Idiocracy

The Los Angeles Times reports: John Kelly, the retired Marine general who is Trump’s second chief of staff, has sought to tighten the flow of information and visitors to the president, to bring order to an unruly White House and to the way that Trump makes his decisions. But he is often thwarted by one man: Trump. The president by …

Vanity Fair reports: At first it sounded like hyperbole, the escalation of a Twitter war. But now it’s clear that Bob Corker’s remarkable New York Times interview—in which the Republican senator described the White House as “adult day care” and warned Trump could start World War III—was an inflection point in the Trump presidency. It brought into the open what …

The Week reports:  President Trump skewered the free press on Wednesday, telling reporters that “it is frankly disgusting that the press is able to write whatever it wants to write.” The comments followed Trump’s tweets Wednesday morning, which reacted to an NBC News story that claimed the president had called for the nuclear arsenal to be increased “tenfold.” “With all …

The London Evening Standard reports: Donald Trump is set to visit Britain early in 2018 – but for a stripped-down trip that will not include staying with the Queen. Diplomats are discussing plans for a “working visit” by the US president that will be shorn of the pomp and flummery of a full-blown State Visit. And instead of a red …

Fox News reports: The NFL on Wednesday refuted President Donald Trump’s claim that league Commissioner Roger Goodell is “finally demanding” that players stand up during the national anthem. “Commentary this morning about the Commissioner’s position on the Anthem is not accurate. As we said yesterday, there will be a discussion of these issues at the owners meeting next week. The …

The Hill reports: President Trump on Wednesday forcefully denied a new report that he asked to dramatically expand the U.S. nuclear arsenal. The news network on Wednesday reported the president’s request, which it said shocked top military brass and senior administration officials. The request was what reportedly led Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to call Trump a “moron.” At a …

Uproxx reports: One of Trump’s current feuds is of course with Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, which was the topic of conversation with Neil Cavuto of Fox News Tuesday evening. Cavuto did not hold back, using his soapbox to speak directly to the president over how his various feuds are going to impact his proposed tax cuts. “I’m talking about your …

This morning Trump challenged Rex Tillerson to an “IQ test” and guaranteed that he would be the winner. Later in the day White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders essentially told reporters that they are too fucking stupid to know that Trump was joking. However, as the montage broadcast this afternoon by CNN demonstrates, Trump is as obsessed with bragging …

The Hill reports: President Trump did not imply he was smarter than Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, his top spokesperson said Tuesday, claiming his offer for both to take an IQ test was a joke. “The president certainly never implied that the secretary of State was not intelligent. He made a joke. Nothing more than that,” White House press secretary …

Patch reports: White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders will deliver a press briefing Tuesday afternoon at 1:45 Eastern. In recent days, President Trump has feuded with Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, who has said that the White House is “adult day care.” Multiple reports also suggest that he is still fuming about and NBC article last week that …

The Hill reports: A New York Times reporter fired back Tuesday at President Trump after the president claimed the publication set up Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) by recording his conversation. Trump had tweeted earlier Tuesday that the newspaper set Corker up by recording the conversation. But New York Times reporter Jonathan Martin disputed Trump’s claim that Corker was surreptitiously recorded. …

The Washington Post reports: President Trump proposed an “IQ tests” face-off with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after the nation’s top diplomat reportedly called the president a “moron” and disparaged his grasp on foreign policy. In an interview with Forbes magazine published Tuesday, Trump fired a shot at Tillerson over the “moron” revelation, first reported by NBC News and confirmed …

According to interviews with multiple insiders, whenever Trump comes up with another insane idea, staffers often distract him with other items until he forgets about his original plan. Politico reports: Trump would impulsively want to fire someone like attorney general Jeff Sessions, create a new wide–ranging policy with far–flung implications like increasing tariffs on Chinese steel imports or end a …

The Associated Press reports: Nineteen percent of Americans say President Trump understands the needs and problems of people like them extremely or very well, 17 percent say moderately well, and 64 percent say he understands their needs and problems not very well or not well at all. Twenty-six percent believe President Trump is a strong leader, 23 percent view him …

Politico reports: A day after a Twitter feud erupted between President Donald Trump and Sen. Bob Corker, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday said Corker is “a valuable member of the Senate Republican caucus.” “Sen. Corker is a valuable member of the Senate Republican caucus and he’s also on the Budget committee and a particularly important player as we …

E Online reports: Melania Trump may be living in the White House, but Ivana Trump considers herself President Donald Trump’s original first lady. The first Mrs. Trump gave herself this title during a recent interview with Good Morning America. During the interview, Ivana said she has the “direct number to the White House” but that she doesn’t really use it. …

The Hill reports: Jason Miller, a former aide to President Trump, on Monday suggested Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) resign following his feud with the president, arguing Tennessee’s governor could appoint Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) to take his place. “And look, if Senator Corker is retiring and he doesn’t want to be in the U.S. Senate and he doesn’t want to …

Business Insider reports: White House senior adviser Stephen Miller once jumped into a women’s track meet to make a point about masculinity. In a lengthy profile published on Monday, The New York Times reported that Miller “jumped, uninvited, into the final stretch of a girls’ track meet, apparently intent on proving his athletic supremacy over the opposite sex.” The White …

The New York Times reports: The Trump administration announced Monday that it would take formal steps to repeal President Barack Obama’s signature policy to curb greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, setting up a bitter fight over the future of America’s efforts to tackle global warming. At an event in eastern Kentucky, Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection …

USA Today reports: Amid criticism over Vice President Mike Pence’s truncated visit to an NFL game Sunday, President Donald Trump said the trip was “long planned” in a tweet Monday. Pence’s trip on Air Force 2 — which doesn’t take into account logistics on the ground like Secret Service — cost about $242,500, according to an estimate from CNN published …