The Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) announced it will be enhancing its ballistic missile program "with more speed in reaction to Trump's hostile approach towards this revolutionary organization," per Reuters. This suggests Trump's sanctions move is likely going to illicit some tougher behavior from the IRGC, since experts say Tehran is likely to view the sanctions as a direct threat to its military.
What to watch for: "If they feel the sanctions are a lot then they would very much step up the ante — and step up their attacks," Waheguru Pal Singh Sidhu, Clinical Associate Professor of Global Affairs at NYU School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs, told Axios. The IRGC confirmed they will continue to confront the U.S. That could affect the ongoing fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló met with President Trump at the White House Thursday to discuss the ongoing recovery efforts on the island. Trump lauded the federal response in Puerto Rico, saying he gives the White House a 10/10 rating on its handling of the storm.
Rosselló was less triumphant, acknowledging that while he appreciates the aid that has been sent to the island so far, "we still need to do a lot for the people of Puerto Rico...It's not over by a long-shot." Note that one month after Hurricane Maria first made landfall in PR, 78% of the island is still without power, 28% of residents don't have potable drinking water, and 12% of grocery stores are still closed.
More than two weeks after the Oct. 4 firefight in Niger that left four American soldiers dead, there is still a dearth of information on the events leading up to the battle and what happened during the ambush itself, prompting an investigation by U.S. Africa Command, per CNN.
Why it matters: Beyond the politicization of the event ignited by the presidential contact of the families of deceased servicemen, this is the most significant military loss yet in President Trump's term — and the lack of information is concerning. Defense Secretary James Mattis is "dismayed" by the situation, according to another CNN report, while some on the left have begun to brand Niger as "Trump's Benghazi."
Relatives of nine of the 43 military members who have died during Trump's presidency (21%) tell AP that they haven't heard from him.
Why it matters: Trump told Fox News Radio's "Brian Kilmeade Show' on Tuesday: "[T]o the best of my knowledge, I think I've called every family of somebody that's died ... I have called, I believe everybody but certainly I'll use the word 'virtually' everybody ... I've called virtually everybody."
"Trump has selected Joseph Simons, an antitrust attorney from a Washington law firm, to head the Federal Trade Commission," which enforces antitrust laws, Reuters reports.
"Simons, a partner at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, was a director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition [under George W. Bush] from 2001 to 2003."
"During Simons' tenure at the FTC, the agency sued to stop Diageo PLC and Pernod Ricard from buying Seagram Spirits and Wine in 2001 to prevent a duopoly in rum. The FTC also filed a lawsuit in 2003 to stop Haagen-Dazs owner Nestle Holdings Inc from buying Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc, which makes also superpremium ice cream. The FTC later settled both cases."
Today, per his office, Barack Obama "will participate in two campaign events to support Democrats running for governor in Virginia and New Jersey."
"In the afternoon, President Obama will join Phil Murphy and Sheila Oliver for a canvass kickoff with grassroots supporters at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark."
"In the evening, President Obama will travel to Richmond, Virginia to deliver remarks at a campaign rally for Lt. Governor Ralph Northam."
NFL Chief Roger Goodell held a press conference Wednesday to address the ongoing political feud that has broken out as a result of players taking a knee during the national anthem, something President Trump has repeatedly condemned as disrespectful to the flag.
"We believe everyone should stand for the national anthem, that's an important part of our policy... We have about a half a dozen players that are protesting... We're going to continue to work to try to put that at zero. We're not afraid of the tough conversations. That's what we're having with our players."
The big picture: Goodell also said, "we're not looking to get into politics." That ship appears to have sailed.
One of Vice President Mike Pence's older brothers, Greg Pence, has filed paperwork with the Internal Revenue Service indicating he intends to run for the eastern Indiana congressional seat that Mike Pence filled for 12 years, per AP's Brian Slodysko.
Why it matters: In Indiana, and particularly among Indiana Republicans, it helps to be Mike Pence's brother. And as Slodysko points out, "he has a famous name, owns an antique business in the area and even bears a striking resemblance to his brother, with a close-cropped head of white hair."
President Trump insisted Wednesday that he never told the widow of a fallen soldier that her husband "knew what he signed up for," as Frederica Wilson, the Democratic congresswoman who was with the woman at the time of the call, claimed he did.
"I didn't say what that congresswoman said, I didn't say it at all... and I'd like her to make the statement again... I had a very nice conversation with the woman, the wife who sounded like a lovely woman."
Alexander-Murray health care bill: Trump walked back his previous signs of support for the bipartisan bill, instead stating that he thinks it's "fine" if the Senate can reach a bipartisan agreement, but he "won't do anything to enrich the insurance companies." The bill funds subsidies to insurers who cover low-income customers.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions explicitly denied that he'd been interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of the federal government's investigation into Russian interference during the 2016 election. During a heated exchange with Sen. Pat Leahy during a Justice Department oversight hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sessions hesitated and hinted that he'd have to clear his answer with Mueller before his denial.
More on Sessions' interactions with Russians: Leahy also asked Sessions if he'd discussed a few different topics with any Russian officials since the start of the 2016 campaign: emails ("I don't recall"), Russian interference in the 2016 election ("No"), sanctions like the Magnitsky Act ("I don't believe I've ever had any discussion at any time about the Magnitsky Act"), and Trump's positions ("I think that's a possibility").
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) told CNN Wednesday that President Trump told the young widow of a U.S. serviceman killed in Niger, "Basically... he knew what he signed up for, but I guess it still hurt." Wilson, who said she overheard the conversation on speakerphone in the car, called Trump a "sick man" and said the family was "astonished."
Current and former police chiefs and leaders who are members of Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration sent a letter to President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions today urging them to "join the bipartisan effort for criminal justice reform, and align its policy agenda with that mission."
Why it matters: President Trump's support of law enforcement has been a key part of his campaign and presidency. Now he'll hear from law enforcement leaders, and even a few Republicans, who want to see reforms that many hard-line conservatives — such as AG Jeff Sessions — oppose.
"The Trump administration is planning an increase in federal immigration jails across the country for the thousands of additional undocumented immigrants its agents are arresting," USA Today's Alan Gomez reports in the paper's banner story:
"In recent weeks, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has put out requests to identify privately-run jail sites in Chicago, Detroit, St. Paul, Salt Lake City and southern Texas, according to notices published on a federal contracting website."
"It did not publicly announce its plans to house 4,000 more detainees at the facilities."
