memeorandum: ‘Too inconvenient’: Trump goes rogue on phone security (Daniel Lippman/Politico)

9:35 PM ET, May 21, 2018

Top Items:

Trump's Latest FBI Attack Stuns, Saddens Justice Dept. Officials: 'We're in Venezuela' … President Donald Trump's latest round of attacks on the FBI has left morale at the Justice Department at a new low, with officials bemoaning what they view as a full-frontal assault on their institution.

Discussion: New York Times, Daily Mail and Salon

Michael B. Mukasey / USA Today:

End Robert Mueller's investigation — President Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani says the special counsel Robert mueller will finish its investigation into whether or not trump obstructed justice in the Russia inquiry by September 1st. For more on the story here is Zachary Devita. Buzz60

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, National Review, FOX News Radio, CANNONFIRE, CNN, Right Wing Watch, Townhall and The Hill

Adam Serwer / The Atlantic:

There Is Only One Trump Scandal — The sheer volume of Trump scandals can seem difficult to keep track of. — There's the ongoing special-counsel investigation into whether the Trump campaign aided a Russian campaign to aid Trump's candidacy and defeat his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton …

Discussion: Washington Post, CNBC, Business Insider, AOL, Raw Story, New York Magazine and Betsy's Page

Jake Tapper / CNN:

Trump listening to outside advisers, not insiders, on fight with DOJ — Outsider advisers urged Trump to attack DOJ — (CNN)A loose and informal group of Trump advisers outside the White House, some of whom think the President is being ill served by White House chief of staff John Kelly …

Discussion: New Republic, Splinter, Mediaite and Shakesville

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

DOJ, Trump strike murky deal in FBI informant spat — Under pressure from President Donald Trump, top Justice Department officials have agreed to review highly classified information with congressional leaders connected to the FBI's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos, Mediaite, IJR, Raw Story, The Federalist and Townhall

Peter Baker / New York Times:
Trump Team's Mueller Strategy: Limit the Investigation and Attack the Investigators

Discussion: CNBC, Political Wire, infowars.com and Washington Press

Associated Press:
The Latest: White House setting up meeting on Russia probe

Discussion: New York Times, Politico, Breitbart, National Review, Axios, Scared Monkeys and Daily Wire

Benjamin Wittes / The Atlantic:
Donald Trump Has All the Power

Discussion: New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, HuffPost, Mother Jones, Bloomberg, USA Today, infowars.com and CNN

HuffPost:
Fox News Viewers Really Don't Like Lifelong Republican Robert Mueller

Discussion: Mother Jones

Andrew C. McCarthy / National Review:
At Trump's Urging, Justice Department Expands Investigation of Investigators

Discussion: themarketswork

Brian Beutler / Crooked Media:
MUELLER IS INVESTIGATING TRUMP'S WHOLESALE CORRUPTION OF AMERICA

Discussion: New York Magazine, Hullabaloo and Daily Kos

Associated Press:

The princes, the president and the fortune seekers — WASHINGTON (AP) — After a year spent carefully cultivating two princes from the Arabian Peninsula, Elliott Broidy, a top fundraiser for President Donald Trump, thought he was finally close to nailing more than $1 billion in business.

Discussion: The Daily Beast and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Axios:

Exclusive: Peter Navarro pushed Stefan Halper for Trump job — President Trump's top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, recommended appointing Stefan Halper, an academic and suspected FBI informant on the Trump campaign, to a senior role in the Trump administration, Axios has learned.

