'I think I'd take it': In exclusive interview, Trump says he would listen if foreigners offered dirt on opponents  —  President Donald Trump to if foreign governments offered damaging information against his 2020 rivals during the upcoming presidential race, he said, despite the deluge …

California Democratic 2020 presidential primary is a wide-open race, poll finds … With the Democratic presidential field now largely set, the race in the nation's largest state is wide open, with at least five candidates in serious contention and no clear favorite.

Social Security Is Staring at Its First Real Shortfall in Decades.  Big Cuts Could Follow.  —  A slow-moving crisis is approaching for Social Security, threatening to undermine a central pillar in the retirement of tens of millions of Americans.  —  Next year, for the first time since 1982 …

Rick Gates and Michael Flynn subpoenaed by House intel panel  —  Washington (CNN)The House Intelligence Committee on Thursday issued subpoenas to two former Trump officials who pleaded guilty and cooperated in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.  —  The intelligence panel …

Why the Trump campaign won't pay police bills  —  “Do we love law enforcement or what?”  President Donald Trump asked a cheering crowd during his “Make America Great Again” political rally Oct. 12 in Lebanon, Ohio.  —  “Thank you, law enforcement!” the president later told officers, who he called “heroes.”

Oil tankers attacked in Gulf of Oman, U.S. Navy says  —  ISTANBUL — Two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman came under suspected attack early Thursday amid soaring tensions between the United States and Iran in the region.  —  One ship was adrift and on fire in the strategic waterway …

Senator says South Dakota lost half a billion dollars from Trump's trade war  —  Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.C.) told Axios' Mike Allen on Thursday that President Trump's trade war with China has caused the price of his state's soybeans to plummet 20%, costing South Dakota half a billion dollars.

Experts: Spy used AI-generated face to connect with targets  —  LONDON (AP) — Katie Jones sure seemed plugged into the Washington's political scene.  The 30-something redhead boasted a job at a top think tank and a who's-who network of pundits and experts, from the centrist Brookings Institution to the right-wing Heritage Foundation.

Mulvaney pushed judicial nominee over objections of White House lawyers  —  The nomination on Tuesday of Halil Suleyman “Sul” Ozerden to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals offers the latest glimpse of how acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney is exercising his power inside the White House …

Manchin eyes Senate exit  —  Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is eyeing a possible exit from the Senate, and his decision could be a significant factor in which party controls the majority in 2021.  —  In moments of frustration, the centrist senator has gone so far as to tell colleagues he may leave …

Tory leadership contest: Boris Johnson tops first ballot  —  Boris Johnson has secured the highest number of votes in the first ballot to select the Conservative party leader and next prime minister.  —  Three contenders - Mark Harper, Andrea Leadsom and Esther McVey - have been knocked out …

POLITICO Playbook: Trump gives the impeachment crowd a gift  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  President DONALD TRUMP'S admission that he would accept a foreign government's assistance in an election — and might not report it to the FBI — is an absolutely stunning statement that would seem out of bounds to any and every reader of Playbook.

Trump just invited Congress to begin impeachment proceedings  —  The idea that only the president can investigate the president is an argument for autocrats, not Americans.  — George T. Conway III, Neal Katyal -  ·  —  Her story isn't about euthanasia.  It's about failing mental-health systems.

Jessica Biel Comes Out as Anti-Vaxx Activist, Joins Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Lobby Against CA Vaccination Bill  —  “I would say that she was for safe vaccines and for medical freedom,” Kennedy told The Daily Beast.  “My body, my choice.”  —  Tuesday, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. …

Donald Trump's Beverly Hills home quietly sells for $13.5 million  —  President Trump has visited California three times since entering the White House, but he'll have one less place to stay for the next trip.  The Trump Organization has quietly unloaded one of its last two properties in Los Angeles County …

Beto knocks Biden: ‘We cannot return to the past’  —  Beto O'Rourke took a swipe at Joe Biden on Thursday, saying the former vice president's nomination would mark a return to the past that the country cannot afford to make.  —  O'Rourke, who after entering the 2020 race to great fanfare …

Justice Dept. Seeks to Question C.I.A. Officers in Russia Inquiry Review  —  WASHINGTON — Justice Department officials intend to interview senior C.I.A. officers as they review the Russia investigation, according to people briefed on the matter, indicating they are focused partly …

Democrats worry as Trump unleashes money on 2020 digital ads  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — While Democrats wage a wide open primary , President Donald Trump is blanketing battleground states with online advertising that could help set the narrative heading into the 2020 campaign.

Nathalie Loiseau drops bid to lead centrist group in European Parliament  —  French ex-minister caused consternation with criticism of colleagues.  —  Nathalie Loiseau, France's former Europe minister, will not run for leader of the European Parliament's new centrist group after causing uproar among colleagues with her blunt style.

Republicans dodge nasty Senate primary in North Carolina  —  Rep. Mark Walker has decided not to launch a primary challenge against Sen. Thom Tillis in North Carolina, in a relief to senior Republicans who feared a scorched-earth battle in a key state.  —  Walker has been seriously considering …

Rent Regulations in New York: How They'll Affect Tenants and Landlords  —  The changes would be sweeping, covering everything from security deposits to apartment upgrades.  —  Democratic lawmakers in New York harnessed their new powers on Tuesday to broker sweeping changes to rent laws …

Howard Schultz Announces Campaign Staff Cuts, Summer Hiatus  —  The Starbucks billionaire won't make a decision on running for president until after Labor Day — and he's still eyeing Joe Biden as his biggest competition.  —  Starbucks billionaire Howard Schultz told campaign staff …