Putin's Bet on a Trump Presidency Backfires Spectacularly  —  A little more than a year after the Russian effort to interfere in the American presidential election came to light, the diplomatic fallout — an unraveling of the relationship between Moscow and Washington on a scale not seen in decades — is taking its toll.

The Final Humiliation of Reince Priebus  —  Six years ago, a humble party hack from Kenosha, Wisconsin, took on the thankless job of turning around the Republican Party.  As he exits the White House—battered, bruised, and humiliated—Reince Priebus argues he accomplished just what he set out to do.

Ivanka and Jared find their limits in Trump's White House  —  By one measurement, last week was a good one for Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.  —  President Donald Trump's daughter and son-in-law had been double-teaming for weeks to persuade him to oust chief of staff Reince Priebus …

Donald Trump Deepens GOP Divide  —  President's turbulent week fuels frustration in his party, though core supporters remain loyal  —  WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump's tumultuous past week has widened rifts in his party, between those who vocally support the president's combative style …

Secret donations are helping to boost President Trump's agenda, fights with investigators  —  If there's one thing that Donald Trump values, it's loyalty.  He's placed an emphasis on it throughout his life, and he consistently requires it of those who surround him.  Often, his brand of loyalty can be a one-way street.

Christie gets in face of fan at baseball game  —  At #Cubs #Brewers game.  #ChrisChristie was getting razzed by fans, so he got in the face of one of them.  5:30 on @WISN12News pic.twitter.com/sx8euMgFy2 — Ben Hutchison (@BennyHutch) July 30, 2017  —  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) …

Sage Advice From the ‘Gold Standard’ of White House Chiefs of Staff  —  WASHINGTON — When a new White House chief of staff takes over, the smart ones check in with James A. Baker III, the only man to have occupied the office two different times for two different presidents and who is widely considered to be the gold standard.

For Trump and Sessions, a warm beginning turned into an icy standoff  —  They met more than a decade ago, when the genteel junior senator from Alabama invited the brash real estate mogul to testify on Capitol Hill about the renovation of the United Nations.  Jeff Sessions was taken by Donald Trump …

The Pakistani Hackers Working for the DNC  —  At last, I am in a position to help the New York Times.  It's a good feeling.  As anyone who has stumbled upon their website knows, our former paper of record, underscoring its insatiable appetite to provide the public with all the news that fits its agenda …

McConnell wages war down South  —  Mitch McConnell is unleashing the full force of his political machine in an all-out push to stop two far-right conservatives who threaten to make his life miserable in the Senate.  —  The Republican leader is aiming to thwart Rep. Mo Brooks …

That R. Kelly ‘cult’ story almost never ran.  Thank Hulk Hogan for that.  —  Call it the Gawker Effect.  —  After Jim DeRogatis, the veteran Chicago rock critic, reported for months on a stunning story about R&B singer R. Kelly and the young women said to be under his psychological and sexual control …

Tax reform begins today  —  Never mind President Trump's weekend of after-the-whistle tweeting about health reform.  The White House, Senate and House are all united in moving on full steam to tax reform this week.  —  Why it matters: They're doing it with heightened urgency …

Pence travels to Baltic states to reassure allies and send message to Russia  —  TALLINN, Estonia — Vice President Pence touched down in Estonia on Sunday on the eve of President Trump's expected signing of legislation to impose broad sanctions against Russia, and said he came bearing a message …

US, allies prepared to use ‘overwhelming force’ in North Korea, general says  —  The U.S. and its allies are prepared to use “rapid, lethal and overwhelming force,” if necessary, against North Korea, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces warned Saturday night.