Administration

The Taliban said in an open letter to President Donald Trump that the military situation in the Afghanistan war was “far worse than you realize”, and deploying more armed forces would be self-destructive, Reuters reports. […]

Trump Issues Order to Speed Environmental Reviews of Infrastructure Projects

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Tuesday directing federal agencies to speed up their reviewing process for the environmental effects of infrastructure projects, a bid to accelerate the construction of the roads, bridges, […]

Roy Moore, Luther Strange Advance GOP Runoff in Alabama Senate Race

Former Chief Justice Roy S. Moore and Senator Luther Strange emerged from a crowded Republican field on Tuesday in a special Senate primary in Alabama. They will face off for their party’s nomination next month in a […]

Report: Despite North Korea Threat, Defense Funding Bill Could Get ‘Kicked Down the Road’ Again

Despite North Korea concerns, a national defense spending bill may get “kicked down the road” again as Congress deals with other pressing issues, CNBC reports. After the August recess concludes, there will be quite a […]

Trump Cuts Funds to Fight Anti-right Wing Violence

The Trump administration’s move to cut federal funds for right-wing violence fighters has raised new questions, after the president gave a controversial response to violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville over the weekend, […]

Justice Demands 1.3M IP Addresses Related to Trump Resistance Site

The Justice Department has requested information of visitors to a webpage used to plan protests against President Donald Trump, according to a blog post by the Los Angeles-based DreamHost. Web hosting provider DreamHost said it […]

California Files Suit over Funding for Sanctuary Cities

Speaking at a San Francisco news conference, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said the state’s suit argues that the Justice Department is violating the Constitution by trying to implement a new policy that would deny […]

Rupert Murdoch Reportedly Urged Trump to Fire Bannon

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch recently urged President Donald Trump to sack his far-right chief strategist Steve Bannon, The New York Times reports. Murdoch made his plea during a White House dinner before Trump left for […]

Pentagon Considering Changes to Trump Transgender Ban

Defense Secretary James Mattis on Monday hinted that the Pentagon may propose its own changes to President Donald Trump’s plan to ban all transgender individuals from the military, The Hill reports. Mattis told reporters at […]

Charlottesville Incident Suspect to Face Court Hearing

James Alex Fields Jr., who is suspected of killing a woman as he allegedly drove a car into a group of counterprotesters at a white supremacist rally in Virginia, is set to appear on Monday […]

McMaster Reportedly in Conflict with Chief Strategist Bannon

National security adviser H.R. McMaster repeatedly dodged on Sunday when asked whether he can work with White House strategist Steve Bannon, Politico reports. McMaster and Bannon, who used to run the right-wing nationalist website Breitbart […]

Sessions Opens Federal Investigation on Charlottesville

Attorney General Jeff Sessions called late Saturday for a federal investigation into the day’s racially charged violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, Politico reports. “The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law […]

Trump Administration Applying ‘Peaceful Pressure Campaign’ on North Korea

The Trump administration is applying a “peaceful pressure campaign” on North Korea, the heads of the Defense and State departments wrote in an op-ed on Sunday, The Hill reports. Lawmakers in both parties raised concerns […]

August 12, 2017 Focus Washington

Trump Attacks Stuns Senate Majority Leader McConnell and Allies

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not intend to pick a fight when he questioned President Donald Trump’s expectations and was surprised by the explosion it produced, according to people close to the Senate GOP […]

August 11, 2017 Focus Washington

Manafort Switches Legal Team as Special Counsel Probe Heats up

Former chairman of President Donald Trump’s campaign, Paul Manafort, is changing legal teams as the special counsel Robert Mueller’s federal investigation heats up, The Hill reports. According to spokesperson Jason Maloni statement, Washington D.C. law […]

FBI Raids Paul Manafort’s Home in Russia Investigation

The FBI on July 26 raided the home of Paul Manafort in connection with the investigation into Russia’s meddling in the election, The Washington Post reports. With search warrant in hand, the FBI showed up […]

Judge Orders New Searches for Clinton Benghazi Emails

Nine months after the presidential election was decided, a federal judge is ordering the State Department to try again to find emails Hillary Clinton wrote about the Benghazi attack, Politico reports. U.S. District Court Judge […]

Trump Allegedly Slams McConnell over ‘Excessive Expectations’ Comment

A source said President Donald Trump slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in a phone call held privately on Wednesday morning, Fox News informed. According to the source, the president displayed a harsh reaction to […]

Former Trump Campaign Aide: I’ve Had No Contact with Mueller

Former Trump campaign consultant Michael Caputo said on Wednesday that he has not been contacting with the Department of Justice, or special counsel Robert Mueller, regarding the probe into Russia’s alleged interference in the election […]

Senior U.S. Envoy Tries to Calm Fears over State Department Redesign

The No. 2 U.S. diplomat on Tuesday sought to allay concerns among the State Department’s rank-and-file employees over possible layoffs and perceptions of a lack of firm direction under the administration of President Donald Trump, […]

Tillerson’s Deputy: Reports of State Department Upheaval ‘Twisted’

Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan pushed back against reports of deep unhappiness with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the face of a redesign and looming cuts that could slash the country’s oldest Cabinet […]

Scaramucci: Pence Is Protecting Himself with Staffing Choice

Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci suggested in an interview last month shortly before his dismissal that Vice President Mike Pence was protecting himself with a staffing choice, The Hill reports. Scaramucci’s comment, made […]

Trump Would Need Congress to Approve Strike on North Korea

Senator Dan Sullivan on Tuesday said that President Donald Trump needs Congress to approve a preemptive strike against North Korea. “If one of the military options that the administration is looking at is a preemptive […]

August 8, 2017 Focus Washington

CNN Poll: Trump’s Approval Rating Hits New Low

The latest poll published by CNN on Monday shows that President Donald Trump’s job as commander-in-chief is approved by a little over a third of the country, The Hill reports. As little as 39 percent […]

August 8, 2017 Focus Washington

Chicago Sues Trump Administration over Sanctuary City Plan

Chicago filed a lawsuit Monday in a move to prevent the Trump administration from enforcing new policies that would conceal money from so-called sanctuary cities that prevent U.S. immigration officials access to local prisons, Reuters […]

Bipartisan Bills Unveiled to Protect Mueller

Donald Trump was put on further notice that any action to remove Special Counsel Robert Mueller from his post will not pass without a serious fight, after competing bipartisan bills in the Senate were introduced […]

Rosenstein: DOJ Could Prosecute ‘Anybody’ for Leaks, Including White House Staff, Congress Members

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said anyone who has leaked classified information, including White House staff and Congress members, can be prosecuted by the Justice Department, CNN reports. In an interview on Fox News Sunday, […]

Vice President Pence Rejects Presidential Bid Allegations

Vice President Mike Pence rejected allegations Sunday that he is making plans to run for president in 2020, noting that the suggestion is “disgraceful and offensive,” Reuters reports. The statement came as a response to […]

Lawmaker: Trump Firing Mueller Would Spark Bipartisan Pushback

Senator Chris Coons made a blunt remark to President Donald Trump, saying that sacking special counsel Robert Mueller would mean crossing a line and spark bipartisan pushback in the Senate, the Hill reports. “I think […]

Chicago to Sue Justice Department over Threats to Withhold Funds to Sanctuary Cities

Chicago’s Mayor Rahm Emanuel is pushing back against the federal government, as on Monday the city is filing suit against the Justice Department, which announced it would withhold millions of dollars in police grant money […]