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Office of Vice President Biden Intelligence Briefing] *To: Vice President Joe Biden* *Wednesday, June 13, 2018 8:00 AM EDT* Today's Table of Contents *Biden in the News <#SECTION_1>* =E2=80=A2 Biden Rips Trump=E2=80=99s Agreement With Kim. <#S1> =E2=80=A2 Biden Says Democrats =E2=80=9CBetter Run Scared=E2=80=9D In Midte= rms. <#S2> =E2=80=A2 Beau Biden Recognized For His Work On Protecting Children From Ch= ild Abuse. <#S3> =E2=80=A2 Local TV Stations Highlight Biden=E2=80=99s Slated Stop In Charlo= tte Today. <#S4> *Leading the News <#SECTION_2>* =E2=80=A2 Trump Touts =E2=80=9CGreat Progress=E2=80=9D On North Korea To Me= dia Skepticism, Democratic Criticism. <#S5> *Foreign Policy <#SECTION_3>* =E2=80=A2 Trump: Trudeau=E2=80=99s Criticism Of US Tariffs Will =E2=80=9CCo= st Him A Lot Of Money.=E2=80=9D <#S6> =E2=80=A2 Rouhani Asks Macron For Action To Save Nuclear Deal. <#S7> =E2=80=A2 Israeli Minister: Social Media Monitoring Has Thwarted Hundreds O= f Attacks. <#S8> =E2=80=A2 Bolton Got $115,000 To Speak At Ukrainian Steel Magnate=E2=80=99s= Foundation=E2=80=99s Events. <#S9> =E2=80=A2 Norway To Invite More US Marines Amid Russia Tensions. <#S10> =E2=80=A2 May Wins Parliament Vote Over Brexit Plans. <#S11> =E2=80=A2 US Unveils =E2=80=9CUnofficial Embassy=E2=80=9D In Taiwan. <#S12> *Domestic Policy <#SECTION_4>* =E2=80=A2 Media Analyses: Court Decision On AT&T-Time Merger A Loss For Tru= mp, DOJ. <#S13> =E2=80=A2 Rosenstein Threatened To Subpoena House Intelligence Committee. <= #S14> =E2=80=A2 South Carolina Rep. Sanford=E2=80=99s Loss Among Host Of Primary = Results Yesterday. <#S15> =E2=80=A2 Sessions Defends Decision On Restricting Asylum. <#S16> =E2=80=A2 Azar Says He Wants To Preserve Protections For Preexisting Condit= ions. <#S17> =E2=80=A2 Trump Reportedly To Nominate CFPB Head Next Week. <#S18> =E2=80=A2 Kwame Kilpatrick Asks Trump For Sentence Commutation. <#S19> *Cancer Research <#SECTION_5>* =E2=80=A2 Study: AI May Be Better At Identifying Skin Cancer Than Dermatolo= gists. <#S20> =E2=80=A2 Texas HPV Coalition Launching Education Campaign To Boost Vaccina= tion Rates. <#S21> *Editorials/Op-Eds <#SECTION_6>* =E2=80=A2 New York Times. <#S22> =E2=80=A2 Washington Post. <#S23> Biden in the News Biden Rips Trump=E2=80=99s Agreement With Kim. The Washington Times (6/12, Boyer) reports that former Vice President Joe Biden blasted President Trump=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cdeal with North Korea on denuclearizatio= n Tuesday, saying Mr. Trump got taken to the cleaners by Kim Jong-un. =E2=80=98Talking= to dictators is one thing; embracing them is another,=E2=80=99 Mr. Biden said= =E2=80=9D in a statement. He added, =E2=80=9CSo far, this is not a deal that advantages th= e United States or makes us safer.=E2=80=9D Biden, =E2=80=9Cwho hasn=E2=80=99t ruled= out a bid for the presidency in 2020, said Mr. Trump=E2=80=99s deal has =E2=80=98reduced our = leverage and signaled a weakening of our alliance in return for vague promises to begin nuclear negotiations =E2=80=93 the same kind of promises that the North Kor= ean regime has made to American presidents of both parties in the past =E2=80= =93 and broken repeatedly.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D The Los Angeles Times (6/12, Cloud) also reports Biden=E2=80=99s reaction =E2=80=93 in a story he= adlined =E2=80=9CTrump=E2=80=99s Decision To Halt Military Exercises With South Korea Leaves Pentagon And Allies Nervous=E2=80=9D =E2=80=93 and The Hill (6/12, Anapol) reported that Biden said Trump =E2=80=9Cgave Kim =E2=80=98ma= ny sought-after wins up front without getting anything in return.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D Biden = =E2=80=9Calso argued that the deal between Trump and Kim shows an inappropriate embracing of a dictator, and that it does not make the US safer. =E2=80=98While we should = never refuse to speak with our adversaries, neither can we ignore the horrendous human rights abuses North Korea=E2=80=99s leaders perpetrate against their = own people,=E2=80=99 Biden said.=E2=80=9D Mediaite (6/12, Feldman) reported that Biden =E2=80=9Cis also troubled by the lack o= f prep Trump said he took in advance of the meeting: =E2=80=98By his own admission= , the President did not prepare for the Singapore meeting =E2=80=93 an inexcusabl= e and irresponsible approach to a high-stakes negotiation. Going forward, I hope that the President and his team will focus on what=E2=80=99s necessary for = our safety and security=E2=80=93 =E2=80=93 the complete, verifiable, and irreve= rsible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. That is a goal we all share.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D On CNN=E2=80=99s Newsroom[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12), host Brooke Baldwin read Biden=E2=80=99s statement. Biden Says Democrats =E2=80=9CBetter Run Scared=E2=80=9D In Midterms. The Washington Examiner (6/12, Bedard) reported that former Vice President Joe Biden =E2=80=9Cis pu= tting Democrats on notice that they better =E2=80=98run scared=E2=80=99 to keep t= heir jobs in the 2018 elections. =E2=80=98Pretend it=E2=80=99s Wednesday, November 7, 2018: = the day after this year=E2=80=99s midterm elections. Now, pretend the headlines all say t= he Republicans held the House and the Senate,=E2=80=99 he said in an email to supporters.=E2=80=9D Biden went on to write, =E2=80=9CNow, I=E2=80=99m not = saying we=E2=80=99re going to lose. But I learned a long time ago that you better run scared if you want to win.=E2=80=9D Biden added =E2=80=9Cthat he is confident in his party in = the fall elections, but not overly. =E2=80=98We have to stay motivated; we better ru= n scared. We won=E2=80=99t win if we don=E2=80=99t,=E2=80=99 he emailed to su= pporters of his group, American Possibilities.=E2=80=9D National Review (6/12, McArdle) similarly reported on Biden=E2=80=99s email. Beau Biden Recognized For His Work On Protecting Children From Child Abuse. KYW-TV[image: Image removed by sender. Video] Philadelphia (6/12) reported that the National Children=E2=80=99s Alliance = on Tuesday =E2=80=9Crecognized the late Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden f= or his commitment to protecting victims of child abuse. Former Vice President Joe Biden accepted the award in Washington on behalf of his son.=E2=80=9D KYW-T= V broadcast Biden saying, =E2=80=9CIt all came down to his passion to protect children. It=E2=80=99s the one thing that drove his public service. And it= =E2=80=99s why this matters so much to our family that you recognized it.=E2=80=9D WFOR-TV= [image: Image removed by sender. Video] Miami (6/12) broadcast Biden making the same remark, and added that he =E2=80=9Calso said Americans don=E2=80=99t take enough about preventing sex= ual abuse, especially in the wake of several prominent sex-abuse scandals.=E2=80=9D WS= HM-TV[image: Image removed by sender. Video] Springfield (MA)'s CBS 3 News (6/12) also reported on the award honoring Beau Biden. Local TV Stations Highlight Biden=E2=80=99s Slated Stop In Charlotte Today. This morning, WSOC-TV[image: Image removed by sender. Video] Charlotte, NC (6/13) reports that former Vice President Joe Biden today =E2=80=9Cwill be in Charlotte as part of his =E2=80=98American Promise Tour= .=E2=80=99 He=E2=80=99ll discuss the biggest political moments of his career, the life altering choices he made and what has helped him get through some of the toughest times. Former Charlotte Mayor and Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx will join Biden. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Belk Theatre.=E2=80=9D WCNC= -TV[image: Image removed by sender. Video] Charlotte, NC (6/13) and WXII-TV[image: Image removed by sender. Video] Winston-Salem, NC (6/13) this morning similarly report on Biden=E2=80=99s s= cheduled stop in Charlotte. Leading the News Trump Touts =E2=80=9CGreat Progress=E2=80=9D On North Korea To Media Skepti= cism, Democratic Criticism. Following his historic Singapore summit, President Trump tweeted yesterday, =E2=80=9CHeading back home from Singapore after a truly amazing = visit. Great progress was made on the denuclearization of North Korea. Hostages are back home, will be getting the remains of our great heroes back to their families, no missiles shot, no research happening, sites closing...= =E2=80=9D He later added , =E2=80=9CGot along great with Kim Jong-un who wants to see wonderful things= for his country. As I said earlier today: Anyone can make war, but only the most courageous can make peace!=E2=80=9D Further, Trump tweeted this morning, =E2=80=9CJust landed =E2=80=93 a long trip, but everybody can= now feel much safer than the day I took office. There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea. Meeting with Kim Jong Un was an interesting and very positive experience. North Korea has great potential for the future!=E2=80=9D He add= ed in a second tweet this morning, =E2=80=9CBefore taking office people were assuming that we we= re going to War with North Korea. President Obama said that North Korea was our biggest and most dangerous problem. No longer =E2=80=93 sleep well tonight!= =E2=80=9D In a later tweet this morning, Trump added, =E2=80=9CWe save a fortune by not doing war game= s, as long as we are negotiating in good faith =E2=80=93 which both sides are!=E2= =80=9D The summit, however, sparked widespread skepticism from the media, which criticized the joint statement signed by the leaders as too vague, and generally cast Trump as having accomplished little. In fact, the coverage is so skeptical that Axios (6/12, Shin) ran an analysis pointing out to its readers that =E2=80=9Cdenuclearization could still happen despite Trump=E2=80=99s lack o= f a plan.=E2=80=9D Reuters (6/12, Spetalnick), however, says the summit =E2=80=9Cappears to have faile= d to secure any concrete commitments by Pyongyang for dismantling its nuclear arsenal,=E2=80=9D while to Bloomberg News (6/12, Talev, Olorunnipa) the meeting =E2=80=9Cwas unquestionably a success= =E2=80=93 for Kim.=E2=80=9D Another Bloomberg News (6/12, Wadhams) analysis says that the =E2=80=9Cbiggest winner=E2=80=9D =E2= =80=93 aside from Kim =E2=80=93 was the government of President Xi Jinping. The AP (6/12, Talmadge) reports that =E2=80=9Cprobably even his own surprise,=E2= =80=9D Kim =E2=80=9Cgot=E2=80=9D what he wanted out of Trump =E2=80=9Cand a whole lot more,=E2=80=9D and the= Washington Post (6/12, Hudson) cites =E2=80=9Cexperts=E2=80=9D who state the North Korea de= als brokered by Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were far stronger than the agreement and diplomatic process touted by Trump, and that the Administration handed Kim a big win by agreeing to the summit. Democrats were of the similar mind. As USA Today (6/12, Gaudiano) reports, =E2=80=9CDemocratic congressional leaders blasted...Trump...for granting concessions to...Kim...in exchange for a deal to work toward =E2=80=98complete denuclearization of the Korean Penins= ula=E2=80=99 that offered scant details on how to achieve it.=E2=80=9D Whereas =E2=80=9C= Republican leaders reacted with cautious optimism,=E2=80=9D Senate Minority Leader Sch= umer said yesterday, =E2=80=9CTrump has granted a brutal and repressive dictator= ship the international legitimacy it has long craved.=E2=80=9D House Minority Leader= Pelosi similarly stated, =E2=80=9CIn his haste to reach an agreement...Trump eleva= ted North Korea to the level of the United States while preserving the regime= =E2=80=99s status quo.=E2=80=9D Sen. Robert Menendez, ranking Democrat on the Senate F= oreign Relations Committee, said on CNN=E2=80=99s The Lead[image: Image removed by= sender. Video] (6/12), =E2=80=9CThis is the most anemic communique that has ever come out = of a US-North Korea engagement. Very little substance on anything. ... All we got here was a promise for more promises and we=E2=80=99ve been down that r= oad before.=E2=80=9D Townhall (6/12, Brown) highlights the Democratic leaders=E2=80=99 criticism, while B= reitbart (6/12, Poor) points out that on CNN=E2=80=99s Inside Politics[image: Image = removed by sender. Video] (6/12), Dana Bash =E2=80=9Csuggested there is a double standard to the exte= nt there would be a call for impeachment a Democratic president engaging in the style of diplomacy in which Trump has engaged with...Kim.=E2=80=9D Said Bas= h, =E2=80=9CThere would be a call for impeachment.=E2=80=9D Along similar line= s, media analyses are uniformly critical both of Trump and of the signed agreement. Mark Landler writes in a New York Times (6/12) analysis that the statement =E2=80=9Cwas as skimpy as the summit was extravagant. It called for the =E2=80=98complete denuclearization=E2=80=99 = of the Korean Peninsula but provided neither a timeline nor any details about how the North would go about relinquishing its weapons.=E2=80=9D The Wall Street Jo= urnal (6/12, Bender, Gordon, Cheng) reports that Trump failed to secure specific new commitments from Kim =E2=80=93 even as he launched a new phase of perso= nal diplomacy. NBC Nightly News[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, lead story, 5:15, Holt) said =E2=80=9Cthe accomplishments of their f= irst face-to-face meeting are being held up to the light, especially what wasn= =E2=80=99t in=E2=80=9D the agreement Kim and Trump signed. ABC World News Tonight[imag= e: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, lead story, 4:55, Muir) reported that =E2=80=9CTrump headed home tod= ay, confident the biggest gamble of his presidency had paid off,=E2=80=9D but t= he agreement he and Kim signed is =E2=80=9Cshort on specifics.=E2=80=9D The Wh= ite House =E2=80=9Cacknowledges there=E2=80=99s a lot of details to workout.=E2=80=9D= The CBS Evening News[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, lead story, 4:10, Glor) said a =E2=80=9Cjubilant=E2=80=9D Trump left= Singapore =E2=80=9Cwith what he said was an historic new relationship with North Korea and a commitment from=E2=80=9D Kim =E2=80=9Cto eventually give up nuclear weapons= .=E2=80=9D Margaret Brennan said on the CBS Evening News[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 3, 2:55, Glor) that Trump =E2=80=9Cgave himself a lot of wiggl= e room today=E2=80=9D by saying, =E2=80=9CI may stand up here I six months and say= , =E2=80=98hey, I was wrong.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D But the President =E2=80=9Calso gave the North Kor= eans room to maneuver as well.=E2=80=9D The Washington Post (6/12, Nakamura, Rucker, Fifield, Gearan) says that at =E2=80=9Cjust over a= page long,=E2=80=9D the statement =E2=80=9Cwas perhaps most notable for its lack= of details.=E2=80=9D Kim, it says, =E2=80=9Cmade no specific commitment to relinquish his nuclea= r arms and ballistic missiles and gave no timeline for which he would do so. Rather, he committed solely to abiding by a mostly symbolic agreement he had made during a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April.