| | | | |  | | By Ryan Lizza, Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels | | | With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross
|  Donald Trump was given permission to have continued contact with witnesses, most of whom work with or for him in Mar-a-Lago or Bedminster, including co-defendant Walt Nauta. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | JUST POSTED — “Democrats meet with anti-Trump conservatives to fight No Labels 2024 bid,” by WaPo’s Michael Scherer: “Their mission: to figure out how to best subvert a potential third-party presidential bid by the group No Labels.” SPOTTED at the Third Way-hosted event: RON KLAIN, CEDRIC RICHMOND, HEIDI HEITKAMP and BILL KRISTOL. MARKET POWER — “Bud Light Loses Title as Top-Selling U.S. Beer,” by WSJ’s Jennifer Maloney: “Modelo Especial overtook the brand … in May, punctuating a monthslong boycott of Bud Light that has reshuffled the beer industry.“ NOTES FROM MIAMI — “Some birthday,” DONALD TRUMP said. He was standing inside Versailles, the famous Cuban restaurant in Little Havana, surrounded by a crowd serenading him with “Happy Birthday” hours before he turned 77. He had just left the downtown courthouse where he’d had his first contact with the indignities of the federal criminal justice system. Legal analysts had been on air estimating how many years in prison Trump might serve as they waited for him to emerge from the untelevised hearing. (Ten to twelve, said one.) A Fox News legal pundit had said that if Trump was convicted on just one of the dozens of counts against him, he was looking at a “terminal sentence” — i.e. he could die in jail. Trump had been fingerprinted, though not photographed, and then sat in silence for 48 minutes as lawyers around him debated the parameters of his release. No gag order. No bail. No travel restrictions. Trump could keep his passport. But the judge did say he wasn’t allowed to commit any crimes after his release. Trump was also given permission, after some debate, to have continued contact with witnesses, most of whom work with or for him when he’s in the bubble of Mar-a-Lago or Bedminster. They include his co-defendant and body man, WALT NAUTA, who was still staffing Trump yesterday as they showed up together at the courthouse; MARGO MARTIN, his close aide and “fake MELANIA” who was also with him at court; the Secret Service agents who protect him; and EVAN CORCORAN, one of his lawyers. (While Trump can talk to them, he can’t talk about the case, except through counsel.) “Trump appeared stoic, arms folded with his gaze fixed straight ahead for most of the hearing,” said Josh Gerstein, who was at the hearing. (“The folded arms is Trump’s go-to pose when he is feeling defiant,” noted Maggie Haberman.) While Trump averted his gaze, JACK SMITH, the prosecutor who put him in that courtroom and who may still have another indictment coming, concerning the events of Jan. 6, did not. Earlier this week Trump called Smith a “deranged psychopath.” “Smith appears to be pointedly staring at Trump as we await the judge’s entrance,” Lawfare’s Anna Bower reported. When Trump left the room, Smith was still glaring. “Smith closely watched Trump” as the former president exited, according to CBS News. “Smith never broke his stare at Trump.” “He’s scared shitless,” Trump’s former chief of staff JOHN KELLY told WaPo. “For the first time in his life, it looks like he’s being held accountable.”
|  A supporter stands with former President Donald Trump as he visits Versailles restaurant on Tuesday, June 13, in Miami. | Alex Brandon/AP Photo | | | | | A message from The Coalition to Protect America's Regional Airports: Changing the slot and perimeter rules would have a demonstrable, disproportionate, and disruptive economic impact on regional airports within the perimeter. More specifically, any changes will risk regional service to Washington and threaten jobs, economic growth, and other investments that communities have made in their regional airports, transportation infrastructure, and local economies. We are committed to protecting the economic viability of local economies. Learn more. | | | As his motorcade departed, Trump gave a double thumbs-up to supporters through bulletproof tinted windows. Miami police prepared for tens of thousands of people on the streets but only hundreds showed up. The two most recognizable were BAKED ALASKA and KARI LAKE. There was no large-scale organizing of the MAGA faithful. Two buses of Trump backers pulled in from Orlando, and they grabbed flags from the cargo hold and paraded around the courthouse. A block away a woman named Mary said she and a few friends from a local Republican club in Key West drove up to show their support. “At my granddaughter’s school there’s a whole month to celebrate Pride but they didn’t even mention the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7,” she said. There were far fewer anti-Trump protesters, but they made their presence known. “My signature is literally ‘Fuck Trump,’” a man from Miami Beach said. He showed his Florida driver’s license to prove it. (It was true.) As Trump’s motorcade turned the corner, DOMENIC SANTANA, a 