President Trump addressed the sexual assault allegations against his likely 2020 opponent Joe Biden at a press conference Thursday, telling reporters: "I think that he should respond. It could be false accusations. I know all about false accusations."
Why it matters: Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women, did not directly attack Biden as many of his campaign surrogates and Republican allies have. Biden, whose campaign has denied Tara Reade's allegations, reportedly plans to directly address the allegations by former Senate staffer Tara Reade on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Friday.
Vice President Mike Pence told reporters Thursday that following the release of new FBI documents, he is "more inclined to believe" that former national security adviser Michael Flynn unintentionally lied to him in 2017 about the nature of his conversation with former Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.
Why it matters: Flynn was forced to resign for misleading Pence and later pleaded guilty in the Mueller investigation to lying to FBI agents about speaking to Kislyak about Russian sanctions, which the Obama administration had imposed for election interference.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Fox News Thursday Joe Biden will likely have to release Senate records that could shed light on a sexual assault allegation made against him by Tara Reade, a former Senate staffer,
Driving the news: On Friday, Biden plans to respond to Reade's allegation that he sexually assaulted her in 1993 through an appearance on Morning Joe, an MSNBC booking producer tweeted on Thursday.
Hundreds of Michigan residents demonstrated outside the state Capitol Thursday with signs, flags and guns protesting against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's coronavirus restrictions. Some were successful in pushing inside the building.
Why it matters: State lawmakers are expected to vote Thursday on whether to extend the state of emergency for another 28 days before it expires at midnight. Protesters in Michigan and throughout the country are calling on states to reopen businesses and resume work, though the majority of Americans support lockdown measures.
Why it matters: Hogan said the state wanted to guard the tests "from whoever might interfere with it," referencing reports from Massachusetts and other states that the federal government had effectively confiscated shipments of personal protective equipment.
Vice President Mike Pence wore a face mask while touring a General Motors plant in Kokomo, Indiana, on Thursday, after coming under fire for flouting the Mayo Clinic's mandatory face mask policy during a visit on Tuesday.
Why it matters: This is the first time that Pence, who has traveled all over the country as head of the White House's coronavirus task force, has publicly worn a face mask. The CDC issued guidance this month recommending that Americans wear face coverings to help stop the asymptomatic spread of the coronavirus.
The Senate Intelligence Committee has noticed a May 5 confirmation hearing for President Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas).
The big picture: Trump had previously sought to nominate Ratcliffe in July 2019, but the Texas congressman withdrew his name in August as questions arose about his qualifications.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defended Joe Biden on Thursday against allegations of sexual assault by former Senate staffer Tara Reade, saying she's "satisfied" with how he has responded to the controversy and that she believes his denial.
Why it matters: While Biden's campaign has issued a statement saying that the alleged assault "absolutely did not happen," Biden has not personally addressed the allegations. Pelosi, along with a number of prominent Democrats who have endorsed Biden, has not directly addressed an on-the-record account from a former neighbor of Reade who says she told her about the alleged assault in 1995 or 1996.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) announced in a statement Thursday that it is investigating whether the coronavirus pandemic began through human contact with wild animals in China or if it was the result of a laboratory accident in Wuhan.
Why it matters: The ODNI said it concurs with the scientific consensus that the virus was "not manmade or genetically modified." The statement comes after some U.S. officials have promoted an unsubstantiated theory linking the virus to an infectious-disease lab in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.
Joe Biden's campaign released a memo on Thursday announcing that it has come to an agreement with Bernie Sanders' former team to allocate enough statewide delegates at the Democratic National Convention to ensure "fair representation" for the progressive wing of the party.
Why it matters: Now that Sanders won't be the nominee, this is one way for his team to sustain the movement he's built and been a part of for decades — and to give his supporters a sense of representation and power over the Democratic platform.
Former Trump associate Roger Stone filed Thursday a notice of appeal for his conviction on charges of obstruction of justice, lying to Congress and witness tampering as well as the denial of his motion for a new trial.
