Latest news with #DemandJustice
Politico
09-07-2025
- Business
- Politico
Eversole to lead Wall Street trade group
With Daniel Lippman BANK LOBBY TAPS NEW LEADER: The Financial Services Forum, which represents eight of the largest banks in the U.S., has lured Amanda Eversole from the American Petroleum Institute to be its next president and chief executive. Eversole has been with the oil and gas lobby since 2018, and has served as API's executive vice president and chief advocacy officer since 2022. — But Eversole is no stranger to the banking world, having spent two years as head of public affairs at JPMorgan Chase — a member of the Financial Services Forum — prior to joining API. Before that, Eversole spent 13 years with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where she helped launch the Chamber's Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness. — Eversole succeeds Kevin Fromer, who announced last week that he would step down after eight years as head of the Forum. TRUMP AIDE HEADED BACK DOWNTOWN: Joe Ellis is returning to K Street to join BGR Group as a vice president after a stint in the public sector. Ellis most recently worked as an advance staffer for the White House, where he helped lead the planning for President Donald Trump's recent trips to Qatar and the NATO Summit in the Netherlands. Before that he served as chief of staff to Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), a former Trump advance staffer himself. — Prior to his time on the Hill, Ellis worked for nearly a decade at BP, including serving as the British oil major's vice president and head of U.S. government affairs for much of the first Trump administration. Happy Wednesday and welcome to PI. Let me know where your attention is focused now that the reconciliation bill has been signed into law: Add me on Signal at caitlinoprysko.17, email me at coprysko@ and be sure to follow me on X: @caitlinoprysko. TURNING THE SCREWS: Liberal judicial reform group Demand Justice is ramping up the pressure on lawmakers who support the Trump administration's judicial nominees amid the president's attacks on judges and the courts. — The dark money group unveiled a new tracker today that it says has catalogued more than 1,700 attacks on the rule of law by Trump and his administration, Republican lawmakers, the broader conservative ecosystem and even the Supreme Court itself. — The launch was paired with a print and digital ad buy in today's Washington Post highlighting recent polling from 2026 Senate battleground states that found bipartisan concern about the Trump administration's handling of judicial issues. — Demand Justice plans on using the tracker and polling data to squeeze members of Congress — including Democrats who break with the party — as the Senate prepares to vote on a slate of controversial Trump nominees, including Trump's former personal attorney Emil Bove for a judgeship on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. GAMING INDUSTRY PIVOTS TO TAX FIX: The gaming industry is falling in line behind a bipartisan measure aimed at addressing a tax change in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that sparked a last-minute outcry from gamblers. Earlier this week, Las Vegas Democratic Rep. Dina Titus introduced legislation that would restore a provision allowing gamblers to write off 100 percent of their losses, which the GOP megabill signed into law last week would cap at 90 percent. — Furious gamblers took to social media to warn that the new law would hit some bettors with tax bills that exceeded their winnings or even if they netted losses on the year. But a gaming industry source granted anonymity to discuss private discussions about the bill stressed the change was procedural, rather than a 'referendum' on gambling policy, and would likely impact a much smaller swath of taxpayers than is being suggested online. — The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, which protested the tax change just as the reconciliation bill neared the finish line last week, threw its support behind Titus' fix, calling the deduction cap 'detrimental' to bettors who are foundational to horse racing and pledging to work with the Trump administration and Congress to address the matter. — Titus' bill has already drawn support from across the aisle, with GOP Reps. Troy Nehls (Texas), Mark Amodei (Nev.) and Jeff Van Drew (N.J.) — all of whom voted for the reconciliation bill containing the tax change — signing on as cosponsors. Titus' fellow Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna (Calif.) and Steven Horsford (Nev.) are also backing the bill, though the gaming industry source argued that the best shot for a fix will likely involve hitching a ride on some as-yet determined legislative vehicle. — The American Gaming Association, which listed the extension of the 100 percent deduction as one of its top priorities for the reconciliation bill in a memo to lawmakers in May, said in a statement praising the overall bill following its passage that it would work to 'restore the long-standing tax treatment of gaming losses' and supports Titus' fix. ANNALS OF ETHICS: 'As commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick oversees the U.S. government's vast efforts to monitor and predict the weather. The billionaire also ran a financial firm, which he recently left in the control of his adult sons, that stands to benefit if President Donald Trump's administration follows through on a decade-long Republican effort to privatize government weather forecasting,' The Associated Press' Brian Slodysko and Michael Biesecker write. — 