memeorandum: Trump weighs pulling out of free trade deal with South Korea (Associated Press)

9:40 AM ET, September 3, 2017

Top Items:

Choe Sang-Hun / New York Times:

North Korea Says It Tested a Hydrogen Bomb Meant for Missiles — SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sunday, saying it had detonated a hydrogen bomb that could be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Discussion: Washington Post, Political Wire, Washington Monthly and New York Magazine

Damian Paletta / Washington Post:

Trump preparing withdrawal from South Korea trade deal, a move opposed by top aides — President Trump has instructed advisers to prepare a withdrawal from the United States' free-trade agreement with South Korea, several people close to the process said, a move that would stoke economic tensions …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, NK News, Gizmodo, CNN, Politico, The Guardian, RedState, The Daily Caller and Axios

Associated Press:

Trump weighs pulling out of free trade deal with South Korea — President Donald Trump is considering triggering a withdrawal from a free trade agreement with South Korea, a business lobbying group said Saturday, raising concerns about a move that could cause a fresh economic rift between allies …

Discussion: Axios, Politico and ABC News

Josh Delk / The Hill:

GOP senator blasts Trump's ‘18th-century views of trade’ — (R-Neb.) blasted the Trump administration on Saturday for having “18th-century views of trade” after it was reported that President Trump was preparing to withdraw the U.S. from its free trade agreement with South Korea.

Discussion: Jamie Dupree - AJC and RedState

Choe Sang-Hun / New York Times: North Korea Claims to Have Developed a Missile-Ready Hydrogen Bomb

Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Trump considering ending South Korea trade pact

Discussion: InsideTrade Daily News

Max Greenwood / The Hill:

Trump goes hands-on in return to storm-ravaged Gulf Coast — President Trump appeared in good spirits Saturday while taking a more hands-on approach during his second visit to Texas in less than a week in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. — In Houston, Trump and first lady Melania handed …

Julia Manchester / The Hill:

Trump praises Coast Guard, swipes at media in Texas — President Trump praised the Coast Guard and took a swipe at the media Saturday during a stop on his trip to Texas to visit victims and local responders in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. — “I hear the Coast Guard saved 11,000 people …

Discussion: Raw Story, HuffPost and New York Times

New York Times:
Trump Returns to Texas, With Words of Encouragement and Triumph

Discussion: Shareblue

Alice Ollstein / Talking Points Memo:
Trump Cites ‘Happiness’ At Texas Shelter As Harvey Death Toll Climbs

Discussion: Business Insider, ROMPER and Balloon Juice

Brandon Carter / The Hill:
Trump jokes his hands are ‘too big’ while serving food to Harvey victims

Discussion: Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, Splinter and Politicus USA

CBS News:
Trump visits Harvey victims in Houston — live updates

Discussion: Instapundit, Politicus USA, IJR, Mediaite, Fox News Insider, The Guardian and The Gateway Pundit

Veronica Stracqualursi / ABC News:
President Trump returning to Texas to meet with ‘families’ affected by Harvey

Discussion: Associated Press, The Gateway Pundit, Politico and Metro

CNN:
Trump returns to Gulf Coast for test as ‘comforter in chief’

Discussion: ABC News, TheBlaze, IJR, KTLA, twitchy.com and Mediaite

CNN:

Exclusive: Read the Inauguration Day letter Obama left for Trump — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — (CNN)During his final moments in the Oval Office, President Barack Obama folded into thirds a handwritten letter to Donald Trump, slid it into an envelope, and in neat capital letters addressed it to “Mr. President.”

Robert King / Washington Examiner:

Justice Department confirms no evidence Obama wiretapped Trump Tower — The Department of Justice has acknowledged in a court filing no evidence of any wiretaps on Trump Tower during the 2016 campaign, directly contradicting a claim President Trump made in March.

Discussion: RedState

CNN:
Justice Department: No evidence Trump Tower was wiretapped

Discussion: Shareblue and Axios

Mkahn / Lawfare:
DOJ Filing Says No Evidence that President Obama Wiretapped Trump Tower

Discussion: New York Magazine and Raw Story

Max Greenwood / The Hill:
Justice Dept: No evidence of Trump Tower wiretapping

Discussion: Business Insider, Politicus USA, Politico, Little Green Footballs and Mediaite

Associated Press:

AP EXCLUSIVE: Toxic waste sites flooded; EPA not on scene — https://apnews.com/27796dd13b9549b0ac76 aded58a15122 — Link copied! — HIGHLANDS, Texas (AP) — As Dwight Chandler sipped beer and swept out the thick muck caked inside his devastated home, he worried whether Harvey's floodwaters …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Raw Story and Gizmodo

The White House:

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts — President Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration: — James Thomas Abbott of Virginia to be a Member …

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Ken Ward Jr / Charleston Gazette-Mail:
Trump nominates former coal exec to run MSHA

Discussion: HuffPost and Washington Monthly

Kenneth Chang / New York Times:

Jim Bridenstine to Be Nominated by Trump to Lead NASA — Representative Jim Bridenstine, Republican of Oklahoma, will be nominated by President Trump to serve as NASA's next administrator, the White House said on Friday night. — Mr. Bridenstine, a strong advocate for drawing private companies …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Engadget and The Verge

Neil Irwin / New York Times:

To Understand Rising Inequality, Consider the Janitors at Two Top Companies, Then and Now — ROCHESTER — Gail Evans and Marta Ramos have one thing in common: They have each cleaned offices for one of the most innovative, profitable and all-around successful companies in the United States.

Julie Pace / Associated Press:

Trump's summer of discontent bleeds into high-stakes fall — https://apnews.com/09374b11b8494515b50d e5a5538014f6 — Link copied! — WASHINGTON (AP) — After a summer of staff shake-ups and self-made crises, President Donald Trump is emerging politically damaged, personally agitated …

Discussion: Balloon Juice

New York Times:

Long List of Top Democrats Have 2020, and Money, on Their Minds — WASHINGTON — Aides to Senator Kamala Harris of California say that her fund-raisers in Martha's Vineyard and the Hamptons this summer have been all about helping Democrats in 2018. Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s allies …

Discussion: Althouse

Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times:

Three homes burned as wildfire torches more than 5,000 acres — A fast-moving brush fire that began Sept. 1 and exploded overnight in the Verdugo Mountains was threatening homes and keeping the 210 Freeway closed. (Sept. 2, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here http://bit.ly/2n6VKPR)

Discussion: KTLA