It’s Monday. Happy Cinco de Mayo! The Meta Gala is happening today, and the theme is “Tailored For You.”
In today’s issue:
- Trump’s expected NFL draft announcement
- Will Alcatraz reopen?
- Trump calls for 100 percent tariff (!) on foreign movies
- GOP lawmaker’s town hall devolves into chaos
🏈 IN THE WHITE HOUSE
He’s in his sports era:
President Trump is expected to announce shortly that the NFL draft will happen in Washington, D.C., in 2027, reports The Hill’s Brett Samuels. His goal is for the draft to happen on the National Mall.
💻 Watch the 1 p.m. announcement
Joining Trump at the announcement: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris are expected to join Trump for the announcement, per Axios, which first reported the news.
Samuels pointed out: “Trump has repeatedly inserted himself into various sporting events in the early months of his second term. He attended the Super Bowl in February, the Daytona 500 and an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event last month. The president weighed in during last month’s NFL draft, which was held in Green Bay, Wis., to question why so many teams were passing on quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Sanders was eventually drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round.”
Trump’s next tariff target:
President Trump on Sunday called for a 100 percent tariff on movies made overseas.
Why?: “The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death. Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Can he legally do that?: “It is unclear how any such tariff would be implemented on intellectual property. The move is all but certain to face legal challenges from the industry, including on free speech grounds.” (The Hill)
This could get complicated: “It is unclear how such a tariff would work because movies aren’t physical goods that move through ports like most items subject to tariffs. The Trump administration would need to determine how to value a movie to apply the tariffs, as well as what the threshold would be to classify it as an import.” (The Wall Street Journal)
Hollywood stocks dropped this morning: Shares of Netflix, Disney, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery briefly fell this morning, per CNBC, but then rebounded. The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump’s tariff announcement has rattled Hollywood.
Well, maybe prison movies could be filmed at Alcatraz … ?:
Also on Sunday, President Trump ordered the reopening of the historic offshore San Francisco prison, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, which has been closed for more than 60 years.
Famous inmates: Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly were once held at Alcatraz.
What is it now?: Alcatraz is a museum overseen by the National Park Service.
Trump’s reasoning: “For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering. When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm,” Trump posted on Truth Social. 🔎 Read Trump’s full explainer
Read more: What to know about Alcatraz and why it closed
➤ OVER THE WEEKEND:
Trump appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The biggest headline from the interview is when he was asked whether he has to “uphold the Constitution” with regard to rapid deportations. “I don’t know,” Trump said. More from the back-and-forth
➤ MORE READS:
The New York Times: How One Law Is Being Used to Challenge Trump’s Agenda
The Washington Post: The flagging economy is hurting the housing market
The Wall Street Journal: How Bad Is China’s Economy? The Data Needed to Answer Is Vanishing
CNN: The clock is ticking down to zero, and Trump needs a trade deal — badly
⏱️ON CAPITOL HILL
Keeping the plot suspenseful:
“Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is keeping Democrats in suspense as speculation swirls about her next career move,” reports The Hill’s Julia Mueller.
How so?: “The star progressive launched a video last month reminiscent of a presidential pitch, stoking new questions about her political ambitions — with some wondering about a 2028 bid for the White House and others suggesting she could challenge Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) that same year.”
Is she giving any hints?: “Ocasio-Cortez has dodged questions about either possibility, stressing a focus on the current political moment, but anticipation is building as she tours the country alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), revving up her base and reaching out to voters across the country.”
Read more: ‘Ocasio-Cortez keeps Democrats in suspense over next move’
➤ HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
House Republicans are hitting the gas in an effort to pass President Trump’s legislative package — but several major policy hang-ups are in the way. Read Emily Brooks and Mychael Schnell’s reporting on Republicans’ crucial week
➤ CHAOS AT REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER’S TOWN HALL:
“Rep. Mike Lawler’s (R-N.Y.) town hall in his suburban swing district devolved into chaos Sunday evening as attendees lobbed boos and questions about President Trump before some were removed by law enforcement.”
📹Watch the footage— yikes!
Keep in mind: “On Sunday, Lawler’s staff required people to RSVP and set up a series of ground rules, including that attendees live in the district, not record at the event, refrain from shouting or standing, and ‘be respectful of one another, of staff, and of the Congressman,’ a sign at the door read.” (The Associated Press)
COMING UP
The House and Senate are in. President Trump is in Washington. (All times EST)
Today: Sean “Diddy” Combs’s trial. Details
1 p.m.: Trump delivers a sports announcement. 💻 Livestream
3 p.m.: Trump signs executive orders.
3:30 p.m.: Trump welcomes home a “returned citizen.”
5:30 p.m.: The Senate votes. 📆Today’s agenda
6:30 p.m.: First and last House votes. 📆Today’s agenda
7:30 p.m.: Trump attends the MAGA Inc. dinner at “Trump National Golf Club Washington, D.C.”
🐝 INTERNET BUZZ
🌮 Celebrate: Today is Cinco de Mayo and National Hoagie Day! Here’s a list of 39 food and drink specials for Cinco de Mayo.
📱 Now, this is an interesting take: The Atlantic’s Spencer Kornhaber writes, “Is This the Worst-Ever Era of American Pop Culture?”
🪪 The Real ID deadline is Wednesday: Starting May 7 — this Wednesday! — you’ll need a Real ID to fly domestically. If there’s a star on your license, you have a compliant ID. What you need to know
👋 AND FINALLY…
Because you read until the end, I’ll leave you with some practical advice for getting your ducks in a row. 😉
