Photo illustration by Emma Spainhoward with photograph by Getty Images.
Good morning. Cold and rainy until this afternoon, with a high around 41. Some school systems north and west of DC have announced delays. Clear overnight, with a low near 27. The Capitals visit Los Angeles tonight, and the Wizards are at Philadelphia. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below.
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I can’t stop listening to:
Aimee Mann andTed Leo, “Christmas Time Is Here.” Mann and Leo have quietly turned their holiday tour into a must-see tradition. They bring their thoughtful take on the festive seasonto the Birchmere tonight, with scheduled guest appearances byPaul F. Tompkins,Nellie McKay, andJosh Gondelman.
Take Washingtonian Today with you! I’ve made a playlist on Spotify and on Apple Music of my daily music recommendations this year.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
The dog ate my war crime: The White House scrambled yesterday to shift blame from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the lethal targeting of survivors of a strike on a boat in the Caribbean this past September. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Admiral Frank M. Bradley directed the event. Some inside the Pentagon viewed those remarks as “‘protect Pete’ bulls—.” Bradley “directed another strike to comply with Hegseth’s order that no one be left alive, people with direct knowledge of the matter told The Post.” (Washington Post) Five officials told the New York Times that Hegseth did not give Bradley any subsequent orders to kill survivors after his written initial order. Two said he did not issue a verbal order, which is what the Post reported—and Hegseth disputes—last week. (NYT) Lawmakers from both parties plan to pursue more clarity on the situation. (WSJ)
Turtles all the way down: Hegseth spent part of the holiday weekend making light of the allegations, including a post that purports to show the children’s book character Franklin the Turtle targeting “Narco Terrorists.” Franklin’s publisher objected. (NBC News) The former Fox News host’s (apparently literally) take-no-prisoners style is becoming more of a headache for the White House. (NYT) Here’s a look at the military and human-rights laws that apply to the whole situation. (Just Security)
Sorry, we’re closed: President Trump has drastically tightened rules about immigration to the US in response to the deadly shooting in DC last week, and he’s even raised the prospect of denaturalizing US citizens. (NYT) Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced she would widen Trump’s travel ban yesterday without saying which countries might be affected. (Axios) The spouses of US military members have been swept up in ICE’s arrests of people showing up for green card interviews in San Diego. (NBC News) The administration fired more immigration judges yesterday. (NYT) The Department of Transportation threatened to revoke accreditation for thousands of trucking schools in the US amid a “push for tougher regulations [that] amounts to an immigration crackdown by another name.” (NPR)
Administration perambulation: The Justice Department could try once again to prosecute James Comey after its initial attempt failed miserably. (CNN) It might try another indictment of Letitia James, too. (Politico) Starting in February, TSA will charge travelers without Real ID a $45 fee. (AP) Costco filed a lawsuit asking for a refund of duties it has paid since the imposition of Trump’s tariffs, saying they’re unlawful. (Washington Post) Why did Trump pardon Juan Orlando Hernández, Honduras’ former president who had been convicted of a drug-trafficking conspiracy? A lobbying campaign by Roger Stone and a letter from Hernández to Trump seem to have come into play. (Axios) Leavitt claimed former President Biden had prosecuted Hernández too much. (Politico) The administration re-suspended some FEMA employees who got their jobs back after they signed an open letter to Congress protesting Trump’s changes to the agency. (CNN) Things don’t look good for the US Senate to fix the Obamacare subsidies cliff. (Politico) In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson faces a dwindling majority. (Axios) Almost a dozen Republicans in Indiana have faced threats and swatting attacks after Trump flamed them on social media over his hopes to gerrymander the state. (NBC News) Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, the National Guardsman who survived the shooting last week in DC, has shown some positive signs of recovery, West Virginia governor Patrick Morrisey said yesterday. (Fox5 DC) The White House released some information about Trump’s recent “advanced imaging tests” but further info remains elusive. (NYT) Melania Trump showed off the White House’s Christmas decorations yesterday. They’re a bit muted this year since her husband tore down the East Wing. (AP)
Outdoor ice rink season is here, by Daniella Byck
Photograph courtesy of the National Gallery of Art.
There was no snowfall in town this morning. But even the prospect of flakes falling from the sky marks, to me, the beginning of ice skating season. Outdoor rinks have been opening throughout November, but this is really about the feel of winter: It’s officially the final month of the year, tiny, colorful lights abound, the weather calls for mittens and a hat, and skating just feels in the spirit of it all. You could always go to the rink closest to you, but if you’re looking for a specific experience, it’s all about location. Rinks at the Wharf and Washington Harbour in Georgetown offer waterfront views. In Alexandria, Ice & Lights at Cameron Run Regional Park has skating and holiday light displays. The Sculpture Garden rink at the National Gallery, where you skate surrounded by art, is a winter-in-Washington bucket list item for some and a favorite tradition for others.
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Despite DC Mayor Muriel Bowser‘s plans to step down, neither Robert White nor Brooke Pintowill seek her job—they’d rather run to be DC’s non-voting delegate in Congress instead.
• Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos donated $11.5 million to fight homelessness in the DC area.
• “Jazz as Resistance” a great new print magazine from CapitalBop, is “an opportunity to show how radically jazz musicians think.”
• Our December Culture Guide is here to help you plan this month’s activities.
Local news links:
• DC Council member Janeese Lewis George officially kicked off her mayoral campaign yesterday. (Washington Post) In an email, a Lewis George spokesperson said she’d raised more than $700,000 in four hours after her announcement. Here’s her announcement video. (Janeese Lewis George/X)
• The District could make some changes to its streateries program. (Axios D.C.) Le Dip’s streatery came down yesterday. (PoPville)
• Police in Prince William County say Muhammad Azeem struck a car with a one-year-old inside during a road rage incident last month in Woodbridge. (WUSA9)
• Washington Improv Theater will have a new home in NoMa. (WCP)
• Oof, the Commanders will be on “Hard Knocks.” (Axios D.C.)
• The Post’s new restaurant critic, Elazar Sontag, will bring star ratings, which went away during the pandemic, back to reviews. (Washington Post)
• Athena, a seven-year-old sloth at the National Zoo, has died. (WUSA9)
Senior editor
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.