U.S. President Donald Trump’s abrupt reversal of three years of American policy toward Ukraine has raised concerns China might become emboldened to push its territorial claim on Taiwan, though experts say Beijing is most likely in a wait-and-see mode right now to see how the situation in Europe plays out.

In the past two weeks, Trump has falsely claimed Ukraine “should have never started the war,” said Ukraine “may be Russian someday” and questioned the legitimacy of President Volodmyr Zelenskyy’s government, while upending the longstanding American position of isolating Russia over its aggression by beginning direct talks with Moscow and voicing positions sounding remarkably like the Kremlin’s own.

Before heading to Washington for talks with Trump on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would emphasize “you can’t be weak in the face of President Putin.”

“It’s not you, it’s not your trademark, it’s not in your interest,” Macron said he would tell Trump. “How can you, then, be credible in the face of China if you’re weak in the face of Putin?”

What does Ukraine have to do with Taiwan

Like Moscow’s claim Ukraine is rightfully Russian territory, China claims the self-governing island of Taiwan as its own. Chinese President Xi Jinping has not ruled out taking it by force.

Trump on Friday appeared to walk back his earlier comments inaccurately blaming Ukraine for starting the war, but his administration’s overall abrupt shift in policy on the conflict could cause some in Taiwan to question “whether the United States could pull the rug out from underneath them as well,” said Russell Hsiao, executive director of the Global Taiwan Institute in Washington.

Still, while Beijing is certainly paying close attention to Trump’s comments, it is unlikely to act in haste, he said.

“I don’t think Xi Jinping will be so brash as to roll the iron die on the conclusion that just because Trump acted in a certain way concerning Ukraine he would do the same over Taiwan,” Hsiao said. “Trump is too unpredictable.”

Administration has shifting positions on Taiwan

Trump was quite popular in Taiwan when he left office in 2021 and was widely credited with bringing the U.S. and the democratically governed island closer together.

By American law, the U.S. is obligated to supply Taiwan with sufficient hardware and technology to fend off invasion from the mainland, but maintains a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on whether it would come to Taiwan’s defense.

Recently, Trump has been more critical of Taiwan, saying it should pay the U.S. for its military defense. On several occasions, he also has accused Taiwan of taking computer chip manufacturing business away from the U.S. and suggested earlier this month he might impose tariffs on semiconductors.

At the same time, Trump has appointed many China hawks in his administration, including in top-level positions such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

After meeting NATO allies in Brussels earlier this month, Hegseth stressed that if the U.S. were to pull back support from Ukraine, it would be to concentrate on the Asia-Pacific region and leave European defense primarily to Europeans.

“The deterrent effect in the Pacific is one that really can only be led by the United States,” Hegseth said.

A few days later, Rubio issued a joint statement with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea after they met on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich, stressing the “importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community.”

In a move that irked Beijing, the State Department also removed a line on American opposition to independence for Taiwan in a revised U.S. government fact sheet on the island.

Comments seem likely to give Beijing pause

“If I were Beijing, I would be paying the most attention to what Hegseth said about why the U.S. is changing its support to Ukraine,” said Meia Nouwens, senior fellow for Chinese security and defense policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

“Hegseth said this is about the Indo-Pacific, that the U.S. has priorities elsewhere, and I don’t think, from Beijing’s perspective, that would have been comforting,” Nouwens said.

The shift on Ukraine will give China the opportunity to push a message that the U.S. is an unreliable partner, she said, but it was unlikely Beijing would read Washington’s seeming willingness to concede Ukrainian territory as it being somehow open to Taiwan falling into Chinese hands.

“The broader trend lines of each country, of the U.S. and China, looking forward aren’t necessarily changing,” Nouwens said. “Neither wants to give up any space, both want to continue on a trajectory that increases their national strength.”

It is worth noting that in the early months of Trump’s first term, there were concerns his administration might be moving too close to China, but he actually took a much tougher approach than some before him, said Euan Graham, a senior defense analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Graham said that while all American allies “should be concerned by the Trump administration’s abandonment of Ukraine and willingness to deal with Putin,” it would be ”simplistic” to assume a similar arrangement would apply to the China-Taiwan situation.

“It’s more likely that the U.S. administration is attempting, misguidedly, to get Ukraine out of the way by making it a European problem, in order to face China from a relatively stronger position,” Graham said. “I think it’s a dangerous approach, because of the appalling precedent it sets. But it’s unlikely to be repeated with China.”

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.

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Good Monday morning.

It was a wonderful weekend …

Ella Joyce and Chrisma earned the blue ribbon in the Marshall & Sterling Tiny Bit O Derby at Fox Lea Farms:

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It was a beautiful wedding for EmmaLea Reed and Alex Haley at The Pearl in Rosemary Beach.

Among those SPOTTED at the ceremony were Commissioner Wilton and Kathy Simpson, Derek Buchanan, Justin Eichermuller, Sydney Fowler, Gangul Gabadage, Jason Gonzalez, India Holroyd, Robby Holroyd, Will Johnson, Aaron Keller, Kathy and Matthew Mears, Thomas Poucher, Mike Risola and Jason Rojas.

Proud papa Emmett Reed (of the Florida Health Care Association) says the day was “glorious.”

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Congratulations to our new friend Melissa Kuipers Blake (of powerhouse lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck and who we recently featured here) on her marriage to Jason Stein this weekend in Islamorada. I love the way she phrased the nuptials: “A magical day, 2 adults, 3 kids, forever.”

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Congratulations to the political geniuses at Consensus Communications, which celebrated 30 years of developing winning strategies for candidates and causes. Tre Evers and John Sowonski are consistently on INFLUENCE Magazine’s list of the Most Powerful People in Florida politics, while Ryan Houck, who undoubtedly will join Tre and John on that list this year, was recently featured by INFLUENCE Mag as one of the state’s Great Communicators. Tre, John, Ryan, and their entire team do it right; they do it classy, they do it professionally, and they deserve all the kudos they are receiving.

I’d do a SPOTTED from the firm’s anniversary party, but there were so many bold names there that if I listed them all, I’d make those who missed the party feel bad for not being able to attend. Instead, I will share this photo of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer reading a proclamation celebrating the firm’s anniversary and successes.

