| | | |  | | By Jack Blanchard with Dasha Burns | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray On today’s Playbook Podcast: Jack and Megan Messerly discuss the next looming crisis from the Iran war.
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| Good Thursday morning. This is Jack Blanchard. The sun is shining, the baseball season is underway, and peak bloom will be declared today among D.C.’s sumptuous cherry blossoms at the tidal basin. These are the days. Don’t let ‘em slip by. Get in touch. SCOOP — COMIC TWIST: The White House pushed back hard after The Atlantic last week reported that comedian Bill Maher would receive the Kennedy Center’s prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “This is fake news. Bill Maher will NOT be getting this award.” Comms director Steven Cheung posted on X that The Atlantic story was “literally FAKE NEWS.” Bad-dum tish: But it turns out there was a punchline just waiting to be delivered, POLITICO’s Daniel Lippman scoops this morning. Maher, a frequent Trump critic (but also known as a heterodox comedian), will receive the prize in June, in a show broadcast by Netflix. It will mark one of the Kennedy Center’s final public events before it shuts down for a controversial two-year “renovation”. The center is expected to announce Maher’s prize later this morning, Daniel reports, citing a person familiar. So … what happened? “Anonymous sources with half-baked information leaked to The Atlantic before conversations were finalized,” the (anonymous) person said. “There was nothing to confirm at the time, and it is not appropriate to get ahead of any settled agreement between multiple parties involved.” Maher, in an embargoed statement in the forthcoming Kennedy Center announcement, will say: “Thank you to the Mark Twain people: I just had the award explained to me, and apparently it’s like an Emmy … except I win.” In today’s Playbook … — Why Republicans might get misty-eyed seeing Nicolás Maduro in court. — Donald Trump hosts his Cabinet … as his poll rating hits new lows. — Dems brace for a tough day as Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick faces trial.
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | MAD FOR IT: When the deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro shuffles into a New York City courtroom this morning for his second appearance on narco-terrorism charges, Republicans will get a stark reminder of what might have been. A sworn enemy of the United States, brutally and efficiently removed from power, in a lightning military strike that was over almost as soon as it had begun. “Trump allies — and even to some extent, the president himself — were hoping that’s what would happen with Iran,” Megan recalls on this morning’s podcast. “This in-and-out kind of thing; narrow, targeted.” So much for that: The one month anniversary of the Iran war is now approaching, and the U.S. president has spent all this week trying to extricate himself from the conflict — with limited success. Even as he does so Trump is threatening a major escalation, sending thousands more troops to the region. Comments from senior Republicans last night suggested a ground invasion of some kind is still on the table. It’s far from clear which way this is going to go. We’ll hear from Trump at 10 a.m. today, at his first wartime Cabinet meeting, where he and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will likely throw out more triumphant language about what a success it’s all been. But beyond America’s undoubted military dominance, real strategic wins have yet to be grasped. Anti-American hard-liners remain in power in Tehran; Iran’s nuclear material remains buried underground; and Iran still has its boot on the global chokepoint that is the Strait of Hormuz. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — And there’s more: The war-driven economic crisis in the Middle East has Trump administration officials afraid of losing investments pledged by Middle Eastern governments, my colleagues Sam Sutton, Megan and Dasha report this morning. “What has really freaked people out is that the Gulf Arabs have warned that they're a couple weeks away from having to repatriate tens of billions of dollars in investments from the United States,” said one person familiar. “When these guys do that, it is going to be immensely destabilizing and contradictory to the president's investment goals.” Oh dear: This would not only be a(nother) sucker punch to the U.S. economy, it would also rob the president of one of his favorite talking points. Just last night, Trump told the annual NRCC fundraising dinner: “I was in Saudi Arabia, came back with $2 trillion for our country — $2 trillion from Qatar, $2 trillion from UAE.” More economic pain at home is rapidly approaching the White House — average gas prices are poised to hit the totemic $4 a gallon mark any day, per AAA. Expect to see wall-to-wall news coverage if and when they do. Meanwhile, diesel prices hit $7 a gallon in some West Coast cities yesterday, per “Gas Buddy Guy” Patrick de Haan, with the average price nationwide now 47 cents short of the all-time record. Inflation klaxon: The resulting cost surge for haulage and logistics firms from higher diesel costs will have big knock-on effects for U.S. consumers down the line.
