Washington Edition

This is Washington Edition, the newsletter about money, power and politics in the nation’s capital. Today, senior Supreme Court correspondent Greg Stohr previews arguments before the court tomorrow in a case about the power of judges to stall the president’s agenda. Sign up here and follow us at @bpolitics. Email our editors here.

A Question of Scope

The Supreme Court will hear arguments tomorrow in a case that stems from President Donald Trump’s attempt end birthright citizenship — but is really about the power of judges to thwart his agenda.

In an unusual May session of the court, the administration is asking the court to strip judges of authority to issue national injunctions against government policies rather than narrower decisions affecting of the people and groups that sued.

The question at hand involves rulings by three federal judges but cuts across the 320-plus lawsuits challenging Trump’s initiatives. Trump’s lawyers argue the three judges exceeded their authority by halting his birthright citizenship restrictions across the country.

The US Supreme Court in Washington. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg

The administration chose not to ask the court to block the three injunctions entirely. That would have required convincing the justices that the executive order is probably valid even though the Constitution’s 14th Amendment confers citizenship on anyone who is born in the US and “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”

Administrations from both parties have decried universal injunctions, but Trump’s team has ratcheted up the criticism. Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the justices in court papers that nationwide injunctions have reached “epidemic” levels and now “gravely encroach on the president’s executive power.”

Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order would mean that babies born in the US wouldn’t become Americans unless at least one parent is a citizen or green card holder. Newborns who don’t meet the new criteria couldn’t get citizenship-based documents including Social Security cards and passports.

The administration wants to limit the court orders to the seven pregnant women who sued, along with 11 identified members of two advocacy groups that are also involved. Critics say partial enforcement would force cities and states to put in place new — and possibly temporary — systems for issuing birth certificates and verifying citizenship.

While the justices won’t be directly considering the legality of Trump’s birthright-citizenship order, they may provide clues about their thinking on that question, which is all but certain to come before them later. — Greg Stohr

Don’t Miss

The White House said Trump secured deals totaling more than $243.5 billion with Qatar, laying the groundwork for a bigger $1.2 trillion economic pledge with the tiny Gulf country.

Qatar’s offer to Trump of a luxury Boeing 747 has set off alarm bells within the US intelligence and diplomatic community, where gifts from foreign powers have long been viewed with suspicion.

House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Trump’s plans to receive a luxury jet from Qatar, calling it a donation to the US government and saying he doesn’t think the gift raises ethics concerns.

Trump’s signature economic package took a major step forward when the House Ways and Means Committee approved trillions in new tax cuts for corporations, households and small businesses on a party-line vote.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to advance cuts in federal funding for Medicaid, the federal health insurance program for low-income and disabled people, as part of the tax package.

Wealthy Americans and business investors are among the big winners in House Republicans’ draft tax legislation while targets of Trump’s ire such as immigrants and elite universities were hammered.

US officials seeking to negotiate trade deals around the world aren’t working to include currency policy pledges in the agreements, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Trump’s sudden move to lower tariffs on goods from China to 30% from 145% has thrown a lifeline to America’s small businesses that were running low on inventory and cash, but the reprieve may be limited.

A Wisconsin state judge indicted for allegedly obstructing the arrest of a Mexican immigrant by federal authorities said the charges should be dismissed because she’s immune from prosecution for her official acts.

Six of the top 25 award recipients under a pair of Pentagon programs to bolster small businesses have “troubling ties” to China, a Senate investigation has concluded.

A hotline that directly connects the Pentagon to the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport hasn’t been operational since March 2022, an FAA official said.

A failed backup telecommunications line led to a 90-second radar and radio outage last month that left air traffic controllers unable to see jetliners heading into Newark airport.

Watch & Listen

Today on Bloomberg Television’s Balance of Power early edition at 1 p.m., hosts Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz interviewed Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about Trump’s Middle East trip and his overtures to Syria.

On the program at 5 p.m., they talk with Republican Representative Blake Moore of Utah about the GOP tax bill and the bid by some members to raise the state and local tax deduction higher.

On the Odd Lots podcast, Bloomberg’s Tracy Alloway and Joe Weisenthal speak with Perry Mehrling, professor of international political economy at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies, about similarities and differences between the Trump administration’s current economic policies and the Nixon Shock of the early 1970s. Listen on iHeart, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Chart of the Day

Drug overdose deaths fell by nearly 27% last year, according to provisional data from the CDC's Center for Health Statistics. That's the lowest number since 2019. While the decline was significant, there were still an estimated 80,391 drug overdose deaths last year. The data show overdose deaths involving opioids decreased from 83,140 in 2023 to 54,743 in 2024. Overdoses involving cocaine and psychostimulants decreased as well. — Alex Tanzi

What’s Next

US industrial production in April is set for release tomorrow.

Housing starts and building permits will be reported on Friday.

The University of Michigan’s preliminary reading of consumer sentiment for this month will be reported Friday.

New home sales in April will be reported May 22.

The Memorial Day holiday in the US is May 26.

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