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Trump, Angry Over Mattis's Rebuke, Considers Removing Him 2 Months Early — WASHINGTON — President Trump, angry over days of news coverage characterizing the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis as a rebuke of the president, has told administration officials that he is considering removing …
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Trump forces Mattis out two months early, names Shanahan acting defense secretary — President Trump, who aides said has been frustrated by news coverage of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis's scathing resignation letter, abruptly announced Sunday that he was removing Mattis two months …
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Monthly, Task & Purpose, Outside the Beltway and Joe.My.God.


Mattis to leave two months early, as Trump announces Patrick Shanahan will replace him — Trump announced that Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive, will take over. — President Donald Trump announced in a Sunday tweet that Defense Secretary James Mattis …

Departing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to Leave Jan. 1
Discussion:
Raw Story, ABC News and The Resurgent


Mick Mulvaney says DHS can't ‘spend money from Mexico’ for wall: ‘We have to get it from the treasury’ — The president's incoming chief of staff said Sunday that any money for the border wall would have to come from the Treasury Department, saying “the Department of Homeland Security can't actually spend money from Mexico.”
Discussion:
The New Civil Rights Movement, Washington Times, Political Wire, POLITICUSUSA, Joe.My.God., The Daily Beast, Axios and CNN
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Government shutdown, day 2: White House makes ‘counter-offer,’ asks for less than $5B for border wall funding — WASHINGTON - The partial government shutdown could go on for potentially many more days - and perhaps weeks - but the White House indicated Sunday that it was backing …
Discussion:
Fox News, Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and The Root

Merkley: Border wall ‘a fourth-century strategy’
Discussion:
ABC News and POLITICUSUSA

President Trump not going to change his mind on Syria, even after resignations: Mick Mulvaney
Discussion:
Axios

‘This Week’ Transcript 12-23-18: Mick Mulvaney and Sen. Jeff Merkley
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA

‘Very possible’ shutdown could last into new year, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney says
Discussion:
Mother Jones and CNN

Mulvaney: ‘Very possible’ shutdown goes into 2019
Discussion:
Washington Times, Axios and Daily Kos


Trump says he had a “long” call with Turkish president Erdogan — Days after announcing the U.S. would exit Syria, President Trump tweeted: … Why it matters: Turkey is also the country that was most active in sharing information about the Saudi killing of Jamal Khashoggi.
Discussion:
Joe.My.God. and One America News Network


Syria's once-teeming prison cells being emptied by mass murder — Assad's government is doubling down on the killing of political prisoners as the civil war heads toward its conclusion. — BEIRUT — As Syria's government consolidates control after years of civil war …


Schiff: Democrats will subpoena Mueller report if Trump tries to hide it — Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, says Democrats will subpoena special counsel Robert Mueller's report if President Trump tries to invoke executive privilege to keep it secret.
Discussion:
Politico, Political Wire and Joe.My.God.
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Schiff: ‘Prepared’ to force Mueller report release if White House blocks
Discussion:
The Guardian, Axios and POLITICUSUSA


Trump forgets his base is populists and conservatives — When candidate Donald J. Trump steamrolled American politics in 2016, he seemed to understand the coalition available to him was an eclectic bunch that felt its issues had been ignored. — They were both populists and conservatives, and they placed him in office.
Discussion:
Booman Tribune


Inside Bernie-world's war on Beto O'Rourke — As the Texas congressman's star rises, Sanders supporters turn up the heat: 'Reading Karl Marx is cool. Doing a livestream while you're doing your laundry is a gimmick.' — WASHINGTON — Forces loyal to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders are waging …
Discussion:
Political Wire and The Guardian


Tsunami set off by volcanic eruption kills 222 in Indonesia — CARITA BEACH, Indonesia (AP) — An eruption of one of the world's most infamous volcanic islands is believed to have triggered a tsunami that killed at least 222 people in Indonesia during a busy holiday weekend.
Discussion:
CNN, NPR, The Daily Caller, KTLA, Daily Wire and Splinter
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Trump can launch nuclear weapons whenever he wants, with or without Mattis — No defense secretary can stop an impulsive president. — The abrupt and pointed resignation of Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis on Thursday alarmed official Washington. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) called him an …
Discussion:
Raw Story and POLITICUSUSA


Facebook's Lonely Conservative Takes on a Power Position — Joel Kaplan has emerged as the social-media site's protector against allegations of political bias — After more than a year of research and discussion, Facebook Inc. FB -6.33% late this summer shelved a project called “Common Ground” …
Discussion:
The Verge, more at Mediagazer »


Mnuchin speaks with US bank executives to reassure investors after Wall Street whiplash — When stock market swings should raise alarms — Washington (CNN)Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spent Sunday speaking with chief executives of large US banks in a bid to reassure investors that it's business as usual on Monday.


Women's March Roiled by Accusations of Anti-Semitism — Within days of Donald J. Trump's election, a diverse group of women united by their concern about the incoming administration gathered at a restaurant in New York to plan a protest march in Washington.
Discussion:
Front Page Magazine and The American Spectator


My Daughter Reality Winner Faced Severe Punishment, but Key Figures in the Trump-Russia Scandal Are Getting Off Easy — Photo: Michael Holahan/The Augusta Chronicle/AP — Let me introduce myself. I am the mother of Reality Leigh Winner, a 27-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran who is in prison …
Discussion:
Boing Boing