61-year old protester dressed in a striped prison uniform, leapt in front of the lead SUV. He was grabbed and pushed to the sidewalk by officers, causing a momentary ripple of panic among Trump’s security agents. Minutes after the Miami hearing ended, news broke in New York that a judge ruled that E. JEAN CARROLL could amend her complaint against Trump to seek additional monetary damages. A few GOP voices on the Hill, on the 2024 campaign trail and elsewhere declined to completely dismiss the indictment: PAUL RYAN (“not electable”), LISA MURKOWSKI (“pretty damning”), SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO (“serious charges”), TIM SCOTT (“serious allegations), MIKE PENCE (“very serious allegations”), NIKKI HALEY (“incredibly reckless with our national security”). MITCH McCONNELL declined to comment when pressed by reporters yesterday. “Squint hard, and you might just see the outlines of an anti-Donald Trump coalition forming in the Senate GOP,” Burgess Everett notes. Fox News was wall-to-wall with ferocious support of the ex-president — and equally ferocious attacks on JOE BIDEN. But the Wall Street Journal editorial page spanked Trump: “GOP primary voters can benefit from reading the latest Trump indictment and asking what it means for a second Trump term. The facts alleged show that Mr. Trump has again played into the hands of his enemies. His actions were reckless, arrogant and remarkably self-destructive. This is the same Donald Trump they will get if they nominate him for a third time.” “Rappy birthday,” declared today’s cover of the New York Post, the third influential Rupert Murdoch media property of the right: “Trump arrested day before turning 77.” Good Wednesday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.
| | | | A message from The Coalition to Protect America's Regional Airports:   Take action now to protect regional airports. | | | WHAT THE REBELS WANT — The splinter faction of House conservatives furious over the recent debt ceiling deal won a major concession this week when Speaker KEVIN McCARTHY agreed to write next year’s spending bills well underneath the caps he negotiated with President JOE BIDEN. But the hardliners’ demands don’t end there, we’re told. They’re eyeing an additional piece of payback: a bigger presence on the House Appropriations Committee. A coveted vacancy on the panel will come open in mid-September, when Rep. CHRIS STEWART (R-Utah) resigns due to his wife’s health issues. Several of the conservative rebels have expressed interest in stepping into the slot, and they raised that interest with McCarthy in a recent meeting. It’s not clear what McCarthy will do — committee assignments are technically in the hands of the GOP steering committee, where the speaker’s wishes are influential but not the final word. But he’s already shown a willingness to deal, having already backed Reps. MIKE CLOUD (R-Texas) and ANDREW CLYDE (R-Ga.) for Approps seats after they got behind McCarthy’s speaker bid on the 12th ballot. Even if the group doesn’t lay claim to the seat, you can expect them to exert outsize influence as the Sept. 30 spending deadline approaches. Not only have they already succeeded in trimming more than $131 billion from the bipartisan caps deal, but we’re also told that leaders have promised the hard-liners a seat at the table as they craft the 12 individual appropriations bills.
|  House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) speaks with reporters at the U.S. Capitol on May 16, 2023. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | In a leadership meeting this week, McCarthy’s team discussed having Majority Whip TOM EMMER convene meetings between conservatives, moderates and appropriations staff to hammer out the legislation — potentially setting up a turf war with the “cardinals,” the powerful subcommittee chairs who write each bill. The bigger picture: There are no guarantees that the group is going to be satisfied with the appropriations concessions, which have all but guaranteed a spending standoff with the Senate, a probable Christmastime omnibus and a possible government shutdown. “Every week we are going to have new demands,” one member of McCarthy’s leadership team told us late last night. “These are legislative terrorists … and if we try to pretend like we have things under control, I don’t think that is the case.” Related reads: “‘Trying to figure it out': McCarthy’s conservative rebels struggle with next steps,” by Jordain Carney and Sarah Ferris … “G.O.P. Rebels Are Breaking the Rule on Rules, Upending How the House Works,” by NYT’s Carl Hulse
| | BIDEN’S WEDNESDAY:
11 a.m.: The president will receive the President’s Daily Brief, with VP KAMALA HARRIS also attending.
7:15 p.m.: Biden will depart the White House en route to The Anthem, where he will deliver remarks at the League of Conservation Voters’ annual Capital Dinner at 7:55 p.m.
Press secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE will brief at 1:45 p.m.
THE HOUSE will meet at 10 a.m. The Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing on DHS Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS’ “dereliction of duty” at 10 a.m.
