GOP/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “House Republicans were in full-on damage control Friday [6-15-18] morning as they sought to downplay President Donald Trump’s comments that he wouldn’t support the GOP compromise bill. After toiling away for weeks on a hard-fought compromise bill that tackled border security and even delivered Trump his campaign promise of a border wall, Republican aides and members involved in the discussions were taken aback by the President’s impromptu interview with Fox News on the White House lawn where Trump insinuated he wouldn’t support a bill that had been negotiated with his administration’s involvement. Many members were desperate to believe that the President had either been referring to another bill or would reverse course later in the day — while conservatives cheered the President as rightfully demanding changes to the bill. One White House official who was watching the interview in a room with others said there were audible gasps when the President made the comment as staff immediately realized the potential consequences of the President’s remarks.”
-Lauren Fox, Tal Kopan, Ashley Killough and Pamela Brown, Tal Kopan, “Republicans scramble to understand if Trump just sunk their immigration effort,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, June 15, 2018 4:22 pm