Trump has plans to decertify the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, according to "people briefed on an emerging White House strategy for Iran," per The Washington Post.
What it means: The deal has eased Iran off sanctions in exchange for a rolled-back nuclear program, so this could set the U.S. on a path to sanction Iran and amp up tensions between Tehran and D.C. And Tehran has said it could start up its nuclear program within days, raising a potential additional nuclear problem for Trump in addition to North Korea. Ultimately, the decision would be kicked to Congress.
The National Rifle Association issued a statement this afternoon in support of additional federal regulations on bump stocks, a firearm accessory that allowed Stephen Paddock, the Las Vegas shooter, to approximate automatic fire while using a semiautomatic rifle during this week's massacre.
Why it matters: The NRA urging a federal examination of any gun accessory is a big deal, and this could give cover to Republicans to support a ban on bump stocks — meaning there's a chance of rare bipartisan action on guns.
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the White House "welcomes" the conversation about regulating the use of bump stocks in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting. Sanders added that "right now our focus has been on healing and uniting the country" and reminded reporters that Trump is still "a strong supporter" of the 2nd amendment. "That hasn't changed."
Minutes before: The NRA called on the federal government to review whether there should be "additional regulations" placed on bump stocks.
Hackers working for the Russian government stole highly classified materials in 2015 on U.S. cyber defense and how the U.S. hacks into foreign computer networks, the WSJ reports. How it happened: An NSA contractor reportedly kept the information on his home computer, and hackers identified the files through his use of anti-virus software from Kaspersky Lab. DHS last month ordered all government agencies and departments to stop using products from Kaspersky, a Russian company.
Why it matters: This data could have informed how Russia has bolstered its own network protections, making the NSA's job harder, and it could also have given Russians more methods for spying on the U.S. "It's a lot harder to beat your opponent when they're reading your playbook," Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee said in a statement.
Representative Tim Murphy told KDKA's Jon Delano he won't be seeking re-election in 2018, just a day after the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported he pushed his mistress to have an abortion earlier this year despite his pro-life political stance.
Why it matters: There are three Democrats already vying for his seat, according to Ballotpedia. Murphy, who has been in Congress since 2003, ran unopposed — by Dems and Republicans alike — in every election since 2012.
Special Counsel Robers Mueller's team has taken over FBI inquiries into the dossier a British spy compiled on alleged links between Trump associates and Russia, Reuters reports. The unverified dossier raised the possibility Trump could have been vulnerable to Russian blackmail during the election.
Why it matters: It appears Mueller's extra muscle may be needed, as the Senate Intelligence Committee said earlier Wednesday it had "hit a wall" in assessing the veracity of the document. Chairman Richard Burr said they had trouble getting Christopher Steele, the dossier's author, to come before the committee to discuss the details.
Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dick Durbin are (D-IL) re-introducing a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill that never made it to the floor last year. It calls for lower minimum sentences for drug offenders, targets violent criminals and calls for a National Criminal Justice Commission to conduct a review of the criminal justice system.
Why it matters: The Senators hope that the bill can receive bipartisan support by reducing sentences for non-violent drug offenders, but still enforcing harsher sentences for violent criminals. "This bill strikes the right balance of improving public safety and ensuring fairness in the criminal justice system," Sen. Grassley said in the press release.
Senator Bob Corker told reporters Wednesday he thinks "Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Mattis, and Chief of Staff Kelly are those people that help separate our country from chaos." Corker added that Tillerson is not being supported in the way that I would hope" and "is in an incredibly frustrating place."
The backdrop: Corker's comments followed a report that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Trump a moron — which the State Department has since refuted — and considered resigning.
Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) and vice chair Mark Warner (D-VA) made it clear Wednesday that they still have a lot of work to do regarding the Russia investigation, including learning more about the extent of Moscow's impact on the 2016 election and whether any Trump campaign members colluded in the interference.
"It's safe to say that the inquiry has expanded slightly," Burr said. He said he still hopes the committee can complete its probe by the end of 2017, but emphasized they must be finished and "make our facts public" prior to the 2018 midterm primaries.
