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Josh Dawsey / Politico:
Inside Trump's snap decision to ban transgender troops — After a week sparring with his attorney general and steaming over the Russia investigation consuming his agenda, President Donald Trump was closing in on an important win. — House Republicans were planning to pass a spending bill stacked …
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mccain.senate.gov:
STATEMENT BY SASC CHAIRMAN JOHN McCAIN ON TRANSGENDER AMERICANS IN THE MILITARY — Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today on President Trump's tweet regarding transgender Americans in the military:
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Fox News Insider, National Review, Business Insider, Politicus USA, Deadline and Mediaite
Christopher Ingraham / Washington Post:
The military spends five times as much on Viagra as it would on transgender troops' medical care — On Twitter this morning, President Trump announced a ban on transgender people serving in the military, citing “medical costs” as the primary driver of the decision.
Discussion:
Politico, Business Insider, IJR, Richard Dawkins Foundation, Vox, Mashable, CNBC, ThinkProgress and AOL, more at Techmeme »
New York Times:
Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military — WASHINGTON — President Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States will no longer “accept or allow” transgender people in the United States military, saying American forces “must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory” …
Cora Lewis / BuzzFeed:
Trump Says Transgender People Cannot “Serve In Any Capacity” In The Military
Trump Says Transgender People Cannot “Serve In Any Capacity” In The Military
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Eric Boehlert / Shareblue:
Trump “blindsided the Pentagon” with new military policy he got watching Fox News
Trump “blindsided the Pentagon” with new military policy he got watching Fox News
Discussion:
IJR, Media Matters for America and Daily Kos
Jason Noble / Des Moines Register:
Ernst breaks with Trump on transgender military ban
Ernst breaks with Trump on transgender military ban
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Washington Post, Vox, Business Insider, IJR, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Hit & Run, IndieWire and RedState
The Daily Beast:
Trump Bows to Religious Right, Bans Trans Troops
Trump Bows to Religious Right, Bans Trans Troops
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, IJR and Business Insider
Mallory Shelbourne / The Hill:
Hatch: ‘Transgender people are people’
Hatch: ‘Transgender people are people’
Discussion:
Politico, Shareblue, Task & Purpose and The Daily Caller
Media Matters for America:
Before Trump banned transgender people from serving in military, here's who praised him as pro-LGBTQ
The Hill:
Trump to ban transgender people from all military service
Trump to ban transgender people from all military service
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Jeremy Herb / CNN:
House defeats bid to block Pentagon funding transgender surgeries
House defeats bid to block Pentagon funding transgender surgeries
Discussion:
Foreign Policy, Politico, Business Insider, Jezebel and New York Magazine
Abby Phillip / Washington Post:
Trump announces ban on transgender people in U.S. military
Trump announces ban on transgender people in U.S. military
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, ABC News, Axios, Media Matters for America, Mediaite, Fox News, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, NPR, Business Insider, www.wnyc.org, CBS Dallas, vice, The Daily Signal, Conservative News Today, WSVN-TV, The Gateway Pundit, Talking Points Memo, CNBC, Just Security, KTLA, New York's PIX11, CBS New York, Snopes.com, The Times of Israel, NBC News, IJR, TheBlaze, The Daily Caller, Refinery29, Daily Wire, WCCO | CBS Minnesota, Raw Story, Mashable, The First Street Journal and RedState
John Bowden / The Hill:
GOP senators break with Trump over transgender troop ban
GOP senators break with Trump over transgender troop ban
Discussion:
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Mark K. Matthews / Denver Post:
Colorado Republican Ken Buck: “Any American ... should be allowed to serve” …
Colorado Republican Ken Buck: “Any American ... should be allowed to serve” …
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The Atlantic
Jeremy Diamond / CNN:
Trump to reinstate US military ban on transgender people
Trump to reinstate US military ban on transgender people
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Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
The ‘Skinny Bill’ Is a Farce. Here's the Real Reason Republicans Are Doing It. — At times, various factions in Congress have called for repealing, replacing, or repairing Obamacare. Senate Republicans have been unable to agree on which of these ends to pursue, and so instead …
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Daily Kos
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Dylan Scott / Vox:
The latest vote to repeal Obamacare fails in the Senate — But the debate lives on. — The Senate failed Wednesday to advance a bill that would have partially repealed Obamacare without replacing it, another step in the Senate health care debate that is likely heading toward a much more scaled-down bill.
