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Politico
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Trump takes a victory lap
Presented by Bayer Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook: Remaking Government, your guide to Donald Trump's unprecedented overhaul of the federal government — the key decisions, the critical characters and the power dynamics that are upending Washington and beyond. Send tips | Subscribe | Email Sophia | Email Irie | Email Ben President DONALD TRUMP today seized on his latest big Supreme Court victory: a 6-3 decision that upends the practice of nationwide injunctions and will bolster his push to remake the federal government. The high court ruled that single federal judges can no longer issue 'universal' orders that block the executive branch from enforcing policies nationally. The decision removes a key impediment to the Trump administration's — and any future White House's — ability to enact its sweeping agenda. In a sign of how important the president believes this decision is, he brought a to-do list to the White House briefing room to highlight the myriad policies on which he now feels empowered to act. He rattled off priorities that span both his terms in office: ending federal funds for sanctuary cities, suspending refugee resettlement, freezing 'unnecessary' federal spending, halting the use of taxpayer dollars for transgender surgeries, and seeking to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. 'Thanks to this decision, we can now properly file to proceed with these numerous policies,' Trump said this morning. The Supreme Court's decision doesn't greenlight those policies. It instructs lower courts to revisit — and narrow — the nationwide injunctions that have kept Trump's birthright citizenship executive order on hold. And the decision will surely prompt district judges to reexamine the broad injunctions that have blocked many other Trump policies. ROBERT A. LEVY, the chairman emeritus of the libertarian think tank Cato Institute, said the ruling gives Trump 'considerably more leeway' in implementing many of his administration's policies that have been stalled by injunctions. But he added that the Supreme Court will have many more claims to address. 'If these district courts are going to be prohibited from issuing nationwide injunctions, then it's going to mean there's going to have to be a very much more expedited process to get to the merits of the case,' Levy said in an interview. 'And that's going to post a huge burden on the Supreme Court.' Here's a snapshot of Trump administration executive orders and other policies that have been enjoined by the courts: MESSAGE US — West Wing Playbook is obsessively covering the Trump administration's reshaping of the federal government. Are you a federal worker? A DOGE staffer? Have you picked up on any upcoming DOGE moves? We want to hear from you on how this is playing out. Email us at westwingtips@ Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe! POTUS PUZZLER Which medical drama TV series counts BILL CLINTON as a 'devoted' fan? (Answer at bottom.) Agenda Setting ON TO THE GUNS: DOGE has entered the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with an aim of revising or eliminating dozens of rules and gun restrictions by July 4, WaPo's PERRY STEIN reports. The initial target was to change 47 regulations — an apparent reference to Trump being the 47th president, two people familiar with the plans said. But ATF and DOGE staffers are now set to exceed that goal, with upward of 50 changes planned. The Trump administration-backed ATF general counsel, ROBERT LEIDER, and his team are also planning to change the legally mandated 4473 Form. The document, which most buyers are required to fill out when purchasing a firearm, is expected to be cut from seven pages to as few as three. Gun sellers are required to have those documents readily available for law enforcement if they need to trace a gun during a criminal investigation or if ATF inspectors visit to see if the seller is complying with federal laws. DON'T NEED A WEATHERMAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS: A federal weather satellite program that collects information for hurricane forecasts will stop distributing data products to users Monday, POLITICO's E&E News' CHELSEA HARVEY reports. That's concerning meteorologists who fear ending the Department of Defense program could hamper hurricane forecasting. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which provides operational support for the program, issued a termination notice Wednesday with no explanation. An official with the U.S. Space Force, which manages the program, confirmed the satellites and their instruments are still functional. In the Courts THAT WAS QUICK: An organization representing immigrants fighting the Trump administration's birthright citizenship order quickly reshaped its legal strategy following the Supreme Court's restrictions on nationwide injunctions today, our KYLE CHENEY reports. CASA Inc. is asking a federal judge in Maryland for an emergency block on the president's policy, arguing it has refiled its broader lawsuit as a class action case. As Kyle writes, class actions are one of the strategies that the court ruled today were permissible to broadly block a federal government policy. GO CRAZY: A federal judge ruled today that DOGE can access sensitive computer systems and data at the Labor and Health and Human Services departments, rejecting a challenge from unions and nonprofits, Bloomberg Law's REBECCA RAINEY reports. Judge JOHN BATES ruled that the group failed to show the required harm for a preliminary injunction, writing that 'the only harm plaintiffs allege their members face is that their information has been or will be viewed by unauthorized government personnel.' The AFL-CIO, as well as several other unions and nonprofits, filed a lawsuit in February over DOGE's efforts to access sensitive data at several federal agencies, arguing that the effort was carried out without legal authority. WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT CAN'T KEEP ME AWAY: And just like that … he's back. EDWARD CORISTINE, better known as 'Big Balls,' one of the first staffers brought on to DOGE, has returned to the government just days after resigning from DOGE, WIRED's MAKENA KELLY, JAKE LAHUT and VITTORIA ELLIOTT report. 