| | | |  | | By Ali Bianco and Eric Bazail-Eimil | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine and Rachel Umansky-Castro Happy Sunday afternoon. This is Ali Bianco, joined by our colleague Eric Bazail-Eimil for today’s newsletter on a sunny day in Miami. Godspeed to all those traveling today after the Thanksgiving holiday. Send us your thoughts.
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | 
For those who want Nicolás Maduro ousted, this moment represents an unprecedented window of opportunity. | AP | DISPATCH FROM DADE COUNTY: Miami’s MAGA-zolanos have been waiting for this moment. Many voted for this moment. And their eyes are on President Donald Trump to deliver. Unlike many in the MAGA movement, the Trump-supporting faction of Miami’s Venezuelan community — a small but influential force in South Florida that helped flip Miami-Dade County red in the 2024 election — has prayed at Trump’s altar for the fall of the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela. Now they’re closer than ever to getting it. But ousting Maduro — which Trump has not explicitly laid out as his endgame, but his top aides have been pushing for — brings with it serious political consequences for MAGA’s future in the 305. Vibe check: Confusion and desperation rages in the Magic City. A flurry of livestreams, Spanish-language radio hosts and bloggers are tracking planes approaching Venezuela, and unsubstantiated rumors that Maduro left the country have cropped up, as witnessed this week by your Playbook authors, a Venezuelan and a Cuban visiting home in South Florida. While MAGA ponders Trump’s role in foreign interventions and conflicts, Miami is asking a different question. “I think the only concern right now is why we’re being too relaxed about it. Like, why did you send all those ships?” Miguel Granda, who heads the Miami Young Republicans, told Playbook last week. “You’re threatening [Maduro], but you’re not doing anything about it … It’s like, what are we waiting for?” For those who want Maduro ousted, this moment represents an unprecedented window of opportunity. Caracas is more isolated than ever after Maduro declared victory in the country’s July 2024 election — a claim that dozens of countries disputed. And the opposition is united under the leadership of newly minted Nobel laureate María Corina Machado, who has boosted her standing in MAGA world with talk of investment opportunities and efforts to praise Trump. And Trump ramped up his Venezuela crusade last week. Trump spoke by phone with Maduro — when he reportedly set an ultimatum for the strongman to take his leave or face potential U.S. force. Trump suggested that land strikes would be happening “very soon” while he spoke to troops on Thanksgiving. Many viewed the president’s declaration yesterday that Venezuelan airspace should be considered “CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY” as a warning that strikes would occur imminently. Here in Miami, Venezuela is do or die for the voters who turned out for Trump. “I haven’t heard one person that I’ve spoken to say they do not like what’s happening,” Granda told Playbook. “Nicolás Maduro will be out of power before Christmas,” Rep. Carlos Giménez, a Miami Republican, said on “Fox Noticias” earlier this month. Reality check: Polls show that a clear majority of Americans do not support military strikes in Venezuela or the boat strikes in the Caribbean. And the GOP itself is still divided. Worries that the president’s MAGA coalition could “fracture” over Venezuela haven’t eased. Hawks like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) see the strikes as necessary, praising Trump’s work to “end this madness” in Venezuela. The Laura Loomers of the party continue opposing what they deem a reckless military operation that would burden U.S. taxpayers. Yet Miami holds special significance in MAGA world. South Florida is home now for Trump, and a handful of Floridians hold senior roles in his administration. With that has come a particular sensitivity about the region’s distinct politics. At the heart of that politics is a political shift that started with the city’s Cubans and gradually came to include Colombians, some Nicaraguans and most recently Venezuelans. All told, the city’s Latinos have become a decisive voting bloc in a state that has increasingly become a de facto GOP must-get. Even though Dade County flipped red for the first time in decades last year, Democrats have the county in their crosshairs. South Florida’s 27th District is on the DCCC’s list of seats to win back next year. And the red trend among Miami’s Latinos is not a given, one Miami Republican strategist granted anonymity to speak candidly told Playbook. Polls show Latinos across the country slowly souring on Trump over the economy and the crackdown on immigration — and that trend carries in Miami too, they said. If Trump ushers Maduro out, the political calculus across Miami may change. GOP state Rep. Juan Porras summed up the stakes yesterday: If Trump “liberates” Venezuela, “Republicans will win Miami-Dade and FL for another decade,” he wrote on X. And that’s because it’s not just Venezuelan voters who are watching. Among Cuban exiles, there’s a strong belief — one Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his inner circle agree with — that Maduro’s ousting will also hasten the fall of Cuba’s communist government. The pressure to deliver is on, the Miami Republican strategist said. They pointed to former President John F. Kennedy’s decision to not provide Cuban rebels fighting against Fidel Castro air cover when they invaded the island at the Bay of Pigs as an inflection point — when many Cubans split from the Democratic Party. If Trump’s gambit fails — or simply fades out of relevance — “it will be a betrayal like the Bay of Pigs,” the strategist said, “and those Venezuelans will never vote for us ever again.”
