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By Jack Blanchard with Dasha Burns |
Presented by |
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With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray On today’s Playbook Podcast: Jack and Dasha discuss what’s really going on with the departure of Lori Chavez-DeRemer … and flag the political TV Donald Trump will be tuning in to watch at 10 a.m. Listen and subscribe Good Tuesday morning. This is Jack Blanchard, grabbing the winter coat back out of the closet and wondering what happened to spring. Drop me a line. SO WHO’S NEXT? The departure of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer last night marked the third from Trump’s Cabinet in six-and-a-half weeks … and left other high-profile officials sweating on their futures. It’s taken a little over a year, but the greatest parlor game of Trump 1.0 — speculating on who’s next for the boot — is back with a vengeance. Obviously, the circumstances around Chavez-DeRemer’s departure were very specific, as the whistleblower accounts, leaked text messages and IG investigation would all suggest. (Chavez-DeRemer denies any wrongdoing, and last night blamed the media and “deep state actors” for how this played out.) But the bigger picture is crystal clear. The Cabinet-level calm of the first 13 months of this presidency is over. Trump is in the mood for shaking things up. So what’s changed? As Dasha reports on today's Playbook Podcast, the sense inside the White House is that the president is culling top-level officials with an eye toward the midterms. The campaign is not exactly going swimmingly, and the theory is that problematic members of the administration need clearing out now — still six months from the start of voting — to put sufficient distance between their departures and Election Day. Those embroiled in scandal (Kristi Noem, Chavez-DeRemer), or distrusted by Trump’s base (Pam Bondi), have been first out the door, Dasha notes. Kashing out? This may not bode well for Patel, who has issues on both these fronts. His reputation in MAGA world hasn’t recovered from his role in the initial handling of the Epstein files, while the list of colorful stories (and videos!) about his approach to the job of FBI chief gets longer every month. For his part, Patel insists it’s all media smears, and yesterday’s $250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic showed just how hard he’ll push back. And of course, the White House did tell The Atlantic that he’s doing a great job. (Worth remembering: Trump voiced support for both Noem and Bondi back in February, and for Chavez-DeRemer two weeks ago.) Another name worth watching is that of Howard Lutnick, whom Dasha reported earlier this month was on thin ice along with Chavez-DeRemer. The Commerce secretary is old pals with the president, of course, but has faced fierce internal criticism from Day One — and now has an Epstein-shaped problem of his own. Allegations by Senate Democrats — fiercely disputed by those involved — that Lutnick’s family could profit from the multibillion-dollar tariff refunds now being dished out by the administration are unlikely to help his cause. But again, the White House insists he’s doing a great job. He’ll get a chance to make that case publicly at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing tomorrow. In today’s Playbook … — Big day for the Fed as Kevin Warsh’s nomination hits the Senate. — Virginia votes on Democrats’ redistricting gambit. — And could two more House members be out the door over ethics scandals?
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DRIVING THE DAY |
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WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN: A confirmation hearing for a new Fed chair should be a significant moment — but in truth we can expect more heat than light from today’s session with Kevin Warsh. Two big issues will dominate the morning’s questioning by the Senate Banking Committee: the future of Fed independence, and Warsh’s own (substantial) financial interests. Declaration of independence: Bank independence is clearly the central issue given Trump’s relentless attacks on the current chair, Jerome Powell, and the president’s wish to bend the Fed’s rate-setting powers to his will. As a former committee staffer tells my POLITICO colleagues Victoria Guida, Sam Sutton and Jasper Goodman in their preview of today’s hearing: “The key question would be: ‘If he tries to fire you, are you leaving? Jay Powell stood up to this attack. Would you?’” But we already know the super-slick Warsh will give senators all the right answers, with his opening statement offering a useful guide. “I do not believe the operational independence of monetary policy is particularly threatened when elected officials — presidents, senators or members of the House — state their views on interest rates,” Warsh will tell the committee, per the FT. (Which is easy enough to say, but possibly harder to deliver when a furious president is publicly denigrating you day after day.) Money money money: The matter of Warsh’s finances is also a valid topic to explore; some estimates suggest Warsh will be the wealthiest Fed chair in more than 100 years. Senate Dems say his disclosures have lacked full transparency thus far, WSJ’s Matt Grossman and Nick Timiraos report. But no one seriously believes these kinds of questions are going to hold up Warsh’s confirmation on the Republican side. None shall pass: Warsh’s path to confirmation is pretty clear; his problem is that the one remaining hurdle will not be shifted by anything he says at this hearing. Sen Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has said repeatedly he’s not going to wave through the nomination so long as Powell faces investigation by Trump’s DOJ. And we still have no idea when that inquiry is going to wrap up.
