| | | |  | | By Eli Okun and Rachel Umansky-Castro | | Presented by |  | | | |  | THE CATCH-UP | | BREAKING: “Watchdog finds Hegseth risked endangering troops by sharing sensitive war plans on Signal, sources say,” by CNN’s Zachary Cohen and Jake Tapper: “Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth risked compromising sensitive military information, which could have endangered American troops and mission objectives, when he used Signal in March of this year to share highly-sensitive attack plans targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to four sources familiar with the contents of a classified Inspector General report. … The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment.”
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Federal immigration agents patrol near a Lowe's hardware store in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Dec. 3, 2025. | Adam Gray/AFP via Getty Images | THE CRACKDOWN: President Donald Trump’s sweeping anti-immigration campaign keeps expanding outward, as new operations today target unauthorized immigrants in New Orleans and Minneapolis — while restrictions on legal immigration pile up as well. The ‘Catahoula Crunch’: DHS officially announced today that major Border Patrol sweeps will begin imminently and indefinitely in the New Orleans area, following similar drives in LA, Chicago and Charlotte, North Carolina, that marked a major shift from the Border Patrol’s historic role focused at the border, The Times-Picayune’s James Finn reports. Internal documents have shown that roughly 250 agents aim to arrest about 5,000 people, which would be a larger total than in Chicago or Charlotte. New Orleans is terrain Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino knows well, having led the agency’s sector there previously. Reuters reported last month that the operation could continue into January. The welcome: Louisiana’s Republican leaders have welcomed news of the Border Patrol plans “with open arms,” as Gov. Jeff Landry said recently. “This is going to run until we get them all off the street,” he added today about people with criminal records. DHS, blaming sanctuary city policies, said they’d focus on criminals, though operations in previous cities have swept up large numbers of non-criminals too. The resistance: Democratic city leaders were much more cautious, warning the feds not to violate people’s rights. The city has already seen anticipatory protests in recent weeks, and the FBI and state police warned today that people who get in the way of immigration enforcement will be arrested, per the WSJ. Heavily Hispanic areas, meanwhile, have braced for impact, with some businesses shutting down. The view from Kenner: The New Orleans suburb, which has seen an influx of Central American and Mexican immigrants over the past two decades, is a prime example, NYT’s Shannon Sims and Rick Rojas report. Many immigrant residents have gone into hiding ahead of Border Patrol’s arrival. But in a town that still remains mostly conservative and white, local police are excited about the operation and working with federal agents. Meanwhile in Minnesota: The Minneapolis area is now the site of an ICE operation today to go after unauthorized immigrants, NBC’s Julia Ainsley and colleagues report. That follows warnings from Mayor Jacob Frey that up to 100 federal agents would arrive soon with a particular emphasis on Somalis in the Twin Cities. Trump has drastically escalated his anti-Somali xenophobia, including in an outburst at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, where he said Somalis in Minnesota are “garbage.” Not just illegal immigration: In the wake of last week’s D.C. shooting, in which an Afghan immigrant is charged with killing one National Guard member and severely wounding another, Trump has imposed major new restrictions on a number of legal pathways into the U.S., including for asylum-seekers, green card holders and people from the 19 countries subject to a travel ban. That “means he has now halted or significantly tightened every legal and illegal form of foreign entry into the US,” CNN’s Michael Williams and Priscilla Alvarez report. Underpinning mass deportations: “Palantir’s software is helping U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement track undocumented immigrants and deport them faster,” WaPo’s Eva Dou reports. It’s a big shift for longtime Democratic CEO Alex Karp, who has staunchly backed Trump’s immigration agenda in his second term but says his beliefs haven’t changed: “Unfettered immigration in Europe, where I lived for well over a decade, has been a disaster — depressing wages for the working class and resulting in mass social dislocation. I remain an economic progressive, isolated among self-proclaimed progressives that are anything but.” Good Wednesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop us a line at eokun@politico.com and rumansky-castro@politico.com.