'Deadly weekend flooding in central Texas has drawn a spotlight to budget cuts and staff reductions at the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, two agencies housed within the Commerce Department that provide the public with free climate and weather data that can be crucial during natural disasters.' — 'What's drawn less attention is how the downsizing appears to be part of an effort to privatize the work of such agencies. In several instances, the companies poised to step into the void have deep ties to people tapped by Trump to run weather-related agencies.' — 'Privatization would diminish a central role the federal government has played in weather forecasting since the 1800s, which experts say poses a particular harm for those facing financial strain who may not be able to afford commercial weather data. The effort also reveals the difficulty that uber wealthy members of Trump's Cabinet have in freeing themselves from conflicts, even if they have met the letter of federal ethics law.' HOW CRYPTO GOT A HODL OF TRUMP: 'Just over a year ago, while sitting around a table in an ornate meeting room at Mar-a-Lago, David Bailey and a group of top Bitcoin executives made a pitch to Donald J. Trump. They were looking for a savior' following years of animosity from leaders in Washington, The New York Times' David Yaffe-Bellany and Ken Vogel write, and were rallying support for Trump's reelection to the tune of $100 million. — The outcome of that meeting, which culminated in a supportive post on social media from the formerly crypto skeptical ex-president, marked 'one of the earliest successes in a high-stakes lobbying campaign by the crypto industry that has put huge sums of money behind Mr. Trump and reaped enormous rewards.' — 'Virtually every step of Mr. Trump's transformation has been steered by the industry. Lacking much knowledge of its intricacies, Mr. Trump embraced crypto when he saw it could generate huge profits for himself or his political groups, while outsourcing the details to industry advisers with their own business ambitions,' the Times reports, based on documents, audio recordings and interviews with more than 50 people involved with the issue. RELATED READ: 'As Truth Social Business Struggles, Trump Media Goes Big on Crypto,' by the Times' Matthew Goldstein. Jobs report — Nicholas Raineri has joined TSG Advocates as head of the firm's national security portfolio. He most recently served as a senior advisor in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and is a Pentagon and Hill alum. — CGCN is adding Kathryn Johnson as creative director, Elizabeth Pedrotti as a senior associate on the strategic comms team, Mathilde Sharman as vice president on the strategic comms team and Majeda Abu-Alghanam as executive vice president of advocacy. — Catherine Morehouse has launched a strategic comms firm focused on power grid policies and the energy transition. She most recently was an energy reporter at POLITICO. — Noah Kowalski is launching Ad Astra Advisors, an advocacy and advisory firm for companies to navigate Washington. He previously was a vice president at Invariant, leading its national security practice. — Muon Space has added Paula Trimble as vice president of government affairs. She was previously policy chief and director of legislative affairs at the Space Development Agency. — NetChoice is promoting Paul Taske to co-director of its Litigation Center, where he will oversee and manage operations for 19 lawsuits across a dozen states. He was previously the Center's associate director. — Kelsi Daniell has joined P2 Public Affairs as a vice president. She was previously deputy chief of staff to Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). — Kendall Witmer, Guillermo Pérez and Jobie Crawford have joined the DNC communications team. Witmer, previously a vice president at Arc Initiatives, is now rapid response director. Pérez, previously comms director for Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), is now speechwriter. Crawford, previously national deputy director of press for the Harris campaign, is now traveling press secretary. — Chris D'Aloia is joining American Airlines as comms manager of public affairs. He previously was comms director for Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) and is a Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) alum. — Caya Lewis Atkins is now vice president of government performance at The Pew Charitable Trusts. She previously was founding principal at GlobalDC Strategies, and is an HHS alum. New Joint Fundraisers None. New PACs Citizens Trust Bank -Political Action Committee (Super PAC) DEFEAT CHINA PAC (PAC) Driftless Rivers Coalition, Inc. (Super PAC) First Americans PAC (Hybrid PAC) IOWA ALWAYS PAC (Super PAC) Maricopa County Democratic Victory Fund (Hybrid PAC) Ohioans For A Safer Future (Super PAC) VIRGINIA VICTORY 2026 (Super PAC) New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS Acg Advocacy: Environmental Working Group Adams And Reese, LLP: International Economic Development Council Advanced Policy Consulting, LLC: Wiz, Inc. Ballard Partners: Agi Cargo, LLC And Agi Ground, Inc. Canfield Consulting, LLC: Millennium Corporation Canfield Consulting, LLC: Oracle Corporation Carlough Solutions, LLC: Mike Schmitz Automotive Group Cook Inlet Region Inc.: Cook Inlet Region Inc Crane Strategies LLC (Louisiana): California Hospital Association Crowell & Moring LLP: Growth Energy Dutko Government Relations: North American Home Furnishings Association Federal Health Policy Strategies: Brightspring Health Services Federal Health Policy Strategies: Vektor Medical Ferox Strategies: Stoke Therapeutics Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Essential Worker Immigration Coalition (Ewic)) Imperium Global Advisors: 9 Mothers Defense Jones Walker, LLP: Free File, Inc. Joshua Higginbotham Consulting, LLC: Cmn Security Group Joshua Higginbotham Consulting, LLC: Elizabeth Hoolman Memorial Holocaust Education Foundation Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton: Candyco, LLC Liberty Partners Group, LLC: National Endovascular Associates (Office-Based Facility Assn Obfa) Lucas | Compton: Garrison Fathom Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: Eugene Shvidler Mr. Daniel Weiss: The Cormac Group Obo The Bell Legal Group Nichols Law LLP: Continuity Global Solutions Ogr: Vl Business Services LLC O'Keeffe Shahmoradi Strategies, LLC: Atlas Arteria N.A. Portfolio Strategies LLC: Milo'S Tea Company Inc. Relation Strategy, LLC: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld (Obo Valiant Strategies LLC) River Public Affairs Group: Montana Tunnels Mining Inc Strategic Marketing Innovations: Sixteen Thirty Fund On Behalf Of Paid Leave For All Sugar Creek Packing Company: Sugar Creek Packing Company Surescripts: Surescripts The Nickles Group, LLC: Charter Brokerage, LLC The Normandy Group, LLC: Lowe Syndrome Association Tiber Creek Group: Arcxis Tsg Advocates Dc, LLC: Banco De Desarrollo Rural, Borovicka & O'Shea Government Solutions (Fka Alexander & Borovicka Go: Mclane Company, Inc. Congressional Solutions, Inc (Csi): Northeastern University Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C.: Alliance For America's Promise Holland & Knight LLP: Crysalis Biosciences, Inc. Mason Street Consulting, LLC: Innovaccer Inc. Mason Street Consulting, LLC: Perimeter Medical Imaging Mayforth Group, LLC.: State Of Rhode Island Mindset Advocacy, LLC: B. Riley Financial, Inc. Mindset Advocacy, LLC: Pretium Partners The Federal Group, Inc.: Association Of Clinical Research Professionals The Federal Group, Inc.: Javara Research The Federal Group, Inc.: Medical Device Manufacturing Association Think Policy Consulting, LLC: Bridge Fuels Think Policy Consulting, LLC: Thorium Energy Alliance
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poll shows Trump's clash with courts puts Senate GOP on defense
New polling of likely voters in Senate battleground states has found President Trump's frequent clashes with federal courts are becoming a hot issue that could put Senate Republican candidates on the defensive in 2026. A poll of 1,000 likely voters in 2026 Senate battlegrounds, obtained exclusively by The Hill, found that 53 percent disapprove of Trump's handling of the courts, including 89 percent of Democrats, 55 percent of independents and 39 percent of self-identified non-MAGA Republicans. The poll was conducted by Global Strategy Group, a Democratic-aligned polling firm, on behalf of Demand Justice, a Democratic-aligned judicial advocacy group. The survey found that more than two-thirds of voters, 72 percent, said they are concerned about Trump's response to court orders and 48 percent said they were extremely concerned by what they saw as the president's refusal to obey court orders. The poll found that 68 percent of voters surveyed said they viewed congressional Republicans as helping Trump evade legal norms, and 44 percent said they viewed that dynamic as extremely concerning. It surveyed voters in Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio and Texas. The Senate's two most vulnerable Republican incumbents are Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) is the chamber's most vulnerable Democrat. 'The data is clear: Americans increasingly reject Donald Trump's attacks on the rule of law and the courts. Over two-thirds are concerned about this blatant disregard for court orders and the threat that it poses to the rights of every person in this country,' said Maggie Jo Buchanan, the interim executive director of Demand Justice. 'When Trump treats judicial rulings as mere suggestions instead of legally binding obligations, it sends a chilling message that our legal protections are meaningless,' Buchanan added. 'An overwhelming majority of Americans across the political spectrum are concerned that this calculated defiance sets a precedent where individuals may face unfair trials, see their rights disregarded without consequence, and find themselves powerless to seek justice,' she added. U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia James Boasberg criticized the Trump administration earlier this year for disregarding his order to stop the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador. The administration argued the deportation flights had already departed the United States at the time Boasberg issued his order and asserted they later complied with a written order. The Trump White House has also come under criticism for barring a reporter and photographer from The Associated Press from the Oval Office in April despite a court order from U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia Trevor McFadden ruling the government could not retaliate against the news agency for refusing to follow Trump's order renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. The poll also found 70 percent of voters that Trump's allies in Congress will help him pick judges who will do what he wants instead of acting independently, with 43 percent of respondents saying they're 'extremely' concerned. The poll's sample included 44 percent of self-identified Democrats, 44 percent of self-identified Republicans and 12 percent of self-identified independents. It was conducted between May 28 and June 1 and had a margin of error of 3.1 percent. Updated at 8:43 a.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Furor over Trump's targeting of law firms heats up with court fight and ad campaign
