Trump and Omarosa Had a ‘F*cking Weird’ Fight With Vietnam Vets … Early on in the Donald Trump administration, the president vested many of his nearest and dearest with tasks they were woefully unprepared for—and Apprentice superstar Omarosa Manigault Newman was no exception.

Resistance Twitter Hero Exposed as Pro-Trump Gamer … In the world of #Resistance Twitter, @GuardianRover was a hero.  As a former intelligence operative and Delta Force soldier, the person behind the account used a cartoon secret agent avatar and the alias “Mr. Smith” …

Ocasio-Cortez bans press from town hall  —  MEDIA WAS BARRED AFTER REPORTERS ‘MOBBED’ HER AT AN EARLIER EVENT  —  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Monday that stops on her “listening tour” throughout the district, like the one held a day earlier in Corona, are “intended for lively …

DOJ's Bruce Ohr wrote Christopher Steele was 'very concerned about Comey's firing — afraid they will be exposed'  —  A collection of Justice Department official Bruce Ohr's emails, texts and handwritten notes, reviewed by Fox News, reveals that he was deeply connected to the unverified Steele dossier …

Trump: Manafort trial is a ‘very sad day for our country’  —  President Donald Trump on Friday refused to say whether Paul Manafort, his former campaign chairman who's been wrapped up in the special counsel's Russia investigation, could count on a pardon from the White House.

Elon Musk Confronts a Fateful Tweet and an ‘Excruciating’ Year  —  Elon Musk was at home in Los Angeles, struggling to maintain his composure.  “This past year has been the most difficult and painful year of my career,” he said.  “It was excruciating.”  —  The year has only gotten …

Officials worry Trump may back Erik Prince plan to privatize war in Afghanistan  —  “I know he's frustrated,” Blackwater founder Prince said of the president.  “He gave the Pentagon what they wanted.  And they haven't delivered.”  —  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump …

Bill Nelson wasn't making things up when he said Russians hacked Florida election systems  —  Sen. Bill Nelson, who is in a tough reelection fight, was blasted for saying 10 days ago that Russians had penetrated his state's election systems.  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat …

Robert Gates joins intelligence leaders condemning Trump for Brennan slap  —  Dr. Robert Gates has added his name to a stunning list of former intelligence officials who signed a letter criticizing President Trump's decision to revoke former CIA director John Brennan's security clearance.

Melania Trump, a Mysterious First Lady, Weathers a Chaotic White House  —  WASHINGTON — Hours after Melania Trump moved into the White House in June of last year, she peered out a window and took in a stunning view of the Washington Monument: “Looking forward to the memories we'll make in our new home! …

APNewsBreak: AP Sources: US ends Syria stabilization funding  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is ending funding for Syria stabilization projects as it moves to extricate the U.S. from the conflict, citing increased contributions from anti-Islamic State coalition partners.

Detroit legislator apologizes for racial slurs  —  A Detroit legislator apologized after making racial slurs against a then-rival Asian-American candidate for state Senate.  —  State Rep. Bettie Cook Scott apologized in a statement issued Thursday after liberal advocacy group Progress Michigan revealed …

“Rigged Witch Hunt,” Meet Trump's “Red Wave”  —  Donald Trump's Presidency is often described as a reality-show version of the White House, with Trump himself as the producer, director, and main character.  There's something to the metaphor, of course; Trump is a showman …

Lehigh Valley velodrome board put Pennsylvania congressional candidate Marty Nothstein on leave after sexual misconduct allegation  —  Congressional candidate Marty Nothstein was the subject of a sexual misconduct investigation prior to leaving his job this summer as leader …

Free-speech conservatives, this is your call to arms  —  To all those supposed constitutional conservatives out there, consider this your call to arms: The First Amendment is under direct attack, and this time from a much more powerful foe than misguided college freshmen.

The Debt-Shaming of Stacey Abrams  —  Our pernicious double standard on politicians who owe money.  —  The campaign for governor of Georgia is a supersaturated microcosm of American politics right now, offering the starkest possible choice between irreconcilable visions of the country's future.

Half-naked Athens woman punches officer  —  A 32-year-old Athens woman was arrested early Wednesday after she created a disturbance on Bray Street and then fought with a police officer, Athens-Clarke County police said.  —  Police said they responded to the area at about 12:30 a.m. on a report …

Rand Paul to ask Trump to lift sanctions on Russian leaders  —  (R-Ky.) says he will ask President Trump  —  this weekend to lift sanctions against top Russian officials so they can visit the United States later this year.  —  Paul said members of both bodies of Russia's legislature …

Andrew Cuomo says ‘America is great,’ previous comment was ‘inartful’  —  (Governor's Office) Jon Campbell, jcampbell1@gannett.com  —  ALBANY - Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday walked back his controversial comments about American greatness from earlier in the week, calling them “inartful” …

Senate gets to work in August — but many don't show up  —  The Senate is working through the August recess.  Sort of.  —  Senators didn't arrive in Washington for this week's work until late in the day Wednesday and held their last votes of the week at 1:45 p.m. Thursday, adjourning a few hours later.

DOJ Sues Ivanka's Ex-Business Partner for Massive Fraud  —  Moshe Lax and members of his family allegedly conspired to deprive the U.S. of $60 million.  —  The Justice Department is suing a friend and former business partner of Ivanka Trump for his alleged role in schemes to defraud …

Signs of Trump-Putin collaboration, starting years before the campaign?  —  Shane Harris is a staff writer at The Washington Post.  He covers intelligence and national security and the Russia investigation.  —  Of all the allegations contained in the “Steele dossier,” …

What to Care About When Everything Is Terrible  —  In the Trump presidency, everything is a distraction from everything else, because it all matters.  —  Ms. Jurecic is the managing editor of Lawfare.  —  As of Thursday, 565 migrant children — 24 of them under the age of five …

POLITICO Playbook PM: NEW: Dem super PAC hammers House GOP leadership in new ad  —  NEW ... YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS BOMBSHELL AD ... HOUSE MAJORITY PAC — a top super PAC that aims to elect Democrats to the House — drops a shockingly tough and sharp ad on House GOP leadership …

In a Divided Era, One Thing Seems to Unite: Political Anger  —  Ken Storey was in a pique, the kind that often seizes and overwhelms the better judgment of people who follow politics closely these days.  —  Hurricane Harvey was about to douse Texas with deadly flooding, and Mr. Storey had identified the culprit: Republicans.