Current Affairs Of Pakistan & World: Not the president’s men

Not the president’s men

May 05, 2026

Presented by

With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray

Good Tuesday morning, and happy Cinco de Mayo. This is Jack Blanchard, looking forward to another glorious day of sunshine. Cloudless skies, temperatures in the 70s, and no sign of mosquito hordes. Is this peak D.C.? Get in touch.

In today’s Playbook …

— Does Donald Trump still have what it takes to pick off a GOP stalwart?

— JMart is back on the road … and headed to Manny’s in Chicago.

— The Boldfaces: Rodric Bray, JD Vance, Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, JB Pritzker, Mark Carney, Hannah Natanson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Mike Tyson and more.

DRIVING THE DAY

TRUMP’S UN-CIVIL WAR: Donald Trump’s decadelong grip on the Republican Party faces its biggest test of the year so far today, when a vendetta against eight GOP state senators who blocked a White House-driven gerrymander of Indiana’s congressional map will reach its climax.

Payback time: The president vowed to seek vengeance on all concerned. The ultimate target is the ouster of Rodric Bray, Indiana’s Senate president pro tempore. "We’re after you Bray, like no one has ever come after you before!" a raging Trump wrote on Truth Social in January.

Meet the enemy: Bray is a quietly spoken small-town lawyer and former Sunday school teacher with more than two decades of public service under his belt. Their clash offers another perfect microcosm of the cultural shift Trump forced upon the GOP over the last 10 years — and a direct test of the president’s power.

The central question today is whether Trump retains the authority to oust well-respected local Republicans at will, even as his own poll ratings crater and the clock winds down on his final term.

In previous eras, Bray would have been an unthinkable target for a Republican president. His grandfather was a Republican member of Congress who represented Indiana for nearly 20 years. His father was a Republican representative at state levels for nearly 40 years. Bray himself has been a member of the state Senate since 2012 — meaning his family has proudly represented Indiana Republicans in a near-unbroken stretch since 1951. Yet here he is, 75 years on, fighting a Republican president for his political life.

Trump has never been swayed by records of public service. The president derided Bray as “weak and pathetic,” and announced in January he’d “work tirelessly” to “take out” the man he described as “a total RINO who betrayed the Republican Party, the President of the United States, and everyone else who wants to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Bray refused to engage, concentrating on quietly supporting his under-fire colleagues to hold their seats. “I don't have a message for the president,” he told CNN’s Dana Bash yesterday. “I've had a number of conversations with him about this [redistricting] issue … As a caucus, we were fairly evenly split — but we decided ultimately that it wasn't the right thing.”

The proxy war: Bray can’t face a MAGA primary challenge until he’s up for reelection in 2028. The White House strategy is to take out so many of his Senate allies that he loses the leadership. This has quickly morphed into the most extraordinary state-level primary race imaginable, with millions of MAGA-friendly dollars spent on a flood of brutal TV ads targeting Republicans. Bray responded with his own dark money group to help level the playing field.

But here’s the truth: “By almost any measure, Trump and his allies should romp [to victory],” Playbook’s resident Hoosier Adam Wren, who interviewed Bray twice in recent months, writes in his must-read preview of today’s primaries. “The full weight and fury of the MAGA political machine has whirred to life against the eight lawmakers.”

And yet: The president’s victory is not assured. In a state where the average gas price just hit $4.81 a gallon — a 50-percent increase from a year ago, per AAA — and where diesel prices topped $6 a gallon, Washington debates about congressional maps aren’t exactly top of most voters’ minds.

A message from The Alzheimer's Association:

9 in 10 Americans say they want a simple test for Alzheimer’s. When asked whether Medicare should cover these tests, the support is nearly identical across party lines: Republicans 90%, Democrats 93%. The bipartisan Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act will allow Medicare coverage for Alzheimer’s blood screenings, enabling early treatment. Congress has acted to allow Medicare coverage for mammograms. Now, it’s Alzheimer’s “mammogram moment.” Congress must pass the ASAP Act.

