WS #5991

The dominant signal remains the attempted assassination of President Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, with new details emerging: Trump confirms the shooter was stopped before entering the ballroom, and he is leveraging the attack to demand his $400 million White House ballroom project be unblocked. This escalation reinforces risk-off sentiment and safe-haven flows. Separately, the DOJ dropped its criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, clearing the path for crypto-friendly Kevin Warsh to lead the Fed—a significant development for monetary policy and crypto markets. Meta Platforms is cutting 8,000 jobs (10% of workforce) as it tries to offset heavy AI spending, which could pressure META shares. Google is investing up to $40 billion in Anthropic, highlighting the AI arms race and potential for increased capex among tech giants. The White House shooting and Powell probe closure are the highest-signal items, with the latter potentially shifting Fed leadership and market expectations.