Good morning. “While you were sleeping…”
That was the original challenge: analyze President Trump’s social-media behavior while many Americans are sleeping, particularly when he posts dozens of social-media items over the course of one night.
Each individual post might not tell a story, but the posts in aggregate tell quite a story.
And that’s the story WSJ journalists Anthony DeBarros and Annie Linskey told this week, working closely with our White House editor Andrew Restuccia.
Trump has posted on Truth Social at least 8,800 times during his second term. Nearly 50 times, he has gone on late-night binges (including this Monday). That is the window of activity DeBarros and Linskey focused on, using a combination of artificial-intelligence analysis and traditional reporting to bring the practice to life.
DeBarros built a data set that tracked more than 33,000 postings by Trump’s account since 2022. The key element: the date and time of each post, which quickly revealed patterns of rapid-fire postings of screengrabs and videos late at night. The data set also tracked each post’s text and images, including videos, and he used AI tools to identify the themes and people in them. In the end, though, a big chunk of the work came down to old-fashioned reporting—scrolling by hand through years of posts.
The final product is the most accurate portrait to-date of Trump’s overnight Truth Social behavior, which offers readers a rare window into the president’s priorities and mindset.
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People and Policies I’m Watching
Trump in China: The president continues his visit to Beijing. Read the latest here.
Adm. Brad Cooper: The Centcom commander, responsible for U.S. forces in the Middle East, will testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee at 10 a.m. ET.
JD Vance: The vice president will be in Maine to deliver remarks on the administration’s antifraud initiatives.
Kevin Warsh: The Senate approved Trump’s pick as the new chairman of the Federal Reserve.
What I’m Following
Xi Jinping told Trump that any mishandling of Taiwan could trigger “an extremely dangerous situation.” The Chinese leader’s warning raised a point of tension looming over what the U.S. president said at the start could be “the best summit ever.” Trump didn’t publicly respond to Xi’s statement.
Trump officials are exploring 250 new pardons for America’s 250th birthday. White House officials are discussing a plan for Trump to issue a wave of pardons this summer, according to people familiar with the matter. The plan, if carried out, would expand Trump’s already wide use of the pardon power.
Vance goes to war on Medicaid fraud. The vice president is set to open a new front in the administration’s “war on fraud,” directing all 50 states to bolster their antifraud efforts in accordance with federal law or risk losing federal Medicaid funding entirely. The White House believes some states are conspicuously lacking in their efforts.
Republicans worry that Trump isn’t focused enough on the midterms. Some Republicans privately say the president’s focus on construction projects such as the ballroom and the reflecting pool, and on the war with Iran, is signaling to voters that he isn’t fighting to lower prices.
What Else Is Happening
The CDC has increased the number of staff planning for hantavirus from three last week, to around 100.The Pentagon abruptly canceled the deployment of an armored brigade to Poland.Denise Powell has been declared the winner of a Democratic primary in Nebraska to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Don Bacon in the state’s only blue-leaning district.Eight tumult-filled years pushed Jerome Powell and the Fed to the limit.
What I’m Reading
AOC’s Plan to Win the Midterms (New York)Bombshell Fraud Case Takes Spotlight in High Stakes California Governor’s Race (Los Angeles Times)Five South Carolina Senate Republicans Reject Trump’s Call to Redraw Congressional Districts (Post and Courier)
About Me
I’m Damian Paletta, The Wall Street Journal’s Washington coverage chief. I’ve covered Washington for 22 years as a reporter and editor. I’ve covered the White House, Congress, national security, the federal budget, economics and multiple market meltdowns.WSJ Politics brings you an expert guide to what’s driving D.C., every weekday morning. Send your feedback to politics@wsj.com (if you’re reading this in your inbox, you can just hit reply). This edition was curated and edited in collaboration with Alistair Dawber and Alina Heineke. Got a tip for us? Here’s how to submit.
