Kayleigh McEnany took over as White House press secretary Tuesday, shifting from Trump 2020 campaign spokesperson to the West Wing.
Why it matters: McEnany is the fourth press secretary thus far in the Trump presidency. She enters the role after doing outreach with supporters on the campaign trail and serving as one of the re-election effort's most visible surrogates. Her new role begins at an increasingly public-facing time for the administration, as daily press briefings have been reinstalled to update Americans on the threat of the coronavirus.
President Trump said at a press briefing Tuesday that he "didn't see" memos from his trade adviser Peter Navarro warning in January and February that the coronavirus crisis could kill more than half a million Americans and cost close to $6 trillion.
Why it matters: Trump insisted that despite not seeing the memos, he did "more or less" what Navarro suggested by banning non-U.S. citizens from traveling from China effective Feb. 2.
Wisconsin's state Speaker Robin Vos (R) defended the Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision to host primary elections Tuesday in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, telling a reporter with The Journal Times: "You are incredibly safe to go out."
Why it matters: Vos made the comments while donning a mask, gloves and protective gown, an image that underscored the health concerns that many have expressed about Tuesday's elections.
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned Tuesday after apologizing for comments he made about Capt. Brett Crozier, who was removed when a letter he wrote pleading with the Navy to address the coronavirus outbreak aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt was leaked to the press. The resignation was first reported by Politico.
Why it matters: The controversy over Crozier's removal was exacerbated after audio leaked of Modly's address to the crew, in which he said Crozier was either "too naive or too stupid to be a commanding officer of a ship like this." After initially backing Modly's decision, President Trump said at a briefing Monday that he would "get involved."
As of the end of March, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had identified 600 undocumented immigrants in its custody who are vulnerable to the coronavirus and released more than 160 of them, the agency confirmed to Axios.
Between the lines: Federal judges had forced ICE to release at-risk immigrants. Now, decisions "to release individuals in ICE custody occur every day,” ICE told Axios in a statement.
Thousands of Wisconsin residents gathered to cast ballots in person on Tuesday in the state's primary election during the height of the coronavirus crisis in the U.S.
Why it matters: More than 300 million Americans in nearly all states are being asked to stay home as the U.S. faces surging death tolls from COVID-19. Without a vaccine, stay-at-home orders and lockdowns to enforce social distancing are among the few ways to slow the spread of the virus.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday called for the firing or resignation of acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, following his decision to relieve Capt. Brett Crozier from his command of the USS Theodore Roosevelt last week.
Why it matters: Pelosi said Modly "showed a serious lack of the sound judgment and strong leadership" in firing Crozier, who wrote a letter pleading for help in battling a coronavirus outbreak onboard the ship. The letter was leaked to the press, leading to Crozier's ouster.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, sent a letter to the acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell on Tuesday demanding he turn over documents explaining his management of the intelligence community amid concerns of the politicization of the agency.
Why it matters: The letter, which calls for a response by April 16, comes as President Trump continues his purge of inspectors general across the federal government that he deems disloyal to his administration.
President Trump on Monday replaced the Pentagon's acting inspector general Glenn Fine, who had been selected to chair the panel overseeing the rollout of the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill passed last month, Politico first reported.
Why it matters: A group of independent federal watchdogs selected Fine to lead the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, but Fine's removal from his Pentagon job prevents him from being able to serve in that position — since the law only allows sitting inspectors general to fill the role.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday he will be working with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to increase funding for the Payroll Protection Program, the federal backstop to help small businesses maintain operations and keep workers employed amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Why it matters: The $350 billion lending program — which opened for business last Friday — has had a highly problematic rollout, with banks and small businesses alike expressing frustration about system crashes and a lack of direction from the federal government. As the program proceeds, it's become clear that the initial funding wouldn't be nearly enough.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany is replacing White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, who will return to the East Wing as First Lady Melania Trump's chief of staff, according to two sources familiar with the situation. The news was first reported by CNN and the New York Times.
Why it matters: Grisham will leave after nine months without ever having held a formal press briefing.
Civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) announced Tuesday that he would endorse Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race, per the AP.
The state of play: Lewis, who is currently battling pancreatic cancer and is one of the most influential veteran black lawmakers, told reporters that Biden is "a man of courage, a man of great conscience, a man of faith." He also urged younger black voters to remember that "the vote is the most powerful, nonviolent tool we have in society, and we must use it."
Three weeks before Election Day, Sean Spicer, who now hosts "Spicer & Co." on Newsmax TV, will release his second book, "Leading America: President Trump’s Commitment to People, Patriotism, and Capitalism."
What he's saying: "Conservatives have always faced enormous headwinds from the media, Hollywood, academia, and Big Tech," Spicer said in a statement.
Wisconsin's Supreme Court on Monday blocked an executive order by Gov. Tony Evers (D) that attempted to delay in-person voting for the state's primary election — currently scheduled for Tuesday — until June 9.
Driving the news: Judges ruled 4-2 along ideological lines that Evers does not have the power as governor to unilaterally postpone the election, despite the fact that the state has a stay-at-home order in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly apologized Monday for calling Capt. Brett Crozier, the ousted commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, "too naive or too stupid" over his letter pleading for help following a coronavirus outbreak onboard.
The big picture: His apology came after President Trump told a news briefing earlier Monday he would "get involved" following a leak of Modly's remarks, obtained by CNN, to the ship's crew on Crozier — who has since been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
