| | | | |  | | By Garrett Ross | | | |  | THE CATCH-UP | | | DEVELOPING — “House Intel Chairman announces ‘serious national security threat,’ sources say it is related to Russia,” by CNN’s Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis, Annie Grayer and Kevin Liptak: Rep. MIKE TURNER (R-Ohio) “sent his Congressional colleagues a letter saying the urgent matter is ‘with regard to a destabilizing foreign military capability.’ One of the sources who has seen the intelligence confirmed that ‘it is, in fact, a highly concerning and destabilizing’ Russian capability ‘that we were recently made aware of.’” SCARY SITUATION — “3 officers shot in Washington while attempting to make an animal cruelty arrest,” by AP’s Lindsay Whitehurst
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Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) is working on a new Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and border bill as an alternative to the border-free package that passed the Senate. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | WHAT SUPP? — A band of House Republicans are planning to unveil a Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and border bill as an alternative to the border-free package that passed the Senate on Tuesday, Rep. BRIAN FITZPATRICK (D-Pa.) told reporters this morning. Fitzpatrick said the proposed pathway could be revealed as early as Thursday — and that he will brief Speaker MIKE JOHNSON on the package ahead of its release, our colleagues Connor O’Brien, Joe Gould and Anthony Adragna report. Fitzpatrick said he is working with “a handful” of Dems and Republicans in the Senate and House, but declined to say who or offer details on the proposal. “Stay tuned in the next 24 hours, I think you’ll see something that I think will be bipartisan,” he said. BIDEN’S BORDER BIND — Absent an immediate solution to the border crisis from Congress, President JOE BIDEN is yet again staring down an issue that is ballooning by the day and could threaten his reelection hopes. ICE is now drafting plans “to release thousands of immigrants and slash its capacity to hold detainees after the failure of a Senate border bill that would have erased a $700 million budget shortfall, according to four officials at ICE and the Department of Homeland Security,” WaPo’s Nick Miroff reports. Without the Senate supplemental’s $6 billion in ICE funding, the agency is contemplating slashing more than a third of its detention beds. That could put the Biden administration in an even deeper bind before an expected spring surge in illegal border crossings. Meanwhile, administration officials are sussing out what avenues they can explore to address the border crisis through executive actions — if any, WSJ’s Tarini Parti and Michelle Hackman report. “One action the administration could take would involve further ramping up a program called Family Expedited Removal Management, under which migrant families are released into the country on ankle monitors, screened for asylum within a few weeks of arriving and deported if they don’t clear the initial standard. Officials have also discussed reviving other Trump-era bans.” FOR WHOM THE BELLWETHER TOLLS — Johnson tried to brush off Republicans’ defeat last night in the special election for New York’s 3rd Congressional District, telling reporters in a news conference this morning that the race is “in no way a bellwether of what’s going to happen this fall.” Of course: “Johnson argued differently last month,” WaPo’s Azi Paybarah notes, “writing in a fundraising email: ‘If we win big here, we will set the tone for conservative victories across the board in 2024 so we can defend and grow the House Majority.’” On the issues: Johnson criticized Democrat TOM SUOZZI — who sailed past GOP candidate MAZI PILIP — for running “like a Republican.” He continued: “He sounded like a Republican, talking about the border and immigration because, everybody knows, that’s the top issue.” The NRCC made a similar argument, WaPo’s Amy Wang reports, saying the salience of the border “forced [Suozzi] to compete on our turf.” As for Democrats: Sen. CHRIS MURPHY (D-Conn.) pointed to Suozzi’s campaign and his aggressive messaging about the border as “a roadmap for Democrats” this fall, NBC’s Julie Tsirkin, Sahil Kapur and Summer Concepcion report. “He flipped the script on his Republican opponent,” Murphy wrote, “successfully painting her as unserious about border security because of her opposition to the bipartisan border bill, and turned what could have been a devastating political liability into an advantage.” Good Wednesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at gross@politico.com.