WASHINGTON — A liberal group will launch a media campaign Thursday targeting law firms that reached deals with President Donald Trump to avoid being targeted by executive orders as the deals come under intense scrutiny within the legal community and Trump's orders face legal inquiries. "Big law, stop bending the knee," reads a poster from the "Big Law Cowards" campaign by the liberal nonprofit group Demand Justice. The group says the ads will be wheatpasted strategically around Washington on Thursday near the locations of the firms that have reached deals with the administration. The group will also have a mobile billboard circulating with ads criticizing the firms, along with a broader digital campaign. The judicial branch is pushing back against other executive orders targeting firms that didn't reach deals with the Trump administration — and the firms that did make deals are managing both internal and external fallout from their decisions. At a hearing Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell grilled Justice Department lawyer Richard Lawson about the executive order against Perkins Coie, one of the law firms that refused to reach a deal with the Trump administration and sued it, instead. Maggie Jo Buchanan, the interim executive director of Demand Justice, told NBC News that her group hoped to highlight the need for the powerful to act in support of the values of the legal profession, defend the rule of law and support American values. 'When you see some of the most powerful law firms in the country, if not the world, unwilling to stand up to the administration when ordinary people are speaking out, we think it's really important to shine a bright light on that and really show that ordinary people demand that those most powerful speak out against the administration and not bend the knee,' she said. Nine firms have reached deals with Trump: A&O Shearman; Kirkland; Latham & Watkins; Simpson Thacher; Cadwalader; Milbank; Skadden; Willkie; and Paul Weiss. The Demand Justice campaign will highlight those firms and the amounts they have pledged in free legal work, which total nearly $1 billion. Buchanan said that law firm employees who decided to walk away from their positions at those firms had shown "real bravery" and that it was important to highlight those who took a bold stance. "It takes a lot to walk away from a very lucrative position," she said. "But I think what we're really seeing is people sticking by their principles and being willing to speak out, not only against their employer, their former employer, but really stand up for the rule of law." Rachel Cohen, a former associate at Skadden who quit in protest last month before the firm reached a deal, told NBC News that the response to her decision to speak out has been "overwhelming" and that resignations from other firms have continued to roll in, including those of some people who chose to leave their firms quietly. Cohen said she hopes partners at the firms that reached deals will reverse course. "You have a bunch of decision-makers who are so used to being right or at least being told that they're right that they're going to be very reluctant to do what's necessary in order to win on this, which is change course on this and to admit that they messed up," she said. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is battling in court over its targeting of other firms. Before Wednesday's hearing on Perkins Coie, Trump took to social media and criticized Howell, the judge in the case (though he wrongly claimed he filed the lawsuit, when it was Perkins Coie that took that action). Lawson, the Justice Department lawyer in the case, came in for criticism from Howell for not having what she described as "pretty basic" information about the deals other law firms had reached. Lawson answered her questions with phrases like 'I don't have any insight' or said he wasn't 'privy to the details of these agreements, so I can't say one way or the other.' Howell also said the Justice Department and the Office of Management and Budget threw the equivalent of "a temper tantrum" when they added extra language to a court-ordered message about her previous temporary restraining order to executive agencies. Attorney General Pam Bondi and OMB Director Russell Vought wrote that the government "reserves the right to take all necessary and legal actions in response to the 'dishonest and dangerous' conduct of Perkins Coie LLP, as set forth in Executive Order 14230.' 'It struck me as a temper tantrum of the Justice Department and OMB," Howell said. "It's worthy of a 3-year-old, not the DOJ.' When Howell asked whether the president's targeting firms over their representation was a throwback to McCarthyism and the "Red Scare" era, Lawson said it wasn't. That was because there was individual review, he said, although he couldn't provide any details about how the individualized review would proceed, including what stage it was at and what parts of the government were conducting it. Dane Butswinkas, an attorney at Williams & Connolly who is representing Perkins Coie, said some of the government's arguments suggesting Trump's executive orders targeting law firms were more than an act of vengeance — they were 'a complete ruse' and 'a sham.' 'We don't have to check our common sense like it's a hat at the door when we come into the courthouse,' Butswinkas said. "Saying it doesn't make it so." This article was originally published on
