| | | | |  | | By Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels and Ryan Lizza | | | With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine
| | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | ICYMI — ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. publicly apologized to family members late last night after a super PAC supporting his independent presidential campaign aired a $7 million Super Bowl spot that appropriated a famed 1960 ad aired by uncle JOHN F. KENNEDY: “Federal rules prohibit Superpacs from consulting with me or my staff. I send you and your family my sincerest apologies. God bless you.” The ad remains pinned to the top of Kennedy’s X timeline this morning. More from Brittany Gibson and Sam Stein … The ad … The original … The reaction from cousins BOBBY and MARK SHRIVER AUSTIN IN CRITICAL CARE — The Pentagon released a statement shortly before midnight revealing that Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN has been “admitted into the critical care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for supportive care and close monitoring” after he sought treatment yesterday for an “emergent bladder condition.” “At this time, it is not clear how long Secretary Austin will remain hospitalized,” Austin’s doctors said. “The current bladder issue is not expected to change his anticipated full recovery. His cancer prognosis remains excellent. Updates on the Secretary's condition will be provided as soon as possible.” More from CNN
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Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and sounded off about her former boss cheering Vladimir Putin at the expense of U.S. allies. | Jamie Kelter Davis for POLITICO | ‘WHERE ARE THE REPUBLICANS?’ — This morning, in the wake of DONALD TRUMP’s breathtaking suggestion that Russia should feel welcome to invade deadbeat NATO allies, we have exclusive interviews with two Republicans who are seeking to stand athwart their party as it comes under the sway of isolationist populism: presidential candidate NIKKI HALEY and House Intelligence Chair MIKE TURNER. Let’s start with Haley: The former South Carolina governor and Trump’s one-time UN ambassador unsurprisingly sounded off about her former boss cheering VLADIMIR PUTIN at the expense of U.S. allies. “That should send a chill up everyone's spine,” she said, chatting shortly before the big game yesterday from South Carolina. The problem isn’t just that it’s “wrong” and that Trump is “lacking moral clarity,” she continued. “It's the kind of comment that makes JOE BIDEN look clear-headed,” she added. That’s right — just days after special counsel ROBERT HUR put Biden’s mental faculties in the spotlight, Haley said Trump’s Saturday tirade exposed his own delirious instincts. “This is what makes Joe Biden look sane,” she said. Haley also hit back at Trump for questioning her husband’s absence from the campaign trail, mocking the fact Trump dodged the Vietnam draft by claiming to have “bone spurs.” (MICHAEL HALEY, a major in the South Carolina Army National Guard, is currently deployed to the Horn of Africa.) “Military families go through a lot,” she said. “And the fact that Donald Trump's never even got near a military uniform, he's never had that experience, never known what it's like, goes to show why he continues to call them suckers and losers.” Her reaction quickly turned to anger — not just at Trump, but at others in the GOP who have said nothing to push back against the former president’s weekend screed. “Why is there silence from the Republican Party?” she asked. “Like, where is everybody? … Where are the Republicans in defense of our men and women in uniform that sacrifice for us and protect our country?” ‘WE HAVE TO GET THIS DONE’: As for Turner, he called us last night fresh off leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to Kyiv, his third visit to the embattled nation since Russia’s invasion. A day before Trump railed against foreign aid — insisting that U.S. assistance should be loaned, not gifted — Turner was personally trying to assure Ukraine President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY that reinforcements are on the way. The message he brought back from Kyiv is that there’s not a moment to spare: Soldiers, he said, “are already rationing munitions” and “are unable to fully defend themselves on the battlefield.” “We have to get this done,” he told Playbook. “This is no longer an issue of, ‘When do we support Ukraine?’ If we do not move, this will be abandoning Ukraine.” Turner’s visit is particularly timely. The Senate is on track to pass the big supplemental spending bill, which includes $60 billion for Ukraine, no later than Wednesday. What happens after that remains in question, even though Turner predicts the bill would have “overwhelming support” in the House. “The speaker will need to bring it to the floor,” he said. Not everyone is so sure. Plenty of GOP lawmakers continue to insist that no taxpayer dollars should flow to protect Ukraine’s borders until the southern border is protected, and senior GOP aides are betting that Johnson won’t buck that pressure (even after playing an outsize role in killing the Senate’s bipartisan border deal). It certainly doesn’t help that Trump is now starting to speak out against foreign aid. Hawks, however, are clinging to hope — based, in part, on one whispered story: When NATO Secretary General JENS STOLTENBERG was on Capitol Hill late last month, he told a small group of Republicans that the speaker had personally assured him he’d allow a vote on Ukraine aid — possibly as a standalone measure — and that it would likely pass the House. Johnson’s office firmly pushed back on that account. “The speaker merely conveyed that each component of the supplemental must be evaluated on its own merits and can potentially be considered separately,” spokesperson RAJ SHAH told Playbook in a statement. Remember: Johnson came into the speakership last year pledging, “We can’t allow Vladimir Putin to prevail in Ukraine.” But he’s also cited lots of reasons why the House hasn’t been able to deliver the funding to prevent that scenario, with aides citing a lack of White House answers to questions about where the money is going, how it’s being used and the endgame for Ukraine. Turner wouldn’t comment on private discussions but said he was confident Johnson will allow a Ukraine vote, one way or another. “I don't think that this is one of those issues where you can change positions,” he said. “You're either for or against the authoritarian governments invading democratic countries. … You're either for or against the killing of innocent civilians. You're either for or against Russia reconstituting the Soviet Union.” Turner added that if the hard right comes after Johnson, threatening a motion to vacate, he believes Democrats will protect him from a mutiny: “They know the work we have yet to get done this year is essential and critical,” he said. “If the Democrats allow the fringe that threatens Johnson's job every day to be successful, then all their priorities and the nation’s priorities would fail.” Good Monday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Did you enjoy the game as much as Dark Brandon? Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.
| | | | A message from American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers: EPA is set to finalize a regulation designed to end the sale of new gas and diesel cars regardless of what drivers want, need, and can afford. Polling shows that Americans think the Biden EPA is moving too far, too fast. President Biden: Stop the EPA’s car ban. Vehicle policies can’t just work for some of us. They should work for all of us. | | | BIDEN FOR YOU — The Biden campaign last night settled a long-running messaging dilemma, launching a TikTok account and posting a breezy Super Bowl related clip that as of this morning has 3.6 million views. The question of how exactly Biden and other prominent Democrats should handle the popular video app has gone unanswered for years amid mounting questions about links between TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and the Chinese government. ByteDance remains under Treasury Department review, federal employees are banned from loading the phone on their government phones, and at least one state is trying to ban TikTok entirely. The Biden campaign, meanwhile, has concluded that it must “continue meeting voters where they are, innovating to create content that will resonate with critical audiences and the core constituencies that make up the president’s diverse and broad coalition of voters,” per a campaign adviser, who said that Biden 2024 officials “are taking advanced safety precautions around our devices and incorporating a sophisticated security protocol to ensure security.” More from Elena Schneider Reaction from Sen. JOSH HAWLEY (R-Mo.) … “Biden campaign bragging about using a Chinese spy app even though Biden signed a law banning it on all federal devices,” he wrote on X. THE WEEK — Tomorrow: Special election in New York’s 3rd Congressional District. January inflation numbers are released. … Wednesday: Ash Wednesday. Valentine’s Day. Agriculture Secretary TOM VILSACK testifies before House Ag Committee. Trump holds campaign rally in North Charleston, South Carolina. … Thursday: Hearing on motion to disqualify Fulton County, Georgia, DA FANI WILLIS from Trump-related prosecutions. Hearing on pre-trial motions in Trump’s New York criminal case, including on a potential trial delay. IRS Commissioner DANNY WERFEL testifies before House Ways and Means Committee. … Friday: Biden travels to East Palestine, Ohio, for events related to last year’s rail disaster. Monthly University of Michigan consumer confidence survey is released.
| | | | A message from American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers:   | | | | | WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY | | On the Hill The Senate will meet at noon, with possible votes on the national security supplemental at 8:30 p.m. The House is out. 3 things to watch …
- It’s another hurry-up-and-wait day in the Senate following yesterday’s 67-27 procedural vote on the Ukraine/Israel/Taiwan supplemental. Post-cloture debate time on the substitute amendment expires around 8:30 p.m., and after a simple-majority vote on the amendment, expect Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER to file cloture on the shell bill — setting up a final passage vote no later than Wednesday.
