D.C. Takeover as a Precedent: Trump's deployment of 800 National Guard troops to "occupy D.C. after declaring a (nonexistent) crime emergency" is presented as a worrying precedent. This action was taken "against the express wishes of the elected mayor, Muriel Bowser," who "has no power to stop any of this." This raises concerns about the federal government overstepping local governance, particularly given D.C.'s unique status. The D.C. occupation intensifies calls for D.C. statehood, as "D.C.'s special status makes it easier for the president to commandeer it." Republicans are "wildly opposed to it because they know that if D.C. becomes a state, it is almost certain to elect two Black Democrats to the Senate."

A significant legal development is the Appeals Court ruling that "Trump Can Impound Foreign Aid Appropriated by Congress," despite a ...