The Daily Brief
Today
Good morning. The Navy has admitted that suicide attempts aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group climbed to eight during its combat deployment, far above what carriers usually see. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao disclosed the figure only in a letter insisting mental health support was present on the carrier, sent to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand — a concession about the sailors sent into combat, delivered as Trump faces accusations of disrespecting them.
In Washington, Xi Jinping arrived Wednesday evening for his first state visit in more than a decade, and is expected to bargain from a position of strength despite growing economic tensions at home. Sen. Elissa Slotkin warned Trump against any deal that would give Chinese automakers greater access to the US market.
The administration's contempt for a free press was on trial the same day: a federal judge heard arguments in a lawsuit brought by CNN, MS NOW and Politico over Trump banning the three outlets from the White House property, with lawyers sparring over the constitutional rights of journalists. Trump is bracing to lose his latest fight with the press.
On policy, Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar introduced legislation to ban AI 'superintelligence' with a 20-year jail penalty and a Cabinet-level regulator — even as, across the table, China has no use for AI doomerism. Analysts told The Hill they are skeptical a diesel export ban would meaningfully cut fuel prices. And as anger over the economy festers, Melania Trump went on Fox to defend a president she said "works nonstop" — while filming a documentary series about her life.
Zoom out: An administration battling low approval over the economy and its war with Iran welcomes Xi Jinping while a court weighs its ban on critical outlets and the Navy quietly concedes a crisis among its own sailors.
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