| | | | 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. | | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The Biden administration is kicking off the fourth round of its Investing in America tour tomorrow in an effort to push its messaging on the economy to a wider audience across the country, a White House source tells Playbook. The administration is sticking with its “Bidenomics” messaging, arguing that the president is delivering on his promise of lowering costs for families and creating jobs. But the tour is also expected to forcefully call out congressional Republicans who voted against the administration’s agenda but continue to claim credit for its tangible impact. The tour will feature Biden, VP KAMALA HARRIS, first lady JILL BIDEN, second gentleman DOUG EMHOFF, members of the Cabinet and other senior administration officials visiting communities across the country. To kick off the effort, the administration tomorrow will announce nearly $1 billion for airport terminal projects. Read the full memo RFK READ — “7 Family Feuds Worthy of a Kennedy,” by Peder Schaefer for POLITICO Mag
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Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic House member, is talking to Donald Trump about foreign policy and potential plans for the Pentagon. | Alex Brandon/AP Photo | 1. PLAYING DEFENSE: Trump and his team have turned to a former Democrat for conversations about shaping his foreign policy stances ahead of another expected general election battle against Biden: Former Hawaii Rep. TULSI GABBARD is counseling Trump on policy proposals and “how the Defense Department should be run in a second Trump term,” WaPo’s Josh Dawsey, Ashley Parker and Dan Lamothe report. Trump and Gabbard have met in person at least once, WaPo notes, adding that the two share a certain isolationist approach. “Trump advisers also hope Gabbard — who serves in the Army Reserve — could appeal to independent voters in a general election, one person familiar with the strategy said, and advocate for his military policies.” 2. FOR YOUR RADAR: “U.S. Probes Israeli Strikes That Killed Civilians in Gaza, Possible Use of White Phosphorus in Lebanon,” by WSJ’s Dion Nissenbaum and Jared Malsin: “The process shows the dilemmas facing the Biden administration, which so far has ruled out putting conditions on arms transfers to pressure Israel, but faces increasing calls from some members of Congress to do so as the war wears on. One attack the State Department is currently investigating is an Oct. 31 airstrike on the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp near Gaza City that killed more than 125 people, the U.S. officials said. Israel said it targeted a Hamas commander in a tunnel under a high-rise building.” 3. ALL POLITICS IS GLOBAL: “On Ukraine’s Front Line, Soldiers Are Forced to Tune In to Washington Politics,” by WSJ’s Alistair MacDonald and Ievgeniia Sivorka: “The consequences of politics in Washington are playing out in OLEKSANDER KUCHERIAVENKO’s Humvee on the eastern front of Ukraine’s war against Russia. On a patrol Wednesday, Kucheriavenko, a sergeant, fired several grenade rounds from his armored vehicle at a Russian assault team — and then stopped, to conserve ammunition. Like many Ukrainian soldiers, Kucheriavenko is concerned that Republican attempts to block additional military aid to Kyiv will strip them of already scarce ammunition, armored vehicles and spare parts, rendering defense against Russian onslaughts even harder.”
| | | | 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. | | | | | 4. HALEY’S COMMITS: As NIKKI HALEY crusades to strike down Trump and deny him the GOP presidential nomination, even her most ardent supporters back home in South Carolina are viewing her campaign as one that is doomed to fall short. Despite vowing to stay in the race beyond Super Tuesday and mounting forceful new attacks against the former president, scads of Haley voters predict that Trump will ascend to the nomination — but they’re holding out hope that Haley’s challenge will have a lasting impact in forging a path for her to return to the presidential race in the future, NYT’s Jazmine Ulloa writes. “The reality of it is, he is probably going to get it for four more years,” Republican Travis South told the NYT in South Carolina. “But hopefully, she will be able to come back.” 5. WHAT WILLIS IS TALKING ABOUT: “Why the Case Against Fani Willis Feels Familiar to Black Women,” by NYT’s Clyde McGrady and Katie Glueck: “Some lamented Ms. Willis’s conduct as a mistake, but not one that should remove her from the case against Mr. Trump. Others, thinking about their own experiences in the workplace, suggested another concern: They feel that Black women are held to a different standard and that Ms. Willis should have known that her identity, along with the enormous political stakes of the case, would create a white-hot spotlight on her personal conduct.” 6. THE LATEST IN PAKISTAN: “Imran Khan’s Opponents Reach Deal to Shut His Allies Out of Government,” by NYT’s Salman Masood and Christina Goldbaum: “Pakistan’s two main political dynasties reached an agreement late on Tuesday to form a coalition government, ensuring that candidates aligned with former Prime Minister IMRAN KHAN will not take power despite having won the most seats in last week’s election.” 7. NOTHING NEW: “Most Taylor Swift conspiracy theorists are also election deniers, poll finds,” by Kierra Frazier: “Eighteen percent of Americans surveyed believe in the conspiracy theory and 71 percent of those Americans identify with or lean toward the Republican Party,” according to the Monmouth University poll.
| | | | 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 | | George Santos trolled his former New York colleagues after last night’s special election defeat. Markwayne Mullin and Matt Gaetz are feuding over the foreign aid bill. Jill Biden celebrated Valentine’s Day on the White House lawn. Joe Biden’s TikTok account is getting slammed with comments about Gaza. OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at a dinner for the DCCC last night hosted by lobbyists from Kountoupes Denham Carr & Reid, which raised more than $150,000: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Reps. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), and Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), Laura McPherson, Al Thompson, Shelly Mui-Lipnik, Austin Burnes and Yujin Lee. MEDIA MOVES — Geraldo Rivera is joining NewsNation as a correspondent-at-large. He previously was a senior correspondent and co-host of “The Five” at Fox News. TRANSITIONS — Stephanie Wiswall and Jake Sticka are joining Rational 360. Wiswall will be SVP on the health care team and previously was head of U.S. policy at AstraZeneca. Sticka will be VP of the digital team and previously was a partner at Rising Tide Interactive. … Joe Boddicker is joining Alston & Bird as counsel in the federal and international tax group. He previously was a law clerk in the U.S. Tax Court and is a Senate Finance Committee alum. BONUS BIRTHDAYS: Kirsten Madison of the National Endowment for Democracy … David Cuzzi of Prospect Hill Strategies 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. Correction: Yesterday’s Playbook PM misidentified Tony Podesta.
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