Discussion: Breitbart, Washington Times, CNBC, Hot Air, The Gateway Pundit and Mediaite

Washington Post:

Who is Stefan A. Halper, the FBI source who assisted the Russia investigation? — Stefan A. Halper, the FBI source who assisted the Russia investigation and is at the center of a standoff between congressional Republicans and the Justice Department, is a well-connected veteran …

Discussion: Axios, The Atlantic, CNBC, IJR, Hullabaloo and AOL

Washington Post:
National Security — White House plans meeting for GOP lawmakers …

Discussion: The Atlantic, Sara A. Carter, Fox News, RealClearPolitics, Political Wire, New York Times, CNN and Axios

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Trump meets with Rosenstein, FBI director

Discussion: BuzzFeed, Townhall, Vox and mailchi.mp

David Harsanyi / The Federalist:
Did The Obama Administration Spy On Trump Using Flimsy Evidence? Let's Find Out

Discussion: RedState, Mediaite and Washington Press

Daniel Lippman / Politico:

‘Too inconvenient’: Trump goes rogue on phone security — The president has kept features at risk for hacking and resisted efforts by staff to inspect the phones he uses for tweeting. — President Donald Trump uses a White House cell phone that isn't equipped with sophisticated security features designed …

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money, Balloon Juice, The Verge, Shareblue Media, Mediaite, Raw Story, 9to5Mac and Political Wire, more at Techmeme »

The Onion:

‘The Onion’ Has Finally Read Michael Cohen's 2013 Email Regarding His Client Donald Trump And Would Like To Discuss The Matter Further At His Convenience — In a free press, journalists must expose the truth even if it upsets those in power. Our work often leads to significant backlash …

Discussion: Law & Crime, The Week and Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Wall Street Journal:

Michael Cohen Helped Trump Donor Seek Investment From Qatar Fund — Trump lawyer was a consultant in pitch seeking funds for nuclear power plant — President Donald Trump's personal lawyer helped a major donor to Mr. Trump's inauguration pitch a nuclear-power investment …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Mother Jones

John McCormack / Weekly Standard:

Mick Mulvaney: Make House Democrats ‘Put Up or Shut Up’ About Pelosi — On Sunday, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney strongly endorsed the idea that House speaker Paul Ryan should step down in order to trigger an election that would force House Democrats to vote for unpopular Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

Discussion: CNN, Washington Post, Breitbart, Roll Call, Shareblue Media, Splinter and New York Magazine

Politico:
Ryan facing growing doubts about hold on speakership

Discussion: Washington Post, Conservative Review and Breitbart

Matt Lewis / The Daily Beast:
It's About Time Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell Located Their Spines

Discussion: Washington Examiner

Foreign Policy:

Pompeo's Iran Plan Is a Pipe Dream — The Trump team doesn't have a post-nuke deal strategy — just a list of demands. — In the wake of President Donald Trump's announcement this month that the United States would no longer implement the Iran nuclear deal, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo …

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Monthly and Washington Post

Mike Pompeo / US Department of State:
U.S. Department of State

Discussion: Power Line, New York Times, The American Conservative and Task & Purpose

Barbara Slavin / Axios:
Pompeo's Mission Impossible on Iran

Discussion: Telegraph, Politico, ABC News, Hit & Run, ThinkProgress and The American Conservative

Jamie Lovegrove / Post and Courier:

Top South Carolina candidate refuses to quit congressional race after abuse discovery — Archie Parnell, a Democratic congressional hopeful who earned national attention after nearly winning in deep red South Carolina last year, is resisting pleas to withdraw after his campaign staff discovered …

Tennessean.com:

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker turns down offer to become next U.S. ambassador to Australia — Michael Patrick/Knoxville News Sentinel — The Trump administration wanted U.S. Sen. Bob Corker to join its diplomatic ranks. — But the retiring Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman declined …

Discussion: The Guardian, CNN, Roll Call, Financial Review, Political Wire and Mediaite

New York Times:

Hillary and Bill Clinton Go Separate Ways for 2018 Midterm Elections — For years they dominated the party, brandishing their powerful financial network and global fame to pick favorites for primary elections and lift Democrats even in deep-red states. They were viewed as a joint entity …

Discussion: CNN, Splinter, The Hill, The Atlantic, Breitbart, Bustle, Washington Free Beacon, Hot Air, New York Magazine, The Daily Caller, HuffPost, Mediaite, twitchy.com and Political Wire

