Tuesday Briefing: Fears of a U.S. constitutional crisis

Plus, where penguins dream of retiring

View in browser|nytimes.com March 18, 2025 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering the Trump administration's clash with a judge and major Israeli strikes in Gaza. Plus: A penguin retirement home. President Trump's administration has come close to open defiance of the federal judiciary. Doug Mills/The New York Times Fears of a U.S. constitutional crisis The Trump administration yesterday stonewalled a federal judge seeking answers about whether it had violated his order by deporting more than 200 Venezuelans over the weekend. The hearing in Washington escalated a conflict that threatened to become a constitutional crisis. A Justice Department lawyer refused to answer any detailed questions from the judge about the deportation flights to El Salvador, arguing that President Trump had broad authority to remove immigrants from the United States with little to no due process under an obscure wartime law, the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The judge, James Boasberg, told the lawyer, Abhishek Kambli, to certify in writing by noon today — under seal, if necessary — that no immigrants had been deported after his written order took effect. Context: The legal battle was the latest and perhaps most serious flashpoint yet between federal courts, which have sought to curb many of Trump's executive actions, and an administration that has repeatedly come close to openly refusing to comply with judicial orders. Comments: Trump's so-called border czar, Tom Homan, indicated yesterday that the administration planned to continue its deportations. "We're not stopping," Homan said in an interview. "I don't care what the judges think — I don't care what the left thinks." More on the Trump administration American automakers thought Trump's tariffs were a negotiating tactic. But he sees them as an end in themselves. Do Americans approve of Trump? We're tracking recent polls. Trump said his administration would release about 80,000 pages of documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Trump falsely claimed that former President Joe Biden's pardons were "void" because he used an autopen. Track Trump's actions since he took office. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has laid out conditions that could delay or derail a cease-fire with Ukraine. Alexei Babushkin/Sputnik Putin and Trump will discuss Ukraine today President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Trump are scheduled to speak by phone today, the Kremlin said, as questions swirled over comments made by Trump about their agenda. It will be the first known conversation between the leaders since Ukraine agreed to support a U.S.-backed monthlong cease-fire, if Russia did the same. Trump said he expected to discuss territorial issues and the fate of Ukrainian power plants with Putin, noting that there had already been talk about "dividing up certain assets." While Trump has said he wants to broker some sort of truce as quickly as possible, Putin seems to be trying to exploit the moment to win more concessions. Putin has not agreed to the cease-fire and has laid out conditions that could delay or derail one. Crimes against Ukraine: The U.S. is withdrawing from a multinational group created to investigate leaders responsible for the invasion of Ukraine, including Putin, a letter shows. It is the latest indication that the White House is moving away from a commitment to hold Putin accountable. Comfort food: Sushi has long been popular in Ukraine, and for people in the frontline town of Sloviansk, it provides a sense of normalcy. Background: The Ukrainians lost an important bargaining chip when they were pushed out of most of Russia's Kursk region. An Israeli fighter jet in January, a few days before the Gaza cease-fire took effect.  Amir Cohen/Reuters Israel carried out 'extensive strikes' in Gaza Israel launched a large-scale attack across the Gaza Strip early this morning, its first major assault on the territory in months. It was unclear whether the strikes effectively ended the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas that took effect in mid-January. At least 44 Palestinians, including five children, were killed and more than 50 were injured, according to the Gazan Ministry of Health. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said the strikes were in response to a "repeated refusal" by Hamas "to release our hostages." MORE TOP NEWS Ivor Prickett for The New York Times South Sudan: After less than a decade of fragile peace, the country is again on the brink of war. Here's what to know. Rwanda: In response to E.U. sanctions for fueling the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda severed diplomatic ties with Belgium, its former colonial ruler. Economy: A new report forecasts that policy uncertainty and the growing trade war will drag down growth around the world. Social media: Pavel Durov, the Telegram founder who was charged in France last year with a range of crimes, was allowed to temporarily leave the country. Education: Harvard said it would offer free tuition for students whose families earn $200,000 or less. North Macedonia: The authorities have detained government officials in connection with a nightclub fire that killed at least 59 people. U.S.: Calls to a clinic indicated that Betsy Arakawa, who was found dead last month with her husband, Gene Hackman, lived longer than investigators had believed. Syria: Sectarian-driven civilian killings show that the new government is struggling to control its own forces and affiliated fighters. Tech: As companies chase the dream of artificial intelligence, data centers are popping up around the globe. Here's a look at the supercomputers behind A.I. Film: Émilie Dequenne, who at 17 was named best actress at the Cannes Film Festival, died on Sunday. She was 43. Entertainment: Conan O'Brien was invited back to host the Oscars next year. SPORTS NEWS Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton said his Ferrari race debut felt like a "crash course." He finished a chaotic Australian Grand Prix in 10th place. Golf: This is how Rory McIlroy dealt with the pressure to win another Players Championship. Baseball: Japanese talent in the sport is entering a golden era. MORNING READ Cody O'Loughlin for The New York Times Where do you retire if you're a penguin? Ideally, to your own island. Six geriatric African penguins at a Boston aquarium are enjoying their golden years on an island designed to meet their needs, segregated from younger, more boisterous penguins and given buckets of fish to feast on at their own pace. Lives lived: Lee Shau-kee, a Hong Kong billionaire who made his fortune building apartments for middle-class descendants of refugees from mainland China, died at 97. CONVERSATION STARTERS Off with his …: The head of a King George V statue in Australia had vanished without a trace. Then it showed up onstage. Land of jaguars: In the Pantanal of Brazil, the world's largest wetlands, the normally shy animals are remarkably easy to observe. Exercise trends: Are vibration plates a scam? ARTS AND IDEAS Adam Powell for The New York Times Patrick Schwarzenegger gets rich quick On the set of the third season of HBO's "The White Lotus," the director Mike White had a repeated note for the actor Patrick Schwarzenegger: "Patrick, be richer." That might sound like a funny thing to tell the eldest son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver. But he appears to have taken it to heart: Read how Schwarzenegger channeled his real-life experience with privilege into his finance-bro character. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Emma Fishman for The New York Times Cook: Packed with an abundance of fresh herbs, kuku is a frittata-like Persian dish. Travel: Spend 36 hours in Singapore as the city-state celebrates its diamond jubilee. Read: In "Firstborn," Lauren Christensen writes about mourning her stillborn daughter. Wear: Which jeans are best for you? Our fashion critic offers tips. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? 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