Scoop: Crockett floats Ukrainian bipartisan show of unity
Plus: The top Senate Finance Democrat is skeptical of Trump's bonus tax breaks and Senate Dems stall GOP trans sports ban.
👋🏾 Hi, hey, hello! The House earlier today adopted a resolution expressing condolences to the friends, families and loved ones of the victims of the crash last month near Ronald Reagan Airport. … The Senate confirmed Linda McMahon to be Education Secretary earlier this evening. McMahon was previously the president and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ICYMI: Why Trump picked her and Democrats unanimously opposed the nomination. … Don’t forget: The government will shut down in 10 days without congressional action. The top House Democratic appropriator is fired up about it. … Keep reading for what else is worth knowing from the Hill today before you call it a night—straight from my notebook to your inbox.
1. Scoop: Crockett floats Ukrainian bipartisan show of unity
Just before the Trump administration halted future military aid to Ukraine, one of the most high-profile House Democrats told me she is considering reaching out to party leaders about a bipartisan show of support for the war-torn Eastern European country.
What she’s saying: “I really, in a bipartisan way, would like to send a message of rebuke to the president and support for Ukraine, even if it’s just signaling, so that they know there’s a bipartisan coalition,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) told me tonight.
But any formal congressional rebuke of Trump is unlikely, given Republican control of the House.
Allow me to explain: Crockett attributed her concerns about Trump’s Ukraine policy to a broader pattern of alienating U.S. allies, including his decision to impose 25-percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada, which will take effect tomorrow.
“What signal does it send to our allies? Are we reliable? And what does it mean to have an ally?” she said, adding that she doesn’t trust Trump’s word on anything.
How we got here: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to Washington last week to discuss Ukraine’s war effort and finalize a minerals and energy deal with Trump. But the Oval Office meeting unraveled into a heated exchange—sparked by Vice President J.D. Vance—that ended with Trump abruptly dismissing Zelenskyy from the White House, who left without any signed agreements.
In the know: The U.S. has provided more than $65.9 billion in military assistance since Russia launched its latest invasion into Ukraine in 2022, according to the State Department.
This assistance encompasses a wide range of military support, including weapons systems, ammunition, training, and intelligence sharing.
Beyond military aid, the U.S. has allocated $106 billion for Ukraine’s defense, humanitarian assistance, and government operations.”
What’s next: Trump’s decision will have major consequences for Ukraine’s war effort, U.S. diplomacy, and the broader geopolitical landscape. It is already straining America’s relationships with Ukraine and other European allies.
2. Wyden skeptical about Trump bonus tax breaks
The top Democrat on the Senate tax-writing committee dismissed Hill Republicans’ ability to fulfill a key campaign promise to eliminate taxes on tipped income, overtime pay and Social Security benefits.
“The no tax on tips and the Social Security breaks are all things that they say they’re going to do to kind of grease the wheels for billionaires,” Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.) told me this afternoon. “I personally think they’re not going to do a lot of that. It’s just for show. Trump is always saying these things that he has no intention of doing.”
Allow me to explain: The budget blueprint House Republicans passed last week by one vote would only extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, not add any new ones.
Reps. Lauren Boebert (Colo.) and Anna Paulina Luna (Fla.) falsely claimed the blueprint included Trump’s campaign tax proposals.
Republicans can’t add new tax cuts to the final bill unless they were included in the budget blueprint.
The Senate GOP budget outline excludes tax policy altogether and focuses on border security and national defense.
Republican senators divided Trump’s agenda into two bills with the intent to deliver Trump a quick legislative win for him to promote while lawmakers worked on the complex tax extensions.
In the know: Wyden was the top Senate Finance Democrat during the 2017 tax fight that resulted in the first round of Trump tax cuts, many of which will expire at the end of the year.
“They’re super-charging the tax breaks for billionaires,” Wyden told me. “I mean, they wanted to help the wealthy before, but they’re all-in and doubling down on it now.”
What’s next: House and Senate GOP committee leaders and staff are now working to turn their separate budget blueprints into matching legislation that can pass on a party-line vote and satisfy Trump’s competing demands.
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3. Senate Dems stall GOP trans sports ban
Senate Democrats blocked Republicans from advancing a bill to ban individuals assigned male at birth from participating in athletic programs designated for women and girls.
Allow me to explain: The 51–45 party-line messaging vote fell short of the 60 votes required to open debate on the bill.
But it was designed to squeeze Democrats on an issue that dogged them during the 2024 presidential campaign and has left the national party unsure about how to handle it heading into the 2026 midterms with internal debates on how to navigate the issue in key battleground races.
Republicans, led by co-sponsors Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), argue the bill is necessary to “protect women’s sports,” while Democrats call it discriminatory.
What they’re saying: “It’s mean, it’s cruel and it’s not doing anything to reduce the cost of living for American families,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) told me before the vote.
In the know: The vote comes as part of a larger Republican push against transgender rights.
The GOP spent $215 million in anti-trans television ads, more than its investments in housing, immigration and the economy combined.
Since retaking office, President Donald Trump has signed multiple anti-trans executive orders, including ones defining sex as strictly binary and restricting transgender military service.
The House passed a similar bill in January mostly along party lines with two Texas conservative Democrats (Rep. Henry Cuellar and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez) joining all Republicans. Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) voted present.
What’s next: Expect Democrats to counter Republican culture-war attacks by shifting the focus to GOP proposals for Medicaid cuts, Elon Musk-backed agency reductions and the economic risks of Trump’s tariff plans.
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