Wednesday, March 26 | By Alexis Simendinger & Kristina Karisch |
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| ▪ White House denies classified leak ▪ Social Security controversies grow ▪ Russia, Ukraine agree to Black Sea truce ▪ FBI launches Tesla vandalism task force |
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©️ The Associated Press | AP Photo |
Signal leak roils Washington |
Administration officials scrambled to provide answers Tuesday to explain how high-ranking Cabinet officials ended up discussing plans for military strikes in a text thread on an unsecured chat app that included a journalist. Multiple members of Trump's national security team are heading back to Capitol Hill today where they are set to be pressed again over the bombshell revelation from The Atlantic's Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg that officials discussed sensitive planning for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen in a Signal thread to which he was accidentally added in mid-March. The shockwaves from the revelation are rippling through Washington this week as lawmakers, experts and administration officials scramble to understand how the leak happened — and why high-level, sensitive discussions took place outside secure government channels. The New York Times: The leaked Signal chat, annotated. President Trump on Tuesday defended his team and suggested there would be no punishment. He also made clear he saw the episode as a mistake that should not be repeated. "It's just something that can happen, it can happen," Trump told reporters late on Tuesday. "You can even prepare for it, it can happen. Sometimes people are hooked in and you don't know they're hooked in. … It's not a perfect technology, there is no perfect technology." Trump and other Republicans rallied around national security adviser Mike Waltz amid calls for his job over the scandal, while administration officials bashed Goldberg and claimed that the success of the Houthi strikes are "what matters most to President Trump." Waltz said Tuesday he takes "full responsibility" for the leak and that the White House is moving forward. ▪ The Hill: A government watchdog group is suing national security leaders for their use of Signal to discuss military actions, saying the move violated the Federal Records Act. ▪ The New York Times: With the Signal snafu, Waltz is thrust into the spotlight. On Capitol Hill, senators piled on CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, both included in the chat, as they testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday. Both denied sharing any classified intelligence on Signal. Ratcliffe said he disagreed with Sen. Jon Ossoff's (D-Ga.) characterization of the controversy as a "huge mistake," prompting outrage from Democrats. "The unwillingness of the individuals on this panel who were on the chat to even apologize or acknowledging what a colossal screwup this is speaks volumes," said Sen. Mark Warner (Va.), the top Democrat on the panel. Goldberg, in his Monday report, said he saw a message in the chat sent by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that included specific weapons systems, human targets and other top-secret information. He did not publish the contents of that message as part of his report, citing national security concerns. Both the White House and Hegseth have denied war plans were texted to the group. On Tuesday, Goldberg suggested he would be open to sharing more details from the chat eventually. ▪ The Hill: Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff who relayed Trump's wishes among officials who participated in the Signal chat, is one of the most influential figures in Trump World. ▪ The Washington Post: Hegseth faces renewed scrutiny after the Signal chat disclosures. ▪ Politico: Hegseth slips up during an international trip — again. ▪ CBS News: As top Trump aides sent texts on Signal, flight data show a member of the group chat was in Russia. ▪ The Hill: Officials who worked for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton couldn't help but highlight what they saw as the hypocrisy of the moment. INVESTIGATIONS: Sources also downplayed that Hegseth's job was in danger after the White House spent significant capital to get him confirmed. But questions remain on Capitol Hill over whether the Defense secretary broke the law and should consider stepping down. Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) confirmed Tuesday that the committee plans to investigate the Signal leak. "We'll certainly be asking the [inspector general] to look into it," Wicker told The Hill's Alexander Bolton of the incident, which has sparked concerns among Republicans and Democrats over the frequency with which senior Trump officials are using Signal to hold sensitive conversations. One Republican senator said many GOP colleagues are concerned the security lapse could become a significant political problem if not addressed in a credible way. "It's not going away anytime soon. There's a lot of questions they need to answer, and a lot of questions we need to ask," the GOP lawmaker said. |
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Smart Take
with Blake Burman |
| If you've ever wondered what's flying in our skies, or what the U.S. government knows about it, you might want to watch Rep. Eric Burlison's (R-Mo.) office. Burlison spoke to me Tuesday after confirming that he's hiring UFO whistleblower David Grusch, who made international headlines when he testified about an alleged government UFO retrieval program. Burlison, who is a member of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Caucus, believes Grusch could help Congress find more transparency around UFOs. "I do think that we're going to find out some more information," Burlison told me. "The question is, will we get to that point where it's definitive that this is — we determine what it is. That, I can't answer for you." While Grusch is a known figure in D.C. now, one thing to watch is what, if anything, changes from the White House and Pentagon now that there's new leadership in both buildings, and as the president promises transparency. |
Burman hosts "The Hill" weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation. |
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- Five top leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta are exiting. The news came a day after the White House announced the president is nominating Susan Monarez, a Ph.D. researcher and biosecurity expert, to be CDC director. If confirmed, she'd be the first nonphysician to lead the agency in half a century.
