Top Items:
Josh Dawsey / Politico:
Mega-donor urged Bannon not to resign — The man credited with honing Donald Trump's populist message and guiding him into the White House has grown frustrated amid continued infighting in the West Wing, so much so that in recent weeks a top donor had to convince him to stay in his position.
Discussion:
Axios, Talking Points Memo, No More Mister Nice Blog, Althouse, Infowars, New York Times, Israpundit, Raw Story, Business Insider, The Daily Caller, The Root, RedState, Boing Boing, Washington Post, Daily Wire, New York Magazine, Snopes.com, TheStreet, ABC News, Occupy Democrats, Morning Consult, The Times of Israel, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, Taylor Marsh, The Week, Political Wire, IJR, BizPac Review, AOL, CANNONFIRE, Washington Free Beacon, Hot Air, The Mahablog, rubber hose, Balloon Juice, Vox and vice
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Axios:
Bannon to associates: “I love a gunfight” — After a series of high-level White House leaks portraying Steve Bannon as fed up with his job and ready to quit, Trump's chief strategist has told associates the stories are “100 percent nonsense” and he's playing for keeps.
Discussion:
Politico and Political Wire
CNN:
Inside the White House, paranoia and unrest among top staff — (CNN)In the West Wing, Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon occupy some of the most coveted real estate. Priebus, the chief of staff, enjoys the only outdoor patio in the White House. Bannon is mere steps from the Oval Office.
Fox News:
Bannon reportedly threatened to leave White House after NSC shakeup
Bannon reportedly threatened to leave White House after NSC shakeup
Discussion:
Axios and Instapundit
Chris Cillizza / CNN:
What Steve Bannon's demotion tells us about the Trump White House
What Steve Bannon's demotion tells us about the Trump White House
Discussion:
Shareblue
Robert Costa / Washington Post:
Bannon removed from security council as McMaster asserts control
Bannon removed from security council as McMaster asserts control
Discussion:
Defense One, New York Magazine, The Week, Politico and Political Wire
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
It's zero hour: Senate to go ‘nuclear’ — Senate Republicans are expected to trigger the “nuclear option” on Thursday, eliminating the minority party's power to filibuster Supreme Court nominees. — The historic vote will ensure the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch, President Trump's pick for the high court …
Discussion:
Hot Air
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Josh Holmes / Politico:
McConnell Is Finishing What Schumer Started — In a world of instant gratification that too often rewards boastful rhetoric over definitive accomplishments, Mitch McConnell stands out for his patience. The Senate majority leader expends political capital with ruthless efficiency …
Discussion:
Power Line
Shane Goldmacher / Politico:
Trump's hidden backchannel to Justice Kennedy: Their kids — After Donald Trump wrapped up his first speech to Congress and worked his way through the crowd, he lingered on his handshake with Anthony Kennedy, the 80-year-old Supreme Court justice. — The boom mics picked up their seemingly private conversation.
Discussion:
The Week, Axios, Washington Post and ABC News
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Negotiations to avert nuclear option collapse ahead of Gorsuch vote
Negotiations to avert nuclear option collapse ahead of Gorsuch vote
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Politico, ABC News and Hot Air
Paul Kane / Washington Post:
McConnell: ‘Nuclear option’ helps Senate. McCain: ‘Whoever says that is a stupid idiot.’
McConnell: ‘Nuclear option’ helps Senate. McCain: ‘Whoever says that is a stupid idiot.’
Discussion:
The Week and Occupy Democrats
Tim Mak / The Daily Beast:
Devin Nunes Steps Aside; Ethics Committee Investigating for Spilling Secrets — Rep. Devin Nunes said Thursday he is stepping aside as chairman of the House intelligence committee because he is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegedly disclosing intelligence without proper authorization.
Discussion:
Raw Story
RELATED:
Josh Dawsey / Politico:
Nunes steps aside from Russia probe — House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) will temporarily step aside from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, including interactions between Moscow and the Trump campaign. — The move comes as the House …
Discussion:
The Week
Rebecca Savransky / The Hill:
Nunes steps aside from Russia investigation
Nunes steps aside from Russia investigation
Discussion:
Political Wire
New York Times:
Partial Transcript: Trump's Interview With The Times — WASHINGTON — The following is a partial transcript of President Trump's interview with The New York Times' Maggie Haberman and Glenn Thrush. It has been lightly edited for content and clarity, and omits several off-the-record comments and asides.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Breitbart, Shareblue, Baltimore Sun, RedState, Talking Points Memo, The Atlantic, Political Wire, New York Magazine, Balloon Juice, Business Insider and Vox
Fox News:
Reports in unmasking controversy were detailed, had info about ‘everyday lives’ — The intelligence reports at the center of the Susan Rice unmasking controversy were detailed, and almost resembled a private investigator's file, according to a Republican congressman familiar with the documents.
