Trump Approves Strikes on Iran, but Then Abruptly Pulls Back  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump approved military strikes against Iran in retaliation for downing an American surveillance drone, but pulled back from launching them on Thursday night after a day of escalating tensions.

Dems see Hope Hicks testimony as huge gift in legal battle with Trump  —  In an exclusive interview, Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler also said Democrats would soon sue former White House Counsel Don McGahn.  —  House Democrats are planning to file a lawsuit within days to force former White …

Migrant children describe neglect at Texas border facility  —  EL PASO, Texas (AP) — A 2-year-old boy locked in detention wants to be held all the time.  A few girls, ages 10 to 15, say they've been doing their best to feed and soothe the clingy toddler who was handed to them by a guard days ago.

NYT reporter flagged Jared Kushner meetings with Russians to FBI  —  A New York Times reporter fed information about Jared Kushner meeting with Russians to the FBI, newly released emails show.  —  Journalist Michael Schmidt sent an email on March 24, 2017, to FBI Assistant Director …

Biden called Booker to quell tensions.  Things only got worse  —  After Sen. Cory Booker appeared on CNN on Wednesday night sounding off on Joe Biden's recent comments surrounding segregationists, the New Jersey Democrat got a phone call — it was the former vice president.

Some White House Reporters Are Throwing Sarah Huckabee Sanders A Goodbye Party  —  White House correspondents and some Trump staffers plan to send Sanders off with “farewell drinks” next week.  —  Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the reporters who cover the White House haven't always had the smoothest relationship.

Ending Private Prisons and Exploitation for Profit  —  Last month Caliburn International — a for-profit company whose subsidiary operates Homestead, the largest detention center for unaccompanied migrant children — hired John Kelly, Trump's former chief of staff.

Laura Ingraham Dismisses Reparations: 'No Do-Overs...We Won, You Lost, That's That'  —  “As Trump always says, 'you don't get do-overs,' she declared. ”  No do-overs, that's it.  Fox News star Laura Ingraham waded into the ongoing debate over reparations for descendants of slaves during …

Prosecutors Intensify Scrutiny of Trump Fundraiser Elliott Broidy  —  Federal probe examines foreigners who attended inauguration at invitation of top Trump fundraiser  —  Federal prosecutors have stepped up a criminal investigation into possible efforts by longtime Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy …

Donald Trump's Interview With TIME on 2020: Read the Transcript  —  President Donald Trump sat down for an interview with TIME in the Oval Office on June 17 for a story on his re-election campaign.  —  During the 57-minute conversation, he discussed his Democratic rivals …

Justice Dept review of intel in Russia probe fuels fears of politicization  —  A mix of concern, confusion and defiance has spread through elements of the intelligence community as a murky picture emerges of Attorney General William Barr's review of its investigative and analytical work …

Support for Trump in Louisiana plunges, poll says; here's how this could help Gov. John Bel Edwards  —  A clear majority of Louisiana voters don't want Donald Trump to win a second term as president, an independent poll shows.  —  The survey by pollster Verne Kennedy also shows …

Trump Administration to Migrant Kids: No Soap for You!  —  Children in Border Patrol custody aren't guaranteed access to basic hygiene or bedding, the Justice Department tells incredulous judges  —  The government is not required to provide migrant children in custody on the border with soap …

Trump isn't matching Obama deportation numbers  —  Immigration and Customs Enforcement has deported more immigrants this fiscal year than any full fiscal year of Donald Trump's presidency, but it has yet to reach Barack Obama's early deportation levels, according to new internal Department of Homeland Security figures obtained by Axios.

Oregon governor sends police to find missing Republicans, bring them to Capitol  —  Oregon's Democratic governor, Kate Brown, has dispatched state troopers to find missing Republican senators and bring them back to Salem to legislate.  —  All 11 Republican senators are in hiding …

Americans Aren't Sure U.S. System Can Fix Long-Term Problems, Poll Finds  —  A majority believes the nation's best years are in the past  —  Americans have little faith the U.S. political system can address long-term challenges and are skeptical the nation remains committed to foundational tenets …

Joe Biden's nostalgia for ‘civility’ is nostalgia for the politics of Jim Crow  —  He may not realize it, but that boozy politesse grew from Southern politicians' need to work across party lines to keep civil rights at bay.  —  At a fundraiser on Tuesday, former vice president Joe Biden …

West Virginia is still waiting on a game-changing $84 billion investment from China that was promised in 2017  —  KEY POINTS  — President Trump's 2017 trip to China included a signing ceremony in the colossal Great Hall of the People to unveil business deals totaling more than $250 billion.