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The next global crisis could come from the sun. We should prepare now.

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Middle East conflict live updates: IDF takes control of Rafah border crossing; Biden denounces Hamas, antisemitism in address

Indiana primary election 2024: Latest updates on governor, House races

Triumphal Putin is inaugurated for fifth term as Russian president 

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Good morning, Early Birds. We apologize, readers. Yesterday was not National Banana Split Day. It is Aug. 25. We hope you had a banana split anyway and propose that it be celebrated twice per year.&nbsp;

Today we have some personnel announcements: Our beloved researcher, Tobi Raji, is moving on to a new role. She’ll start covering the Supreme Court and the Justice Department on Monday. This is a much-deserved opportunity, especially after her groundbreaking coverage of the Supreme Court’s small, exclusive rotation <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/10/30/supreme-court-justices-diversity-lawyers/">of litigators</a> and the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/07/31/solicitor-general-lawyers-affirmative-action-diversity/">diversity challenges</a> in the solicitor general's office. Tobi has been a sharp, reliable, hilarious and unflappable member of our team. You'll continue to see her byline in this space. (Right, Tobi?)

In addition, Aaron Schaffer, our assistant editor, who has a keen eye for copy and a knack for knowing all things, will also be moving on. He’s headed to The Post’s storied research team where we expect him to be central to scores of reporters’ research and critical to many investigative projects. We’ll miss both of them, but are thrilled to see them grow as journalists.

Tips: <a href="mailto:earlytips@washpost.com?utm_campaign=wp_power_up&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;wpisrc=nl_powerup">earlytips@washpost.com</a>. Was this forwarded to you? <a href="https://s2.washingtonpost.com/38f3bdc/63d263741b79c61f87661669/5969896e9bbc0f6d71c1f555/12/59/63d263741b79c61f87661669?utm_campaign=wp_power_up&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;wpisrc=nl_powerup">Sign up here</a>. Thanks for waking up with us.

In today’s edition … &nbsp;Foreign leaders prepare for a possible Trump second term … Biden tries to undercut Trump with biting new jokes ahead of WHCD … but first …

The Republican Jewish Coalition took on Steve King. Its next target: Bob Good.

Six questions for … Matthew Brooks: We talked with Brooks, the chief executive of the Republican Jewish Coalition, about the group’s decision this week to endorse Virginia state Sen. John McGuire, who is challenging Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, in the Republican primary election.&nbsp;

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

The Early: What led you to endorse McGuire?

Brooks: We have a long-standing history at the Republican Jewish Coalition of speaking out against folks who are anti-Israel, whether they be Democrats like “the Squad” and the progressives on the left but also folks who voice anti-Israel sentiments on the right. It would be hypocritical if we only attacked Democrats.

We have in the past gone after people like [former Republican presidential candidate] Pat Buchanan, [former Louisiana state representative] David Duke. We were the group that was responsible for defeating Congressman Steve King. We’re spending over a million dollars in Indiana this election cycle to beat former congressman John Hostettler, who was one of the most anti-Israel voices in Congress during his tenure and subsequently wrote a book basically trafficking in antisemitic tropes and blaming the Jews and Jewish influence for all of America’s problems.

The tipping point for us was [Good’s] vote the other day on the Israel emergency supplemental aid bill. That was a clear, up-and-down, unambiguous vote. People had a chance to either stand with Israel or stand on the other side, and Bob Good decided to stand on the other side.

Ed.: “It is obvious that Mr. Brooks has not read my book,” Hostettler wrote in an email to the Early. He added that Abraham Foxman, who <a href="https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/here-we-go-again-blaming-the-jews-for-the-iraq-war/">reviewed the book</a> and was at the time the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, “had the clarity of thought not to label the book as displaying antisemitism.” Good <a href="https://twitter.com/RepBobGood/status/1781745899229552934">said in a statement</a> on Sunday that his support for “Israel’s right to defend itself remains unshakable” but that “the era of unpaid for supplemental spending bills must end.”

