BORDER/CONGRESS/NANCY PELOSI/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “After days sequestered behind closed doors, President Donald Trump let loose Thursday [1-31-19], holding forth on border security negotiations, North Korea and other topics from the Oval Office. Trump invited reporters in for the 40-minute session, which broke a five-day stretch with no public events from the typically media-hungry leader. Up to that point, Republicans and Democrats alike seemed just fine with Trump hanging back as legislators try to work out a deal to keep the government open and resolve a standoff over funding for the president’s long-sought wall at the southern border. The president’s comments underscored the feeling among lawmakers that Trump was not always helpful in the negotiations. Trump accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of ‘playing games’ and said he was not expecting much from Congress.”
–Associated Press, “Trump Breaks Brief Public Silence During Border Negotiations,” The New York Times online, January 30, 2019