Excoriating Lincoln as a “woke” president, Trump today began demolition of the Lincoln Memorial. “People always complain that there’s not enough parking in that area, so we’re replacing it with a multi-level parking lot like no one has ever seen before,” he explained. “Probably the greatest in the world. Either that, or something with a lot of gold sh*t in it. Whatever. Who cares? I’ll forget about all of this by tomorrow anyway.” Congressional leaders were unaware that the demolition was taking place.

Trump assured reporters that Lincoln’s head would be saved. “It’s an extraordinary work of great historic significance,” Trump explained. But that was the first part of the monument to be destroyed, as this photo shows.

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Are Linda and I the only people left in the world who do not play Pickleball? Seems like it. Today’s puzzle was a paean to its popularity. PICKLEBALL was the theme’s revealer at 62A, clued with “Sports craze of the 2020s.” And three “rebus” squares all had words meaning “to be in a pickle.” JAM, MESS, and BIND. Last, PICKLE in the grid was crossed by CUKES, which are, after all, pickles in waiting. There was nice wordplay in that the three “pickle words” were embedded in six longer answers: NIN[JA M]ASTERS and BA[JA M]EXICO; THUM[B IND]EX and CA[BIN D]OORS; and JA[MES S]PADER and TI[MES S]QUARE.

The grid also featured a visit by XENA the warrior princess. Phil was scared of her, but here’s a nice shot of her pretty companion Gabrielle.

You’re in luck, girls — George is back! Help yourselves to some Diet Cokes and chill with us for awhile.

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At 23A, “‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast host Cooper” was an odd clue for ALEX, IMO. It’s a woman I’ve never heard of from under my rock. She performed a disrespectful “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” at Wrigley and was roundly booed by the crowd. I would have been among the boo birds. Is nothing sacred?

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Short one today. See you tomorrow!