CLIMATE CHANGE/POLITICS: “Congressional West Coast Democrats are calling on their states’ governors to uphold the core tenets of the Paris climate agreement in the wake of President Donald Trump’s expected move to pull the US out of the worldwide accord. Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, Jared Huffman of California, and Suzan DelBene of Washington, along […]
6/1/2017
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS/INTELLIGENCE: “House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes continues to be a powerful force in the House’s Russia investigation, despite his promise that he was stepping aside as the head of the probe as he came under scrutiny himself from the House ethics committee. The latest example came Wednesday [5-31-7] afternoon, when Nunes issued three […]
6/1/2017
CHINA/EU/FOREIGN POLICY: “European Union and Chinese leaders will gather in the EU capital Thursday [6-1-17] to strengthen ties amid increasingly tense relations with the U.S., but a brewing fight over investments bedevils their efforts to tighten economic links. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will seek joint responses to global issues and firmer bilateral relations. The EU […]
6/1/2017
CLIMATE CHANGE/EPA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/SCOTT PRUITT: “Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt on Thursday [6-1-17] would not say whether President Donald Trump still considers climate change a ‘hoax.’ When flatly asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper, ‘Does the President believe climate change is a hoax?’ the EPA administrator responded: ‘This is not about whether climate change […]
6/1/2017
OBAMA: “The big story is the ‘unmasking and surveillance’ of people that took place during the Obama Administration.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, June 1, 2017 06:05am […]
6/1/2017
ATTORNEY GENERAL/LEGAL/TRUMP PEOPLE/JEFF SESSIONS: “Congressional investigators are examining whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions had an additional private meeting with Russia’s ambassador during the presidential campaign, according to Republican and Democratic Hill sources and intelligence officials briefed on the investigation. Investigators on the Hill are requesting additional information, including schedules from Sessions, a source with knowledge […]
5/31/2017
CLIMATE CHANGE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump is expected to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement, three officials with knowledge of the decision said, making good on a campaign pledge but severely weakening the landmark 2015 climate change accord that committed nearly every nation to take action to curb the warming of the […]
5/31/2017
DEMS/HILLARY: “Crooked Hillary Clinton now blames everybody but herself, refuses to say she was a terrible candidate. Hits Facebook & even Dems & DNC.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 31, 2017 07:40pm […]
5/31/2017
ETHICS/LOBBYING/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump has given at least 16 White House staff members dispensation to work on policy matters they handled while employed as lobbyists or to interact with their former colleagues in private-sector jobs, according to records released late Wednesday [5-31-7]. The details on these so-called ethics waivers — more than five times […]
5/31/2017
CLIMATE CHANGE/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Momentous arguments inside the West Wing over the future of the Paris climate accord became a messy public spectacle on Wednesday [5-31-7], with some aides saying that President Trump had decided to abandon the landmark global warming agreement while others insisted that no decision had been made. Three administration officials with […]
5/31/2017
TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “There was a time in the not-too-distant past when President Trump refrained from flamethrowing messages on Twitter. That time is over. Never mind that his aides have asked him to stop. Never mind that now the lawyers have told him to stop. Even though his White House has been warned that tweets […]
5/31/2017
CLIMATE CHANGE/JOE BIDEN: “Climate change is an existential threat to our future—staying in #ParisAgreement is the best way to protect our children & global leadership” -Joe Biden, Twitter.com, May 31, 2017 6:07 pm […]
5/31/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/VIETNAM: “U.S. President Donald Trump discussed trade with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a White House visit on Wednesday [5-31-17] and welcomed the signing of business deals worth billions of dollars and the jobs they would bring. General Electric Co (GE.N) said earlier it had signed deals with Vietnam worth […]
5/31/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “It was an honor to welcome the Prime Minister of Vietnam, Nguyễn Xuân Phúc to the @WhiteHouse this afternoon. https://t.co/6YbrIvJUCY” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 31, 2017 04:52pm […]
5/31/2017
LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House on Wednesday [5-31-17] took its first public steps to cordon off response efforts to the Russia probe from the day-to-day work of the administration, acknowledging openly that President Donald Trump had hired an outside attorney to handle the swirling controversy. Asked at an off-camera briefing for reaction to upcoming […]
5/31/2017
