POLITICS/TRUMP FAMILY/DONALD JR/ERIC TRUMP: “While President Donald Trump has been out of the country meeting with foreign leaders on his first official overseas trip, members of his family have been working back home to increase their engagement with the Republican party establishment. Two of Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, along with Eric’s wife, Lara, […]
5/25/2017
MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A Pentagon investigation has found that more than 100 civilians were killed after the U.S. dropped a bomb on a building in Mosul, Iraq, in March. The probe found that the U.S. bomb triggered secondary explosions from devices clandestinely planted there by ISIS fighters. And the military says the secondary blasts caused […]
5/25/2017
NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Today’s ceremony is a day for both remembrance and resolve. #NATOMeeting #NATO https://t.co/YNZV3bTek” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 25, 2017 12:54pm […]
5/25/2017
NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump on Thursday [5-25-17] chastised NATO leaders for not paying their fair share to protect the alliance, complaining in front of them that the defense burden the United States has shouldered for many years is “not fair” to its taxpayers. Trump also did not explicitly affirm that an attack on […]
5/25/2017
FBI/TRUMP PEOPLE/JOE LIEBERMAN: “Former U.S. Senator and Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman has withdrawn from consideration to be the next director of the FBI, citing the potential for an appearance of a conflict of interest, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday [5-25-17]. In a letter to President Donald Trump, Lieberman cited his work […]
5/25/2017
HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “The Republican senator who made headlines for insisting the GOP health care bill pass the ‘Jimmy Kimmel test’ said the health care replacement plan does nothing to address President Donald Trump’s past pledges for comprehensive care. ‘We have to, if you will, fulfill President Trump’s campaign promise,’ Sen. Bill Cassidy told CNN’s Chris Cuomo […]
5/25/2017
ATTORNEY GENERAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE/JEFF SESSIONS: “Attorney General Jeff Sessions failed to properly disclose his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in a security clearance application, CNN reported on Wednesday [5-24-17] night. Sessions attributed the oversight to advice he received from an FBI employee who helped him fill out the form. The FBI employee told Sessions he […]
5/25/2017
LEAKS/TERRORISM/UK: “Britain has suspended intelligence sharing on the Manchester bombing with the US after American officials leaked information to the media, an issue that British Prime Minister Theresa May will raise with US President Donald Trump later Thursday [5-25-17]. US officials released the suspected bomber’s name and other details of the investigation into the deadly […]
5/24/2017
JAMES COMEY/PAUL RYAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “House Speaker Paul Ryan said Wednesday [5-24-17] he doesn’t agree with President Donald Trump that former FBI Director James Comey is a ‘nut job.’ His remarks were in response to a New York Times report that the President bragged to two top Russian officials earlier this month that firing ‘nut […]
5/25/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/INTELLIGENCE/LEAKS: “With multiple high-profile intelligence leaks in recent weeks, the US has now managed to upset two of its closest allies by allowing the disclosure of sensitive information — a trend that is raising concerns around potentially jeopardizing the trust of key information-sharing partners. Just days after President Donald Trump was reported to have […]
5/25/2017
TRUMP FAMILY/MELANIA: “RT @FLOTUS: Thank u to Queen Fabiola University Hospital! Enjoyed creating paper flowers with amazing patients & getting a tour. #Brussels #Belgium” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 25, 2017 09:33am […]
5/25/2017
CABINET/HUD/TRUMP PEOPLE/BEN CARSON: “Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said in an interview Wednesday [5-23-17] that having ‘the wrong mindset’ contributes to poverty. ‘I think poverty to a large extent is also a state of mind,’ the retired neurosurgeon said during an interview with SiriusXM Radio released on Wednesday evening. ‘You take somebody that […]
5/25/2017
POPE FRANCIS/TRUMP PEOPLE/SEAN SPICER: “The most visible moment for White House press secretary Sean Spicer on President Donald Trump’s first foreign trip this week was a moment of invisibility. Spicer fumed to colleagues after being excluded from the President’s meeting with Pope Francis, an administration official told CNN on Thursday [5-25-17]. He was eagerly anticipating […]
5/25/2017
LEGAL/POLITICS/TRUMP PEOPLE/GREG GIANFORTE: “Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate in Montana’s special congressional election, has been charged with misdemeanor assault after he allegedly body slammed a reporter and broke his glasses on Wednesday [5-23-17] night. The altercation took place at Gianforte’s campaign headquarters in Bozeman, Montana, the night before the state’s special election. It sent political […]
5/24/2017
