Apr 20, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Don McGahn responds to accusations against his credibility

Don McGahn. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Former White House Counsel Don McGahn, one of the standout witnesses in the Mueller report, has responded to Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani's attacks on his credibility and his claims that McGahn's account "can't be taken at face value."

"It's a mystery why Rudy Giuliani feels the need to re-litigate incidents the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General have concluded were not obstruction. But they are accurately described in the report. Don, nonetheless, appreciates that the President gave him the opportunity to serve as White House Counsel and assist him with his signature accomplishments."

— Statement from Don McGahn's legal counsel, obtained by NBC's Kelly O'Donnell

Why it matters: Refusals from McGahn — and other top White House staffers — to obey presidential directives are part of the reason why Trump ultimately avoided obstruction of justice charges in Mueller's investigation.

According to details McGahn and others provided to Mueller's team, Trump instructed McGahn to contact Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to have Mueller fired. McGahn did not carry out Trump's order.

Go deeper: 7 takeaways from the Mueller report

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Updated 33 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 18,387,725 — Total deaths: 696,586 — Total recoveries — 10,976,180 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 4,758,028 — Total deaths: 156,426 — Total recoveries: 1,513,446 — Total tests: 57,543,852 — Map.
States: New York City health commissioner resigns in protest of De Blasio's coronavirus response — Local governments go to war over schools.
Public health: 59% of Americans support nationwide 2-week stay-at-home order in NPR poll.
Politics: Trump's national security adviser returns to work after coronavirus recovery — Republicans push to expand small business loan program.
Sports: Indy 500 to be held without fans — Rafael Nadal opts out of U.S. Open.

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Updated 56 mins ago - World

At least 50 killed, 3,000 injured after massive explosion rocks Beirut

Photo: Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images

A major explosion has slammed central Beirut, Lebanon, damaging buildings as far as several miles away and injuring scores of people.

Driving the news: Lebanon's health minister said in televised remarks that more than 50 people have been killed and over 3,000 injured. Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the explosions occurred at a warehouse that had been storing 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate for the past six years, per NBC.

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1 hour ago - Economy & Business

"Mulan" will head to Disney+, home to more than 60 million subscribers

An outdoor ad for Disney's "Mulan" in Hollywood, California. Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images

Disney announced Tuesday that its most highly-anticipated blockbuster of the year, the live-action remake of "Mulan," is heading to Disney+ on Sept. 4 for consumers to purchase for a premium access fee of $29.99. The movie's theatrical debut had previously been delayed four times.

Why it matters: It's a huge blow to movie exhibitors across the country that were relying on the Disney hit to come exclusively to theaters for at least a few months before being made available to consumers at home via streaming.

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