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Learn more. | | | | | | 7 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW | | 1. PARDON ME: Trump today issued yet another high-profile pardon — for a Democrat. His clemency for Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar and wife Imelda will stave off a major trial scheduled for April on more than a dozen charges of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and money laundering, per The Texas Tribune’s Gabby Birenbaum. Trump claimed without evidence that Cuellar’s prosecution had been political retribution by the Biden Justice Department. It’s a huge reprieve for Cuellar after years under federal investigation. And it also gives the moderate Democrat from South Texas a boost for his reelection bid, undercutting one of Republicans’ key arguments to unseat him. Cuellar already looked likely to avoid a big primary challenge, per the Trib’s Marijke Friedman. And despite some instant speculation that perhaps Trump’s pardon could presage a party swap or a retirement, Cuellar filed today to run for reelection — as a Democrat. “Nothing has changed,” he told reporters. 2. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: A half-dozen Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security Committee sent a letter today to the White House and the General Services Administration calling for the “immediate removal” of Trump appointee Paul Ingrassia at GSA, POLITICO’s Daniel Lippman reports. Ingrassia was appointed deputy general counsel but was recently named acting general counsel. “Let us be clear; Mr. Ingrassia’s continued employment in the U.S. government is unacceptable,” states the letter, led by Homeland Security ranking member Gary Peters (D-Mich.), addressed to Presidential Personnel Office Director Dan Scavino and acting GSA Administrator Mike Rigas. The senators ask why the administration has kept him in a prominent role despite his withdrawal of his nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel in October. They ask for a briefing by Rigas, Scavino and other officials by Tuesday and answers to around two dozen questions they have about Ingrassia’s background and his incendiary remarks by Dec. 12. Among other things, the senators cite a POLITICO report that Ingrassia made a number of offensive remarks in a text message chain and said he had a “Nazi streak,” according to the messages. A lawyer for Ingrassia did not confirm the texts were authentic and said at the time they “could be manipulated or are being provided with material context omitted.” Ingrassia sued POLITICO for defamation after a report that he had been investigated for allegedly harassing a female colleague when they worked together at the Department of Homeland Security. His attorney said he never harassed anyone. Spokespeople for the White House and GSA, as well as an attorney representing Ingrassia and Ingrassia himself, didn’t respond to requests for comment. 3. THE ACA DEBATE: As Obamacare premiums veer toward a cliff with enhanced subsidies expiring, many Hill Republicans are not racing to reach a deal. That’s because some conservatives don’t think they’ll really face much political blowback — and others say those ramifications would be worth it to end a policy they’ve long opposed, POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein and Robert King report. Talks on the Hill have ground to a halt, and expiration of the tax credits looks increasingly likely, WaPo’s Riley Beggin and colleagues report. The latest pitch: Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is trying to sell Republicans on a new bill that would allow many more taxpayers to deduct medical expenses, POLITICO’s Jordain Carney reports. The idea is to help defray major costs for families that don’t itemize their deductions. 4. TRAIL MIX: Charles Booker made it official today, launching his third Democratic bid for a Senate seat in Kentucky, the Louisville Courier Journal’s Lucas Aulbach reports. The progressive former state representative joins a handful of other prominent Dems hoping for a miracle to replace GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell in the red state. Poll position: A new Democratic poll of the GOP Senate primary in Texas finds state AG Ken Paxton up by 10 points over both Rep. Wesley Hunt and incumbent John Cornyn, Semafor’s Burgess Everett scooped. The same pollster, Public Policy Polling, has Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) ahead of Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann by 2 for reelection, per National Journal’s James Downs. And a third Dem poll from PPP shows Janelle Stelson ahead of Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) by 4, per The Patriot-News’ J.D. Prose. Endorsement watch: In the contested Minnesota Senate Democratic primary, Rep. Angie Craig landed the backing of Pete Buttigieg, NBC’s Bridget Bowman scooped. 5. HOT ON THE LEFT: Demand Justice is launching a six-figure ad campaign to pressure senators against voting to confirm Trump’s judicial appointees, AP’s Jonathan Cooper reports. The initial spots this week target Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Angus King (I-Maine) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and president Josh Orton says they’ll step up the ads against more senators — including vulnerable ones and presidential aspirants — if Democrats don’t “find their moral compass, and stand up to Trump.”