= =E2=80=9D Asked why his negotiating team had not locked down specific promises from Pyongyang, Trump replied: =E2=80=9CBecause there=E2=80=99s no time. I=E2=80= =99m here one day ... But the process is now going to take place.=E2=80=9D Under the headline =E2=80=9CTrump, Kim Claim Big Summit Success, Bu= t Details Are Scant,=E2=80=9D the AP (6/12, Miller, Lucey, Lederman, Klug) says the statement =E2=80=9Clargely a= mounts to an agreement to continue discussions, echoing previous public statements and commitments.=E2=80=9D Still, the two leaders =E2=80=9Cleft Singapore Tu= esday, praising their face-to-face progress.=E2=80=9D During a press conference after the t= alks, Trump =E2=80=9Cacknowledged that denuclearization won=E2=80=99t happen over= night,=E2=80=9D but contended, =E2=80=9COnce you start the process it means it=E2=80=99s pretty= much over.=E2=80=9D The Los Angeles Times (6/12, Kim) characterizes the framework as =E2=80=9Ca vaguely worded agreem= ent that contained no concrete plan for disarmament.=E2=80=9D While the Times conced= es the agreement =E2=80=9Cis no small achievement considering that the two leaders= were threatening each other with nuclear war last summer...it was far less than the ambitious arms control deal Trump hoped to gain when he agreed to the summit in March.=E2=80=9D CNN (6/11, Liptak) similarly says Tuesday=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cunprecedented=E2= =80=9D talks =E2=80=9Cculminated...with fulsome declarations of a new friendship but jus= t vague pledges of nuclear disarmament.=E2=80=9D USA Today (6/12, Jackson) notes the agreement =E2=80=9Cdid not provide specifics abou= t what Kim means by =E2=80=98denuclearization.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D The Washington Free Beacon (6/12, Gertz), however, says that while the =E2=80=9Chistoric meeting...fai= led to produce a dramatic breakthrough,=E2=80=9D it did =E2=80=9Cset the stage for= future talks on what was billed as a new relationship.=E2=80=9D To the AP (6/12, Lemire, Pennington), moreover, Trump staged =E2=80=9Ca shift from th= e nation=E2=80=99s asserted stance as the globe=E2=80=99s moral leader=E2=80= =9D and =E2=80=9Ca sharp break from the position of presidents from both parties to set America as the exemplar shining city on a hill for other nations to emulate.=E2=80=9D The = AP analysis adds that =E2=80=9Cit has been much the same at home,=E2=80=9D as = when =E2=80=9Che pointedly refused to exclusively blame neo-Nazis and white supremacists for last summer=E2=80=99s deadly clash with anti-racist demonstrators.=E2=80=9D James Hohmann writes in a Washington Post (6/12) analysis that Trump =E2=80=9Cexpressed a bewilderingly high degree o= f confidence=E2=80=9D after Tuesday=E2=80=99s meeting with Kim. Trump told re= porters, =E2=80=9CMy whole life has been deals. I know when somebody wants a deal. =E2=80=A6 I j= ust feel very strongly =E2=80=93 my instinct=E2=80=A6 =E2=80=93 they want to make a = deal.=E2=80=9D Hohmann, however, says the President =E2=80=9Cis giving someone the benefit of the doubt who = has done little or nothing to earn it.=E2=80=9D Ben Tracy reported on the CBS Evening News[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 2, 1:20, Glor) that =E2=80=9Cthe front page of the newspaper i= n North Korea today...is covered with pictures of Kim...with President Trump. And that=E2=80=99s one of the big things that Kim...got out of this. He looks l= ike a confident world leader on the world stage. He doesn=E2=80=99t look like the= leader of an isolated nation.=E2=80=9D A USA Today (6/12, Korte) analysis, meanwhile, says Tuesday=E2=80=99s summit =E2=80=9Ch= earkens back to a bygone era of high-risk summits where the outcome is not preordained,=E2= =80=9D but it =E2=80=9Csuits=E2=80=9D Trump=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cnegotiating style: = Size up your adversary, establish a rapport and make a deal.=E2=80=9D Ted Anthony writes for the AP (6/12) that the summit =E2=80=9Cis being vigorously debated across the plan= et for what it did, what it didn=E2=80=99t do and who emerged on top. ... But what= if that=E2=80=99s not the whole point? What if, on a sunny tropical morning in Singapore, the spectacle itself was the most substantial thing of all?=E2= =80=9D *Kim Accepts Trump=E2=80=99s Invite To Washington. *The New York Po= st (6/12, Hicks) reports that =E2=80=9Cfresh off the Singapore summit,=E2=80= =9D Kim =E2=80=9Chas accepted...Trump=E2=80=99s invitation to visit Washington.=E2=80=9D The Dai= ly Caller (6/12, Pickrell) reports the state-run Korean Central News Agency said Kim invited Trump =E2=80=9Cto visit Pyongyang at a convenient time and Trum= p invited Kim Jong Un to visit the US. ... The two top leaders gladly accepted each other=E2=80=99s invitation.=E2=80=9D *Trump Reiterates Optimism About Denuclearization, US-North Korea Ties. *Trump took to Twitter again later on Tuesday, writing , =E2=80=9CThere is no limit to what NoKo can achieve when it gives up its nu= clear weapons and embraces commerce & engagement w/ the world. Chairman Kim has before him the opportunity to be remembered as the leader who ushered in a glorious new era of security & prosperity for his citizens!=E2=80=9D He lat= er added , =E2=80=9CI want to thank Chairman Kim for taking the first bold step toward= a bright new future for his people. Our unprecedented meeting =E2=80=93 the f= irst between an American President and a leader of North Korea =E2=80=93 proves = that real change is possible! ... The World has taken a big step back from potential Nuclear catastrophe! No more rocket launches, nuclear testing or research! The hostages are back home with their families. Thank you to Chairman Kim, our day together was historic!=E2=80=9D During an interview with George Stephanopoulos for ABC=E2=80=99s Go= od Morning America[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12) after the summit, moreover, Trump said, =E2=80=9CThey are going to g= et rid of their nuclear weapons, and...I think they want to do it relatively quickly. ... I think they will. I really believe that [Kim] will. I=E2=80= =99ve gotten to know him well in a short period of time. ... He=E2=80=99s denukin= g the whole place and he=E2=80=99s going to start very quickly. I think he=E2=80= =99s going to start now.=E2=80=9D In an interview conducted in Singapore after Tuesday=E2= =80=99s summit and aired Tuesday night, Trump said on Fox News=E2=80=99 Hannity[image: Ima= ge removed by sender. Video] (6/12) that without the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, =E2=80=9C= we could not have had a deal. We want to de-nuke the entire peninsula. We want to de-nuke that whole situation =E2=80=93 that is hotbed and you know what has= been happening for years and nobody did anything about it. You have to, we have no choice. We had to. The relationship was really good. ... I talked about early on in the relationship and the feeling, well, we had a really good feel right from the beginning and we were able to get something very important done and actually some things happened after that was signed, where we are getting rid of certain missile research areas and certain missile testing sites, we are getting rid of a lot.=E2=80=9D The Washington Times (6/12, Boyer) reports that Trump also told Sean Hannity that =E2=80=9Che=E2= =80=99s certain that his warlike rhetoric last year against...Kim...convinced Mr. Kim to negotiate over giving up his nuclear weapons.=E2=80=9D Trump told Fox News= =E2=80=99 Hannity[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12), =E2=80=9CWithout the rhetoric we wouldn=E2=80=99t have been here, I= really believe that. We did sanctions and all the things that you would do but I think without the rhetoric, other administrations, I don=E2=80=99t want to get sp= ecific on that, but they had a policy of silence. If they said something very bad, very threatening and horrible, just don=E2=80=99t answer. That=E2=80=99s no= t the answer. That=E2=80=99s not what you have to do. I think that rhetoric, I hated to d= o it. Sometimes I felt foolish doing it. But we had no choice.=E2=80=9D *Trump Called Into Senate GOP Lunch To Discuss Summit. *The Hill (6/12, Carney) reports Trump =E2=80=9Ccalled into the Senate GOP lunch from= Air Force One on Tuesday to discuss North Korea, according to a senator who attended the gathering.=E2=80=9D Sen. John Barrasso told reporters after th= e caucus lunch, =E2=80=9CWe just got off the phone with the President of the United = States from Air Force One on his plane back from Singapore. He sounded confident and upbeat, as he should.=E2=80=9D *Republicans Offer =E2=80=9CMeasured Praise,=E2=80=9D Rubio Slams M= edia =E2=80=9CHypocrisy=E2=80=9D Over Summit Coverage. *Meanwhile, says the Washington Post (6/12, Wagner, Debonis), =E2=80=9Cleading Republicans in Congress offered m= easured praise...of...Trump=E2=80=99s high-profile summit=E2=80=9D even as =E2=80= =9Cthey emphasized the difficult road=E2=80=9D ahead. Along those lines, the AP (6/12, Kellman) notes that Senate Majority Leader McConnell, meanwhile, hailed the meeting as a =E2=80=9Cmajor first step.=E2=80=9D Dana Milbank wr= ites in the Washington Post (6/12) that =E2=80=9CRepublican lawmakers filled Twitter with applause emoj= is for Trump after he did the very thing they denounced Obama for even suggesting.=E2=80=9D Democrats, =E2=80=9Cwere they inclined to be demagogic= , could have attacked Trump for sitting down with a murderous dictator. Most didn=E2=80= =99t.=E2=80=9D There is an =E2=80=9Casymmetrical partisanship in our current politics: Rep= ublicans are blithely hypocritical in praising Trump for doing the same thing they blasted Obama for suggesting, but at least some Democrats retain enough integrity not to dismiss diplomacy just because it is being attempted by their opponent.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12, Fandos) reports, however, that =E2=80=9Clawmakers from both parties...greeted the joint agreement...coolly on Tuesday,=E2=80=9D and =E2= =80=9Ceven some Republicans who have largely declined to challenge the president=E2=80=9D o= n this issue saying =E2=80=9Cit was unclear what, if anything, had been gained by = the United States.=E2=80=9D The Times backs up that assertion by quoting Sens. = Bob Corker and Lindsey Graham, who =E2=80=9Ccalled the talks a good =E2=80=98fi= rst step=E2=80=99 but little more.=E2=80=9D Graham told NBC=E2=80=99s Today[image: Image removed = by sender. Video] (6/12, Guthrie), =E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t think canceling a war game is goi= ng to matter over the arc of time,=E2=80=9D though =E2=80=9Cone thing I would violently = disagree with is removing our troops. I can=E2=80=99t imagine I would vote for any agreement= that requires us to withdraw our forces because that would destabilize Asia.=E2= =80=9D The Washington Times (6/12, Chasmar) reports Sen. Marco Rubio =E2=80=9Con Tuesday slammed Americ= an media for their =E2=80=98hypocrisy=E2=80=99 in covering...Trump=E2=80=99s histori= c meeting with...Kim.=E2=80=9D Taking to Twitter, =E2=80=9CRubio said the media=E2=80=99s coverage of the = meeting again exposed a double standard in how they cover the Republican president compared to his liberal predecessor, Barack Obama.=E2=80=9D Rubio tweeted , =E2=80=9CI too have concerns about how all this with #NorthKorea will turn = out,=E2=80=9D but =E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t recall all the =E2=80=98experts=E2=80=99 criti= cizing Obama when he met with a brutal dictator in #Cuba who also oversaw a police state & also killed & jailed his opponents. #DoubleStandard=E2=80=9D He added, =E2=80=9CPresident= s meeting with #KJU exposed incredible hypocrisy of many in media. ... When Obama did these things, he was described as enlightened. When Trump does it he is reckless & foolish. 1 yr ago they attacked Trump for leading us towards war, now attack for being too quick for peace.=E2=80=9D Author Paul Brandus writes in USA Today (6/12), =E2=80=9CHere=E2=80=99s how hyperpartisan our bizarro world has bec= ome: Many of the same folks who, a few years ago, blasted...Obama for going to Cuba and for working with other global powers to rein in Iran=E2=80=99s nuclear program,= are gushing over the fact that...Trump just flew 10,000 miles to meet with Kim,=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cconversely, if you praised Obama=E2=80=99s actio= ns then, there=E2=80=99s a good chance you=E2=80=99ve been critical of Trump=E2=80=99s now.=E2=80=9D *Sanders, Gabbard Break With Democrats On Summit. *In what Breitbar= t (6/12, Binder) calls =E2=80=9Ca revolt against the Democratic Party establi= shment,=E2=80=9D Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) =E2=80=9Cpraised Trump=E2= =80=99s summit with Kim,=E2=80=9D calling it an =E2=80=9Cimportant first step=E2=80=9D tow= ards peace and a =E2=80=9Cpositive step in de-escalating tensions.=E2=80=9D *Editorial Pages Critical Of Trump. *Criticism of Trump is also the norm in today=E2=80=99s editorial pages. The Washington Post (6/12) editorializes that the summit =E2=80=9Cwas, without question, a triu= mph for Kim,=E2=80=9D who =E2=80=9Cwas able to parade on the global stage as a legi= timate statesman, praised by the president of the United States as =E2=80=98very t= alented=E2=80=99 and worthy of trust.=E2=80=9D Washington Post (6/12) columnist Max Boot writes that Kim =E2=80=9Cwon an invaluable propag= anda windfall=E2=80=9D after being =E2=80=9Crecognized as an equal by the leader= of the world=E2=80=99s sole superpower =E2=80=93 not just an equal, indeed, but a valued friend.= =E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12) editorializes that =E2=80=9CTrump has made major concessions, while = Mr. Kim made fewer commitments than North Korea has made to past administrations and merely reaffirmed a goal of =E2=80=98denuclearization=E2=80=99 that Nor= th Korea first announced in 1992.=E2=80=9D And as Trump =E2=80=9Cgushed about the virtues = of the North Korean dictator, just a day after he savaged some of America=E2=80=99s clos= est democratic allies, he even endorsed the North Korean view of such joint exercises=E2=80=9D with South Korea =E2=80=9Cas =E2=80=98provocative.=E2=80= =99=E2=80=9D To Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times (6/12), meanwhile, =E2=80=9Cit sure looks as if...Trump was hoodwinked in Singapore.=E2=80=9D The Wall Street Journal (6/12) also expresses skepticism in its editorial, indicating that for all of Trump=E2=80=99s faith in North Korean denuclearization, so far there was= been little evidence that Kim is indeed willing to move forward with his commitment. Less critical was an editorial in the Los Angeles Times (6/12), which says Trump has =E2=80=9Cde-escalated the rhetoric dramaticall= y=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cmay have begun a process that will succeed in reining in North Kor= ea=E2=80=99s nuclear ambitions,=E2=80=9D but =E2=80=9Cfor all the spectacle, the meeting= was at best a down payment on that change.