Mar 8, 2019

Trump announces plan to elevate David Bernhardt to Sec. of Interior

Photo: MANDEL NGAN/Getty Images.

President Trump announced his plan to formally nominate David Bernhardt for the Secretary of the Interior post on Friday, a promotion from his role as acting secretary and deputy secretary of the interior following Ryan Zinke's departure in late 2018.

Details: Bernhardt's elevation from the No. 2 position was anticipated, after serving in the department for nearly a decade. Bernhardt also worked as U.S. Commissioner for the International Boundary Commission between the United States and Canada.

Reality check: According to the Washington Post, during his tenure in with the Interior Department Bernhardt "helped federal authorities approve drilling projects on land and offshore ... proposed narrowing habitat protections for endangered species, and is pushing California to divert more of its water from conservation to agricultural interests," all followed by years working as a lobbyist.

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Axios

Updated 24 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 9 a.m. ET: 19,128,901 — Total deaths: 715,555— Total recoveries — 11,591,028 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 9 a.m. ET: 4,884,406 — Total deaths: 160,111 — Total recoveries: 1,598,624 — Total tests: 59,652,675 — Map.
Politics: Trump floats executive action even if stimulus deal is reached.
Business: U.S. economy adds 1.8 million jobs in July — Household debt and credit delinquencies dropped in Q2.
Sports: The pandemic's impact on how sports are played.
1 🎮 thing: Video gaming growth soars.

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Alayna Treene

41 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Trump floats executive action even if stimulus deal is reached

Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

The White House is finalizing a series of executive orders addressing key coronavirus stimulus priorities if negotiations with Congress fall apart, and it's leaving the door open for President Trump to use them even if a deal is reached that doesn't encompass all of his priorities, two administration officials tell Axios.

What we’re hearing: “I wouldn't be surprised that, if something gets left off the table, we’d be like ‘we can take this executive action too and be able to win on it anyway,’” one official said.

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Axios

46 mins ago - Technology

TikTok responds to Trump executive order: "We are shocked"

Photo: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

TikTok said Friday that it was "shocked" by President Trump's executive order that will ban Americans from dealing with ByteDance, its China-based owner, in 45 days.

Why it matters: TikTok argued that Trump's move "risks undermining global businesses' trust in the United States' commitment to the rule of law, which has served as a magnet for investment and spurred decades of American economic growth."