Category Archives: Donald Trump

A new red line? The White House Monday night put Syria on warning that if the government engages in another chemical attack, Bashar al-Assad and his military will "pay a heavy price," while President Trump tweeted minutes later about a Russia "Witch Hunt!"

THE TAKE with ABC News' Rick Klein

Do senators even want "the closer" in this game? It's not just the distractions "witch hunt" talk and Syria threats that are rolling out with equal apparent presidential focus but the lack of any discernible White House ideology that has, or should have, Republican senators concerned. President Trump has been for just about every iteration of the health care bill. Now he wants lawmakers to have faith both that he will stay committed to the latest Senate version of the bill which, like every other version, breaks multiple presidential promises -- and stand by them to defend their votes as...what exactly? The efforts of his outside political arm have been neutral, at best, so far, and could wind up being downright harmful to efforts to pass a bill. The president has so often blamed others for his political problems: former President Obama, Hillary Clinton, James Comey, the intelligence community, Congress, Democrats, some Republicans, and, of course, the courts. The courts have now given him some of what he wanted, on the travel ban. Republicans have the power to give him his top legislative priority this week, on health care. Now, though, the president needs his allies to trust him. That means trusting Trumpism over all else, a tough argument to make under the best of circumstances.

ANALYZING THE CBO ANALYSIS

A health care bill gets judged in how it treats the most vulnerable, and the CBO carries grim news for the sick, the poor, the elderly and women in general. Younger, healthy people could save real money. But older Americans who are buying their own insurance, especially in rural America, could see skyrocketing prices: a 64-year-old making roughly $57,000 a year would see his or her annual premiums rise by nearly $14,000, the CBO report says. If women want maternity care, the price would go up in about half of states. Because of the Medicaid roll back and shrunken subsidies, the CBO estimates that among those just above the national poverty line, almost 40 percent of adults aged 30 to 49, would have no insurance at all by 2026, under the Senate bill. Governors of all stripes know they would have to pick up the pieces -- and the checks if the bill passes. Governors John Kasich, R-Ohio, and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., will be in Washington talking on the topic today, on the heels of a bipartisan National Governors Association request for the Senate to take more time, ABC News' MaryAlice Parks writes.

WHAT TO WATCH TODAY

A Republican and a Democrat governor -- Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper -- are teaming up against this Senate health care bill and holding a news conference in D.C.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I try to stay out of politics. I don't profess to be a political savant," Ivanka Trump to Fox News on whether she advises her dad on his Twitter habits

NEED TO READ with ABC News' Adam Kelsey

White House says Syria could be planning another chemical attack. In a statement released Monday night, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the United States had found "potential" evidence that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was preparing to conduct an attack similar to the one carried out April 4 that killed dozens of civilians, including children. The White House did not provide any specific evidence to support the claim. http://abcn.ws/2rWorBo

Carter Page questioned by FBI in probe of Russian election meddling. The FBI has conducted extensive interviews with one-time Trump campaign adviser Carter Page as part of the federal investigation into possible Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, Page has confirmed to ABC News. http://abcn.ws/2rVeZxR

Trump claims Obama "colluded" on Russia, without citing evidence. President Trump said that his predecessor Barack Obama "colluded or obstructed" in regard to Russian interference in the U.S. election. "The reason that President Obama did NOTHING about Russia after being notified by the CIA of meddling is that he expected Clinton would win and did not want to 'rock the boat.' He didn't 'choke,' he colluded or obstructed, and it did the Dems and Crooked Hillary no good," Trump wrote. http://abcn.ws/2tMxciN

WHO'S TWEETING?

The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the key political moments of the day ahead. Please check back tomorrow for the latest.

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The Note: Will the real Donald Trump please stand up on health care - ABC News

(WASHINGTON) Hugging outside the White House Monday, President Donald Trump and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi heralded an increasingly close strategic partnership as the U.S. branded a top militant from neighboring Pakistan as a "global terrorist."

Trump declared he was "true friend" of India and said relations between the two largest democracies have never been better. But there were some tensions in the inaugural meeting between the two populist leaders. On trade, Trump demanded fewer barriers for American companies exporting to India.

Speaking in the Rose Garden after their talks, Trump said: "Both our nations have been struck by the evils of terrorism, and we are both determined to destroy terrorist organizations and the radical ideology that drives them. We will destroy radical Islamic terrorism."

Modi, a Hindu nationalist but also leader of a nation with nearly 175 million Muslims, did not use the same, charged terminology. He stressed the importance of "doing away" with terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens, apparently reflecting Indian concerns about militants based in Pakistan, India's historical archrival. He said the U.S. and India will enhance intelligence-sharing.