- U.S. consumer confidence fell for the fourth straight month amid worries about high prices, the impact of tariffs and concerns about a potential economic downturn.
- The filing deadline for tax year 2024 is three weeks away and the IRS says the average federal refund was $3,271 through March 14. The number of returns filed nationwide has lagged compared with a year ago.
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©️ The Associated Press | Stephanie Scarbrough |
EFFICIENCY = MONEY: Frank Bisignano, the president's nominee to be commissioner of the Social Security Administration, told the Senate Finance Committee during his Tuesday confirmation hearing he's "never thought about" privatizing Social Security and "never heard a word of it." The CEO of Fiserv, a financial data and payment company, argued his private sector experience would allow him, if confirmed, to improve the quality and speed of the agency's service to the public. The agency has taken center stage in a debate about Department of Government Efficiency cuts to personnel, contracts and services that millions of beneficiaries count on. Efficiency adviser Elon Musk is blamed for Republican lawmakers' angst about constituents' complaints the administration is "crashing" Social Security's web services, in-person assistance and lengthening wait times for help, all in the name of trimming wayward spending. Trump promised voters he would leave Social Security, the most popular federal program with 71 million beneficiaries, untouched. But the administration distinguishes between slashing retirement benefits and cost-cutting, such as firing Social Security Administration personnel and shuttering regional offices. Seniors who don't use computers, have no transportation or are too frail to travel to distant Social Security offices for help are howling about losing some telephone services next week. Trump supporters who are adherents of the Heritage Foundation's 900-page Project 2025 policy guidebook backed a proposal to raise the retirement age from 67 to 69. Although Project 2025 authors serve in top administration posts, Trump has not endorsed changing the retirement age on his watch. HISTORY TEACHES: Former President George W. Bush learned a hard lesson in 2005. He used his State of the Union address and a brisk travel schedule after reelection to try to sell Congress and the country on the idea of letting younger workers invest their Social Security contributions in voluntary private accounts. In a nation with an aging population, he argued, the system was paying out more than it gained and Social Security risked insolvency. The more he touted his overhaul ideas, the less receptive Americans became. Public disapproval of Bush's handling of Social Security rose from 48 percent to 64 percent over six months, according to Gallup. Congress abandoned private accounts and by the fall of 2005, Bush threw in the towel. There are lawmakers in 2025 — two decades later and a year ahead of important midterm elections — who believe Trump and Musk should take careful note. ▪ Politico: The House plans to vote the week of April 7 on legislation that would add more federal district judges to the bench, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said on Tuesday. ▪ The Hill: The Senate voted 56-44 on Tuesday to confirm Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor Marty Makary to lead the Food and Drug Administration. ▪ The Wall Street Journal: As House and Senate Republicans scour the federal budget for potential savings and additional revenues to offset other priorities, lawmakers are considering new corporate deduction limits for state and local taxes. That has businesses sounding an alarm about a possible backdoor tax hike. BORROWING AUTHORITY: Both parties in Congress face tough choices in a sprint to avoid a government default by legislatively lifting the cap on borrowing to pay U.S. bills. Deadline: ASAP, or by June or July. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office at 10 a.m. is expected to release an updated projection of when the debt limit will be breached. HUNTING FOR TALENT: A shadowy Chinese firm set up a clandestine (now uncovered) headhunting initiative to try to lure U.S. employees who have AI and other experience who have been purged by the Trump administration, Reuters reported. SCHOOLS: Layoffs of approximately half the employees at the Department of Education to dismantle it as part of the president's agenda will end up endangering federal obligations to schools and students, current and former staff members told The Hill. |
- The House will meet at 10 a.m.
- The Senate will convene at 10 a.m.
- The president will participate in a Women's History Month event at 3 p.m. in the East Room.
- Vice President Vance, a Marine veteran, heads to Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia for a tour and remarks.
- The White House daily press briefing is scheduled at 1 p.m.