Bray has framed this battle as one between old-fashioned Hoosiers fighting for states’ rights and the dark forces of distant D.C. “That’s Washington D.C. influence trying to tell Indiana what to do, or maybe even [deliver] retribution for what it didn’t do,” Bray told Adam in a rare interview. “Federalism is important to me … States have and should have control to govern themselves for almost every issue.”

Watch like a pro: By Adam’s measure, Trump’s allies need to win a majority of the eight target seats to claim victory. “If Trump’s side wins three seats or fewer,” he writes, “many will see it as a disaster and a red-state harbinger that Trump’s grip on his party is starting to slip.” Expect results around 8 p.m. Eastern.

And remember: Today’s primaries are only the first in a monthlong test of Trump’s hold on the GOP. After tonight, attention will quickly shift to the May 16 Republican primary in Louisiana, where Trump wants to force out Sen. Bill Cassidy; and then to the May 19 primary in Kentucky, where Trump is seeking to oust Rep Thomas Massie. As POLITICO’s Liz Crampton and colleagues report, neither look like a shoo-in for the White House. The month rounds out with the closely watched GOP runoff in Texas on May 26, where Trump withheld endorsing either Sen. John Cornyn or Ken Paxton.

FURTHER VIEWING: Indiana isn’t the only big ticket Midwest action today. Primaries will also be held in neighboring Ohio, where it’s worth keeping an eye on former ICE official Madison Sheahan’s unexpected run for the GOP nomination in the 9th Congressional District. As POLITICO’s Aaron Pellish wrote last week, Republicans hoped to seize this seat from long-serving Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in November, after it was remapped in their favor. But whether Sheahan’s ICE background helps or hurts remains an open question.

And then in Iowa, JD Vance returns to the campaign trail. The vice president will campaign alongside Rep. Zach Nunn in Des Moines, addressing crowds around 2.30 p.m. For obvious reasons, Vance has long been the administration’s Midwest message-carrier — but it’s not getting any easier for him as Trump’s war on Iran sends gas and fertilizer prices higher. And naturally, any trip to Iowa by a 2028 hopeful will be picked over for local reaction.

On today’s Playbook Podcast: Jack and Dasha discuss Trump’s high-stakes Midwest test.

A message from The Alzheimer's Association:

A simple blood test can detect Alzheimer’s before symptoms appear, enabling significantly more effective treatment. Medicare can cover it with the ASAP Act.

THE DOWNLOAD

TODAY AT THE PENTAGON: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine will brief the media at 8 a.m. as concerns abound about the shaky ceasefire following attacks against two U.S. destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz and reports of attacks in the UAE and Oman.

What they’ll be asked: Expect questions about whether these attacks amount to ceasefire violations. Hegseth also signaled in Congress last week that the 60-day threshold for congressional approval of the war is paused because of the ceasefire, and that will no doubt come up. Plus, U.S. intelligence shows Iran’s capability to build a nuclear weapon remains unchanged, Reuters’ Gram Slattery and colleagues report.

ALSO AT THE PODIUM: Secretary of State Marco Rubio is stepping into a new (very temporary, we think) role briefing the media from the White House today at 3 p.m.

COMING ATTRACTIONS: House GOP leaders tweaked a bipartisan housing bill and are weighing a floor vote as soon as next week, POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill and Katherine Hapgood report (for pros!). It’s good timing as Trump started privately retracting his support for the Senate version. Republicans will be looking for the White House’s signoff to move ahead.

THE FRONT PAGE

ON THE ROAD: POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin is out with the latest installment of “On the Road” — this time, sitting down with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker at Chicago’s famous Manny’s Deli. JMart questions whether the Windy City billionaire is setting himself up to be the next face of the Democratic Party, and if he’s what the party needs. Watch the interview … Read more here

“I’m not a big believer in going after one piece of the party or another piece of the party,” Pritzker told JMart. “I think Democrats have made mistakes. There’s no doubt about it, and I think it’s okay to call out mistakes.”

FOLLOW THE MONEY: The government paid out over $338,000 settling allegations of sexual harassment on behalf of lawmakers or their offices, POLITICO’s Hailey Fuchs scoops. The secret payouts, revealed by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), implicate a slew of former lawmakers and appear to be double the number disclosed in 2017.

