Top Items:
Jason Noble / Des Moines Register:
Ernst breaks with Trump on transgender military ban — U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst on Wednesday broke with President Donald Trump's call to bar transgender Americans from serving in the military, telling the Des Moines Register that anyone qualified should be allowed to serve.
Discussion:
mccain.senate.gov, RedState, Hit & Run, Business Insider, IndieWire, Deadline and IJR
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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 …
Discussion:
Raw Story and Balloon Juice
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:
ThinkProgress, Business Insider, Vox and Richard Dawkins Foundation
The Hill:
Trump to ban transgender people from all military service — President Trump on Wednesday said he would ban transgender people from any military service. — Trump made the announcement, which would represent a major shift in military policy, on Twitter. He said he had made the decision …
Discussion:
Shareblue, Hot Air, Task & Purpose, Vox, Axios, Politico, ThinkProgress, Business Insider, ABC News, Washington Post, IJR, Common Dreams, WAVY-TV, Washington Monthly, Bearing Arms, Mashable, The Gateway Pundit, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Atlantic, Politicus USA, Mediaite, Human Rights Campaign, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Right Wing Watch, Friendly Atheist, The Root, twitchy.com, The Daily Caller and The Week
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” …
Jeremy Herb / CNN:
House defeats bid to block Pentagon funding transgender surgeries
House defeats bid to block Pentagon funding transgender surgeries
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Foreign Policy, Politico, New York Magazine and Jezebel
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:
Shareblue, Axios, Fox News, vice, Media Matters for America, Just Security, CBS Dallas, Task & Purpose, The Atlantic, The Daily Caller, The Daily Signal, RedState, Talking Points Memo, Business Insider, Political Wire, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Raw Story, The First Street Journal, FOX News Radio, NPR, CNBC, Conservative News Today, The Gateway Pundit, KTLA, New York's PIX11, Snopes.com, The Times of Israel, Mashable, TheBlaze, The Federalist, Daily Wire, WCCO | CBS Minnesota, Refinery29, IJR, The Week, Washington Free Beacon, Mother Jones, Pirate's Cove and CBS Philly
Jeremy Diamond / CNN:
Trump to reinstate US military ban on transgender people
Trump to reinstate US military ban on transgender people
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Slate, Breitbart, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, GLAAD, HuffPost, The Gateway Pundit, The Pavlovic Today, The Daily Caller, The Guardian, IJR, Task & Purpose, Business Insider, VICE News, Media Matters for America, ThinkProgress, The Daily Signal, NBC News, Politicus USA, Mashable, CBS Dallas, The Week and Tablet Magazine
Meghan Keneally / ABC News:
Donald Trump's past statements about LGBT rights
Donald Trump's past statements about LGBT rights
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Post and Shareblue
Media Matters for America:
Before Trump banned transgender people from serving in military, here's who praised him as pro-LGBTQ
Connor O'Brien / Politico:
What to know about Trump's transgender military ban
What to know about Trump's transgender military ban
Discussion:
Washington Post, Vox, AOL, Task & Purpose, USA Today and Business Insider
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 …
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, Breitbart, Washington Monthly and Booman Tribune
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Fox News Insider:
Tucker Carlson Blasts Donald Trump for Attacking Jeff Sessions Attorney General — Tucker Carlson criticized President Trump for repeated attacks on Attorney General Jeff Sessions. — Carlson said Trump is continuing a “protracted rhetorical assault” on Sessions, who he said is the one cabinet member …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Breitbart, Newsweek, The Daily Beast, TheBlaze and Daily Wire
Mike Allen / Axios:
Jeff Sessions won't take Trump's hint — Attorney General Jeff Sessions doesn't plan to take the hint. President Trump continues hitting him in all body parts — apparently hoping he'll resign, which could pave the way for firing special counsel Bob Mueller.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, BuzzFeed, Business Insider, Weekly Standard, Mediaite, ABC News, The White House, Shakesville and Daily Kos
Devlin Barrett / Washington Post:
The standoff between Trump and Sessions escalates … The public standoff between the White House and the nation's senior law enforcement official took another strange turn Tuesday as President Trump escalated his verbal attacks on Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was urged by fellow conservatives to stand his ground.
Josh Dawsey / Politico:
Trump and Sessions locked in silent battle
Trump and Sessions locked in silent battle
Discussion:
Bloomberg, American Prospect, The Hill, The Daily Caller, RedState, Talking Points Memo, Salon, Business Insider, PEN America, Hullabaloo, The Resurgent, Newsmax and AOL
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Eyes Tax-Code Overhaul, With Emphasis on Middle-Class Break
Trump Eyes Tax-Code Overhaul, With Emphasis on Middle-Class Break
Discussion:
New York Magazine, Daily Wire, Vox, Washington Post, Raw Story, The Week and Balloon Juice
Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:
On Twitter, Trump continues attacks on Sessions
On Twitter, Trump continues attacks on Sessions
Discussion:
RedState, Business Insider, Washington Free Beacon and Talking Points Memo
Rick Wilson / Washington Post:
Jeff Sessions has done more for Trumpism than anyone. Trump still wants to ditch him.
