Axios

Republican Rep. Paul Gosar told Vice News this week that he thinks "it would be interesting to find out" if billionaire progressive activist George Soros worked with "the left" to facilitate August's Charlottesville violence, returning to an oft-parroted far-right conspiracy theory.

More than two weeks after Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, the island is still far from recovered. Fewer than 1 in 8 Puerto Ricans have electricity, and roughly half of the island is still without drinking water. The official death toll is at 36, but it is expected to climb further as recovery efforts continue.

What's next: Vice President Pence touched down in Puerto Rico this afternoon where he'll participate in a prayer service and receive an update on hurricane relief efforts.

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders dodged questions Friday on what President Trump meant when he told reporters Thursday night that his dinner with senior military leaders may be the "calm before the storm."

Instead she stated that the White House "is never going to say in advance" what the president is planning. "He's not trying to broadcast or telegraph his actions, [unlike prior presidents]," said Sanders. "If he feels that [military] action is necessary, he'll take it."

Briefing highlights:

On Trump rolling back the Obama-era birth control program: "The president believes that the freedom to practice one's faith is a fundamental right in this country... If people don't like what the Constitution says, they should talk to Congress about changing it."Status of Iran deal: Trump's looking at all of Iran's "bad behavior."On Corker saying Tillerson, Mattis and Kelly are keeping the world from chaos: "The president is the one keeping the world from chaos."Trump-Tillerson relations: Trump still has full confidence in his Secretary of State. "Nothing has changed despite what you may read in the media."Mysterious health attacks on Americans in Cuba: The U.S. will continue to look into this "until we get some real answers."Latest jobs number: "Today's jobs report shows how much the storms have hurt our economy." But the storms also hurt our people, said Sanders.Status of GOP tax plan: Trump is visiting Hamburg, Pennsylvania Wednesday to deliver a tax reform speech.

Hamilton composer and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda released a new song Friday — titled "Almost like Praying," a nod to West Side Story — to help raise money for hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. Sales of the track, which features a star-studded group of Hispanic rappers, singers, and actors including Jenifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Gloria Estefan, Luis Fonsi, Rita Moreno, and Gina Rodriguez, among others, will go to the Hispanic Federation's "Unidos" Disaster Relief Fund.

Flashback: Last weekend Miranda, who has been an outspoken advocate of helping accelerate the relief efforts in PR, slammed President Trump on Twitter for his attacks on San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz. "She has been working 24/7. You have been GOLFING. You're going straight to hell. Fastest golf cart you ever took," wrote Miranda.

At least four Democratic senators who have received donations from Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein said they will donate the same amount of money to charity after learning that three decades worth of sexual harassment allegations have been brought against the filmaker, per the NYT. Various Republican groups, including America Rising PAC, are now calling on other Democrats to do the same, per CNN.

Distancing themselves: Sens. Patrick Leahy (VT), Richard Blumenthal (CT), Martin Heinrich (NM), and Elizabeth Warren (MA) each said they plan to transfer the money Weinstein gave them to charities, including groups that support female victims of domestic violence. Leahy said he will donate $5,600, Blumenthal and Heinrich $5,400, and Warren $5,000.

"Trump, during photo shoot, talks of 'calm before the storm,'" by AP's Jill Colvin: "Trump delivered a foreboding message [last] night, telling reporters as he posed for photos with his senior military leaders that this might be 'the calm before the storm.'"

Between the lines: The commander-in-chief is pondering several high-stakes national-security decisions that we could hear about soon. But part of this may simply be the president's instinct for drama and photos that make him look strong, love of cliffhangers, and joy in flummoxing the press.

"Trump is expected to overrule his top national security advisers and decline to certify the Iran nuclear agreement, ... a decision that would reopen a volatile political debate," write the N.Y. Times' Mark Landler and David E. Sanger:

• What's next: "By declining to certify Iran's compliance, Mr. Trump would essentially kick it to Congress to decide whether to reimpose punitive economic sanctions. Even among Republicans, there appears to be little appetite to do that, at least for now."
• Why it matters: "The strategy is an effort by the Trump administration to make the nuclear agreement only part of a multidimensional approach to pressure Iran on many fronts ... But the administration has yet to articulate that broader strategy. As a result, the nuclear deal remains ... a political football in Washington."