'Edward Coristine joined the Social Security Administration this week as a special government employee,' STEPHEN McGRAW, an SSA spokesperson, told WIRED. Coristine's work will focus on 'improving the functionality of the Social Security website and advancing our mission of delivering more efficient service to the American people,' McGraw said. What We're Reading Elon Musk isn't happy with his AI chatbot. Experts worry he's trying to make Grok 4 in his image (CNN's Hadas Gold) General 'Razin' Caine Vaults Into the Top Tier of Trump Advisers (WSJ's Lara Seligman, Josh Dawsey, Alexander Ward and Natalie Andrews) University of Virginia President Resigns Under Pressure From Trump Administration (NYT's Michael S. Schmidt and Michael C. Bender) POTUS PUZZLER ANSWER Of course, it's Grey's Anatomy. 'I still watch Grey's Anatomy,' Clinton said on the ELLEN DeGENERES show in 2014. 'I'm a devoted Grey's Anatomy fan.' He emphasized that anything SHONDA RHIMES — the show's creator — is involved in, he's a fan.
Politico
8 hours ago
- Business
- Politico
The billionaire, the vigilante and the mayor
CATS' CAMPAIGN: An eccentric billionaire grocery store magnate, a red beret-wearing vigilante who fosters cats and a nightclub-hopping Democratic mayor are at the heart of a battle over the GOP ballot line for New York City mayor. GOP megadonor John Catsimatidis wants his fellow billionaires to line up behind Mayor Eric Adams' longshot reelection bid to block the ascent of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, according to several people familiar with internal discussions and granted anonymity to speak freely. But the actual Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa, said he won't be cowed from leaving the race. Catsimatidis relayed his support for Adams in a brief interview with POLITICO while staying diplomatic about Sliwa. 'The only people who are going to help Eric Adams is Washington, whether it's (border czar) Tom Homan, whether it's Donald Trump,' Catsimatidis said. 'And Tom and Donald Trump want a safe New York.' Finance executives and aligned Republicans have been huddling since Mamdani's primary night upset on how to derail the election of a democratic socialist targeting the wealthy. And boosting the Trump-friendly independent candidate Adams at the expense of Sliwa has emerged as consensus — even as the mayor faces campaign finance hurdles and dismal approval ratings. Sliwa is insistent he will actively campaign and said pressuring him to drop out is futile. 'I'm not getting out of this race unless they figure out a way to put me in a pine box and bury me six feet under,' the Guardian Angels founder told POLITICO. Catsimatidis, Sliwa's boss at WABC radio, did not deny he's pulling for Adams but stressed that Sliwa is a longtime friend. 'Right now, Curtis has to make up his own mind,' Catsimatidis said. Billionaire Bill Ackman separately has promised to bankroll a viable business-friendly candidate against Mamdani, a state lawmaker whose ascendant campaign shocked the establishment. But the ballot lines for November are set. Sliwa, known as much for his decades of patrolling the subways as he is for his heavy-handed antics, said he'll run on the GOP and independent 'protect animals' ballot lines. So far, the New York GOP has his back. Former Gov. George Pataki and state party chair Ed Cox fundraised Thursday with Sliwa among Asian Americans. The party is preparing for a general election with Mamdani as the presumptive Democratic nominee, and the tenacious Adams, business leader Jim Walden and primary loser Andrew Cuomo as independents. Whether Cuomo runs an active campaign remains unclear. Sliwa said that even a Trump intervention, direct request or offer to join his administration would not succeed in removing him from the race for mayor. 'If the president were to call,' Sliwa said, 'I, very respectfully, would say, 'President Trump. I'm interested in only one job: being mayor of the city of New York.'' Read more from POLITICO's Emily Ngo. From the Capitol TODAY IS THE DAY: Eight bidders are finally submitting their applications to nab a license to operate what could be some of the most lucrative casinos in the world. Today is the deadline for casino bidders in the New York City area to turn in thousands and thousands of pages of applications — so enormous in scale that some are being delivered by the truckload — to the state's gaming commission as they vie for three state licenses to operate a casino. The bidders include: A Times Square casino backed by Jay-Z, a Citi Field casino from Mets billionaire owner Steve Cohen, a Bronx casino on the site of the former Trump Links golf course, a Coney Island casino steps from the boardwalk, a 'Freedom Plaza' casino right near the United Nations building and a casino on Manhattan's West Side overlooking the Hudson. Two other bidders — Queens' Resorts World NYC and Yonkers' Empire City — are also vying for the licenses. The two sites already operate 'racinos' where people bet on horse racing through digital machines, and many involved in the process acknowledge that this gives them a steep advantage over the other bids. The state's 'Gaming Facility Location Board' will assess the proposals through a detailed rubric that evaluates community support and 'speed to market' as some of the important factors. With the deadline today, many of the bidders are blasting out press releases celebrating their proposals. Resorts World is touting a video with the rapper Nas and a plan to generate over $1 billion for the MTA in the first five years. Cohen is releasing video renderings of what Citi Field could look like with a massive gaming and entertainment complex next door. And Empire City is expecting its gross gaming revenue to surpass $960 million per year. 'We've spent years engaging with the community so that we could put together a bid that combines the needs of the neighborhood with the stated goals of New York State,' said Dan Boren, secretary of commerce for the Chickasaw Nation, which is behind the Coney Island bid. 'We are excited and proud to submit this proposal and look forward to the next steps of this process.' — Jason Beeferman FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL MAMDANI'S LABOR NODS: Two major labor unions that backed Cuomo's failed Democratic mayoral bid endorsed upstart democratic socialist Mamdani. The Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and 32BJ SEIU, which represents building service workers in New York City, will back the Democratic nominee as Cuomo ponders whether to actively campaign as an independent. 'This is a campaign for the working people of this city who deserve dignity on the job and neighborhoods they can afford,' Mamdani said in a statement. 'That's exactly who HTC and 32BJ fights and delivers for every single day, and I am honored to have their support as the Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York. Together, we will win a new day for the New Yorkers who keep this city running every single day.' The endorsements are an indication Mamdani is pulling together institutional support after his upset bid over the moderate Democratic ex-governor. Mamdani is set to meet next month with influential business leaders who are skeptical of his tax and spending proposals, according to NY1. Read more from POLITICO's Nick Reisman and Sally Goldenberg. GTFO: All four Muslim Democratic House members are denouncing 'racist smears' against Mamdani from lawmakers in both parties since his primary win, POLITICO first reported. 'The vile, anti-Muslim and racist smears from our colleagues on both sides of the aisle attacking Zohran Mamdani cannot be met with silence. These hateful, Islamophobic, and racist tropes have become so entrenched and normalized in our politics,' said Reps. Andre Carson of Indiana, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Lateefah Simon of California in a statement. Mamdani, who would become New York's first Muslim mayor, has faced attacks from GOP lawmakers after his primary win this week. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) tied him to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) called for him to be deported, among others. The left was also concerned about since-clarified comments from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) about Mamdani's rhetoric about Israel. Brooklyn Democratic Party leader Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn also forcefully defended Mamdani on Friday, calling the attacks 'baseless and unconstitutional' in a statement. Bichotte Hermelyn endorsed Cuomo in the primary, but threw support to Mamdani for the general election.— Jeff Coltin IN OTHER NEWS — CUOMO ON THE BALLOT: We don't know for sure whether Cuomo will run in the general election, but he will be on New Yorkers' ballots. (New York Post) — FROM MOM AND DAD: Mamdani's parents talk to the Times' and say Mamdani's views are his, not his parents. (The New York Times) — SHE'S BACK: Ingrid Lewis-Martin, former top aide to Adams until she was indicted on bribery charges, is working on his reelection bid. (Daily News) Missed this morning's New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
Politico
9 hours ago
- Business
- Politico
Billionaire and radio host John Catsimatidis prefers Eric Adams over fellow Republican in mayor's race
NEW YORK — An eccentric billionaire grocery store magnate, a red beret-wearing vigilante who fosters cats and a nightclub-hopping Democratic mayor are at the heart of a battle over the GOP ballot line for New York City mayor. GOP megadonor John Catsimatidis wants his fellow billionaires to line up behind Mayor Eric Adams' longshot reelection bid to block the ascent of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, according to several people familiar with internal discussions and granted anonymity to speak freely about closed-door strategy. But the actual Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa, said he won't be cowed from leaving the race. Catsimatidis relayed his support for Adams in a brief interview with POLITICO, commending the mayor's working relationship with the Trump administration, while staying diplomatic about Sliwa. 'The only people who are going to help Eric Adams is Washington, whether it's (border czar) Tom Homan, whether it's Donald Trump,' Catsimatidis said. 