=E2=80=9D Along similar lines, USA Today (6/12) editorializes that that =E2=80=9Cthe world has certainly come a long= way since last year,=E2=80=9D that the summit was =E2=80=9Ca welcome relief fro= m all the warmongering,=E2=80=9D and that =E2=80=9Cthe agreement signed by Kim and Tr= ump was historic and potentially groundbreaking.=E2=80=9D However, =E2=80=9Cthe sense of hop= efulness emerging from the summit, however, has to be leavened with a heavy dose of skepticism.=E2=80=9D In a second editorial, the New York Times (6/12) writes that =E2=80=9Cas a model for diplomacy, the Singapore Summit = had its highs and lows. But as a platform for displaying the singular performance art of Donald Trump, it was a solid 10.=E2=80=9D The Times adds that =E2=80= =9Cif Mr. Trump can crack this nut, he=E2=80=99ll surely get the adulation =E2=80=93 not to= mention the Nobel Peace Prize =E2=80=93 that he is so desperate for.=E2=80=9D *Suspension Of =E2=80=9CWar Games=E2=80=9D Sparks More Criticism. *= Reports also cast Trump=E2=80=99s decision to suspend joint US-South Korean =E2=80=9Cwar= games=E2=80=9D as a concession that took Seoul by surprise. The New York Times (6/12, Landler) reports Trump=E2=80=99s decision to suspend the war games, = which it calls =E2=80=9Ca major concession,=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9Cappeared to take South= Korea by surprise.=E2=80=9D Reuters (6/12, Holland) calls it =E2=80=9Can unexpected concession to the North,=E2= =80=9D and the AP (6/12, Klug) says the decision =E2=80=9Crocked the region with the stunning announcement.=E2=80=9D It adds that Trump=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Csurprise, almo= st offhand=E2=80=9D remarks =E2=80=9Ccontradicted countless previous declarations by US political and m= ilitary officials over the years that the drills are routine, defensive and absolutely critical.=E2=80=9D The Los Angeles Times (6/12, Kim) reports Trump told reporters that halting the drills would save =E2=80=9Ca lot of money=E2=80=9D and he called them =E2=80=9Cprovocative,= =E2=80=9D a =E2=80=9Ccomplaint North Korea often made.=E2=80=9D The Washington Times (6/12, Boyer) and Politico (6/12, Cook, Nelson, Toosi), among others, similarly report the move, which Politico says caught =E2=80=9CSouth Korea and US military officials by surp= rise=E2=80=9D and drew =E2=80=9Ccriticism that he was giving away too much for little in = return.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12, Choe) says Trump=E2=80=99s remarks =E2=80=9Capparently blindsided So= uth Korea.=E2=80=9D The office of President Moon Jae-in and the Defense Ministry in Seoul both said they were scrambling to =E2=80=9Cfigure out the exact meaning and intention= s in President Trump=E2=80=99s comments.=E2=80=9D ABC World News Tonight[image: = Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 3, 1:30, Muir) too said the South Korean Defense Ministry was =E2=80=9Ccaught off-guard, saying there was a need to discern the exact mea= ning and intent of President Trump=E2=80=99s comments.=E2=80=9D However, a second AB= C World News Tonight[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 11, 1:40, Muir) segment said =E2=80=9Cthere were cheers in Sou= th Korea=E2=80=9D on Tuesday. NBC Nightly News[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 2, 2:05, Holt) reported that Trump =E2=80=9Cnot only surprised= the South Koreans but US forces in the region, too.=E2=80=9D NBC (Engel) added = that American forces in South Korea =E2=80=9Csaid they... received no updated gu= idance on execution or cessation of training exercises.=E2=80=9D Trump told Fox News=E2=80=99 Hannity[image: Image removed by sender= . Video] (6/12) later on Tuesday, =E2=80=9COne of the things that I=E2=80=99m very h= appy about, we are not going to play the war games anymore. You know how expensive that is? We are flying these massive bombers in for practice from Guam? ... I hate to sound like a pure businessman, but I kept saying, what is this costing? I look at them coming in from the sea and bombs exploding, and I said what does this cost? I don=E2=80=99t even want to tell you, but it=E2= =80=99s a lot. So we are not going to be doing that as long as we are negotiating in good faith, which I think we will be.=E2=80=9D On CNN=E2=80=99s New Day[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12), Jim Sciutto said, =E2=80=9CThere=E2=80=99s a clear imbalance in spe= cifics. The US has made very specific commitments to end the exercises. The President even brought up withdrawing US troops from the peninsula, a security guarantee to...South Korea. That=E2=80=99s very specific.=E2=80=9D Sciutto added that= , on the other hand, North Korea =E2=80=9Cgave no specifics on a timeline for denucleariza= tion, [and] no specifics on how that will be verified over time.=E2=80=9D Likewis= e, on MSNBC=E2=80=99s Morning Joe[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12), Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass said that a =E2=80=9Cconcerning=E2=80=9D aspect of the framework is that North Korea = =E2=80=9Ctalked aspirationally about =E2=80=98denuclearization,=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D while the= US =E2=80=9Coffered up something tangible, which was the suspension of all military exercises.=E2= =80=9D The Washington Post (6/12, Kim), meanwhile, says Trump=E2=80=99s decision to halt the joint mil= itary exercises also =E2=80=9Ctouched off confusion on Capitol Hill as an influen= tial GOP senator asserted the exercises would nonetheless continue. That was apparently the message delivered by Vice President Pence to Senate Republicans during a private lunch earlier Tuesday,=E2=80=9D according to S= en. Cory Gardner,=E2=80=9D although that was immediately disputed by Pence=E2=80=99s= office.=E2=80=9D Gardner told reporters, =E2=80=9CI think what the vice president said today= =E2=80=93 and we=E2=80=99ll continue to clarify what the President had talked about =E2= =80=93 exercises will continue with South Korea.=E2=80=9D Gloria Borger said on CNN=E2=80=99s Situation Room[image: Image rem= oved by sender. Video] (6/12), =E2=80=9CYou had confusion on Capitol Hill about what this really m= eant. You had confusion about whether we were, in fact, going to stop exercises or so-called war games. You saw the Vice President trying to talk to Senate Republicans and the Republicans leaving confused about what would actually occur.=E2=80=9D *WPost: Japanese Officials =E2=80=9CAppeared Satisfied.=E2=80=9D *T= he Washington Post (6/12, Murphy, Oda) reports Japan =E2=80=9Cwas left Tuesday without what it= wanted most from the Singapore summit: a clear declaration that North Korea would reopen talks over the abductions of Japanese citizens decades ago.=E2=80=9D Nevertheless, Japanese officials =E2=80=9Cappeared satisfied with what they= got: President Trump=E2=80=99s public promise that he raised the issue with...Ki= m...and that the North was =E2=80=98working on that.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D *China, Russia Looking To Loosen Sanctions Against North Korea. *Th= e CBS Evening News[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 2, 1:20, Glor) that China =E2=80=93 which is =E2=80=9Cquite ha= ppy=E2=80=9D about the =E2=80=9Ccessation of those military exercises=E2=80=9D since it=E2=80=99s = something Beijing has =E2=80=9Casked for for a long time=E2=80=9D =E2=80=93 is also =E2=80=9Cfloa= ting the idea of easing sanctions on North Korea before there really is big progress.=E2=80=9D Nati= onal security analyst Samantha Vinograd said on CNN=E2=80=99s Situation Room[ima= ge: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12), =E2=80=9CI think it is unknowable right now what the United States = will gain, but what we do know is that there were clear winners here. Russia and China won out after the summit because the United States announced we that would be rolling back our military operations in the region, that has been a goal of Russia and China, and that we would engage in the diplomatic process further.=E2=80=9D *Trump Showed Kim Video Of Possible Future For North Korea. *The Ne= w York Times (6/12, Rich) reports Trump used an iPad to show Kim =E2=80=9Ca slick, bomba= stic video =E2=80=93 essentially a Hollywood-style trailer presenting the North=E2=80= =99s possible future, featuring fighter jets and missile launches cut together with images of dancing children, artisanal pizza and time-lapse sunrises over skyscrapers.=E2=80=9D The video =E2=80=93 =E2=80=9Cwhich the White House al= so showed to the traveling press corps before Mr. Trump answered questions at a rambling news conference =E2=80=93 showcased the president=E2=80=99s reality televis= ion sensibility.=E2=80=9D According to the Washington Times (6/12, Boyer), the video depicted Kim and Trump =E2=80=9Cas two men who cou= ld change the course of history.=E2=80=9D The AP (6/12, Thomas, Miller) reports the video was =E2=80=9Creminiscent of a movi= e trailer=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cshows images of warplanes and artillery while= a narrator suggests in English and Korean that =E2=80=98a new world can begin today, o= ne of friendship, respect and goodwill.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D Trump said, =E2=80=9CWe= had it made up. I showed it to him today, actually during the meeting, toward the end of the meeting and I think he loved it.=E2=80=9D Trump said the video =E2=80=9Cwas= played for about eight members of the North Korean delegation, =E2=80=98and I thought = they were fascinated by it.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D According to the Washington Post (6/12, Selk), reporters who viewed the video initially assumed it was North Korean propaganda. *Trump Instructed US Diplomats To Seek POW Deal. *The Washington Post (6/12, Rein, Hudson) reports that =E2=80=9Cnestled=E2=80=9D in Tuesday=E2= =80=99s joint statement =E2=80=9Cwas a short bullet point that addresses a long-running concern of = US veterans groups: the recovery of the remains of thousands of American troops who were killed or captured in North Korea during the Korean War.=E2= =80=9D The Post says the statement =E2=80=9Crepresents a significant victory for v= eterans groups that lobbied forcefully behind the scenes for a renewed effort to recover remains.=E2=80=9D Ahead of the summit, Secretary of State Pompeo to= ld his negotiating team, led by US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, that the POW issue is important to Trump, and he =E2=80=9Cinstructed Kim to nego= tiate for it,=E2=80=9D State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. Trump told Fox News=E2=80=99 Hannity[image: Image removed by sender= . Video] (6/12), =E2=80=9COne of the things I will to you that I=E2=80=99m most happ= y about, and as you know is a big sticking point, is bringing back the remains of thousands of soldiers that were killed. ... I said, would it be possible because I get letters all the time from families who lost a son, lost a brother, lots of father in Korea. That was a rough fight. ... I get so many letters from people who lost a loved one in North Korea essentially...and I would say, I am going to try.=E2=80=99 And I brought it up and I tell you what, it was a= lmost immediate. Now in the past, you couldn=E2=80=99t even talk about it. But it= was really a nice response.=E2=80=9D *Media Analyses: Trump Mostly Mum On Human Rights. *NBC Nightly News[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 3, 2:25, Holt) reported, =E2=80=9COne issue that did not recei= ve much discussion during this summit was the brutal reality of life in North Korea.=E2=80=9D The Washington Post (6/12, Nakamura) reports that while =E2=80=9Cgalvanizing international cond= emnation of North Korea last year,=E2=80=9D Trump =E2=80=9Coften invoked the authori= tarian nation=E2=80=99s brutal mistreatment of foreign prisoners and its own people.=E2=80=9D But o= n Tuesday, Trump =E2=80=9Cdidn=E2=80=99t mention human rights in his opening = remarks=E2=80=9D at his press conference, and the issue =E2=80=9Cwasn=E2=80=99t included in a joint= statement signed by the two leaders.=E2=80=9D Major Garrett similarly said on the CBS= Evening News[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, lead story, 4:10, Glor), =E2=80=9CLast year, the President called No= rth Korea with its abysmal human rights record =E2=80=98wicked and depraved.=E2= =80=99 Today, he said he trusts the dynastic young dictator after just one face-to-face meeting.=E2=80=9D Trump: =E2=80=9CHe=E2=80=99s smart. He loves his people. = He loves his country. He wants a lot of good things, and that=E2=80=99s why he=E2=80=99s doing this.= =E2=80=9D ABC World News Tonight[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 2, 3:35, Muir) reported on Trump=E2=80=99s interview with Geor= ge Stephanopoulos, who asked how he can trust a =E2=80=9Cbrutal dictator=E2=80= =9D like Kim. Trump replied in part: =E2=80=9CI can only tell you from my experience, and= ...I=E2=80=99ve spoken with him, and I=E2=80=99ve met him. ... I think that he really wants= to do a great job for North Korea.=E2=80=9D *Hannity: Summit Exceeded Administration=E2=80=99s Expectations. *O= n Fox News=E2=80=99 Fox & Friends[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12), Hannity described his interview with Trump last night, and said that after seeing the President, Pompeo, Chief of Staff Kelly, and National Security Adviser Bolton, =E2=80=9Cit was obvious this had exceeded all of t= heir expectations,=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cit was very obvious everybody felt real= ly good about it, especially the President.=E2=80=9D *Commentators Note Change In Tone In US-North Korean Ties. *Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia Group said on CBS This Morning[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, O'Donnell), =E2=80=9CThe biggest win is that six months ago we were = talking about the possibility of military preemption against North Korea. It=E2=80= =99s almost inconceivable now that there=E2=80=99s a short-term risk of military conflict.=E2=80=9D However, Bremmer added, =E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s a very hig= h bar to go from here to =E2=80=98complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization.=E2=80=99=E2= =80=9D On MSNBC=E2=80=99s Morning Joe[image: Image removed by sender. Vide= o] (6/12), Victor Cha, former Asia director at the National Security Council, said, =E2=80=9CIf we weren=E2=80=99t doing this we would probably be near a= n armed conflict. That=E2=80=99s certainly where we were headed in December of 2017= . So, in that sense, yes, this is a good first start in terms of the diplomacy, but there=E2=80=99s still a very long way to go. And if you look at the balance= sheet, it seems like Kim got a lot more out of this meeting than Trump did.=E2=80= =9D Appearing on NBC=E2=80=99s Today[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, Kotb), Cha said, =E2=80=9CWhat we got was a very broad statement, wh= ich will require negotiations to try to put some meat on the bones. But the statements on denuclearization, which we care about the most as Americans, are so broad, you can drive a truck through them.