DONOR WORLD TURMOIL: A coalition of left-leaning donor networks urged Fidelity, Vanguard and Charles Schwab to lift their hold on donations to the Southern Poverty Law Center — or risk thousands of donors turning away, Playbook’s Eli Okun scoops. The financial giants paused donations after DOJ indicted the civil rights group. The Democracy Alliance, Solidaire Network and Movement Voter Project warn in a letter the pause risks moving “toward a form of preemptive institutional compliance that enables the use of state power to silence dissent.” Read it here

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5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. ANOTHER SCANDAL: Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) told one of his young female staffers she had “written a complex chapter in my heart” before she left his office, with two staffers alleging Edwards engaged in inappropriate behavior that’s now the subject of a House Ethics investigation, Axios’ Kate Santaliz scoops. The report includes handwritten letters from Edwards to the staffers, details of their vacations and his personal gifts to them.

2. TRADING SPACES: Canadian PM Mark Carney and his negotiators were close to closing a trade agreement with the U.S. in November — but it never happened. POLITICO’s Mickey Djuric is out with a breakdown of the failed trade deal and the behind-the-scenes frustrations within the auto sector that doomed it. The clock is ticking again on negotiations — officials have until July 1 to decide whether to renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.

3. BRAVE NEW WORLD: The Trump administration is weighing a formal government review of new AI models, despite Trump’s largely hands-off approach over the last year, NYT’s Tripp Mickle and colleagues report.

A message from The Alzheimer's Association:

This is a mammogram moment for Alzheimer’s. Congress must pass the ASAP Act.

4. WORST CASE PLANNING: The White House Counsel’s Office privately briefed administration officials to prepare for increased congressional oversight if Democrats retake the House, WaPo’s Emily Davies scoops.

5. REDISTRICTING RODEO: The Supreme Court ruled its latest decision knocking down Louisiana’s congressional map should immediately go into effect, essentially clearing the way for the state’s legislature to move ahead with redrawing state maps for this midterm cycle, POLITICO’s Aaron Pellish reports.

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TALK OF THE TOWN

WAPO WINS BIG — The Washington Post took home the Pulitzer Prize for public service for its sweeping coverage of the Trump administration’s overhaul of federal agencies via DOGE. Among those awarded was Hannah Natanson, whose home was raided by the FBI and who chronicled her role as the “federal government whisperer” at the Post. The AP, NYT and Reuters were also among those recognized. The Miami Herald’s Julie K. Brown received a special citation for her work drawing attention to accusations against late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

— Following a few difficult months of turmoil at the paper, current and former Posties celebrated their Pulitzer win at Sfoglina, followed by karaoke. “This is the triumph of the beat reporters,” ex-national editor Lori Montgomery told the gathered group. SPOTTED: Hannah Natanson, Mike Madden, Jennifer Liberto, Meryl Kornfield, Lisa Rein, William Wan, Jacob Bogage, Nick Baumann, Emily Rauhala, Isaac Arnsdorf, Dan Diamond, Cat Zakrzewski, Debbi Wilgoren, Alexis Fitts, Rachel Siegel, Aaron Schaffer, Dan Lamothe, Lizza Dwoskin, Faiz Siddiqui, Jacqueline Alemany, Mark Berman, Jeremy Roebuck, Perry Stein, Jonathan O’Connell, Wendy Galietta and Laura Meckler.

FOR YOUR RADAR — “Secret Service shoots armed man near White House,” by POLITICO’s Jacob Wendler: “Secret Service officers shot a man during an exchange of gunfire Monday near the White House in an incident that wounded a child who happened to be in the area. … The man exchanged fire with officers while trying to flee the area, said Matthew Quinn, deputy director of the Secret Service. A weapon was recovered from the man, whose intentions were not immediately clear.”

