Photo illustration by Emma Spainhoward with photograph by Getty Images.
Good morning. Showers are possible today, but the high will be around 69, so all in all not too bad. Rain and gusts overnight, with a low near 58. The Nationals visit Philadelphia this evening. The Wizards visit the Lakers tonight. 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:
Dirty Three, “Better Go Home Now.” The powerful Australian instrumental trio plays 9:30 tonight.
Take Washingtonian Today with you! I keep ridiculously long playlists on Apple Music and on Spotify of this year’s music recommendations. Here are 2025’s songs (Apple, Spotify), too.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
War news: President Trump‘s war in Iran is a month old. The US President did a lot of mulling over the weekend: Trump told the Financial Times he may try to seize Kharg Island. (NBC News) He “is weighing a military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran.” (WSJ) He’s figuring out his next move as Special Forces soldiers move into the area, joining the 50,000 troops already in the region. (NYT) Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, said the country was “waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire.” Pakistan said it would host peace talks between the US and Iran, but it’s not clear who’s talking. (AP) Meanwhile, Moshe Yitzchak Hacohen Katz, an Israeli soldier originally from Connecticut, was killed Saturday during an operation in Lebanon. (AP) And 12 Americans were wounded Friday in an Iranian attack on a base in Saudi Arabia. (WSJ)
Oil: The US will allow a Russian oil tanker into Cuba, breaking a blockade it imposed earlier this year, a decision that “avoids a potential thorny confrontation with Russia just off the coast of Florida.” (NYT) Trump claimed that Iran showed the US “respect” by allowing some tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, though experts said the move “demonstrates [Iran’s] power to control the narrow, 21-mile-wide passage.” (NYT) The oil crunch that Asian countries have experienced since the war began is beginning to show up in western countries. (Bloomberg) Oil prices are up this morning after the Dow and NASDAQ entered correction territory last week. (CBS News) Traders are worried about how long the crisis can last and that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels entered the war over the weekend. (Axios) Here in the US, the national average price for a gallon of gas rose to $3.99. (It was well over $4 at stations near my house last night.) (AAA)
More like DH-mess amirite: Congress split town Friday after Republicans in the House torpedoed a bipartisan compromise plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security that passed the Senate last week. (Washington Post) Don’t worry, everyone, they’ll be back in two weeks to do whatever it is Congress does now. US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina headed to Disney World for some R&R. (TMZ) The funding debacle “has turned into a political disaster for Republicans.” (Punchbowl News) Trump issued an executive order to pay TSA agents as chaos continued at US airports. (NPR) Other DHS staffers will still go unpaid. (Federal News Network) It appears the funds will come from last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill. (CBS News) Trump’s “border czar,” Tom Homan, said ICE officers will likely stick around at airports for a while. (NBC News) Meanwhile: Staffers for DHS’s inspector general “searched the office of a Federal Emergency Management Agency contractor” installed under its now-canned boss Kristi Noem and her adviser and reportedly close friend Corey Lewandowski. (WSJ)
No Kings: Organizers of this weekend’s anti-Trump “No Kings” rallies said eight million people took part in thousands of events around the country and world. (NYT) Here are some photos. (NPR) The protests drew thousands to events around DC. (WTOP) Bill Nye spoke at an Arlington rally. (NBC4 Washington)
Administration perambulation: The US Supreme Court will hear a “birthright citizenship” case this week about Trump’s attempts to change US citizenship laws by fiat. (WSJ) The administration’s brief cites white supremacists, the kind of thing I vaguely remember might have once been a scandal. (Washington Post) The war is driving up interest rates. (Axios) FBI Director Kash Patel‘s email got hacked by a pro-Iran group. (NYT) Patel wants to release the files from an old investigation into US Representative Eric Swalwell of California that didn’t lead to charges as Swalwell runs for governor in the Golden State. His crusade against one of Trump’s perceived enemies has “raised alarms within the bureau.” (Washington Post) Todd Lyons, ICE’s acting director, “has been hospitalized at least twice for stress-related issues” during Trump’s immigration crackdown. (Politico) Washington Post reporters who called the White House were alarmed when the caller ID on Android phones read “Epstein Island.” Google said it was due to what it called a “fake edit” in Google Maps. (Washington Post) Adam Johnson, the January 6 rioter who paraded about carrying Nancy Pelosi‘s lectern, is running for office in Florida. (Washington Post) Trump’s planned ballroom at the White House has largely escaped architectural review, leading to some arguably odd choices. (NYT) Franklin Graham said Trump would go to heaven, alleviating a longtime concern of the President’s. (New York Post) Remember that baroque spiel Trump delivered last week recounting the time he negotiated a better price for government Sharpies? The company who makes the pens says it never happened. (Washington Post)
The Best Thing I Ate Last Week, by Ann Limpert:
Photograph by Ann Limpert.
I am late to the Eebee’s party, but I finally visited the much-hyped Shaw hangout last week. Wait time: 45 minutes, after being quoted an hour and 45. It deserves every bit of praise, not least because it feels like a portal to a warmer, more analog time (check out the decades-old Playbills papered on the wall). Anyway, the food is as good as you’ve probably heard, especially the club sandwich, which tastes close to perfect and doesn’t fall apart as you take a bite—plus it comes with a pickle spear. And best of all, you’re almost encouraged to linger and take it easy once you’ve landed a seat. (1840 Sixth St., NW.)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• The Nats’ home opener is nearly here. Here’s our guide to eating and drinking at Nationals Park this year.
• Bar Nuestro, a Latin- and European-inspired bistro from Colada Shop owner Daniella Senior, will open in Navy Yard this summer.
• The Ruxton, an upscale steakhouse from Baltimore, will open in the old Charlie Palmer Steak space on Capitol Hill next year.
• Wilmer Valderrama, Braden Holtby, Alex Padilla: Here’s Dan Swartz’s monthly photo roundup of fabulous galas, parties, and benefits around town.
🐾 Our guide to pet care in the DC area has arrived, with dog-friendly things to do around town, a rundown of your best pet-care options, and looks at gourmet pet treats and how over-the-top pet birthday parties have become a thing.
Local news links:
• Politico named Jonathan Greenberger as its next global editor, replacing John Harris. (NYT)
• Ilia Malinin won the world championship Saturday as he attempts to put his Olympics fiasco behind him. (AP)
• Jane Fonda and Joan Baez spoke at a protest outside the Kennedy Center Friday. (WTOP) Musician Chuck Redd asked a judge to 86 the center’s lawsuit against him, invoking DC’s anti-SLAPP law. (NYT)
• There was a ground stop at DC-area airports Friday due to a “strong smell” at an FAA facility in Warrenton, Virginia. You’re not imagining it—the same thing happened earlier this month. (WTOP)
•DC’s horny, messy bald eagles are expecting again. (Washington Post)
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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.