Hours before Modi's arrival, the State Department imposed sanctions on Syed Salahuddin, the Pakistan-based leader of Hizbul Mujahideen, the main rebel group that fights against Indian control in the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir. India's foreign ministry hailed the move.

Trump has so far focused on outreach to China, India's other strategic rival, as he looks to Beijing to rein in nuclear-armed North Korea. But Washington and New Delhi share concerns about China's rise as a military power that have underpinned increasingly close relations in the past decade.

The Trump administration says it want to provide India with improved defense technology. The State Department on Monday approved the $365 million sale of a C-17 military transport aircraft to India. The administration is also set to offer a $2 billion sale of U.S.-made unarmed drones to help in surveillance of the Indian Ocean.

Although Modi's two-day Washington visit, which began Sunday, is lower-key than his previous three trips to the U.S. since he took office in 2014, it has included plenty of face-time with Trump. Modi later joined the president and first lady for dinner the first dinner Trump has hosted for a foreign dignitary at the White House, although he has hosted the leaders of Japan and China at his resort in Florida.

Trump and Modi share a populist streak and a knack for social media, but their economic nationalist agendas could clash. While Trump champions the idea of "America First" and wants to stop the migration of jobs overseas, Modi has his own drive to boost manufacturing at home, dubbed "Make in India."

India is among the nations singled out by the Trump administration for their trade surpluses with the U.S., and it is also reviewing a visa program used heavily by skilled Indian workers. The U.S. deficit in goods and services with India last year was about $30 billion.

"It is important that barriers be removed to the export of U.S. goods into your markets, and that we reduce our trade deficit with your country," Trump said.

But Trump also lauded Modi's economic stewardship, and the praise was mutual. Modi, who invited the president and his family to visit India, extolled Trump's leadership qualities. He said the president's "vast and successful experience in the business world will lend an aggressive and forward-looking agenda to our relations."

The personal chemistry between the two leaders could prove as important as policy in setting the tone for the future. They appeared keen to show they got along hugging twice during their joint appearance. They did not take questions.

When it comes to terrorism, Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Wilson Center, said the two leaders have a similar worldview that "it needs to be destroyed wherever it rears its murderous head."

He said the designation of Salahuddin shows that Washington is willing to work closely with New Delhi on terrorism-related matters, although it remains to be seen if that signals a tougher policy toward Pakistan. India accuses Pakistan-based militants of launching attacks on its soil.

The two leaders voiced a joint interest in bringing stability to Afghanistan, where India has committed $3 billion in aid since 2001. However, in their public remarks, they skirted the contentious issue of climate change. New Delhi has been irked by Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris accord.

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President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Exchange Hugs and Herald Stronger Ties - TIME

Sacramento Bee

How Donald Trump is killing romance Sacramento Bee In the treacherous, amusing and sometimes rewarding world of online dating, Donald Trump has become the newest way to find or reject a romantic match. Did you vote for or do you support Trump? Then I'm not your man. It would never work,. What I ...

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How Donald Trump is killing romance - Sacramento Bee

Republican support for the Senate health care bill is falling, after a report predicted 22 million people would lose insurance. Here are some key takeaways.

Undocumented immigrants in the United States appear to be avoiding medical treatment, out of fear they might be deported.

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In Britain, the Conservatives signed a deal with Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party that will allow Prime Minister Theresa May to govern, after she lost her majority in the recent general election.

And Mrs. May pledged that E.U. citizens currently living legally in Britain would not be asked to leave the country after its exit from the bloc.

Separately, the authorities are racing to identify and evacuate dozens of high-rises wrapped in the same kind of combustible cladding as Grenfell Tower in London, where a fire killed at least 79 people.

A regulatory gap allowed the claddings American manufacturer to sell the product for use in towers in Britain, despite a ban in the U.S.

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Climate conundrum: The amount of carbon dioxide humans are pumping into the air seems to have stabilized but data gathered at the worlds monitoring stations (like the one above in Australia) shows that excess carbon dioxide is still on the rise.

One terrifying possibility is that the worlds natural sponges for the greenhouse gas, like the ocean, are no longer able to keep up.

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We bring you news of the great male skirt rebellion of 2017.

French bus drivers suffering through last weeks heat wave were among the men conducting a sartorial revolt against dress codes barring shorts.

Our top fashion critic says the design crowd actually seems to be far more comfortable with skirts than shorts on men. Odds are, we are going to see more of it, she predicts. Employers had better get ready.

