memeorandum: Russians Reportedly Bragged They Could Use Michael Flynn to Influence Trump (Daniel Politi/Slate)

1:20 AM ET, May 22, 2017

Top Items:

Full Transcript of Trump's Speech to the Muslim World From Saudi Arabia — In first speech on foreign soil, Trump lashes out at Iran, says its own citizens are victims of its policies and that terror groups ISIS, Al-Qaida, Hezbollah and Hamas are responsible for generations of vanished dreams

Discussion: CNN, Informed Comment, Power Line, Hit & Run, The Times of Israel, New York Magazine, 24Ahead, Hot Air, IJR, RedState, The Moderate Voice, The Atlantic, Washington Monthly, The Resurgent and Washington Post

Anne Applebaum / Washington Post:

Trump's bizarre and un-American visit to Saudi Arabia — Before he moves on to Israel and then to Europe, before we are consumed by the next scandal and forget, here is a list, for the record, of just a few of the ways in which President Trump's trip to Saudi Arabia was bizarre, unseemly, unethical and un-American.

Discussion: NPR, Balloon Juice, Raw Story and The Hill

TBogg / Raw Story:

'He's been neutered': Trump supporters melt down after president calls Islam 'one of world's great faiths' — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — As President Donald Trump is getting hammered on the left for not using the expression “radical Islamic terrorism” during his speech in Saudi Arabia …

Discussion: CBS News, RT, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Free Beacon, Daily Mail, The Hill and RedState

Caitlin Yilek / Washington Examiner:

Trump ‘exhausted’ three days into first trip abroad as president: Reports — A White House official told reporters that President Trump is “exhausted” just three days into his first trip abroad as president. — Trump was expected to say “Islamist extremism” during his speech to Muslim leaders …

Discussion: Politicus USA, RedState, Conservative News Today and Sputnik International

Elizabeth Landers / CNN:

Melania Trump gets rave reviews in Saudi press — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (CNN)First lady Melania Trump's fashion choices got rave reviews in local Saudi Arabian press Sunday, despite forgoing the customary headscarf. — Both the first lady and first daughter Ivanka Trump have been closely watched …

Discussion: Breitbart, Mashable, Bloomberg, Daily Mail, TheBlaze, Conservative News Today, RT, The Hill, Washington Post, NBC News, France 24, RedState, The Times of Israel, IJR, The Week and Fox News

Sara Murray / CNN:
Reince Priebus returning to Washington after Saudi visit

Discussion: Balloon Juice

Blake Hounshell / Politico:
Donald of Arabia — Those who expected Donald Trump to fly …

Discussion: ABC News and Washington Post

New York Times:
To Trump, Human Rights Concerns Are Often a Barrier to Trade

Discussion: Human Rights Watch

New York Times:
Trump Softens Tone on Islam but Calls for Purge of ‘Foot Soldiers of Evil’

Discussion: RealClearPolitics, Power Line, Althouse and Conservative News Today

Annie Karni / Politico:
Trump strikes moderate tone on Islam

Discussion: Gizmodo, Weasel Zippers and The Hill

Damian Paletta / Washington Post:

Trump to propose big cuts to safety-net in new budget, slashing Medicaid and opening door to other limits — President Trump's first major budget proposal on Tuesday will include massive cuts to Medicaid and call for changes to anti-poverty programs that would give states new power to limit …

Discussion: Salon, CNBC, The Week, Associated Press, The Daily Caller and Politicus USA

Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Scoop: Trump budget to slash entitlements by $1.7 trillion

Discussion: TheStreet and Politicus USA

Stan Collender / Forbes: This Week's Rollout Of Trump 2018 Budget Could Be His Biggest Failure Yet

Hollywood Reporter:

Billy Bush Breaks His Silence on Trump, the ‘Access Hollywood’ Tape, NBC and a Comeback Plan (Exclusive) — Seven months after the infamous “grab them by the pussy” recording got Bush fired (and nearly toppled Trump's White House run), the former ‘Today’ host goes public with what happened on that bus …