Discussion:
Axios and The Daily Caller
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
Senate rejects repeal-only ObamaCare plan — Senators on Wednesday rejected a key proposal that would repeal much of ObamaCare, despite intense pressure from conservatives. — Senators voted 55-45 against an amendment from Sen. Rand Paul — (R-Ky.) that would repeal the Affordable Care Act …
Discussion:
RedState, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite and IJR
Seung Min Kim / Politico:
‘Skinny’ Obamacare repeal still lacks votes to pass
‘Skinny’ Obamacare repeal still lacks votes to pass
Discussion:
Axios, Vox, USA Today, Hit & Run, Reuters, Washington Post, Washington Monthly and Booman Tribune
Ross Douthat / New York Times:
A Trump Tower of Absolute Folly — Donald Trump's campaign against his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, in which he is seemingly attempting to insult and humiliate and tweet-shame Sessions into resignation, is an insanely stupid exercise. It is a multitiered tower of political idiocy …
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Mike Allen / Axios:
Jeff Sessions won't take Trump's hint
Jeff Sessions won't take Trump's hint
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Warren / THE WARREN (HENRY) REPORT:
Tucker Calrissian Tonight
Tucker Calrissian Tonight
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Fox News Insider, The Guardian and The Rush Limbaugh Show
Jake Gibson / Fox News:
Sessions to announce investigations into intelligence leaks: source
Sessions to announce investigations into intelligence leaks: source
Discussion:
Townhall.com, Axios, The Daily Caller and ThinkProgress
Page Six:
‘Dancing with the Stars’ wants Sean Spicer … Sean Spicer is taking his first steps to transition from the White House briefing room to the bright lights of a TV news studio — but he's also being courted by “Dancing with the Stars,” Page Six has learned. — The outgoing press secretary spent …
Discussion:
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Oliver Darcy / CNNMoney:
Matt Drudge is firing warning shots at Trump, and that should worry the president — Conway: White House staff is tough, but humble — Matt Drudge has been in the White House an awful lot these days — “all the time,” as one senior administration official puts it.
Discussion:
The Week
CNBC:
White House to announce Apple-supplier Foxconn manufacturing plant in Wisconsin on Wednesday: Source — Apple-supplier Foxconn will announce a plant in Wisconsin on Wednesday evening, accompanied by President Donald Trumpand Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a source with knowledge of the announcement told CNBC.
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9to5Mac, The Verge, Engadget, Business Insider, The Gateway Pundit, NTK Network and Wall Street Journal, more at Techmeme »
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Ryan Grim / The Intercept:
Steve Bannon Pushing For 44 Percent Marginal Tax Rate On The Very Rich — Top White House adviser Steve Bannon is pushing for tax reform to include a new 44 percent top marginal tax rate, hitting people who earn more than $5 million a year, with the revenue paying for tax cuts for the rest …
Discussion:
Raw Story and The Daily Caller
Kashmir Hill / Splinter:
Why Did Jared Kushner Download an Encrypted, Disappearing Message App? — The list of people interested in Jared Kushner's communications history keeps growing: This week, the White House advisor and presidential son-in-law voluntarily handed over documents to the Senate intelligence committee …
Discussion:
Raw Story
Tom Winter / NBC News:
DOJ: Ex-Manafort Associate Firtash Is Top-Tier Comrade of Russian Mobsters — The Department of Justice has identified a former business associate of ex-Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort as an “upper-echelon [associate] of Russian organized crime.” — The declaration came in a 115-page filing …
Discussion:
Political Wire and Raw Story
Billy House / Bloomberg:
Gowdy Acted Like Kushner's Lawyer Behind Closed Doors, Democrat Says — Gowdy says Democrats ‘ran out of questions’ for Kushner — Intelligence panel interviewed Kushner as part of Russia probe — Republican Trey Gowdy acted behind closed doors like a lawyer for President Donald Trump's son-in-law …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard and Politico
The Hill:
Welcome to The Hill's 50 Most Beautiful! — After receiving hundreds upon hundreds of nominations, it was tough to choose just 50. — But following a lot of debate, we finalized this year's winners. — There is one thing that's different than our prior lists.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and John Hawkins' Right Wing News
New York Times:
Health Care Vote: Senate Rejects Repeal Without Replace — • The Senate on Wednesday afternoon rejected a proposal to repeal major parts of the Affordable Care Act without providing a replacement. Follow the live vote tracker to see how each senator voted.
Discussion:
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Josh Rogin / Washington Post:
State Department head of diplomatic security resigns — The head of the State Department's diplomatic security bureau has resigned and will leave his post on Thursday, leaving the two top positions vacant for the foreseeable future in the bureau in charge of embassy security around the world.
Evgenia Peretz / Vanity Fair:
Angelina Jolie Solo — Photographs by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. Styled by Jessica Diehl. … Like most things involving Angelina Jolie, stepping foot into her house is an experience so heightened one wonders if it's for real or the product of careful orchestration.
Discussion:
Splinter
Amie Parnes / The Hill:
Clinton book to double down on Russia, Comey message — 's upcoming book will double down on Russia's interference and James Comey's involvement in her stunning election defeat, according to sources familiar with the memoir. — Privately, Clinton has told friends and longtime associates that she …
Discussion:
Business Insider, Liberal Values, Axios, Mediaite, NTK Network, IJR and Washington Free Beacon