=E2=80=9D Cha also writes today in the New York Times (6/12, Cha) that Trump deserves =E2=80=9Ccredit. Only five months ago, base= d on my conversations with this administration, I thought we were headed down an inexorable path toward a devastating war.=E2=80=9D He says =E2=80=9CTrump= =E2=80=99s diplomacy, however unconventional, has pierced the isolation bubble of the North Korean leadership, which no previous president could do,=E2=80=9D and adds = that =E2=80=9Cdespite its many flaws, the Singapore summit represents the start = of a diplomatic process that takes us away from the brink of war.=E2=80=9D Gerald F. Seib argues in the Wall Street Journal (6/12) that the prospects for Tuesday=E2=80=99s summit turning into lasting= change rest on whether Kim is prepared to shift away from a quest for more powerful arms into a quest for a more powerful economy. Thomas Countryman, former assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation, and Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, write for USA Today (6/12) that the summit =E2=80=9Coffers a moment of cautious hope,=E2=80=9D = but =E2=80=9Cwe should have no illusions that the denuclearization effort would be simple. There is no precedent for a country with a nuclear arsenal and infrastructure as substantial as North Korea=E2=80=99s to give up its nuclear weapons program= .=E2=80=9D They urge President Trump to =E2=80=9Cresist the urge to abandon diplomacy and t= o return to irresponsible threats=E2=80=9D if =E2=80=9Cearly results are not fully s= atisfactory.=E2=80=9D *Trump Campaign Manager: CNN=E2=80=99s Acosta Should Lose Credentia= ls. *The Washington Post (6/12, Wagner) reports Trump=E2=80=99s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, on = Tuesday called for CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta to have his media credentials pulled =E2=80=9Cfor asking questions while Trump and North Kore= an leader Kim Jong Un were signing an agreement at their Singapore summit.=E2= =80=9D Parscale tweeted , =E2=80=9CJim @Acosta should immediately have his press credentials suspende= d. He is an absolute disgrace!=E2=80=9D The Post notes that as Trump and Kim were si= gning the document in front of a small group of reporters, Acosta asked: =E2=80= =9CMr. President, did he agree to denuclearize?=E2=80=9D *Politico: Trump Places =E2=80=9CBig Midterm Bet=E2=80=9D On Trade,= North Korea. * Politico (6/12, Cadelago, White) says that =E2=80=9Cto President Donald Trump=E2=80= =99s camp, his scorched-earth challenge to key US allies over trade and his valedictory denuclearization pact with Korean dictator Kim Jong Un amount to a compelling midterm pitch.=E2=80=9D Politico, however, cautions that the Pre= sident=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cbig moves of the past few days also represent a giant bet that he = can keep his negotiating partners at the table between now and November.=E2=80=9D Dan Balz writes for the Washington Post (6/12) that Trump =E2=80=9Cis now embarked on two ambitious foreign policy initiatives =E2=80=93 redrawing the rules of international trade and defang= ing a nuclear-armed North Korea =E2=80=93 that represent significant personal gam= bles. The question is, can he gain something politically from these efforts in the absence of demonstrable accomplishments?=E2=80=9D Balz argues that Trum= p=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cbiggest gamble could be his confidence that his unorthodox approac= h, regardless of the outcomes, will produce tangible political dividends for 2018 and especially 2020.=E2=80=9D *White House Thanks Rodman For Being =E2=80=9CHelpful=E2=80=9D In N= orth Korea. *The New York Post (6/12, Tacopino) reports White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders=E2=80=9D= thanked Dennis Rodman for his =E2=80=98positive=E2=80=99 comments and being =E2=80= =98helpful=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D in bringing Trump and Kim together. In a phone call Monday, Sanders is quoted as telling Rodman, =E2=80=9CThe President had seen some of your comments over = the last several days. He just wanted me to reach out and thank you for some of the positive things you said and appreciate you being helpful in this process.= =E2=80=9D *USA Today=E2=80=99s Robbins: =E2=80=9CAnti-Trump Mania=E2=80=9D Dr= iving Media Narrative. *James S. Robbins, writing for USA Today (6/12), =E2=80=9CLast fall,=E2=80=9D Trump and Kim =E2=80=9Cwere trading pe= rsonal insults and threatening nuclear war. Fast-forward to the Singapore summit, and the two men are smiling and talking on the Island of Tranquility. Just like that, peace broke out.=E2=80=9D While =E2=80=9Cthere has been no lack of criticis= m of the summit...anti-Trump mania drives most of the critical narrative, rather than a reasoned analysis of strategic opportunity.=E2=80=9D Margaret Sullivan, meanwhile, writes for the Washington Post (6/12) that =E2=80=9Calthough every legitimate news organization made effor= ts, some better than others, to bring context and even a measure of skepticism into their mix of stories, the event overall was a triumph of Trumpian stagecraft. And the media played its accustomed role.=E2=80=9D Sullivan say= s that =E2=80=9Cto their credit, news organizations tried to bring context to the pageantry, but it was largely lost.=E2=80=9D Foreign Policy Trump: Trudeau=E2=80=99s Criticism Of US Tariffs Will =E2=80=9CCost Him A L= ot Of Money.=E2=80=9D Pamela Brown reported on CNN=E2=80=99s Situation Room[image: Image removed = by sender. Video] (6/12) that President Trump is =E2=80=9Cwaiving off concerns he=E2=80=99s f= avoring America=E2=80=99s enemies over allies following discord at the G-7=E2=80=9D= this weekend. =E2=80=9CHowever,=E2=80=9D Brown continued, Trump =E2=80=9Cdid call out Can= adian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for criticizing US tariffs=E2=80=9D at the end of the G-7 su= mmit, with Trump calling Trudeau =E2=80=9Cquote, =E2=80=98obnoxious.=E2=80=99=E2= =80=9D CNN also showed Trump telling ABC=E2=80=99s George Stephanopoulos: =E2=80=9CI actually like Justi= n. ... But he shouldn=E2=80=99t have done that. That was a mistake that will cost him a l= ot of money.=E2=80=9D ABC World News Tonight[image: Image removed by sender. Vide= o] (6/12, story 4, 2:15, Muir) also reported that =E2=80=9Cjust hours after he= aping praise on North Korea=E2=80=99s dictator,=E2=80=9D Trump =E2=80=9Cescalated= his war of words with...Trudeau, declaring Canadians would pay a price.=E2=80=9D On Tuesday = though, Trudeau =E2=80=9Cinsisted the President=E2=80=99s tariffs will end up hurti= ng Americans.=E2=80=9D Trudeau was shown saying, =E2=80=9CThis is not in the interest of two count= ries that have the closest and best trading relationship and alliance in the history of the world. We=E2=80=99re gonna continue to stand for that.=E2=80= =9D Fox News Special Report[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12) reported that Navarro =E2=80=9Csays his language was inappropriate.= =E2=80=9D *Navarro Apologizes For =E2=80=9CSpecial Place In Hell=E2=80=9D Com= ment. *ABC World News Tonight[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 4, 2:15, Muir) reported that while Trump is =E2=80=9Cnot backi= ng away from this fight,=E2=80=9D White House trade adviser Peter Navarro =E2=80=9C= apologized to...Trudeau=E2=80=9D after saying this weekend that =E2=80=9Cthere=E2=80= =99s a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad-faith diplomacy with...Trump.=E2=80=9D The AP (6/12) reports that Navarro said Tuesday during a Wall Street Journal conference, =E2=80=9CLet me correct a mistake I made...In conveying that me= ssage I used language that was inappropriate.=E2=80=9D Politico (6/12, Cassella) quotes Navarro as adding, =E2=80=9CMy mission was to send = a strong signal of strength. ... The problem is that in conveying that message I used language that was inappropriate.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12, Rappeport) notes Navarro also said, =E2=80=9CI own that, that was my mistake, those were my words.=E2=80=9D The Wall Street Journal (6/12, Mauldin) says Navarro made it clear his remarks referred to Trudeau. The Hill (6/12, Samuels) says Navarro =E2=80=9Capologized=E2=80=9D after Canadian Fo= reign Minister Chrystia Freeland said his Sunday remarks were =E2=80=9Cparticularly approp= riate or useful,=E2=80=9D and after a =E2=80=9Cnumber of US lawmakers=E2=80=9D and o= ther foreign officials like European Council President Donald Tusk =E2=80=9Cwere quick to condemn= =E2=80=9D his comments. According to Bloomberg News (6/12, Leonard, Pickert), =E2=80=9CNavarro=E2=80=99s apology could ease ten= sions after Canada=E2=80=99s parliament condemned the personal attack on Trudeau and as Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland gets ready to meet with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday in Washington.=E2=80= =9D Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the committee, =E2=80=9Csaid on Tuesday that he=E2= =80=99s =E2=80=98glad=E2=80=99 that Navarro admitted that he misspoke.=E2=80=9D However, Reuters (6/12) reports that =E2=80=9CCanada reacted coolly to the apology, with Tru= deau declining to answer when reporters asked him whether he accepted it.=E2=80= =9D The Washington Post (6/12, Wagner) notes that Navarro=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cbroadside against Trud= eau followed Trump=E2=80=99s decision over the weekend to pull the US endorsement of a G= roup of Seven economic agreement=E2=80=9D after Trump took =E2=80=9Cumbrage over co= mments made by Trudeau about the need for Canada to stand up to the United States on trade tariffs.=E2=80=9D *Corker Chides GOP Colleagues After His Tariff Measure Is Blocked In Senate. *The Hill (6/12, Carney) reports legislation authored by Sen. Bob Corker =E2=80=9Crei= ning in President Trump=E2=80=99s tariff authority was blocked from getting a vote = in the Senate on Tuesday.=E2=80=9D Corker =E2=80=9Ctried to bring up his bill and = schedule a vote but was blocked=E2=80=9D by Sen. James Inhofe, =E2=80=9Cwho is managing the= defense bill for Republicans.=E2=80=9D Inhofe =E2=80=9Cnoted he had talked to members of= the House, who were =E2=80=98strenuously=E2=80=99 objecting to the inclusion of Corker=E2= =80=99s amendment in the defense policy bill.=E2=80=9D The Washington Post (6/12, Werner) says =E2=80=9Cthe leadership move, which blocked Corker from including his legislation as an amendment on a pending defense bill, probably killed it for good =E2=80=93 and with it, Congress=E2=80=99s best = chance of taking any action to confront Trump on trade.=E2=80=9D Bloomberg News (6/12, Litvan) reports that Corker, =E2=80=9Cwho is retiring in January, is increasingly open about his frustrations with Trump=E2=80=99s trade and oth= er policies,=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Con the Senate floor, Corker accused Republi= cans lawmakers of being afraid to =E2=80=98poke the bear=E2=80=99 when they find themselve= s on the other side of the president.=E2=80=9D The AP (6/12, Freking) recounts that =E2=80=9Csounding exasperated, Corker said Re= publican senators overwhelmingly agree with the concept behind his bill, but are afraid of upsetting the president.=E2=80=9D Said Corker, =E2=80=9CWe might = poke the bear is the language I=E2=80=99ve been hearing in the hallways. ... The United Stat= es Senate right now on June 12th is becoming a body where, well, we=E2=80=99ll= do what we can do, but my gosh if the President gets upset with us, then we might not be in the majority, so let=E2=80=99s not doing anything that might upse= t the President.=E2=80=9D The Washington Examiner (6/12, Weaver) reports that =E2=80=9Cas his voice went up an octave,=E2=80= =9D Corker added yesterday, =E2=80=9CI can=E2=80=99t believe it!=E2=80=9D Reuters (6/12, Zengerle) also says =E2=80=9CCorker accused his fellow Republicans o= f being afraid to stand up to...Trump,=E2=80=9D and USA Today (6/12, Collins) that he =E2=80=9Cchastised his fellow Republicans.=E2=80=9D *Trump May Impose China Tariffs As Soon As Friday. *Politico (6/12, Behsudi) reports two sources briefed on internal deliberations say that, in a move =E2=80=9Csure to further inflame tensions and spark almost immediate retaliation,=E2=80=9D Trump =E2=80=9Cis expected to impose tariff= s on Chinese goods as soon as Friday or next week.=E2=80=9D This =E2=80=9Caggressive sta= nce calls into question the future of talks between the two trade powers.=E2=80=9D After t= he summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which =E2=80=9CChina was seen = as playing a key role=E2=80=9D in making happen, Trump =E2=80=9Csaid Beijing h= as not done an adequate job closing its border to trade with North Korea in recent months, which Trump seemed to blame for rising U.S.-China trade tensions.=E2=80=9D = On Friday, the Administration plans to publish a list of Chinese goods that will be affected by tariffs, and Trump =E2=80=9Cmay choose to use the publi= cation of the list on Friday as the latest shot across China=E2=80=99s bow=E2=80= =9D instead of actually implementing the tariffs. *Ross: ZTE Legislation Not Guaranteed To Become Law. *Bloomberg New= s (6/12, Shields) reports that at an event in Washington on Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Ross =E2=80=9Csaid =E2=80=98we=E2=80=99ll see=E2=80=99 when asked= about plans to impose tariffs on Chinese imports, as the US prepares to reveal its list of final targets this week.=E2=80=9D Ross =E2=80=9Calso said that legislation that would res= tore penalties on the China=E2=80=99s ZTE Corp. is not a certainty as the measure still ne= eds final approval.=E2=80=9D White House Council of Economic Advisers Chairman = Kevin Hassett, meanwhile, said President Trump =E2=80=9Cis =E2=80=98very serious= =E2=80=99 about China addressing its alleged IP abuses and forced technology transfers.=E2=80=9D = Reuters (6/12) reports that ZTE =E2=80=9Csaid trading in its shares would resume on Wednesday, ending a two-month suspension, after the Chinese telecommunications giant agreed to pay up to $1.4 billion in penalties to the U.S. government and radically overhaul its management.=E2=80=9D Rouhani Asks Macron For Action To Save Nuclear Deal. Reuters (6/12, Irish, Sharafedin) reports Iranian President Hassan Rouhani =E2=80= =9Cwarned world powers on Tuesday that it was impossible for Tehran to stay in the nuclear deal if it cannot benefit from the accord after the US withdrawal.= =E2=80=9D In a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Rouhani =E2=80=9Csaid he w= as satisfied with Europe=E2=80=99s stance, especially French efforts to salvag= e the 2015 deal,=E2=80=9D but that =E2=80=9Csuch statements should be combined wi= th actions and tangible measures.=E2=80=9D Iranian state media quoted him as saying, =E2= =80=9CIf Iran cannot benefit from the deal, then it=E2=80=99s practically impossible to s= tay in the accord.