- Take two for the ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS impeachment is on for tomorrow evening, with House Majority Leader STEVE SCALISE expected back in Washington to deliver the decisive vote. But with margins thin as they are, nothing is assured and you can expect whips in both parties to be keeping a close eye on flight status boards tomorrow.
- FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Congressional Black Caucus members will be meeting with the CEO of Navy Federal Credit Union on Thursday to press them about a CNN investigation alleging discriminatory treatment of Black and Hispanic mortgage applicants, Daniel Lippman reports. CBC Chair STEVEN HORSFORD (D-Nev.) said in a statement that he wants to hear “how they are working to make homeownership a reality for their members of all backgrounds,” while Navy Federal told Playbook it’s committed to engaging with policymakers on the issue and has started an external review of its mortgage lending program.
At the White House Biden will speak at the National Association of Counties legislative conference at the Washington Hilton at 11:15 a.m. Biden and first lady JILL BIDEN will welcome King ABDULLAH II and Queen RANIA AL ABDULLAH of Jordan at 2:30 p.m., followed by a Biden-Abdullah meeting and public remarks at 4 p.m. VP KAMALA HARRIS will receive briefings and have internal staff meetings.
| | | | YOUR VIP PASS TO THE MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE: Dive into the heart of global security with POLITICO's Global Playbook at the 2024 Munich Security Conference. Gain exclusive insights and in-depth analysis as author Suzanne Lynch navigates the crucial discussions, key players and emerging trends that will shape the international security landscape. Subscribe now to Global Playbook and stay informed. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | AMERICA AND THE WORLD
|  Donald Trump threatened to allow Russia to attack a NATO ally without reprisal yesterday. | Mario Tama/Getty Images | MORE TRUMP NATO FALLOUT — Europe shuddered with fear and anxiety about the U.S.’ reliability yesterday after Trump threatened to allow Russia to attack a NATO ally without reprisal. European countries have already been talking about readying for a post-America (or post-dependable America) NATO, and the latest brouhaha “may now force Europe’s debate into a far more public phase,” NYT’s David Sanger reports. JOHN BOLTON tells WaPo’s Joby Warrick, Michael Birnbaum and Emily Rauhala that “you’ve got to take him literally” on this. “American democracy is sick,” one European commissioner told French TV. The impact could resonate far beyond Finland and the Baltic states: Trump is essentially presaging massive shifts in the world order if he wins, NYT’s Peter Baker writes. Even without any formal withdrawals, a Trump move to make American security guarantees unreliable would alter the prevailing understanding since World War II from Latin America to East Asia. “History suggests this could result in more war, not less.” More top reads:
2024 WATCH
|  The Aliquippa water authority was just one of multiple organizations breached in the United States by Iran-affiliated hackers . | Gene J Puskar/AP Photo | THE CYBER STAKES — Democratic advocates for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency increasingly fear that Trump would destroy the country’s principal defender of the nation’s infrastructure against cyberattacks if he returns to power, Maggie Miller and John Sakellariadis report this morning. Trump targeted CISA in the waning days of his first term after it went against his election fraud lies, and other Republicans have raised concerns about whether it has censored conservatives. If Trump hollows out CISA via budget cuts, political loyalists or mission changes, that “could leave the field open for hackers to further exploit weaknesses in U.S. critical infrastructure, and do so at a particularly dangerous time given stepped-up U.S. involvement in conflicts abroad.” BIG MONEY — Trump met with MIRIAM ADELSON in Las Vegas last week, Alex Isenstadt reports, as he keeps trying to win over megadonors who have stayed on the sidelines.