VETS: “Secretary David Shulkin on Wednesday [5-31-17] briefed reporters about changes at the Department of Veterans Affairs, putting a different face behind the White House podium as top aides consider reshaping the way the Trump administration briefs the press daily. Sean Spicer, the aide usually tasked with going camera before reporters, also stepped behind the […]
5/31/2017
CLIMATE CHANGE/ELON MUSK: “Elon Musk says he’ll step down from President Donald Trump’s advisory councils if he decides to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. The CEO of both Tesla (TSLA) and SpaceX tweeted Wednesday [5-31-17] that he’s done everything possible to lobby the president to keep the U.S. in the treaty. ‘Don’t know which […]
5/31/2017
CLIMATE CHANGE/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Democrats quickly denounced the Trump administration’s expected move to withdraw from the Paris climate accord Wednesday [5-31-7], calling it a political decision with grave ramifications for the well-being of the planet. The decision, which will be announced this week, would put the US at odds with nearly every other nation on […]
5/31/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “We traveled the world to strengthen long-standing alliances, and to form new partnerships. See more at:… https://t.co/FT4kyPoAl0” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 31, 2017 03:04pm […]
5/31/2017
ECONOMY: “Economic growth slowed across parts of the U.S. in recent weeks, and some firms have become a bit less optimistic about the future, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve. ‘A majority of districts reported that firms expressed positive near-term outlooks; however, optimism waned somewhat in a few districts,’ the Fed said […]
5/31/2017
CUBA/FOREIGN POLICY: “President Donald Trump is expected to roll back portions of the Obama opening with Cuba as early as June, according to a US government official involved in the review of current US policy toward the communist-run island. That official, as well as other current and former administration officials and Cuba experts, expect an […]
5/31/2017
FBI/JAMES COMEY/LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Fired FBI director James Comey plans to testify publicly in the Senate as early as next week to confirm bombshell accusations that President Donald Trump pressured him to end his investigation into a top Trump aide’s ties to Russia, a source close to the issue said Wednesday. Final details are still […]
5/31/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump is expected to renew the waiver that keeps the US embassy in Tel Aviv, avoiding, for now, a controversial move to Jerusalem, several senior administration and diplomatic sources told CNN. Trump promised throughout the 2016 campaign that he would move the US embassy from to Jerusalem, an action […]
5/31/2017
CLIMATE CONTROL/DONALDISM: “I will be announcing my decision on the Paris Accord over the next few days. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 31, 2017 08:08am […]
5/31/2017
HEALTHCARE/POLITICS: “Hopefully Republican Senators, good people all, can quickly get together and pass a new (repeal & replace) HEALTHCARE bill. Add saved $’s.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 31, 2017 08:05am […]
5/31/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump has been handing out his cellphone number to world leaders and urging them to call him directly, an unusual invitation that breaks diplomatic protocol and is raising concerns about the security and secrecy of the U.S. commander in chief’s communications. Trump has urged leaders of Canada and Mexico […]
5/31/2017
CELEBS/KATHY GRIFFIN/TRUMP FAMILY: “Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 31, 2017 06:14am […]
5/31/2107
INTELLIGENCE/LEGAL/RUSSIA: “The House Intelligence Committee issued seven subpoenas Wednesday [5-31-17] as part of its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, including subpoenas to former national security adviser Michael Flynn and President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. ‘As part of our ongoing investigation into Russian active measures during the 2016 campaign, today we […]
5/31/2017
LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE/CARTER PAGE: “So now it is reported that the Democrats, who have excoriated Carter Page about Russia, don’t want him to testify. He blows away their… case against him & now wants to clear his name by showing ‘the false or misleading testimony by James Comey, John Brennan…’ Witch Hunt!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May […]
5/31/2017
DONALDISM: “Who can figure out the true meaning of ‘covfefe’ ??? Enjoy!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 31, 2017 05:09am […]
5/31/2017
CHINA/TRUMP FAMILY/IVANKA: “A man has been arrested and two are missing in China after conducting an investigation into a Chinese company making Ivanka Trump-branded shoes, China Labor Watch, a New York-based advocacy group, said on Wednesday [5-31-17]. Labor activist Hua Haifeng was arrested in Jiangxi province on suspicion of illegally using eavesdropping equipment, according to […]
5/31/2017
LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE/CARTER PAGE: “U.S. President Donald Trump sought to insert himself into congressional investigations on Russia on Wednesday [5-31-17], urging lawmakers to hear from one of his former advisers, Carter Page, to counter testimony by directors of the FBI and CIA. Trump has been dismissive of probes by the FBI and several congressional panels into […]
