Trump Wanted Tenfold Increase in Nuclear Arsenal, Surprising Military  —  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he wanted what amounted to a nearly tenfold increase in the U.S. nuclear arsenal during a gathering this past summer of the nation's highest ranking national security leaders …

Undisclosed deal guaranteed Roy Moore $180,000 a year for part-time work at charity  —  Former Alabama judge Roy Moore, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, once said publicly that he did not take a “regular salary” from the small charity he founded to promote Christian values because he did not want to be a financial burden.

How NBC ‘Killed’ Ronan Farrow's Weinstein Exposé … Freelance NBC News correspondent Ronan Farrow, whose months-long investigation into reports of Harvey Weinstein's sexual misconduct was spiked by the network but morphed into a journalistic blockbuster at The New Yorker …

Mitch McConnell Goes to the Mattresses for Trump's Judicial Nominees  —  The Senate majority leader takes charge of the confirmation process.  —  The Republican drive to confirm federal judges has gained momentum from a series of actions by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Trump expected to name Kelly's White House deputy as DHS secretary  —  Kirstjen Nielsen, who also served as Kelly's No. 2 at DHS, was his pick to fill his old job, which has been vacant since July.  —  President Donald Trump is expected to nominate Kirstjen Nielsen to run the Department …

An old-school pharmacy hand-delivers drugs to Congress, a little-known perk for the powerful  —  ASHINGTON — If House Speaker Paul Ryan comes down with the flu this winter, he and his security detail won't be screeching off toward the closest CVS for his Tamiflu.

‘Pure devastation’: At least 17 dead, with hundreds missing, as California wildfires spread  —  SANTA ROSA, Calif. — A series of historically deadly Northern California wildfires regained momentum Wednesday as winds whipped back up, pushing blazes through parched hills and vineyards and prompting …

Boy Scouts Will Admit Girls, Allow Them to Earn Eagle Scout Rank  —  The Boy Scouts of America announced Wednesday that girls will soon be allowed to become Cub Scouts and to earn the coveted rank of Eagle Scout, the organization's highest honor.  —  “We believe it is critical to evolve …

Eminem unleashes on Trump: The 11 fiercest lines  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  " to a “racist grandpa” in an explosive 4.5-minute freestyle rap.  —  The Detroit rapper challenged his fans at the BET Hip Hop Awards to “decide who you like more” — Eminem or Trump.

'He's better than this,' says Thomas Barrack, Trump's loyal whisperer  —  NEW YORK — Thomas J. Barrack Jr., a billionaire who is one of President Trump's oldest friends, had spent weeks trying to smooth the way for a May presidential meeting in Saudi Arabia with Gulf leaders.  —  All initially went well.

Puerto Rico Relief Bill Cancels $16 Billion in Debt — But Not for Puerto Rico  —  House Republicans unveiled a $36.5 billion disaster relief supplemental package Tuesday night, intended to pay for relief and rebuilding efforts for the floods, hurricanes, and wildfires of the past several months.

Pledge to Impeach Trump, a Key Donor Demands of Democrats  —  One of the Democratic Party's most prominent financial backers is demanding that lawmakers and candidates on the left support removing President Trump from office, putting pressure on Democrats to make Mr. Trump's ouster a defining issue in the 2018 midterm elections.

Trump's Benghazi?  Ambush of U.S. soldiers in Niger goes unnoticed  —  Four dead Americans.  —  It's been five years since terrorists attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11, 2012, leaving four Americans dead.  Last week, as CIA officers disguised in wigs and mustaches testified …

Black man attacked by white supremacists in Charlottesville faces felony charge  —  The black man beaten in a Charlottesville parking garage by white supremacists after a “Unite the Right” rally has been charged with a crime in connection with the incident, even as police continue searching …

Gerald McCoy: 'It's going to be an uproar' if players forced to stand  —  Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Gerald McCoy, speaking on Adam Schefter's Know Them From Adam podcast, said he thinks there might “be an uproar” if NFL players are forced to stand for the national anthem.

Can IQ tests settle whether Trump is a moron or not?  —  Following reports that Rex Tillerson questioned the US president's brain power, the latter has offered to settle the matter with an IQ test.  But are they really a way to reliably quantify intelligence?

Zinke's travels: Ski resort and Alaskan steakhouse  —  Two newly revealed political fundraising appearances by the Interior secretary add to questions about Trump Cabinet members' taxpayer-funded trips.  —  Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has attended at least two additional political fundraisers …

For Republicans, ‘Failure Is Not an Option’ on Tax Cuts  —  WASHINGTON — Republicans are staggering, knocked off kilter by internecine conflict between President Trump and his own party in Congress.  Incumbents are under aggressive challenge from conservative activists.  Frustrated veteran lawmakers are bailing out.