THE SENATE will meet at 10 a.m. to consider a number of judicial nominations. U.S. Ambassador to China NICHOLAS BURNS will brief the Foreign Relations Committee at 3:15 p.m. | | | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | PHOTO OF THE DAY
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VP Kamala Harris welcomes Opal Lee, considered the grandmother of Juneteenth, to the stage during a Juneteenth concert at the White House on Tuesday, June 13. | Susan Walsh/AP Photo | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | 2024 WATCH BURGUMENTUM WATCH — Puck’s Theodore Schleifer reports that North Dakota Gov. DOUG BURGUM is planning a Silicon Valley fundraising swing, which is at once surprising (the wealthy Burgum had indicated he’d self-fund his presidential bid) and not (he’s the founder of a software firm that was acquired by Microsoft). Burgum, he writes, “is actually credible with some elites, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see some of them — like [former Microsoft CEO STEVE] BALLMER, perhaps, who is still a Burgum friend — get involved with his campaign or back it.” Also shaking the Silicon Valley money tree this week: TIM SCOTT, RON DeSANTIS, NIKKI HALEY, and JOE BIDEN. MORE POLITICS CASH DASH — With primary elections looming next week, Virginia legislative candidates have raked in a whopping $20 million in cash in just about two months, with Democrats holding a slight edge over Republicans, AP’s Sarah Rankin reports in Richmond, Va. MORE TUMULT IN L.A. — In the latest of a string of ugly headlines for the L.A. City Council over the past year, CURREN PRICE was charged with embezzlement and perjury yesterday, L.A. Times’ James Queally, Julia Wick and Dakota Smith report. COURT ORDER — A Michigan judge ordered Michigan GOP Chair KRISTINA KARAMO and other Republicans in the state to pay out legal fees relating to a failed challenge of the 2022 election results, the Detroit Free Press’ Clara Hendrickson reports. CONGRESS TUB MAKES TROUBLE — The Marine Corps could soon be without a Senate-confirmed leader, thanks to Sen. TOMMY TUBERVILLE’s (R-Ala.) blockade of hundreds of senior military promotions — and the service is already making preparations for such a scenario, Lara Seligman, Connor O’Brien and Joe Gould report. “In a highly unusual move, Commandant Gen. DAVID BERGER sent out invitations to a ‘relinquishment of office ceremony’ scheduled for July 10,” according to an invitation obtained by our colleagues. Rather than passing the torch to a new commandant, Gen. ERIC SMITH, Biden’s nominee to replace Berger, will instead lead the Corps on a temporary basis. WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR — CNN’s Annie Grayer and Melanie Zanona have the inside details on House Republicans’ plan to gum up the special counsel’s probe into Trump, with tactics ranging from “subpoenas to the power of the purse strings.” Judiciary Chair JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio) is “exploring ways to force JACK SMITH to testify or provide information” about his probe. BERNSTEIN BREAKS THROUGH — Senate Dems confirmed JARED BERNSTEIN to serve as chair of the Council of Economic Advisors yesterday on a 50-49 vote, over opposition from Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) and Republicans, Eleanor Mueller and Sam Sutton report. SEC. 702 UPDATE — “In the Senate, Biden’s spy pitch falls on deaf ears,” by John Sakellariadis POLICY CORNER WHAT ‘UNION JOE’ IS READING — “Labor Board, Reversing Trump-Era Ruling, Widens Definition of Employee,” by NYT’s Noam Scheiber: “Overturning a ruling issued when the board was under Republican control, the decision effectively increases the number of workers — like drivers, construction workers or janitors — who have a federally protected right to unionize or take other collective action, such as protesting unsafe working conditions.” SBF FALLOUT — “Sam Bankman-Fried Takes Fight Over Federal Fraud Case to Bahamas,” by WSJ’s James Fanelli: “U.S. prosecutors need consent from the Bahamas to proceed with charges that were added after Bankman-Fried was transferred to U.S. custody. Bankman-Fried is asking a Bahamian court to postpone that decision and give him an opportunity to make arguments in the Bahamas that some of the charges are improper.” IMMIGRATION FILES — “U.S. extends temporary protected status for more than 330,000 immigrants,” by WaPo’s Maria Sacchetti: “The announcement came as a relief for immigrants in the United States under a federal designation called “temporary protected status.” Others were disappointed that the protections remain limited to immigrants who arrived in the country years ago. They had hoped the Biden administration would issue a fresh designation to include more-recent arrivals.” KNOWING JOE WHITE — “The British diplomat trying to win over the U.S. tech industry,” by Brendan Bordelon in San Francisco