5/30/2017
FBI/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump will interview two more candidates for F.B.I. director on Tuesday [5-30-17] as he resumes his search for a replacement for James B. Comey, who was dismissed earlier this month, the White House said. Mr. Trump will meet with Christopher Wray, a former assistant attorney general overseeing the criminal division under […]
5/30/2017
TRUMP PEOPLE/MIKE DUBKE: “Michael Dubke, the White House communications director, announced on Tuesday [5-30-17] that he is resigning, as President Trump weighs a broader shake-up of his staff in the face of multiple investigations. Mr. Dubke, a veteran Republican strategist who served three months in the role, said that he offered his resignation on May […]
5/30/2017
LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE/MICHAEL FLYNN: “Last fall, as retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn traveled the country stumping for Donald Trump, his business partner holed up in a small Washington hotel room with the former head of Turkish military intelligence to work on a special project. ‘General, hi. I’m Bijan Kian, welcome to Washington, D.C.,’ Mr. Kian, the […]
5/30/2017
MILITARY: “The Pentagon is testing its ability to shoot down an intercontinental ballistic missile using its own upgraded long-range interceptor missile on Tuesday [5-30-17], widely seen as a test of US ability to counter a North Korean missile launch. The Missile Defense Agency launched a ground-based interceptor from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to […]
5/30/2017
LEGAL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, has received and rejected a request for documents as part of Congress’s ongoing investigation into Russia’s election meddling and contacts with the Trump campaign. Cohen, a longtime attorney for the Trump Organization, remains a personal lawyer for Trump. He served as a cable television surrogate […]
5/30/2017
BUDGET/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s vow to massively rebuild the US armed forces comes with an interesting wrinkle in his first budget request: a call to close military bases. Trump’s Pentagon is asking for a new commission to study closing or revamping bases in its budget request, as the Defense Department says it has […]
5/30/2017
POLITICS/SUPREME COURT/VOTING: “During a lull between elections, the Supreme Court is taking on a hot-button political issue that could change the way legislative lines are drawn across the country. It’s called gerrymandering — a term that arises from a district shaped like a salamander that was drawn during the 1810 term of Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge […]
5/30/2017
LEGAL/TRUMP PEOPLE/MICHAEL COHEN: “One of President Donald Trump’s personal attorneys, Michael Cohen, has received an ‘invitation to provide information and testimony’ that pertains to the Russia investigation to House and Senate intelligence committees, Cohen has confirmed. ‘I declined the invitation to participate, as the request was poorly phrased, overly broad and not capable of being […]
5/30/2017
INTELLIGENCE/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE/MICHAEL FLYNN: “Former national security adviser Michael Flynn will provide documents requested by the Senate intelligence committee — including an initial batch by June 6 — a person close to Flynn said Tuesday [5-30-17]. The source said that Flynn’s lawyers alerted the intelligence committee Tuesday that he would respond to the two subpoenas sent […]
5/30/2017
DONALDISM: “Despite the constant negative press covfefe” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 30, 2017 11:06pm […]
5/30/2017
TRUMP PEOPLE/MIKE DUBKE: “Mike Dubke, President Donald Trump’s communications director, has resigned as Trump considers a larger personnel shakeup to confront the growing scandals weighing down his administration. The veteran GOP strategist privately announced his resignation in a meeting with the president on May 18, and Trump accepted immediately, Dubke said in an interview. He […]
5/30/2017
2016 ELECTION/RUSSIA: “Russian government officials discussed having potentially ‘derogatory’ information about then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and some of his top aides in conversations intercepted by US intelligence during the 2016 election, according to two former intelligence officials and a congressional source. One source described the information as financial in nature and said the discussion centered […]
5/30/2017
TRUMP FAMILY/JARED KUSHNR: “RT @foxandfriends: Jared Kushner didn’t suggest Russian communications channel in meeting, source says https://t.co/nF6bM1FEt1” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 30, 2017 09:01am […]
5/30/2017
HOLIDAY: “RT @Scavino45: President Trump pays respects and delivers #MemorialDay remarks at Arlington National Cemetery. https://t.co/D5rl948J6u” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 30, 2017 09:00am […]
5/30/2017
POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. Senate should switch to 51 votes, immediately, and get Healthcare and TAX CUTS approved, fast and easy. Dems would do it, no doubt!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 30, 2017 08:59am […]
5/30/2017
