Megan Messerly

House left in limbo as megabill talks continue Leaders blame travel delays, but vote-whipping has heated up... all while a weedsy procedual vote is held open w/ @cassandra_dumay @meredithllee (& team) politico.com/live-updates/2…

“Whether or not it’s illegal, I don’t know. But is it a good thing to point out to damage this guy’s image? Yeah.” @meganmesserly, me and @jake__traylor on why President Trump isn’t moving to fire Fed Chair Powell yet politico.com/news/2025/07/1…

Scoop: Several outside lawyers recently warned President Trump that a new strategy to remove Fed Chair Jerome Powell over the central bank’s $2.5 billion renovation project is on shaky legal ground, people familiar told me. w/ @vtg2 @jake__traylor politico.com/news/2025/07/1…

What happens next to the Fed may hinge on a counterintuitive question: Can temperate voices persuade Trump that the central bank’s insulation from immediate political pressures — from him — is actually good for him? My latest column: politico.com/news/magazine/…

New: India is one of three dozen countries that didn't get a tariff "deal" in the form of a letter from President Trump last week. It signals real agreement could be close. w/ @_AriHawkins politico.com/news/2025/07/1…

"On Aug. 1, it’s all kicking in — there’s no more TACO" w/@meganmesserly @drdesrochers @_AriHawkins @tradereporter politico.com/news/2025/07/1…

Whether enacting immigration raids or dismantling Washington institutions, Donald Trump understands the theatricality of his administration's policy priorities, @zackstanton and @meganmesserly discuss on today's #playbookpod. 🎧 Listen and subscribe 👉 pod.link/1169056746

Scoop: Trump is framing his 50% tariff threat on Brazil as a quest for justice for Bolsonaro. But it was his anger over BRICS that tipped him over the edge, convincing him to impose new levies, people familiar tell me @_AriHawkins & @ebazaileimil politico.com/news/2025/07/1…

Vietnam thought it had a deal on its US tariff rate. Then Trump stepped in. Such a great scoop from my favorite trade pals @drdesrochers @PhelimKine and @_AriHawkins. politico.com/news/2025/07/1…

POLITICO White House reporter Megan Messerly joins “Early Start” to discuss President Donald Trump threatening more countries with tariffs of up to 30%, as well as his approach to the war in Ukraine. #CNN #News

Trump threatens to slap Brazil with 50 percent tariffs over treatment of Bolsonaro, other disagreements w/ @ebazaileimil @drdesrochers @meganmesserly politico.com/news/2025/07/0…

New: Tariff letters are going out today to a grab bag of U.S. trading partners including Japan, South Korea, Myanmar and Kazakstan. It's a list of countries the admin believes it hasn't "received meaningful engagement from," a WH official told me. politico.com/news/2025/07/0…

President Donald Trump is threatening to slap 25 percent tariffs on Japan and South Korea as it continues to negotiate trade deals with the countries ahead of a new Aug. 1 deadline. w/ @drdesrochers politico.com/news/2025/07/0…

New: The White House has claimed just three trade “deals” — with the UK, China and Vietnam — ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. It’s not bothering Trump. “He likes the game too much,” one person close to the White House told me. w @drdesrochers politico.com/news/2025/07/0…

NEW: The megabill provides an unprecedented infusion of cash into the country’s immigration enforcement apparatus. My look at how the Trump admin plans to spend the billions — and the steep challenges ahead. politi.co/4ljMbKq via @politico

SCOOP: Commerce Sec’y Howard Lutnick was supposed to join EU officials on Thurs. for a trade negotiation as the pause on tariffs is due to expire next week but Lutnick had already left DC to vacation w/ family in Italy, a source told me and @drdesrochers. politico.com/newsletters/pl…

NEW: Trump worked the phones for 20 hours to lock down the votes for his megabill — the passage of which was central to his identity as a closer and the supreme leader of the GOP. It worked. W/ @meganmesserly politico.com/news/2025/07/0…

NEW: Behind Trump’s "Big Beautiful Bill" blitz? Carrots, sticks — and a July 4 victory. How Trump got his domestic policy legislation over the finish line, w/ @DashaBurns politico.com/news/2025/07/0…

New: White House official tells me no time has yet been set for the signing ceremony for the "Big Beautiful Bill." "It’s being determined now," the official said, adding that it's up to what the president wants to do. Could even be today.

New: What's Trump up to as the House GOP tries to get his "Big Beautiful Bill" across the finish line? Meeting with House Freedom Caucus & other members, and "working the phones," a WH official tells me. He has no public events on his calendar today. politico.com/live-updates/2…