Good morning. Mostly sunny today, with a high around 69 and the occasional gusty wind. Clear overnight, with a low near 44. The Nationals wrap up their visit to the Mets this afternoon. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below. This rou ndup is available as a morning email newsletter. Sign up here. I can’t stop listening to: Yumi Zouma, “Drag.” These dreamy Kiwis bring their blurry pop to Black Cat tonight. They’ll play with Ducks Ltd. 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: The US is considering “short and powerful” strikes against Iran to try to force its opponent in the nearly two-month-old war to come back to the bargaining table. President Trump, who posted an AI-generated image of himself holding a big gun captioned “No More Mr. Nice Guy” at 4 in the morning on Wednesday, said the US would continue its naval blockade of Iran’s ports unless it agreed to a deal about its nuclear program. (Axios) The news sent global oil prices to their highest point in four years. (CNBC) The national average price of a gallon of gas rose to $4.30. (AAA) A million Iranians are out of work and daily costs have soared there, too. (WSJ) The State Department hopes to prod “other countries to form an international coalition” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed. (Reuters) Trump said the US might pull troops from Germany after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Iran had “humiliated” the US. (Politico) Landmark ruling: The Supreme Court voided a Black-majority congressional district in Louisiana, dealing a major blow to the Voting Rights Act. (AP) Justice Elena Kagan read from her dissent to the 6-3 decision from the bench, “a signal of her strong disagreement with the majority’s ruling.” (SCOTUSblog) The decision “may have come too late to have much of an effect on this year’s midterm elections.” (AP) Still, Republican officials in Southern states moved quickly to redraw congressional maps, which could boost their chances of retaining a majority in Congress. (Politico) Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry “plans to suspend next month’s primary elections so state lawmakers can pass a new congressional map first.” (Washington Post) Here’s a timeline of the Voting Rights Act, which the Supreme Court has eroded steadily over the years. (NYT) He’s staying: Citing the administration’s legal threats against him, Jerome Powell said he’ll keep his position as a Federal Reserve governor after his term as chair ends. He can stay on the board until January 2028. (NYT) That could make it difficult for incoming chair Kevin Warsh to cut interest rates, as Trump has demanded. (AP) As expected, the Fed held the line on interest rates yesterday. Four members of the body’s committee that sets rates dissented, the highest number since 1992. (CNBC) The message: “this is a committee unable to deliver the cuts the White House expects.” (WSJ) Fighty Pete goes to Congress: A pugnacious Pete Hegseth traded barbs with congressional Democrats yesterday when he appeared before a House committee. (He’ll face a Senate committee today.) The secretary of defense “repeatedly dodged pointed questions” from Dems. (Politico) Hegseth made up a figure of officials he claimed President Obama had fired while defending his many personnel changes. (NYT) Jules Hurst, the Pentagon’s acting comptroller, told lawmakers Trump’s war in Iran has cost $25 billion so far. (NBC News) That’s a “lowball figure that does not include the cost of repairing extensive damage suffered by US bases in the region,” according to people “familiar with the matter.” (CNN) Meanwhile, on the Hill: The House finally passed an extension of a provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The House’s measure included “an unrelated, permanent ban on the Federal Reserve’s ability to issue a digital currency,” which will probably doom the legislation in the Senate. (Politico) The Senate now plans to “to jam the House with a 45-day extension” before it recesses today. (Punchbowl News) Speaker Mike Johnson faced yet another “turbulent day” that “highlighted the House GOP’s fractures.” (Washington Post) Republicans also “agreed to rework a major farm policy measure” but that plan faces pressure from GOP members who are proponents of the Make America Healthy Again movement. (NYT) GOP lawmakers inched forward on a plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security. (Politico) One large disaster could wipe out FEMA’s remaining funds. (Notus) Administration perambulation: The administration “announced a sweeping rollback of gun regulations.” (NYT) Federal prosecutors indicted ten past and present Mexican officials, including Sinaloa’s governor. The feds said the defendants helped the Sinaloa Cartel ship drugs into the US. (AP) The USDA “rejected all four women farmers” appointed to a soybean board by their peers. (Reuters) Investigators now believe a US Secret Service officer was shot by the suspect in last weekend’s assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Some reports seemed to indicate the officer was hit by fire from another officer. (NBC News) Americans overwhelmingly oppose Trump’s planned ballroom. (Washington Post) Amazon may reboot “The Apprentice,” the TV show that restarted Trump’s public career. Donald Trump Jr. may host it. (WSJ) Hidden Eats, by Ike Allen: Photo by Ike Allen. The Northern Virginia outpost of the Lebanese charcoal chicken chain Farooj Abo Alabed, which has locations across the Middle East, has already generated enough influencer-aided hype that my first attempt to visit was thwarted by an intimidating line. The flattened, charcoal-grilled chicken halves are eye-catching, but I slightly preferred the simple chicken taouk wrap, adorned with only a few skinny pickles, some fries, and enough toum (garlic sauce) to stick with me for the rest of the afternoon. Recently on Washingtonian dot com: • Mother’s Day approaches. Here’s where our critic would have brunch. • Here are the swankiest homes sold in the region last month. • Every month, we arrange exclusive travel deals for our readers. Here are the discounts you can score in May. Local news links: • The Kennedy Center urgently requires major work, new executive director Matt Floca testified yesterday. Two legal actions overseen by the same judge could halt Trump’s planned two-year closure of the arts complex. Preservationists argue that the renovations must “follow the same review process that governs nearly every other federal construction project.” (Washington Post) Artistic manager Rick Canny is the subject of “grumbling” and an accusation that he once said, “Fuck Trump.” He denies he used such a word. (Playbook) • Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla will visit Front Royal, Virginia, today. (NBC4 Washington) • Fairfax County’s zoning board reinforced a county order that a homeowner whose renovation plans made national news must modify the work to meet county code. (WUSA9) • DC cops are looking for a man they say attacked two women “after twerking in front of them in Navy Yard.” (DC News Now) • Oof: The land set aside for the Capitals’ and Wizards’ ill-fated plan to move to Alexandria could become a parking lot for school buses. (ALXnow) • Long-shot DC mayoral candidate Gary Goodweather is a pretty good dancer. (deathandlifeofdc/Instagram) Thursday’s event pick: • Enjoy cocktails and small plates while [rechecks listing] discussing food waste at the United States Botanic Garden. See more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.The post Jerome Powell Says He’ll Stick Around, Kennedy Center Artistic Manager Says He Didn’t Use F-Word About Trump, and Charles and Camilla Head to Front Royal first appeared on Washingtonian. ...read more read less