CYBERWAR/NATIONAL SECURITY: “Between February and May, South Korean cybersecurity experts noticed intrusions at government-affiliated websites following a new pattern: They used a technique that doesn’t require tainted email links or forceful server assaults. The culprit, the experts concluded: North Korea. Pyongyang has caught blame for headline-grabbing cyberattacks dating back to 2014’s Sony Pictures Entertainment hack […]
5/30/2017
SUPREME COURT/VOTING: “The U.S. Supreme Court will consider giving states more freedom to rid their voter rolls of people who haven’t cast ballots in a while. Agreeing to hear an appeal by Ohio, the justices said they’ll consider reinstating a purging technique used by the state before a federal appeals court barred the practice. The […]
5/30/2017
FAKE NEWS/MEDIA/RUSSIA: “Russian officials must be laughing at the U.S. & how a lame excuse for why the Dems lost the election has taken over the Fake News.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 30, 2017 06:04am […]
5/30/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/GERMANY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 30, 2017 05:40am […]
5/29/2017
LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP FAMILY/JARED KUSHNER: “Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, was looking for a direct line to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia — a search that in mid-December found him in a room with a Russian banker whose financial institution was deeply intertwined with Russian intelligence, and remains under sanction by the United […]
5/29/2017
RELIGION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WOMEN: “Federal officials, following through on a pledge by President Trump, have drafted a rule to roll back a federal requirement that many religious employers provide birth control coverage in health insurance plans. The mandate for free contraceptive coverage was one of the most hotly contested Obama administration policies adopted under the Affordable […]
5/29/2017
SEC: “The nation’s top securities regulator is going to have a decidedly Sullivan & Cromwell look to it. Jay Clayton, who left Sullivan & Cromwell, the prominent New York law firm, to become the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, is expected to tap his former colleague Steven R. Peikin to serve as the […]
5/29/2017
TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The boldest ideas for changing the nation’s tax code are either dead or on political life support, as the Republican effort in Congress to reshape the tax system moves much more slowly than lawmakers and their allies in business had hoped. The clear winner, so far, is the status quo. Republicans, who […]
5/29/2017
2016 ELECTION/FBI/INTELLIGENCE/RUSSIA: “Robert Mueller quickly got to work as special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election: building a team, designing a budget and forcing the Federal Bureau of Investigation to withhold from Congress documents he may be interested in—all in his first full week on the job… Deputy Attorney General […]
5/29/2017
HOLIDAY: “I look forward to paying my respects to our brave men and women on this Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery later this morning.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 29, 2017 07:36am […]
5/29/2017
HOLIDAY: “Today we remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in serving. Thank you, God bless your families & God bless the USA!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 29, 2017 07:35am […]
5/29/2017
CHINA/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA: “North Korea has shown great disrespect for their neighbor, China, by shooting off yet another ballistic missile…but China is trying hard!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 29, 2017 07:18am […]
5/29/2017
HOLIDAY: “Honoring the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to America. Home of the free, because of the brave. #MemorialDay??” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 29, 2017 07:11am […]
5/29/2017
POLITICS: “The special election in Georgia’s Sixth Congressional District is on its way to being the most expensive U.S. representative’s race in history, already exceeding $37 million with several weeks still to go before the runoff vote on June 20. Two candidates, Democrat Jon Ossoff, who has never held elected office, and Republican Karen Handel, […]
5/28/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump, who has never made a secret of his hostility toward Iran, called recently for a grand regional strategy among Sunni nations to isolate the country. But Tehran received that threat with surprising equanimity because, in practice, the Trump administration has shown a willingness to do business with the country… […]
5/28/2017
FAKE NEWS/MEDIA/POLITICS: “The Fake News Media works hard at disparaging & demeaning my use of social media because they don’t want America to hear the real story!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 28, 2017 07:20pm […]
5/28/2017
HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “I suggest that we add more dollars to Healthcare and make it the best anywhere. ObamaCare is dead – the Republicans will do much better!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 28, 2017 06:57pm […]
5/28/2017
RELIGION/STATE/TRUMP PEOPLE/REX TILLERSON: “In an apparent break with a nearly two-decades long bipartisan tradition, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has declined to host an event commemorating the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to two administration officials familiar with the decision. The officials said Tillerson rejected a request by the State Department’s Office of Religion […]