| | | | 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*. | | | | MEANWHILE: Congress is stepping up its oversight of the Trump administration’s campaign targeting alleged drug-trafficking boats in the region, following the stunning report from WaPo that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “gave a spoken directive” to “kill everybody” on board one such vessel and a Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 operation “ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions.” Now, the Republican and Democratic leaders of both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee said their panels are opening inquiries into the action, per WaPo. FWIW: Hegseth has stood by all of the operations, decrying the WaPo report as “fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting” in a post on X. He said U.S. military action has been “lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict — and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command.” The view from Caracas: “Ordinary Venezuelans try to prepare for U.S. attack,” by WaPo’s Ana Vanessa Herrero and Matthew Hay Brown The global view: “Why Russia and China Are Sitting Out Venezuela’s Clash With Trump,” by WSJ’s Kejal Vyas and James Areddy SUNDAY BEST … — DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on whether she chose to send Venezuelans to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act despite court orders, on ABC’s “This Week”: “Yes, I made that decision. And that decision was under my complete authority. And following the law and the Constitution and the leadership of this president, who is dedicated to getting dangerous criminal terrorists and gangs and cartels out of our country.” … on whether the administration will seek to deport people with pending asylum claims, on NBC’s “Meet the Press”: “We will if they should be, absolutely. Yes. We are going to go through every single person that has a pending asylum claim … You have to come in every single year for a check-up, and an interview process, and a re-vetting. And that is something that we’re going to expedite.” … on when the asylum process will restart: “It’ll start when we know that we have dealt with the backlog that we have.” — Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) on the WaPo Hegseth report, on “This Week”: “It is a big concern. Now, Secretary of Defense Hegseth denies it. We should get to the truth. I don’t think he would be foolish enough to make this decision to say, ‘Kill everybody, kill the survivors,’ because that’s a clear violation of the law of war. … Let’s get the facts first.” — Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) on that report, on “This Week”: “I think it’s very possible there was a war crime committed … [And it’s] murder from the first strike if their whole theory [that the U.S. is at war with drug gangs] is wrong.” — Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) on that report, on CNN’s “State of the Union”: “I don’t know if I believe that at all, because we’re doing alleged sources. Nothing has been verified … I doubt very seriously that took place.” TOP-EDS: A roundup of the week’s must-read opinion pieces.
