Mar 23, 2017

The takeaways from Spicer's Thursday briefing

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

It's voting day for the GOP's Obamacare repeal and replace plan, and the Republicans don't currently have the votes, but Spicer insists that the AHCA bill "will pass." He also reiterated yesterday's claims that Trump is a "closer" and that there is no plan B on the healthcare bill — only plan A.

  • Will Trump take responsibility if the plan fails? "At the end of the day we can't force somebody to vote."
  • Can the White House guarantee no Trump associates colluded with Russia? "No I cannot unequivocally say that," he said, while slamming CNN's reporting on the topic: "You don't have anything concrete."
  • Nunes briefing Trump: "I believe that the information he brought to the president was new," said Spicer, later adding that "the substance should be troubling to everybody."

Go deeper

Axios
Updated 35 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 7 p.m. ET: 32,949,407 — Total deaths: 995,658 — Total recoveries: 22,787,799 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 7 p.m. ET: 7,107,673 — Total deaths: 204,738 — Total recoveries: 2,750,459 — Total tests: 101,298,794 — Map.
  3. States: 3 states set single-day coronavirus case records last week — New York daily cases top 1,000 for first time since June.
  4. Health: The long-term pain of the mental health pandemic — Fewer than 10% of Americans have coronavirus antibodies.
  5. Business: Millions start new businesses in time of coronavirus.
  6. Education: Summer college enrollment offers a glimpse of COVID-19's effect.
Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

NYT: Trump paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The New York Times has obtained more than two decades' worth of tax-return data from Trump and the companies that make up his business, writing in an explosive report that the documents "tell a story fundamentally different from the one [the president] has sold to the American public."

Why it matters: The Times' bombshell report, published less than seven weeks before the presidential election, lays bare much of the financial information Trump has long sought to keep secret — including allegations that he paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, and has over $300 million in personal debt obligations coming due in the next four years.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Alayna Treene, Hans Nichols
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

How Trump, Biden plan to score at Tuesday's debate

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

President Trump has been practicing with flashcards and prepping with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie before Tuesday's presidential debate.

Behind the scenes: Top aides tell Axios he's been testing his attacks on the campaign trail for weeks, seeing what ignites his crowds or falls flat. One of the biggest themes Trump plans to drive home is his "tough guy" persona, which advisers see as an advantage with voters in key states.

Go deeper (3 min. read)Arrow