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Florida’s House Republicans gathered for their major pre-Legislative Session fundraiser at Universal Studios in Orlando. Among those SPOTTED: Reps. Sam Garrison, Adam Anderson, Adam Botana, Demi Busatta, Jennifer Canady, Linda Chaney, Tiffany Esposito, Sam Garrison, Mike Giallombardo, Traci Koster, Lawrence McClure, Jason Shoaf, John Snyder, William Spicola, Brad Yeager, as well as Mark Anderson, Melanie Becker, Amanda and Brewster Bevis, Steve Crisafulli, Melanie Dimuzio, Eric Edwards, Jake Farmer, John Holley, Dave Mica Jr., David and Melissa Joiner Ramba, Monica Rodriguez, Sarah and Alan Suskey, and J.D. White.

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ICYMI: Our choices for Winners and Losers of the Week in Florida politics are here. You can read the column by clicking here.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@realDonaldTrump: ELON (Musk) IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE. REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COUNTRY TO SAVE, BUT ULTIMATELY, TO MAKE GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. MAGA!

—@BrooksRosa: (Donald) Trump also firing the Army, Navy and Air Force JAGs. In some ways, that’s even more chilling than firing the four stars. It’s what you do when you’re planning to break the law: you get rid of any lawyers who might try to slow you down.

Tweet, tweet:

—@RogerJStone: I knew Roy Cohn. Roy Cohn was a friend of mine. As much as I hate to say it, this guy deserves an Oscar.

— DAYS UNTIL —

NFL 2025 Scouting Combine begins — 3; the 2025 Oscars – 6; 2025 Session single bill filing deadline — 7; Trump to address Joint Session of Congress — 8; Florida’s 2025 Regular Legislative Session begins – 8; Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet will meet — 10; ‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’ returns to Netflix — 11; Puerto Rico Day in Tallahassee — 14; Florida TaxWatch State of the Taxpayer Dinner — 15; 10th annual Red Dog Blue Dog charity event — 23; Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day — 32; Special Election for CD 1 and Senate District 19 Special Primary — 36; final season of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ premieres — 43; ‘The Last of Us’ season two premieres — 48; ‘Andor’ season two premieres — 56; ‘The Accountant 2’ premieres — 60; Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Tour begins in Los Angeles — 63; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 67; Florida TaxWatch Spring Meeting — 78; Florida Chamber 2025 Leadership Conference on Safety; Health + Sustainability — 80; Epic Universe grand opening — 87; Florida Chamber 2025 Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit — 94; Disney’s ‘Lilo & Stitch’ premieres — 88; ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ premieres — 88; ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ premieres — 95; 2025 Tony Awards — 104; Special Election for SD 19 — 106; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 107; Florida Chamber 2025 Florida Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit — 120; ‘Squid Game’ season three premieres — 123; James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ premieres — 137; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 151; ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ premieres on Disney+ — 163; Florida Chamber 2025 Florida Technology & Innovation Solution Summit — 169; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 205; 2025 Future of Florida Forum (F3) & Florida Chamber Annual Meeting — 245; ‘Wicked: Part 2’ premieres — 270; 2025 Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 282; 2025 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 282; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 296; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 298; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 435; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 452; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 473; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 663; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 803; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 949; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,236; 2027 U.S. Presidential Election — 1,352; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,752; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,483.

— TOP STORY —

“Secret study found Florida insurers sent billions to affiliates while crying poor” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times — A recently released, previously unpublicized 2022 study reveals concerning financial practices within Florida’s homeowners’ insurance market.

Despite insurers claiming losses following Hurricanes Irma and Michael, their parent companies and affiliates made billions; $680 million in dividends were distributed, and billions more were diverted to affiliates.

The study found that many Florida-based insurers exceeded state regulations in these financial maneuvers, weakening their ability to pay claims amid an insurance crisis. Doug Quinn of the American Policyholder Association called it a “smoking gun,” accusing companies of “money shifting” while claiming poverty.

While regulators are now pushing for increased oversight and reforms to affiliate payments, some industry representatives dispute intentional wrongdoing.

Rep. Hillary Cassel noted the lack of data on “managing general agents” during legislative debates.

The study, commissioned in 2021 after lawmakers granted regulators more access to financial data, highlighted that affiliates were highly profitable, even after reinvesting in struggling insurers.

Many affiliate fees were “not fair and reasonable,” prompting calls for regulators to define this term and address these financial arrangements, which remain a point of contention in Florida’s insurance landscape.

— LEGISLATIVE —

“Jason Brodeur upbeat about state role in planning of Donald Trump library” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Sen. Brodeur, who is carrying the bill (SB 118) that gives Florida’s state government control over any presidential library in the state, is telling OANN host Matt Gaetz that bipartisan support and a favorable path in Committees present positives for the bill’s future. Brodeur observed that there wasn’t even a “cursory backlash” from Democrats. “Everybody seemed to get that Florida’s never had a presidential library, and that’s pretty neat, no matter what party you’re in,” Brodeur said. He also noted that in both the Senate and House, the legislation only has two Committee references. The Senate bill cleared Community Affairs last week, meaning it could be on the floor early in next month’s Legislative Session.

“Lori Berman, Lindsay Cross seek more info on sewage spills, to develop priority rankings for infrastructure upgrades” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Two Democrats in the Florida Legislature hope to efficiently address sewage discharges and aging wastewater infrastructure with a pair of bills that would increase transparency. Sen. Berman and Rep. Cross filed bills (SB 978 and HB 861) ahead of the 2025 Legislative Session that would direct the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to compile a comprehensive list of wastewater treatment facilities, where those facilities are located in relation to storm surge or flood zones, treatment levels at the facilities, whether they have spilled sewage in the past and the health of surrounding water bodies. The list would allow the state to develop priority rankings of facility needs and how resources can best support infrastructure upgrades. It would also be used as a tool to notify the public of progress on upgrade projects.

“Shane Abbott seeks lower drug costs for Medicaid program, hopes to save the state millions” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Republican Rep. Abbott wants the state to pay less for prescription medications to serve Medicaid patients. Abbott has filed a bill (HB 657) requiring drug manufacturers to sell certain medications to Medicaid pharmacies at discounts available under the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. His bill would apply to medications on the Medicaid preferred drug list that are covered under 340B, which includes most commonly prescribed medicines as well as those for chronic illnesses and diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer and diabetes. If passed, the measure would reduce costs for the state by lowering the cost of drugs purchased for Medicaid patients. Under the bill, the state would essentially be guaranteed to pay lower prices.

— MORE LEGISLATIVE —

“FHA supports ‘Rural Renaissance’: Improving health care in Florida’s rural communities” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — The Florida Senate, with FHA support, proposes the “Rural Renaissance” to aid underserved rural communities. SB 110, championed by President Ben Albritton, targets health care, education, and infrastructure, allocating $70 million for vital services. Key initiatives include expanding mobile health care, boosting preventative care access, enhancing emergency EMT training, and increasing Medicaid reimbursements. FHA’s Mary Mayhew stresses the importance of accessible, high-quality care, emphasizing that rural residents shouldn’t have to travel long distances. Albritton notes the bill combines traditional infrastructure with innovative services to improve rural life — the goal is to provide better health care access, making rural Florida a healthier place to live.

—“Mack Bernard proposes pilot program to combat student hunger” via Andrew Powell of Florida Politics

—“Nan Cobb champions infant safety devices at emergency facilities” via Andrew Powell of Florida Politics

“Oversight turns ominous in Tallahassee” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents — There are other places where the Florida Legislature’s newfound willingness to flex its muscle feels much more ominous. There’s Senate Bill 7002, a proposal rolled out recently by Republican leaders in the Florida Senate that would overhaul oversight of the state’s five water management districts — powerful agencies run by political appointees of the Governor that collectively raise and spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year in property taxes. There’s a lot to like in this bill, which appears to be a priority for Senate President Albritton. It would, for instance, prohibit Board members and District executives from taking gifts from lobbyists. It would compel more reporting around the multi-decade, $20-plus billion program to restore the Florida Everglades, which is being led at the state level by the South Florida Water Management District. However, SB 7002 would also give the Legislature far more authority over the districts generally and Everglades restoration specifically — including the power to veto construction projects that legislative leaders don’t like.

— 100 DAYS —

“Trump administration fires top U.S. General and Navy Chief in unprecedented purge of military leadership” via Oren Liebermann and Haley Britzky of CNN — In an unprecedented purge of the military’s senior leadership, Trump fired the top U.S. General just moments before his Defense Secretary fired the Chief of the U.S. Navy and the Vice Chief of the Air Force. Trump announced he was dismissing Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown and replacing him with Air Force Lt. Gen. John Dan “Razin” Caine — an extraordinary move since Caine is retired, according to an Air Force official, and is not a four-star general. Trump called Brown a “fine gentleman” and an “outstanding leader” while hinting at the future firings.

“Fit for a king? Trump moves challenge world order and U.S. bureaucracy.” via Dan Balz of The Washington Post — President Trump’s recent actions, including foreign policy shifts and domestic overhauls, are drawing comparisons to monarchical rule. Key concerns include his pro-Russia stance, treatment of Ukraine, and executive overreach. Domestically, he’s targeting government agencies and staffing the Justice Department with loyalists. Musk’s efficiency review is also controversial. Supporters see needed reforms, while critics fear authoritarianism and damaged alliances. The legal system and public opinion are divided, creating uncertainty about the future. Trump’s actions raise questions about the balance of power and the long-term implications for American democracy and its global relationships.

“Trump-Putin summit preparations are underway, Russia says” via The Associated Press — Preparations are underway for a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Vladimir Putin, Russia’s deputy foreign minister said Saturday, marking a clear departure from Western efforts to isolate Moscow over its war in Ukraine. Speaking to Russian state media, Sergei Ryabkov said a possible Putin-Trump summit could involve broad talks on global issues, not just the war in Ukraine. “The question is about starting to move toward normalizing relations between our countries, finding ways to resolve the most acute and potentially very, very dangerous situations, of which there are many, Ukraine among them,” he said. But he said efforts to organize such a meeting are at an early stage, and that making it happen will require “the most intensive preparatory work.”

“Pete Hegseth, Mike Waltz avoid naming Russia as aggressor in Ukraine” via María Paula Mijares Torres of Bloomberg — “My question is, does all the finger-pointing and pearl-clutching make peace more likely?” Hegseth said. Asked whether it’s fair to say that Russia attacked Ukraine without provocation in 2022, he said, “Fair to say it’s a very complicated situation.” Pressed on the point, he acknowledged there was “an invasion into Ukraine” without naming Russia. Trump made it clear last week that he has all but abandoned years of U.S. support for Ukraine, deriding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy while seeking to blame him and Joe Biden for Russia’s invasion. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will propose a United Nations resolution on Monday that will “chart the path to peace.” As of Friday, the U.S. draft didn’t condemn Russia for the invasion and drops references to Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Government agencies give conflicting guidance on Elon Musk email” via Hannah Natanson, Ellen Nakashima and Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff of The Washington Post — The State Department told employees not to answer it. Employees at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency were told: Definitely reply. In some parts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, staffers received instructions to draft a response but have not sent it yet. After Musk led a move to email all 2.3 million government workers over the weekend, asking them to share five bullet points detailing what they accomplished last week, chaos and confusion reigned. Agencies issued conflicting guidance, as did different divisions within the same agency in some cases. Raising the stakes, Musk warned in a post on X that any employee who failed to respond would be treated as having resigned. However, the email sent to workers did not mention this possible consequence, which lawyers said would be illegal.

“Musk says all federal employees need to explain their work immediately — or be let go” via Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Danny Nguyen of POLITICO — All federal government employees will have to share what they’ve been working on in the last week or face dismissal, Musk said. Musk posted on X that employees will be receiving an email “shortly” requesting to “understand what they got done last week.” A lack of response, Musk said, “will be taken as a resignation.” The email was sent with the subject line “What did you do last week?” just two hours after Musk’s post and shared with POLITICO. It asked employees to please reply with “approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and CC your manager.” It instructs employees not to send any classified information. The deadline for response is Monday at the end of the day, just over two days from when it was sent. The email did not include any threats of punishment for those who didn’t respond. It’s unclear what legal authority, if any, Musk is relying on.

“U.S. FDA asks fired scientists to return, including some reviewing Musk’s Neuralink” via Patrick Wingrove, Rachael Levy and Michael Erman of Reuters — The U.S. FDA is asking some of its recently fired scientists if they will come back to their jobs, including some employees reviewing Musk’s brain implant company, Neuralink. The FDA plans to rehire around 300 people in total, following Trump’s rush last week to fire employees at the agency responsible for reviewing drugs, food safety, medical devices and tobacco. Musk, the world’s richest person overseeing Neuralink and spending more than $250 million to help elect Trump, has been leading an effort to cut federal workers with his Department of Government Efficiency, including at the FDA. Thousands have been cut.

“NASA cuts deal but still losing 5% of workforce as DOGE looks under hood” via Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel — NASA cut a deal with the Trump administration that may stave off sweeping layoffs seen across other federal agencies but still will see about 900 fewer employees through a buyout plan, the agency said. A statement released by NASA said about 5% of its roughly 18,000 employees accepted an offer to leave from Trump’s Deferred Resignation Program. In addition to losing employees to that voluntary buyout program, many other federal agencies have also been instructed to fire all their probationary employees. But NASA apparently will be spared that fate, potentially saving hundreds of jobs. Instead, the space agency’s probationary employees will be evaluated based on merit and allowed to enter the resignation program voluntarily.

“Pam Bondi was ‘seriously considering’ running for Florida AG before Trump called her up” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Before Bondi was selected to be Trump’s Attorney General, she was considering a run for a third term for the equivalent job in the Sunshine State, where she was elected AG in 2010 and re-elected four years later. Though term limits compelled her to stop at two consecutive terms, she revealed Saturday that she was considering a return to Tallahassee, given the then-current AG Ashley Moody was term-limited next year. “I was seriously considering running for Attorney General in Florida again because I was termed out. I learned that if I sit out, I could run again and I love being in Florida. I love helping people, and that was my plan,” Bondi said. Of course, the plan changed when it became clear Gaetz didn’t have the votes to be confirmed by the Senate.

“Trump expected to name Kash Patel as acting ATF Director” via Katherine Faulders and Alexander Mallin of ABC News — Trump is expected to name FBI Director Patel as the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A Justice Department official told ABC News that Patel is expected to be sworn in as acting director early next week. The move comes after Attorney General Bondi fired the ATF’s general counsel, Pamela Hicks, late last week. Bondi said in an interview with Fox News on Friday that it was because the agency’s lead lawyer was “targeting gun owners.”

“USDA scholarship for students at historically Black colleges suspended” via The Associated Press — A federal scholarship aimed at boosting students from underserved and rural areas attending historically Black colleges and universities has been put on hold. The U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended the 1890 Scholars Program, which provided recipients with full tuition and fees for students studying agriculture, food or natural resource sciences at one of 19 universities, known as the 1890 land grant institutions. It’s not exactly clear when the program was suspended, but some members of Congress first issued statements criticizing the suspension of the program on Thursday. “The 1890 Scholars Program has been suspended pending further review,” the Department of Agriculture said.

“At CPAC, Trump revels in political payback” via Chris Cameron, Charles Homans and Maggie Haberman of The New York Times — Trump made a triumphant return to the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday, gleefully recounting his acts of retribution against the Biden administration to a crowd of loyal supporters that included people he had pardoned for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Two years after he used an address at CPAC, an influential conservative gathering, to declare to his supporters that “I am your retribution,” Trump took a victory lap amid his wide-reaching efforts to reshape the federal government in his image, including firing thousands of federal workers and dismantling the government’s main international development agency. “We have escorted the radical-left bureaucrats out of the building and have locked the doors behind them,” Trump said. “We’ve gotten rid of thousands.”

“Steve Witkoff’s Art of the Deal” via Tara Palmeri of Puck — Under Trump, foreign policy is shifting, empowering loyalists as “special envoys,” bypassing traditional channels. Witkoff, a real estate billionaire and Trump friend, wields surprising influence, even sitting in on Ukraine war talks excluding Ukrainians. This has created confusion and concern within the State Department, with some seeing Witkoff as outranking Secretary of State Rubio. Trump values Witkoff’s realpolitik view. Meanwhile, Musk, another influential adviser, faces declining favorability due to budget cuts, becoming a target for Democrats and a potential Achilles’ heel for Trump.

“‘Venal depravity’: Florida Dems spotlight people at risk in GOP budget cuts” via Anthony Man, Abigail Hasebroock, and Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — Donald Williams, retired after 30 years as a Navy helicopter gunner, is worried about possible cuts to veterans programs he relies on to help with his post-traumatic stress disorder. Also concerned is Mariana Gracia, whose Army vet husband Agustin relies on the Veterans Affairs to treat Gulf War Illness and chronic fatigue syndrome. Karen Fortman is concerned about the impact of proposed reductions to the Medicaid health program, which is funding essential cerebral palsy care for her daughter. Williams, Gracia and Fortman were among the two dozen people who appeared Thursday at events organized by Democratic Congress members in Florida. “Trump ran on the promise that he would lower your costs and make your life better,” said U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost. “But he’s been lying to our faces this whole time.” Frost cited planned cuts to Medicaid and SNAP food assistance, as well as the potential expiration of Obamacare premium tax credits.

“AP sues Trump officials after being barred from some White House events” via Ali Bianco of POLITICO — The Associated Press is suing three Trump administration officials after being barred from some White House events and spaces, citing a violation of First and Fifth Amendment rights. The lawsuit — filed in U.S. District Court in Washington — comes after over a week of the White House punishing The Associated Press for not changing its guidelines on the Gulf of Mexico — which Trump renamed the “Gulf of America.” The AP has been shut out from covering Trump in the Oval Office, on Air Force One and at other White House events. The complaint names White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

— STATEWIDE —

“Byron Donalds coy on potential Governor bid while thanking Trump for endorsement” via Filip Timotija of The Hill — U.S. Rep. Donalds was coy while discussing his potential Florida gubernatorial bid during an interview while also expressing gratitude for landing an early endorsement from Trump. When asked if and when he might enter the race during his appearance on NewsNation’s show “The Hill,” Donalds said that he is not “going to get into it now, there’s a lot of different things that we’re thinking through, but I do got to say, really appreciative of President Trump and his support.” He added, “You know, it’s something where, you know, I think if we decided to make that jump, you know, the mission is going to be about making sure that Florida just goes to higher and higher heights.”

“Donalds touts Florida-centric successes in speech to CPAC” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — At CPAC, Donalds hinted at a gubernatorial run, thanking Trump and vowing, “I will never let you down.” He emphasized Florida’s conservative successes, stating, “‘Make America Florida’ … there’s a reason why citizens have been leaving blue states to go to Florida.” Donalds credited leaders like DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott, noting their commitment to “individual liberty and limited government,” echoing the “America First movement.” Promising Florida “is not going to stop leading,” he highlighted school choice and mentioned his son’s basketball win and wife Erika’s role at the America First Policy Institute. Donalds emphasized that “the American Dream is for everybody, and we’re going to show the other 49 states how to get it done.”

“Amid flood of complaints, Florida insurance regulator warns insurers to follow the law” via Anne Geggis of The Palm Beach Post — The state’s top insurance regulator has warned insurance companies “to make sure they are following the law” in responding to claims from last year’s active hurricane season — or face the consequences. The admonition comes after the first stress test of new rules regarding disputes between insurers and policyholders. It’s the first time hundreds of thousands of storm damage claims have been filed since the Legislature passed reforms that hobbled policyholders’ ability to take their insurers to court in disputes of how much it costs to repair storm damage. The number of lawsuits filed against insurers has dropped dramatically since that change in tort law passed in 2022. Still, complaints about handling storm claims from policyholders have flooded the state Department of Financial Services’ complaint line, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation said. Also, both chambers of the Legislature have been hearing about claims that are slow to be processed and settlements inadequate to repair the wreckage of nature’s fury.

“Florida TaxWatch economic forecast shows upward trends, with some areas of concern” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Florida TaxWatch’s new analysis for economic growth in the Sunshine State in the next half decade shows steady increases. But there are areas of concern. The third quarter forecast for 2024, which was published recently this month, shows steady growth through 2030. “Fueled by a strong global presence in tourism, trade, and real estate development, Florida’s economy has grown to nearly $1.5 trillion,” said Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic Calabro. “Despite this impressive growth, Florida slipped from the 15th largest economy in the world to the 16th, which is why Florida TaxWatch continues to examine if Florida’s impressive economic growth is sustainable over the next several years.” The TaxWatch forecast for the next five years shows GDP growth dropping from 3.5% in 2024 to 3.2% in 2025.

“As another storm season approaches, homeowners hope for a plan” via Fadia Patterson of Bay News 9 — What’s left of Felix Figueruelo’s parents’ belongings are in a pod on their front porch. “They want to get back into their house,” he said. It’s been four months since their home was flooded during Hurricane Milton. “I told them, ‘I will come in the morning to get you,’” he said. “’You don’t have to worry about anything.’ Little did I know that I was boarding them up for this disaster to occur.” The National Guard assisted in evacuating his parents. “This is the line of the water level in the house,” said Figueruelo. “We moved into this house when I was 10 years old.” Figueruelo says the flooding was unexpected, as the area is not classified as a flood zone. They are still dealing with all that they’ve lost, including 50 years’ worth of family photos and recordings.

“These park rangers oversaw Florida’s only manatee refuge. Then they were fired.” via Max Chesnes of the Tampa Bay Times — Brier Ryver had just spent the workday with five dozen schoolchildren on the shores of Kings Bay, teaching them the importance of Florida’s wild places, when the rumors began. Eight full-time employees, including Ryver, managed the 32,000 acres of wildlife refuges on Florida’s Gulf Coast, which draw hundreds of thousands of annual visitors. Any cuts would be detrimental to the team, which is already juggling permits, manatee rescues, outreach, volunteer coordination, and whatever else the day might bring, Ryver thought. Ryver was invited to a work call with hundreds of other federal wildlife service staff. They were all being let go. “I want people to know that we were important,” said Ryver, 26. “We were working hard trying to do what we felt was right: connecting people to the environment and protecting this place. It was not wasteful.”

— MORE D.C. MATTERS —

“Cory Mills investigated for alleged D.C. assault as police probe their own handling” via Ted Oberg, Mark Segraves, Paul Wagner and Rick Yarborough of NBC News4 — D.C. police confirm they are investigating an alleged assault of a 27-year-old woman by U.S. Rep. Mills, a Republican representing a district northeast of Orlando, calling it an active criminal investigation. The Metropolitan Police Department is also investigating its handling of the incident, which did not result in an arrest. Police reports obtained by News4 show the alleged incident started at a penthouse in a luxury apartment building in The Wharf area of Southwest at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Mills’ Office told NBC News: “This week, law enforcement was asked to resolve a private matter at Congressman Mills’ residence. Congressman Mills vehemently denies any wrongdoing whatsoever and is confident any investigation will clear this matter quickly.”

“Trump ‘surrendering to the Russians’ on Ukraine, top Democrat says” via Edward Helmore of The Guardian — A senior Democratic lawmaker accused Trump of “surrendering to the Russians” on Sunday, as Trump special envoy Witkoff said talks between the U.S. and Russia over Ukraine was “the only way to end the carnage.” In an interview on ABC News’ This Week, Democratic Sen. Jack Reed, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, hit out at Trump’s recent verbal attacks on Zelenskyy and increased alignment with Russia. “Essentially, this is President Trump surrendering to the Russians,” Reed said. “This is not a statesman or a diplomat. This is just someone who admires Putin, does not believe in the struggle of the Ukrainians and is committed to cozying up to an autocrat.”

“Republicans eye rollback of Joe Biden rules on banks, Wi-Fi and more” via Eleanor Mueller and Burgess Everett of Semafor — Congressional Republicans are lining up votes to roll back Biden administration rules on bank mergers, Wi-Fi hot spots and more for floor consideration as early as next week. The GOP can undo regulations issued within the last 60 legislative days with simple majority votes under the terms of the Congressional Review Act. Now that Trump is in the White House, they can get a presidential signature on the repeal of some of Biden’s regulations. The 60-legislative-day clock limits Republicans’ window to use their control of Washington to chip away at Biden’s legacy. However, they notably have not sent Trump any Congressional Review Act repeals. That’s guaranteed to change by March as House and Senate GOP leaders plan strikes on Biden regulations while they continue to fight over passing Trump’s broader legislative agenda.

“Coming soon to Trump’s Kennedy Center: A celebration of Christ” via Javier C. Hernández and Michael Gold of The New York Times — Trump took control of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington only last week. But his administration is already making plans to reshape the institution’s programming. Chief among them: a celebration of Christ planned for December. Richard Grenell, whom Trump named the Kennedy Center’s new president, told a conservative gathering that the “big change” would be “we are doing a big, huge celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas.” “How crazy is it to think that we’re going to celebrate Christ at Christmas with a big traditional production, to celebrate what we are all celebrating in the world during Christmastime, which is the birth of Christ?”

“Democrats: It’s time to retire the term ‘people of color’” via Jerel Ezell of POLITICO — CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King scanned the room and noted, “I do not see many ‘people of color.’” She and her co-host took another 20 seconds to point out a few attendees who fit the term. The moment, predictably, triggered a backlash from conservative commentators, who accused King, who is Black and a journalist, of being preoccupied with race. But it was also a reminder of the awkward, clunky, and frequently backward attempts by the left (or those perceived to be on the left) to, literally and figuratively, read the room. Nonwhite people voted in higher percentages for Trump in 2024 than in 2020, in some cases by double-digit increases. Democrats are now in the thick of a come-to-Jesus reckoning over these losses, and it should begin with this obvious truth: There is no deep cultural, social, economic, or political linkage between Black, Latino, Indigenous, and Asian Americans. Black voters remained Democrats’ bulwark, albeit compromised, with Kamala Harris netting 8 out of 10 Black voters, down from Biden’s 9 out of 10 in 2020.

“Friedrich Merz claims victory for German conservatives and the far-right heads for strongest postwar result” via The Associated Press — German opposition leader Merz’s conservatives were on course for a lackluster victory in a national election Sunday, while Alternative For Germany nearly doubled its support, the strongest showing for a far-right party since World War II, projections showed. Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceded defeat for his center-left Social Democrats after what he called “a bitter election result.” Projections for ARD and ZDF public television showed his party finishing in third place with its worst postwar result in a national parliamentary election. Merz vowed to move quickly to put together a coalition government. But it wasn’t immediately clear how easy that would be.

— ELECTIONS —

Sheriff Wayne Ivey backs Terry Cronin in Florida House race — Brevard County Sheriff Ivey has endorsed Dr. Cronin for House District 32, citing Cronin’s commitment to Trump’s “America First agenda” and strong immigration enforcement. Ivey stated, “I trust Terry Cronin to be my partner in this fight.” Cronin, a physician and business owner, expressed gratitude for Ivey’s support, pledging to keep Brevard County safe. Cronin, former president of the American Academy of Dermatology and advocate for foster care and adoption, also aims to be the “patient’s voice in Tallahassee regarding health care.” Sen. Randy Fine and Rep. Monique Miller have also endorsed him.

“Senate GOP colleagues endorse Joe Gruters’ 2026 CFO bid, hosting fundraiser March 3” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis will host a fundraiser in March for Gruters, the candidate Patronis endorsed to succeed him. And more than half Gruters’ Republican colleagues in the Senate are on the host committee. Gruters’ Chief Financial Officer campaign sent an e-vite showing the list of elected officials helping raise money for his 2026 race. Patronis and Sen. Fine serve as the top hosts. Notably, Fine and Patronis recently won Republican Primaries for the two vacancies in Florida’s congressional delegation and head into April 1 Special Elections as heavy favorites to win those seats.

Save the date:

“Florida GOP sends cease and desist over flyer promoting Brian Hodgers, Debbie Mayfield” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The Republican Party of Florida has sent a cease-and-desist letter to a political committee promoting Republicans Hodgers and Mayfield. MAGA Florida sent out mailers this week resembling voter guides that bore, among other images, the logo for the state party. “It has come to our attention that a direct mail piece purporting to be from your political committee was recently mailed to voters in Brevard County using the name and logo of the RPOF,” reads a letter from RPOF counsel Ben Gibson. “This was done without approval, permission or authorization of the RPOF.” The mailer immediately drew attention for appearing to reflect support for the candidates from several GOP leaders.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“‘Really outraged’: More than 200 gather outside South Florida Tesla dealership to protest Musk” via Shira Moolten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Maria Baker’s daughter was just furloughed. She worked for a subcontractor of USAID, the international aid organization that Trump and Musk have sought to shutter over the last few weeks. Their recent actions might upend everything she has worked for over 13 years. “She doesn’t know what to do,” Baker said. “Her career is ruined. There’s no job for her now.” The concerned mother was one of approximately 200 people who gathered on the sidewalk outside of the Tesla dealership in Fort Lauderdale around 1:30 p.m. They carried signs reading “Tesla Loves Fascism!” and “Musk Be Gone,” chanting “Trade it in!” at the Tesla drivers who inevitably passed. One giant banner read “LAWLESS.” For many of the protesters, the recent actions of the current administration, in which Musk now plays a key role, felt deeply personal.

“Saudis plan South Florida investment office as kingdom cultivates closer ties with Trump, U.S. investors” via David Lyons of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Out of all of the foreign investment sources that have pumped cash into South Florida real estate, financial institutions, and new businesses over the years, Saudi Arabia is a nation that at best has a nominal presence in the region. But this past week, amid a significant public relations lift from Trump at a Miami Beach investment conference sponsored by the country’s Public Investment Fund, the oil-rich nation announced plans to locate an investment office in Miami, its second in the U.S. after Washington, D.C. The panel included Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez, who made the announcement official. “It seems like it was just yesterday that I was in Riyadh announcing that FII was coming to Miami,” Suarez said. “In line with the city’s emphasis on being the capital of capital and strengthening its ties to the countries in the Middle East … today we are announcing the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia is opening an Invest Saudi office here in the City of Miami.”

“Miami-Dade’s Zoom era may be ending. Mayor orders county workers back to their desks” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — Miami-Dade County’s government employees will see an end to remote work this spring, according to a memo released Friday by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. Levine Cava set an April 15 deadline for ending the five years of remote work that started when most office buildings shut down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The return-to-work directive from Levine Cava, a Democrat, follows a similar order in January from the county’s newly elected Republican sheriff, c, who took over the county police department from the Mayor at the start of 2025.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

Exclusive — “Karen Castor Dentel fires eight staff members after Glen Gilzean scandal” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Since taking office from the embattled Gilzean, new Orange County Elections Supervisor Castor Dentel has fired eight employees, and another employee resigned. The Supervisor of Elections Office paid $63,077 in severance to seven terminated employees. Out of the nine departing employees, all but one had been hired by Gilzean at various times last year in the 53-person office. Several were Gilzean’s top brass, according to personnel records released to Florida Politics in a public records request. One employee was hired to be a “comptroller” for the office on the day Gilzean sued Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond in the final weeks of Gilzean’s term. Castor Dentel declined to comment on the firings.

“Disney World Tourism Oversight Board gets new Chair, Board members” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — DeSantis is reshaping a state Board that will play a big role in Central Florida’s theme park future, installing a new Chair and two new Board members on the panel overseeing government services for Walt Disney World. The state’s Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is working with Disney on a development plan expected to bring a $17 billion investment to the region in the next 10 to 20 years. Alexis Yarbrough, Chair of the Broward College District Board of Trustees, has been tapped to lead the district’s Board of Supervisors. DeSantis also appointed two Orlando businessmen — John Gilbert, executive managing director at Stream Realty Partners, and Scott Workman, president and CEO of Workman Travel.

“Two Orlando ZIP codes among hottest housing markets in U.S.” via Logan Dragone of WFTV — Orlando’s Baldwin Park 32814 and the 32821 ZIP code, south of Doctor Phillips and adjacent Walt Disney World, are among the hottest housing markets in America in fourth quarter 2024, ranking No. 66 and No. 88 respectively. These regions have high average home listing prices, over $789,000, and homes on the market for an average of less than 81-95 days in Q4 2024. In fact, 32814 had a much higher average home sales price ($1.3 million) than its average list price ($947,000).

— LOCAL: TB —

“Indian Rocks Beach Commission postpones vote on short-term rentals” via Jeff Rosenfield of the Tampa Bay Newspapers — Residents waiting for a final vote on proposed changes to the city’s short-term rental regulations will have to wait a bit longer. The vote was supposed to occur at a Feb. 11 meeting, but Commissioners postponed the matter. For the first reading of the ordinance on Jan. 14, a standing-room-only audience packed the Sandpiper room at the Holiday Inn Harbourside. Many residents protested the proposed changes, including raising the maximum occupancy rate from 10 guests to 12. The Commission ultimately voted 3-2 that night to favor the changes. The second and final reading drew another big crowd, including some who expected Commissioners to vote the same way.

“2 Tampa Bay sheriffs tasked to serve on State Immigration Enforcement Council” via Brittany Muller of WFLA — Two Tampa Bay Sheriffs are now serving on the newly created State Immigration Enforcement Council. The Council was created last week under the new immigration law signed by DeSantis. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the Council’s role will be to provide recommendations to the Board. One of those recommendations will be to better communicate with local, state, and federal agencies. DeSantis is wasting no time. “We have been focusing like a laser beam on immigration enforcement; the state and locals have a key role to play in assisting the Trump administration,” the Governor said.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“St. Augustine business leader appointed to Beach District Commission” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — The Governing Board over one of Florida’s more modest ports has a new member thanks to DeSantis. Lynda Kirker was appointed by DeSantis this month as the latest member of the St. Augustine Port, Waterway and Beach District Board of Commissioners. The Board has five members serving the nautical interests of St. Johns County along coastal areas. The District is primarily charged with promoting the development of St. Johns County maritime interests among commercial and recreational activity in the area. Its original intent was to promote and protect nautical interests near the St. Augustine Inlet when it was founded in the 1930s. But it’s grown to involve marine projects, dune crossover development and other maritime projects. “I’m excited, and I’m flattered that the Governor has that much faith and trust in me,” Kirker said. “I hope that I can do a good job.”

“‘Is it because I’m Brown?’ ICE, police target Panhandle towns with traffic stops” via Ana Goñi-Lessan of the USA Today Network-Florida — Florida has ramped up its efforts to track down immigrants who have entered the country illegally, part of Trump’s mass deportation agenda. In a post on X, the Florida Division of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles touted a traffic stop operation in Gadsden County, a rural community next to the state’s capital county. Its economy relies heavily on agriculture. In Gadsden County, the Hispanic and Latino community grew between 1990 and 2022, increasing by 9.3%. Fifty-eight traffic stops resulted in eight arrests, according to the post, and six undocumented immigrants were identified. “Together, we’re holding accountable those who enter the country illegally,” the post says. Operations like this have Latinos in Gadsden County worried that they are being profiled.

— LOCAL: SW FL —

“President Richard McCullough says Florida State making the case for keeping Ringling Museum” via Tarah Jean of the Tallahassee Democrat — The wheels may be in motion to give New College of Florida oversight of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, but Florida State University President McCullough is making the case to keep it under the Garnet and Gold. “We, of course, desire to keep The Ringling, and we’ll do everything we can to make that clear,” McCullough said Wednesday during a virtual Faculty Senate meeting. His brief thoughts on the possible change come after the university was decidedly quiet on DeSantis’ plan to pull the museum from FSU governance and move it to New College. Both the museum and the college are in Sarasota. DeSantis revealed the surprise move earlier this month in his recommended budget to lawmakers.

“Headed to the beach? Three things to know about a red tide pestering Sarasota and Manatee” via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Local experts confirmed that red tide is present along the Sarasota and Manatee County coast, but spotty and at low levels in waters near popular beaches like those at Siesta Key, Lido Key, Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island. However, impacts on local beaches have diminished over the past week, as the algae bloom largely remains offshore and appears to have broken up into smaller patches, leaving a mild but noticeable impact at area beaches since last weekend. “There is a lot more agreement, there is a lot more consensus when there is a wicked strong red tide,” Sarasota Bay Estuary program director Dave Tomasko said of the general assessment of red tide conditions. “There’s no discrepancy then.”

— TOP OPINION —

“Trump has one idea” via David French of The New York Times — I grew up a Reagan Republican in the middle of the Cold War, and I never thought I’d see the day when the President of the United States became the world’s most prominent and effective Russian propagandist.

Yet that’s exactly what happened last week when President Trump began a diplomatic offensive against the nation of Ukraine and the person of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

This month, the administration couldn’t seem to get its message straight. First, it seemed to want to offer unilateral concessions to the Russian government — including by taking NATO membership for Ukraine off the table and recognizing Russia’s territorial gains in Ukraine — only to walk back the concessions days (or hours) later.

The cumulative effect was confusing. What was the administration’s position on Ukraine? Last week, however, the words and actions of the administration left us with no doubt — the United States is taking Russia’s side in the conflict.

What other conclusion should we draw when Trump — incredibly enough — blames Ukraine for starting the conflict and calls Zelensky a “dictator?”

What other conclusion should we draw when the Trump administration reportedly proposed sending Chinese soldiers to police a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine, an act that would place troops from our chief geopolitical foe on allied soil in the heart of Europe?

