“The department likely held its nose and winced in making the argument, but they’re playing the long game,” said Michael Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor in Washington, DC. “They don’t want to be seen as pro-Trump, but they are looking at protection of federal officials and the President in the future.” Why the Biden Justice Department wants to help Donald Trump fight a defamation lawsuit.

+ Slate: Why Is Merrick Garland Defending Donald Trump?

+ WaPo: “The Justice Department in a court filing Tuesday said it can ‘vigorously’ defend a religious exemption from federal civil rights law that allows federally funded religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQ students, a move that surprised some LGBTQ advocates who said the wording went further than just an obligation to defend an existing law.”