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| | | | 6. NDAA WATCH: Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) secured her hard-fought provision in the Pentagon bill forcing the disclosure of counterintelligence investigations into federal candidates, POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill reports. It was a win for Stefanik over Speaker Mike Johnson, after what she called “a productive discussion” with Trump and Johnson last night, which followed a tense public clash and Stefanik’s threat to “tank the must-pass” defense package before Trump helped mediate. Stefanik slammed Johnson in comments made to WSJ’s Olivia Beavers last night: “He certainly wouldn’t have the votes to be speaker if there was a roll-call vote tomorrow.” 7. HARVARD VS. TRUMP: Settlement negotiations between Harvard and the Trump administration have hit a roadblock, as federal officials want the school to pay at least some money to the government, NYT’s Michael Schmidt and colleagues report. Harvard has been willing to pay the $500 million Trump asked for, but only “with an understanding that the funds would go toward work-force programs.” The administration has felt those terms were “too favorable” for Harvard.
| | | | Sponsored Survey WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Please take a 1-minute survey about one of our advertising partners. | | | | | | TALK OF THE TOWN | | NO GO-GO: Republicans on the House Oversight Committee rejected Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s (D-D.C.) bill to name a D.C. post office after Chuck Brown, known for being the “Godfather of Go-Go,” because of his criminal record. OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at the Daily Caller News Foundation’s awards dinner yesterday at the Waldorf Astoria: Energy Secretary Chris Wright, DNI Tulsi Gabbard, SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, HUD Secretary Scott Turner, Reps. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), John Joyce (R-Pa.) and Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), Carla Sands, Thomas Klingenstein, Neil Patel, Lynn Friess, Adele and David Malpass, Elijah Moorman, Diana Davis Spencer, Ben Domenech, Buckley Carlson, Rick Santorum and Morgan Murphy. — The Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy hosted a party for Scott Jennings’ new book, “A Revolution of Common Sense: How Donald Trump Stormed Washington and Fought for Western Civilization” ($25.60), at TSG Advocates last night. SPOTTED: Sarah Hunt, Sens. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Reps. Tim Moore (R-N.C.), Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.), Mark Messmer (R-Ind.), Randy Fine (R-Fla.), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), Mark Harris (R-N.C.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Darija Cosic, Becky Schatz, Lew Olowski, Miranda Dabney, Katie Harbath, Sara Decker, Rob Smith, Callie Patteson, Alexandra Ingersoll, Chase Kroll, Gregory Angelo, Bill Ball, Tinna Jackson, Tracy Bromley, Chuck Warren, Machalagh Carr, Terry Carmack, Charles Moran, Erik Conyers, CJ Pearson, Tom Hassenboehler, Christian Newton, Chanel Rion, Myriah Jordan and Courtland Sykes. — SPOTTED at a holiday reception hosted by Radiant and Standard Nuclear yesterday at the Hawk N Dove: Reps. Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.), Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) and Vince Fong (R-Calif.), Annie Caputo, Seth Cohen, Chris Ploch, Rita Baranwal, Alyse Huffman, Tommy Hendrix and Keeley Marrocco. — The National Association of Broadcasters hosted its annual holiday party last night. SPOTTED: Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Reps. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), John Joyce (R-Pa.), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), James Baird (R-Ind.), Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Steve Womack (R-Ark.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), Mark Alford (R-Mo.), Frank Mrvan (D-Ind.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Scott Franklin (R-Fla.), Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-U.S. Virgin Islands). MEDIA MOVE — Jodi Schneider will be a night editor for the NYT’s Washington bureau. She previously worked at Bloomberg. TRANSITIONS — DeDe Lea is leaving Paramount, after having worked as a longtime government relations leader at both Paramount and Viacom since 1997. She currently is EVP of global public policy and government relations. More from Deadline … Greg Manz is joining Direct Edge Campaigns as senior strategist. He previously was at Wytherson Media and is a Trump campaign alum. … Katie Verb is joining Jeffrey J. Kimbell & Associates as VP for health and reimbursement policy. She most recently worked at Bristol Myers Squibb. … The Klein/Johnson Group is adding Bradley Hayes and Zephranie Buetow as principals, Hayes previously worked at DHS, and is a Tommy Tuberville alum. Buetow previously worked for Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and is a Biden DHS alum. … Kevin Lawlor is joining Zeno Group as head of public affairs for the U.S. He most recently worked at DDC Public Affairs. … Jermaine Smith is now VP of state advocacy at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. He previously worked for Rite Aid. BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): John Hollis of George Mason 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. | | | | 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 politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | |
