By Damian Paletta
Good morning. Washington had a serious case of the Mondays.
Then came Tuesday. And Monday felt like the good old days.
Less than 24 hours after the labor secretary quit President Trump's cabinet Monday, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D., Fla.) resigned from Congress on Tuesday.
That's three cabinet secretaries to quit in less than two months and three lawmakers to quit in two weeks (not that anyone is counting).
Meeeeeeeeeeeanwhile, across town, Vice President JD Vance spent the day at the White House, not aboard Air Force Two on his way to Pakistan, which is what he was expected to be doing. The Pakistan trip was canceled, which made a resumption of the war seem imminent. President Trump then indefinitely extended a cease-fire until an Iranian "proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other."
Oh, and Congress still hasn't passed a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, so TSA workers might soon again be working without pay as the country stumbles toward the Memorial Day holiday (with gas prices averaging above $4 a gallon, so maybe don't drive either).
The narrative can change fast in Washington, and both parties seem to be enjoying their own messes at the moment. This creates an opportunity for either party. But that depends on whether Monday stretches into Wednesday.
This is an edition of the Politics newsletter, bringing you an expert guide to what's driving D.C. every day. If you're not subscribed, sign up here.
People and Policies I'm Watching
Iran war: Follow the Journal's live coverage as two ships came under Iranian attack in the Strait of Hormuz, and the U.S. and Iran delayed their talks in a high-stakes game of chicken.
Congress: U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is to testify to a House Ways and Means Committee hearing about the Trump administration's trade-policy agenda, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is to testify to a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the 2027 Treasury Department budget, both starting at 10 a.m. ET.
Trump's Wednesday: The president is to participate in a meeting with Frank Bisignano, the commissioner of the Social Security Administration, at 10 a.m.
What I'm Following
Virginia voters narrowly approved a measure to boost Democrats in the midterms. With 97% of the vote to redraw the state's congressional map counted, the Yes vote had 51.5%, while the No vote had 48.5%. Backers said the gerrymandering is needed to counter efforts by Trump and Republicans in Texas and other states to create more red seats in the closely divided House, while opponents said the move undermines Virginia's efforts at fair representation.
The Senate Bank Committee pressed Kevin Warsh on his investments and independence. During the more-than-two-hour-long confirmation hearing, Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve, fielded questions about his commitment to an independent monetary policy, his pre-nomination argument that AI-driven productivity gains would give the central bank room to cut interest rates and his plans to divest more than $100 million in financial holdings he has declined to fully disclose.
The investigation into Trump foes heated up. The long-running probe into whether former intelligence officials who investigated whether Trump committed crimes is advancing under newly installed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Blanche appointed Joe diGenova, a Trump loyalist, to lead the Florida-based probe, and flew there Monday for his swearing in.
What Else Is Happening
-- The Trump administration secured an indictment against the Southern
Poverty Law Center, alleging the civil rights organization that made its
name fighting the Ku Klux Klan defrauded donors by secretly funneling
money to extremist groups.
-- Trump said he isn't a fan of United Airlines and American Airlines
merging to form a megacarrier.
-- New York Attorney General Letitia James filed lawsuits against crypto
exchanges Coinbase and Gemini, accusing them of violating state gambling
laws.
What I'm Reading
-- Michigan Democrats Put Up a Big Tent -- and Ended Up With a Circus
(Detroit Free Press)
-- Sam Alito is the Most 'Courageous' SCOTUS Justice You've Never Heard
About (Until Now) (The Federalist)
-- Governor's Race Wildly Unpredictable Two Weeks Before Californians
Receive Ballots (Los Angeles Times)
About Me
I'm Damian Paletta, The Wall Street Journal's Washington coverage chief. I've covered Washington for 22 years as a reporter and editor. I've covered the White House, Congress, national security, the federal budget, economics and multiple market meltdowns.
WSJ Politics brings you an expert guide to what's driving D.C., every weekday morning. Send your feedback to politics@wsj.com (if you're reading this in your inbox, you can just hit reply). This edition was curated and edited in collaboration with Alistair Dawber and Michael Connolly. Got a tip for us? Here's how to submit.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 22, 2026 07:07 ET (11:07 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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