=E2=80=9D *State Department: Iranian Official=E2=80=99s Interview Confirms Co= untry Facilitated 9/11 Attacks. *The Washington Free Beacon (6/12, Kredo) reports the State Department =E2=80=9Cis taking a top Iranian official=E2=80=99s explanation of events linked to the travel of the 9/11 t= errorist attackers as an admission of guilt in facilitating the=E2=80=9D attacks. Ac= cording to Al Arabiya, Mohammad-Javad Larijani, an international affairs assistant in the Iran=E2=80=99s judiciary, disclosed in Farsi-language remarks =E2=80= =9Cthat Iranian intelligence officials secretly helped provide the al Qaeda attackers with passage and gave them refuge in the Islamic Republic.=E2=80=9D However, =E2= =80=9CIranian officials representing the country=E2=80=99s interests at the United Nation= s have attempted to recharacterize Larijani=E2=80=99s remarks and said that transl= ations were manipulated by al Arabiya.=E2=80=9D A =E2=80=9Csenior State Department= official=E2=80=9D told the Free Beacon, =E2=80=9CThese actions once again confirm the egregious na= ture of the Iranian regime and are further evidence of the regime=E2=80=99s malign = role in the world.=E2=80=9D Israeli Minister: Social Media Monitoring Has Thwarted Hundreds Of Attacks. The AP (6/12, Federman) reports that Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan says his government has =E2=80=9Cfoiled over 200 Palestinian attacks by mon= itoring social media and sifting through vast amounts of data to identify prospective assailants ahead of time.=E2=80=9D According to the AP, =E2=80= =9CThese pre-emptive actions put Israel at the forefront of an increasingly popular =E2=80=93 and controversial =E2=80=93 trend used by intelligence and law en= forcement agencies around the world that use big data technology to track would-be criminals.=E2=80=9D Erdan =E2=80=9Csaid Israel=E2=80=99s use of algorithms = and other technology has been an important factor in lowering the number of knife and shooting attacks in Israel in recent years.=E2=80=9D Bolton Got $115,000 To Speak At Ukrainian Steel Magnate=E2=80=99s Foundatio= n=E2=80=99s Events. The Washington Post (6/12, Fahrenthold) reports that according a financial disclosure form released Monday by the White House, National Security Adviser Bolton was paid $115,000 in the last year to take part in two panel discussions sponsored by Ukrainian steel magnate Victor Pinchuk=E2=80=99s foundation --=E2=80=9Dincluding one in Kiev last September, during which Bolton reassu= red the audience that President Trump would not radically change U.S. foreign policy.=E2=80=9D Bolton said, =E2=80=9CThe notion that [Trump=E2=80=99s ele= ction] is going to represent a dramatic break in foreign policy is just wrong. Calm down, for God=E2=80=99s sakes.=E2=80=9D Norway To Invite More US Marines Amid Russia Tensions. Reuters (6/12, Fouche) reports Norway will ask the US to =E2=80=9Cmore than double = the number=E2=80=9D of Marines stationed in the country =E2=80=9Cin a move that= could raise tensions=E2=80=9D with Russia. Roughly 330 Marines were scheduled to leave = Norway at the end of this year, but Oslo has =E2=80=9Cgrown increasingly concerned= about Russia following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.=E2=80=9D Foreign Ministe= r Ine Eriksen Soereide, however, =E2=80=9Ctold reporters the decision did not con= stitute the establishment of a permanent US base in Norway and was not targeted at Russia.=E2=80=9D May Wins Parliament Vote Over Brexit Plans. Reuters (6/12, Piper) reports British Prime Minister Theresa May =E2=80=9Cdefused a rebellion in parliament over her Brexit plans on Tuesday but only after having to compromise and hand lawmakers more control over Britain=E2=80=99s departure from the European Union.=E2=80=9D After winning Tuesday=E2=80=99s= vote over changes to a final agreement, May=E2=80=99s agreement to discuss the change= s =E2=80=9Cmay mean lawmakers could have more power if she fails to secure a Brexit deal, possibly leading to a softer approach to Britain=E2=80=99s divorce.=E2=80= =9D The New York Times (6/12, Castle) says the =E2=80=9Cretreat is only the latest setback for Mrs= . May who last week averted the resignation of her Brexit secretary, David Davis, then faced criticism in leaked comments from her foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, who accused her government of lacking =E2=80=98guts.=E2=80=99=E2= =80=9D The AP (6/12, Lawless) says May =E2=80=9Cstaved off defeat by offering concessions= to lawmakers who want to soften the terms of the UK=E2=80=99s exit from the Eu= ropean Union.=E2=80=9D By a vote of 324 to 298, lawmakers =E2=80=9Crejected a move= to give the House of Commons power to send the government back to the negotiating table if lawmakers don=E2=80=99t like the terms of the Brexit deal struck with th= e EU.=E2=80=9D Bloomberg News (6/12, Donaldson, Hutton) says May won the vote =E2=80=9Cafter last-minute horse-trading, some of it in the open on the floor of the House of Commons =E2=80=93 some behind closed doors.=E2=80=9D US Unveils =E2=80=9CUnofficial Embassy=E2=80=9D In Taiwan. The New York Times (6/12, Horton) reports the US =E2=80=9Cunveiled its unofficial embassy in T= aiwan=E2=80=99s capital on Tuesday, holding a low-key ceremony that signaled its support for the self-governing island while also trying to avoid a bigger clash with China.=E2=80=9D While Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and her predece= ssor =E2=80=9Cboth attended the dedication of the new, $250 million compound of = the American Institute in Taiwan, the highest-ranking attendee from Washington was Marie Royce, the assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs.=E2=80=9D According to the Times, =E2=80=9Cthere had been = speculation that President Trump might make a bolder show of support for Taiwan,=E2=80=9D bu= t the =E2=80=9Clack of cabinet-level visitors from Washington displayed the Trump administration=E2=80=99s unwillingness to upset China.=E2=80=9D Domestic Policy Media Analyses: Court Decision On AT&T-Time Merger A Loss For Trump, DOJ. Media reports, which included stories on all three major network newscasts, described a court ruling allowing the AT&T-Time Warner merger as a clear loss for President Trump and his Justice Department. The AP (6/12, Swoyer) reports =E2=80=9CDistrict Judge Richard Leon announced the d= ecision Tuesday, bringing the biggest antitrust trial in years to an end,=E2=80=9D = and ABC World News Tonight[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 6, 0:20, Muir) that =E2=80=9Cthe $85 million deal combines Tim= e Warner=E2=80=99s programming resources, including HBO and CNN, with the distribution reach of AT&T, setting it up to compete with Amazon and Netflix.=E2=80=9D The decision, is added, =E2=80=9Cis a defeat for the Whit= e House, that opposed the deal.=E2=80=9D NBC Nightly News[image: Image removed by sender.= Video] (6/12, story 5, 1:50, Holt) also referred to =E2=80=9Ca defeat for the Trum= p Administration in court,=E2=80=9D and the Los Angeles Times (6/12, Puzzanghera) to a =E2=80=9Ca stinging defeat to the Trump administra= tion.=E2=80=9D USA Today (6/12, Baig) reports that =E2=80=9Csuspense about the outcome has been buil= ding since the trial ended April 30,=E2=80=9D and that =E2=80=9Ca new twist emer= ged in early May with the revelation that AT&T paid...Trump=E2=80=99s personal lawyer Michae= l Cohen $600,000 for consulting services at the time the company was seeking regulatory approval for the merger.=E2=80=9D Brian Stelter said on CNN=E2=80=99s Situation Room[image: Image rem= oved by sender. Video] (6/12), =E2=80=9CI think this announcement by the judge lends more credence= to the suspicion that somehow, some way...Trump had something to do with the DOJ= =E2=80=99s action here. This was a strange move by the DOJ to try to block this media merger. ... There was suspicions and theories that somehow Trump=E2=80=99s = disdain for CNN was a factor.=E2=80=9D There was =E2=80=9Cnot proof of this but it = was a widely-held suspicion and it was a cloud over the entire case.=E2=80=9D Jef= frey Toobin, also on CNN=E2=80=99s Situation Room[image: Image removed by sender= . Video] (6/12), argued that =E2=80=9Cthis was such a fiasco for the Justice Departm= ent it raises the question of why this lawsuit was brought in the first place. Conservatives, Republicans generally don=E2=80=99t believe in stopping merg= ers. The only thing we know about the origin of this case is that candidate Trump and [President] Donald Trump denounced this merger in advance and also indicated, as we have heard many times, that he hates CNN.=E2=80=9D Under the headline =E2=80=9CTrump Gambles And Loses On AT&T,=E2=80= =9D the New York Times (6/12) editorializes that =E2=80=9CTrump=E2=80=99s chilling campaign to pol= iticize the Justice Department ran into a stinging rebuke on Tuesday.=E2=80=9D The New = York Times (6/12, Kang) also reports that =E2=80=9CTrump, while still a candidate, sai= d he would block the deal =E2=80=98because it=E2=80=99s too much concentration o= f power in the hands of too few.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D His =E2=80=9Ccomments and his repeated = criticism of CNN, which is owned by Time Warner=E2=80=99s unit Turner Broadcasting, raised speculat= ion that Mr. Trump had pushed...the Justice Department to block the deal.=E2=80=9D The Washington Post (6/12, Romm, Fung) reports, meanwhile, that =E2=80=9Cthe decision amounts t= o a stunning loss for Makan Delrahim,=E2=80=9D who is =E2=80=9CTrump=E2=80=99s = chief antitrust regulator.=E2=80=9D DOJ =E2=80=9Chad not lost an antitrust case since 2004,= and since the Nixon administration, the agency had not challenged in court a so-called vertical deal, in which companies in different lines of businesses seek to merge.=E2=80=9D In a statement, Delrahim =E2=80=9Csaid he was =E2=80=98disa= ppointed=E2=80=99 in the ruling, saying that his division would =E2=80=98consider next steps in light of our commitment to preserving competition.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D Politico (6/12, Overly) notes that =E2=80=9Cspeaking to reporters outside the courth= ouse,=E2=80=9D Delrahim also said, =E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99re going to have to review the opin= ion to see what impact it will have on other mergers.=E2=80=9D Bloomberg News (6/12, McLaughlin, Harris, Moritz, Larson) reports DOJ =E2=80=9Chas six day= s to ask the judge to stay his ruling, though Leon said he hoped the government would have the =E2=80=98good judgment, wisdom and the courage=E2=80=99 not = to do so.=E2=80=9D The CBS Evening News[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12, story 4, 1:45, Schlesinger) indicated that =E2=80=9Csecurities lawye= rs...say this could pave the way for something called...a vertical merger,=E2=80=9D = which =E2=80=9Cis the combination of companies that do not produce competing prod= ucts. In this case, one makes media content, the other distributes it. So health care companies, media, and Telecom companies, they are waiting in the wings,=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cthis could have a huge implication for a lot o= f mergers that are on the horizon.=E2=80=9D The Washington Examiner (6/12, Cohen), The Hill (6/12, Neidig), Reuters (6/12, Bartz) and Wall Street Journal (6/12, Kendall, Fitzgerald), among other news outlets, run similar reports on the court decision. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (6/12) praises the judge=E2=80=99s ruling allowing the merger, and urges DO= J to avoid another embarrassing legal defeat but not appealing it. Rosenstein Threatened To Subpoena House Intelligence Committee. On its website, Fox News (6/12, Herridge) cites emails which show that in a January 2018 meeting involving senior FBI and Justice Department officials and members of the House Intelligence Committee, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein =E2=80=9Cthreatened to =E2=80=98subpoena=E2=80=99 emails, phone records and= other documents from lawmakers and staff.=E2=80=9D The committee=E2=80=99s then-senior counsel f= or counterterrorism Kash Patel wrote to the House Office of General Counsel that Rosenstein went =E2=80=9Cso far as to say that if the Committee likes = being litigators, then =E2=80=98we [DOJ] too [are] litigators, and we will subpoe= na your records and your emails,=E2=80=99 referring to HPSCI [House Permanent Selec= t Committee on Intelligence] and Congress overall.=E2=80=9D A committee aide = backed up the account, writing, =E2=80=9CLet me just add that watching the Deputy = Attorney General launch a sustained personal attack against a congressional staffer in retaliation for vigorous oversight was astonishing and disheartening. ... Also, having the nation=E2=80=99s #1 (for these matters) law enforcemen= t officer threaten to =E2=80=98subpoena your calls and emails=E2=80=99 was do= wnright chilling.=E2=80=9D Attorney General Sessions said on Fox News=E2=80=99 Tucker Carlson Tonight[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12) that =E2=80=9Cthe FBI director, the senior ethics attorney for the Department of Justice, who was in the room, say that is a mischaracterization, really, of what occurred.=E2=80=9D Sessions added, =E2= =80=9CI=E2=80=99m confident that Deputy Rosenstein, 28 years and the Department of Justice did not improperly threaten anyone on that occasion.=E2=80=9D *DOJ To Brief Lawmakers On Mueller Investigation. *The Washington Times (6/12, Mordock) reports that DOJ will meet with =E2=80=9Ctop lawmakers=E2= =80=9D again on Thursday =E2=80=9Cto review documents related to special counsel Robert Mue= ller=E2=80=99s Russia investigation and claims U.S. Intelligence spied on President Trump=E2=80=99s 2016 campaign.=E2=80=9D According to a DOJ official, the me= eting is being held at the request of House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes =E2=80=9Cand= will answer questions raised during last months meetings.=E2=80=9D *Johnson Questions FBI Redactions In Strzok Texts. *The Daily Calle= r (6/12, Ross) reports that Senate Homeland Security Chairman Ron Johnson =E2= =80=9Cis asking the FBI about =E2=80=98highly questionable=E2=80=99 redactions in te= xt messages exchanged between two bureau officials who worked on the Hillary Clinton and Trump campaign investigations.=E2=80=9D In a letter to FBI Director Chr= istopher Wray, Johnson =E2=80=9Cflagged several redactions in text messages, which h= e said the bureau made =E2=80=98without apparent legitimate reasons.=E2=80=99=E2= =80=9D Among the texts singled out by Johnson were an October 2016 message that =E2=80=9Csuggested= that FBI counterintelligence official Peter Strzok was locked in a battle with another government official over a secret surveillance warrant.=E2=80=9D an= d a July 2016 text in which =E2=80=9CStrzok suggested that the FBI lacked the resour= ces to conduct a thorough investigation of Hillary Clinton=E2=80=99s use of a priv= ate email server.