THE LEDE: Trump and Vance attack Zelenskyy in remarkable Oval Office exchange…NYT reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has “ordered U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive operations against Russia,”… The US Treasury Department said Sunday it won’t enforce penalties or fines against US citizens or domestic reporting companies or their beneficial owners under the Corporate Transparency Act… President Trump met with newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday…Senate Republicans say House budget won’t fly…Drugmaker Eli Lilly plans to spend up to $27 billion to build four new pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in the U.S. amid President Trump’s push for companies to invest in the U.S…Three Democrats on the Senate HELP Committee voted to advance Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s labor secretary nomination to the Senate floor. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voted no in committee, all HELP Democrats could’ve sunk Chavez-DeRemer’s bid if they stuck together… First Measles Death Reported in Texas…House members hosting Town Halls hear echoes of the summer of 2009…Trump pulls Chevron license to export Venezuela oil, reversing Biden deal…White House says it will determine which reporters have access to the president…Judge orders rescission of OPM memos directing agencies to fire probationary employees…Republican senators vented their concerns about Musk in a private meeting with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on Wednesday…Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily delayed an order for the Trump administration to unfreeze about $2 billion in foreign aid… Judge orders Trump administration officials to give sworn testimony on DOGE… Trump said Wednesday that new tariffs are coming for Europe. Trump also directed his Commerce secretary to investigate the need for possible tariffs on copper, the latest industry to potentially be targeted by the president's sweeping trade agenda… The U.S. will impose an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports over China's role in the fentanyl trade, Trump said…Pentagon orders transgender troops to be separated from the military…Attorney General Pam Bondi demanded the full release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein in a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel…FY 2025 Congressional Directed Spending projects hanging by a thread…With Spring Training in full swing, Trump plans to pardon Charlie Hustle…
THE WEEK AHEAD: President Trump must decide by midnight whether to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, citing fentanyl concerns. He also plans to double tariffs on Chinese goods to 20%...The House will consider three Congressional Review Act resolutions to overturn three Biden-era regulations: one requiring energy conservation for appliances, another mandating emissions standards for tire manufacturing and a third putting conditions on certain offshore drilling. Senate GOP leaders are looking to squeeze Democrats with a procedural vote Monday on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. We don’t expect it to get 60 votes, but the issue was a prominent one for Republicans in various Senate races last year. The Senate is also set to hold confirmation votes for education secretary nominee Linda McMahon and labor secretary nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer this week. Tuesday: President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress, the same day proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico are due to go into effect. In the Committees: Monday: The House Rules Committee is meeting to prepare three Congressional Review Acts for floor consideration. Tuesday: The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing to consider Elbridge Colby’s nomination to be under secretary of defense for policy. The House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing about the future of FEMA along with several emergency management officials. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on air traffic infrastructure and staffing. Witnesses include: Nick Calio, the head of Airlines for America, the commercial aviation trade group; Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association; and Pete Bunce, president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing to consider several nominees: Christopher Landau to be deputy secretary of state, Michael John Rigas to be deputy secretary of state for management and resources and Matthew Whitaker to be the ambassador to NATO. Wednesday: The House Homeland Security Committee has a hearing on threats posed by China. The House’s China Select Committee will hold a hearing on Chinese cyber attacks and America’s “lackluster cyber defenses,” featuring the former head of cybersecurity for the National Security Agency. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing with “sanctuary city mayors.” The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for several EPA officials. The Senate HELP Committee will hold a hearing on Jay Bhattacharya’s nomination to be NIH director. The Senate Budget Committee will hold a hearing on former Rep. Dan Bishop’s (R-N.C.) nomination to be deputy director of OMB. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on antisemitism in America. Thursday: The Senate HELP Committee will hold confirmation hearings for Keith Sonderling to be deputy secretary of labor and Martin Makary to be FDA commissioner. The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Michael Faulkender to be deputy secretary of treasury.
NUMBERS: The Conference Board’s widely cited consumer confidence index notched its sharpest monthly decline since August 2021, when the country was experiencing a resurgence of Covid-19 variants. The index now stands at 72.3, well below the threshold that normally signals an imminent recession, as respondents reported increasing pessimism over income, business and labor market conditions.