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Blue Jay’s way: Tillis intends to use his allotted minutes today not to interrogate Warsh at all, but simply to complain about the political inquiry into Powell. “I’m not going to spend much time talking to Kevin,” Tillis said. “I’m going to start talking about what a bogus investigation Powell is subject to.” And as for the audience of one: Trump will presumably watch at least some of today’s hearing with a guy he loves to describe as "straight out of central casting.” But the president remains largely focused on Iran and the economic impact of the war. It’s striking to see the president so keen to speak to Wall Street at the moment: after two interviews with Maria Bartiromo over the past two weeks, Trump will appear on CNBC’s Squawk Box with Joe Kernen this morning. The strategy is certainly proving effective, with the stock market still prepared to lurch up or down at the president’s every utterance. The latest leap in stock prices appears tied to a growing belief that a second round of peace talks with Iran is indeed set to take place this week — even as we await confirmation that VP JD Vance really is going to Islamabad to meet Iranian negotiators today. Trump has at least shunted the ceasefire deadline to tomorrow night, giving Vance a little more time to make the long flight over. But no one has any real idea how it’s all going to play out. TRAIL MIX IT’S REDISTRICTING DAY: The next big test of where voters are at, and how either side is faring in its messaging and reach, is happening today as Virginians decide the fate of the high-stakes redistricting referendum that could tip the scales toward Democrats in the gerrymandering arms race for control of the House. It appears it’s going down to the wire. Democratic strategists are looking at tight polling and early voting numbers — signs it could be a closer tally than they’d like, POLITICO’s Erin Doherty writes. The gerrymander could net Democrats as many as four more seats, but Virginia is a state with a historic distaste for such blatantly partisan redraws. Beyond the seats themselves, there’s more political capital on the line: “If the ballot referendum fails, it would be an early embarrassment for [Abigail Spanberger] as governor and a high-profile loss for a Democratic Party that has cast Trump’s efforts in existential terms as ‘election rigging’ that undermines American democracy.” Not to be counted out: The “no” campaign — which has made this a tougher fight after slamming Spanberger as a flip-flopper on redistricting — got a last-minute push in the form of a Trump tele-rally alongside Speaker Mike Johnson last night. And Trump put it quite plainly: “The whole country is watching.” AIPAC FIGHTS ON: AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, is hitting the airwaves in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District with a new ad skewering Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), POLITICO’s Lisa Kashisky scoops. The ad hits Massie for voting against some of Trump’s priorities and for siding “with liberal Democrats” like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) on Israel. The 30-second spot also boosts Ed Gallrein, Massie’s Trump-backed primary opponent. Watch the ad CASH DASH: The DCCC announced it raised $45.3 million in the first quarter of 2026, in part due to a record-breaking March haul of $21.5 million. But they were slightly outraised by the NRCC, which earlier announced a $47.1 million haul. … Not to be outdone, MAGA Inc.’s latest FEC disclosures show the Trump super PAC brought in $35.6 million in March, bringing the war chest to an eye-popping $550 million, per Bloomberg. CASHING IN: The Human Rights Campaign is announcing a $15 million midterms investment today — which the pro-LGBTQ+ organization says it’ll use to flip seats towards Democrats in Arizona, California, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania. They’ll also work to “expand the number of openly LGBTQ+ elected officials nationwide” and “combat anti-LGBTQ+ ballot measures across the country,” according to a release shared with Playbook. PRIMARY COLORS: “Dueling PACs gear up for GOP primary wars over immigration,” by POLITICO’s Samuel Benson: “The Homeland PAC, backed by immigration-restrictionist Republicans, launched last week in an effort to primary some of [the Dignity Act’s] co-sponsors. Meanwhile, American Business Immigration Coalition Action, a pro-immigration group, secured $1.2 million to protect them through its Building America’s Economy PAC and hopes to raise $5 million in total, according to plans first shared with POLITICO.”
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MEANWHILE IN CONGRESS WILL THE HOUSE LOSE MORE MEMBERS?: The House Ethics Committee is set to render its disciplinary recommendation today against Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), who was found guilty of (among other things) pouring $5 million in Covid relief funds into her congressional campaign. But there’s already plans to introduce a resolution to vote to expel her, Axios’ Kate Santaliz and Andrew Solender report. And that’s not all — Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) introduced a similar resolution last night to vote to expel Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) over allegations of financial and sexual misconduct. Mills has denied the allegations, and he’s still under investigation by House Ethics. We could be barreling toward a double expulsion vote — but each would have to clear a two-thirds majority. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters his caucus will discuss their next steps after the recommendation for Cherfilus-McCormick is released. Speaker Mike Johnson previously said he’s waiting for House Ethics to finish its probe against Mills before taking such a vote. Side effect: Any vote against Cherfilus-McCormick this week could get Johnson back some breathing room on his one-vote margin, POLITICO’s ace Meredith Lee Hill reports. Republicans privately told Meredith they expect she could be expelled as soon as tomorrow, which would slightly re-widen the GOP majority after Rep. Analilia Mejia (D-N.J.) was sworn in yesterday. MORE TO WATCH TODAY: Senate Republicans could release the budget text for the reconciliation package to fund DHS and take a procedural vote as soon as today, the next big step toward ending the partial shutdown. So far, Senate Majority Leader John Thune says the bill is on track to remain narrow, even as other GOP lawmakers push for an expansion as doubts persist on the possibility of a third reconciliation package later this year. The full rundown from POLITICO’s Inside Congress THE EPSTEIN SAGA: Some Democrats on the House Oversight Committee say Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) has quietly instituted a new practice that effectively quashes opportunities to call votes for subpoenas against major figures in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, POLITICO’s Riley Rogerson and Hailey Fuchs report. Instead, Comer holds “roundtables” on different issues within the panel’s jurisdiction instead of hearings.
