Nov 29, 2018 - World

Trump acknowledged Trump Tower Moscow plans in responses to Mueller

Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

In his written responses to special counsel Robert Mueller, President Trump acknowledged that he discussed plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow with his former personal attorney Michael Cohen before the deal fell through, his lawyer Rudy Giuliani told the New York Times.

Why it matters: Cohen pleaded guilty Thursday to lying to congressional investigators about the length and scope of his work on plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. According to Giuliani, Trump's written answers align with Cohen's account about the president's involvement in negotiations. Giuliani said there was a "nonbinding letter of intent," but that the deal "didn't go beyond that."

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Dave Lawler, author of World
3 mins ago - World

Special report: Trump's hopes of nuclear deal with Putin come down to the wire

Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios

A surprise offer from Vladimir Putin has the U.S. and Russia once again circling a potential pre-election nuclear deal.

The big picture: The last treaty constraining the U.S. and Russia, New START, is due to expire on Feb. 5, 2021, two weeks after the next U.S. presidential inauguration. For the first time since the height of the Cold War, the nuclear guardrails could come off.

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Margaret Talev, Alexi McCammond
32 mins ago - Politics & Policy

The cliffhanger could be ... Georgia

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

It hasn't backed a Democrat for president since 1992, but Georgia's changing demographics may prove pivotal this year — not only to Trump v. Biden, but also to whether Democrats take control of the Senate.

Why it matters: If the fate of the Senate did hinge on Georgia, it might be January before we know the outcome. Meanwhile, voters' understanding of this power in the final days of the election could juice turnout enough to impact presidential results.

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Amy Harder, author of Generate
6 hours ago - Energy & Environment

Climate change goes mainstream in presidential debate

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty

The most notable part of Thursday’s presidential debate on climate change was the fact it was included as a topic and assumed as a fact.

The big picture: This is the first time in U.S. presidential history that climate change was a featured issue at a debate. It signals how the problem has become part of the fabric of our society. More extreme weather, like the wildfires ravaging Colorado, is pushing the topic to the front-burner.

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