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1 week ago | wakeuptopolitics.com | Gabe Fleisher

Hey everyone,This morning’s newsletter was all about the legal setbacks Donald Trump is being dealt, and how his theory of his second term — that he would be able to achieve far-reaching policy outcomes by acting unilaterally — has been largely foiled by federal judges. One of my key examples was last night’s ruling from the U.S. Court of International Trade striking down most of Trump’s sweeping tariffs.
Trump’s Theory of the Presidency is Failing

1 week ago | wakeuptopolitics.com | Gabe Fleisher

Here is a partial list of the most aggressive actions Donald Trump has tried to take since being re-elected president:Dismantling an entire Cabinet departmentRedefining the meaning of U.S. citizenshipChanging the requirements to vote in federal electionsUpending America’s trade relationshipsThose are big, huge projects. Each of them generated massive news coverage, and with good reason. If successful, they would represent an enormous flex of presidential power towards Trump’s desired policy ends.
The 10 Other Migrants Allegedly Wrongfully Deported by the Trump Administration

1 week ago | wakeuptopolitics.com | Gabe Fleisher

Now 53 days after a district court judge first ordered his return — and 47 days since the Supreme Court largely upheld the directive — alleged gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains in El Salvador, where he was deported by U.S. officials due to an “administrative error.”As of April 21, Abrego Garcia is no longer being imprisoned at the Terrorist Confinement Center, the notorious facility known by its Spanish initials CECOT, but is instead being held at another Salvadoran prison.
We May Never Know the Full Truth About Joe Biden

1 week ago | wakeuptopolitics.com | Gabe Fleisher

In retrospect, there is no way to tell the story of the 2024 campaign without acknowledging that Joe Biden’s age — and, more fundamentally, his ability to do his job and to mount a campaign for re-election — was one of the central factors (if not the central factor) of the race. But, until Biden’s disastrous debate in June 2024, it really wasn’t covered that way.
What Else Washington Got Done This Week

2 weeks ago | wakeuptopolitics.com | Gabe Fleisher

Good morning! The big news from Washington this week — with good reason — was the House passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which contains the bulk of President Trump’s legislative agenda. But did Congress do anything else this week? We’ll take a look at the bills you haven’theard about this morning.
The “Big Beautiful Bill” Has Passed the House

2 weeks ago | wakeuptopolitics.com | Gabe Fleisher

After days of frenzied negotiations, House Republicans voted just before 7 a.m. this morning to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the GOP legislative package to cut taxes, increase defense and border security spending, and slash spending on the social safety net. The package passed in a tight 215-214 vote, with all Republicans in support except for Reps. Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), who voted “no,” and Rep.
The Senate is Inching Towards the End of the Filibuster

2 weeks ago | wakeuptopolitics.com | Gabe Fleisher

As I wrote last week, the U.S. Congress currently exists in a strange state of equilibrium. Neither party has the political will to eliminate the filibuster (the requirement that pieces of legislation receive 60 votes before advancing in the Senate), and for that reason, both parties (when they are in the minority, at least) insist that it is a vitally important tool that cannot be touched in any circumstance.
The House GOP Has a Trust Problem

2 weeks ago | wakeuptopolitics.com | Gabe Fleisher

You know things are getting bad when Congress shows up for work on a Sunday night. The House Budget Committee convened at 10:26 p.m. last night, in order to hold a key vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the 1,116-page Republican package to cut taxes, increase defense and border security spending, cut Medicaid and food aid spending, and raise the debt ceiling, among other GOP priorities.
The Trump Administration Defends Due Process (For Themselves)

3 weeks ago | wakeuptopolitics.com | Gabe Fleisher

Several Supreme Court justices asked the Trump administration to consider the same hypothetical on Thursday: Assuming someone has acted illegally, how should they be treated? Solicitor General John Sauer was ready with his answer: They should be given the proper process, of course. If that response is surprising, then it’s probably worth noting that the “someone” in question was Donald Trump.
Any Questions?

3 weeks ago | wakeuptopolitics.com | Gabe Fleisher

Hey all,I’m coming to you live from the Supreme Court pressroom. I just walked out of the courtroom a bit ago, where we had a fascinating 2½-hour hearing on birthright citizenship — but really, as I explained this morning, about nationwide injunctions. I’ll have a lot to say about the arguments in tomorrow’s newsletter — and how they connect to (and contradict!) some of the legal arguments the Trump administration has been making in other clashes with the judicial branch.