Good morning. It will not be frigid today, for the first time since—well, who can remember back that far? Sunny with a high around 44. Grab your sandals! A low near 36 overnight. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below. This roundup is available as a morning email newsletter. Sign up here. I can’t stop listening to: Ekkehard Ehlers, “Plays John Cassavetes 2.” There’s something about this piece that’s just perfect when there’s still snow on the ground.  Take Washingtonian Today with you! I made a playlist on Spotify and on Apple Music of last year’s music recommendations. I’ll make one soon for 2026. Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out: Epstein, Epstein, Epstein: Revelations of ties between powerful men and the deceased, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein in files released by the government continue to reverberate. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer seems to have avoided defenestration yesterday over his appointment of Epstein pal Peter Mandelson to be ambassador to the US. (AP) US Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie says their viewings of unredacted files at a DOJ reading room have yielded the names of six men “likely incriminated” but whose identities are shielded in the documents. They suggested they may share the names on the House floor. (Axios) US Representative Jamie Raskin said the files “are filled with redactions of names and information about people who clearly are not victims.” (Politico) Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appears in the most recent batch, prompting calls from some lawmakers that he resign. (Politico) Epstein, Epstein, Epstein, Epstein: President Trump, who has claimed he had “no idea” about Epstein’s crimes, told former Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter in 2006 that “everyone has known he’s been doing this.” (Miami Herald) Convicted Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer lawmakers’ questions yesterday—but her lawyer said she’d sing like a canary if Trump pardoned her. (Washington Post) The singer Chappell Roan left Casey Wasserman‘s talent agency after “flirtatious email exchanges” between Wasserman and Maxwell surfaced in the most recent release. (Guardian) The price of ICE: Congressional Democrats rejected an administration proposal for reforms to the Department of Homeland Security that could rein in ICE and other federal immigration enforcement agencies. The department will shut down this weekend unless a fix presents itself. (Punchbowl News) White House-adjacent sources say that requiring agents to obtain judicial warrants—which is, in fact, already the law—is a “complete nonstarter” for the administration. (Politico) Reeling Minnesota: Immigration enforcement in Minnesota hasn’t declined significantly despite the administration’s promises of deescalation. (The Intercept) The father of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos says his son wakes up screaming every night after he and his son were detained by feds. (MPR News) Meanwhile: A federal judge in California blocked enforcement of a new California law that seeks to unmask immigration agents, saying the law as written wouldn’t apply to state officers and thus violates the Constitution. (Politico) ICE officials in New York, ordered to clean up conditions at a Manhattan facility, have instead moved detainees to “separate, secret floor where they decided that ruling didn’t apply.” (The City) A planned ICE facility in Social Circle, Georgia, has frustrated local officials who say it has inadequate infrastructure for detainees and that they can’t reach anyone in Washington. (The Covington News) Read letters from children ICE has detained. (ProPublica) Take off: Trump once again stirred tensions with the US’s biggest trading partner, threatening to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit. Trump wants the US to own at least half of the bridge, which Canada paid for. (CBC) It’s not clear how Trump could close the bridge legally, but, you know…. (NYT) House Democrats could force a vote on Trump’s Canadian tariffs this week. (Politico) Speaker Mike Johnson hopes to block such a measure. (Politico) The nonpartisan Tax Foundation estimates that Trump’s tariffs “cost the average American household $1,000 last year” and will cost more this year. (ABC News) Administration perambulation: The administration will rescind congressionally appropriated health funding to four states that the Department of Health and Human Services says “do not reflect agency priorities”—like preventing HIV infections. (NYT) A federal judge in DC may rule this month on the legality of private funding for Trump’s massive planned ballroom at the White House. (Washington Post) The administration removed a rainbow flag from the Stonewall National Monument in New York. (Gay City News) DOJ leaders are pressuring the “Weaponization Working Group” to show some results to the boss. (NBC News) Trump directed US intelligence agencies to share sensitive information with his lawyer and 2020 election conspiracy theorist Kurt Olsen, who’s conducting a probe into the election, which Trump lost to Joe Biden. (Politico) The US killed two more people in an extrajudicial strike on a boat in the Pacific. (CNN) Binance, whose founder Trump pardoned last year, owns 87 percent of a something or other offered by a Trump family crypto thing. (Forbes) The ski’s the limit: Eileen Gu and Chloe Kim spoke out after Trump went after US skier Hunter Hess. (The Athletic) Learn some Winter Olympics sports, by Daniella Byck: Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin of Team United States during the Curling Mixed Doubles semi-finals match between Team Italy and Team United States Monday. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images) The Winter Olympics are officially underway, and there’s something about watching athletes flip through the air on skis or skates that makes me say, “Maybe I could do that?” Okay, so maybe not exactly that, but even if you don’t have Olympic-level aspirations, there are still opportunities to try the different sports. If you’ve been inspired to pick up the curling broom, Loudoun Curling Club has a curling 101 workshop on February 13. The Wharf will also host a “Curling and Cocktails” event on February 18 where teams of up to four people can try the sport at the outdoor rink. Channel your inner “Quad God” with skating lessons at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Ballston Quarter. The training program, which includes an option for adults, is designed to grow your skating skills in one of two directions: figure skating or hockey. You’ll have to go out of town to pick up some skiing and snowboarding skills, but there are plenty of resorts an easy drive away from Washington. Prefer to remain a spectator? Check out our list of bars streaming the games this month. Recently on Washingtonian dot com: • The Washington Post’s layoffs last week were even more devastating than first reported. • Ilia Malinin gave himself the nickname Quad God. Seems like it’s worked out for him so far? • Find out why a health program called Food Is Medicine is gaining momentum. • Valentine’s Day alert: 19 romantic date-night spots from our 100 Very Best Restaurants list. Here’s where you can find heart-shaped food around town. Need a last-minute plan? Here are a few ideas. Local news links: Monk time: Buddhist monks drew big crowds in Alexandria yesterday. (WUSA9) They also caused a stir in Arlington. (ARLnow) They’ll arrive in the District today. (Washingtonian) • Authorities closed northbound lanes of 14th Street from L Street, Northwest, to Thomas Circle yesterday because an abandoned sewer tunnel underneath the thoroughfare is in danger of collapse. (WUSA9) • DC’s unemployment rate rose to 6.7 percent in December. (Axios D.C.) • Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was born in Alexandria and grew up in Oakton. (Northern Virginia Magazine) • Three young people were stabbed in a big fight at the Silver Spring Metro station. (DC News Now) • A 16-year-old student was shot inside Wootton High School in Rockville yesterday. He’s in stable condition and his suspected attacker has been arrested, police say. (Bethesda Today) • Fairfax police say a DC man smashed the windows of cell-phone shops with a sledgehammer to steal items. (WUSA9) • An attempted bank robbery in Arlington went kaput. (ARLnow) • Mark Penn’s swanky Georgetown manse will go on the market for $15 million. (Urban Turf) • RIP Washington sports legend Barry Wilburn. (NBC4 Washington) • The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City no longer has any Starbucks locations. (ARLnow) • DC businesses are looking to capitalize on the popularity of “Heated Rivalry.” (WTOP) Tuesday’s event picks: • “Stereophonic” opens at the National Theatre. • Scott Shane discusses his new history of Thomas Smallwood, who liberated hundreds of enslaved people and named the Underground Railroad. See more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.The post Trump Finds New Way to Anger Canadians, Rainbow Flag Removed From Stonewall Monument, Monks Arrive first appeared on Washingtonian. ...read more read less