Sep 19, 2017 - World

Trump reportedly using campaign, RNC funds for Russia legal fees

Trump at the White House in August. Photo: Alex Brandon / AP

President Trump is using money from both his reelection campaign and the RNC for legal fees incurred as a result of the Russia investigation, according to a new Reuters report. Past presidents have used these funds for routine legal expenses related to their campaigns, but Trump would be the first modern president to use them for a criminal matter. Asked how Trump's bills were being paid John Dowd, his chief lawyer, told Reuters, "that's none of your business."

How it's legal: Trump, using a precedent set by Barack Obama in 2008, turned down public funding for his campaign, allowing him to utilize privately donated cash with fewer restrictions. The exact amounts may become clearer when the RNC files a financial disclosure statement later this week, with a similar disclosure for Trump's reelection campaign due next month.

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Rebecca Falconer

Updated 38 mins ago - World

China says U.S. is "endangering peace" with high-level visit to Taiwan

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar during a June briefing in Washington, DC. Photo: Joshua Roberts/Getty Images

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced Tuesday night he will lead a delegation to Taiwan "in the coming days."

Why it matters: It's the highest-level visit by a U.S. cabinet official to Taiwan since 1979. Azar is also the first U.S. Cabinet member to visit the island state in six years. The visit has angered China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory. Chinese officials accused the U.S. Wednesday of "endangering peace" with the visit, AFP reports.

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Axios

Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 a.m. ET: 18,543,662 — Total deaths: 700,714 — Total recoveries — 11,143,031— Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 a.m. ET: 4,771,236 — Total deaths: 156,807 — Total recoveries: 1,528,979 — Total tests: 57,543,852 — Map.
States: New York City health commissioner resigns in protest of De Blasio's coronavirus response — Local governments go to war over schools.
Public health: 59% of Americans support nationwide 2-week stay-at-home order in NPR poll.
Politics: Trump's national security adviser returns to work after coronavirus recovery — Republicans push to expand small business loan program.
Sports: Indy 500 to be held without fans — Rafael Nadal opts out of U.S. Open.

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Dave Lawler

Updated 3 hours ago - World

At least 100 killed, 4,000 injured after massive explosion rocks Beirut

Photo: Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images

A major explosion has slammed central Beirut, Lebanon, damaging buildings as far as several miles away and injuring scores of people.

Driving the news: At least 100 people have been killed and over 4,000 injured in the blast — and the death toll is likely to rise, the Lebanese Red Cross said, per AP. Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the explosions occurred at a warehouse that had been storing 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate for the past six years.