Retribution Lands at Cafe Milano

Café Milano turned into Washington’s unofficial newsroom as ABC News’ chief correspondent Jonathan Karl was toasted by Franco Nuschese for the release of his latest political chronicle: Retribution. The Georgetown power destination—equal parts embassy salon and congressional clubhouse—was buzzing well before the first glass of Prosecco was poured. The mood? A cross between a press gaggle and a reunion of the capital’s well-briefed survivors.

Karl, as ever, wore the calm precision of a reporter who’s seen too much to be starstruck. Retribution—his multiple deep dive into the Trump years—arrives as both an insider’s postscript and a moral inventory of how Washington has weathered its most combustible era. Guests leaned in for his off-record asides, though most conversations revolved around who might be next to write the definitive chapter.

Politicos, producers, columnists and the occasional Cabinet veteran filled the room, trading gentle jabs about polling numbers and the latest staff reshuffles. The Milanese-style buffet kept the chatter flowing, along with the steady parade of sparkling wine and handshakes that signal campaign season’s unofficial opening. By night’s end, one thing was clear: in a town addicted to revelation, Karl’s even-handed prose remains its most trusted confession booth.

Read more here.