NBC News
24-04-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Furor over Trump's targeting of law firms heats up with court fight and ad campaign
WASHINGTON — A liberal group will launch a media campaign Thursday targeting law firms that reached deals with President Donald Trump to avoid being targeted by executive orders as the deals come under intense scrutiny within the legal community and Trump's orders face legal inquiries. "Big law, stop bending the knee," reads a poster from the "Big Law Cowards" campaign by the liberal nonprofit group Demand Justice. The group says the ads will be wheatpasted strategically around Washington on Thursday near the locations of the firms that have reached deals with the administration. The group will also have a mobile billboard circulating with ads criticizing the firms, along with a broader digital campaign. The judicial branch is pushing back against other executive orders targeting firms that didn't reach deals with the Trump administration — and the firms that did make deals are managing both internal and external fallout from their decisions. At a hearing Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell grilled Justice Department lawyer Richard Lawson about the executive order against Perkins Coie, one of the law firms that refused to reach a deal with the Trump administration and sued it, instead. Maggie Jo Buchanan, the interim executive director of Demand Justice, told NBC News that her group hoped to highlight the need for the powerful to act in support of the values of the legal profession, defend the rule of law and support American values. 'When you see some of the most powerful law firms in the country, if not the world, unwilling to stand up to the administration when ordinary people are speaking out, we think it's really important to shine a bright light on that and really show that ordinary people demand that those most powerful speak out against the administration and not bend the knee,' she said. Nine firms have reached deals with Trump: A&O Shearman; Kirkland; Latham & Watkins; Simpson Thacher; Cadwalader; Milbank; Skadden; Willkie; and Paul Weiss. The Demand Justice campaign will highlight those firms and the amounts they have pledged in free legal work, which total nearly $1 billion. Buchanan said that law firm employees who decided to walk away from their positions at those firms had shown "real bravery" and that it was important to highlight those who took a bold stance. "It takes a lot to walk away from a very lucrative position," she said. "But I think what we're really seeing is people sticking by their principles and being willing to speak out, not only against their employer, their former employer, but really stand up for the rule of law." Rachel Cohen, a former associate at Skadden who quit in protest last month before the firm reached a deal, told NBC News that the response to her decision to speak out has been "overwhelming" and that resignations from other firms have continued to roll in, including those of some people who chose to leave their firms quietly. Cohen said she hopes partners at the firms that reached deals will reverse course. "You have a bunch of decision-makers who are so used to being right or at least being told that they're right that they're going to be very reluctant to do what's necessary in order to win on this, which is change course on this and to admit that they messed up," she said. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is battling in court over its targeting of other firms. Before Wednesday's hearing on Perkins Coie, Trump took to social media and criticized Howell, the judge in the case (though he wrongly claimed he filed the lawsuit, when it was Perkins Coie that took that action). Lawson, the Justice Department lawyer in the case, came in for criticism from Howell for not having what she described as "pretty basic" information about the deals other law firms had reached. Lawson answered her questions with phrases like 'I don't have any insight' or said he wasn't 'privy to the details of these agreements, so I can't say one way or the other.' Howell also said the Justice Department and the Office of Management and Budget threw the equivalent of "a temper tantrum" when they added extra language to a court-ordered message about her previous temporary restraining order to executive agencies. Attorney General Pam Bondi and OMB Director Russell Vought wrote that the government "reserves the right to take all necessary and legal actions in response to the 'dishonest and dangerous' conduct of Perkins Coie LLP, as set forth in Executive Order 14230.' 'It struck me as a temper tantrum of the Justice Department and OMB," Howell said. "It's worthy of a 3-year-old, not the DOJ.' When Howell asked whether the president's targeting firms over their representation was a throwback to McCarthyism and the "Red Scare" era, Lawson said it wasn't. That was because there was individual review, he said, although he couldn't provide any details about how the individualized review would proceed, including what stage it was at and what parts of the government were conducting it. Dane Butswinkas, an attorney at Williams & Connolly who is representing Perkins Coie, said some of the government's arguments suggesting Trump's executive orders targeting law firms were more than an act of vengeance — they were 'a complete ruse' and 'a sham.' 'We don't have to check our common sense like it's a hat at the door when we come into the courthouse,' Butswinkas said. "Saying it doesn't make it so."