Why it matters: Stone was the seventh person to be convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of the 2016 election, and his case has been closely watched by President Trump, who tweeted earlier Thursday that Stone faced "hatred & bias."
Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said in a Tuesday conference call that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is considering loans and emergency lending through the Federal Reserve for small- and medium-sized oil producers, Bloomberg reports.
Why it matters: The collapse in oil prices as the coronavirus pandemic crushes demand is creating financial jeopardy for many independent companies and industry layoffs are mounting.
Amazon blasted an unusual accusation in an annual report by saying President Trump's trade office as a "purely political act" that's part of a "personal vendetta."
What happened: U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer's office put five of Amazon’s overseas domains (Canada, France, Germany, India and the U.K.) on a list of "notorious markets” where pirated goods are sold, AP reports.
President Trump's handling of the coronavirus crisis has produced a political emergency for the White House, with a raft of signs suddenly pointing to possible big trouble when he faces re-election six months from now.
The state of play: His favorability rating, mostly stable throughout his presidency, has ticked down in Gallup to 43%, from 49% on March 22 — and a furious Trump blew up at his campaign team last week, snapping at campaign manager Brad Parscale: "I am not f---ing losing to Joe Biden," AP reported.
Joe Biden is one step closer to naming a running mate, announcing four co-chairs and a committee to vet candidates for a job he has committed to filling with a woman.
Driving the news: The vice presidential selection committee will be headed by Biden's longtime friend former Sen. Chris Dodd; Cynthia Hogan, a longtime aide and adviser who served as Biden's vice presidential counsel in the Obama White House; and two national campaign co-chairs, Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Several large employer groups this week refused to sign on to funding requests they consider a "handout" for hospitals and insurers, according to three people close to the process.
The big picture: Coronavirus spending bills are sharpening tensions between the employers that fund a significant portion of the country's health care system and the hospitals, doctors and insurers that operate it.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom will order all beaches and state parks to close Friday to avoid a repeat of last weekend's "violation" of lockdown measures when the coast became "overcrowded," a police memo leaked to a local Fox station said Wednesday.
The big picture: California Police Chiefs Association president Eric Nuñez told AP the memo was sent for planning purposes ahead of Newsom's announcement Thursday. Newsom said earlier Wednesday he was working with local authorities to take further action after Newport Beach City Council voted to keep its beaches open, per the Los Angeles Times. The novel coronavirus has killed 1,887 people in California and infected 46,500 others, per the latest state health figures.
President Trump erupted on a phone call last week with campaign manager Brad Parscale after being presented with polls that showed former Vice President Joe Biden beating him in several key states, CNN first reported and Axios has confirmed.
Driving the news: Swing-state polls from this week show Biden pulling ahead in Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, indicating that the presumptive Democratic nominee has benefited from remaining out of the public eye.
FBI documents provided to lawyers for former national security adviser Michael Flynn and released by a federal judge Wednesday evening show bureau officials asked whether their "goal" was "to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired."
Why it matters: Flynn was the first Trump associate to be convicted or plead guilty in the Mueller investigation, but he's seeking to withdraw his plea related to allegedly lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. The unsealed documents could help him build his case.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie said in a letter on Wednesday that veterans are being treated for the novel coronavirus with hydroxychloroquine only when patients and their doctors find it medically necessary.
Why it matters: The Food and Drug Administration warned doctors last week about prescribing the antimalarial drug to COVID-19 patients as it appears to be causing some serious and potentially life-threatening side effects.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Wednesday calling on him to not recall sessions in the chamber amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Why it matters: McConnell said Monday that the Senate will reconvene on May 4 as it begins to consider the next coronavirus stimulus package. Feinstein at 86 is the oldest member of the Senate. She asked him to allow the chamber to continue working remotely "in the interest of public health and sending the right message to the nation."
