Good morning, and welcome. Before we begin, a brief housekeeping note: I am not Mary, and the dog mentioned later—Mars—is also not mine. My dog is Odin, a golden doodle, who would like the record to reflect that he is innocent of all squirrel-related crimes. Stick around till the end of the video for a surprise twist!
In today’s Morning Roundup, we’re covering a Europe that is actively planning around American unpredictability, U.S. courts attempting to reintroduce due process into immigration enforcement, Congress managing to do absolutely nothing about healthcare subsidies, and an administration that appears to be experimenting with maritime law as a loose suggestion rather than a binding framework. There’s also a detour into AI policy, state–federal power struggles, and a brief return to 18th-century-style naval behavior in the Caribbean.
It’s a wide-ranging tour of institutional strain, geopolitical recalibration, and governance-by-vibes—so grab your coffee, settle in, and let’s get started.
