It’s going to be a scorcher in the nation’s capital today with temperatures reaching 94. Be sure to wear your flip flops. Donald Trump is definitely wearing his. After spending years as a private citizen spewing an endless amount of opinions on Afghanistan, he has reversed his opinion. Reading from a teleprompter last night, POTUS 45 managed to stay on script and concede that a “big military” approach was needed to prevent the country from becoming a launching pad for terrorism again. He didn’t offer any details regarding how many additional troops would be deployed, he declined to give a timetable, and used the opportunity to throw eclipse-level shade at former President Barack Obama saying, “When I became president, I was given a bad and very complex hand. But I fully knew what I was getting into.” Did ya, though? He also used the opportunity to offer a mea culpa on his Charlottesville remarks that fell short. Read the full transcript of his remarks here. Tensions are still high as evidenced by last night’s Charlottesville City Council meeting that quickly got heated, as residents shouted down the Mayor and Council members and took over the Council chambers in protest over the Unite the Right rally. Another protest took place last night, but this one was on the football field. A dozen Cleveland Browns players took a knee in prayer during the national anthem before Monday night's preseason game against the New York Giants. And today in Alabama, Birmingham will choose their next mayor. The race appears to be between progressive candidate Morehouse grad Randall Woodfin and incumbentMayor William Bell. We’ll keep you posted. Can’t wait for the tipsheet? Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Did you guys enjoy the eclipse yesterday? It felt super communal. Mark your calendars now. The next one takes place April 8th, 2024. Here’s what we’ve got today:
- CBC Chair Cedric Richmond (D-LA) talks Omarosa, ALC, and kicks off #RootingOutRacism
- Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) wants probe of Bureau of Prisons abuse allegations.
- Congressman Rubén Gallego (D-AZ) talks Trump’s trip to AZ today and what he thinks is the real motivation behind potential Sheriff Arpaio pardon.
- Omarosa says HBCU conference still happening.
- Native American candidate looks to flip TX congressional district.
- Latino Dem joins race to unseat Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX).
- Former NAACP president gets new university gig.
- APALA makes history in naming new president.
- Top editor at LA Times ousted.
- NMAAHC adds Colin Kaepernick material to museum’s Black Lives Matter collection.
- Ex Trump campaign spokeswoman Katrina Pierson calls slavery "good history."
- Minneapolis names first Black police chief.
- DOJ aims to make Native American communities safer.
- Wanna know what happened when two white girls wore #MAGA hats on Howard U's campus? Check out the blogs section.
- The wife of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Louise Linton, posted an incredibly tone deaf Instagram post hashtagging her $10K+ fashion choices. Here’s a hashtag she’d like to forget: #LintonLies. She is the same B-list actress who was criticized for drafting a work of fiction that she tried to pass as an autobiographical account of her time in Africa which perpetuated the White savior narrative. Check out the Instagram story below in blogs.