| | | | |  | | By Garrett Ross | | Presented by |  | | | |  | THE CATCH-UP | | | AS EXPECTED — “TikTok sues to challenge law forcing sale or ban,” by Rebecca Kern: “The petition filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit claims the law violates the First Amendment rights of its 170 million American users. It says the law shuts down the platform based on ‘speculative and analytically flawed concerns about data security and content manipulation.’”
|  Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is testifying on her encounter with Donald Trump during the hush money trial, as seen in this courtroom sketch. | Elizabeth Williams via AP | STARK AND STORMY — The DONALD TRUMP hush money trial heard from STORMY DANIELS this morning in perhaps the most explosive testimony in the case thus far. THE BUILDUP: The dramatic scene came after Trump’s attorneys mounted a “last-minute bid to block the porn star from offering up lurid details of her claimed sexual encounter with Trump — an encounter that Trump maintains never happened,” our colleague Josh Gerstein writes. “Without getting specific, Trump lawyer SUSAN NECHELES said such details would be ‘unduly prejudicial’ to Trump.” But prosecutor SUSAN HOFFINGER said Daniels “needs to be able to explain to the jury what she says happened in Trump’s hotel room at a California golf resort in 2006,” offering that she could “omit certain details that might be too salacious,” while still offering “general details of what occurred.” “In terms of the sexual act, it will be just very basic. It’s not going to involve any descriptions of genitalia,” Hoffinger added. Judge JUAN MERCHAN acknowledged that Daniels has “credibility issues,” but ruled that she should be able to tell her story within the limits Hoffinger outlined. THE SCENE INSIDE, per Josh: “Awkward moments in the courtroom as Daniels details the alleged sexual encounter. ‘I had my clothes and my shoes off. I believe my bra was still on. We were in missionary position,’ Daniels said. Defense jumps in to object. The judge sustains the objection. One female juror looks uncomfortable with the comments and is looking away while holding her forehead.” More interesting details, via NYT’s live blog: “As Stormy Daniels testifies about her background and life story, Trump is consistently whispering to his lawyer TODD BLANCHE,” Kate Christobek notes. Maggie Haberman adds: “Trump has often had his eyes closed during uncomfortable moments of testimony in this trial. So far during this testimony, he is keeping them open.” But then: “As Stormy Daniels details her adult film career, Trump leans back and closes his eyes,” per Jonathan Swan. Our colleague Ben Feuerherd: “Trump appears to be very upset about having to sit through Daniels’ testimony. When the porn star said Trump told her that he and his wife MELANIA don’t sleep in the same bed anymore, the former president shook his head. When Daniels told jurors that she ‘swatted’ Trump on the backside with a magazine during their encounter in Lake Tahoe, he appeared to mouth ‘bullshit.’” How she got here: “From porn star to prosecution’s key witness: The evolution of Stormy Daniels,” by Meridith McGraw Follow along with all of the updates from the courtroom with POLITICO’s live blog
|  Trump is pressing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to drop her threat to oust Speaker Mike Johnson. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | TRUMP TELLS MTG TO DROP MTV — As Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) continues to dangle the motion to vacate over Speaker MIKE JOHNSON, Trump appears to be more involved behind the scenes than previously known. “Trump and the Georgia firebrand, who speak often, had a lengthy phone call over the weekend,” our colleagues Olivia Beavers and Jordain Carney report. “Trump’s message to her, per those people: Stand down from the so-called motion to vacate. “I have it under very, very good sources that President Trump did engage. And I'm hoping that perhaps one would come to the conclusion: ‘You made your point,’” said Rep. RYAN ZINKE (R-Mont.), citing a weekend discussion the former president had with Greene. “But don't be Kamikaze, because if you go for this, you're gonna get beaten down. And he made that point. I'm hoping that's the outcome.” “Another Republican, granted anonymity to discuss private conversations, put it more bluntly: ‘He told her not to do it.’” The news of the former president’s plea comes as both Johnson and Greene dig in.
- Greene to STEVE BANNON on his radio show this morning: “This is what people all over the country are screaming for. They want to see this vote because this vote will expose the uniparty.” (h/t USA Today’s Ken Tran)
Keep an eye out for more media scrums this afternoon: Greene and fellow MTV backer THOMAS MASSIE (R-Ky.) popped back into Johnson’s office for their second meeting with the speaker a bit after noon. More from Katherine Tully-McManus Good Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at gross@politico.com.
