Politics

The Hill reports: President Trump today repeatedly said the choice to withdraw was Navy Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson’s, but he also questioned why he would want to go forward and take the “abuse” from politicians. “It’s totally his decision, he’ll be making a decision,” Trump said when asked about the nomination of Jackson, who is the White House physician to …

CBS News reports: French President Emmanuel Macron is back at the White House on Tuesday where he is set to join President Trump for a day of meetings followed by a joint news conference on his second day in Washington for his official state visit. During a brief meeting with Macron after their Oval Office remarks, Mr. Trump called North …

The New York Times reports: Former F.B.I. director James Comey’s book, “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership,” has dominated headlines for more than a week, and became an instant blockbuster, selling more than 600,000 copies in all formats during its first week on sale. Mr. Comey’s publisher, Flatiron Books, has ordered multiple reprints to meet demand, and now has …

He’s just your average Joe Sixpack, folks! The Hill reports: Mitt Romney (R) was spotted courtside at Monday night’s Utah Jazz playoff game taunting Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook. Romney, who is running for Senate in Utah, was shown on camera calling out to Westbrook after the Oklahoma City star picked up his fourth foul of the game late …

Politico reports: Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson’s nomination to be Veterans Affairs secretary may be in trouble, according to senators and aides in both parties. Republicans are considering postponing his confirmation hearing this week as senators pore over potentially new negative information that committee members have received, according to GOP sources familiar with the matter. And Senate Democrats are digging into …

Multiple outlets are reporting that former President George H.W. Bush was hospitalized yesterday morning with a potentially life-threatening case of sepsis. Bush is being treated in the intensive care unit of Houston Methodist Hospital. The hospitalization came only hours after the funeral of former First Lady Barbara Bush, to whom he was married for 73 years. The former president is …

The Wall Street Journal reports: A Senate committee endorsed Mike Pompeo to be the next secretary of state on Monday, sending him to the full Senate for his expected confirmation, after Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) reversed himself and withdrew his opposition. The panel confirmed Mr. Pompeo along party lines, avoiding an embarrassing defeat for President Donald Trump. All of …

The Denver Post reports: Six-term U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado Springs should be kept off the Republican primary ballot this year, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled Monday in a decision that — if upheld — could end the longtime conservative lawmaker’s congressional career. The ruling finds in favor of a lawsuit that contended Lamborn didn’t properly petition his way …

The Daily Beast reports: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Monday completely reversed his position to support CIA Director Mike Pompeo’s nomination to become the next secretary of state. With Paul’s favorable vote, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will now bring Pompeo’s nomination to the Senate floor. A party-line vote is expected, and with three Democrats already pledging their support, Pompeo …

The Texas Tribune reports: Gov. Greg Abbott got the go-ahead Monday from Attorney General Ken Paxton to suspend state law so the governor can call a special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, as soon as possible. Responding to a request from Abbott submitted Thursday, Paxton issued a nonbinding opinion saying a court would agree Abbott …

NBC News reports: John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s new national security adviser, chaired a nonprofit that has promoted misleading and false anti-Muslim news, some of which was amplified by a Russian troll factory, an NBC News review found. The group’s authors also appeared on Russian media, including Sputnik and RT News, criticizing mainstream European leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron. …

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports: Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, who has been defiant in saying he will fight the charges he faces, said the conservative agenda he brought to Jefferson City had been met with opposition. “We have been viciously attacked by the liberal media and their allies,” Greitens said. But, he said, “The good news in Missouri is that …

The Tulsa World reports: Gov. Mary Fallin signed a bill that makes MercyMe’s multi-platinum Christian song “I Can Only Imagine” the official state inspirational song of Oklahoma on Thursday. The recognition comes at a time when the movie of the same name — which was filmed in Oklahoma — is still in theaters as a box-office success, becoming the third-biggest …

The Washington Examiner reports: President Trump criticized “obstructionist” members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Monday over opposition to CIA Director Mike Pompeo’s nomination to lead the State Department. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Democrats on the committee announced Sunday they will not support Pompeo for State secretary when they vote Monday evening. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could still …

“Look, at some point, Democrats have to decide whether they love this country more than they hate this president. And they have to decide that they want to put the safety and the security and the diplomacy of our country ahead of their own political games. And we’re very hopeful that they will. Mike Pompeo is a highly qualified individual, …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: After 11 hours of political elbowing and shoving at the Utah Republican Convention — held appropriately at a hockey arena — delegates forced Mitt Romney into a primary election against state Rep. Mike Kennedy in the U.S. Senate race. In fact, Kennedy — a doctor and lawyer — finished in first place at the convention …

ABC News reports: New York ABC station WABC reports the New York City Police Department is looking for a man who attacked a fellow subway rider on Friday. The suspect was wearing a red “Make America Great Again” cap, sold by Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, and a red “Make America Great Again” T-shirt at the time of the …

The New York Times reports: The Trump administration says it plans to roll back a rule issued by President Barack Obama that prevents doctors, hospitals and health insurance companies from discriminating against transgender people. Advocates said the change could jeopardize the significant gains that transgender people have seen in access to medical care, including gender reassignment procedures — treatments for …

USA Today reports: With heavily armed riot police looking on from behind barricades, anti-fascist demonstrators held signs and chanted Saturday to protest a planned rally by neo-Nazis in Newnan, Ga. It appeared to be the largest face-off between the groups since clashes at Charlottesville last year that left one person dead. Members of Antifa, the loose-knit anti-fascist movement, gathered along …

Of course he already went golfing today: President Trump said Saturday he will watch the funeral services for former First Lady Barbara Bush from his Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump has been in Florida since last weekend. He spent most of Saturday morning at his golf club. The White House said the president would skip Bush’s funeral …