The Early: Twenty other House Republicans <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2024/04/20/ukraine-israel-border-funding-house-vote/">voted against the Israel bill</a>. Do you plan to endorse challengers running against any of them?

Brooks: If there’s a credible challenge to any of those people, we absolutely will likely be involved. We have an online donor portal so that people through the RJC can donate directly to different candidates. None of the candidates who voted no will have access to our donor portal. They will not be invited to speak or to participate in any RJC events, like our conference in Las Vegas. Even if we’re not actively working against them in a primary, we're not going to give them a platform or a stage or in any way support them or allow them to raise money via our networks.

The Early: Rep. Chip Roy (Tex.), who voted against the Israel bill, <a href="https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1782527863142436931">responded to your endorsement</a> by saying that Good “did not ‘abandon’ Israel — he voted Saturday against providing aid to Hamas, racking up debt, and abandoning our duty to secure America’s border.” What's your response?

Brooks: Well, with all due respect to Congressman Roy, the fact is the Israelis themselves were comfortable with the aid package and with the money going to humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. If it’s good enough for the Israelis, it should have been good enough for Congressman Roy or Congressman Good.

The Early: How does Good’s race compare to Hostettler’s race in Indiana?

Brooks: I consider them equally important. Part of why we’re doing this in Indiana and in Virginia — but Indiana in particular — is to send a clear and unmistakable message. One of these messages is being directed specifically to Congressman Tom Massie, who is not beatable in a Republican primary in his district but who has aspirations to run for the Senate in Kentucky when [Senate Majority] Leader [Mitch] McConnell steps down. The message that we're sending loud and clear here is that the Republican Jewish Coalition — and I suspect the Jewish community at large — will spend whatever it takes to ensure that someone like Congressman Massie is never in the United States Senate.

[Ed.: Massie is a reliable vote against foreign aid legislation. He was one of only two House Republicans to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/11/02/israel-aid-house-congress-irs/">vote against a bill </a>in November that paired $14 billion in aid for Israel with Internal Revenue Services Cuts, which died in the Senate.]

The Early: Differences over Israel have become a fault line in Democratic primaries over the past couple of years. Do you think they’re becoming a fault line in Republican primaries, too?

Brooks: No, I don't. I think these are isolated instances. One of the reasons we’re as engaged as we are is to make sure this doesn't metastasize and become a bigger problem. There's obviously concern about the rise of neo-isolationism, about what that means for our friends and allies around the world. But I do not see a significant strain like we see on the Democratic side taking hold on the Republican side.

The Early: What do you think of Biden's handling of the war?

Brooks: In the immediate aftermath of Oct. 7, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/12/us/politics/biden-israel-palestine-trump.html">I was actually quoted in the New York Times</a> as praising the president for his unconditional support for Israel. Sadly, that has changed over time. His unconditional support has now turned into limited and conditional support.

I think that this is something that's going to have significant resonance in the Jewish community come November. The RJC is gearing up to spend upward of $15 million in what will be the largest targeted effort toward the Jewish community in critical battleground states across the country to help elect President Trump and help elect the Republican Senate and expand our majorities in the House. I can't tell you how many people anecdotally reach out to me at events where I'm speaking or email or call us and just say, “I've been a lifelong Democrat and I am so disappointed about where the Democratic Party and where President Biden is in terms of standing with Israel now” — and that they're going to vote Republican.

Correction: A previous edition said John McGuire is a state delegate. He is a state senator.

Comedian-in-Chief? Biden tries to undercut Trump with biting new jokes.

Carolyn Kaster

White House Bureau Chief Toluse Olorunnipa files this week’s notebook:

As Trump has been stuck in a courtroom in recent days, Biden has been polishing a new comedy routine in which his predecessor is repeatedly the butt of the joke.

