Today in one sentence: Biden called for "an immediate ceasefire" in Gaza to "protect innocent civilians"; a federal judge denied Trump's request to dismiss the criminal charges that he mishandled classified documents; a Georgia judge rejected Trump’s attempt to get his criminal election interference case dismissed on First Amendment grounds; and the judge overseeing Trump’s criminal case in Manhattan rejected his effort to delay the trial beyond April 15.


1/ Biden called for “an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza to “protect innocent civilians.” During a reportedly tense phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden called the deaths of humanitarian workers caused by Israeli airstrikes and the overall humanitarian situation in Gaza “unacceptable.” Biden conditioned future U.S. support for Israel with Netanyahu implementing “specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers.” He also urged Netanyahu “to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home.” The White House added that “U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.” Secretary of State Tony Blinken echoed the point, saying: “If we don’t see the changes we need to see, there will be a change in our policy.” (New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / Associated Press / CNN / Axios)

  • The Biden administration authorized the transfer of over 1,000 500-pound bombs and over 1,000 small-diameter bombs to Israel. The authorization on the same day that Israeli airstrikes killed seven aid workers for the charity group World Central Kitchen in Gaza. (CNN / Washington Post)

2/ A federal judge denied Trump’s request to dismiss the criminal charges that he mishandled classified documents. Trump had argued that the Presidential Records Act protected him from prosecution. Judge Aileen Cannon, however, said the PRA “does not provide a pre-trial basis to dismiss” either the mishandling charges or the related obstruction charges against Trump. The decision comes two days after special counsel Jack Smith said Cannon was pursuing a legal premise about the PRA that was “wrong” and based on a “fundamentally flawed” understanding of the case that has “no basis in law or fact.” (Washington Post / NBC News / Axios / CNN / Associated Press / Politico)

3/ A Georgia judge rejected Trump’s attempt to get his criminal election interference case dismissed on First Amendment grounds. Trump had argued that he can’t be charged because his denials, challenges, and lies about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election were protected by his right to free speech, even if they were false. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, however, ruled that “the defense has not presented, nor is the Court able to find, any authority that the speech and conduct alleged is protected political speech.” McAfee added that First Amendment protections don’t shield Trump or the other defendants because the indictment alleges that their statements were made “in furtherance of criminal activity.” (CNN / Axios / NBC News / CNBC)

4/ The judge overseeing Trump’s criminal case in Manhattan rejected his effort to delay the trial beyond April 15. Justice Juan Merchan said Trump had “myriad opportunities” to make the argument that he was immune in the hush money case before March 7. The timing of Trump’s March 7 filing “raises real questions about the sincerity and actual purpose of the motion,” Merchan wrote in his six-page decision. Trump faces charges of falsifying business records during the 2016 presidential campaign in effort to buy the silence of a woman he had an affair with. (Washington Post / CNN / New York Times / Politico / NBC News)