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©️ The Associated Press | Mike Stewart |
TESLA: Conservatives are rallying around Tesla while liberals ditch or distance themselves from Musk's electric vehicles, in a surprising about-face for the company whose fate is deeply tied to sustainability politics and climate issues. Republicans, who have long eschewed electric vehicles and the movement away from fossil fuels, have come to Tesla's defense as it suffers financially and faces attacks tied to Musk's work with the Trump administration. Meanwhile, U.S. liberals and European buyers are taking out their frustrations over Musk and Trump's policies by getting rid of their Teslas and boycotting the company. The FBI on Monday announced a task force intended to "crack down on violent Tesla attacks," following a spate of incidents appearing to target the company. Attorney General Pam Bondi described the anti-Tesla acts as "domestic terrorism" last week. NBC News: Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD outpaced Tesla with annual sales of more than $100 billion. POLITICS: Trump signed an order Tuesday directing states to require proof of citizenship when individuals register to vote. He also takes aim at states that count absentee and mail-in ballots after polls close, a common practice if ballots are postmarked by Election Day. The president's order is expected to be challenged in court. All eyes are on former Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown to see whether he decides to attempt a comeback in the Buckeye State next year. Following his loss to Sen. Bernie Moreno (R) in the November elections, Brown did not rule out running for Senate again. Next year, there will be a special election to fill the remainder of the Senate term the vice president vacated with higher office. Brown also expressed openness to considering a gubernatorial bid. As the only Ohio Democrat elected to statewide office in the past decade, Brown would start out either race with some clear advantages and add to Democratic hopes to make both competitive contests. In Florida, a special election for the state's 6th Congressional District is emerging as the latest test case for Democrats seeking to make inroads in Trump country. The race for national security adviser Waltz's seat has generated growing interest, due to the large amounts of cash raised by Democratic candidate Josh Weil and the involvement of national Democrats. Meanwhile, some on the right, such as Steve Bannon, have shared concerns about GOP candidate and state Sen. Randy Fine. Still, Democrats face an uphill climb in the district, which spans a portion of the state's east coast. Waltz and Trump both prevailed in the district by 30 points in November. The Hill: GOP battles over proxy voting for new parents as defiant Luna ready to play hardball. |
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©️ The Associated Press | AP Photo |
UKRAINE: Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea and to implement a ban on attacks on energy facilities, the White House said Tuesday. It marks an apparent breakthrough after U.S. negotiators held separate talks with both countries. The agreements could be a major step toward a wider deal to end the three-year war that began in 2022 with Russia's full-scale invasion. Negotiators agreed both countries would "ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea," the White House said in two separate statements. But Russian and Ukrainian officials appeared skeptical that the other side would hold to the terms. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the success of the nascent truce is dependent on Moscow. "Now, results are needed from Russia," Zelensky said in his evening address on Tuesday. "We do not trust them. And frankly — the world doesn't trust Russia. And they must prove that they are truly ready to end the war — ready to stop lying to the world, to President Trump and to America." Trump, meanwhile, told Newsmax he believes Russia wants to end its war with Ukraine, but that Moscow could be "dragging their feet." ▪ The Hill: Russia said it expects the U.S. to ease certain sanctions as part of an agreement for a limited ceasefire with Ukraine. ▪ The Washington Post: Britain backs force for Ukraine but the security community has doubts. GREENLAND: The Signal breach scandal rocking the Trump administration is casting a harsher spotlight on a high-profile U.S. delegation headed to Greenland this week. Trump is apparently shifting to a charm offensive in his efforts to win control of the territory, with second lady Usha Vance joining U.S. envoys including Vice President Vance and Waltz on the trip. Leaders in both Denmark and Greenland are speaking out against Trump's expansionist aims, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen vowing resistance. ▪ Reuters: Hundreds of Palestinians protested in northern Gaza to demand an end to war and chanting "Hamas out," in a rare public show of opposition to the militant group. ▪ NPR: Why Israel is having some of its biggest protests since the war in Gaza began. ▪ The Associated Press: Kevin Cabrera, Trump's pick for ambassador to Panama, did not commit to upholding Panama's sovereignty and advising the president to do the same during his Tuesday confirmation hearing. |
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©️ The Associated Press | Mark Schiefelbein |
And finally … 🌸 The dappled pink clouds in Washington around the Tidal Basin draw residents and tourists annually for a rite of spring. The strollers return, as do picnics, selfies and major traffic jams as gawkers slowly roll past. What is the magic of hundreds of cherry trees? Beauty. Friendship. History. Their March and April blossoms are fleeting, replaced by unremarkable green canopies during the remainder of the year. "Peak bloom" is near, anticipated this week into next. Track the pink progress via the BloomCam HERE. |
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