Secretary of Defense Mark Esper authorized the Pentagon on Tuesday to allocate $3.6 billion toward 11 military construction projects for President Trump's border wall, CNN reports.
The big picture: Trump is getting all the Pentagon funding that he sought — about $3.6 billion from the department's military construction fund — from declaring a national emergency over the border crisis in February. In July, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump's reprogramming of Pentagon funds for the border wall is permissible. Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Comptroller Elaine McCusker expects construction at the border to start in about 135 days, per CNN.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced Tuesday that he will not run for governor of West Virginia and will instead remain in the Senate through 2024.
“Ultimately, I believe my role as U.S. Senator allows me to position our state for success for the rest of this century.”
Why it matters: As Democrats seek to take back the Senate in 2020, the moderate Manchin's seat would likely have been a gift to Republicans if he had opted for a gubernatorial bid. Manchin won re-election by just 3 points in 2018 as a pro-union Democrat in a heavily pro-Trump state that could easily swing Republican without an incumbent.
"I was making a point about a generation. That has nothing to do with judgment of whether or not you send troops to war, the judgment of whether you bring someone home, the judgment of whether you decide on a health care policy. ... The details are irrelevant in terms of decision-making."
The backdrop: Biden got almost every detail incorrect about the 2008 war story, first reported by the Washington Post, which centered on him pinning a medal on a U.S. service member in Afghanistan. His account seems rooted in an actual medal ceremony that took place in 2011, and Biden has defended his misrepresentations, saying he got the "essence" of the story correct.
Vice President Pence opted to stay at the Trump International Golf Club in Doonbeg during his 2-day trip to Ireland — even though he is meeting with officials 180 miles away in Dublin, reports Reuters.
Why it matters: Pence's chief of staff Marc Short told reporters Tuesday that President Trump had "a suggestion" that Pence stay at his resort, even as the administration faces criticism for spending taxpayer dollars — and influencing foreign and domestic officials to choose to frequent — at Trump properties, per The Washington Post.
President Trump's political allies are trying to raise at least $2 million to investigate reporters and editors of the New York Times, Washington Post and other outlets, according to a 3-page fundraising pitch reviewed by Axios.
Why it matters: Trump’s war on the media is expanding. This group will target reporters and editors, while other GOP 2020 entities go after the social media platforms, alleging bias, officials tell us.
At least six Democratic candidates will attend the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) presidential forum in October. Members of the labor group will get to directly ask candidates questions about their plans for the economy, wages and “how they would make it easier for all working people to join together in unions,” according to SEIU.
Why it matters: Democrats are taking labor unions more seriously, and they’re an important voting bloc up for grabs in the 2020 election.