| | | | A message from Venture Global: Who says Americans don't build big things anymore? Through innovation, Venture Global is delivering American energy at a fraction of the cost, in a fraction of the time. That's Venture Global. That's Unstoppable Energy. ventureglobal.com | | | | Rock bottom: Darkening Trump’s mood still further will be the latest Fox News opinion poll, which was published last night and put his disapproval rating at its lowest level of both terms. Those with an eye on November (i.e. everyone) should also note the dramatic collapse in Trump’s approval among Latino voters, an issue well noted elsewhere but especially stark in the latest Fox News data. In December, Fox News tabbed Trump at 48/52 approve/disapprove with Latinos. This month, he has slumped to 28/72. That’s quite a swing. So no wonder Trump has told advisers he wants to get out of the war as quickly as possible — ideally within the next two weeks, WSJ’s Annie Linskey, Alexander Ward and Alex Leary report. “Trump told an associate that the war was distracting from his other priorities,” per WSJ. “The president appears ready to shift to his next big challenge, another person who spoke to him recently said, though Trump didn’t say what that might be.” Cuba? The SAVE Act? The midterms? Infrastructure Week? At this point, we can only speculate. The problem is that it takes two sides to stop a war (or “military operation,” as Trump attempted to rebrand it last night.) And so far Iran’s public statements have been dripping with skepticism at the thought of further negotiations with a country which has now twice launched surprise military attacks even as peace talks continued. A cheerier moment at today’s Cabinet meeting — and perhaps the main point of the exercise — will be Trump’s showcasing of new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. There’s still no prospect of a rapid deal to end the DHS shutdown as a two-week recess looms at the end of the week, POLITICO’s Jordain Carney, Katherine Tully-McManus and Jennifer Scholtes report. News from the last ‘military operation’: When the Cabinet meeting wraps, Trump can at least revel in the sight of Maduro heading into court. He and his wife, who have both pleaded not guilty, are set to appear before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein at 11 a.m. What’s gonna happen? “Hellerstein will likely ask both Maduro and prosecutors about one of the main holdups in the case: Maduro’s inability to secure a license from the Treasury Department that would allow the government of Venezuela to bypass sanctions and pay for his legal defense,” POLITICO’s ace legal reporter Erica Orden texts in. “Maduro’s lawyers have used that issue to ask the judge to toss the indictment, arguing that by denying the license, the Trump administration is interfering with Maduro’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel.” One to watch: “Hellerstein is also likely to set a trial date, a decision with potentially significant consequences,” Erica notes. “Because of the legal complexities of the case and the amount of classified material it involves, the trial could be so far in the future that the cast of characters — including the president, U.S. attorney and even the judge, who is now 92 — might not remain the same.” FURTHER READING: From January: “92-year-old judge handling Maduro case ‘doesn’t give a s--t what anyone thinks about him,’” by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Erica Orden … Plus: “Maduro has been in a notorious Brooklyn jail for over 80 days. This is what life is like in there,” by CNN’s María Santana
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| | | | TRAIL MIX GAVELING IN: The House Ethics Committee begins its first public “trial” in 16 years today to determine if Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) should be expelled from Congress, POLITICO’s Hailey Fuchs and Riley Rogerson report. Cherfilus-McCormick, a three-term member, is accused of embezzling millions of dollars in FEMA funding alongside numerous campaign finance infractions and is facing federal criminal charges, though she maintains her innocence. While House Democratic leaders have so far taken a hands-off approach, other members of the caucus warn that turning a blind eye to the alleged corruption could be a major political liability — especially after Democrats pushed to oust George Santos in 2023. DEMS SEE A LIGHT IN FLORIDA: Democrats are basking in their victory in Florida’s special elections this week, which saw the party flip two legislative seats, POLITICO’s Gary Fineout and colleagues report. It’s the latest in a string of overperformances since 2025 that have national Democrats giddy heading into the heart of midterm season. On the flip side, Tuesday’s results have Florida Republicans nervous about the redistricting campaign in the state, POLITICO’s Mia McCarthy and colleagues report. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has said the party — which already holds a 20-8 edge over Democrats in the House — could pick up as many as five additional seats in the effort. But incumbents are now warning that the push could backfire if they overplay their hand. DEMS SEE A FIGHT IN VIRGINIA: Democrats in Virginia are pressing Gov. Abigail Spanberger to push their redistricting campaign over the line as they grow increasingly worried about losing the April 21 vote — and hurting their chances for flipping the House this November, POLITICO’s Brakkton Booker reports. DEMS SEE A ‘MIGHT’ IN ALASKA: “Democrats hope GOP health care cuts will put Alaska, and the Senate, in play,” by POLITICO’s Simon Levien: “[T]hey have reason to believe, from [Alaska GOP Sen. Dan] Sullivan’s own testimony and voting record, that Alaskans might be receptive to a message blaming rising health insurance premiums and pending Medicaid work requirements on Sullivan and his party.”
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| | | | BEST OF THE REST NO NOMINEE AT CDC: The CDC is officially leaderless after the 210-day limit for the agency’s acting head to remain in the role lapsed at midnight. And the White House plans to further delay nominating a permanent director, NYT’s Apoorva Mandavilli and Sheryl Gay Stolberg report. The administration is stuck with the tricky task of finding a candidate who can win Senate confirmation and aligns with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s MAHA agenda but not his politically perilous stance on vaccines. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, who has been running the CDC in an acting capacity, will continue overseeing the agency in the interim. TRY, TRY AGAIN: After the DOJ failed to convict New York AG Letitia James of mortgage fraud last year, the administration is trying a different tack: Federal Housing Finance Agency chief Bill Pulte is now asking DOJ to investigate her for insurance fraud, MS NOW’s Vaughn Hillyard reports. James’ lawyer, Abbe Lowell, told MS NOW “Trump and his political enablers keep abusing their power to pursue a vendetta against her by trying to rename, refile, and repeat baseless allegations.” Lowell said the referrals are part of a “revenge campaign.” A WIN FOR FLYNN: DOJ settled a lawsuit from Michael Flynn, Trump’s first-term national security adviser, for about $1.2 million, AP’s Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer report. Flynn, who pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI during its Russia probe and whom Trump later pardoned in 2020, sued the department in 2023 seeking at least $50 million for allegations of malicious prosecution. KNIVES OUT: “Newsom: Social media verdict should be ‘moment of reckoning’ for Big Tech,” by POLITICO’s Tyler Katzenberger and Lindsey Holden: “The comments from [California Gov. Gavin Newsom] are a striking rebuke of one of California’s premier industries, delivered by a politician viewed by many in the tech sector as an ally. Meta and Google, among other social media and AI giants, have for years leaned on Newsom to shut down some of state lawmakers’ most far-reaching proposed regulations.”
