Why it matters: A plea from Corsi "could bring Mueller’s team closer to determining whether Trump or his advisers were linked to WikiLeaks’ release of hacked Democratic emails in 2016," the Post says.
The incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Democrat Adam Schiff, told the Washington Post he'll use his committee next year to figure out what U.S. intelligence agencies know about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to determine if President Trump is "representing something very different."
Why it matters:The Post had previously reported that the CIA concluded the killing of Khashoggi was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Trump yesterday disputed those reports, stating that the crown prince has denied any involvement, and suggested "the world should be held accountable because the world is a vicious place."
A record 14,030 immigrant children were in shelters across the country as of last week, one-third of them in Texas, the Houston Chronicle's Lomi Kriel reports.
Why it matters: "It is almost three times the number of children in federal detention a year ago."
Nancy Pelosi’s "relentless honey-over-vinegar approach to dealing with political headaches — which she learned at the foot of her father, former Baltimore mayor Thomas D’Alesandro Jr. — has been critical to sustaining her grip on power since Democrats won the House majority this month," the WashPost's Mike DeBonis and Bob Costa report:
"She has personally courted disgruntled members in meetings and by phone while deploying her sprawling network to bolster her bid among both liberals and moderates, all but overwhelming her critics with her ability to outmaneuver them."
Why it matters: "According to several aides involved in their discussions, Pelosi’s tenacity has rattled and weakened the ragtag group of rebel Democrats, mostly men, who have struggled to recruit a challenger."
Hillary Clinton told the Guardian that Europe "needs to get a handle on migration," and that leaders must send a message that "we are not going to be able to continue to provide refuge and support."
Why it matters: Europe's refugee situation is a topic that President Trump has talked about frequently, pointing to it as a reason to cut off refugee intake in the U.S. But Clinton criticized Trump's "use of immigrants as a political device and as a symbol of government gone wrong."
President Trump spoke with reporters on Thanksgiving morning and hit on hot topics like border security and his relationship with Saudi Arabia.
One key quote: When discussing his reaffirmed commitment to Saudi Arabia: "[T]hey’re putting up tremendous amounts of money to fight terrorism. Now, they were part of terrorism and nobody is going to try and justify that. They were a big part of it. But they’re spending a lot of money and they’re opening up and they’re doing a lot of things."
In a Thanksgiving phone call with members of the military, President Trump discussed the need for better trade deals and stronger border security, turning a traditionally festive call into a political one, CNN reports.
The details: Trump said that the people coming towards the southern border are "bad people,” per CNN, and that "[w]e're not letting in anybody, essentially, because we want to be very, very careful." Trump also threatened a government shutdown over border security and claimed that Hillary Clinton deleted over 100,000 emails, without evidence. It's typical for presidents to make calls on holidays to thank troops for their service; it's less typical for those calls to include political talking points.
Former FBI director James Comey tweeted on Thursday that he has been subpoenaed by House Republicans.
"Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. I’m still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a 'closed door' thing because I’ve seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Let’s have a hearing and invite everyone to see."
— James Comey
The big picture: Both Republicans and Democrats want to investigateComey's firing last year. Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that President Trump told his counsel he wanted to prosecute Comey, though he has been advised against it because of possible backlash.
President Trump said on Thursday that the CIA did not come to a conclusion that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman directed the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to pool reports.
Why it matters: The CIA did come to a conclusion, saying they believe with "high confidence" that MBS was behind the killing. This isn't the first time Trump has contradicted reports from the intelligence community. Trump also told pool reporters that "maybe the world" should be held accountable for Khashoggi's murder, because it's a "very vicious place."
Carol Miller, a newly-elected House member for West Virginia's 3rd district, will be the only Republican woman entering the U.S. House of Representatives in January, The Associated Press reports.
Why it matters: Of the at least 199 Republicans in the chamber, there could be as few as 13 female GOP lawmakers — the smallest group since the early 1990s — compared to at least 89 female Democrats. That disparity is raising concerns for Republicans that Democrats' female voter edge could carry over to 2020 for the presidential and congressional elections. Women voted for Democratic candidates over Republicans on Election Day by 57% to 41%, according to AP VoteCast.
President Trump continued to criticize the Ninth Circuit as a "complete & total disaster" on Thursday morning, saying in a tweet the California appeals court is "out of control, has a horrible reputation."
The background: On Tuesday, a federal judge in California temporarily blocked an executive order that would have changed U.S. asylum policy. Trump and Chief Justice John Roberts have since thrown statements back and forth on whether judges are partisan based on which president appoints them.
