Michael Bloomberg officially filed paperwork on Friday to enter the 2020 presidential primary in Alabama, though remains undecided on whether he will ultimately run, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: The billionaire and well-connected moderate could pose a "grave and instantaneous threat" to Joe Biden, who is struggling to fundraise and has faced questions about his sharpness, per the Times.
2020 Democratic candidate and billionaire Tom Steyer challenged incoming contender Michael Bloomberg on Friday to support a wealth tax or leave the 2020 race.
Republicans formally made Rep. Jim Jordan a member of the House Intelligence Committee on Friday, a move that will allow him lead the party's defense of President Trump during public impeachment hearings next week.
Why it matters: Privately, GOP members have said they think Jordan — one of Trump's fiercest allies — is a stronger defender of the party and the president on impeachment than the current ranking member, Rep. Devin Nunes.
Donald Trump Jr. wrote that visiting the Arlington National Cemetery in 2017 made him think of his family's "sacrifices" in his new book, "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us."
What he's saying: The historic cemetery, which memorializes hundreds of thousands of American troops, veterans and their families, reminded Trump Jr. "of all the attacks we’d already suffered as a family, and about all the sacrifices we’d have to make to help my father succeed."
The Ukraine whistleblower's lawyer sent a cease-and-desist letter to White House counsel Pat Cipollone on Thursday, saying President Trump's rhetoric puts his client and the intelligence community in danger.
Why it matters: Trump and his allies have called on the whistleblower to come forward and some, including Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., have publicly stated the whistleblower's alleged identity, which has been promoted among right-wing media.
Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement that he attempt to reclaim his Alabama Senate seat in 2020 is driving a wedge among Republicans.
The big picture: The congressional GOP's unity has been continually tested during the Trump administration, but maintaining a united front has become more important than ever for the party as it angles to flip the House and hang onto the Senate in 2020.
Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney failed to comply Friday with a subpoena ordering his testimony before the House committees investigating President Trump and Ukraine, according to a House official working on the impeachment inquiry.
Where it stands: Mulvaney's outside counsel said that he "had been directed by the White House not to comply with the duly authorized subpoena and asserted 'absolute immunity,'" per the official.
New polling of four battleground states shows the Green New Deal concept is highly popular, while calls to ban hydraulic fracturing could create political headwinds.
The big picture: Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have embraced both ideas, while Joe Biden has not called for a fracking ban.
Why it matters: The statement from the president's daughter and adviser is in stark contrast to both her father, who has called on the whistleblower to come forward, and her brother, Donald Trump Jr., who earlier this week tweeted the alleged name of the whistleblower that has been circulating among right-wing media outlets.
House Democrats head into next week's public stage of the impeachment inquiry armed with closed-door testimony from witnesses who mostly corroborated each other — and the whistleblower.
Why it matters: Democrats said this week they have no intention of pursuing subpoenas for former national security adviser John Bolton or his deputy, signaling they already believe they have enough evidence to proceed without hearing from White House witnesses who have refused to cooperate.
Mike Bloomberg is jumping into the Democratic presidential race because he believes that Joe Biden is fading, opening the moderate lane next to Elizabeth Warren, sources close to the former New York mayor tell Axios.
Why it matters: "Mike will spend whatever it takes to defeat Donald Trump," a Bloomberg source said. "The nation is about to see a very different campaign than we’ve ever seen before."
The book "A Warning" by the anonymous author of an infamous New York Times op-ed outlining White House opposition to President Trump fails to recreate many scenes in "vivid detail," the Washington Post reports ahead of its release.
The big picture: The 259-page book, obtained by the Post, only characterizes the author as "a senior official in the Trump administration." The text describes the Trump as a "danger to the nation," but shies away from providing specific details to protect the author's identity.
Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Thursday that he will challenge Alabama Sen. Doug Jones in 2020 for Sessions' previously held Senate seat.
The big picture: Sessions' launch comes exactly one year to the day after he submitted his resignation at the request of President Trump. Sessions, who held the Senate seat from 1997-2017, is entering a crowded primary, as several Republican candidates vie to turn the Alabama seat red again.
The Ukrainian president's staff planned for him to announce investigations into the Bidens and the origins of the Russia probe in a Sept. 13 interview with CNN host Fareed Zakaria, the New York Times reports.
Driving the news: The Trump administration gave Ukraine military aid it had previously withheld two days before the scheduled interview, per the Times. Two U.S. senators reportedly told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in September that only President Trump "could unlock" the $400 million in military aid and "time was running out."
