The ex-presidents' next big project

Bill Clinton teams up with James Patterson to pen White House thriller, per N.Y. Times' Alexandra Alter: "In June 2018, Alfred A. Knopf and Little, Brown and Company will jointly publish 'The President Is Missing' ... a 'unique amalgam of intrigue, suspense and behind-the-scenes global drama' that will be 'informed by insider details that only a president can know.'"

How it happened: "The project came about late last year when Robert B. Barnett, ... who represents both Mr. Clinton and Mr. Patterson, had the idea of pairing them up on a novel."

"Obama starts defining his new role in the age of Trump," by AP's Julie Pace: "After dropping out of sight for a pair of glamorous island getaways, Obama is emerging for a series of paid and unpaid speeches, drawing sharp contrasts with Trump even as he avoids saying the new president's name."

• "[T]he attention surrounding Obama has ... magnified the vacuum for new Democratic leadership, a reality that aides say is not lost on the former president."
• "In an unusual move for a former president ... Obama taped a video endorsing Emmanuel Macron, the eventual winner of the French presidential election. He backed Macron after Trump appeared to side with nationalist candidate Marine Le Pen."
• "Obama advisers say ... he is willing to consider requests for support from overseas candidates. Later this month, he'll appear alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who faces elections later this year, for a panel on democracy.
• "Obama's stop in Germany will coincide with Trump's first visit to Europe as president, ... setting up a stark contrast between the 44th and 45th presidents on the world stage."