Good morning. Sunny with a high around 77 today. No notes! A low near 57 overnight. The Mystics host the Chicago Sky today, and the Nationals host the Marlins again. Congratulations to Luke Mullins, who won a City and Regional Magazine Award yesterday for his reporting on the Psychiatric Institute o f Washington. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below. This roundup is available as a morning email newsletter. Sign up here. I can’t stop listening to: James Blake, “Death of Love.” The British artist and producer plays the Anthem tonight.  Take Washingtonian Today with you! I keep ridiculously long playlists on Apple Music and on Spotify of this year’s music recommendations. Here are 2025’s songs (Apple, Spotify), too. Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out: The war: Iran halted peace talks with the US yesterday after a weekend of skirmishes and Israel’s planned stepped-up attacks in Lebanon. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the ceasefire with the US extended to Lebanon. President Trump insisted talks with Iran were “continuing, at a rapid pace” and said both Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to stop fighting.  (Washington Post) Asked about Iran’s suspension of the talks he’d been trumpeting all weekend, Trump said, “I don’t care if they’re over, honestly,” and “I really don’t care. I couldn’t care less.” (CNBC) Trump reportedly yelled at Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a call Monday, calling him “fucking crazy” for intensifying attacks in Lebanon and, presumably, blowing up the talks he doesn’t care about. (Axios) Iran is seeking a temporary deal with the US that “would effectively restore prewar ​conditions without forcing Iran to yield to Washington’s demands.” (Reuters) No fund: Trump appears likely to give up on plans to establish a $1.8 billion slush fund for people who feel they’ve been victims of government “weaponization,” including January 6 rioters. (Axios) The plan to establish it experienced heavy losses in court last week, and the politically toxic initiative has threatened a bill that would fund ICE and Border Patrol operations and given Republicans on the Hill license to buck Trump on multiple fronts. (Punchbowl News) The Justice Department said it would abide by court orders, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune said that move might not be “sufficient to satisfy a number of” his members. (NYT) Todd Blanche, the acting US attorney general, will face questions about it today when he appears before a House subcommittee. (Politico) Playing defense: The Pentagon moved speechwriters into its press office so it could declare the room a classified space and keep journalists out, its latest attempt to control coverage by an in-house press corps. (Washington Post) How successful has that initiative been? Consider that the New York Times reported yesterday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked the promotions of nine US Navy officers, striking Black and female soldiers from the list. (NYT) Meanwhile, an appeals court in DC ruled the Pentagon’s ban on transgender people serving in the military was illegal. Hegseth said DOD would appeal to the Supreme Court, which has allowed the policy to stay in place while it’s been challenged in court. (AP) Administration perambulation: The Trump-created group Freedom 250 has received millions from the federal government while the congressionally created bipartisan group America 250 “has a $100 million ‘funding shortfall.'” (Notus) A federal judge in DC said a group of protesters can keep flying a flag that reads “86-47.” The administration has claimed the term “86,” promotion of which has inspired its prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey, represents a threat to Trump’s life. The judge cited a Merriam-Webster definition that said otherwise. (Politico) Millions of sick Americans could lose Medicare under a new administration rule. (NYT) Democratic lawmakers in New York advanced plans to redraw political maps. (Politico) Oregon joined Massachusetts in declining to issue license plates to undercover immigration authorities. (Oregon Public Broadcasting) The administration will dismantle a system that monitors how climate change affects oceans, alarming scientists. (NYT) Country singer Alexis Wilkins has sued MS Now, saying its reporting about federal security resources her boyfriend, FBI Director Kash Patel, has directed toward her contributed to a false portrayal. (NBC News) The FDA advised consumers not to purchase chocolate products marketed as natural libido enhancers, saying they in fact contain “the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis.” (Wired) A berry nice day trip, by Daniella Byck: Photo courtesy of Butler’s Orchard. Happy June! I’m really feeling the summer vibes this week, especially anticipation of seasonal bounty at the farmer’s market. But for now, we’re in that sweet spot for strawberries. Growing up, fruit picking always meant a trip to Butler’s Orchard in Germantown. This weekend, the farm is hosting Strawberry Festival, an annual celebration of the season’s ruby treasures. Pick strawberries ($5 a person plus $7 for a container) and then spend some time enjoying the festival activities. There’s live music, a jump pad, corn hole, big slides, and more, plus the farm’s usual lineup of animals. Tickets are $13.50 per person online and $15 at the entrance. For more strawberry fields, here’s our list of pick-your-own farms. Recently on Washingtonian dot com: • “Balcony solar” power is available to residents of Maryland and now Virginia. Here’s what you need to know. • The décor in these summer homes is tailored to the rhythms of beach and lake life. Local news links: • Fuel from generators operated by the group Freedom 250’s recent prayer rally leaked into the Mall’s irrigation system. The group claimed it had been “targeted by vandals.” (NBC News) • Jose Ramos, whose recent arrest in Mount Pleasant over an open container of beer sparked outrage, has been wanted for weeks on a murder charge. (NBC News) • A new memorial in Alexandria to the victims of last year’s Potomac air disaster was dedicated yesterday. (WTOP) • Shawn Joseph is the new superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools. He’s been serving in that role in an interim capacity. (Fox 5) • Police in DC are looking for someone they suspect of stabbing a dog. (WUSA9) • Customs officers say they seized almost $100,000 from travelers who were flying to Belgium this past weekend with unreported currency, some of it sewn or hidden inside clothes. (DC News Now) • An Amazon truck caught fire near UDC yesterday. (PoPville) • Alexandria officials are fighting a proposed hike in water rates, a major concern for newsletter writers whose kids take, like, 45-minute-long showers. How long does a shower need to be? (ALXnow) • Netflix appears to be filming something in DC. (PoPville) Tuesday’s event picks: • “American Aspirations,” a new exhibit that illustrates the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, opens at the Smithsonian Castle. • Watch the new season debut of “Love Island” at Public Bar. See more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.The post White House Retreats From Slush Fund, Freedom 250 Claims Vandalism Caused Mall Fuel Spill, and Subject of Mount Pleasant Open Container Arrest Was Wanted on Murder Charge first appeared on Washingtonian. ...read more read less