| | | | A message from The Coalition to Protect America's Regional Airports:   Take action now to protect regional airports. | | | AMERICA AND THE WORLD NATO GEOGRAPHIC — “Poland Says ‘Nie’ to Another Nordic NATO Chief, Splitting Alliance,” by WSJ’s Vivian Salama: “Resistance from Warsaw could ultimately cost Danish Prime Minister METTE FREDERIKSEN a shot at the job, since the NATO secretary-general must be selected by consensus of all 31 member states, European officials said. … Frederiksen, who visited the White House last week, is widely viewed as the preferred candidate of most NATO members to replace [JENS] STOLTENBERG, the former Norwegian prime minister. But a growing number of states on NATO’s eastern flank are concerned that Frederiksen’s potential candidacy, while largely well-deserved, undermines the alliance’s needs in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.” — “GOP senator blocks arms sale to Hungary for stalling Sweden’s NATO bid,” by WaPo’s John Hudson and Loveday Morris: Sen. JAMES RISCH (R-Idaho) “said Hungary must allow Sweden into NATO if it wants the arms package, which includes 24 HIMARS rocket launcher batteries, and more than 100 rockets and pods along with associated parts and support.” MISSION TRIP — The Biden administration is sending national security adviser JAKE SULLIVAN to Tokyo this week to interface with officials from Japan, Philippines and South Korea in a trilateral meeting, per the AP. “The White House offered scant details about Sullivan’s two-day visit that begins Thursday, saying Sullivan and his counterparts ‘will discuss ways to deepen collaboration on a number of key regional and global issues.’” FOR YOUR RADAR — “U.S. Warned Ukraine Not to Attack Nord Stream,” by WSJ’s Bojan Pancevski, Drew Hinshaw, Joe Parkinson and Warren Strobel: “The message, delivered by CIA officials in June, followed a tip the CIA received from the military intelligence service of the Netherlands, these officials said. While the CIA took the warning seriously, these officials said, it had questions over whether Ukraine had the capacity to carry out such an attack, which would require placing explosive charges deep beneath the Baltic Sea.” DANCE OF THE SUPERPOWERS — “Yellen Says Bid to Decouple From China Would Be ‘Disastrous,’” by NYT’s Alan Rappeport BEYOND THE BELTWAY MAJOR MEDICAID MOVEMENT — Anxiety is high in Arkansas as the state decides how many of its more than 1 million Medicaid recipients should keep their health insurance. Two months in, more than 140,000 people have lost their Medicaid, with most getting kicked out of the program for administrative reasons. Our colleague Megan Messerly has more from Marvell: “While all states are removing people from their Medicaid rolls, several Republican-led states appear to be moving at breakneck speed and no state is moving as quickly as Arkansas.” Companion read: “Meet 5 Arkansans who are worried about their family’s Medicaid,” by Megan CAUGHT UP IN THE CULTURE WARS, PART I — “To Fight Book Bans, Illinois Passes a Ban on Book Bans,” by NYT’s Orlando Mayorquin CAUGHT UP IN THE CULTURE WARS, PART II — “An Ariz. Democrat hid Bibles as a ‘prank.’ Republicans tried to expel her,” by WaPo’s María Luisa Paúl
| | | | GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Marty the Moose is back on Capitol Hill. Bill de Blasio weighed in against the Oakland Athletics’ proposed move to Las Vegas. Jill Biden attended a SoulCycle class in San Francisco’s Castro district. PLAYBOOK SPORTS SECTION … On the pitch: Republicans and Democrats faced off at the 9th annual Congressional Soccer Match last night, organized by the U.S. Soccer Foundation and the U.S. Soccer Federation in support of the foundation’s mission to improve children’s lives on and off the pitch. U.S. Soccer Foundation President and CEO Ed Foster-Simeon and U.S. Soccer Federation CEO/Secretary General JT Batson were on hand as Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Blake Moore (R-Utah), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), David Valadao (R-Calif.), and Garret Graves (R-La.) were among the participants in the game, with the Republican squad besting the Democrats, 4-2. But, in perhaps the most bizarre moment in any congressional sporting event, after the game Crenshaw “popped out his glass eye and dropped it in the trophy,” per Punchbowl’s Max Cohen, to make a point about what he viewed as poor officiating. “The refs have two eyeballs, but they don’t use them, so I’m just going to give them one of mine,” Crenshaw said. SPOTTED in the stands supporting their colleagues: Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Preview for tonight: Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) will be the starting pitcher for the Republicans in tonight’s Congressional Baseball Game, he announced yesterday. It’s a miraculous turnaround after he recovered from a 25-foot fall at his home in January. In between votes at the Capitol yesterday, Democratic Reps. Gabe Vasquez (D-Texas) and Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) were spotted having a catch. And, per Roll Call’s Jim Saksa, former Reps. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) and Kevin Brady (R-Texas) were inducted into the game’s hall of fame. Buy tickets for the game OUT AND ABOUT — The Motion Picture Association hosted the second annual MPA Awards last night at its downtown D.C. office. Mexico City Gov. Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries were honored virtually with MPA Industry Champion awards, and filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood was presented with the MPA Creator Award. Guests enjoyed blackberry mules and a candy and popcorn bar, along with a Q&A between Prince-Bythewood and WaPo film critic Ann Hornaday. SPOTTED: Charles Rivkin, Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.), Canadian Ambassador Kristen Hillman, Karyn Temple, Gail MacKinnon, David Hudson, Tom Zigo, Nelson Cruz, Dan Glickman, Patrick Kilcur, Urmila Venugopalan, Carla Sanchez Armas, Jan van Voorn, Keith Murphy, Mike Castellano, Alexa Verveer, Keith Kupferschmid, LaToya Foster, Ronald Neumann, Daniel Strauss and Nihal Krishan. Pic … Another pic FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Doug Landry is launching 50 Thirteen, an event management and visual comms consulting firm. He currently is an advance associate for the Biden administration and is a Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton campaign alum. — The data analytics firm BlueLabs has hired Adam Zuckerman and promoted Cecia Soza as political directors. Zuckerman is a former chief comms program officer at Building Back Together and is a Biden campaign alum. Soza most recently was an analytics lead. WHITE HOUSE DEPARTURE LOUNGE — Sejal Hathi has left the White House, where she worked at the Domestic Policy Council as senior policy adviser for public health. She will soon start as New Jersey’s state health officer and deputy commissioner of health. TRANSITIONS — Melissa Taylormoore is now a partner in White & Case’s global litigation practice. She previously was chief legal and compliance officer at Constellis. … Janet Kim and Andrew Dockham are now partners at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Kim most recently was a partner at Wilson Sonsini, and is a former White House associate counsel. Dockham most recently was a partner at Wilson Sonsini, and is a Senate Homeland Security Committee alum. … Kyle Klein is joining The Roosevelt Group as a senior adviser. He most recently was staff director for the House Homeland Security Committee. … … Irvin McCullough will be an investigator for Senate Judiciary Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee Chair Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.). He previously was press officer for the German Marshall Fund of the United States. … Jennifer Saulino is now a partner with Sidley Austin’s product liability and commercial litigation group. She previously was a partner at Covington & Burling. … Amy Chang is now senior fellow for cybersecurity and emerging threats at the R Street Institute. She previously was an executive director for global cybersecurity operations at JPMorgan Chase. WEEKEND WEDDING — Layla Zaidane, president and CEO of the Millennial Action Project, and Max Sinsheimer, founder of Sinsheimer Literary, got married Saturday at a castle in the south of France. They met on Hinge. Pic … Another pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Former President Donald Trump … Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) … Brian Fallon of Demand Justice and Barracks Row Media … State Department’s Allison Lombardo … former Reps. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) (8-0), Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) (8-0) and Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) … Meta’s Campbell Brown … Mack McLarty of McLarty Associates … Northwestern Mutual’s Christopher Gahan ... Regan Page … Julia Cohen ... Pavel Khodorkovsky … David Keller of Rep. Jim Banks’ (R-Ind.) office … YouTube’s Alexandra Veitch … Chamber of Commerce’s Sara Armstrong … Crystal Bowyer … CNN’s Pete Muntean … Wilson Center’s Ryan McKenna … Shomik Sarkar … BP’s Josh Hicks … Aaron Williams … Chris Liddell-Westefeld … Scot Ross … WaPo’s Robert Klemko … Ben Kaufman of the Student Borrower Protection Center … Tom Gjelten …James Duffy Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us at 202-556-3307. Playbook couldn’t happen without our editor Mike DeBonis, deputy editor Zack Stanton and producers Setota Hailemariam and Bethany Irvine.
| | | | A message from The Coalition to Protect America's Regional Airports: Changing the slot and perimeter rules would have a negative economic impact on regional airports within the perimeter. The proposed changes will incentivize airlines to reduce service within the perimeter and expand more profitable service to long-haul destinations, impacting service to Washington. Given the risk to regional airports and surrounding communities, these unnecessary changes have been opposed by the local residents and business who would be most affected as proposed changes threaten jobs, billions of dollars in investments, and much-needed local tax revenue. Learn more. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