APPROPRIATIONS: House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said Monday that negotiators are still exchanging proposals to fund the government through fall, but a stopgap measure is becoming more likely. President Trump has come out in support of a year long Continuing Resolution. With a March 14 deadline approaching, Congress remains at odds over funding levels amid Trump’s aggressive government cuts. Gonna need at least 7 Senate Democratic votes to pass any appropriations bill in the Senate. And they aren’t happy. Top Democrats Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.) and Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) slammed GOP leaders for abandoning bipartisan funding talks, warning a shutdown looms. They criticized Republican plans for a full-year stopgap with Musk’s “DOGE cuts,” arguing it gives Trump unchecked spending power. With two weeks left, tensions are rising.
APROPRIATIONS PRESIDENT’S REQUEST: The Trump administration is pushing Congress to increase military and immigration enforcement funding in a stopgap bill expected to extend government funding through Sept. 30. Trump formally endorsed a full-year continuing resolution (CR), citing the need for stability. The White House request, seeks: $1.6B for military pay raises, $640M for shipbuilding, and $419M for submarines. $485M for ICE to expand detention and deportations. $20.2B IRS budget cut. $6B for VA health care. $858M for the FAA. $4.5B for housing assistance. $567M for WIC to avoid waitlists. The request also broadly calls for provisions to “allow deviations from earmarks,” noting that a fiscal 2011 full-year stopgap included “a provision nullifying 2010 earmarks.”
RECONCILAITION HOUSE: House Republicans scored a major win by passing their budget resolution, the first step in advancing President Trump’s agenda through reconciliation. With a razor-thin majority, GOP leadership navigated divisions over Medicaid cuts and spending levels. Tuesday’s vote was chaotic—initially delayed, then abruptly revived. In a stunning turnaround, Speaker Mike Johnson secured enough support, pulling off one of his biggest victories. But tougher battles lie ahead, and this week proved that even wins come with high-stakes drama in a divided GOP.
RECONCILIATION HOUSE v SENATE: House Republicans spent weeks in painstaking negotiations before delivering a budget blueprint for “one big, beautiful bill.” Now Senate Republicans are preparing to tear it apart. Despite a razor-thin 217-215 House vote Tuesday, GOP senators indicated Wednesday they would not accept Speaker Mike Johnson’s fiscal framework as-is — heralding a rough road for President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda on Capitol Hill. That’s not to say they want to start from scratch: Most Senate Republicans said today that they were prepared to switch to the House’s one-bill approach after spending more than two months pushing a competing two-bill plan. But they want major, contentious changes to policy choices embedded in the House plan.
UKRAINE: After a tense Oval Office exchange with Trump and VP JD Vance, Zelenskyy received a warmer welcome in London ahead of a European summit. European leaders rallied around him, as did much of Ukraine. British PM Keir Starmer spoke with Macron, Zelenskyy, and Trump to restart talks. Meanwhile in the US, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he believes someone besides Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should lead Ukraine. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) fully backed Trump and Vance, accusing Zelensky of losing his cool and torpedoing the negotiations. "He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change," Graham said.
DOGE: The Supreme Court has entered the legal fray over the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), temporarily pausing a ruling requiring the Trump administration to unfreeze $2 billion in foreign aid. U.S. District Judge Amir Ali accused the administration of defying his order, but officials argued compliance was unfeasible. The pause remains until the Court reviews Ali’s ruling, with responses due Friday. This marks the Court’s first intervention in DOGE’s aggressive federal cuts. Meanwhile, DOJ seeks Supreme Court action on a whistleblower case, and a federal judge has ordered DOGE officials to testify on alleged database misuse.
RESISITANCE: Judges appointed by every president since Reagan are overseeing lawsuits challenging Trump’s early actions, including those from his first term. Most cases are in Democratic-leaning courts, with many lawsuits filed in D.C., First, Fourth, and Ninth Circuits. Democratic appointees are hearing most challenges to Elon Musk’s efficiency team, though some rulings favor Trump—like Judge Tanya Chutkan declining to block agency system access. Meanwhile, Republican appointees have also ruled against Trump, including Judge John Coughenour, who twice blocked his birthright citizenship order. The legal battles continue across a politically mixed judiciary.