5/28/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/INTELLIGENCE/LEAKS/UK: “British Prime Minister May was very angry that the info the U.K. gave to U.S. about Manchester was leaked. Gave me full details!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 28, 2017 09:43am […]
5/28/2017
FAKE NEWS/MEDIA/POLITICS: “Does anyone notice how the Montana Congressional race was such a big deal to Dems & Fake News until the Republican won? V was poorly covered” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 28, 2017 07:45am […]
5/28/2017
FAKE NEWS/MEDIA: “Whenever you see the words ‘sources say’ in the fake news media, and they don’t mention names… it is very possible that those sources don’t exsist but are made up by fake news writers. #FakeNews is the enemy!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 28, 2017 07:34 to 7:35am […]
5/28/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Just returned from Europe. Trip was a great success for America. Hard work but big results!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 28, 2017 07:10am […]
5/28/2017
POLITICS/TAXES: “The massive TAX CUTS/REFORM that I have submitted is moving along in the process very well, actually ahead of schedule. Big benefits to all!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 28, 2017 07:07am […]
5/28/2017
POLITICS: “Big win in Montana for Republicans!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 28, 2017 07:02am […]
5/28/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Just arrived in Italy after having a very successful NATO meeting in Brussels. Told other nations they must pay more, not fair to U.S.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 28, 2017 06:57am […]
5/28/2017
POLITICS: “Big win in Montana for Republicans! We” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 28, 2017 06:57am […]
5/27/2017
LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP FAMILY/JARED KUSHNER: “Once the untouchable son-in-law in a White House where top aides jockey for the president’s ear, Jared Kushner has now been cast in a new role: reassuring people that he’s not going to resign, while colleagues question whether he can survive politically. Any victory lap Kushner hoped to enjoy after pulling off […]
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Big G7 meetings today. Lots of very important matters under discussion. First on the list, of course, is terrorism. #G7Taormina” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 27, 2017 04:58am […]
5/27/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/JOBS/TRADE DEALS: “Bringing hundreds of billions of dollars back to the U.S.A. from the Middle East – which will mean JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 27, 2017 12:19pm […]
5/27/2017
ECONOMY: “I look forward to reading the @CommerceGov 232 analysis of steel and aluminum- to be released in June. Will take major action if necessary.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 27, 2017 11:22am […]
5/27/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Just left the #G7Summit. Had great meetings on everything, especially on trade where… ‘we push for the removal of all trade-distorting practices….to foster a truly level playing field.’ “ -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 27, 2017 11:16 to 11:17am […]
5/27/2017
CLIMATE CHANGE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “I will make my final decision on the Paris Accord next week!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 27, 2017 07:17am […]
5/27/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Many NATO countries have agreed to step up payments considerably, as they should. Money is beginning to pour in- NATO will be much stronger.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 27, 2017 05:03am […]
5/26/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s push to get in front of the pack at a NATO summit generated indignation in the Balkans and garnered attention on social media — but the man he shoved aside took it in stride. At Thursday’s gathering in Brussels, Trump put his right hand on the right arm […]
5/26/2017
HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS/PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS: “Shortly after President Trump took office, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, met privately with his colleagues to discuss the Republican agenda. Repealing the Affordable Care Act was at the top, he said. But replacing it would be really hard. Mr. McConnell was right. The many meetings Republicans held to discuss […]
5/26/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Chinese officials have told the U.S. that they’ve tightened inspections and policing along the border with North Korea as part of U.N. sanctions aimed at halting Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile activities, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia said Friday [5-26-17]. Beijing’s action reflects a growing awareness about the urgent […]
5/26/2017
TRUMP FAMILY/MELANIA: “On behalf of @FLOTUS Melania and myself, thank you for a wonderful dinner and evening, President Sergio Mattarella. #G7Taormina” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 26, 2017 03:39pm […]
5/26/2017
