Exclusive: US government wiretapped former Trump campaign chairman  —  Washington (CNN)US investigators wiretapped former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort under secret court orders before and after the election, sources tell CNN, an extraordinary step involving a high-ranking campaign official …

Donald Trump Jr. Gives Up Secret Service Protection, Seeking Privacy  —  WASHINGTON — Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, has elected for forgo protection by the Secret Service, according to a senior administration official.  —  The agency ceased protecting Mr. Trump …

McCain blasts latest ObamaCare repeal process  —  (R-Ariz.) ripped his party's process for trying to repeal and replace ObamaCare on Monday but stopped short of saying he would oppose their latest bill.  —  “I have talked and talked and talked about the need to do regular order.

Murray makes big concession in bipartisan health talks  —  Sen. Patty Murray has agreed to a key demand of Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which could potentially move bipartisan health care talks forward.

Fox News Contributor Says Rape Allegation Blacklisted Her  —  Fox News, which for more than a year has dealt with the fallout from an embarrassing sexual harassment scandal, was sued on Monday by the political commentator Scottie Nell Hughes, who claimed that she had been raped …

A chilling study shows how hostile college students are toward free speech  —  Demonstrators march during a free speech rally in Berkeley, Calif. (Josh Edelson/AP)  —  Here's the problem with suggesting that upsetting speech warrants “safe spaces,” or otherwise conflating mere words with physical assault …

Eric Trump's Old Foundation Apparently Held Secret Event At Trump-Owned Golf Club  —  The charity formerly known as the Eric Trump Foundation apparently held a secret event at Trump National Golf Club in Westchester County, New York on Monday, even though the Eric Trump Foundation remains under investigation …

Trump Administration Rejects Study Showing Positive Impact of Refugees  —  WASHINGTON — Trump administration officials, under pressure from the White House to provide a rationale for reducing the number of refugees allowed into the United States next year, rejected a study by the Department …

Hurricane Maria is now a Category 5  —  Maria is now a Category 5 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said.  —  Hurricane Maria became a Category 4 storm on Monday afternoon as it barreled toward Dominica in the Caribbean's Leeward Islands and took aim for the US territory of Puerto Rico.

Sean Spicer Says He Regrets Berating Reporters Over Inauguration Crowds  —  During his surprise comedy skit at the Emmys on Sunday, Sean Spicer may have made light of his six-month tenure as the White House press secretary, but a message was also embedded in his performance.

The Kelly effect: See no evil, hear no evil, do no evil  —  Who is around President Trump matters much more than with most presidents, because of his impulsiveness, lack of ideology and willingness to make snap decisions.  So if you wonder why President Trump has been willing to seriously entertain …

Hillary Clinton just floated the possibility of contesting the 2016 election  —  (CNN)In interviews over the last week surrounding the release of her 2016 memoir “What Happened,” Hillary Clinton has been hugely critical of President Donald Trump.  She's suggested he is a misogynist …

Trump to Push Nationalist Policy at U.N.  —  In his first speech at a U.N. General Assembly, president will appeal to others' self-interest on North Korea, Iran and terror  —  UNITED NATIONS—President Donald Trump's first address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday will lay …

Facebook's Russia probe firepower  —  If you want to get a sense of how seriously Facebook takes the probe into the site's possible role in Russian election interference, note this: Mark Zuckerberg's brain trust in Menlo Park is paying attention.  —  It's not uncommon for Silicon Valley giants …

Senate Republicans Consider a Trillion-Dollar-Plus Tax Cut for Budget  —  Discussions remain fluid; Republicans would likely need to make some of the tax cuts expire after 10 years  —  WASHINGTON—Senate Republicans are considering writing a budget that would allow for up to $1.5 trillion …

A Casualty of Trump's War with CNN Is Back in the Game  —  Thomas Frank, ousted after CNN retracted an article about Anthony Scaramucci's possible Russia ties, has been hired by BuzzFeed.  —  Earlier this summer, after he and two other investigative journalists were forced to resign …

Gorka's new gig  —  Sebastian Gorka has found a new home.  It's called the “MAGA Coalition” — a new outside group to support political candidates that will “compete against globalist corporatists interests.”  —  Little is known about the group.  A source familiar with Gorka's arrangements tells …

Toys ‘R’ Us, Once a Category Killer, Is Forced Into Bankruptcy  —  After falling behind online, the big-box chain seeks relief from debt added in leverage buyout  —  Toys ‘R’ Us Inc., the rainbow-colored toy emporium that for decades was the go-to spot for birthday and holiday gifts …

Political campaigns prep for battle with hackers  —  Candidates are quizzing prospective campaign managers on anti-hacking plans.  Democratic committees like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which was breached last year, have switched internally from email to encrypted messaging apps.