President Trump has grown increasingly convinced that the FBI used an informant to spy on his 2016 campaign, and has now demanded a Justice Department investigation:
The back story: There has been a growing amount of speculation by conservative writers that an FBI source spied on the Trump campaign, and might have even planted a spy inside. It's now clear from multiple news reports that the FBI had an informant who talked to two campaign advisers, but not that the informant was planted on the inside. That talk is based on suspicions — not evidence.
President Trump told reporters during a meeting with NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg he doubts trade negotiations with China will end successfully, claiming the United States lost $500 billion in trade last year to China.
"Will that be successful? I tend to doubt it... because China has become very spoiled. The European Union has become very spoiled. Other countries have become very spoiled, because they always got 100 percent of whatever they wanted from the United States."
The big picture: Members of his administration are currently meeting with a Chinese delegation to bring down tensions between the two countries and avoid a trade war.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on Thursday defended President Trump's comment when he referred to MS-13 gang members as "animals," explaining it was not in reference to unauthorized immigrants.
"The president was very clearly referring to MS-13 gang members who enter the country illegally and whose deportations are hamstrung by our laws. ... If the media and liberals want to defend MS-13 they're more than welcome to. Frankly, I don't think the term the president used is strong enough."
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) announced Wednesday, after 14 months of study, its conclusion that Moscow did indeed try to boost President Trump’s 2016 campaign by hacking emails and spreading disinformation via social media, aiming to sow discord and subvert free and fair elections.
Why it matters: Unlike the report from the House Intelligence Committee's Majority, the SSCI’s finding is supported by both sides of the aisle and consistent with the judgment of the Intelligence Community (IC). It’s the first time that a group of Republicans has challenged President Trump’s narrative on Russian interference. The White House has so far not responded to the news.
Rex Tillerson, the first Secretary of State for President Trump, didn't mention Trump by name while addressing graduating cadets at Virginia Military Institute yesterday, but he didn't have to. One big quote:
"If we do not as Americans confront the crisis of ethics and integrity in our society and among our leaders in both the public and private sector — and regrettably at times even the nonprofit sector — then American democracy as we know it is entering its twilight years."
President Trump is getting higher approval ratings lately for some of his personal traits — including standing up for what he believes in, getting things done and being tough enough for the job, according to a SurveyMonkey analysis of its polls since the start of Trump's presidency.
Between the lines: These personal traits are some of the brightest spots in the polling on his presidency. His improvement on "can get things done" coincides with the passage of the GOP tax cuts, while the others are more recent (and the numbers were flat over time). But one score remains lower than all the others: "honest and trustworthy."
The 10 most vulnerable Democratic senators could lose four weeks of campaigning in their states just two months before the midterm election if Mitch McConnell cancels the August recess.
Driving the news: The Senate Majority Leader is seriously considering doing just that, Politico reports, after President Trump and a group of 16 GOP senators emphasized the need for extra time to work on spending bills and confirming POTUS' nominees.
The Senate Judiciary Committee’s release of the transcripts from Donald Trump Jr.’s testimony about the 2016 Trump Tower meeting answers some lingering questions but still doesn't provide much clarity regarding whether the meeting is definite evidence of the Kremlin’s efforts to boost President Trump's chances in the 2016 election.
What we learned: Trump Jr.'s statements surrounding the meeting have notably shifted as more news has emerged about its details, but his statements to the committee indicate that he did seem to hope to receive some sort of dirt about Hillary Clinton or her campaign. And while he expounded on his father's involvement, it's still not clear what the president did — or didn't — know about the meeting.
The Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday announced they back prior findings by U.S. intelligence agencies that conclude Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election in an effort to boost Donald Trump’s campaign.
Why it matters: Their findings break from Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee which announced in March they found no evidence of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.
The Senate Intelligence Committee has favorably recommended that Gina Haspel be confirmed for Director of the CIA, Chairman Richard Burr and Sen. Mark Warner announced Wednesday.
What's next: The full Senate will now vote on whether to confirm her, but with strong Democratic support now behind her, and this favorable recommendation from the Committee, she is well on her way to being confirmed.
Democratic lawmakers say they can make political hay of the battle over net neutrality among a small — but committed — group of midterm voters.
Why it matters: The linchpin of that strategy is a vote in the Senate Wednesday on a measure to undo the Federal Communications Commission’s 2017 repeal of net neutrality rules. That raises the prominence of the effort to preserve the neutrality rules — and will put at least some Republicans on record as opposing it.
There's an enthusiasm gap for President Trump in the Republican Party, with younger Republicans — especially women — less likely to strongly approve of Trump than Republicans age 45 and older, according to a SurveyMonkey analysis of its polls since the start of Trump's presidency.
Why it matters: That could be good for GOP voter turnout, since older voters are traditionally more likely to show up at the polls. But it also suggests Trump's brand of politics is getting a more skeptical look from the younger voters who are the future of the party.
Polls have closed in Tuesday’s Pennsylvania primary election, which comes as a major test for Democrats eying to win control of the House this fall. Tonight's results will set the stage for what is largely seen as one of the country’s most contested congressional races.
The backdrop: Redistricting and a slew of resignations and retirements have created a wider playing field for Democrats who are likely to pick up more seats in the state where Republicans hold a 13-5 majority in the congressional delegation. Voters are also choosing nominees for governor and the U.S. Senate.
