Bush-era U.S. officials and military attorneys are warning against keeping the Guantánamo detention center open, saying it could waste billions of dollars, according to the Guardian.
"We've invested roughly $6.5 [billion] on detention in Guantánamo and what has it gotten us? We wasted our money....We have over a thousand troops...that could be used elsewhere. We have squandered our credibility around the world in these trials."
— Retired Colonel and former chief prosecutor Morris Davis told the Guardian
Why it matters: In President Trump's State of the Union address, he announced an executive order to keep the doors open at Gitmo, and suggested more prisoners would be added. But a former legal adviser to President Bush, John Bellinger, told the Guardian he believes that move is "more of a political bone thrown to his conservative base than any indication he will change policy."
Inside the Trump administration, sources who've been briefed on the Nunes memo expect it will be underwhelming and not the “slam dunk” document it's been hyped up to be.
What we're hearing: There is much more skepticism inside the administration than has been previously reported about the value of releasing the memo, according to sources familiar with the administration discussions.
A senior administration official told reporters Thursday that President Trump will likely tell Congress Friday that he approves of releasing a classified memo alleging FISA abuse by the FBI. The official also said he "doubts" there will be any redactions. "It’s in Congress’ hands after that,” he said.
Why it matters: Trump will likely receive backlash from the left as well as the FBI for giving his approval, especially after the FBI warned in a rare statement Wednesday that it has "grave concerns" about the document.
President Trump told Republicans at the GOP retreat in West Virginia Thursday that the Senate should vote on the White House's immigration framework — a plan that includes a permanent solution on DACA, secures the border, ends chain migration, and cancels the visa lottery. "Those are the four pillars," said Trump.
Why it matters: During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Trump called for a "fair compromise" on immigration, but as Axios' Dave Lawler reported, it "sparked the first jeers of the night from some Democrats."
With increasing expectations of a Democratic wave in November's midterm elections, the Republican Party is facing a record number of retirements in the House of Representatives — and it’s only February 1. In perhaps the biggest tell, eight GOP committee chairs have announced their retirements from politics.
Why it matters: There is no surer sign of GOP fear of the midterm outcome — and no surer example of how even the most powerful jobs feel like a drag in this era of dysfunctional governance — than people in power racing for the exits.
Republican members of Congress with medical experience put their skills to work after a train carrying dozens of them crashed into a garbage truck in rural Virginia, killing a 28-year-old in the truck, AP's Alan Fram and Heidi Brown write.
There's been a massive plot twist in "FBI v. POTUS," as Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, tweeted at 10 p.m.:
"Discovered late tonight that [Intelligence Committee] Chairman [Devin] Nunes [R-Calif.] made material changes to the memo he sent to White House – changes not approved by the Committee. White House therefore reviewing a document the Committee has not approved for release."
Of all the proposals from President Trump's State of the Union address, the only one to prompt jeers from Democrats was what he called his "fair compromise" on immigration — the issue that has divided Washington more than any other during in his presidency.
The bottom line: Democrats are embracing immigration more than ever before.The percentage of Americans dissatisfied with current immigration levels has jumped to 50% after a record low of 34% last year, per a new Gallup poll. That change isn't because Democrats want less immigration, though. It's because many want more.
The Trump administration will extend Temporary Protected Status — which protects individuals from deportation — for Syrian refugees for 18 more months, per a statement from Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. "We will continue to determine each country’s TPS status on a country-by-country basis," she said.
The Trump campaign spent $1.1 million on legal fees in the fourth quarter of 2017, out of $2.8 million in total spending.
It was first reported last year that Trump was using campaign and RNC funds for his legal defense in the Russia probe. That's a legal, though unusual, arrangement.
The majority of the spending went to the Jones Day firm, which according to Reuters "provides the routine legal services required by the campaign."
His re-election campaign ended the year with $22 million in the bank, adding $6.9 million in contributions in the fourth quarter, per Reuters.
President Trump proclaimed February as National African American History Month — following a presidential tradition — in statement Wednesday.
This annual observance is an opportunity to remember the challenges of our past, but also to honor countless African-American heroes who inspire us to shape our country's future. This year's theme, "African Americans in Times of War," calls our attention to the heroic contributions of African Americans during our Nation's military conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to present-day operations.
