Hope Hicks to Resign as White House Communications Director  —  Hope Hicks, the White House communications director and one of President Trump's longest-serving advisers, said Wednesday that she was resigning.  —  Ms. Hicks, 29, a former model who joined Mr. Trump's 2016 presidential campaign without …

Kushner's Business Got Loans from Companies After White House Meetings  —  Apollo, the private equity firm, and Citigroup made large loans last year to the family real estate business of Jared Kushner, President Trump's senior adviser.  —  Early last year, a private equity billionaire started paying regular visits to the White House.

Mueller investigation examining Trump's apparent efforts to oust Sessions in July … Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III has been investigating a period of time last summer when President Trump seemed determined to drive Attorney General Jeff Sessions from his job, according to people familiar …

Walmart Statement on Firearms Policy  —  In light of recent events, we've taken an opportunity to review our policy on firearm sales.  Going forward, we are raising the age restriction for purchase of firearms and ammunition to 21 years of age.  We will update our processes as quickly as possible to implement this change.

Mnuchin, Dogged By Protesters, Doesn't Want Video Posted  —  Treasury secretary says he typically talks to ‘people who wanna listen to me speak’  —  Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asked the University of California, Los Angeles not to post a video of his recent public appearance at which he was heckled by students.

White House planning major trade announcement Thursday on steel and aluminum imports … The White House is planning to make a major announcement Thursday about whether it will impose new limits on steel and aluminum imports, three people familiar with the event said, following months …

Alex Jones Is Accused of Discrimination and Sexual Harassment by Former InfoWars Employees  —  One staffer says he was dubbed “The Resident Jew,” another claims she was groped. … Two former staffers at InfoWars have accused founder and right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones of discrimination …

VA Secretary David Shulkin's top PR aide asked Congress to help get him fired  —  He says he's eager to move forward and focus on fixing the VA. USA TODAY  —  WASHINGTON — One of the top deputies to VA Secretary David Shulkin has actively lobbied Capitol Hill to demand his boss's resignation …

AP-NORC Poll: Most Americans say Trump is racist  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — More than half of Americans, including large majorities of blacks and Hispanics, think President Donald Trump is a racist.  More than half think his policies have made things worse for Hispanics and Muslims …

Putin claims Russia has nuclear arsenal capable of avoiding missile defenses … MOSCOW — Russia has developed nuclear weapons that can avoid any missile defense systems and plans to bolster its arsenal with nuclear-powered cruise missiles capable to hitting any point on the globe …

Hundreds gather at church for blessing ceremony featuring AR-15s  —  NEWFOUNDLAND, Pa. — Hundreds of crown-wearing worshipers clutching AR-15 rifles drank holy wine and exchanged or renewed wedding vows in a commitment ceremony at a Pennsylvania church on Wednesday, prompting a nearby school to cancel classes.

Republicans Gobsmacked by Trump's Gun Control Comments  —  The president suggested gun confiscation could come before due process in a televised bipartisan meeting with members of Congress.  —  During a televised bipartisan meeting to discuss gun control proposals with members of Congress on Wednesday …

Wife of 7th Special Forces Group vet faces deportation under tighter immigration rules  —  A Virginia immigration court on Monday could decide to deport the wife of an Army 7th Special Forces Group veteran, despite provisions in the law that allow her to remain in the United States.

Trump: ‘Take the guns first, go through due process second’  —  on Wednesday voiced support for confiscating guns from certain individuals deemed to be dangerous, even if it violates due process rights.  —  “I like taking the guns early, like in this crazy man's case that just took place in Florida …

“Jailed Instagram model wants to trade secrets for freedom”  —  For the Associated Press, any excuse to smear President Trump is a good one.  Thus this story, which no doubt will appear in hundreds of newspapers tomorrow.  I assume this “news” story wasn't intended as a joke, but it definitely contains humorous elements:

Jared Kushner's Ties to Banks Under Scrutiny  —  New York agency seeks information from several banks on finances of Trump's son-in-law  —  The New York State Department of Financial Services asked several banks for information about their relationships with Jared Kushner and his finances …

U.S. Banks on Diplomacy With North Korea, but Moves Ahead on Military Plans  —  WASHINGTON — A classified military exercise last week examined how American troops would mobilize and strike if ordered into a potential war on the Korean Peninsula, even as diplomatic overtures between the North and the Trump administration continue.

PBS launching new conservative political talk show  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Columnist Michael Gerson and commentator Amy Holmes are teaming to start a conservative-oriented talk show on PBS that takes its cue from William F. Buckley's “Firing Line,” which aired from 1966 to 1999.

Top-Ranking Armed Services Republican Hits Trump on Russia Sanctions … The chairman of the House armed services committee on Wednesday became the highest-ranking congressional Republican to declare that the Trump administration should have implemented mandatory sanctions against Russia last month …

The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First  —  Does the necessity of self-defense leave ‘no choice of means, and no moment of deliberation’?  —  The Winter Olympics' closing ceremonies also concluded North Korea's propaganda effort to divert attention from its nuclear-weapons and ballistic-missile programs.

National Security Pros, It's Time to Talk About Right-Wing Extremism  —  We have been too quiet about a threat that is regularly killing our fellow citizens.  —  Ask any of us who works in national security what to do about ISIS, and we'd have no problem pitching you ideas.