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Finally, The New York Times has set up the Reader Center, a forum for our journalists to speak directly to you about our coverage.

In one of the first such posts, a top editor addresses a frequent complaint that we are overly focused on U.S. politics.

You can contact the Reader Center at nytnews@nytimes.com.

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European Union officials are expected to issue a record fine of at least $1.2 billion against Google as soon as today for breaking the regions competition rules. Above, Margrethe Vestager, the blocs competition chief.

There was widespread criticism of Italys decision to use billions in taxpayer money to wind down two banks, and of the E.U.s swift approval.

American hedge funds are taking their aggressive strategies to Europe, where companies have fewer tools to thwart activist investors.

Amazons newest Echo smart speaker has a touch screen.

Heres a snapshot of global markets.

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany softened her opposition to gay marriage, saying Conservative lawmakers could deviate from the partys position in a future vote of conscience. [Deutsche Welle]

In France, a court rejected a request to establish a shelter for migrants but ordered the local authorities to allow the distribution of aid. [France 24/Le Monde]

In Moscow, a jury could soon reach a verdict in the trial of five men accused of killing Boris Nemtsov, a leading Russian opposition figure, in 2015. [TASS]

A Swedish tourist kidnapped by Islamist militants in Mali in 2011 has returned home. A South African fellow traveler remains missing. [Radio Sweden]

Liu Xiaobo, the jailed Chinese Nobel Peace laureate, has been transferred to a hospital to be treated for late-stage cancer. [The New York Times]

In Brazil, President Michel Temer was charged with corruption. [The New York Times]

A court in Madrid ruled that exhuming Salvador Dals corpse was the only way to resolve a womans claim that she is the Surrealist painters daughter. [The New York Times]

Tips, both new and old, for a more fulfilling life.

Give biking to work a try. Start with our guide.

If you find yourself nodding off at your desk today, take a nap. Itll do wonders for your productivity.

Recipe of the day: A cucumber and yogurt salad sprinkled with dill and sour cherries is a great complement to a hearty main dish.

New Zealand won the Americas Cup, the most prestigious prize in yachting. The Kiwis took calculated risks to overcome tight budget constraints.

Thousands of patients may receive incorrect cancer diagnoses each year because of biopsy mix-ups. And heres how to make sense of shifting advice on prostate cancer screenings.

In the French village of Courances, about an hours drive south of Paris, a furniture designer and a restaurateur find silence (for her) and outstanding produce (for him).

Today is Seven Sleepers Day, which both celebrates an ancient legend and supposedly predicts the weather in the German-speaking parts of Europe.

The legend stretches back centuries. It involves a group of seven youths who escaped religious persecution by hiding in a cave, where they slept for hundreds of years before awakening.

More practically speaking, the days weather is thought to foretell conditions for the rest of the summer, similar to the way Groundhog Day predicts the arrival of spring in the U.S.

Above, a hiker on Herzogstand Mountain in southern Germany.

According to one saying, If Seven Sleepers is wet, it rains unceasingly. More precisely, if it rains on June 27, it will pour for seven weeks.

The days predictive power is helped, as Germanys weather service explains, by the jet stream, which stabilizes around this time, providing, with some variation, a consistent forecast.

(Confusing matters, the days name in German is Siebenschlfertag, but it did not get that name from Siebenschlfer, a word for a common European dormouse that hibernates for about seven months.)

Palko Karasz contributed reporting.

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This briefing was prepared for the European morning. We also have briefings timed for the Australian, Asian and American mornings. You can sign up for these and other Times newsletters here.

Your Morning Briefing is published weekday mornings and updated online.

What would you like to see here? Contact us at europebriefing@nytimes.com.

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Donald Trump, Theresa May, Angela Merkel: Your Tuesday Briefing - New York Times

Wall Street Journal (subscription)

North Korea Compares Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler Wall Street Journal (subscription) SEOULNorth Korea's state media described President Donald Trump's America First policy as Nazism in the 21st century, and compared the U.S. president to Adolf Hitler, in the harshest language that Pyongyang has directed at the Trump administration. North Korea compares Donald Trump to Hitler in attack on 'racist' America First policiesTelegraph.co.uk all 13 news articles »

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North Korea Compares Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler - Wall Street Journal (subscription)

The 59-year-old actor said that he will be bringing back his famous Donald Trump impersonation to "Saturday Night Live" this fall.

"Yea, we're going to fit that in. I think people have enjoyed it," said Baldwin, who was in New York City on Monday to promote is new movie "Blind." His busy fall schedule will keep the number of Trump impersonations to a minimum, he said, which means SNL fans will be treated to "a couple celery sticks" rather than a "whole meal" of blonde wigs and orange bronzer.

