Today in one sentence: Trump – who repealed an Obama-era rule that required “high-hazard” cargo trains to be equipped with an advanced braking technology – visited the site of a toxic train derailment in Ohio; the Biden administration issued a new immigration rule that would bar migrants from applying for asylum in the U.S. if they crossed the border illegally or failed to first apply for safe harbor in another country; Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were subpoenaed by the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Trump’s efforts to remain in office after losing the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol; Kevin McCarthy provided Fox News host Tucker Carlson with exclusive access to the Capitol surveillance footage from the Jan. 6 insurrection; and 50% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said their party has a better chance of winning the White House in 2024 with Biden as their nominee.

1/ Trump – who repealed an Obama-era rule that required “high-hazard” cargo trains to be equipped with an advanced braking technology – visited the site of a toxic train derailment in Ohio. “Unfortunately, as you know, in too many cases, your goodness and perseverance were met with indifference and betrayal, in some cases,” Trump said. In 2018, at the urging of railroad and industry lobbyists, the Trump administration repealed an Obama-era rule that required electronically controlled pneumatic brakes on trains hauling a certain amount of flammable liquids, such as crude oil and ethanol. While the Obama-era brake rule would not have directly applied to the train that derailed in East Palestine, rail experts said the accident would have been less severe had the train had the upgraded brakes. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, meanwhile, plans to visit the site of the train derailment on Thursday – 20 days after a 150-car train carrying oil and toxic chemicals derailed, caused a fire, and spilled toxic chemicals into the environment and community of 4,000. (Politico / Bloomberg / Associated Press / Politico / NBC News / CNN)

2/ The Biden administration issued a new immigration rule that would bar migrants from applying for asylum in the U.S. if they crossed the border illegally or failed to first apply for safe harbor in another country. The new rule would take effect on May 11 and remain in place for two years. May 11 is also the end date of the Title 42, a Trump-era pandemic emergency rule that has been used more than 2 million times to expel asylum seekers on public health grounds. (Politico / CNN / New York Times / USA Today / Washington Post)

3/ Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were subpoenaed by the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Trump’s efforts to remain in office after losing the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Jack Smith wants the couple to testify before a federal grand jury. Both Ivanka and Kushner served as senior Trump White House advisors. Smith previously issued a subpoena to Pence, who has said he will oppose the demand for his testimony, as well as Mark Meadows. (New York Times / CNBC)

4/ Kevin McCarthy provided Fox News host Tucker Carlson with exclusive access to the Capitol surveillance footage from the Jan. 6 insurrection. Carlson said he received “unfettered”access to 41,000 hours of surveillance footage, and that his producers have been looking at the video “trying to figure out what it means and how it contradicts or not the story we’ve been told for two years” about the riot. Five people died as a result of the attack, and 140 members of law enforcement were injured by the mob of Trump supporters. Democrats, meanwhile, criticized the move, calling it an “egregious security breach that endangers the hardworking women and men of the United States Capitol Police.” (Axios / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / NBC News / CNN / Associated Press)

  • Fox News feared losing viewers by airing truth about election, documents show. “Newly disclosed messages and testimony from some of the biggest stars and most senior executives at Fox News revealed that they privately expressed disbelief about President Donald J. Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, even though the network continued to promote many of those lies on the air.” (Washington Post / New York Times)
  • Arizona’s top prosecutor concealed records debunking election fraud claims. “Newly released documents show how Republican Mark Brnovich publicized an incomplete account of his office’s probe of the 2020 election in Maricopa County.” (Washington Post)

poll/ 50% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said their party has a better chance of winning the White House in 2024 with Biden as their nominee. In November, 54% reported “someone else” would give the Democrats a better chance of winning. (NPR)