'And Tom and Donald Trump want a safe New York.' Finance executives and aligned Republicans have been huddling since Mamdani's primary night upset on how to derail the election of a democratic socialist targeting the wealthy. And boosting the Trump-friendly independent candidate Adams at the expense of Sliwa has emerged as consensus — even as the mayor faces campaign finance hurdles and dismal approval ratings. Sliwa is insistent he will actively campaign and said pressuring him to drop out is futile. 'I'm not getting out of this race unless they figure out a way to put me in a pine box and bury me six feet under,' the Guardian Angels founder told POLITICO. Catsimatidis, Sliwa's boss at WABC radio, did not deny he's pulling for Adams but stressed that Sliwa is a longtime friend. 'Right now, Curtis has to make up his own mind,' Catsimatidis said. Billionaire Bill Ackman separately has promised to bankroll a viable business-friendly candidate against Mamdani, a state lawmaker whose ascendant campaign shocked the establishment. But the ballot lines for November are set. Sliwa, known as much for his decades of patrolling the subways as he is for his heavy-handed antics and many foster cats, said he'll run on the GOP and independent 'protect animals' ballot lines. So far, the New York GOP has his back. Former Gov. George Pataki and state party chair Ed Cox fundraised Thursday with Sliwa among Asian Americans. The party is preparing for a general election with Mamdani as the presumptive Democratic nominee, and the tenacious Adams, business leader Jim Walden and primary loser Andrew Cuomo as independents. Whether Cuomo runs an active campaign remains unclear. Sliwa railed against Adams as corrupt, referencing his since-dropped bribery charges, and blamed the mayor for the pressure campaign to get Sliwa out of the race. 'He's a crook,' Sliwa said in an interview. 'A lot of good men and women lost their careers who happened to be Republican conservative prosecutors because of Eric Adams, and he's the luckiest man alive because he should be in a jail cell right now with Bobby Menendez.' Adams has denied wrongdoing and called the prosecution against him politicized. Sliwa said that even a Trump intervention, direct request or offer to join his administration would not succeed in removing him from the race for mayor. 'If the president were to call, I, very respectfully, would say, 'President Trump. I'm interested in only one job: being mayor of the city of New York,'' Sliwa said. 'I'm the Republican nominee. I'm the 'protecting animals' independent party nominee, and I'm running 'til November 4, until the vote to figure out who our next mayor is.'
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Two major NYC unions back Mamdani's general election bid for mayor
NEW YORK — Two major labor unions that backed Andrew Cuomo's failed Democratic mayoral bid are set to endorse upstart democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, two people with knowledge of the matter confirmed to POLITICO. The Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and 32BJ SEIU, which represents building service workers in New York City, are intending to back the Democratic nominee as Cuomo ponders whether to run as an independent. 'Congratulations to @ZohranKMamdani on a decisive victory in the democratic primary for Mayor. We can all find inspiration in an optimistic and positive vision of a New York that works for working people. - a vision that has always motivated @32BJSEIU members,' 32BJ's president, Manny Pastreich, posted on X Wednesday evening, one day after the Albany lawmaker stunned the political establishment by toppling the dynastic Cuomo Tuesday. Mamdani met with HTC President Rich Maroko this week after this primary, according to one person with direct knowledge of the meeting. Representatives for the unions couldn't immediately be reached for comment. The endorsements are an indication Mamdani is pulling together institutional support after his upset over the moderate Democratic ex-governor. Mamdani is set to meet next month with influential business leaders who are skeptical of his tax and spending proposals, according to NY1.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump says he would bomb Iran again ‘without question' over uranium enrichment
President Donald Trump said on Friday he would bomb Iran again 'without question' if intelligence suggests Iran continues to have the ability to enrich uranium. The president was asked by a reporter at a Friday press briefing if he would bomb Iran again if the country can enrich uranium "to a level that concerns you," even as he and his administration have maintained that an offensive strike by the U.S. last weekend obliterated three Iranian nuclear sites. However, questions remain over whether Iran moved their stockpile of enriched uranium prior to the strike, and whether centrifuges remain intact at nuclear sites, POLITICO reported. 'Once those bombs got dropped, the war was over,' Trump said Friday. The comments were part of an over hourlong press conference where Trump touted various 'tremendous victories' of his administration, including this week's NATO summit and several Friday Supreme Court decisions in his favor. 'We've had a big week, we've had a lot of victories this week,' Trump said. 'The war was a tremendous victory. We've been talking about this for 30 years, about Iran being nuclear, and all I said is it will not be nuclear.' Immediately after the conference, Trump took to Truth Social to condemn Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for suggesting Iran won the war. "As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie," Trump wrote. "His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life."