Sylvan Lane / The Hill:

Trump signs repeal of auto-loan policy that targeted racial bias — has repealed auto-lending guidance from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), revoking a rule that was put in place to protect minority customers from predatory practices. — Trump's signature on a congressional …

Discussion: Washington Press, Vox and Politico

Gregory Korte / USA Today:
Trump signs resolution killing rule intended to prevent racial bias in auto lending

Discussion: Splinter

Associated Press:

Can the ‘dealmaker’ president deliver on North Korea? — Weeks before his planned North Korea summit, President Donald Trump is staring down a dealmaker's worst nightmare: overpromising and under-delivering. — As the Singapore meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un draws near …

Discussion: Politico

Rebecca Berg / CNN:

FBI agents asking Missouri lawmakers about tactics by Greitens associates — Blunt: MO Gov. Grietens allegations ‘reprehensible’ — Jefferson City, Missouri (CNN)FBI agents have been questioning Missouri lawmakers about possible coercive tactics by associates of Gov. Eric Greitens …

Jon Lee Anderson / New Yorker:

The Diplomat Who Quit the Trump Administration — For John Feeley, the Ambassador to Panama, moral failings at home seemed to compound tactical failings abroad. — John Feeley, the Ambassador to Panama and a former Marine helicopter pilot, is not averse to strong language …

Discussion: The Week

David Edelstein / Vulture:

Every Star Wars Movie, Ranked — A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, there was no Star Wars, and the business and art of movies were vastly different. — Yes, it was technically a mere 42 Earth years ago and in our own Milky Way galaxy, but it was before studios spoke of “franchises” …

Lydia Wheeler / The Hill:

Kennedy retirement rumors shift into overdrive — Like clockwork, Washington has whipped itself into a frenzy over rumors of a possible retirement on the Supreme Court. — All eyes are on Justice Anthony Kennedy, 81, who reportedly considered calling it quits last spring.

Discussion: Daily Wire

The White House:

WHAT: The violent animals of MS-13 have committed heinous, violent attacks in communities across America. — Too many innocent Americans have fallen victim to the unthinkable violence of MS-13's animals. — At the State of the Union in January 2018, President Trump brought …

Discussion: Washington Post, RedState, Snopes.com, Washington Press, Gothamist, The Root, New York Post, Splinter, The Week and The Daily Caller

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Blankenship to wage third-party bid after losing primary — The failed GOP candidate said he'll run as the Constitution Party nominee, but West Virginia law appears to stand in his way. — West Virginia coal baron and former prisoner Don Blankenship announced on Monday that he plans …

Discussion: Daily Kos, The Hill, Outside the Beltway, New York Magazine, Raw Story, Townhall, Shareblue Media, The Daily Beast, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Splinter, The Daily Caller, Charleston Gazette-Mail and Roll Call

Hollywood Reporter:

Charlize Theron to Star as Megyn Kelly in Roger Ailes Movie (Exclusive) — Gretchen Carlson is also a character in the untitled Annapurna project that Jay Roach will direct. — Charlize Theron and director Jay Roach are teaming to tell the tale of disgraced Fox News chairman Roger Ailes.

Edward-Isaac Dovere / Politico:

Bernie's army in disarray — The Sanders-inspired grass-roots group ‘Our Revolution’ is flailing, an extensive review by POLITICO shows, fueling cocerns about a potential 2020 bid. — Bernie Sanders' top operatives formed “Our Revolution” after he lost the 2016 primaries to keep …

Discussion: CNN, ABC News, New Republic, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Daily Wire, Hullabaloo, Washington Post and The Week

Lauren Gambino / The Guardian:

‘Jesus never charged a leper a co-pay’: the rise of the religious left — In his prayer at the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem last week, a prayer delivered against a backdrop of violence in Gaza, the evangelical pastor Robert Jeffress said Donald Trump was a moral leader who stood “on the right side of you, oh God”.

Discussion: RedState