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.

Hideous Men Donald Trump assaulted me in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room 23 years ago.  But he's not alone on the list of awful men in my life.  —  My first rich boy pulled down my underpants.  My last rich boy pulled down my tights.  My first rich boy — I had fixed my eyes on his face long enough …

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 …

Andrew Weissmann, a Top Mueller Prosecutor, Has a Book Deal  —  Andrew Weissmann, one of the top prosecutors for Robert S. Mueller III on the Russia investigation, is writing a book that will explore his work on the special counsel's inquiry, according to a publishing executive with knowledge of the deal.

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 Suburb of Hell’: America's New Concentration Camp System  —  On Monday, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez referred to US border detention facilities as “concentration camps,” spurring a backlash in which critics accused her of demeaning the memory of those who died in the Holocaust.

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 …

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 …

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.

Clyburn explains why Harris and Booker haven't caught on in S. Carolina  —  The third-ranking House Democrat talked to NBC News ahead of his famous ‘Fish Fry’ gathering Friday night, featuring more than 20 presidential contenders.  —  COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn expressed …

Fairfax ‘thinking very seriously’ about run for governor, says scandal has raised his public profile  —  Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax said Thursday that he is “very hopeful about the future” and “thinking very seriously” about a gubernatorial run in 2021.  —  Fairfax, who faces sexual assault allegations …

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 …

Joe Biden's letters to segregationist Sen. James O. Eastland  —  The letters were obtained from the University of Mississippi, which houses Sen. James O. Eastland's archived papers.  —  The correspondence from 1972 to 1978 shows Joe Biden, at the time a young senator, trying to establish …

Trump to Officially Nominate Esper as Next Defense Secretary  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump plans to nominate Mark T. Esper, the secretary of the Army and former West Point classmate of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to be the next defense secretary, administration officials said on Friday.

Hacked documents reveal sensitive details of expanding border surveillance  —  Far more information was taken in the hack of a Customs and Border Protection contractor than U.S. officials have acknowledged.  —  The recent cyberattack on a U.S. Customs and Border Protection subcontractor …

On 4-3 vote, Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds state's lame-duck laws limiting power of Democratic governor  —  MADISON - The Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld lame-duck laws Friday that limit the power of the state's new Democratic governor, handing Republicans a victory in one of several legal fights over the laws.

'It's a ways away': Huckabee says Sarah Sanders in no rush to run for Arkansas governor  —  Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee confirmed Friday that his daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, may make a run for his old job — but stressed that there's no rush for the outgoing White House press secretary …

Being Transgender at Goldman Sachs  —  How Maeve DuVally, an employee in the bank's buttoned-up communications department, became herself at work.  —  Goldman Sachs's trading floors are vast rooms crammed with rows of tightly packed workstations, four monitors for every trader.

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.

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 …