EXTREME MAKEOVER: D.C. EDITION — “Top Trump fundraiser enlisted in new nonprofit for president’s sculpture garden and golf course as legal challenges abound,” by CNN’s Sunlen Serfaty: “Meredith O’Rourke, a longtime GOP fundraiser whom Trump has dispatched for many of his high-profile personal pursuits in his quest to put his stamp on the capital city’s landscape and culture, was the president’s national finance director during the 2024 election.”

ON RFK JR’S NEW POD — It’s “as weird as you’d expect,” Wired’s Emily Mullin writes. “The first two episodes of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new podcast feature him discoursing on food with a reality-TV chef and, for some reason, Mike Tyson. Vaccines are not on the agenda.”

WHITE HOUSE DEPARTURE LOUNGE — Kristen Eichamer is now deputy comms director at the Commerce Department. She previously worked at the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

OPEN FOR OVERSIGHT — Former FBI lawyer Anna Uhls is now counsel at Fenwick & West, where she’ll focus on expanding the Washington office and boosting the tech-focused firm’s congressional oversight and investigations practice. Uhls, who served for five years as the FBI’s assistant general counsel overseeing congressional oversight, will work with firm partner and fellow FBI alum Jon Lenzner. She said Big Tech, AI, and the intersection with national security and data privacy are particular focus areas.

“Because Congress’ lawmaking capacity right now is trained by polarization, procedural bottlenecks and weaker committee capacity, it is more and more leaning into oversight as a more feasible and politically advantageous way to act on issues,” Uhls said. “This level of scrutiny is accelerating at a faster rate; more subpoenas, hearings, large document requests and within this there’s a lot of interest in tech on both sides of the aisle, though sometimes different issues.”

MEDIA MOVES — Audrey Fahlberg is now Washington correspondent for The Free Press. She previously worked for National Review. … Kelley Benham French is joining NOTUS as an editor. She previously worked at WaPo. George Cahlink is also joining NOTUS as deputy congressional editor. He previously worked at Bloomberg.

TRANSITIONS — Elliot Cohen is joining the Board of Peace in a senior role. He previously worked at the Interior Department and had been detailed to the Office of Special Envoy for Peace Missions. … Van Ornelas is now comms director at the Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. He is a Scott Peters and Filemon Vela alum. … Luke Bolar has joined Boeing as director of policy and advocacy comms. He previously worked at ClearPath. …

… Alex Yergin is joining the Critical Minerals Forum as EVP. He previously worked at Booz Allen Hamilton. … James Boyle has returned to Boyle Public Affairs. He previously worked at BBB National Programs. … Norm Armstrong has joined Cooley as a partner and chair of its global antitrust and competition practice. He previously worked at the FTC.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: WaPo’s Dan Balz … POLITICO’s Alex Guillén and Francesca Barber … Mark McKinnon … Dan Hornung … Terry Moynihan … Whitney Robertson … Bloomberg’s Mike Dorning … Dustin Walker … ABC’s Rachel Scott and Diana Paulsen … Sacha Haworth … Jenna Valle-Riestra … Reproductive Freedom for All’s Neisha Blandin … former Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas) … Danielle Stewart … Rachel Wein … Zach Huebschman … Ann Saybolt … Christine Pelosi … West End Strategy Team’s Blake Goodman … Brian Williams … David Sharp … Amanda Zamora … Lulu Cheng Meservey … Senate Finance’s Caitlin Wilson

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A message from The Alzheimer's Association:

The ASAP Act is a “mammogram moment” for Alzheimer’s — an opportunity to make early detection the standard of care. When Congress enabled Medicare coverage for routine mammograms, screening rates soared and breast cancer deaths dropped significantly. That early investment led to earlier detection, better outcomes and improved quality of life.

Congress can deliver this same breakthrough for those with Alzheimer’s through the bipartisan ASAP Act, which would allow Medicare to cover a simple blood test to detect Alzheimer’s before symptoms appear. Until Congress acts, Medicare cannot cover dementia screening tests. But fewer than 10% of people receive a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment when today’s FDA-approved treatments are significantly more effective. Expanding access to blood-based screening will help more patients receive an early diagnosis, and the opportunity for earlier, more effective treatment. Congress must support the ASAP Act and appropriate Alzheimer’s care.