaign,” by Bloomberg’s Eric Martin and Jim Wyss: “Aircraft will be refueled and logistical tasks will take place at the San Isidro base and Las Americas international airport near Santo Domingo, according to President Luis Abinader. He cautioned, however, that the agreement would be ‘technical, limited and temporary’ … ‘Our country faces a real threat,’ Abinader said, standing beside Hegseth at the national palace in Santo Domingo.” 7. SCOTUS WATCH: The Supreme Court is delaying a decision on whether Trump can fire the nation’s copyright official, Shira Perlmutter, until it rules on two similar cases involving his removal of FTC and Fed members, per WaPo. Perlmutter, who was fired in May, had challenged her dismissal and won a lower-court reprieve to remain in her job while the case played out, which the administration appealed to the justices. 8. TRUMP VS. SOUTH AFRICA: Trump has disinvited South Africa from the 2026 G20 summit, escalating tensions over his unsubstantiated allegations that the country mistreats its white population, POLITICO’s Faith Wardwell writes. This move comes after a failed gavel handoff and months of Trump accusing South Africa of ignoring attacks on white farmers. “To put it more bluntly, they are killing white people, and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them,” Trump said on Truth Social. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pushed back, calling the move insulting and reaffirming South Africa’s full G20 membership, NYT’s John Eligon reports. 9. HEALTH CRUNCH: “Americans are buckling under medical bills. It could get worse,” by POLITICO’s Amanda Chu: “Charities that help people cover their medical bills say they’re seeing an alarming increase in requests for help. Worse yet, they say, it’s coming even before cuts to Medicaid in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act take effect and the potential expiration of Obamacare subsidies at year’s end. The charities are warning of exploding medical debt and lower survival rates for diseases like cancer if Congress doesn’t act.”
| | | | A message from McDonald's:  
The return of Extra Value Meals ensures Americans can find everyday affordable pricing at McDonald's. | | | | | | TALK OF THE TOWN | | Muriel Bowser, eyeing post-mayoralty life, said she believes D.C. will eventually achieve statehood. “I personally think it will take a specific carveout from the filibuster for ‘democracy’ votes that will make democracy stronger. Making D.C. … a state is one of them,” she said. IMPORTANT QUESTION: Is JD Vance right about Thanksgiving turkey? “Be honest with yourself,” he asked troops at Fort Campbell yesterday. “Who really likes turkey?” When some soldiers replied they did, Vance grinned: “You are all full of shit — everybody who raised your hands! … Turkey doesn’t actually taste that good. … Chicken is good all the time.” Playbook cannot agree with this blasphemy … but Vance’s humorous take on why turkey is still the patriotic choice is well worth your time. ENGAGED — David Berrios, VP of organizing and campaigns at Reproductive Freedom for All, proposed to Dara Waksman, an elementary school teacher, on Saturday at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial (her favorite memorial), celebrating with family and close friends. They met on Bumble and started dating in January 2023. Pic, via Jon Fleming Photography … Another pic WEDDING — Matt Reed, comms director for Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), and Kaitlyn Rocque, an analyst at the Justice Department, got married recently at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Indialantic, Florida. They met at Talay Thai Restaurant. Pic, via Alyssa Dougherty Photography … Another pic … SPOTTED: Jason and Mary Collins Howell, Matthew and Tanner Bishop, Zach Weidlich, Noah Yantis, Mary Galey, Eric Fejer, Adam McNeal, Matt Campbell, Nick Owen, Adison Cook, Kate Seibert, David Sullivan, George Plaster and Megan Shea. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) … Steve Bannon … SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler … Jacob Reses … Susan Falconer of Rep. Diana Harshbarger’s (R-Tenn.) office … Caroline Kennedy … Sean Bartlett of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck … Alex Wagner … Rich Verma of Mastercard … Mary Vought … CNN’s Adam Cancryn … Sam Love … Nick Wittenberg of Armedia … Jason Gold … American Airlines’ Gary Tomasulo … Brian McCormack … Nick Massella of PBS … Jasmin Alemán … Ryan Morgan of the Knight First Amendment Institute … Victoria Knight … Michael Starr Hopkins … former Rep. Jon Runyan (R-N.J.) … Shai Korman … John Aravosis … former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty … Joe Solmonese … NBC’s Libby Leist … Daniel Samet … Dina Cappiello of RMI … Eve Levenson … Kathryn Ciano Mauler … POLITICO’s Solomon Yeon 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 deputy editor Garrett Ross and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath. Correction: Yesterday’s Playbook mischaracterized an Instagram post that Colorado state Rep. Manny Rutinel liked in November 2023. The post featured a woman kissing a turkey, and called eating one for Thanksgiving an “antiquated, barbaric, violent, unnecessary, grotesque, brutal ‘tradition’, with absolutely no deeper reflection on how their fleeting moment of sensory satisfaction contributed to such immense suffering and destruction.”
| | | | A message from McDonald's: McDonald's will always be a place where Americans can get affordable food at a good value. In celebration of the return of Extra Value Meals to menus nationwide, eight of the most popular Extra Value Meals will save customers 15 percent when compared to purchasing an entree, fries and a drink individually. With options across breakfast, lunch and dinner, there's an Extra Value Meal for every craving. *Prices & participation may vary. Prices may be higher in Hawaii, Alaska and California and for delivery. | | | | | | | | 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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