=E2=80=9D *Mueller Court Filing Says Russian Intelligence Continues To Meddle In US Elections. *According to the AP (6/12, Day), Mueller=E2=80=99s prosecutors are =E2=80=9Cworried that Russia= n intelligence services will use a criminal case in Washington to gather information about...U.S. intelligence-gathering methods,=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Care aski= ng a federal judge to impose limits on the information that can be shared by attorneys in the first criminal case directly related to Russian attempts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.=E2=80=9D The AP says , = =E2=80=9CSo far, only one defendant, Concord Management and Consulting LLC, has appeared in the case, and prosecutors say they=E2=80=99re worried information they prov= ide to the company=E2=80=99s attorneys could end up in the hands of other defendan= ts or Russian spy agencies.=E2=80=9D Bloomberg News (6/12, Voreacos, Harris) reports that Mueller =E2=80=9Cwarned that Russian intelligence services still have active =E2=80=98interference operations=E2= =80=99 into U.S. elections and that handing over certain evidence in a criminal case could imperil ongoing investigations.=E2=80=9D Prosecutors wrote that the evidenc= e =E2=80=9Cincludes between 1.5 and 2 terabytes of data and involves U.S. res= idents not charged with crimes who the government says were unwittingly recruited by Russians to engage in political activity.=E2=80=9D According to prosecut= ors, =E2=80=9Cunauthorized disclosure of such evidence would help foreign intell= igence services in Russia and elsewhere while undermining U.S. law enforcement and national security investigations.=E2=80=9D *Mueller Must Name Those Involved In Manafort=E2=80=99s Alleged Lob= bying Campaign For Ukraine. *Politico (6/12, Gerstein) reports that in =E2=80=9Ca rare courtroom win=E2=80=9D for= former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort=E2=80=99s defense, Judge Amy Berman Jackson= =E2=80=9Chas ordered special counsel Robert Mueller to identify by Friday all the individuals and organizations involved in=E2=80=9D Manafort=E2=80=99s =E2= =80=9Calleged scheme to lobby on behalf of Ukraine without registering as a foreign agent under U.S. law.=E2=80=9D The people Mueller will be required to identify to the d= efense include =E2=80=9Ctop European former politicians who took part in the influ= ence campaign, as well as others whose testimony Manafort has been accused of trying to influence in recent months.=E2=80=9D The Washington Post (6/12, Hsu) says that although Jackson =E2=80=9Cmostly denied Manafort=E2= =80=99s challenge to the legal adequacy of his indictment in the District for conspiracy and money laundering,=E2=80=9D she =E2=80=9Cfound what she called =E2=80=98one = minor exception=E2=80=99 in saying Manafort=E2=80=99s legal team should be given the names of the polit= icians and others to help him prepare for =E2=80=98a complex trial with a volumino= us record within a relatively short period of time.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D Jackson = said Manafort =E2=80=9Cshould not have to be surprised at a later point by the addition o= f a new name or allegation.=E2=80=9DBloomberg News (6/12) also reports on Jackson=E2=80=99s ruling. *King: DOJ IG=E2=80=99s Report Will =E2=80=9CDevastatingly=E2=80=9D= Show Missteps By Comey, McCabe. *The Washington Examiner (6/12, Quinn) reports Rep. Peter King (R) told Fox News[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12) Tuesday that the report from DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz will =E2=80=9Cdevastatingly=E2=80=9D show =E2=80=9Cthe missteps from former= FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.=E2=80=9D King said, =E2= =80=9CThe [inspector general] report, I think it=E2=80=99s going to show devastatingl= y, it will show improprieties here by Director Comey and the way he proceeded, and also Andrew McCabe, at the very least, plus the two love birds.=E2=80= =9D The =E2=80=9Ctwo love birds=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9Care FBI officials Peter Strzok an= d Lisa Page, who were engaged in an extramarital affair and were found to have exchanged derogatory messages about President Trump before the 2016 election.=E2=80= =9D *McCabe Sues FBI, DOJ, IG. *The Washington Times (6/12, Swoyer) reports that former FBI Director Andrew McCabe has filed a lawsuit against the FBI, DOJ, and its IG in federal court in Washington, =E2=80=9Calleging the Trump administration violated procedures when it fire= d him in March just hours before his retirement.=E2=80=9D McCabe=E2=80=99s attorneys= =E2=80=9Cargue that the Justice Department is refusing to hand over documents relating to the policies and procedures related to Mr. McCabe=E2=80=99s dismissal because i= t fears further litigation.=E2=80=9D *Rivkin, Casey Op-Ed: Trump Has Constitutional Authority To Order Investigations. *In an op-ed for the Washington Post (6/12), David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey, who served in the Justice Department under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, write that it is =E2=80=9Cpuzzling to see so much criticism of President Trump=E2=80= =99s demand that the Justice Department investigate allegations about his presidential campaign being improperly subjected to an FBI counter intelligence probe=E2= =80=9D and =E2=80=9Chis instruction to the Justice Department and the FBI that the= y should grant congressional requests for information about that matter,=E2=80=9D si= nce under the Constitution, the President =E2=80=9Chas the authority to determi= ne what matters will, and will not, be investigated and prosecuted by the U.S. government.=E2=80=9D They conclude that regardless of one=E2=80=99s views o= n =E2=80=9Cthe wisdom of Trump=E2=80=99s directives, fidelity to the Constitution best protects our democracy in the long run.=E2=80=9D *Cohen Expects To Be Indicted Soon. *The New York Daily News (6/12, Sommerfeldt) reports that =E2=80=9Ca person familiar with the matter= =E2=80=9D said Tuesday that President Trump=E2=80=99s attorney Michael Cohen =E2=80=9Cexpe= cts to be put in cuffs any day now, possibly opening up his top client to legal complications.=E2=80=9D According to the source, Cohen =E2=80=9Chas been te= lling friends he fears he will soon be indicted and arrested over the federal investigation he=E2=80=99s facing in New York.=E2=80=9D *Avenatti Says Russian Government Is Trying To Plant Negative Stories About Him. *The Daily Caller (6/12, Simonson) reports that Stormy Daniels=E2=80=99 attorney Michael Aven= atti told The Daily Beast Tuesday =E2=80=9Cthat he believes the Russian government is= trying to plant damaging stories about him in the press, without any evidence to support this claim.=E2=80=9D Avenatti, who =E2=80=9Cclaims two members of t= he media and a =E2=80=98high ranking American intelligence official=E2=80=99 informed him = of the Russian plot,=E2=80=9D said, =E2=80=9CThey=E2=80=99re doing it because they see me = as a threat, a considerable threat. ... If we weren=E2=80=99t a threat, none of this would= be happening.=E2=80=9D Avenatti added that =E2=80=9Cmembers of the Russian gov= ernment are trying to spread a story that he once traveled to Moscow and had sexual relationships with several women during his trip.=E2=80=9D South Carolina Rep. Sanford=E2=80=99s Loss Among Host Of Primary Results Ye= sterday. Voters went to the polls yesterday to decide a number of closely-watched primaries in South Carolina, Virginia, Nevada, North Dakota, and Maine. *In =E2=80=9CStartling Upset,=E2=80=9D Trump-Critic Sanford Ousted = In GOP Primary. *SC1 Rep. Mark Sanford (R), a critic of President Trump, on Tuesday was defeated in the GOP primary election by freshman state Rep. Katie Arrington (R). The Columbia (SC) State (6/12) describes the outcome as =E2=80=9Ca startling upset,=E2=80=9D and ad= ds that Arrington=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Ccampaign strategy was to align herself with...= Trump and harp on Sanford=E2=80=99s criticism of the president. She received a last-minute= boost from Trump, who endorsed her in a tweet three hours before polls closed.=E2= =80=9D McClatchy (6/13, Douglas) reports that Sanford was =E2=80=9Cstunned=E2=80=9D by Arrin= gton, =E2=80=9Cpowered by a strong last-minute endorsement from...Trump.=E2=80=9D McClatchy adds t= hat =E2=80=9Cthe message from voters was clear. =E2=80=98It says the Trump factor matters he= re,=E2=80=99 Kendra Stewart, a College of Charleston political science professor, said Tuesday night. =E2=80=98In South Carolina, it=E2=80=99s very unusual for an= incumbent to lose a seat. ... Almost more so than anywhere else, South Carolina likes to elect the known quantity, the person with the most name recognition. Going into this race, that was Mark Sanford.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D *In Tweet Today, Trump Hails Arrington=E2=80=99s Victory, Touts His= Support For Her. *Trump tweeted this morning, =E2=80=9CMy political representatives didn=E2=80=99t want me = to get involved in the Mark Sanford primary thinking that Sanford would easily win =E2=80= =93 but with a few hours left I felt that Katie was such a good candidate, and Sanford was so bad, I had to give it a shot. Congrats to Katie Arrington!= =E2=80=9D *SC4: Primary Candidates In Race To Succeed Gowdy Head To Runoffs. = *In a report on the race to succeed retiring SC4 Rep. Trey Gowdy (R), the Charleston (SC) Post and Courier (6/12, Lovegrove) says that ex-state Sen. Lee Bright (R) and state Sen. William Timmons (R) will advance to a GOP primary runoff, =E2=80=9Caccordin= g to unofficial results Tuesday night.=E2=80=9D Bright took =E2=80=9Cabout a qua= rter of the vote by the time most ballots had been counted in the early hours of Wednesday morning.=E2=80=9D State Rep. Dan Hamilton (R) trailed =E2=80=9Cjust a few h= undred votes behind Timmons, both of whom hovered around 19 percent. That could be within the margin to trigger a recount.=E2=80=9D In the Democratic primary, businessman Brandon Brown (D) and accountant Doris Lee Turner (D) also advanced to a runoff. *SC5: Parnell, Who Admitted Beating His Ex-Wife, Wins Democratic Primary. *The Charleston (SC) Post and Courier (6/12, Cranney) reports that ex-Goldman Sachs adviser Archie Parnell (D), =E2=80=9Cwho admitted to beating his ex-wife several decades ago, overcame = a wave of intense criticism from within his own party to easily win in the Democratic primary Tuesday.=E2=80=9D In the general election, Parnell will = face off against SC5 Rep. Ralph Norman (R) in a rematch of last year=E2=80=99s speci= al election to succeed now-White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney. The Post and Courier says, =E2=80=9CParnell=E2=80=99s candidacy had been seen by Dem= ocrats as an opportunity to flip the=E2=80=9D SC5. However, in the wake of reports that = Parnell =E2=80=9Cattacked his ex-wife in a 1970s incident, his chances of=E2=80=9D = unseating Norman =E2=80=9Cseem to have greatly diminished.=E2=80=9D *Gov. McMaster, Warren Head To GOP Runoff; Smith Wins Democratic Nod. *Gov. Henry McMaster (R) and businessman John Warren (R) are headed to a June 26 runoff, after finishing first and second, respectively, in Tuesday=E2=80=99s GOP gubernatorial primary election. In the general electi= on, the eventual GOP nominee will face off against state Rep. James Smith (D), who won Tuesday=E2=80=99s Democratic primary. The AP (6/13, Kinnard) reports that McMaster, =E2=80=9Can early supporter of Presi= dent Donald Trump,=E2=80=9D received the most votes in the GOP primary, =E2=80= =9Cbut failed to win the 50 percent necessary to avoid a runoff.=E2=80=9D The Charleston (SC= ) Post and Courier (6/12, Shain) reports that McMaster =E2=80=9Cis in a position to win the=E2= =80=9D GOP =E2=80=9Crunoff...after receiving a larger-than-expected share of support f= rom voters in Tuesday=E2=80=99s primary.=E2=80=9D *Trump-Supporter Stewart Wins Virginia GOP Senate Primary To Face Off Against Kaine. *Prince William County Board of Supervisors chief Corey Stewart (R), a vocal supporter of President Trump, on Tuesday won Virginia=E2=80=99s GOP Senate primary, earning the right to face off agains= t Sen. Tim Kaine (D) in November=E2=80=99s election. The AP (6/12, Suderman) reports that Stewart, who defeated state Del. Nick Freitas (R) and minister E.W. Jackson (R), =E2=80=9Chas promised to run a =E2=80=98= vicious=E2=80=99 campaign against...Kaine.=E2=80=9D The AP adds that Stewart =E2=80=93 =E2= =80=9Cwho favors keeping Confederate monuments =E2=80=93 had long been on the fringe of the state=E2= =80=99s GOP; now the win makes him the standard-bearer of a deeply divided party that hasn= =E2=80=99t won a statewide race in nearly a decade.=E2=80=9D The Washington Times (6/12, Sherfinski) reports that Stewart =E2=80=9Crode a pro-Trump message t= o narrowly win the=E2=80=9D GOP primary.=E2=80=99 The Times says, =E2=80=9CWi= th 100 percent of precincts reporting, Mr. Stewart was at about 45 percent support, with Mr. Freitas at 43 percent and...Jackson at 12 percent.=E2=80=9D The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch (6/12, Moomaw) reports, =E2=80=9CAs Stewart=E2=80=99s hard-right supporters= celebrated the victory by a culture warrior who seems to relish poking the party establishment, Republican moderates were worried Stewart=E2=80=99s rise to prominence could cause other Republicans to sink, including a handful of GOP congressional incumbents already facing tough re-election fights in suburban districts.=E2=80=9D On its front page, the Washington Post (6/12, A1, Schneider) reports that Stewart=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cpresence atop= the ticket will cast a shadow over all Virginia congressional races this year. He=E2=80=99s= sure to excite the most fervent parts of the Republican base, especially in rural areas, but his identification with Trump also could inspire Democratic voters to come out against him.=E2=80=9D CQ Roll Call (DC) (6/12, Path=C3=A9) reported, =E2=80=9CInside Elections rates the race Solid= Democratic.=E2=80=9D *Trump Tweets Congratulations To Stewart, Blasts Kaine On Crime, Borders, Taxes. *Trump tweeted this morning,=E2=80=9DCongratulations to Corey Stewart for his great victor= y for Senator from Virginia. Now he runs against a total stiff, Tim Kaine, who is weak on crime and borders, and wants to raise your taxes through the roof. Don=E2=80=99t underestimate Corey, a major chance of winning!=E2=80=9D *Wexton Wins Crowded VA10 Democratic Primary, Setting Up Clash With Comstock. *State Sen. Jennifer Wexton (D) on Tuesday won the crowded VA10 Democratic primary. In the general election, she=E2=80=99ll face VA10 Rep. = Barbara Comstock (R), a top Democratic target this fall. The Washington Post (6/12, Portnoy) reports that the Comstock-Wexton matchup =E2=80=9Cwill be o= ne of the most closely watched midterm elections in the nation.=E2=80=9D In the Democratic primary, Wexton =E2=80=9Cwon about 42 percent of the vote, besti= ng her nearest rival, anti-human-trafficking activist Alison Friedman, by almost 20 points.=E2=80=9D The Post describes Wexton as =E2=80=9Cthe establishment= favorite.=E2=80=9D The Winchester (VA) Star (6/12, Castiglia) reports that in the general election, Comstock =E2=80=9Ch= as her work cut out for her as she aims to keep her seat in a district that=E2=80= =9D Hillary Clinton carried =E2=80=9Cby 10 percentage points in 2016.