ATTORNEY GENERAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE/JEFF SESSIONS: “Attorney General Jeff Sessions failed to disclose meetings with Russian officials when he applied for security clearance because he was told not to do so by advisers and the F.B.I., a Justice Department spokesman said Wednesday. Mr. Sessions met with Sergey I. Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States, at […]
5/24/2017
2016 ELECTION/INTELLIGENCE/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “American spies collected information last summer revealing that senior Russian intelligence and political officials were discussing how to exert influence over Donald J. Trump through his advisers, according to three current and former American officials familiar with the intelligence. The conversations focused on Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign chairman at the time, […]
5/24/2017
HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “A bill passed by U.S. House Republicans would cause 23 million people to lose healthcare coverage by 2026 while de-stabilizing health insurance markets in some states and making it hard for sick people to buy insurance, a budget watchdog agency said on Wednesday [5-24-17]. The Congressional Budget Office, a non-partisan group of experts who […]
5/24/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump is expected to publicly endorse NATO’s mutual defense commitment at a ceremony on Thursday [5-25-17] at the alliance’s headquarters, an administration official said, breaking months of silence about whether the United States would automatically come to the aid of an ally under attack. Mr. Trump will make the promise […]
5/24/2017
BUDGET/TREASURY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/STEVE MNUCHIN: “Trump administration officials, testifying on Capitol Hill Wednesday [5-23-17] on their 10-year budget plans, pointed to a more pressing fiscal problem: They could run out of room to pay the government’s bills within the next few months. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asked Congress to raise the debt limit—which risks shutting […]
5/24/2017
BUDGET/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “The United Nations said on Wednesday that the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts would ‘simply make it impossible’ for the global organization to maintain essential operations. The statement, by a United Nations spokesman, added to the growing criticism of a budget submission for the 2018 fiscal year that would reduce funding […]
5/24/2017
TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Thank you for the warm welcome to Brussels, Belgium this afternoon! https://t.co/1AvYSameD4” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 24, 2017 03:11pm […]
5/24/2017
CABINET/EDUCATION/LGBT/TRUMP PEOPLE/BETSY DEVOS: “Education Secretary Betsy DeVos refused to say Wednesday [5-24-17] whether she would block private schools that discriminate against LGBT students from receiving federal dollars, explaining that she believes states should have the flexibility to design voucher programs and that parents should be able to choose schools that best fit their children’s needs. […]
5/24/2017
FDA/POLITICS: “U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell told Reuters on Wednesday [5-24-17] he expects bipartisan support for approval of a bill authorizing taxpayer and industry funding for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The bill to reauthorize the Prescription Drug User Fee Act would let the FDA continue to collect hundreds of millions of dollars […]
5/24/2017
RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE/PAUL MANAFORT: “Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign manager, turned over more than 300 pages of documents to the Senate intelligence committee related to its investigation of Russian election meddling, according to a source familiar with the Senate probe. The documents included drafts of speeches, calendars and notes from his time on the campaign, […]
5/24/2017
CABINET/DEFENSE/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. warplanes dropped more weapons on Afghanistan in April than in any other single month since 2012, according to new statistics, as military officials press U.S. President Donald Trump to send thousands more troops to the country. The escalation in the use of American air power was partly due to an effort […]
5/24/2017
FBI/JAMES COMEY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The team tasked by the White House with finding a new director for the FBI is resetting its search, a senior administration official told CNN. President Donald Trump said last week that he was ‘very close’ to choosing a new FBI director to replace James Comey, who was leading the investigation […]
5/24/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/PHILIPPINES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump told his Philippine counterpart that Washington has sent two nuclear submarines to waters off the Korean peninsula, the New York Times said, comments likely to raise questions about his handling of sensitive information. Trump has said ‘a major, major conflict’ with North Korea is possible […]
5/24/2017
POPE FRANCIS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Honor of a lifetime to meet His Holiness Pope Francis. I leave the Vatican more determined than ever to pursue PEACE in our world. https://t.co/Jhe7SROaxD” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 24, 2017 07:20am […]