During speeches, off-the-cuff remarks and social media posts, Biden has increasingly laid into Trump by using biting humor that seeks to get under Trump’s skin and expose his vulnerabilities.

“Remember when he was trying to deal with covid, he said just inject a little bleach in your veins?” Biden said Wednesday during a speech to members of the North America’s Building Trades Unions. “He missed it. It all went to his hair.”

Biden soaked up the laughter from the room before smirking and saying, “I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

But the president — who has a habit of stopping himself midsentence rather than going for the jugular against opponents — has increasingly let the barbs fly against Trump. In addition to regularly reminding voters that Trump suggested Americans look into using disinfectant to combat covid-19, Biden has targeted his opponent for selling $60 Bibles, losing money on his social media company and facing multimillion-dollar civil judgments.

The ridicule could escalate Saturday, when Biden is scheduled to give a speech at the White House correspondents' dinner. In his speech, the president is likely to slam Trump with variations of some of his recent zingers.

In one of Biden’s favorite new jokes, the president talks about how even with strong economic growth “not everyone is feeling it.” As an example, he references a “defeated-looking man” who came up to him recently saying he was “drowning in debt.”

“I said ‘I’m sorry, Donald, but I can’t help you,’” Biden says in the punchline, which usually sparks howls of laughter.

You can follow all of Tolu’s work <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/toluse-olorunnipa/?itid=lk_inline_manual_85&amp;itid=lk_inline_manual_84">here</a> and follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ToluseO">here</a>. Have you read his book about George Floyd? Order it <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/703358/his-name-is-george-floyd-by-robert-samuels-and-toluse-olorunnipa/">here</a>.

Foreign leaders prepare for a possible Trump second term

Francois Mori

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/donald-trump/" target="_blank" class="contextual_link">Donald Trump</a> may not be president at the moment, but world leaders are preparing for his possible return to office by taking meetings with the presumptive Republican nominee, our colleagues Josh Dawsey, Marianna Levine and Michael Birnbaum <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/04/26/trump-foreign-leaders-meetings/">report</a>.

One British diplomat has been particularly eager about meeting with Trump, our colleagues report, with the diplomat said to have made multiple trips to Mar-a-Lago.

Notably absent from the list of world leaders who have met with Trump is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump is said to be displeased with Netanyahu’s willingness to acknowledge Biden’s 2020 electoral win and a military decision Netanyahu made during Trump’s presidency.&nbsp;

Topics of discussions at meetings Trump has taken include American support for Ukraine, the role of NATO and tariffs.&nbsp;

Jabin Botsford

Trump’s legal team will <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/25/trump-trial-takeaways-hush-money/">continue</a> cross-examining former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker when the former president’s criminal trial resumes today. Pecker <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/25/trump-trial-new-york-hush-money-pecker/">testified Thursday</a> that Trump cared more about how negative stories could hurt his electoral chances than about how his family would be affected.

We’re waiting to see how New York Supreme Court Justice <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/03/31/trump-judge-merchan-indictment/" target="_blank" class="contextual_link">Juan Merchan</a> rules on Trump’s gag order and how Thursday’s appeals court ruling overturning Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 sex-crimes conviction affects this case.&nbsp;

In a 4-3 ruling, the New York appeals court decided that allowing testimony about alleged prior assaults Weinstein had committed and allowing Weinstein to be questioned about those alleged assaults improperly colored the jury’s opinion. The prosecution in Trump’s case has similarly sought to include evidence about Trump’s interactions with women and other alleged crimes for which he has not been charged, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/25/weinstein-trump-appeals-hush-money-case/?itid=lk_inline_manual_70">our colleague Mark Berman reports</a>.

Meanwhile in Washington, the Supreme Court heard arguments for Trump’s immunity claim. But even as he dominated the news cycle, little of Trump was actually seen, our colleague Dan Balz <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/25/trump-trials-supreme-court/">writes</a>. “He was largely invisible, as he was sequestered in a courtroom in Manhattan. Nonetheless, he was ubiquitous. It is who he is.”

We may have to wait awhile for the Supreme Court to decide if Trump can claim immunity, but one lawmaker is already talking about it: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). During an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” McConnell was asked if he thinks presidents “should be immune from criminal prosecution for actions while they’re in office.”

“Obviously, I don’t think that, but it’s not up to me to make that decision.”

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/04/26/columbia-protest-students-israel-gaza/?itid=lk_inline_manual_79">Secret meetings, social chatter: How the Columbia protest sparked a student revolt.</a> By Tim Craig, Hannah Natanson and Richard Morgan.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/04/26/bds-divestment-gaza-campuses-israel/?itid=lk_inline_manual_80">‘DIVEST’: College endowments turn into flash point of student protests. </a>By Rachel Siegel, Danielle Douglas-Gabriel and Richard Morgan.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/26/abortion-ban-arkansas-overturn-activists/?itid=lk_inline_manual_81">Inside the long-odds push to undo an abortion ban in ruby red Arkansas. </a>By Hannah Knowles.

From across the web:&nbsp;

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-interference-indictments-giuliani-meadows-8137b90da8c3a971316e0cfa3acfd6a9">These people were charged with interfering in the 2020 election. Some are still in politics today.</a> By the Associated Press’s Kate Brumback.

<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/25/eeoc-sued-pregnant-worker-fairness-act-abortion-rule/73461970007/">17 states sue EEOC over rule giving employees abortion accommodations in Pregnant Workers act</a>. By USA Today’s Evan Mealins.

<a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/trump-allies-federal-reserve-independence-54423c2f?mod=economy_lead_story">Trump allies draw up plans to blunt Fed’s independence</a>. By the Wall Street Journal’s Andrew Restuccia, Nick Timiraos and Alex Leary.

Thanks for reading. You can also follow us on X: <a href="https://twitter.com/theodoricmeyer">@theodoricmeyer</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/LACaldwellDC">@LACaldwellDC</a>.

Deadline Club Award for Newspaper or Digital Local News Reporting, 2014

McGill University

Columbia University

Theodoric Meyer is a national political reporter for The Washington Post and a co-author of the Early 202 newsletter.

Theodoric Meyer

Joan Shorenstein Barone Award for Excellence in Congressional Reporting in 2018

Radio Television Digital News First Amendment Clarity Award in 2019

New York Press Club Award for feature writing on Donald Trump in 2016

North Carolina State University, BA in Communications

Leigh Ann Caldwell is co-author of The Washington Post’s Early 202 and focuses on Congress and politics. She is also an anchor for Washington Post Live, conducting high-impact newsmaking interviews. Before joining The Post in 2022, Caldwell was a correspondent at NBC News, most recently as a member of its congressional unit. 

Leigh Ann Caldwell

2023 Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction, 2022 National Book Awards finalist, Lukas Book Prize Finalist; Dayton Literary Peace Prize, 2023; George Polk Award for Justice Reporting, 2021; Peabody Award 2021; Shaufler Prize from Arizona State University

His Name is George Floyd: One Man's Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice

Stanford University, BA in Sociology

Stanford University, MA in Sociology

Toluse "Tolu" Olorunnipa is the White House Bureau Chief of The Washington Post, and the co-author of "His Name is George Floyd," winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction. He joined The Post in 2019 and has covered the last three presidents. Previously, he worked at Bloomberg News and the Miami Herald, reporting from Washington and Florida.

Toluse Olorunnipa

Rutgers University, BA in Biological Sciences

American University, MA in Journalism and Public Affairs

Tobi Raji covers the federal judiciary and the Supreme Court as a part of The Washington Post's Opportunity Program. She was previously a researcher for The Early 202, a pre-dawn newsletter about the nation’s major power centers, including the White House, Congress and the Supreme Court. She joined The Post in 2021.

Tobi Raji

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