Baldwin has hosted "SNL" a record 17 times and his Trump impersonation has become one of his most memorable sketches.

During his Spike TV roast, which was taped on Sunday night at New York City's Apollo Theater, his Hollywood cohorts, Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore, Tracy Morgan and Horatio Sands all commended Baldwin's spot-on Trump impression during their roasts.

Baldwin's success on "SNL" and in movies means he's in a position to be selective about the projects he works on. Baldwin says that he picks his roles wisely because he doesn't need to work out of necessity.

"You get a little bit older and you think, 'Do I want to work right now?' For me the question is not what do I want to do [it's] do I want to do anything? Do I want to work? I don't need to work. Do I want to work or do I want to just take it easy and smell the roses or do something else? When I decide I want to go to work I look at what's out there and pick something that's the best that's available to me."

"Blind" hits theaters on July 14.

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Alec Baldwin will return to 'SNL' as Donald Trump - CNN

BBC News

Trump travel ban injunction partly lifted by top US court BBC News US President Donald Trump has welcomed a Supreme Court ruling allowing his travel ban to be partly reinstated as a "victory for our national security". America's highest court also granted a White House request allowing part of its refugee ban to go ... Donald Trump Declares Clear Victory As Supreme Court Partially Allows Travel BanDeadline Supreme Court allows parts of travel ban to take effectCNN Supreme Court Reinstates Much of Trump's Travel Ban, Will Hear Case in FallNBCNews.com KGO-TV -AOL -New York Magazine all 1,355 news articles »

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Trump travel ban injunction partly lifted by top US court - BBC News

WASHINGTON PresidentDonald Trump on Monday hailed the Supreme Courts decision to consider his travel ban as a clear victory after the court said it will allow a watered-down version of the ban to say in place until it hears the case in October.

Todays unanimous Supreme Court decision is a clear victory for our national security. It allows the travel suspension for the six terror-prone countries and the refugee suspension to become largely effective, Trump said in a statement. As President, I cannot allow people into our country who want to do us harm. I want people who can love the United States and all of its citizens, and who will be hardworking and productive.

My number one responsibility as Commander in Chief is to keep the American people safe. Todays ruling allows me to use an important tool for protecting our Nations homeland. I am also particularly gratified that the Supreme Courts decision was 9-0.

Trump again incorrectly emphasized the 9-0 decision in a celebratory tweet on Monday afternoon.

Several federal courts have halted enforcement of the ban because they determined it unlawfully discriminates against Muslims.

In the interim, the court will allow a watered-down version of the ban to go into effect. People witha bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States will not be subject to the ban. That group includes people coming to visit their family or students coming to study.

Trumps celebratory statement incorrectly stated that the justicesdecision Monday was 9-0. The decision was per curiam, meaning that it was unsigned by any particular justices.

Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by fellow conservatives Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, wrote a separate opinion, agreeing with the overall decision but arguing that the ban should be reinstated in full.

Trump has frequently lashed out against the independent judiciaryin response to multiple lower court decisions that ruled against his administration.

On Monday, Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., attacked the activism of the Ninth Circuit Court, one of the federal courts which halted the ban nationwide.

Read more about the courts announcement here.

This article has been updated with Trumps tweet from Monday afternoon.

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Donald Trump Responds To Supreme Court's Travel Ban Announcement - HuffPost

Donald Trump's presidency has been a disaster, but he has succeeded beyond his wildest expectations in one key way: getting attention attention that fills the void where the rest of us have a soul.

Trump's victory exposed the party establishment as utterly broken now Dems hope to rebuild in time for a 2018 comeback

The bad news for the rest of us is Trump isn't going away anytime soon. But the good news is that it's not only possible but crucial to pay less attention to the president. That's because fighting back against Trumpism doesn't begin at the top, with Trump himself. It begins with winning back the state legislatures that draw electoral maps and make the rules that shape elections.

Yes, state legislatures are a tough topic to get excited about. Most voters cannot even name their state reps. Yet when we think about some of the worst developments in modern politics voter suppression, purged voter rolls, ruthless gerrymandering, abortion restrictions, Neanderthal educational policies, brutal sentencing and policing "reforms" they emanate not from D.C., but from state capitols. Right now Democrats control 31 of 98 partisan state legislative chambers nationwide.

Read that again. That's less than one in three. That's not lagging behind that's getting blown the hell out.

Of course the most regressive parts of the right-wing agenda will become reality when Republicans control state legislatures this lopsidedly. Trump is increasingly the focal point of politics on the left, but he is not the one who stacked the deck in favor of the right over the past two decades. Republican success at every level is built upon control of state legislatures that dictate essential aspects of elections.