But I cannot recall a moment in which a President broke free of the bounds of law and morality so quickly and comprehensively. In one month, Trump has endorsed Russian propaganda, switched sides in the Ukraine war, threatened our closest allies, attacked the constitutional order and begun imposing a two-tiered system of justice.

This state of affairs is unrecognizable to most Americans. But Putin recognizes it. So does Xi Jinping. In Trump, they can plainly see a version of themselves. He is doing their work for them. He is damaging American democracy, diminishing American power, and destroying American alliances with an energy and an efficiency that must exceed their wildest dreams.

— OPINIONS —

“Stop the stampede of secrecy at Florida’s Capitol” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — Year after year, legislators in both parties work relentlessly to reduce access to information by carving out new exemptions from a public records law that was once the nation’s strongest. We’re used to it by now, and that’s part of the problem. Floridians and even segments of the news media have become too complacent about the chipping away of access to information so essential to a functioning democracy. Secrecy breeds cynicism and mistrust. About 1,100 exemptions are already on the books, and more than a dozen new ones have been filed for the Session that begins March 4.

“Brewster Bevis, Jay Timmons: The future of manufacturing is here — let’s seize it” via Florida Politics — American manufacturing is at a crucial juncture, requiring collaborative action to realize its growth potential. Tax reforms spurred a resurgence, but expiring provisions threaten millions of jobs. Manufacturers urge Congress to maintain key tax policies and incentivize business expansion. Investment is vital, but a skilled workforce is equally essential, particularly with AI’s increasing role. Preparing workers for AI-driven technologies, as demonstrated by Miami-Dade College’s innovative programs, is paramount. Addressing the projected workforce shortage of 1.9 million jobs by 2033 demands immediate action. With tax certainty, AI leadership, and workforce development, this decade can mark a historic era for U.S. manufacturing.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

— ALOE —

“Netflix’s ‘American Murder: Gabby Petito’ faces backlash over AI-generated voice-over” via Zach Scott of Gulf Coast News — The new Netflix documentary, “American Murder: Gabby Petito,” has sparked backlash after using an artificial intelligence-generated voice-over for Petito’s narration. Petito’s disappearance and death made national headlines in September 2021, with law enforcement launching a nationwide search for the 22-year-old. While documenting a cross-country road trip with her fiance, Brian Laundrie, Petito went missing. The three-part series features interviews with Petito’s loved ones, photographs, video footage, maps and writing excerpts. The first episode shares a disclaimer that Petito’s journal entries and text messages were “brought to life in this series in her own voice, using voice recreation technology.”

“Backyard chickens: Floridians start raising hens to combat rising egg prices” via Richard Luscombe of The Guardian — What is stalling Katie Whalen from raising her own chickens is Florida’s patchwork of often contradictory laws and ordinances over exactly who can, or cannot, keep fowl in their backyard. Clermont, a city 20 miles (32 km) west of Orlando, responded to the egg crisis last week by passing a new law that allows residents to keep up to five hens in properly constructed coops. Roosters are forbidden, and homeowners must apply to the city for a permit. Raising fowl is a hard no for residents like Whalen in Port St Lucie on Florida’s Atlantic coast. Officials insist they don’t have enough code enforcement officers to make inspections or otherwise regulate the cottage industry. “Raising chickens has been determined to be incompatible with the city’s design and a population that now surpasses 250,000,” it said.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Best wishes to our friend Matt Farrar, as well as Reynolds Arrington, Kevin Besserer, director of Public Policy at the Royal Palm Coast Realtor® Association, Jessica Ellerman, Beth Houghton, Susan Goldstein of The Legis Group, and former Rep. Carl Zimmermann.

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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.

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The projections, based on exit polls and partial counting, put support for Merz’s Union bloc at just under 29% and Alternative for Germany, or AfD, about 20% — roughly double its result from 2021.

They put support for Scholz’s Social Democrats at just over 16%, far lower than in the last election and below their previous all-time low of 20.5% from 2017. The environmentalist Greens, their remaining partners in the outgoing government, were on 12-13%.

Out of three smaller parties, one — the hard-left Left Party — strengthened its position, winning up to 9% of the vote after a remarkable comeback during the campaign. Two other parties, the pro-business Free Democrats and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, hovered around the threshold of the 5% support needed to win seats.

Whether Merz will have a majority to form a coalition with Scholz’s Social Democrats or need a second partner as well will depend on how many parties get into parliament. The conservative leader said that “the most important thing is to re-establish a viable government in Germany as quickly as possible.”

“I am aware of the responsibility,” Merz said. “I am also aware of the scale of the task that now lies ahead of us. I approach it with the utmost respect, and I know that it will not be easy.”

“The world out there isn’t waiting for us, and it isn’t waiting for long-drawn-out coalition talks and negotiations,” he told cheering supporters. “We must now become capable of acting quickly again.”

The Greens’ candidate for chancellor, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, said that Merz would do well to moderate his tone after a sometimes hard-fought election campaign.

“We have seen the center is weakened overall, and everyone should look at themselves and ask whether they didn’t contribute to that,” said Habeck. “Now he must see that he acts like a chancellor.”

The Greens were the party that suffered least from participating in Scholz’s unpopular government. The Social Democrats’ general secretary, Matthias Miersch, suggested that their defeat was no surprise — “this election wasn’t lost in the last eight weeks.”

AfD’s candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel, said that “we have become the second-strongest force.” The party’s strongest previous showing was 12.6% in 2017, when it first entered the national parliament.

She said that her party is “open for coalition negotiations” with Merz’s party, and that “otherwise, no change of policy is possible in Germany.” But Merz has repeatedly and categorically ruled out working with AfD, as have other mainstream parties.

AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla told cheering supporters that “we have achieved something historic today.”

“We have gained 100%,” he said. “We are now the political center and we have left the fringes behind us.”

Scholz decried AfD’s success. He said that “that must never be something that we will accept. I will not accept it and never will.”

The head of Germany’s main Jewish organization, Josef Schuster, told daily newspaper Die Welt: “It must concern us all that a fifth of German voters are giving their vote to a party that is at least partly right-wing extremist, that openly seeks linguistic and ideological links to right-wing radicalism and neo-Nazism, that plays on people’s fears and only offers them ostensible solutions.”

More than 59 million people in the nation of 84 million were eligible to elect the 630 members of the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, who will take their seats under the glass dome of Berlin’s landmark Reichstag building.

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.