| | | | 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*. | | | | 9 THINGS FOR YOUR RADAR 1. THE PATH TO VIOLENCE? “Suspect in National Guard attack struggled with ‘dark isolation’ as community raised concerns,” by AP’s Farnoush Amiri: He “had been unraveling for years, unable to hold a job and flipping between long, lightless stretches of isolation and taking sudden weekslong cross-country drives. Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s behavior deteriorated so sharply that a community advocate reached out to a refugee organization for help, fearing he was becoming suicidal. Emails obtained by The Associated Press reveal mounting warnings about the asylum-seeker whose erratic conduct raised alarms long before the attack.” 2. UKRAINE LATEST: Ukrainian officials, led by Rustem Umerov, are meeting today in Miami with Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, per CNN. It’s the latest step in the “flurry of diplomacy” the U.S. is attempting to end the war in Ukraine, despite Russia stepping up its attacks on the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy projected some optimism last night about the Americans’ “constructive” efforts, saying that “in the coming days, it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end.” But Zelenskyy is in a tough spot as the U.S. increasingly pressures him toward big concessions to end the war — and as a swirling corruption scandal squeezes him at home, WaPo’s Siobhán O'Grady and Kostiantyn Khudov report from Kyiv. Indeed, Umerov’s presence as the lead negotiator marks a change from Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff who stepped down Friday following a search of his home. 3. STRONG FLOOR, NO CEILING: “As Democrats search for their ‘MAGA,’ author catches Jeffries’ attention,” by WaPo’s Paul Kane: “The idea posits that everyone should have the government’s support to pursue the American Dream without limiting the success available to those already at the top. It’s the type of motto usually crafted after political consultants spent countless hours poring over polling, focus groups and data analytics. Instead, [House Minority Leader Hakeem] Jeffries’ new line comes from the title of a book released this month and written by a Manhattan venture capitalist [Oliver Libby] who isn’t particularly close to Jeffries.” 4. RETIREMENT WATCH: Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) said he won’t seek reelection, bringing to a close a three-term career in the House during which he’s been a staunch supporter of Trump, POLITICO’s Gregory Svirnovskiy reports. But his constituents in the fairly safe Republican district southwest of Houston could have a very familiar face to replace Nehls: His identical twin brother, Trever Nehls, announced that he’ll run. The mess with Texas: There’s utter political chaos in the state as current and would-be members of Congress wait for a last-minute Supreme Court ruling to determine whether Republicans can enact a deeper gerrymander, NYT’s David Goodman reports. Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, for instance, doesn’t know yet whether he’ll file for reelection this week or retire. NYT’s Edgar Sandoval profiles Bobby Pulido, the Tejano music superstar trying to claw back ground for Democrats in South Texas — and also awaiting the new map. More on the gerrymandering wars: NYT’s Nick Corasaniti and colleagues have a helpful breakdown of the crucial, fast-approaching dates that could swing the door shut on further redistricting in a number of states. And in Baltimore, WaPo’s Erin Cox profiles Maryland state Senate President Bill Ferguson, the Democrat who’s blocking his party from attempting a deeper gerrymander — out of both principles and pragmatism — and facing intense blowback. 5. CLEMENCY CORNER: Trump commuted the seven-year sentence of David Gentile, a private equity leader who helped defraud thousands of people out of some $1.6 billion, almost as soon as his prison stint began, NYT’s Ken Vogel scooped. It’s the latest in a series of Trump commutations of high-profile white-collar criminals. Meanwhile in Honduras: Trump’s pardon of Juan Orlando Hernández continues to stun the Central American country and law enforcement. The former president played a key role in surging cocaine to the U.S. over decades, enriching cartels and hurting his country, as evidence showed at one of “the most sweeping drug-trafficking cases to come before a U.S. court” in 30 years, NYT’s Santul Nerkar and colleagues report. But Trump said, without evidence, that Hernández had been politically targeted. It has made for a shocking finish to today’s presidential election, in which Trump has tried to bolster Hernández’s conservative party; it’s not clear how the pardon might resonate, AP’s Christopher Sherman reports from Tegucigalpa. 