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A message from UnitedHealth Group:  
UnitedHealth Group makes care easier to get and afford through digital tools and home visits. |
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TALK OF THE TOWN |
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READ YOUR BIBLE — Trump’s pre-recorded portion of the 84-hour public presentation and celebration of the Bible at the Museum of the Bible will be shown in the 6 p.m. hour tonight, POLITICO’s Sophia Cai scooped Friday. Trump’s reading is from Second Chronicles 7:14 — among the most frequently invoked verses in American public religious life, calling on believers to “humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face … and turn from their wicked ways.” He’ll be joined by other Cabinet officials who will also participate in the reading throughout the week, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and chief of staff Susie Wiles, per CNN. IN MEMORIAM — “George Ariyoshi, 100, America’s First Governor of Asian Descent, Dies,” by NYT’s Robert McFadden: “George R. Ariyoshi, a Honolulu-born Japanese American politician who shattered voting traditions in the nation’s only state with an Asian plurality, becoming Hawaii’s — and America’s — first governor of Asian descent, died on Sunday at his home in Honolulu. He was 100.” FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY — Crooked Media’s Dan Pfeiffer, the Obama administration alum of “Pod Save America” fame, is going from newsletter and podcast punditry to a full-on subscription service for the party’s grassroots organizers and campaigns. The new pro version of his “Message Box” newsletter, which launches today, will offer “real-time strategic recommendations and actionable tools” for campaigns via Beehiiv — all for a cool $65 a month. ON THE POTOMAC POOP SITUATION — “DOJ and Maryland both sue D.C. Water over Potomac sewage leak,” by WaPo’s Salvador Rizzo and Dan Morse: “The Justice Department sued D.C. and its water and sewage authority in federal court Monday over the January leak of untreated wastewater into the Potomac River. … The suit alleges that the authority neglected years of problems with the pipeline before it ultimately collapsed on Jan. 19, allowing more than 240 million gallons of raw sewage to flow into the river before it was fixed.” OUT AND ABOUT — A new political thriller, “PH-1,” held a screening at AMC Georgetown last night after the film's D.C. theatrical release, followed by a Q&A with actor/director Mark Kassen moderated by POLITICO's Sophia Cai. Kassen, who co-founded A Starting Point with actor Chris Evans, played a rising politician trapped in his penthouse while watching his reputation unravel in real time across traditional and social media. SPOTTED: Alisa Vasquez, Margaret Talev, Juhi Doshi, Marc Adelman, Trinity Tresner, Veronica Winham, Connor Chapinski, Kalyn Schroeder, Kaylin Minton and Mia Charity. — The Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison hosted its 2026 ceremony for the Anthony Shadid Award for Journalism Ethics at the National Press Club last night. This year’s award went to Joaquin Palomino and Cynthia Dizikes of the San Francisco Chronicle for their four-part investigation into California’s behavioral health care system. SPOTTED: Nada Bakri, Jeffrey Goldberg, Craig Gilbert, Katie Harbath, Carrie Johnson, Marty Kaiser, David Maraniss, Elsa Medhin, Andrea Mitchell, Jonathan O’Connell, Manu Raju, Malik Shadid, Nahal Toosi and Owen Ullmann. TRANSITIONS — Steve Pierce is joining Winning Jobs Narrative as its first executive director, aiming to help pro-democracy leaders with economic messaging. He previously worked at Bully Pulpit International. … Tara Hopkins has joined Moore & Van Allen as a partner and head of the Government Contracts practice. She previously worked at Haynes and Boone. … Erick Matos is joining the Association for Consumer Debt Relief as its government affairs manager for the West. He previously worked at Sysco. … … Sam Green has joined the Helsinki Commission as a senior policy advisor. He previously worked at the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. … Valeria Carranza has joined MomsRising as senior director of government relations. She previously worked on the Montgomery County Council. … Alicia Smith is joining DLA Piper's government affairs and public policy practice as of counsel. She previously worked at CISA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NYT’s Jodi Kantor … Saagar Enjeti … POLITICO’s Gloria Gonzalez and Molly Childers … Matt Rivera … Felix Salmon of Axios … Greg Lyons of the Farm Credit Administration … Collin O’Mara of the National Wildlife Federation … Jay Cranford of CGCN Group … Will Boyington … Brad Cheney of the Majority Group … Katherine Finnerty … Mercury’s Jon Reinish … Steven Chlapecka … Harry Williams of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund … Bloomberg’s Amanda Hayes … Terrence Clark … Justin Knighten … Niamh King of the Aspen Institute … Annie Topp of Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office … Paul Haenle of JPMorgan … White House’s John Hiller 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.
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