Trump's pick to serve as Army Secretary, the former Army doctor Mark Green, who is currently a Tennessee state senator, has withdrawn his name from consideration over statements he has made over LBGT issues, Islam, and his beliefs in creationism, according to CNN.
What's causing the uproar:
He said if you ask psychiatrists they will tell you "transgender is a disease."
He said "we will not tolerate" educating people on Islam in textbooks.
He's a self-proclaimed "creationist" and gave a lecture arguing against evolution.
Green purports that the attacks against him are "false and misleading." He concluded: "this nomination has become a distraction."
The trend: Trump's first pick for Army Secretary, Vincent Viola, also withdrew over complications with conflict-of-interest rules, and Trump's Navy secretary pick, Philip Bilden, also withdrew his name from consideration, that time over financial holdings.
The Senate Intelligence Committee has asked Trump campaign associates to provide records of their communications with Russians as part of the committee's ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, per the NYT.
A partial list of those asked: Roger Stone, Carter Page, Paul Manafort, and Michael Flynn.
The deadlines: May 9 to provide a list of Russians they've met; May 19 to turn over all communication records with those Russians, including emails, texts, and phone calls — that accelerated timeline shows that the committee isn't messing around.
Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders stepped in for Sean Spicer again today, who is on Navy duty. The takeaways:
Getting AHCA through the Senate: "Never underestimate this president... This isn't a president who does things hands off," said Sanders. "I expect him to be fully engaged on the Senate side."
On Senate waiting for CBO score: "I know the gospel pretty well and I would say the CBO score is not the gospel."
Trump's legacy: "The president wants to be remembered as the person who got rid of Obamacare and put in a replacement that works for the people."
On Trump praising Australia's health care: "I think he was simply being complimentary of the prime minister... but what works in Australia may not work in the US."
Spending bill: Trump signed the spending bill "during the last hour."
On Trump's trip to Bedminster, NJ: "Staying in New York would have caused much greater disruption and much greater cost to taxpayers than staying in NJ... The president is the president no matter where he goes. He doesn't get to control the costs that go with that."
Will Trump subpoena Susan Rice to testify? "I think thats a question for Congress, but I do think it's very sad she has chosen not be cooperative in this process."
French election: "The president will work with whoever the people of France decide to elect."
Cinco de Mayo shout out: "It's Cinco de Mayo, a great opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans."
A key Republican strategist tells me that the health-care vote gives Dems a better (though still not good) chance of retaking the House in 2018.
The reason: After the Senate vote, the House members "will have difficulty passing a repeal/replace bill, but will have voted for a bill that Dems can claim would be terrible for real people's health care and costs."
SIREN: The Cook Political Report today will shift its 2018 forecast for 20 House districts, all in favor of Democrats.
Disney CEO Bob Iger is being pelted with entreaties to run for president in 2020, and is clearly intrigued by the idea, according to industry sources. Iger has discussed the feasibility with friends but has made no formal moves.
"He's hearing quite a bit of: You should run — you'd be a great president," said one Hollywood insider. "He's hearing that quite a bit from prominent fundraisers and Democratic insiders."
Minutes after the House passed a bill Thursday to replace the Affordable Care Act:
DCCC launched a five-figure ad campaign on Facebook and Instagram, geo-targeting 30 vulnerable House Republicans.
Planned Parenthood had an ad on Twitter that warned vulnerable Republicans they will be held accountable for their vote.
By Thursday evening, Daily Kos announced it raised over $400,000 in under five hours through a digital fundraising effort promoted on social media, and Swing Left, an advocacy group aiming to re-take Congress in 2018, announced it had raised $500,000 in 24 hours.
Why it matters: The 24/7 news cycle created by cable news and intensified by Trump's use of social media has led to an environment in which advocacy groups, media companies and digital movements can leverage viral moments to launch their campaigns. Many groups had been preparing for a moment like this to launch a more fleshed-out Trump resistance campaign ahead of 2018.
Of the 23 Republicans representing districts won by Hillary Clinton, 14 voted in favor of the GOP health care bill. Here those members are, ranked by the size of Clinton's margin in their district:
President Trump returned home to New York City today for the first time since his inauguration. He'll be meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and giving remarks commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting 30 vulnerable Republicans with a 5-figure ad campaign over the GOP healthcare bill that narrowly passed through the House today.
Guilt by association: Some of those being targeted actually voted against the bill.
It's about the midterms: The DCCC tweeted "see you in 2018" after the vote and says "there's a lot more in to come next week."
After Secretary of State Rex Tillerson hinted yesterday that the United States would no longer "condition [its] national security efforts on someone adopting our values," a group of 15 bipartisan senators — led by Marco Rubio and Ben Cardin — sent a letter to President Trump urging him to advocate for democracy and human rights. An excerpt:
"It was more than 240 years ago that the Founding Fathers declared that all are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These principles have successfully formed the backbone of the American experiment in self- government. The rights the Founders recognized are not by any means solely 'American,' but rather are universal. Being fortunate to enjoy these freedoms ourselves, we have the moral imperative to promote democracy and human rights across the globe."
French presidential candidates Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron faced off last night in a heated debate in need of trigger warnings for Americans still haunted by our own presidential debates. Le Pen's debating and insulting style is reminiscent of Trump.
Nationalism:
LePen: "Unlike you, I want a strong France in Europe."
Trump: "I will make American great again."
Strength and control:
Le Pen: "Not only you don't have any plan [to fight terrorism] but you are complacent towards Islamists.''
Trump: "Secretary Clinton doesn't want to use a few words: Law and order."
House Republicans gathered in the White House Rose Garden after they passed the American Health Care Act Thursday. President Trump kicked off the congratulatory speeches, saying he's "so confident" the bill will pass in the Senate.
Trump: "[For] only being a politician for a short period of time, how am I doing? Okay? I'm president. I'm president! Can you believe it?"
Pence: "Thanks to the leadership of Pres. Donald Trump, welcome to the beginning of the end of Obamacare..."
Paul Ryan: Ryan thanked Trump and Pence for "their personal involvement in working with our members."
Kevin McCarthy: The president told me, "Let's not make this partisan... Do what's right for the American country... I've only been through a few presidents, but I've never seen someone so hands on."
Majority leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday that the Senate will wait to vote on the GOP's health care bill until it is scored by the Congressional Budget Office, per Reuters. His statement came immediately after the House passed the plan.
Trump delivered remarks during the National Day of Prayer before calling on a series of religious leaders to stand behind him as he signed his executive order promoting free speech and religious liberty.
You're now in a position where you can say what you want to say, and I know you'll only say good.
Key piece of the order: It eases restrictions imposed by the Johnson Amendment, which limits political participation by tax-exempt religious groups.
Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski shared how their engagement went down in an interview with Vanity Fair, but they also dished that President Trump offered to officiate their wedding at the White House.
How it went down: Over lunch with POTUS, Ivanka, and Jared just after the inauguration, Trump said that if the couple got married, they should do so at Mar-a-Lago or the White House. Kushner jumped in and offered to officiate the ceremony.
POTUS' response: "Why would you marry them? They could have the President of the United States marry them."
Mika's reaction: "If it weren't Trump, it might be something to think about. The mental picture is just fascinating, but the reality is just . . . no. No, no, no, no, no."