5/24/2017
BUDGET/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “When Republicans in the House of Representatives voted narrowly to repeal and replace Obamacare earlier this month, they weren’t entirely sure of the bill’s impact on the deficit or on the millions of Americans who gained coverage through the health reform law. Three weeks later, they’re about to find out. The Congressional Budget Office, […]
5/24/2017
2016 ELECTION/CLIMATE CHANGE/ETHICS/INTELLIGENCE/POLITICS/RUSSIA: “Senate Democrats are accusing the White House of purposely ignoring requests for information on issues ranging from the ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in U.S. elections, to ethics waivers given to top officials and changes in environmental rules. At issue are the routine requests that members of Congress make to federal agencies […]
5/22/2017
CABINET/EDUCATION/TRUMP PEOPLE/BETSY DEVOS: “Education Secretary Betsy DeVos promised Monday [5-22-17] evening that President Trump would propose ‘the most ambitious expansion of education choice in our nation’s history,’ but she offered no details about the administration’s plans. Speaking in Indianapolis before a friendly audience of school voucher proponents, she instead laid out a moral case to […]
5/23/2017
INTELLIGENCE/LEGAL/RUSSIA: “The leaders of the Senate Russia investigation said Tuesday [5-23-17] they will continue to pursue critical documents from former national security adviser Michael Flynn, issuing two additional subpoenas to a pair of businesses Flynn ran. Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr and Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the panel, told reporters they did […]
5/23/2017
LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump has retained the services of a trusted lawyer, Marc E. Kasowitz, to help him navigate the investigations into his campaign and suspected Russian interference in last year’s election, according to people familiar with the decision. Kasowitz, who has known Trump for decades, has represented Trump in numerous cases, including on […]
5/23/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump traveled to Bethlehem on Tuesday [5-23-17], meeting with the Palestinian leader and vowing again to ‘do everything I can’ to break through decades of resistance to reach a peace deal but reporting no concrete progress. A day after meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Mr. Trump visited […]
5/23/2017
CLIMATE CHANGE/POLITICS: “The environmental ministers of Canada and Mexico went to San Francisco last month to sign a global pact — drafted largely by California — to lower planet-warming greenhouse pollution. Gov. Jerry Brown flies to China next month to meet with climate leaders there on a campaign to curb global warming. And a battery […]
5/23/2017
CRIME/DRUGS/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/PHILIPPINES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump praised President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines in a phone call last month for doing an ‘unbelievable job on the drug problem’ in the island nation where the government has sanctioned gunning down suspects in the streets. Mr. Trump also boasted that the United States has ‘two nuclear […]
5/23/2017
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/MICK MULVANEY: “Finally some good news for President Trump: His new budget stands absolutely no chance of being enacted by Congress. Moving forward with the cuts outlined in the $4.1 trillion spending plan created by the budget director, Mick Mulvaney, formerly one of the most determined fiscal hawks in Congress, would no […]
5/23/2017
ETHICS/LEGAL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The chief ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush was baffled at the latest kerfuffle between the White House and the Office of Government Ethics. On Monday [5-22-17], The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump’s White House refused to disclose to the OGE any ethics waivers granted to former lobbyists […]
5/23/2017
CABINET/DEFENSE/MILITARY/TRUMP PEOPLE/JAMES MATTIS: “Defense Secretary James Mattis was taken by surprise when the US Air Force dropped a Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, also known as the ‘Mother of All Bombs,’ on Islamic State targets in Afghanistan in April, according to a recent report in The New Yorker. The decision to use the largest nonnuclear […]
5/23/2017
BORDER/POLITICS/TAXES/TRADE DEALS: “After months on life support, the border adjustment tax looks as if it’s finally dead. The sharp divisions that make overhauling the tax code a monumental task were on full display on Tuesday [5-23-17] as Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration publicly panned the provision at the heart of House Speaker Paul […]
5/23/2017
INTELLIGENCE/LEGAL/RUSSIA/TREASURY: “Sen. Mark Warner, the vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, said Tuesday [5-23-17] that the Treasury Department has not fully complied with his committee’s requests for documents relevant to its probe into Russian meddling in the US election. He and committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, sent a request for documents last month […]
5/23/2017