| | | | A message from American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers:   | | | MORE POLITICS HAPPENING TOMORROW — “New York Democrats are worried about Tuesday’s special election. They have good reason to be,” by CNN’s Gregory Krieg and Veronica Stracqualursi in Plainview … Both TOM SUOZZI and MAZI PILIP tried to get supporters to vote early ahead of a big snowstorm, Jason Beeferman and Irie Sentner report from Plainview. CASH DASH — The Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy PAC is kicking off a $40 million campaign that will aim to boost Biden and other Democrats this cycle in Georgia, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. It’s the largest ever investment from the group, which will unleash ads, organizing and field programs focused on child care, prescription drugs and other policy priorities. POIGNANT READ — “The meaning of one vote,” by WaPo’s David Finkel, adapted from his new book, “An American Dreamer”: “An American soldier’s journey from Iraq 2007 to Election Day 2020.” PLAYBOOK METRO SECTION — “Senate Dems hit pause on arena plan after Youngkin ‘mock’ speech,” by the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Michael Martz: “After Gov. GLENN YOUNGKIN blasted Democrats in a political speech over the weekend, [state] Senate Democrats put his proposed $2 billion development for a professional basketball and hockey arena on ice — at least for now.” POLICY CORNER
|  Members of the National Guard stand as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and fellow governors hold a news conference along the Rio Grande to discuss Operation Lone Star and border concerns, Feb. 4. | Eric Gay, file/AP Photo | | IMMIGRATION FILES — Trump’s plans to deport immigrants en masse in a second term would be unlike anything America has seen since the DWIGHT EISENHOWER administration, Axios’ Stef Kight, Courtenay Brown and Russell Contreras detail. If he were able to carry it out, the major expansion of fast-track deportations would boot millions of people out of the country annually, housing them at giant holding sites built by the military on the border before they’re sent away. Again, the ramifications could be huge: The push might “dramatically disrupt local communities and economies across the U.S. — and sow fear among the millions of people without legal status,” Axios writes. That’s especially true because “immigrants — including those who recently crossed the border illegally — have played a role in easing inflation and helping the economy avoid a recession after the pandemic.” For a look at the human impact of the ongoing migrant crisis around the country, read NYT’s Luis Ferré-Sadurní on the growing numbers of migrants risking their lives to cross the border from Canada … NBC’s Daniella Silva on 13,000 migrants on the verge of being evicted from temporary shelters in Chicago … and Axios’ Astrid Galván on one Venezuelan’s treacherous journey to El Paso. DECONSTRUCTING THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATE — “‘Straight out of the USSR’: SEC’s ‘Gag Rule’ under fire,” by Declan Harty: “The New Civil Liberties Alliance, a conservative legal group that has been at the forefront in the clash over regulatory reach, is leading a pair of long-shot challenges looking to knock down the SEC’s half-century-old policy of barring most defendants who settle with the agency from speaking out against the charges.” CONGRESS SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN — “Congress agrees on how much to spend — but not on how to spend it,” by WaPo’s Jacob Bogage: “Lawmakers are racing to beat fast-approaching government shutdown deadlines in March, but deep policy divisions may slow them down on everything from passenger rail funding to Internal Revenue Service resources to support for the World Health Organization.” BEYOND THE BELTWAY GREEN TRANSITION STUMBLES — “As electric vehicle demand slows, workers caught in the middle face an uncertain future,” by NBC’s Shannon Pettypiece
| | | | CONGRESS OVERDRIVE: Since day one, POLITICO has been laser-focused on Capitol Hill, serving up the juiciest Congress coverage. Now, we’re upping our game to ensure you’re up to speed and in the know on every tasty morsel and newsy nugget from inside the Capitol Dome, around the clock. Wake up, read Playbook AM, get up to speed at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report, and fuel your nightly conversations with Inside Congress in the evening. Plus, never miss a beat with buzzy, real-time updates throughout the day via our Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Donald Trump is actually turning Taylor Swift’s endorsement into a campaign issue. Chuck Schumer was a dreamer before you went and let him down. Frank Luntz and Chris Licht hung out at the Super Bowl, with Nancy Pelosi not far away. Andy Kim celebrated the Super Bowl and Lunar New Year simultaneously. SPOTTED: former Polish President Lech Wałęsa and Russian dissident Ilya Ponomarev having coffee Saturday at the Sofitel in D.C. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The D.C. chapters of five journalism diversity associations — the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Asian American Journalists Association, the Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, the Washington Association of Black Journalists and the Journalism & Women Symposium — are organizing a 2024 presidential forum in September with the George Washington University School of Media & Public Affairs. Invites will be extended to both the Republican and Democratic nominees, with the aim of bringing together the largest gathering of journalists of diverse backgrounds covering the race. — Lynda Tran, Andrew Rogers and Andrew Wishnia are launching EpicWorks Advisors, a new consulting firm focused on transportation and climate policy. All three previously had senior roles at the Biden Transportation Department. They’ll be senior advisers to LSN Partners as well. WHITE HOUSE MOVE — John Kirby is being elevated to White House national security comms adviser and assistant to the president, working separately from the NSC press office, Reuters’ Steve Holland scooped. TRANSITIONS — Macy Gardner is now rapid response director for the NRCC. She most recently was deputy war room director and comms coordinator for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign. … Tammy Patrick is leading a new initiative from the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate to bolster America’s elections infrastructure. She is a former commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Election Administration. … Tucker Akin will be an investigative counsel for the Senate Budget GOP. He previously was counsel for Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.). ENGAGED — Ian Blue, director of member relations at the Wine Institute and a Mike Thompson alum, and Meredith Hassett, VP of content strategy at Peacock, got engaged recently. They celebrated the following day skiing with friends in Telluride.Pic WEEKEND WEDDING — Jonathan Gerstell, a law clerk for a federal U.S. District Court judge in Maryland and an Elaine Luria and Jim Himes alum, and Elisabeth Davis, a pediatric resident at Children’s National Hospital got married on Saturday at Josephine Butler Parks Center. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Pamela Brown, a CNN anchor, and her husband welcomed Henry Redwood Lincoln Wright early Saturday morning. He came in at 6 lbs, 12.5 oz, and joins big siblings Vivie and Benny. Pic … Another pic — David Bell, director of legislative affairs at the National Automobile Dealers Association, and Stephanie Bell, senior business manager for litigation, arbitration and employment at Hogan Lovells, recently welcomed Hazel Emma Bell. Pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Playbook’s own Eugene Daniels … Justice Brett Kavanaugh … Jon Finer … Mets fan Megan Bates-Apper of Treasury … Jim VandeHei … former Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.) … Susan Page … NYT’s Maya King … Marc Caputo … WaPo’s Chris Suellentrop and Marianna Sotomayor … David Brody … POLITICO’s Kristen East … Chris Hodgson … Justin Shockey of House Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s (R-Minn.) office … Ali Lapp … Thomas Peterson of Cannon Research Group … Christina Noel … Adam Webb of Sen. Thom Tillis’ (R-N.C.) office … Trish Hoppey … Charlotte Sellmyer of the National Music Publishers’ Association … Christine Jacobs … BBC’s Chloe Ross … Robert Zeliger … Jennifer Lukawski of BGR Group … Kristin Gossel … Raj Bharwani of the House Oversight Committee … Lewis Lowe … Enel North America’s Kyle Davis … Bridget Anzano … CNN’s Maria Awad … Barbara Zylinski … Ben Sherwood Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us at 202-556-3307. Playbook couldn’t happen without our editor Mike DeBonis, deputy editor Zack Stanton and Playbook Daily Briefing producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
| | | | A message from American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers: EPA is set to finalize a regulation designed to end the sale of new gas and diesel cars. This proposal would force automakers to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles – the most widely available, accessible, and affordable cars driven by the majority of Americans. The Biden EPA is rushing to do this before we are ready, and regardless of what American drivers want, need, and can afford.
Even worse, phasing out gas and diesel-powered vehicles for electric vehicles jeopardizes our hard-won American energy security, which is built on American-made and American-grown fuels. Instead, we will be reliant on China, the dominant player in the electric vehicle supply chain now and for the foreseeable future.
President Biden: It’s not too late to act. Stop the EPA’s misguided car ban. We need vehicle policies that work for all Americans, our economy, and our energy security. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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