| | | | | TALK OF THE TOWN | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Baby boon — Monument Advocacy, the downtown government relations and public affairs firm, will match for employees the federal government’s initial $1,000 deposit per new baby as a part of the Trump Accounts initiative. It’s the first downtown multi-client firm to make such an announcement. THREE MORE YEARS? — The House yesterday passed legislation that would extend Trump’s “D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force” through the end of his term, per WaPo’s Meagan Flynn and Jenny Gathright. Five Dems joined Republicans in the vote. It still must pass the Senate. THEY CLONED WHAT? — “Clones of Stumpy, Washington, D.C.’s beloved cherry blossom tree, have flowered for the first time,” by NBC’s Tim Stelloh: “Clones of the scraggly, beloved cherry blossom tree felled two years ago in the nation’s capital have flowered for the first time this spring, reaching what federal officials described Wednesday as a ‘pinnacle achievement.’” CENTER OF ATTENTION — Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) is asking a federal judge to remove Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center, arguing that the renaming “undermines the Center’s raison d’être, and frustrates its purpose as the only memorial to President Kennedy in Washington, D.C.,” AP’s Steven Sloan and Darlene Superville report. OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at a fundraiser last night benefiting ASPIRE PAC, hosted at Capitol Counsel by Norberto Salinas: Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Reps. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Maeve Healy Lafleur, Nic Jordan, Linto Thomas, Judith Teruya, Dao Nguyen, Robert Chiappetta, Colin Craib, Wendy Hamilton, Debbie Ho, Joyce Liu, Alina Oh, Andrew Okuyiga, Linda Pham, Cynthia Pullom, Jacqueline Serrano, Lisa Strikowsky Gillman and Monique Frazier. — SPOTTED last night at a pop-up policy and politics reception at Compass Coffee hosted by AARP’s Nancy LeaMond and moderated by Widehall’s Steve Clemons to discuss the latest “She’s the Difference” survey — a deep dive into the economic priorities of 50+ women ahead of the midterms: Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), Becky Angelson, Kristen Soltis Anderson, Elizabeth Baker Keffer, Apiyo Oloya, Shaila Manyam, Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat, Robb Harleston, David Sours, Nicole Austin-Hillery, David Smith, Liz Poston, Sirat Attapit, Chantel Sheaks, Beverly Gilyard, Richard Vague, Michael Balistreri and Kathleen Ford. TRANSITIONS — Joe Francaviglia is joining Blended Public Affairs as VP. He previously worked for the Maryland Democratic Party. … Bruce Sexauer is joining Blank Rome Government Relations LLC as senior adviser. He previously spent more than three decades at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ENGAGED — Ilona Chebotareva, senior director of product strategy at POLITICO, and Ilya Velichko, creative director and senior project manager at ELB Learning, got engaged on March 8 at the docks of Kirkland, Washington. The two met through their church community. Pic — Anand Raghuraman, chief of staff to Mastercard Vice Chair Jon Huntsman and an alum of the Asia Group, and Nadia Fiat, co-founder at Saan Studio, got engaged on March 18 in Phuket. The couple met on their first day at Duke but only started dating last year after Nadia messaged Anand on LinkedIn. Pic ... Another pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) (favorite treat: dark chocolate ice cream) and Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) (favorite treat: strawberry shortcake) … OMB Director Russ Vought … Bob Woodward … CBS’ Margaret Brennan … Jon Huntsman … Dan Caldwell … Matt Lira … James Gelfand … Chandler Hudson Bair … Caroline Darmody … City Cast DC’s Emma Uber … Michael Waxman of Waxman Strategies … Miriam Bird … Planned Parenthood’s Melanie Roussell Newman … Juan Londoño of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance … Melissa Toufanian … former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee … Edward Garnett … former Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) … Caren Street … former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao … Nancy Peele of Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-Ark.) office … Nora Rossi … Al David Saab of Sen. Roger Wicker’s (R-Miss.) office … Isaiah Menning of the American Conservation Coalition 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 Giuseppe Macri and deputy editor Garrett Ross.
| | | | A message from Venture Global: Who says Americans don't build big things anymore? Through innovation, Venture Global is delivering American energy at a fraction of the cost, in a fraction of the time. That's Venture Global. That's Unstoppable Energy. ventureglobal.com | | | | | | | | Follow us on X | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois 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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