Discussion:
BizPac Review, The Gateway Pundit, RedState and The Last Refuge
RELATED:
David Mack / BuzzFeed:
The Husband Of A Trump Supporter Has Just Been Deported Back To Mexico — The man's American wife said she believed “good people” would not be deported under President Trump. Late Tuesday night, her husband was removed to Mexico. — A Mexican man who spent almost two decades living …
Discussion:
Raw Story
RELATED:
Mayra Cuevas / CNN:
Undocumented husband of Indiana Trump supporter deported to Mexico
Undocumented husband of Indiana Trump supporter deported to Mexico
Discussion:
The Root
Charles M. Blow / New York Times:
Creeping Toward Crisis — I am racked with anxiety that our buffoonish “president” — who sounds so internationally unsophisticated and who is still operating under a cloud of illegitimacy — is beginning to face his first real foreign crises. — What worries me most is that he seems …
Discussion:
CNN, vice, Defense One, Business Insider, The Daily Signal and TheBlaze
RELATED:
Anthony Capaccio / Bloomberg:
Pentagon Plans Next Major Missile Intercept Test for Late May
Pentagon Plans Next Major Missile Intercept Test for Late May
Discussion:
Politico
Emily Smith / Page Six:
Donald Trump Jr. talks about running for governor of New York — MORE FROM: … Donald Trump Jr. wants to run for political office, telling members of an elite gun club that he could set his sights on becoming governor of New York. — Don Jr. spoke to members of the F6 Labs gun club in Hicksville …
Olivia Beavers / The Hill:
GOP senator: Trump's wall a ‘metaphor’ for securing border — (R-Wis.) says he believes President Trump's promise to build a border wall “was a metaphor for securing the border.” — “I always thought the wall was a metaphor for securing the border,” Johnson told CNN's “New Day” on Thursday.
RELATED:
Annie Karni / Politico:
Ivanka's secret Planned Parenthood outreach — In the weeks following her father's inauguration, Ivanka Trump quietly reached out to the president of Planned Parenthood seeking common ground on the contentious issue of abortion. — The first daughter requested a sit-down with Cecile Richards …
Discussion:
Political Wire, Hot Air, LifeNews.com, twitchy.com and The Week
Elizabeth Dexheimer / Bloomberg:
Cohn Backs Wall Street Split of Lending, Investment Banks — Senators ask about Glass-Steagall return in private meeting — Trump's top economic adviser said he supports separation — In a private meeting with lawmakers, White House economic adviser Gary Cohn said he supports a policy …
Discussion:
Business Insider and CNBC
Andrew Restuccia / Politico:
Civil war rages throughout Trump administration — A civil war between Donald Trump loyalists and establishment-minded Republicans is escalating throughout the federal government — and increasingly the president's allies are losing. — From the State Department to the Environmental Protection Agency …
Discussion:
Axios
CNN:
First on CNN: Secret Service agent on VP's detail caught after meeting with prostitute at Maryland hotel — Secret Service scandals Story highlights — Washington (CNN)CNN has learned from multiple law enforcement sources that a Secret Service agent on Vice President Mike Pence's detail …
Discussion:
New York Times, The Last Tradition, New York Magazine, Business Insider, The Week, NBC News, The Daily Caller and Political Wire
Josh Feldman / Mediaite:
Maxine Waters Says That 'Bill O'Reilly Needs to Go to Jail' — Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters went off on Bill O'Reilly tonight, saying that he and others should go to jail over what she referred to as a “sexual harassment enterprise” at Fox News. — MSNBC's Chris Hayes asked Waters …
Discussion:
MSNBC, TheBlaze, The Week, The Guardian and New York Times, more at Mediagazer »
Nicholas Kristof / New York Times:
My Most Unpopular Idea: Be Nice to Trump Voters — When I write about people struggling with addictions or homelessness, liberals exude sympathy while conservatives respond with snarling hostility to losers who make “bad choices.” — When I write about voters who supported President Trump …
Discussion:
The Intercept