Trump Jr. And Emin Agalarov Stayed In Touch Throughout The Transition  —  From phone calls and text messages to “an expensive painting” that Aras Agalarov gave Donald Trump for his birthday in 2016, the two families were in regular communication before and after the Trump Tower meeting — and during the transition.

Trump rebrands diplomatic norms as events in Asia, Europe and elsewhere spin on his axis  —  President Trump on Friday placed himself at the center of the remarkable summit between the leaders of North and South Korea, taking credit for bold and innovative diplomacy that may open a path to peace where other leaders failed.

Court grants 90-day delay in Stormy Daniels' suit against Trump  —  A lawsuit filed by an adult-film actress over an alleged “hush money” deal with President Donald Trump and his attorney Michael Cohen will be put on hold for three months because of a criminal investigation Cohen is facing, a federal judge ruled on Friday.

White House: No evidence that Ronny Jackson ‘wrecked’ a vehicle as president's physician … The White House on Friday said officials had conducted a thorough review of presidential physician Ronny L. Jackson's vehicle records and found three minor incidents but no evidence that he “wrecked” …

Exclusive: NRA gathers documents amid scrutiny over ties to Kremlin-linked banker  —  Washington (CNN)The National Rifle Association is setting aside years of documents related to its interactions with a Kremlin-linked banker, as the gun-rights group appears to be bracing for a possible investigation …

‘Mass firing’ at conservative site RedState  —  Salem Media, owner of the influential conservative outlet RedState, froze the site on Friday and dismissed many of its writers.  —  Bloggers were locked out of their accounts — some just temporarily, while the cuts were made, and others permanently.

Stop Talking About Race and IQ  —  The race-and-IQ debate is back.  The latest round started a few weeks ago when Harvard geneticist David Reich wrote a New York Times op-ed in defense of race as a biological fact.  The piece resurfaced Sam Harris' year-old Waking Up podcast interview with Charles Murray …

Jill Stein says she won't fully comply with Senate Russia investigation  —  Jill Stein ended months of silence and speculation about her role in the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, announcing this week that she would not be complying …

A Century of Feuding Between Presidents and the Press  —  For the second time, President Trump won't attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.  As Washington's elite journalists gather to celebrate their work this weekend, the president will hold a rally in Michigan.

Rokita, Messer deny wrongdoing in possible straw donor scheme  —  Three Indiana members of Congress gave and received money from Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci in what experts said may have been an improper straw donor scheme — including two Indiana congressmen running for the U.S. Senate.

VIRGINIA NEWSPAPER RUNS KKK RECRUITMENT FLYER IN FULL ON FRONT PAGE  —  A Virginia newspaper has come under fire from its readers after it ran a Ku Klux Klan recruitment flyer in full on its front page.  —  The Westmoreland News ran a story on how KKK recruitment flyers and DVDs …

Firing of House Chaplain Causes Uproar on Capitol Hill  —  Speaker Paul D. Ryan's abrupt decision to dismiss the House chaplain triggered an uproar on Friday over religion, pitting Republican against Republican and offering Democrats a political opportunity in a year already moving their way.

Congress makes a long-overdue move to punish Iran's hostage-takers … “Now is the day of reckoning for the Iranian regime,” Rep. Ted Poe (R-Tex.) said on Wednesday.  “That's just the way it is.”  —  Poe was speaking on the floor of a mostly empty House during the introduction …

Brigitte Macron lauds ‘really fun’ Melania Trump - but says 'she can't go outside'  —  French first lady tells Le Monde her US counterpart is ‘kind, charming’ and excellent company, but is constrained by her role in Washington  —  Far from the stern, even glum image she presents to the public …

New NYC Schools Chief's ‘White Manhattan Parents’ Tweet Brews Controversy  —  As for the controversy, the chancellor says, “I don't engage in Twitter fights;” but he is a staunch proponent of diversity in schools and says there's a way to “have these difficult conversations”

Declassified Congressional Report: James Clapper Lied About Dossier Leaks To CNN  —  Buried within a newly declassified congressional report on Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections is a shocking revelation: former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper not only leaked information …