Tag Archives: White House

The Associated Press reports: President Donald Trump’s plan to combat opioid drug addiction calls for stiffer penalties for drug traffickers, including the death penalty where appropriate under current law, a top administration official said. It’s a fate for drug dealers that Trump has been highlighting publicly in recent weeks. Trump also wants Congress to pass legislation reducing the amount of …

CNN reports: A helicopter carrying Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner had to return to an airport in Washington on Thursday after one of its engines failed, two law enforcement sources told CNN. President Trump’s daughter and son-in-law were flying from Washington to New York on Thursday afternoon in a two-engine helicopter when one engine failed, causing the chopper to return …

Talking Points Memo reports: A trove of e-mails obtained by House Democrats reveal efforts by top State Department officials — working hand in hand with the White House, outside conservatives and right-wing media — to sideline and demote career civil servants who are seen as disloyal to President Trump. The report on the emails set off alarm bells across Washington, …

The Huffington Post reports: Jennifer Scavino, the wife of Dan Scavino, an aide to President Donald Trump who serves as White House social media director, filed for divorce in late January 2018, county records reveal. Scavino, who is one of Trump’s closest aides, holds the title of assistant to the president, the highest-ranking staff position in the White House, one …

CNN reports: With an assist from President Trump, James Comey’s book is surging on the best sellers list. The book, “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership,” won’t be released until April 17. But on Sunday morning it was No. 2 on Amazon’s constantly updated list of best sellers. The ranking reflects a sudden spike in pre-orders. On Saturday morning, …

The Associated Press reports: When the Kushner Cos. bought three apartment buildings in a gentrifying neighborhood of Queens in 2015, most of the tenants were protected by special rules that prevent developers from pushing them out, raising rents and turning a tidy profit. But that’s exactly what the company then run by Jared Kushner did, and with remarkable speed. Two …

The Associated Press reports: Andrew McCabe — the former FBI deputy director just fired by the attorney general — kept personal memos regarding President Donald Trump. That’s according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation who wasn’t authorized to discuss the memos publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. This person says the memos are similar to the …

The Hill reports: President Trump celebrated the firing of former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe late Friday on Twitter, calling it a “great day for Democracy.” Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired McCabe, who was set to retire on Sunday, for not being forthcoming with investigators during an inspector general review. Trump had repeatedly attacked McCabe, claiming that the former FBI …

Talking Points Memo reports: Asked about claims that porn actress Stephanie Clifford, who uses the stage name Stormy Daniels, was physically threatened in order to keep quiet about her alleged affair with President Donald Trump, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee on Friday said that the White House does not condone any threats. “Obviously we take the safety and security …

Mueller, Mueller, Mueller: Today’s briefing will most likely include questions about the reports that special counsel Robert Mueller is subpoenaing the Trump Organization for documents about the president’s business ventures in Russia. President Donald Trump has said that investigations into his family’s finances should be off limits to the special counsel, though Mueller, undaunted, is moving ahead. This could certainly …

The Washington Post reports: President Trump has decided to remove H.R. McMaster as his national security adviser and is actively discussing potential replacements, according to five people with knowledge of the plans, preparing to deliver yet another jolt to the senior ranks of his administration. Trump is now comfortable with ousting McMaster, with whom he never personally gelled, but is …

Politico reports: The Trump administration is finalizing a long-awaited plan that it says will solve the opioid crisis, but it also calls for law enforcement measures — like the death penalty for some drug dealers — that public health advocates and congressional Republicans warn will detract from efforts to reverse the epidemic. The ambitious plan, which the White House has …

Mueller. Mueller. Mueller. UPI reports: White House press secretary Sarah Sanders is scheduled to give an on-camera press briefing on Thursday afternoon. The briefing is set to begin at 2 p.m. EDT. Sanders likely will face questions about the Treasury’s decision to levy sanctions against five Russian entities and 19 citizens for interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Trump …

“I don’t have any personnel announcements. I have to say I’m just fascinated about all the stories about palace intrigue and personnel, and a lack of stories about policy, it really is amazing. Thank God the president himself goes out across the country, like he did for two solid days this week, and takes his message directly to the people.” …

Business Insider reports: Conservative economist Larry Kudlow will replace Gary Cohn as National Economic Council director and become the top economic adviser to President Donald Trump according to a new report. Multiple reports say that Kudlow, who is a CNBC contributor, will be named NEC director as soon as Thursday. Trump suggested that the offer was imminent while talking to …

ABC News reports: Students across the country and around the globe are coming together in a National School Walkout today in a call on Congress to pass tighter gun control laws. The ENOUGH National School Walkout is taking place exactly one month after the mass shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 people and sent shock waves across …

Politico reports: Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman, runs a significant risk of spending the rest of his life in prison and the evidence against him by special counsel Robert Mueller’s office seems strong, a federal judge declared in an order made public on Tuesday. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III, who is based in Alexandria, Virginia, and is …

CNBC reports: Outgoing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, whose firing was announced hours earlier, is slated to address reporters from the State Department briefing room on Tuesday afternoon. Tillerson’s ouster, first reported Tuesday morning, was quickly confirmed by President Donald Trump in a tweet. White House officials said Tillerson found out on Friday that he would be fired, according to …

ABC News reports: The bombshell firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson comes amid another shakeup in the West Wing involving President Donald Trump’s personal aide (his body man) John McEntee, who was escorted from the White House Monday, sources told ABC News. There were issues with his background clearance, according to the sources. McEntee is the latest original Trump …

The BBC reports: Former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned by a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia, Theresa May has told MPs. The PM said the government concluded it was “highly likely” Russia was responsible for the Salisbury attack. The Foreign Office summoned Russia’s ambassador to provide an explanation. Mrs May said if there …