6. VAX NOT: “FDA claims Covid shots killed 10 children and vows new vaccine rules,” by NBC’s Berkeley Lovelace Jr.: Vinay Prasad “told agency staff in a memo that an internal review found that at least 10 children died ‘after and because of receiving’ the Covid vaccine. … Experts who reviewed the memo say it is misusing information from [the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System] … ‘This is sort of science by press release,’ said Dr. Paul Offit … The memo uses highly ideological language … At one point, Prasad instructs staff who disagree with his conclusions to resign. He outlined a series of proposed changes to how the FDA evaluates vaccines. He said the agency would revisit how annual flu shots are evaluated.” 7. THE RACE FOR TALLAHASSEE: The Republican primary for Florida governor, which once looked like a lay-up for Rep. Byron Donalds after he landed Trump’s endorsement, increasingly appears crowded and nasty, POLITICO’s Gary Fineout reports. Former state House Speaker Paul Renner and investor James Fishback have launched bids, and Lt. Gov. Jay Collins may do the same. The growing attacks on Donalds from allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis are a wild card for now. But Donalds is still the frontrunner. 8. SWAMP READ: “Silicon Valley’s Man in the White House Is Benefiting Himself and His Friends,” by NYT’s Cecilia Kang and colleagues: “[David] Sacks has offered astonishing White House access to his tech industry compatriots and pushed to eliminate government obstacles facing A.I. companies. … Mr. Sacks has recommended A.I. policies that have sometimes run counter to national security recommendations … Mr. Sacks has positioned himself to personally benefit. He has 708 tech investments, including at least 449 stakes in companies with ties to artificial intelligence that could be aided directly or indirectly by his policies.” The response: “Jessica Hoffman, a spokeswoman for Mr. Sacks, said that ‘this conflict of interest narrative is false.’ Mr. Sacks has complied with special government employee rules and the Office of Government Ethics determined that he should sell investments in certain types of A.I. companies but not others, she said. His government role has cost him, not benefited him, she added.” 9. WHITHER LINDSEY HALLIGAN: After a federal judge ruled that the interim U.S. attorney had been illegally appointed — and tossed out her indictments of James Comey and New York AG Letitia James — her office is scrambling to figure out what’s next, CNN’s Katelyn Polantz and colleagues report in a lengthy look at her chaotic tenure. “Halligan’s future as a top prosecutor remains in a sort of purgatory — with Justice Department officials still working through how they might bring the cases against Comey and James back to life — and her position inside the US attorney’s office up for debate.”
| | | | 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 | | Cory Booker is a married man. He and Alexis Lewis wed legally Monday and had a small interfaith ceremony in D.C. yesterday evening, they told NYT’s Sadiba Hasan. The couple met on a blind date set up by a mutual friend last year. Their wedding had a three-tier cake — Funfetti, almond/raspberry and chocolate with chocolate ganache — and as they broke the glass, Mariah Carey’s “Emotions” was playing. IN MEMORIAM — “Walter Dowdle, Public Health Leader in Times of Crises, Dies at 94,” by NYT’s Sheryl Gay Stolberg: He was “a microbiologist and second-in-command at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who helped lead the nation’s early response to AIDS and later worked with the World Health Organization on the global effort to eradicate polio.” WEDDING — Jared Brown and Daniel Roberts, via NYT: “[Roberts] is currently a public affairs media lead at Meta. … [Brown] is currently an interim director of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Teaching and Learning Center. The two bonded over their experience working with the Obamas. … Mr. Brown’s and Mr. Roberts’s wedding went off without a hitch on Nov. 15 at the Perry Belmont House.” BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Madi Biedermann of the Education Department HAPPY BIRTHDAY: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem … U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor … Larry Summers … CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski … former Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) … Scott Erickson of Second Line Strategies … Michael Beschloss … Alex Clearfield of Bloomberg Law … POLITICO’s Andy Glass, Erica Orden, Chioma Onwumelu, Tyler Katzenberger and Ruth Reader … Steve Haro … William Daroff of the Conference of Presidents … NYT’s Jodi Rudoren … Reuters’ Jonathan Landay … Amy Pritchard … Accenture’s Ben Mahler … former Education Secretary Margaret Spellings … Wesley Donehue … Economic Innovation Group’s Benjamin Glasner … former Rep. Glenn English (D-Okla.) 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: Friday’s and yesterday’s Playbooks misspelled Val Demings’ name.
| | | | 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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