=E2=80=9D = CQ Roll Call (DC) (6/12, Path=C3=A9) reported that Comstock =E2=80=9Cwas No. 2 on Roll Call= =E2=80=99s list of the 10 most vulnerable House incumbents last month.=E2=80=9D *VA7: Spanberger Cruises To Democratic Primary Win To Challenge Brat. *The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch (6/12, Wilson) reports that ex-CIA officer Abigail Spanberger (D) =E2=80=9C= handily defeated=E2=80=9D ex-Marine pilot Dan Ward (D) in Tuesday=E2=80=99s VA7 Dem= ocratic primary, earning the right to face off against VA7 Rep. Dave Brat (R) in the general election. Spanberger received =E2=80=9Cmore votes Tuesday than any other ca= ndidate on the ballot in Virginia=E2=80=99s House primary races.=E2=80=9D While the= VA7 =E2=80=9Cleans Republican, Democrats have cited a recent shift among the electorate. They hope to score an upset against Brat.=E2=80=9D *Heller-Rosen General Election Battle For Open Nevada Senate Seat Now Set. *As expected, Sen. Dean Heller (R) and Rep. Jacky Rosen (D) on Tuesday easily won their respective Senate primaries, setting up what will be a closely watched general election matchup. The AP (6/12) reports that Heller is facing =E2=80=9Ca tough re-election battle th= at could help swing control of the Senate. Heller is considered the most vulnerable Republican US senator seeking re-election this year because he=E2=80=99s th= e only one running in a state that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in 2016.=E2=80=9D *Lee, Tarkanian To Face Off In Race To Succeed Rosen In NV3. *The Nevada Independent (6/12, Messerly, Snyder, Rindels) reports that businessman Danny Tarkanian (R) on Tuesday won the NV3 GOP primary and will face off in the general election against philanthropist Susie Lee (D), winner of the Democratic primary, in the race to succeed Rosen. The Independent adds that Tarkanian =E2=80=9Cjumped into the race in March =E2=80=93 a day before the filing de= adline =E2=80=93 after President Donald Trump nudged him out of the US Senate race against Sen. Dean Heller with a tweet.=E2=80=9D *NV4: Hardy-Horsford Rematch Set. *The Nevada Independent (6/12, Messerly, Snyder, Rindels) reports that ex-Reps. Cresent Hardy (R) and Steven Horsford (D) on Tuesday easily won their respective primaries in the race to succeed retiring NV4 Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D), =E2=80=9Cwho decide= d not to run for re-election after a series of allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against him in December.=E2=80=9D Hardy unseated Horsford in 2014,= but was himself ousted in 2016 by Kihuen. *Laxalt, Sisolak Advance To General Election In Race To Succeed Gov. Sandoval. *Clark County Commission chief Steve Sisolak (D) on Tuesday defeated Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani (D) in Nevada=E2=80= =99s Democratic gubernatorial primary. In the general election, Sisolak will face state Attorney General Adam Laxalt (R), who easily won the GOP primary. The candidates are vying to succeed term-limited Gov. Brian Sandoval (R). The Reno (NV) Gazette-Journal (6/12, DeHaven) reports that Sisolak defeated Giunchigliani =E2=80=9Cby 13 percentage points=E2=80=9D in the Democratic primary, =E2=80=9Ca bigger-tha= n-expected win over his fellow Clark County commissioner. Some 12,000 votes separated the pair after a bruising campaign battle that counted among the most bitter, expensive state primary races in recent memory.=E2=80=9D *North Dakota Sen. Heitkamp, Cramer To Battle In General Election. *Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D) will face off against Rep. Kevin Cramer (R) this fall. Heitkamp was unopposed in Tuesday=E2=80=99s Democratic primary, while Crame= r cruised to victory in the GOP contest. The Grand Forks (ND) Herald (6/12, Hageman) reports that Heitkamp is =E2=80=9Cthe only Democrat elected= to statewide office in=E2=80=9D North Dakota, where President Trump =E2=80=9Cw= on easily less than two years ago. North Dakota=E2=80=99s race could help determine which = party controls the Senate, where Republicans currently hold a slim majority. Cramer initially opted to seek re-election in the House but jumped to the Senate contest in February after some prodding from Trump.=E2=80=9D *ND-AL: Armstrong Wins GOP Primary In Race To Replace Cramer. *The AP (6/12) reports that state Sen. Kelly Armstrong (R) on Tuesday =E2=80=9Ceasi= ly won=E2=80=9D the GOP primary in the race to succeed Cramer. In the general election, Armstrong will face ex-state Sen. Mac Schneider (D), =E2=80=9Cwho ran unopp= osed for the Democratic nomination.=E2=80=9D CQ Roll Call (DC) (6/12, Bowman) reported, =E2=80=9CInside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales = rates the House general election Solid Republican.=E2=80=9D *Maine Sen. King To Face Republican Brakey, Democrat Ringelstein. *= The AP (6/12) reports that in his bid for reelection, Sen. Angus King (I) =E2=80= =9Cwill face two lesser-known candidates who won uncontested primaries Tuesday but now face a difficult challenge against a popular incumbent.=E2=80=9D State = Sen. Eric Brakey (R) and teacher Zak Ringelstein (D), both of whom ran unopposed in their respective primaries, will face off against King in the general election. *Moody Wins GOP Gubernatorial Primary; Democratic Race Won=E2=80=99= t Be Decided Until Next Week. *The AP (6/13, Villenueve) reports that businessman Shawn Moody (R) =E2=80=9Cwon Tu= esday=E2=80=99s ranked-choice voting [GOP] primary in the race to succeed=E2=80=9D term-lim= ited Gov. Paul LePage (R), =E2=80=9Cwhile no clear majority winner had emerged i= n the Democratic primary.=E2=80=9D The AP =E2=80=9Cdid not call the Democratic pr= imary as no candidate was close to the majority needed to be declared the outright winner, so more tabulations are required next week under ranked-choice voting. Last-place candidates will be eliminated and votes reallocated until there is a winner, a process that may take more than a week.=E2=80=9D= In the Democratic contest, state Attorney General Janet Mills (D) and attorney Adam Cote (D) =E2=80=9Cboth had more than 25 percent of the vote with more = than 60 percent of the expected vote counted.=E2=80=9D The Portland (ME) Press Hera= ld (6/12, Thistle) reports, =E2=80=9CWith 63 percent of precincts reporting sh= ortly before 1 a.m. Wednesday, Moody had 55 percent of the vote.=E2=80=9D *Golden Appears Likely To Emerge As ME2 Rep. Poliquin=E2=80=99s Fal= l Opponent. *The AP (6/12) reports that state Rep. Jared Golden (D), who is seeking to take on ME2 Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R) this fall, =E2=80=9Chad the most first-place vo= tes in=E2=80=9D Tuesday=E2=80=99s ME2 Democratic primary, =E2=80=9Cbut it=E2=80=99ll take a= dditional tabulations to determine if he=E2=80=99s=E2=80=9D advanced to the general election. Golden= =E2=80=9Chad collected about 50 percent of the vote with about two-thirds of the votes counted early Wednesday. If there=E2=80=99s no majority, then the ballots will be s= hipped to the state capital for additional tabulations next week under ranked-choice voting.=E2=80=9D Environmentalist Lucas St. Clair (D) trailed= Golden. The Lewiston (ME) Sun Journal (6/12, Collins) reports, =E2=80=9CSince it is not clear Golden got more tha= n half the vote, it is possible ranked-choice voting will have to be factored in. But given Golden=E2=80=99s lead, St. Clair has little chance of pulling out= a victory.=E2=80=9D Sessions Defends Decision On Restricting Asylum. Attorney General Sessions was asked on Fox News=E2=80=99 Tucker Carlson Ton= ight[image: Image removed by sender. Video] (6/12) about his decision to restrict asylum for victims of gang and domestic violence. Sessions said, =E2=80=9CSeven years ago, 5,000 people ap= plied for asylum claiming a credible fear of being at home in their home country, and they needed to flee that country. That number jumped to 94,000 in just seven years. It is overwhelming our system. Over 80% of those claims are being denied by the immigration judges as being not meritorious.=E2=80=9D S= essions added, =E2=80=9CYou do not get to come to America if you have a private thr= eat or someone personally attacks you. You do not get to have asylum for that. It=E2=80=99s based on your race, religion or nationality, that you are part= of some special identifiable group that has been persecuted in your home country. That=E2=80=99s what it takes to have asylum and we need to get this straigh= t.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12, Robbins) reports that =E2=80=9Cimmigrants and their attorneys=E2=80= =9D across the nation =E2=80=9Cwere grappling with the precedent-setting decision.=E2=80= =9D Sessions =E2=80=9Ceffectively narrowed the definition of persecution when he reverse= d a decision by an appellate board in a 2016 asylum case.=E2=80=9D *Immigration Judges Fear Sessions=E2=80=99 Agenda Could Impede Thei= r Work. *The New York Times (6/12, Benner) reports that =E2=80=9Cmany=E2=80=9D immigration judges say = =E2=80=9CSessions=E2=80=99s hard-line immigration agenda is increasingly standing in the way of their ability to mete out justice.=E2=80=9D Some =E2=80=9Cobjected to quotas he i= mposed on them this spring of 700 cases per year, as well as his ban on a bureaucratic tool they used to reduce their caseloads,=E2=80=9D while others =E2=80=9Cex= pressed concern about the impact his zero-tolerance policy on illegal immigration could have on their dockets, and his push for faster rulings.=E2=80=9D *Administration May House Child Immigrants In Tent Cities. *The Washington Examiner (6/12, Giaritelli) reports that =E2=80=9Can administration official=E2=80= =9D says the Trump Administration =E2=80=9Cis moving forward on a plan to tentatively house unaccompanied minors in tent cities located on three Texas military bases due to increasing high border apprehensions and a shortage of beds for the underage immigrants.=E2=80=9D The Miami Herald (6/12, Ordo=C3=B1ez) reports that HHS =E2=80=9Cwill visit Fort Bliss, a spr= awling Army base near El Paso in the coming weeks to look at a parcel of land where the administration is considering building a tent city to hold between 1,000 and 5,000 children, according to U.S. officials and other sources familiar with the plans.=E2=80=9D In addition, HHS officials confirmed that they are= looking at =E2=80=9CDyess Air Force Base in Abilene and Goodfellow AFB in San Angel= o for potential use as temporary shelters.=E2=80=9D *House Republicans To Vote On Two DACA Bills Next Week. *Politico (6/12, Bade, Bresnahan, Caygle) reports that House Speaker Ryan=E2=80=99s o= ffice said Tuesday that House Republicans will vote on two bills to address the fate of Dreamers next week. One is =E2=80=9Ca conservative proposal=E2=80= =9D drafted by House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, and the other is =E2=80=9Ca comprom= ise package still being assembled by Ryan in consultation with moderates and conservative Republicans.=E2=80=9D The plan =E2=80=9Ceffectively kills the = discharge petition campaign, a staggering loss for moderates seeking to pass legislation protecting Dreamers.=E2=80=9D USA Today (6/12, Collins) says the plan =E2=80=9Cmeans GOP leadership has avoided an embarrassing defeat by rogue moderates of their party and every House Democrat.=E2=80=9D The group =E2=80=9Cwas just two signatures away from put= ting into a play a rare maneuver =E2=80=93 known as a discharge petition =E2=80=93 to go aro= und the speaker and bring legislation to the floor.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12, Stolberg, Kaplan) reports that House Republican leaders said Tuesday that they are nearing a deal =E2=80=9Con a Republican immigration bill.=E2= =80=9D Following =E2=80=9Ca closed-door negotiating session,=E2=80=9D with conservatives and= moderates, House Majority Leader McCarthy said, =E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99re close, we=E2=80= =99re very close,=E2=80=9D but he =E2=80=9Cwould not provide details.=E2=80=9D Politico (6/12, McCaskill) says House Majority Whip Scalise =E2=80=9Cexpressed cauti= ous optimism...that GOP leadership, moderates and conservatives could reach an immigration deal and put an end to a weeks-long intra-party impasse.=E2=80= =9D Scalise is quoted as saying, =E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99re not there yet, but I th= ink we=E2=80=99re moving a lot closer. And in exchange we would also make sure there would be no discharge petition.=E2=80=9D *Scalise Warns Against Passing Immigration Bill That Does Not Include Border Security. *The Washington Post (6/12, Debonis) reports that at a Politico event Tuesday, Scalise =E2=80=9Cwarned...that it would be =E2=80=98devastating=E2=80=99 if lawmake= rs passed bipartisan legislation legalizing young undocumented immigrants just hours before a crucial deadline for a group of renegade Republicans trying to force votes on the issue.=E2=80=9D Scalise =E2=80=9Csaid that the Dream Act =E2=80=93 w= hich would grant permanent legal status to young immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as minors =E2=80=93 =E2=80=98threatens national security=E2=80=99 because it w= ould not include accompanying enforcement measures that President Trump and GOP lawmakers are demanding.=E2=80=9D Scalise is quoted as saying, =E2=80=9CIt does not s= ecure the border. There seems to be broad agreement we should secure the border. Well, then, why not go and do it and then address these other problems?=E2= =80=9D According to the Washington Examiner (6/12, Weaver) Scalise =E2=80=9Cpredicted Tuesday that House GOP centrists = will not get the requisite 218 signatures to move forward with a plan to force three immigration votes at the end of the month.=E2=80=9D Breitbart (6/12, Munro) reports that Scalise pointed out today that Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL) has announced that he won=E2=80=99t sign the discharge petition. Acc= ording to Breitbart, =E2=80=9CRoss=E2=80=99s exit leaves the discharge group with = few possible signatories, such as=E2=80=9D Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), =E2=80=9Ca farmer w= ho has pushed the GOP to expand guest-worker programs to help supply more cheap labor to dairy farms and apple orchards.=E2=80=9D Breitbart notes that FWD.us, =E2= =80=9Ca pro-immigration lobbying group for Silicon Valley investors, urged DACA supporters to call Newhouse=E2=80=99s office to persuade him to sign the pe= tition.=E2=80=9D *DHS Unveils =E2=80=9CStrengthened=E2=80=9D Northern Border Strateg= y Amid Growing Tensions With Canada. *Newsweek (6/12, Silva) reports that =E2=80=9Cwith tensions=E2=80=9D between the US a= nd Canada =E2=80=9Con the rise,=E2=80=9D DHS announced =E2=80=9Ca =E2=80=98strengthened=E2=80=99 = Northern Border Strategy that it claims will help =E2=80=98combat terrorism=E2=80=99 and =E2=80=98help facil= itate travel and trade=E2=80=99 at its border with Canada.