Jeff Sessions has done more for Trumpism than anyone. Trump still wants to ditch him.
Discussion:
Breitbart, Salon, The Gateway Pundit and CANNONFIRE
Paul Beckett / Wall Street Journal:
Transcript: Donald Trump's Interview With The Wall Street Journal
Transcript: Donald Trump's Interview With The Wall Street Journal
Discussion:
Vox, The American Conservative and The Daily Caller
Jeremy Diamond / CNN:
Top White House aides press Trump to pull back on Sessions criticism
Top White House aides press Trump to pull back on Sessions criticism
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Daily Caller and The Week
Seung Min Kim / Politico:
GOP scrapes for bare minimum on Obamacare repeal — Forget ripping out Obamacare “root and branch”: At this point Senate Republicans are just looking to get something — anything — through the chamber with a bare majority. — After managing to resurrect their repeal bid Tuesday in dramatic fashion …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Washington Post, Booman Tribune, Vox and New York Times
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Berkeley Lovelace Jr / CNBC:
GOP senators must do whatever it takes to get to 50 votes on Obamacare repeal, says HHS secretary
GOP senators must do whatever it takes to get to 50 votes on Obamacare repeal, says HHS secretary
Discussion:
The Atlantic, The Guardian, Political Wire, Axios, NBC News and CRFB Papers and Blog Posts
Eli Yokley / Morning Consult:
Many Republicans Doubt Clinton Won Popular Vote — A plurality of Republicans say President Donald Trump received more of the popular vote in 2016 than his Democratic rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. — According to a new Morning Consult/POLITICO poll …
Discussion:
Business Insider and Political Wire
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Steven Shepard / Politico:
Poll: Half of Trump voters say Trump won popular vote
Poll: Half of Trump voters say Trump won popular vote
Discussion:
New York Magazine, Axios, The Daily Caller and The Week
Steven Shepard / Politico:
Poll: Voters say Mueller ouster would be inappropriate
Poll: Voters say Mueller ouster would be inappropriate
Discussion:
The Hill, The Daily Caller, Axios and RedState
Charles C. W. Cooke / National Review:
Mr. President, Please Be Quiet — Once again, Donald Trump has tweeted himself into the center of the day's news. He does this almost every morning — even, perhaps especially, when he has nothing new to say. Upon seeing today's efforts, I sighed and muttered “there goes Wednesday.”
Discussion:
Viking Pundit
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:
IJR
MedStar Washington Hospital Center:
Condition Report: Rep. Steve Scalise — Congressman Steve Scalise has made excellent progress in his recovery from a life-threatening gunshot wound six weeks ago. Yesterday, he was discharged from MedStar Washington Hospital Center and is now beginning a period of intensive inpatient rehabilitation.
Discussion:
Axios, Fox News, ABC News, New York Magazine, WJTV, Washington Times, IJR and The Week
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Emily Shapiro / ABC News:
Rep. Steve Scalise discharged from hospital 6 weeks after shooting
Rep. Steve Scalise discharged from hospital 6 weeks after shooting
Discussion:
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 AOL
WKBN-TV:
Police remove protesters from Trump rally — One man was holding a sign that read “Trump/Pence Must Go” and another was holding a Russian flag — YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) - There were no arrests at President Donald Trump's rally in Youngstown on Tuesday, but a few protesters were removed during his speech.
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News and IJR
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Salena Zito / New York Post:
Why the Rust Belt just gave Donald Trump a hero's welcome
Why the Rust Belt just gave Donald Trump a hero's welcome
Discussion:
CNN and Scared Monkeys
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:
Axios, Washington Free Beacon, Mediaite, IJR and The Week
Timothy Gardner / Reuters:
U.S. energy secretary duped into fake interview with Russian comedians — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry optimistically discussed expanding American coal exports to Ukraine and other energy matters during a lengthy phone call this month with a Russian prankster who Perry thought was Ukraine's prime minister.
Discussion:
PravdaReport, Vox, Washington Post, The Daily Caller, Political Wire and The Week
Michael Kruse / Politico:
To America, It Looks Like Chaos. For Trump, It's Just Tuesday. — It started Monday morning with Donald Trump calling his own attorney general “beleaguered.” It continued with an Air Force One flight to West Virginia and a rambling, partisan speech to thousands of hollering Boy Scouts.
Discussion:
VICE News, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, Lawfare, IJR, Conservative News Today and The Week
Fox News:
Russia probe: Democrats block key witness against shadowy firm Fusion GPS — Senate Democrats used a parliamentary maneuver Wednesday to cut short a high-profile hearing, where a key witness was set to testify on Russia's misdeeds and also raise fresh allegations against the company behind the infamous anti-Trump dossier.
Discussion:
Daily Wire and The Gateway Pundit