ETHICS/POLITICS: “The House’s most powerful investigative gavel is set to land in the hands of Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) with little drama once Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz leaves Congress next month, according to multiple members and aides familiar with the behind-the-scenes discussions about the post. Chaffetz (R-Utah) is stepping down June […]
5/23/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said Tuesday [5-23-17] that Israeli and Palestinian leaders are ready to strike a peace agreement, but both sides used the president’s visit to voice the daunting obstacles that stand in the way of reaching it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took aim at Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, […]
5/23/2017
2016 ELECTION/CIA/INTELLIGENCE/RUSSIA: “Former CIA director John Brennan testified Tuesday [5-23-17] that U.S. intelligence agencies grew concerned after they received information that Trump campaign associates were in contact with Russian officials, shedding new light on the basis for the FBI investigation that has overshadowed the opening months of President Donald Trump’s administration. In testimony before the […]
5/23/2017
TERRORISM: “All civilized nations must join together to protect human life and the sacred right of our citizens to live in safety and in peace.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 23, 2017 10:58am […]
5/23/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Middle East were great. Trying hard for PEACE. Doing well. Heading to Vatican & Pope, then #G7 and #NATO.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 23, 2017 10:47am […]
5/23/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Thank you for such a wonderful and unforgettable visit, Prime Minister @Netanyahu and @PresidentRuvi.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 23, 2017 10:43am […]
5/23/2017
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS/INTELLIGENCE/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump asked two of the government’s top intelligence chiefs to publicly deny evidence of cooperation between his campaign and Russia during the 2016 election, multiple current and former US officials confirmed to CNN Monday [5-22-17]. The revelations, first reported by The Washington Post, deepen the intrigue over alleged […]
5/23/2017
BUDGET/ECONOMY/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s claim that his budget will erase the deficit in 10 years relies on an accounting gimmick. His economic advisers have insisted for months that his proposal to slash tax rates can be revenue neutral, meaning the tax code will collect as much money as it does today after cutting […]
5/23/2017
TERRORISM: “We stand in absolute solidarity with the people of the United Kingdom. https://t.co/X6fUUxxYXE” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 23, 2017 07:04am […]
5/23/2017
BORDER/BUDGET/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WALL: “President Donald Trump’s 2018 budget calls for more spending for border security and immigration enforcement — but the ask is still modest compared to what fulfilling his campaign pledges would likely cost. The budget proposed by the White House on Tuesday includes $2.6 billion for border security — $1.6 billion of which […]
5/22/2017
ETHICS/LOBBYING/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/MICK MULVANEY: “The Trump administration, in a significant escalation of its clash with the government’s top ethics watchdog, has moved to block an effort to disclose any ethics waivers granted to former lobbyists who have work in the White House or federal agencies. The latest conflict came in recent days when the […]
5/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump began a two-day visit to Israel and the West Bank on Monday [5-22-17], wading into a generations-old Middle East standoff that will pose an early test of whether his business deal-making skills can translate to the high-wire world of international diplomacy… Mr. Netanyahu repeated his longstanding position that he […]
5/22/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR/UN: “A United Nations disarmament panel presented the first draft on Monday [5-22-17] of a proposed global treaty to ban nuclear weapons, which advocates called an important step that could hasten completion of a final text by early July. Nuclear powers including the United States have boycotted the negotiations for such a treaty, calling […]
5/22/2017
ATTORNEY GENERAL/SANCTUARY CITIES/TRUMP PEOPLE/JEFF SESSIONS: “Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Monday [5-22-17] clarified President Trump’s executive order on so-called sanctuary cities, narrowly defining such jurisdictions — and the money they could expect to receive from the federal government — in a way that appeared to fall far short of Mr. Trump’s previous threats to starve […]
5/22/2017
HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration asked a federal appeals court on Monday [5-22-17] to delay ruling on a lawsuit that could determine whether the government will continue paying subsidies under the Affordable Care Act to health insurance companies for the benefit of low-income people — effectively prolonging uncertainty that is already rattling the health […]
5/22/2017
LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE/MICHAEL FLYNN: “Michael T. Flynn, President Trump’s former national security adviser, has rejected a subpoena from senators investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and instead invoked his right against self-incrimination, a person familiar with his decision said Monday [5-22-17]. Mr. Flynn had been ordered by the Senate Intelligence Committee to hand over emails […]
5/22/2017
BUDGET/ETHICS/LOBBYING: “The Office of Government Ethics has rejected a White House attempt to block the agency’s compilation of federal ethics rules waivers granted to officials hired into the Trump administration from corporations and lobbying firms. The White House action, a letter to OGE Director Walter M. Shaub Jr. from Office of Management and Budget Director […]
5/22/2017
BUDGET/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The NYPD expects to shell out $42.5 million by the end of June protecting President Trump, his namesake tower and his family, officials said Monday [5-22-17]. Trump’s one-day trip back to the city earlier this month, his first since taking office, cost the city $1.2 million, deputy commissioner Vincent Grippo told the […]
5/22/2017
POLITICS: “This year, federal courts have been litigating a steady stream of gerrymandering claims. And most of the electoral maps the courts have knocked down were drawn by Republicans. That’s good news for Democrats: They have an opportunity in several states to draw more favorable congressional and state legislative maps ahead of 2018 elections. And […]
5/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Prime Minister @Netanyahu and @PresidentRuvi- on behalf of @FLOTUS Melania and myself, thank you for the invitation… https://t.co/Z5YCpaRV6t” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 22, 2017 03:14pm […]
5/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP PEOPLE/NIKKI HALEY/UN: “President Donald Trump’s U.N. ambassador called Monday [5-22-17] for the U.N. and aid agencies to shift focus in how they support Syrians in need by boosting support for roads, schools and hospitals in neighboring countries that have been overwhelmed by millions of refugees. Speaking in Jordan, host to some 660,000 Syrian […]
5/22/2017
BUDGET/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is billing its budget as a plan to ‘reform the welfare system’ and replace ‘dependency with dignity of work,’ while saving $274 billion over 10 years, according to a four-page memo obtained by POLITICO. The White House budget, to be released Tuesday [5-23-17], will suggest taking an ax to […]
5/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TURKEY: “Turkey summoned the U.S. ambassador Monday [5-22-17] to object to how U.S. security personnel responded to a brawl between Turkish staff and protesters in Washington last week. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said it wanted an explanation from Ambassador John Bass for the “aggressive and unprofessional actions taken, contrary to diplomatic rules and practices, […]
5/22/2017
HSS/TRUMP PEOPLE/JOHN KELLY: “The Trump administration has decided to continue protecting Haitians living in the US since the 2010 earthquake from deportation for another six months after the expiration of the program became controversial. The decision, made by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, was announced Monday [5-22-17] and will be followed up by an official […]
5/22/2017
LEGAL/TRUMP PEOPLE/MICHAEL FLYNN: “President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn won’t provide records to the Senate intelligence committee and will invoke his Fifth Amendment rights in response to a subpoena from the committee, according to a source close to Flynn. Flynn’s refusal to cooperate comes as he faces scrutiny in several inquiries, including […]
5/22/2017
BUDGET/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Donald Trump’s budget that is expected to be unveiled on Tuesday [5-23-17] will include $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid — a move that underscores the President’s resolve to significantly downsize the federal program even as Republican lawmakers are clashing over the issue in Congress. The $800 billion reduction, confirmed to CNN […]
5/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “RT @netanyahu: Ever Stronger חזקים תמיד ???? https://t.co/Ecf5p4HjfZ” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 22, 2017 08:13am […]
5/22/2017
TRUMP PEOPLE/REINCE PRIEBUS/STEVE BANNON: “White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steven Bannon returned to Washington after President Donald Trump wrapped up his visit to Saudi Arabia, the first stop on his foreign trip. The decision for Priebus to return to the US was pre-planned, not spur-of-the-moment, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee […]
5/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “As voters in Iran danced in the streets, celebrating the landslide re-election of a moderate as president, President Trump stood in front of a gathering of leaders from across the Muslim world and called on them to isolate a nation he said had ‘fueled the fires of sectarian conflict and terror.’ […]
5/21/2017
POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Republicans on Sunday [5-21-17] inched away from President Trump amid mounting evidence that he may have sought to interfere in the federal investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. In a sign of growing anxiety, several important Republicans expressed discomfort with Mr. Trump’s firing of the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, […]
5/21/2017
SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP FAMILY/IVANKA/WOMEN: “Just two days into President Donald Trump debut foreign trip, a member of his inner-circle has already reaped benefits to the tune of $100 million. In a sunlit ballroom Sunday [5-21-17] morning at the Tuwaiq Palace in Saudi Arabia, Ivanka Trump’s proposed Women Entrepreneurs Fund — a concept she first shared during […]
5/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “#RiyadhSummit #POTUSAbroad?? https://t.co/WdDEOiV6oS” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 21, 2017 04:51pm […]
5/21/2017
TERRORISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump looked to make clear that the United States is not at war with Islam in a major speech here on Sunday, instead defining the battle against terrorist groups as a ‘battle between good and evil’ as he urged Muslim-majority countries to redouble their counterterrorism efforts. ‘This is not a […]
5/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Speech transcript at Arab Islamic American Summit ➡️https://t.co/eUWxJXJxbe Replay ➡️https://t.co/VtmlSqciXx #RiyadhSummit #POTUSAbroad” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 21, 2017 11:47am […]
5/21/2017
EDUCATION/FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “RT @FLOTUS: I had a wonderful time with the students at the American International School #Riyadh today. #SaudiaArabia https://t.co/AVzVV0W…” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 21, 2017 06:15am […]
5/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/HSS/TRUMP PEOPLE/JOHN KELLY: “…[R]ecognizing the depth of Haiti’s misery and the complexity of the rebuilding effort, the United States government extended a seldom-used lifeline to Haitians in the United States — temporary protected status, or T.P.S. The program allows people, like Ms. Versannes, who were visiting or were living here illegally before the earthquake […]
5/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Great to be in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Looking forward to the afternoon and evening ahead. #POTUSAbroad https://t.co/JJOra0KfyR” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 20, 2017 04:44am […]
5/20/2017
MILITARY: “Thank you to the BRAVE servicemen & women who have served, and continue to serve the United States- our true HEROES… https://t.co/ZTV9F639xM” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 20, 2017 10:50am […]
5/19/2017
INTELLIGENCE/JAMES COMEY/RUSSIA: “Former FBI Director James Comey will testify publicly before the Senate intelligence committee, committee leaders announced Friday [5-19-17]. Panel Chairman Richard Burr and Vice Chairman Mark Warner said they will schedule the hearing for after Memorial Day. A date has not been set. ‘The committee looks forward to receiving testimony from the former […]
5/19/2017
BUDGET/EPA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump’s fiscal 2018 budget proposal would cut the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Science and Technology nearly in half, while paring by 40 percent funding for E.P.A. employees who oversee and put in place environmental regulations, according to a White House document that was shared with The New York Times. And […]
5/19/2017
2016 ELECTION/CAMPAIGN/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The investigation into potential ties between Russia and President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign is now looking into a possible cover-up, according to McClatchy. Citing unnamed members of Congress who attended a briefing with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, McClatchy reported that a probe into a potential cover-up began after assertions by former […]
5/19/2017
TRUMP FAMILY/MELANIA: “While most of the focus for the next nine days will be on President Donald Trump as he makes his first international trip as commander in chief, there will be plenty of eyes on first lady Melania Trump, also set to bow on the global stage. ‘I am very excited for the upcoming […]
5/19/2017
LEGAL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “White House lawyers have begun researching impeachment procedures in an effort to prepare for what officials still believe is a distant possibility that President Donald Trump could have to fend off attempts to remove him from office, two people briefed on the discussions tell CNN. White House officials believe the President has […]
5/19/2017
CABINET/EDUCATION/TRUMP PEOPLE/BETSY DEVOS: “The Department of Education said Friday [5-19-17] that it will select one company to collect student debt payments on its behalf, rather than the nine contractors that currently handle the federal government’s $1.2 trillion portfolio of education loans. The decision, which would take effect once the existing contracts expire in 2019, reverses […]
5/19/2017
TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “#WeeklyAddress?? ➡️https://t.co/UYEhgch4Hl https://t.co/HIQoFuc5cy” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 19, 2017 05:16pm […]
5/19/2017
LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The law enforcement investigation into possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign has identified a current White House official as a significant person of interest, showing that the probe is reaching into the highest levels of government, according to people familiar with the matter. The senior White House adviser under […]
5/19/2017
CABINET/DEFENSE/TRUMP PEOPLE/JAMES MATTIS: “U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday [5-19-17] the U.S.-led coalition was now encircling Islamic State fighters in their strongholds in a tactical shift before starting a military campaign to destroy them. Also speaking at the Pentagon on Friday, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford, said […]
5/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “North Korea’s deputy U.N. envoy said on Friday [5-19-17] that the United States needed to roll back its “hostile policy” toward the country before there could be talks between the pair. ‘As everybody knows, the Americans have gestured (toward) dialogue,’ North Korea’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador Kim In Ryong told reporters […]
5/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TURKEY: “On Tuesday [5-16-17] afternoon, President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan huddled at the White House — and then gave a joint press conference. Within hours, Erdogan was at the Turkish ambassador’s home in upper Northwest Washington, watching as his personal guards participated in a bloody and violent clash […]
5/19/2017
TERRORISM/TREASURY/YEMEN: “The Treasury Department imposed sanctions Friday [5-19-17] on two Yemen-based tribal leaders who it says ‘facilitated the transfer of weapons and money and the movement of individuals’ in support of of the terrorist group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. ‘As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of these […]
5/19/2017
FBI/JAMES COMEY: “Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in his first public remarks since James Comey was fired as FBI director, told members of the House of Representatives on Friday [5-19-17] that Comey ‘was a role model.’ Rosenstein briefed lawmakers on the events leading up to Comey’s dismissal on May 9 as well as his decision […]
5/19/2017
ETHICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Donald Trump’s attorneys originally wanted him to submit an updated financial disclosure without certifying the information as true, according to correspondence with the Office of Government Ethics. Attorney Sheri Dillon said she saw no need for Trump to sign his 2016 personal financial disclosure because he is filing voluntarily this year. But […]
5/19/2017
MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Russia has condemned a series of US coalition airstrikes on a military convoy allied with President Bashar al-Assad in Syria as ‘totally unacceptable.’ Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov hit out at the attack Friday [5-19-17], according to state news agency RIA-Novosti. ‘Any military actions leading to the aggravation of the situation […]
5/19/2017
TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Getting ready for my big foreign trip. Will be strongly protecting American interests – that’s what I like to do!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 19, 2017 09:24am […]
5/19/2017
JAMES COMEY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “At a joint news conference with Colombian President Juan Manual Santos Thursday [5-18-17], President Donald Trump was asked a very simple question: Had he urged then-FBI Director James Comey to slow or stop an FBI investigation into deposed national security adviser Michael Flynn? ‘No. No. Next question,’ Trump responded. It was […]
5/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP FAMILY/IVANKA: “Ivanka Trump will travel with the president to Saudi Arabia, Israel and Italy on his upcoming foreign trip, a White House official said. A senior adviser to President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump will be present for six days of the nine-day trip, which begins Friday [5-19-17], the official said. She’ll join her […]
5/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Given his current political fortunes, if President Donald Trump’s crucial first foreign trip passes off without a disaster, it will be considered a success. The President embarks on a journey Friday [5-19-17] to Saudi Arabia, Israel and global summits in Italy and Belgium, after one of the most tumultuous and damaging […]
5/18/2017
CAMPAIGN/INTELLIGENCE/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said Thursday [5-18-17] that an investigation of his campaign’s possible ties to Russia is a ‘witch hunt’ and should be quickly brought to a close, but the appointment of a special counsel and recent grand jury subpoenas suggest a federal criminal probe is expanding to include other suspicious activity […]
5/18/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP BUSINESS: “When President Trump sets off on his first international trip as president on Friday [5-18-17], his itinerary will include two Middle Eastern countries, Israel and Saudi Arabia, where he explored business deals before taking office. In Israel, Mr. Trump has long sought a tower project in Tel Aviv. But he […]