Exclusive: Whitaker told he does not need to recuse himself from overseeing Mueller investigation  —  (CNN)Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker has consulted with ethics officials at the Justice Department and they have advised him he does not need to recuse himself from overseeing special …

Vladimir Putin Welcomes U.S. Withdrawal From Syria  —  MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Thursday welcomed President Trump's announcement of a withdrawal of American troops from Syria, calling it “the right decision.”  —  Mr. Trump said on Wednesday that he was ordering …

Conservative Revolt Endangers Deal to Avoid a Shutdown  —  WASHINGTON — A deal to avert a Christmastime government shutdown teetered on Thursday amid growing anger from President Trump and a conservative revolt in the House that could block a bill to keep funds flowing past midnight Friday.

Der Spiegel journalist messed with the wrong small town  —  In February 2017, my husband and I attended a concert at our local theater, and were sipping some wine in the lobby before the show started.  Several people came up to us at separate times excitedly, and asked, “did you meet the German guy yet?!”

N. Korea says it won't denuclearize unless US removes threat  —  SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Thursday it will never unilaterally give up its nuclear weapons unless the United States removes its nuclear threat first, a statement that raises further doubts on whether leader Kim Jong Un …

And What Can You Say About Paul Ryan?  —  How much time do you have?  —  WASHINGTON Paul Ryan was furious.  —  He'd been caught in a trap lured into an auditorium by the promise of a speech about fiscal responsibility.  Instead, President Barack Obama was lecturing the crowd …

Secret Experiment in Alabama Senate Race Imitated Russian Tactics  —  As Russia's online election machinations came to light last year, a group of Democratic tech experts decided to try out similarly deceptive tactics in the fiercely contested Alabama Senate race, according to people familiar with the effort and a report on its results.

Democrats to Start Presidential Primary Debates in June 2019  —  (AP) — Democrats will hold at least a dozen presidential primary debates starting in June 2019 and running through April 2020, with party Chairman Tom Perez promising rules that will give everyone in a potentially large field a fair shot at voters' attention.

‘Oh, no’: The day Trump learned to tweet  —  The content of the tweet @RealDonaldTrump posted on the night of Feb. 5, 2013, was bland: a simple thank you to the actress Sherri Shepherd for flattering comments she'd made about Trump on television.  —  But its implications were historic.

U.S. to Unseal Criminal Charges Against Chinese Intelligence Officers  —  Allies including the U.K., Japan, and Australia expected to issue statements supporting the U.S. action  —  The U.S. Justice Department is expected to unseal criminal charges Thursday against Chinese intelligence …

Trump administration aims to toughen work requirements for food stamp recipients  —  The Trump administration unveiled a plan Thursday to force hundreds of thousands more Americans to hold jobs if they want to keep receiving food stamps, pursuing through executive powers what it could not achieve in Congress.

Republican Leadership Is Slowly Backing Away From Trump  —  Trump's popularity with voters is only one part of the picture.  Leaders within the GOP are clearly hedging their bets as 2020 approaches.  —  “The Wall” began as just a slogan.  By the end of the 2016 presidential campaign …

Beto O'Rourke frequently voted for Republican legislation, analysis reveals  —  Review of his six-year record in Congress shows Democrat frequently opposed own party, and supported bills that boosted the fossil fuel industry and Trump's immigration policy  —  Beto O'Rourke's spirited run …

House Intelligence panel votes to send Roger Stone transcript to Mueller  —  Rep. Himes: Concerned about Stone's honesty  —  (CNN)The House Intelligence Committee voted Thursday to send the transcript of its 2017 interview with Roger Stone to special counsel Robert Mueller, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

DHS Secretary Nielsen says asylum seekers will be forced to wait in Mexico  —  The U.S. has reached a deal with the Mexican government to force asylum seekers at its southern border to remain in Mexico while they wait to bring their case before an American immigration judge, the Trump administration announced Thursday.

It Is So Much Worse Than I Thought  —  How can a family that can't run a charity run a country?  —  I will be going on book leave soon — today is my last column for a while because of the holiday schedule — to write what I believe to be the most important thing that I've ever written.