Happy Friday! It’s almost Memorial Day weekend — or the unofficial start of summer! 🌞 It’s a quiet day in Washington. President Biden’s heading to Delaware, and Congress left town. Here’s what’s happening:

• The Bidens hosted a glitzy state dinner last night. Keep reading for the menu, red carpet celeb sightings and the decor.
• A Connecticut congresswoman declared her state as the pizza capital. The reactions from New York, Chicago and Detroit lawmakers have been incredible.
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is speaking at the Libertarian convention today.
• A new portrait of Kate, the Princess of Wales, has had mixed reactions.
• The Kansas City Chiefs will visit the White House next Friday.

I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.  

PROGRAMMING NOTE: The Hill’s 12:30 Report will be off Monday and Tuesday for a long weekend. We will be back Wednesday, May 29 with all the tea you missed. Enjoy your holiday weekend!

©  AP

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted Kenyan President William Ruto and Kenya’s first lady Rachel Ruto for a glitzy state dinner Thursday.

Some of the celeb sightings: Former President Clinton and Hillary Clinton to actor Sean Penn, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and LeVar Burton of "Reading Rainbow." Country star Brad Paisley performed. The Hill’s Judy Kurtz posted a list of other notable attendees.

The menu: The first course was a chilled heirloom tomato soup. The main course featured beef short ribs, butter-poached lobster, citrus butter, baby kale and sweet corn puree. The dessert was a white chocolate basket with banana ganache, raspberries, peaches and candied lime zest. 🗒️ The full menu

Harris and Emhoff taking prom pics: 📸 Here’s a photo of Vice President Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff before the dinner.

An AP reporter on the other side of the rope: The Associated Press’s Darlene Superville brought her nephew to the dinner. 📸 Here’s a photo

📹  Watch the Clintons’ entrance

Obama crashed for a few minutes: The Daily Mail’s Emily Goodin pointed out that former President Obama attended a VIP reception at the White House on Thursday and quickly stopped by the state dinner. “He stayed for about 10 minutes and left as toasts began,” Goodin noted. 📸 Photos of Obama briefly stopping by the state dinner

Here’s a clip of Brad Paisley’s performance: 📹 Watch

The Kansas City Chiefs will visit the White House next Friday to celebrate their Super Bowl victory. 

An 18-year-old broke into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and killed 19 children and two teachers. President Biden sent a letter to the families of the victims on Thursday, reaffirming his commitment to preventing gun violence.

Earlier this week: The victims’ families settled with the city for $2 million, according to CNN.

©  GIPHY/The Office

Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D) ruffled some feathers Wednesday when she declared from the House steps that Connecticut is the pizza capital of the U.S. The Hill’s Mychael Schnell wrote an incredible report on the drama she started.

She didn’t just talk the talk: She handed out boxes of pizza from the famous Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria.

At the risk of losing all of you, my beloved readers, I agree with DeLauro! But the best Connecticut pizza is, hands down, Colony Grill. Which, by the way, is now also in the DMV and Florida. IYKYK 😉

Lawmakers from districts near New York City, Chicago and Detroit vocally disagree.

Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.), a self-described pizza “expert,” told The Hill: “It’s absurd. I mean, c’mon, they’re fooling themselves, and they’re only going to live in total disappointment. New York is the pizza capital of the world.”

From Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.): “Vociferously disagree.”

From Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.): “I love my dear friend Rosa DeLauro, but to be frank, I had no idea she has such poor taste in pizza. It’s no question that Chicago’s deep-dish reigns supreme. I guess I’ll have to give her a taste of what real pizza tastes like.”

Sorry, congresswoman. That’s just objectively wrong. But if you’re doing a pizza tasting, call me.

Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.): “New Haven and New York pizza is way too thin. Chicago pizza is basically lasagna. Detroit style is light, crispy and made the right way. There’s nothing better.”

OK, this comment about Chicago pizza being lasagna is hilarious.

Ah haha, Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.) understands Capitol Hill dynamics: “Listen, they have great pizza in New Haven. I love Rosa DeLauro; she’s the top Democrat on Appropriations, so I will always praise her pizza,” Suozzi said.

I could keep going with these incredible quotes, but I’ll stop here. The full piece is worth reading.

Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) posted: “While I was busy on the House floor this afternoon, my Chief Fetch Officer, Sam, made sure to work on important pawlicy at my desk.” Photo of Joyce’s office ‘CFO’ Sam — yes, Sam is wearing a tie. It was a session day.

©  GIPHY/Election 2024

Former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley decided to back former President Trump, despite a bitter primary with back-and-forth personal attacks. The Hill’s Alex Gangitano and Julia Manchester write how Haley’s nod is a big deal for Trump.

For example: “While Trump steamrolled though the primaries, a substantial protest vote has emerged for Haley in contest after contest — a concern for the ex-president’s camp, though he brushed it off. Haley’s decision could limit that protest. At a minimum, it means the woman making headlines for winning such support is throwing her weight behind her rival.”

And then there is the financial aspect: “Haley’s public comments saying she would vote for Trump could also be interpreted as a signal to her donors that they have the greenlight to put financial resources behind Trump.” (The Hill)

Trump gave Haley a shout-out Thursday: “I appreciated what she said,” Trump told Long Island’s News 12. You know, we had a nasty campaign. It was pretty nasty. But she’s a very capable person and I’m sure she’s going to be on our team in some form. Absolutely.”

‘Trump’s Pattern of Sowing Election Doubt Intensifies in 2024’: The New York Times

‘Trump-RFK Jr. feud comes to a head at Libertarian convention’: The Hill

‘Trump’s V.P. Pageant Has an Unexpectedly Strong Contender: Tom Cotton’: The New York Times

‘Why Nikki Haley fell in line’: Op-ed in The Washington Post

‘Jailed Trump Adviser Peter Navarro Says He Doesn’t Want a Pardon: “I Have No Regrets”’: The Wall Street Journal

🍷 Celebrate: Tomorrow is National Wine Day!

😎 Getting traction: CNBC’s Jennier Liu writes that “Millennials are ‘quiet vacationing’ rather than asking their boss for PTO: ‘There’s a giant workaround culture.’”

🎨 So, this *wasn’t* ChatGPT?: A new portrait of Kate, the Princess of Wales, has been unveiled. It’s getting … mixed reviews. 📸 The portrait on the cover of Tatler magazine

• ‘Why Does the New Kate Middleton Portrait Look Nothing Like Her?’: New York Magazine

🐶 ✈️Please close your tray tables, put away your tennis balls and sit like good boys. We are about to land: A new airline for dogs, “Bark Air,” had its first flight on Thursday. (CBS News)

⛽ This is a good time to fill up the tank: Gas prices are dropping ahead of Memorial Day weekend, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The House and Senate are out. President Biden is headed for Delaware. Vice President Harris is in Washington. (all times Eastern)

• Today – Sunday: 2024 Libertarian National Convention in Washington, D.C. 📆 Convention speakers and schedule
• 12:30 p.m.: Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken host a luncheon in honor of Kenyan President William Ruto and Kenyan first lady Rachel Ruto. 💻 Livestream
• 12:50 p.m.: The Bidens arrive in Wilmington, Del.
• 3:30 p.m.: Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the Libertarian Party’s convention. 💻 Livestream
• Saturday: Former President Trump speaks at the Libertarian convention.

To get you in the holiday weekend spirit, watch Oatmeal the dog learn to stand in the pool. The progression is *chef’s kiss.*

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