White House Wanted USS John McCain ‘Out of Sight’ During Trump Japan Visit  —  The White House wanted the Navy to move a warship named for the late Sen. John McCain, a war hero who became a frequent target of President Trump's ire, ahead of the president's visit to Japan last week.

Mueller Delivered a Message.  Washington Couldn't Agree on What It Was.  —  WASHINGTON — At long last, the sphinx of Washington spoke on Wednesday, and here is what President Trump heard: “Case closed.”  Here is what the president's adversaries heard: “Time to impeach.”

When will the Republican silence on Trump end?  —  William S. Cohen is a former Republican congressman, senator and defense secretary who served on the House Judiciary Committee in 1974 during the Watergate impeachment inquiry.  —  Now that Robert S. Mueller III has broken months of silence …

Federal prosecutors demand Cindy Yang records from Mar-a-Lago, Trump campaign  —  Federal prosecutors in Washington D.C. this week sent subpoenas to Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach, and Trump Victory, a political fundraising committee, demanding they turn …

Deceased G.O.P. Strategist's Hard Drives Reveal New Details on the Census Citizenship Question  —  WASHINGTON — Thomas B. Hofeller achieved near-mythic status in the Republican Party as the Michelangelo of gerrymandering, the architect of partisan political maps that cemented the party's dominance across the country.

Exclusive: Disney CEO says it will be ‘difficult’ to film in Georgia if abortion law takes effect  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Iger told Reuters on Wednesday it would be “very difficult” for the media company to keep filming in Georgia if a new abortion law takes effect …

US energy department rebrands fossil fuels as ‘molecules of freedom’  —  Press release from department said increasing export capacity is ‘critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world’  —  America is the land of freedom, as any politician will be happy to tell you.

Against David French-ism  —  In March, First Things published a manifesto of sorts signed by several mostly youngish, mostly Roman Catholic writers, who argued that “there is no returning to the pre-Trump conservative consensus that collapsed in 2016,” that “any attempt to revive …

Can Warren Overtake Sanders?  —  Senator Elizabeth Warren speaks to local residents during a meet and greet in Ottumwa, Iowa.  —  In a nomination battle that requires candidates to get at least 15 percent of the vote to win delegates in a primary, the presence of both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren …

Israel will hold unprecedented second election after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fails to form a governing coalition  —  JERUSALEM — In an unprecedented move, Israel will head to elections for a second time in less than six months after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a government before a midnight deadline.

Presidential outrage over a false tweet?  Trump's race-baiting did far more harm to the Central Park Five.  —  There are inconsequential social media screw-ups.  —  And there are malicious lies.  —  President Trump seems to have them confused.  —  The other day, an errant tweet …

Worry About Facebook.  Rip Your Hair Out in Screaming Terror About Fox News.  —  Novel forms of digital misinformation still pale in comparison with Fox News' full-time hall of mirrors.  —  At the risk of losing street cred as a tough-as-nails tech pundit, I'll confess that I couldn't muster …

Roy Moore hits back at Trump in defiant interview  —  A defiant Roy Moore brushed aside Donald Trump's warning not to run for Senate again, telling POLITICO on Wednesday that Alabama voters are capable of deciding for themselves whether he's fit for office.  —  “The president doesn't control …

Louisiana's GOP-Controlled State Legislature Passes Restrictive Abortion Ban.  Its Democratic Governor Says He'll Sign It.  —  The Louisiana state legislature, on Wednesday, joined the procession of conservative state legislatures challenging abortion rights, voting to pass …

Yes, Trump can override Congress and sell weapons to Saudi Arabia — even over Republican objections  —  It's not easy for Congress to block arms sales.  —  The Trump administration announced last week that it will declare an emergency to allow U.S. companies to sell arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Nobody Knows What's Going to Happen  —  Everyone who's not duty-bound to pretend not to know what happened this morning knows what happened this morning.  Robert Mueller, in his final official act as a federal prosecutor, announced that, because Justice Department policy forbade him to accuse …