The Guardian
18-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Israel shatters Gaza ceasefire after IDF strikes kill more than 400 Palestinians
Good morning. More than 400 people have been killed and hundreds more injured as Israeli military forces hit dozens of targets across Gaza early this morning, in effect ending the increasingly shaky ceasefire that had halted violence in the devastated Palestinian territory since mid-January. Palestinian health authorities have raised the death toll from the Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip to at least 404 (up from 326). At least four government officials are among the dead, according to reports and Gaza's government media office. Why has Israel resumed large-scale airstrikes on Gaza? The Israeli government has been threatening to launch an offensive for weeks and says targeting the Hamas leadership will bring about the release of more hostages. Many hostage families in Israel dispute this. What does this mean for the ceasefire? The grim reality is that the fragile two-month pause in hostilities between Israel and Hamas is over. It appears very unlikely a deal that would end the new Israeli attacks can be achieved soon. Donald Trump is poised to reshape the US judiciary over the next four years through hundreds of potential appointments of rightwing judges, a progressive advocacy group has said. The Trump administration has suffered several legal setbacks and was accused of violating a judge's order by deporting about 250 Venezuelan alleged gang members to El Salvador. Trump, a Republican, appointed 226 judges to the federal courts during his first term as president. The total was narrowly eclipsed by his successor, the Democrat Joe Biden, with 228, including record numbers of women and people of color. How many could Trump appoint? Demand Justice shared data with the Guardian identifying more than 300 potential judicial appointment opportunities for Trump. Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will speak on the phone today discussing the next step in the US president's plans for bringing about a ceasefire in Ukraine. On Sunday, Trump said negotiators had already talked about 'dividing up certain assets', including power stations. The legal status of Russia-occupied territories is also believed to be on the table. Much to Europe's frustration, it once again finds itself not at the table and having to rely on readouts from Washington or Moscow containing only what they choose to disclose. When will the call take place? Kremlin officials say it is scheduled for between 1pm and 3pm GMT. The decision to shutter two offices at Nasa risks 'dramatically' increasing the costs of space exploration, while handing Elon Musk more influence, fired workers have warned. The US defense department webpage celebrating a Black Medal of Honor recipient that was removed and had the letters 'DEI' added to the site's address has been restored – and the letters scrubbed – after an outcry. The Trump administration fired most of the board of the US Institute of Peace (USIP), even though it is a congressionally funded, independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization that is not part of the executive branch. Universal Music Group has moved to dismiss Drake's defamation suit, characterising it as 'a misguided attempt' by the Canadian rapper to 'salve his wounds' after he 'lost a rap battle' with rival Kendrick Lamar. In recent weeks, the US president has appeared to herald the end of Pax Americana, which has left Europeans grappling in different ways with new and unsettling realities, writes Daniel Boffey: In London, rightly or wrongly, and perhaps out of sheer necessity, the idea of the special relationship remains a comfort blanket. There is a new steely resolve in Brussels but the temptation persists to push back decisions. A leading German politician described the incoming government in Berlin as 'democracy's last bullet' but some worry they will shoot themselves in the foot. Austrians cling to their traditional neutrality as if that alone will keep them safe. In Poland, there is, perhaps, the greatest clarity as to what they think must be done.' Countries looking to boost their national security through rearmament or increased defence spending must also bolster their climate efforts or face more wars in the future, one of the leaders of the next UN climate summit has warned. Some countries could decide to include climate spending in their defence budgets, suggested Ana Toni, Brazil's chief executive of the Cop30 summit. It was once crowned the 'world's ugliest animal' but now the disgruntled-looking gelatinous blobfish has a new gong to its name: New Zealand's fish of the year. The winning species of blobfish, Psychrolutes marcidus, lives in the highly pressurised depths off the coasts of New Zealand and Australia. 'It sort of sits there and waits for prey to come very close and practically walk into its mouth before it eats them,' said Konrad Kurta, a spokesperson from the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust that runs the annual competition. First Thing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If you're not already signed up, subscribe now. If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@