TERRORISM: “Terrorists are engaged in a war against civilization- it is up to all who value life to confront & defeat this evil➡️https://t.co/haeuvCIF6I” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 26, 2017 03:26pm […]
5/26/2017
INTELLIGENCE/LEGAL/POLITICS/RUSSIA: “Rep. Devin Nunes, who stepped aside from leading the House intelligence committee’s Russia probe under a cloud of controversy, still is in charge of a key decision: Whether to issue subpoenas to obtain records and testimony central to the investigation. In a private meeting this week, House intelligence committee members discussed their plans to […]
5/26/2017
FBI: “The Department of Justice declined for now to provide documents to House oversight committee chairman Jason Chaffetz related to former FBI Director James Comey’s communications with President Donald Trump. Citing the hiring of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the FBI said Thursday [5-25-17] the agency is ‘undertaking appropriate consultation to ensure all relevant interests implicated […]
5/26/2017
FBI/INTELLIGENCE/RUSSIA/TRUMP FAMILY/JARED KUSHNER: “The FBI’s criminal probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election is increasingly touching on the multiple roles of senior White House adviser Jared Kushner on both the Trump campaign and the Trump transition team. Points of focus that pertain to Kushner include: the Trump campaign’s 2016 data analytics operation; his […]
5/26/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Leaders from the world’s major industrialized nations began talks on Friday [5-26-17] at a G7 summit in Sicily which is expected to expose deep divisions with U.S. President Donald Trump over trade and climate change. The two-day summit, at a cliff-top hotel overlooking the Mediterranean, began a day after Trump blasted […]
5/25/2017
MIKE PENCE/POLITICS: “Vice President Mike Pence’s attempt to peel away House Republicans to support the White House’s tax plan spurred a backlash among a critical bloc of conservative lawmakers Wednesday, Hill sources said. Pence pressed Republican Study Committee Chairman Mark Walker to poll his members to see if they would split with House Speaker Paul […]
5/26/2017
POLITICS/SUPPORTERS: “The angry forces that propelled President Trump’s rise are beginning to frame and define the rest of the Republican Party. When GOP House candidate Greg Gianforte assaulted a reporter who had attempted to ask him a question Wednesday night in Montana, many saw not an isolated outburst by an individual, but the obvious, violent […]
5/26/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Getting ready to engage G7 leaders on many issues including economic growth, terrorism, and security.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 26, 2017 05:14am […]
5/26/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Just arrived in Italy for the G7. Trip has been very successful. We made and saved the USA many billions of dollars and millions of jobs.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 26, 2017 05:13am […]
5/25/2017
CAMPAIGN/JOBS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Carrier, the company President Trump pledged to keep on American soil, informed the state of Indiana this week that it will soon begin cutting 632 workers from an Indianapolis factory. The manufacturing jobs will move to Monterrey, Mexico, where the minimum wage is $3.90. That was not supposed to happen, according to […]
5/25/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump on Thursday [5-25-17] punctured any illusions that he was on a fence-mending tour of Europe, declining to explicitly endorse NATO’s mutual defense pledge and lashing out at fellow members for what he called their ‘chronic underpayments’ to the alliance. On a tense day when Mr. Trump brought the ‘America […]
5/25/2017
IMMIGRATION/TRAVEL BAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A federal appeals court refused Thursday [5-25-17] to reinstate President Trump’s revised travel ban, saying it ‘drips with religious intolerance, animus and discrimination.’ The decision, from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, in Richmond, Va., was a fresh setback for the administration’s efforts to limit travel from […]
5/25/2017
INTELLIGENCE/LEAKS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump on Thursday [5-24-17] condemned ‘leaks of sensitive information,’ responding to a complaint by Britain’s prime minister, Theresa May, over disclosures of details from the investigation into Britain’s deadliest terrorist attack since 2005. ‘The alleged leaks coming out of government agencies are deeply troubling,’ Mr. Trump said in a statement. ‘These […]
5/25/2017
TRUMP FAMILY/MELANIA: “Just arrived in Taormina with @FLOTUS Melania. #G7Summit #USA?? https://t.co/l7aXolKBiK” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 25, 2017 05:44pm […]
5/25/2017
FBI/INTELLIGENCE/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Federal Bureau of Investigation has declined for now to give the House Oversight Committee documents it had requested regarding communications between former FBI chief James Comey and President Donald Trump, the head of the panel said on Thursday [5-25-17]. The FBI said it was still evaluating the request, which had a […]
5/25/2017
DONALDISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Thank you for your support. Together, we will MAKE AMERICA SAFE AND GREAT AGAIN! #POTUSAbroad #USA?? https://t.co/42vCwr5GkA” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 25, 2017 03:06pm […]