Discussion: The Week and Mediaite

Jay Caruso / RedState:

Why Is Any Republican Spreading the Conspiracy Theory About Slain DNC Staffer Seth Rich? — Is this how far Trump supporters will go? They're so willing to divert attention from President Trump's problems that they spread conspiracy theories? — Sean Hannity and Newt Gingrich …

Discussion: Mother Jones, Washington Post, ThinkProgress and Media Matters for America, more at Mediagazer »

David Weigel / Washington Post:
Gingrich spreads conspiracy theory about slain DNC staffer

Discussion: The Guardian, The Gateway Pundit and Daily Kos

Michael E. Miller / Washington Post:

A millionaire, a hotel maid and an arrest after the inauguration for sex abuse — He was a millionaire, in Washington to toast President Trump's inauguration. — She was a maid, tasked with cleaning rooms that cost more in a few days than her monthly rent.

Discussion: Raw Story

Barak Ravid / Haaretz:

Fuming Netanyahu Orders Ministers to Attend Trump's Reception After Most Refuse to Show Up — Ministers didn't want to go after they found out they won't even shake hands with Trump Netanyahu dismisses cabinet meeting in a rage — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has required …

Discussion: Axios, Financial Times, New York Times, Israel Hayom, Daily Kos and Hullabaloo

Tom Boggioni / Raw Story:
‘Angry’ Netanyahu orders boycotting Israeli officials to show up for Trump reception: report

Discussion: The Guardian

Jonathan Swan / Axios:

Trump wanted to veto bill to keep government open — Publicly, President Trump didn't seem overjoyed when, earlier this month, he signed a $1 trillion bill to keep the government open. Privately, his mood was much, much worse. — Behind-the-scenes: When the spending bill had been negotiated …

Discussion: twitchy.com

Daniel Politi / Slate:

Russians Reportedly Bragged They Could Use Michael Flynn to Influence Trump — Russian officials were so confident that they could use Michael Flynn to influence Donald Trump that they openly bragged about it during the campaign, according to CNN. U.S. intelligence officials …

Discussion: Informed Comment

Zachary Warmbrodt / Politico:
McCain ‘almost speechless’ over Trump's ‘nutjob’ jab

Discussion: ABC News and Political Wire

Mallory Shelbourne / The Hill:
Chaffetz: Jail individuals leaking information

Discussion: Politico, The Daily Caller and RedState

Chad Pawson / CBC News:

Sea lion drags girl into water off Steveston dock in Richmond, B.C. — Marine mammal expert says animal made mistake, most likely thought dress was a piece of fish — A Richmond resident captured dramatic video on Saturday showing a sea lion grabbing a young girl by the dress and dragging …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Washington Post, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Fox News, twitchy.com, Mediaite, New York's PIX11, USA Today, myfox8.com and AOL

Carrie Wells / Baltimore Sun:

Police, FBI investigating University of Maryland killing as possible hate crime — A black Bowie State University student who was set to graduate this week may have been killed over the weekend in a random, racially-motivated attack by a white University of Maryland, College Park student, officials said Sunday.

Discussion: The Root and Breaking911

Luke Mullins / Washingtonian:

Meet Matt Boyle, Breitbart's (Other) Man in the White House — The very unlikely rise of a media phenomenon in Trump's Washington. — Matt Boyle went from an outsider ridiculed for his awkward mien and his activist tendencies to one of the best-wired reporters in the new Washington.

Kristine Phillips / Washington Post:

A black congressman called for Trump's impeachment. Lynching threats followed, he said. — U.S. Rep. Al Green said the phone calls came in not long after he called for the impeachment of President Trump. — “Hey, Al Green, we got an impeachment for you. It's going to be yours,” one caller said.

Discussion: AOL, ABC News and RT