Photograph illustration by Emma Spainhoward with {photograph} by Getty Photos.
Good morning. Storms and heavy rains are seemingly this afternoon on what could possibly be our final day of back-breaking warmth for some time (and proper on cue, I lastly obtained an appointment to repair my AC). A excessive of 93, with warmth index round 105. A flood watch is in impact from 2 PM to 2 AM. Extra rain in a single day, with a low round 68. The Washington Mystics will host the Golden State Valkyries tonight. You’ll be able to discover me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Sign, and there’s a hyperlink to my electronic mail handle beneath.
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I can’t cease listening to:
Barrington Levy, “Higher Than Gold.” The Jamaican legend’s voice electrifies this slinky spotlight from the “More durable They Fall” soundtrack—if there’s such a factor as spaghetti Western reggae, I feel that is it. Barrington Levy performs the Howard Theatre tonight.
Take Washingtonian In the present day with you! I’ve made a playlist on Spotify and on Apple Music of my each day music suggestions this 12 months.
Right here’s some administration information you might need blocked out:
Personnel issues: The Senate confirmed Joe Kent, a two-time failed congressional candidate with deep connections to the far proper, to run the Nationwide Counterterrorism Heart. (AP) Flashback: In 2021, Kent spoke at a evenly attended rally to help January 6 rioters in entrance of the US Capitol. (Washingtonian) On Tuesday, the US Army Academy appointed former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company director Jen Easterly to a tutorial submit. On Wednesday, following criticism from conservative activist Laura Loomer, Military Secretary Dan Driscoll directed West Level to yank the appointment. (CyberScoop) President Trump overruled Well being Secretary RFK Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary when he fired Vinay Prasad, who Loomer additionally focused. (Politico)
Epstein newest: The household of Virginia Giuffre requested Trump to not pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted intercourse trafficker who abetted the crimes of the disgraced, deceased financier Jeffery Epstein. Giuffre, a sufferer of Epstein’s who Trump just lately stated Epstein “stole” from his Mar-a-Lago membership, died by suicide earlier this 12 months. Trump’s bizarre assertion, the household stated, “makes us ask if he was conscious of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s legal actions, particularly given his assertion two years later that his good good friend Jeffrey ‘likes ladies on the youthful aspect . . . little question about it.’” (NBC Information) From taking credit score for a Purple Sox successful streak to demanding that Coke change its components, listed here are the subjects Trump has posted about because the Epstein story engulfed his administration. (Politico)
The financial system: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated Trump-branded financial savings accounts the US Congress established for infants are “a again door for privatizing Social Safety.” (AP) Trump slapped 50 p.c tariffs on Brazil and sanctioned a choose he dislikes after its president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, stated in an interview that Trump shouldn’t combine politics with commerce. (NYT) The US struck a commerce cope with South Korea. (CNN) The financial system grew by 3 p.c within the final quarter. (CNBC) That development got here on the expense of imports, the Wall Avenue Journal’s editorial board famous, calling it the “weirdest GDP report ever.” (WSJ) The Fed declined to decrease rates of interest. (Washington Publish)
Administration perambulation: Brown College is the newest Ivy League college to bow to the administration’s strain marketing campaign. (NYT) Scientists say the administration misrepresented their work in a report that pooh-poohs local weather change. (NOTUS) A little bit-known firm with few staff and a headquarters that’s a home in Henrico County simply gained a $1.26 billion contract to construct an immigrant detention middle in Texas. (The Richmonder) Elon Musk‘s “America Celebration” has proved to be as actual as his tunnel between Baltimore and DC. It was a approach for Musk to “blow off steam,” in line with a Tesla investor. (Axios) A web site known as the Panama Playlists claims it’s obtained knowledge on what Trump administration officers hearken to on Spotify. Vice President JD Vance has Justin Bieber and the Backstreet Boys on his “Making Dinner,” playlist, the web site says. (Wired)
Hidden Eats, by Ike Allen
Just lately on Washingtonian dot com:
• T.J. Oshie put his mansion in the marketplace and break up for Minnesota.
• Pictures from our Better of Washington 2025 celebration.
Native information hyperlinks:
• Sally Jenkins, Erik Wemple, Mike Semel, Ann Gerhart, Monica Norton, and Stephen Stromberg are the newest large names to take buyouts from the Washington Publish. Jenkins will go to the Athletic, and Wemple will go to the NYT. (Standing)
• The NTSB grilled members of the Military and the FAA throughout Day 1 of hearings in regards to the January air catastrophe close to Nationwide Airport. (Washington Publish)
• DC Mayor Muriel Bowser “believes there are sufficient ‘sure’ votes on the D.C. Council” for a stadium cope with the Commanders. (Axios D.C.)
• Maryland Governor Wes Moore‘s plan to rent cashiered federal employees is on maintain. (Maryland Issues)
• Lee Vogler, a metropolis councilman in Danville, Virginia, was attacked and set on hearth on the workplace of a neighborhood journal the place he works. Police stated the assault was “unrelated to his politics or work as councilman.” (NBC4 Washington)
• Former Wizards star Gilbert Arenas was charged with working unlawful poker video games at his mansion in LA. (AP) Flashback: Arenas has an sad historical past with card video games. (Washington Metropolis Paper)
• The Bethesda Huge Prepare defeated the Alexandria Aces within the Cal Ripken Sr. School Baseball League championship. (Alexandria Instances)
• Caroline Tso, who will start highschool in Fairfax County this fall, compiled a historical past of “what could have been Arlington’s first Chinese language-inspired restaurant.” (ARLnow)
• Police say a lady in DC was attacked by two ladies in bikinis. (WTOP)
• Former President Biden visited a Baskins Robbins in Kensington on Monday. (The MoCo Present)
Thursday’s occasion picks:
• The Fairfax County Carnival and Truthful kicks off at Frying Pan Farm Park.
• The Path Operating Movie Competition pads into the Miracle Theatre.
• The YMCA Thingamajig Invention Conference STEAMs into the US Patent & Trademark Workplace in Alexandria.
See extra picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Issues to Do e-newsletter.
We’re now taking recommendations for this 12 months’s “Most Highly effective Girls” checklist. You’ll be able to nominate somebody right here. Know somebody we must always contemplate for our Tech Titans function this 12 months? Put their identify ahead right here. Did you miss our 100 Very Greatest Eating places Record? It’s right here.
Senior editor
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was beforehand with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington Metropolis Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
