POLITICO

The Trump administration's pursuit of "energy dominance” is upending the U.S. policy approach to energy investments and climate goals. A renewed emphasis on oil, gas and nuclear production has fueled efforts to slash regulations and expedite permits for pipelines and power plants. Meanwhile, cuts to clean energy subsidies are shaking up the market for renewables — even as U.S. allies, and some states, double down on wind and solar. Join us on June 10 as we convene administration officials, lawmakers, industry executives and more for urgent conversations on what’s next for the nation's energy agenda. Speakers to be announced! RSVP to get the latest updates ⬇️

Writer and comedian Adam Conover railed against AI use in Hollywood saying that people who use it are “cutting themselves off at the knees.” “Hollywood works because why do people go sit in the dark and pay $20?” he said. “They want to see the hottest person in the world, say the funniest line in the world, in front of the coolest image in the world and see something they've never seen before.” Watch his interview with our Daniel Miller 👇

Eighteen Americans exposed to hantavirus are quarantining in Nebraska. And an American medical missionary who tested positive for Ebola was flown to Germany for treatment. Public health experts say neither hantavirus nor Ebola represents an immediate threat to the average American. But the trust deficit leftover from Covid is showing up in the public response to the two viruses. “If we get a virus like Covid again, our response to both hantavirus and Ebola has shown us we are ... potentially in a worse position to respond in regards to the public willingness, or lack thereof, to believe what they’re being told and to take appropriate public health measures to stop the spread,” said Jerome Adams, surgeon general during Trump’s first term. Read the full story: https://politi.co/4uV27aa

This week on POLITICO's Playbook Canada pod with me and Mickey Djuric: 🎶 🪑: Ian Todd is leaving the Hill after a long stint as Pierre Poilievre's chief of staff. He's replaced by Steve Outhouse, who will do double duty as the party's campaign manager. 🎤 : Our intrepid colleague Anne McElvoy dishes on her recent interview with Chrystia Freeland. (Catch their full convo here: https://lnkd.in/eUwZJtMj) ⏰: Erin O'Toole sits for the 200-second interview. We talked defense spending, Canada-U.S. relations and the best part of leaving public life. He also got candid about social media: "I love getting ratio-ed." 👀: We're watching Gary Anandasangaree's shepherding of a controversial lawful access bill, and recurring chatter about why Susannah L. Pierce should consider running for office. Listen, share, review! Right here: https://lnkd.in/erprakfH

As Los Angeles rebuilds from devastating fires and prepares for the World Cup and Olympic Games, its leaders face a pivotal moment of resilience and reinvestment. Meanwhile, the city's core economic engines — from film to trade, real estate and technology — remain critical to the region and the nation. Tune in Wednesday as we discuss that and more with policymakers, business leaders and decision-makers shaping Los Angeles' future. Featured speakers include L.A. mayor Karen Bass, comedian Adam Conover, and more. RSVP👇

Texas regulators have been laser focused on figuring out how a tidal wave of data centers will impact the state's power grid. But until recently, they've ignored the impacts data centers could have on water. The state's draft 2027 State Water Plan doesn't mention data centers at all, and the Public Utility Commission of Texas is relying on a voluntary survey to estimate how much water data centers could use. Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin estimate they could use as much as 9 percent of the state's water by 2040. The lack of a statewide plan -- and the sheer lack of information -- could make it harder for local water officials to know how much water they have to spare, experts told me. https://lnkd.in/gcfDn7_q

President Donald Trump is flipping what had been a doomed lawsuit against the IRS into a free pass from the agency. And as Brian Faler reports, tax world is stunned by the settlement — in a case that would've been winnable for the government — that provides him, his family and his businesses sweeping protections against government scrutiny of his taxes. Ken Griffin, whose tax returns were also leaked by Charles Littlejohn, settled for just an apology from the IRS. He "should have asked for more," a former IRS lawyer said. Read more on POLITICO https://lnkd.in/e4fp9Sgc

With Capitol Hill deadlocked, OpenAI is lobbying for state legislatures to pass AI safety laws that the industry can live with. Chris Lehane, the company's chief global affairs officer, called the plan “reverse federalism." OpenAI’s quest has already found success in California and New York, he said — with Illinois as its next target. “What we’re basically trying to do here is use a bunch of the big states to come together and mirror each other to de facto create a national standard,” Lehane told us. He seeks to put together a national standard to address catastrophic AI risks. Worries about those risks are escalating as OpenAI, Anthropic and other leading tech companies release cutting-edge models capable of fueling destructive cyberattacks. Read the full story: https://politi.co/4v098qq

COLUMN | Prediction markets are blurring the line between investing and gambling. Congress might have to define the difference, writes our economics correspondent Victoria Guida. The issue took on new significance last year when prediction markets were allowed to enter the fray on sports betting, further blurring the distinction between trades made for financial reasons and trades made for entertainment purposes. The traditional financial industry has noticed — and some executives are raising alarms. Now, the regulatory lines are blurring, too, making this even more complicated. Read Guida’s full column: https://politi.co/3RbSIg5

The CEO of NextEra said the merger between the utility giant and Dominion Energy would result in lower costs for Dominion’s customers in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, in part through $2.25 billion in proposed bill credits to Dominion’s customers in those states over two years. But elected officials in Virginia, where Dominion is a powerful fixture in the commonwealth’s politics, are wary of NextEra’s claims that a combination creating a dominant utility holding company can hold down costs for ratepayers in the long-term. “This merger needs to be strongly scrutinized for how it will impact energy bills,” said Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), whose district includes “Data Center Alley” in northern Virginia, in a statement. “A company that specializes in building energy infrastructure just bought a company that likes to increase rates for new infrastructure.” More reactions here: https://lnkd.in/eBgQ6gkQ From Nico Portuondo, Adam Aton and myself