CRYPTO: Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. will create a crypto “strategic reserve” featuring five digital tokens. Details remain unclear. The announcement immediately boosted crypto prices, reversing a recent market slide.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: A federal judge ordered the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to rescind memos directing agencies to fire probationary employees, ruling them likely unlawful. Judge William Alsup stated OPM lacked authority to mandate firings but did not prevent agencies from proceeding independently. The directive, affecting up to 200,000 employees, led to rapid workforce cuts, including 2,300 at the Interior Department. Plaintiffs argue terminations violated due process. The Justice Department counters that agencies could disregard OPM’s request. An evidentiary hearing is set next month, with OPM’s acting director expected to testify. Further legal battles over federal personnel actions continue.
JOINT CHIEFS: President Trump removed Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday, replacing him with Lt. Gen. John “Razin” Caine. Trump praised Brown’s service but lauded Caine as a “warrior” with deep national security and special operations expertise. Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth called him the right leader for the moment. Caine, a decorated F-16 pilot and former CIA official, will need Senate confirmation. He has GOP support, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). If confirmed, he’ll be promoted to general and serve a four-year term leading the U.S. military’s highest-ranking advisory body.
CABINET MEETING: Trump’s newly confirmed Cabinet secretaries made their debut Wednesday, outlining major policy changes: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem plans to fingerprint undocumented migrants for a national registry. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is investigating psychiatric medications’ effects on children. DNI Tulsi Gabbard is firing 100+ intelligence officers over explicit internal messages. Education Secretary Linda McMahon supports abolishing her own department. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins aims to lower egg prices. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick proposes selling $5M “gold” visa cards to raise $1T for U.S. debt reduction. Oh and Elon Musk made a presentation…
THIS WEEK’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS:
Amendment to Duties to Address the Situation at our Southern Border This executive order seeks to amend the measures taken to manage the situation at the United States' Southern Border through the establishment of duties. Issued under the authority of several U.S. laws, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the National Emergencies Act, it builds on previous executive orders to adjust duty-related provisions and improve revenue collection at the border.
Amendment to Duties to Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs across our Northern Border This executive order outlines amendments made to previously established orders aiming to address the flow of illicit drugs across the United States' northern border. It amends Executive Order 14193 and Executive Order 14197, seeking to refine the management of imported goods through the adjustment of duty-free privileges.
Addressing the Threat to National Security from Imports of Timber, Lumber This executive order addresses the potential national security threats posed by the current import practices related to timber, lumber, and their derivative products into the United States.
Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production This executive order addresses the need to enhance domestic timber production in the United States, outlined on March 1, 2025. The order highlights the importance of timber production for national well-being, construction, energy, and disaster risk reduction. It identifies current federal policies as barriers to fully utilizing the country's timber resources, leading to reliance on imports, job and prosperity loss, and economic vulnerability.
Designating English as the Official Language of The United States This executive order designates English as the official language of the United States. Its primary context involves formalizing what has traditionally been the nation's primary language, aiming to enhance national unity, cultural cohesion, and effective governance. Historically, foundational documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were composed in English, underscoring its longstanding role in American governance and culture.
Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Cost Efficiency Initiative This executive order aims to enhance transparency and accountability in federal spending through a systematic approach to cost efficiency across government agencies. It mandates the establishment of structures and systems that ensure every expense is justified and made available for public review, where feasible.
Making America Healthy Again by Empowering Patients with Clear, Accurate, and Actionable Healthcare Pricing Information This executive order addresses the need for transparency in healthcare pricing, aiming to empower patients, employers, and taxpayers with clear and actionable information about healthcare costs. It builds on previous efforts to reform the American healthcare system by mandating the disclosure of detailed price information by healthcare providers and insurers.
Addressing the Threat to National Security From Imports of Copper This executive order addresses the vulnerabilities in the United States copper supply chain that could potentially impair national security. Copper is identified as a critical material essential for various sectors, including defense, infrastructure, and emerging technologies like clean energy and advanced electronics.
CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE COMING: At a press conference on February 27, the National Park Service announced their initial 2025 peak bloom forecast. They expect peak bloom to be between March 28 and 31.
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