A National Security Disaster in the Oval Office
Plus: Stand With Trans Americans
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Watch President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress (or don’t!), then stay-tuned as The Bulwark's Sarah Longwell, Sam Stein and Lauren Egan give their immediate reactions. Join other Bulwark readers in the comments!
MARK HERTLING: A National Security Disaster in the Oval Office
ANYONE WHO EXPECTED DONALD TRUMP’S foreign policy in his second term to look essentially like his foreign policy in his first term must have been shocked over the past few days. First, on Friday, at what was supposed to be the prelude to a formal signing of an agreement exchanging privileged access to Ukraine’s mineral resources for more American military support, President Trump and Vice President Vance suddenly turned on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of ingratitude and intransigence in negotiations and dismissing him from the White House without any deal being signed. The same day, the New York Times reported that previously approved American military aid to Ukraine has “slowed to a trickle” and that new tranches of aid have not been approved. Then, on Monday, Axios reported that Trump is planning a White House meeting with Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and other unnamed senior officials on the future of U.S. aid to Ukraine, but before that meeting even happened, the White House announced the predetermined outcome Monday evening.
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MARK SOLOMON: Stand With Trans Americans
DONALD TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION’S dehumanization of transgender people—literally denying their existence—is deeply harmful to a small group of Americans who face discrimination already. As someone who helped lead the fight to win marriage for same-sex couples, I’m familiar with the playbook of sowing fear, though I have never seen it carried out as viciously as the Trump administration is now doing. The question for all of us is whether we go along with it or, instead, question it, listen to the stories of transgender people and their families, and see if we can connect, empathize, welcome, and push back.
🚨OVERTIME🚨
Happy Tuesday! Overtime is off today as the Saint Louis Billikens are in the area. I’ve planned to go see my alma mater for before the address to a joint session was scheduled. Sorry to miss you all tonight on the livestream! Be nice in the comments!
Sarah Longwell in The Atlantic… The Trump Voters Who Are Losing Patience. 🎁
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy… In Favor of Putin’s New World Order (Comedy Central)
HQs on the chopping block… “DOGE” x GSA added a whole host of federal agency HQs to the list of potential properties for sale.
Some DOGE Staffers… Are Drawing Six-Figure Government Salaries (WIRED)
RFK Jr’s Measles Op-Ed Plays The Same Old Anti-Vaxx Games… But Fox News Threw Their Readers a Lifeline (Sarah Rumpf, Mediaite)
An American Funeral?… Matt Labash asks: Are our American ideals dead? Plus, the magical mystery of fishing superstitions.
Trump, Ukraine… and the Meme-ing of Marco Rubio (Gabriel Sherman, Vanity Fair)
People Are Paying Millions… to Dine With Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago (WIRED)
How South Carolina’s execution of a condemned killer… by firing squad will unfold (AP)
“Our Department’s Final Mission.” It sure sounds like Linda McMahon has some “final” plans for the DoE. Read her letter to staff. Will Republicans finally catch the car and shutter the agency they’ve promised to shutter since Reagan? Are they prepared for the backlash of parents of children with IEPs? We’ll see!
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Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, please consult the article.