How long is the early voting period? Will mail-in or absentee ballots be easy to acquire? How strict is the voter ID requirement? When is the registration deadline? Can felons and ex-felons vote? Are voting locations convenient, and do they have sufficient equipment? How will votes be counted and verified? Don't look to Trump or Congress for answers to any of these critical questions. The GOP uses state-level power to answer them, and has effectively suppressed the vote in recent elections.

Then there's the matter of redistricting. The 2010 Republican victory was both overwhelming and well-timed for the party. Between 2010 and 2012, GOP-dominated redistricting tilted the electoral landscape in Republicans' favor. Redistricting after 2020 will follow the same lamentable trajectory if Democrats cannot make inroads in state houses. In the era of Big Data and geographic information systems, redistricting is a precise science, not an art. The party that controls the process can put its thumb on the scale for a decade.

Institutions matter more than policy in the short run, but it's worth remembering that loosening the GOP stranglehold on state legislatures will also produce policy benefits in areas like education, the administration and distribution of social programs (food stamps, unemployment benefits, public health programs) and criminal justice issues.Some of the things coming out of state legislatures make Paul Ryan look like Trotsky. These are not abstractions, but matters of life and death for many people.

So what can be done?

The payoff of being politically active simply is greater in down-ballot races. House and Senate races are of course important, but the marginal benefit of adding one more volunteer to those campaigns is small compared to what an activist can contribute to a local race. Throwing your donation and evening volunteering hours into the miasma of money and noise that is a modern congressional race is like spitting into the ocean. In a local race, the time and money you can donate will be much more impactful. Knocking on doors and speaking to a few hundred voters on behalf of an unknown candidate in a state assembly primary could make a real difference.

It goes without saying, of course, that Trump matters. His nihilistic brand of politics is a real threat to millions of Americans. Resisting his dangerous agenda remains essential. However, there is a downside to paying so much attention to Trump and so little to less sensational parts of the system. So maybe today, instead of reading a 50th story about Trumpian antics (spoiler alert: He did a stupid thing because he is a stupid person), research who's running or considering running in your state Senate and House elections. Is there a progressive challenger you could support in the primaries? Turnout in midterm election primaries is very low. Getting involved at that stage can make a real difference.

The"midterm loss" phenomenon and the colossal embarrassment that the Trump presidency has been suggest that Democratic candidates will have the wind at their backs in 2018. The timing is perfect to get serious about down-ballot races and start chipping away at the dominant position Republicans hold in state capitols across the country.

Donald Trump is not the problem with the GOP; he is the symptom of the party's top-to-bottom absence of principles and willingness to manipulate rules. If progressives focus exclusively on Trump, that makes it easier it is for Republicans at other levels to push their loathsome agenda forward. So give it a shot: Try paying a bit less attention to the loud-mouthed clown and a lot more to the low-key races that will determine control of America's electoral future. The country will be better off for it.

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The Case for Paying Less Attention to Donald Trump - RollingStone.com

The European Tour is considering hosting the 2019 Scottish Open at President Donald Trumps golf course, according to reports, a decision that is expected to be met with resistance.

According to The Guardian, Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, Scotland, is the favored venue for Aberdeen Asset Management,sponsorof the 2019 Scottish Open.

On Thursday, the tour revealed that Gullane Golf Club in East Lothian, Scotland,would host next years tournament. An announcement for the following year is not expected anytime soon, but the report says Trumps course is the favorite to host.

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Donald Trump at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, Scotland, on June 25. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

Trump International Golf Linksopened in 2012, with European Tour officials said to have made several visits to the site to consider the viability of holding the event there.

A spokesperson for the European Tour told The Guardian: No decision on future venues of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open has been taken beyond 2018. Our focus is on delivering a successful championship, with its strongest field to date, at Dundonald Links next month, followed by our return to Gullane next year.

The Donald Trump Organization is currently being run by his sons Donald and Eric, but Trump has indicated how keen he is to see the Tour travel to his course.

In 2015, he said, The Scottish Open is coming. The Scottish Open wants to be here forever, they think this is the best course theyve ever seen.

Next months U.S. Womens Open isbeing held atthe Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey, and there have been protests against the venue.

Trump is a longtime golf fan and competitor, and his time in officehas notquelled his interest. On Saturday, The Independent reported that Trump spent the30th day of his presidency visiting one of his golf courses.

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Donald Trump's Golf Club in Scotland May Cause Even More Problems for President - Newsweek