| | | | A message from the Electronic Payments Coalition: WORKING-CLASS AMERICANS DEPEND ON CREDIT CARD REWARDS: A new study finds credit card rewards like cashback empower low-income families to pay for the rising price of everyday essentials—like groceries and gas. So why are DC politicians partnering with corporate mega-stores to end those hard-earned rewards programs that Americans rely on? The Durbin-Marshall Credit Card Bill takes billions from American families, lining corporate pockets instead. Tell DC politicians to OPPOSE the Durbin-Marshall Credit Card Bill. | | | | | 6 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW | | |  President Joe Biden is holding up a weapons shipment to Israel as he warns of a "ferocious" surge of antisemitism in America and around the world. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | 1. MIDDLE EAST LATEST: The Biden administration is “holding up shipments of two types of Boeing-made precision bombs to send a political message to Israel,” Lara Seligman, Lee Hudson, Paul McLeary, Alexander Ward and Nahal Toosi report, in what appears to be the first instance of the administration delaying a potential weapons sale since Hamas’ initial attack on Oct. 7. “The U.S. has yet to sign off on a pending sale of Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munitions — both the munitions and kits that convert them to smart weapons — and Small Diameter Bombs, according to six industry and congressional sources with knowledge of the discussions. “While the Biden administration has not formally denied the potential sale, it is essentially taking action through inaction — holding off on approvals and other aspects of the weapons transfer process — to send a message to Israel, a U.S. administration official familiar with the process told POLITICO.” Related read: President JOE BIDEN in remarks today “warned of a ‘ferocious’ surge of antisemitism in America and around the world, in comments that both called out the violent excesses of pro-Palestinian campus protest and reaffirmed the U.S. alliance with Israel,” our colleague Myah Ward writes. 2. BERNING HOT: It’s no secret that Sen. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.) is not aligned with Biden on the Israel-Hamas war. “Privately, Sanders has felt less enthusiastic in recent days about making the political case on Biden’s behalf as the Gaza crisis worsened,”AP’s Seung Min Kim reports. But Sanders isn’t letting that get in the way of his support for the president: “I understand that a lot of people in this country are less than enthusiastic about Biden for a number of reasons and I get that. And I strongly disagree with him, especially on what’s going on in Gaza,” Sanders told the AP in an interview. “But Sanders continued: ‘You have to have a certain maturity when you deal with politics and that is yes, you can disagree with somebody. That doesn’t mean you can vote for somebody else who could be the most dangerous person in American history, or not vote and allow that other guy to win.’ 3. DETAINED IN RUSSIA: Russian media is reporting today that GORDON BLACK, the U.S. Army soldier who was detained in the country, will be held “in jail until at least July while the authorities investigate theft charges against him,” per the NYT’s Anatoly Kurmanaev. “A court in Vladivostok said in a news release on Tuesday that an American citizen identified only by the letter B had been detained on suspicion of robbing a woman, causing her ‘considerable harm.’ Officials in Moscow have not commented on the arrest, and the press office for Vladivostok’s courts did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.” Meanwhile, a U.S. Army spokesperson said today that Black had traveled to Russia through China and “did not get U.S. government approval for his travel plans,” Lara Seligman reports. Related reads: “Isolated From West, Putin Projects Domestic Power at Inauguration,” by NYT’s Valerie Hopkins and Anton Troianovski … “To please Putin, universities purge liberals and embrace patriots,” by WaPo’s Mary Ilyushina
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | 4. STUNNING STORY: Ukraine security officials said today that they had “foiled a plot to assassinate President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY by undercover Ukrainian security officials who were working for Russia,” our colleague Veronika Melkozerova reports from Kyiv. “Two unnamed colonels from the Ukrainian State Security Department, the SBU — the main organization protecting top officials including Zelenskyy — were part of a group of covert agents helping Russia’s security service, the FSB, to plot the assassination, Kyiv said. The colonels were arrested and Kyiv said the conspiracy included plans to also murder SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk and Military Intelligence boss Kyrylo Budanov. Zelenskyy has previously said he has survived more than 10 assassination attempts.” 5. FOR YOUR RADAR: “U.S. Repatriates 11 American Citizens From ISIS War Camps in Syria,” by NYT’s Charlie Savage: “The Biden administration has repatriated a family of 10 American citizens who had been stranded for years in desert camps and detention centers in Syria run by a Kurdish-led militia that battled the Islamic State, according to officials. The government also brought to the United States a pair of half brothers — only one of whom, said to be 7, is an American citizen. The resettlement of the other boy, who is said to be 9, is the first time the United States has taken in someone from the war zone who is not an American national.” 6. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: “The Office-Market Meltdown Comes for Trump’s Prized Wall Street Building,” by WSJ’s Peter Grant: “Trump paid less than $5 million for a long-term lease on the tower in 1995, when New York’s commercial-property market was struggling. Within a few years, the property soared many times in value as the market rebounded. It is possibly his most valuable single piece of property. But like thousands of other U.S. office buildings, 40 Wall is now under duress because of weakening office demand. The tower’s vacancy rate has risen to 21%, compared with about 5% in 2015.”
| | | | LISTEN TO POLITICO'S ENERGY PODCAST: Check out our daily five-minute brief on the latest energy and environmental politics and policy news. Don't miss out on the must-know stories, candid insights, and analysis from POLITICO's energy team. Listen today. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Karen Pierce explained the diplomatic strategy behind her colorful fashion choices. Nicholas Carlson is stepping down as Business Insider’s editor-in-chief. OUT AND ABOUT — Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) yesterday hosted over 120 players and raised $130,000 at Belle Haven Country Club for his annual “Day on the Greens” tournament organized by Fundraising Inc. SPOTTED: Reps. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) and William Timmons (R-S.C.), John Sullivan, Jack Kingston and Caroleene Dobson. TRANSITIONS — David Haines and Katie Morley are joining The Coca-Cola Company's D.C. office. Haines will be a senior director and previously worked on government relations at Van Scoyoc Associates. Morley will be a director on the federal and diplomatic affairs team and previously was senior legislative assistant and chief trade adviser for Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.). … Jeff Kratz will be director of government relations for the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He previously was legislative director for Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.). ENGAGED — Tristan Cotter, general manager of Americas for Varjo, and Meghan Pianta, SVP of comms at Ro and a Glover Park Group and NBC alum, got engaged Friday during a stroll with their dog Nike through Rock Creek Park. The couple met in D.C. 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.
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