President Biden pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to work toward a cease-fire deal that would allow for the release of hostages in Gaza, but Biden also has suggested that U.S. policy on the war will depend on Israel's ability to better protect civilians and humanitarian workers. The two shared a call on Thursday — just days after an Israeli air strike killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers, who were distributing food to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The president, who called WCK founder and celebrity chef José Andrés after the deaths were reported, told Netanyahu the incident was "unacceptable," according to a White House readout. Vice President Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan were also on the Thursday call, White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. But the 30-minute conversation was strictly between Biden and Netanyahu. "He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers," the White House said, according to the call's readout. "He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel's immediate action on these steps." Senate Democrats have been pressuring Biden to do more about the humanitarian issues in Gaza as thousands of people have died, hospitals have been bombed and food has become scarce. The White House has maintained steadfast support for Israel since Palestinian militant Hamas attacked Israel in October, killing almost 1,200 people. Following the attack on the WCK workers earlier this week, the White House sought to tamper down any speculation that the killings would change U.S. policy toward Israel. But Biden's shift is "significant and marks a notable change," The Hill's Brett Samuels writes.
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Welcome to Evening Report! I'm Liz Crisp, catching you up from the afternoon and what's coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here. |
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No Labels, no more: Group drops 2024 effort |
No Labels, the bipartisan unity effort, won't go forward with a third-party candidate for president after fumbling through several potential options.
"Today, No Labels is ending our effort to put forth a Unity ticket in the 2024 presidential election," the group said in a release Thursday. "No Labels has always said we would only offer our ballot line to a ticket if we could identify candidates with a credible path to winning the White House. No such candidates emerged, so the responsible course of action is for us to stand down." |
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Nebraska lawmakers overwhelmingly reject Trump-backed 'winner-take-all' electoral system
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Nebraska lawmakers have rejected a GOP-led effort to change how the state's presidential election power is divvied up, despite being backed by Republicans like former President Trump, Gov. Jim Pillen and Sen. Pete Ricketts. Nebraska's effort to change to a "winner-take-all" Electoral College system failed in the Legislature this week. Just eight of the needed 23 legislators backed Wednesday's vote to shift from votes being distributed based on Congressional districts versus a whole state situation. The legislative session ends April 18. State Sen. Julie Slama (R) said online after the vote that the prospects for the legislation, which conservative activists were optimistic would pass, are no longer as bright.
"The 'filibuster-proof' majority doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to make Nebraska a Winner-Take-All state in an election year," she wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "Wild." Only Nebraska and Maine assign Electoral College votes by district, while others do on a statewide basis.
If such a change were to be adopted before November, President Biden likely would lose an almost guaranteed Electoral College vote. |
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Not gagged: Trump tests judge's order on family members
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Former President Trump is sharing articles critical of Judge Juan Merchan and his family, possibly testing the bounds of a gag order placed in his New York hush money case.
Judge Merchan expanded a previous order Monday to keep Trump from talking about the judge's family and family members of others involved in the case. Trump has faced at least three gag orders in his mounting legal battles.
The former president previously made comments about Judge Merchan's daughter, Loren Merchan. He was already barred from speaking about court employees and witnesses in the case.
Trump has now taken to Truth Social to share links to conservative media articles on the people involved in his cases, without adding comment. (The Hill) Related coverage: |
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Greene slams Speaker's Ukraine position: 'Is he being blackmailed?'
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Far-right firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-Ga.) is continuing her feud with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as the chamber's narrow Republican majority sifts through the few items it may accomplish before the November election. "Mike Johnson has made a complete departure of who he is and what he stands for. And to the point where people are literally asking — is he being blackmailed? What is wrong with him? Because he's completely disconnected with what we want," Greene said this week on "Tucker Carlson Uncensored." (The Hill) |
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"Netanyahu's war is lost. It's time to save any chance for peace," writes Ken Brill, a retired foreign service officer who was an ambassador in the Clinton and Bush administrations. "Trump's GOP isn't built to win, but only to protect himself," writes Frank Donatelli, who was an assistant to President Ronald Reagan and former deputy chair of the Republican National Committee. |
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102 days until the Republican National Convention.
137 days until the Democratic National Convention.
214 days until the 2024 general election. |
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🏖️ The Weekend: President Biden is heading to his Delaware home Friday and will be there through the weekend. |
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