=E2=80=9D DHS, which says the strategy draws upon= the findings from a Northern Border Threat Analysis Report delivered to Congress in summer 2017, said that while the Northern border =E2=80=9Cremai= ns an area of limited threat in comparison to the U.S. Southern border, safeguarding and securing the northern border presents unique challenges.= =E2=80=9D It adds, =E2=80=9CThe most common threat to U.S. public safety along the No= rthern border continues to be the bi-directional flow of illicit drugs,=E2=80=9D t= hough the US also faces =E2=80=9Cpotential terror threats...primarily from homegr= own violent extremists in Canada who are not included in the U.S. Government=E2= =80=99s consolidated terrorist watch list and could therefore enter the U.S. legally at the Northern Border ports of entry without suspicion.=E2=80=9D *USCIS Launching Office To Focus On Citizenship Cheaters. *The Washington Times (6/12, Taxin) reports that USCIS =E2=80=9Cis launching an office that will = focus on identifying Americans who are suspected of cheating to get their citizenship and seek to strip them of it.=E2=80=9D USCIS Director L. Franci= s Cissna told the AP =E2=80=9Cthat his agency is hiring several dozen lawyers and immigration officers to review cases of immigrants who were ordered deported and are suspected of using fake identities to later get green cards and citizenship through naturalization.=E2=80=9D According to Cissna,= such cases would be referred to DOJ, =E2=80=9Cwhose attorneys could then seek to= remove the immigrants=E2=80=99 citizenship in civil court proceedings.=E2=80=9D *Border Patrol Agent Shot Near Mexican Border In Arizona. *The AP (6/12) reports that a US Border Patrol agent =E2=80=9Cwas wounded in a shoo= ting on an Arizona ranch near the US-Mexico border before dawn Tuesday in a remote area known for drug and migrant smuggling.=E2=80=9D Jim Chilton, identified= as a =E2=80=9Cfifth-generation Arizona cattleman=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Ca well-kn= own Arizona backer of President Donald Trump=E2=80=99s efforts to secure the U.S.-Mexico border,= =E2=80=9D says the Border Patrol =E2=80=9Csent him an email saying the agent was alone whe= n he was wounded on the ranch and was struck in the leg and the hand. Several bullets also struck the agent=E2=80=99s protective vest, which probably sav= ed his life, Chilton said.=E2=80=9D The Washington Times (6/12, Dinan) reports that Chilton =E2=80=9Csaid the shooting could have be= en averted had the government taken border security more seriously.=E2=80=9D C= hilton said, =E2=80=9CPresident Trump needs to complete the wall and fill the 25-m= ile gap, and move the Border Patrol to the international boundary rather than be located 80 miles from the boundary.=E2=80=9D *Nielsen Inspects Israel=E2=80=99s Border With Egypt For Mexico Wal= l Ideas. *Reuters (6/12, Williams) reports DHS Secretary Nielsen =E2=80=9Cinspected Israel=E2= =80=99s fenced-off border with Egypt on Tuesday for ideas for the US border with Mexico,=E2=80=9D where President Trump has pledged to build a wall. A US of= ficial who spoke to Reuters confirmed Nielsen=E2=80=99s visit to the Israel-Egypt = border. Azar Says He Wants To Preserve Protections For Preexisting Conditions. The Washington Post (6/12, Goldstein, McGinley) reports that in testimony before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Tuesday, HHS Secretary Azar said =E2=80=9Cthat he wants to preserve access to affordable insurance= for Americans with preexisting medical conditions,=E2=80=9D but he =E2=80=9Csid= estepped grilling on whether he agreed with a legal brief filed last week by Justice Department attorneys stating they would not defend the Affordable Care Act in a federal lawsuit by Texas and 19 other Republican-led states.=E2=80=9D = Asked by Sen. Maggie Hassan if he would encourage the Administration to change its position that =E2=80=9Cthe ACA=E2=80=99s individual mandate...will become u= nconstitutional next year =E2=80=93 and, with it, the law=E2=80=99s insurance protections f= or consumers,=E2=80=9D Azar said that =E2=80=9Cwe do believe in finding solutions on the matter of preexisting conditions and the matter of affordability regardless of the litigation.=E2=80=9D *McConnell, Alexander Voice Support Preexisting Condition Protections. *The Hill (6/12, Hellmann) reports that Senate Majority Leader McConnell said in his weekly pres conference Tuesday that =E2=80=9Ceverybody=E2=80=9D in the Sena= te wants to preserve protections for people with preexisting conditions. McConnell said, =E2=80=9CEverybody I know in the Senate =E2=80=93 everybody =E2=80=93= is in favor of maintaining coverage for preexisting conditions. There is no difference in opinion about that whatsoever.=E2=80=9D McConnell=E2=80=99s comments comes = as the Trump Administration is =E2=80=9Cseek[ing] to have such protections overturned in= court.=E2=80=9D The Washington Times (6/12, Howell) reports that in =E2=80=9Cthe clearest protest yet from the G= OP,=E2=80=9D Senate HELP Chairman Lamar Alexander said Tuesday, =E2=80=9CThere=E2=80=99s= no way Congress is going to repeal protections for people with pre-existing conditions who want to buy health insurance. ... Congress specifically repealed the individual mandate penalty, but I didn=E2=80=99t hear a single senator say = that they also thought they were repealing protections for people with pre-existing conditions. ... In fact, Republicans are seeking to expand insurance options for Americans with pre-existing conditions through a new Department of Labor rule that will make lower cost employer insurance with patient protections available to the self-employed and more employees of small businesses.=E2=80=9D *Azar Lowers Expectations For Large Price Cuts From Dug Makers. * Politico (6/12, Karlin-Smith) says HHS Secretary Azar =E2=80=9Cis lowering expectati= ons that drug companies will soon announce huge price cuts,=E2=80=9D despite Preside= nt Trump=E2=80=99s May 30 claim that some major drug makers would announce =E2= =80=9Cvoluntary massive drops in prices=E2=80=9D within two weeks. Azar told the Senate pan= el that although there are =E2=80=9Cseveral drug companies that are looking at subs= tantial, material decreases in drug prices,=E2=80=9D it could take time for the cuts= to occur. Bloomberg News (6/12, Edney) reports that Azar said =E2=80=9Cit may be time to eliminate t= he complex system of rebates that drug companies and pharmacy-benefit managers use to negotiate and set prices.=E2=80=9D Azar is quoted as saying, =E2=80= =9CWe may need to move toward a system without rebates, where PBMs and drug companies just negotiate fixed-price contracts. Such a system=E2=80=99s incentives, detach= ed from artificial list prices, would likely serve patients far better.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12, Pear) says =E2=80=9CDemocratic senators blistered=E2=80=9D Azar, =E2= =80=9Ctelling him that the Trump administration=E2=80=99s efforts to undo health insurance protect= ions for people with pre-existing conditions made a mockery of the president=E2=80= =99s campaign to rein in prescription drug prices.=E2=80=9D They argued that =E2= =80=9Cthat the effort to lower drug prices and the push to end protections for people with pre-existing conditions contradicted each other. If a federal court accepts the administration=E2=80=99s argument on pre-existing conditions, they said= , tens of millions of people with such conditions could lose access to affordable insurance that includes coverage for prescription medicines.=E2=80=9D *DOJ Official Resigns After Decision Not To Defend ACA. *The Washin= gton Post (6/12, Barrett, Zapotosky) reports that Joel McElvain, who has worked at DOJ for more than 20 years, resigned last week =E2=80=9Cin the wake of the = Trump administration=E2=80=99s move to stop defending a key provision of the Affo= rdable Care Act.=E2=80=9D The departure of McElvain, who submitted his resignation= the day after Attorney General Sessions notified Congress that DOJ would not defend the ACA against lawsuits filed by GOP-led states, =E2=80=9Chighlights inter= nal frustration generated by the decision, according to people familiar with the matter.=E2=80=9D Trump Reportedly To Nominate CFPB Head Next Week. Reuters (6/12) cites a =E2=80=9Ctop US official=E2=80=9D who said President Trump = =E2=80=9Chas been reviewing a handful of potential nominees to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and his final pick will be named next week.=E2=80= =9D The New York Times (6/12, Rappeport) reports that acting CFPB head Mulvaney =E2=80=9Chas relis= hed curbing the agency=E2=80=99s power =E2=80=93 curtailing its enforcement act= ivity, easing up on payday lenders and urging the agency=E2=80=99s career staff to be more h= umble in their efforts to protect consumers.=E2=80=9D In an interview with the Times= , Mulvaney =E2=80=9Creflected on the future of the C.F.P.B. =E2=80=93 or as h= e calls it, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.=E2=80=9D Mulvaney =E2=80=9Chas suc= ceeded in internally neutering much of the agency=E2=80=99s enforcement power.=E2=80= =9D In his next budget request, Mulvaney =E2=80=9Cwill be asking for a deep spending cut of= about 20 percent. That would bring the bureau=E2=80=99s annual funding down to 20= 15 levels =E2=80=93 or about $480 million.=E2=80=9D The Washington Examiner (6/12, Lawler) reports that a CFPB official said Tuesday that the agency =E2=80=9Chas started a number of investigations against companies=E2=80=9D = under Mulvaney. The Examiner says word of the probes =E2=80=9Ccould allay Democratic fears = that the conservative Republican has stopped policing markets.=E2=80=9D *Trump Nominees Win Backing Of Democrats On Senate Banking Committee. *Bloomberg News (6/12) reports that economist Richard Clarida, who was nominated by President Trump to serve as Federal Reserve vice chairman, =E2=80=9Cwon bip= artisan support from members of the Senate Banking Committee=E2=80=9D today, =E2=80= =9Csignaling he will likely win confirmation in the full chamber.=E2=80=9D In addition, Kan= sas banking commissioner Michelle Bowman, who was nominated to serve as a Fed governor, =E2=80=9Calso got a thumbs-up from both Republicans and Democrats= , meaning two of Trump=E2=80=99s three current Fed nominees appear well on th= eir way to joining the central bank.=E2=80=9D Bloomberg notes that Clarida =E2=80= =9Creceived support from seven Democrats,=E2=80=9D while fiver Democrats voted in favor= of Bowman. *Krebs Confirmed To DHS Cybersecurity Post. *Axios (6/12, Uchill) reports that in a voice vote Tuesday evening, the Senate confirmed Chris Krebs =E2=80=9Cto a top Homeland Security cybersecurity and critical infrastructure post by a Senate voice vote.=E2=80=9D *Friends Expect Kudlow To Return To Work. *The New York Times (6/12, Tankersley) reports that friends who spoke with National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow say the expect him =E2=80=9Cto return to his = White House job after recovering from a mild heart attack that landed him in the hospital on Monday.=E2=80=9D Treasury Secretary Mnuchin tweeted =E2=80=9Cth= at he had spoken with Mr. Kudlow and that he was =E2=80=98doing well.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D The = Wall Street Journal (6/12, Nicholas, Timiraos) reports that White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Kudlow remained hospitalized as a standard precaution, but, =E2=80=9CHis doctors expect Larry will make a full and spe= edy recovery.=E2=80=9D Kwame Kilpatrick Asks Trump For Sentence Commutation. The Detroit Free Press (6/12, Daalder) reports that former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick =E2=80= =9Chas asked for a commutation of his sentence, according to a public Facebook post and records from the Justice Department.=E2=80=9D In a message posted = on Facebook and the =E2=80=9CFree Kwame Project=E2=80=9D website, Kilpatrick s= aid that he is =E2=80=9Cready (mentally, emotionally, spiritually) to go home!=E2=80=9D If= the President does not grant Kilpatrick=E2=80=99s commutation, he =E2=80=9Cwill remain in= prison until at least 2037.=E2=80=9D Cancer Research Study: AI May Be Better At Identifying Skin Cancer Than Dermatologists. The Healthline (6/11, Mammoser) reports researchers found in a small study published in the Annals of Oncology =E2=80=9Cthat artificial intelligence c= an identify skin cancer more accurately than dermatologists.=E2=80=9D The auth= ors of an accompanying editorial wrote, =E2=80=9CIn the future, I think AI will be integrated into practice = as a diagnostic aide, particularly in primary care, to support the decision to excise a lesion, refer, or otherwise to reassure that it is benign.=E2=80= =9D Suzanne M. Olbricht, MD, FAAD, the president of the American Academy of Dermatology, said in a statement, =E2=80=9CAlthough artificial intelligence= may be a useful tool in skin cancer diagnosis, no machine can replicate the high-quality, comprehensive skin, hair, and nail care provided by a board-certified dermatologist.=E2=80=9D Olbricht added, =E2=80=9CWhile this= technology has great promise for the practice of dermatology, more work and research are necessary for that promise to be realized.=E2=80=9D *WPost Op-Ed: Dermatologists Can, Should Work With AI Not Compete Against It. *Carrie L. Kovarik, an associate professor of dermatology, dermatopathology and medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Caroline A. Nelson and John S. Barbieri, chief residents in dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania, write in an opinion piece in the Washington Post (6/12) that =E2=80=9Clast month, dermatologists were told they had narrowly= lost a competition=E2=80=9D against AI at diagnosing melanoma. Kovarik, Nelson, an= d Barbieri argue that =E2=80=9Cto optimize the potential benefits of artifici= al intelligence while preserving the doctor-patient relationship, we believe that collaboration, not competition, is the winning strategy.=E2=80=9D The = three authors cite the 1960 treatise, =E2=80=9CMan-Computer Symbiosis=E2=80=9D by= J.C.R. Licklider, =E2=80=9Cwhich described how the two could have a mutually benef= icial relationship.=E2=80=9D They conclude, =E2=80=9CIf artificial intelligence b= ecomes another tool in our toolbox, it will support the time-honored lesson that man with machine is superior to either alone.=E2=80=9D Texas HPV Coalition Launching Education Campaign To Boost Vaccination Rates= . The Austin (TX) American Statesman (6/12, Price) reports that considering about one-third of Texas children have been vaccinated for human papillomavirus (HPV), the Texas HPV Coalition =E2=80=9Con Tuesday announced the launch of a new education effor= t=E2=80=9D which aims to =E2=80=9Ceducate physicians and parents to encourage the use of the vaccine.=E2=80=9D The coalition aims =E2=80=9Cto increase vaccination rates= to 80 percent by 2026, the 20th anniversary of the vaccine=E2=80=99s approval by the U.S.= Food and Drug Administration,=E2=80=9D the piece says, adding that with =E2=80= =9Conly 33 percent of children aged 13 to 17=E2=80=9D being vaccinated, the state ranks 47th i= n the nation for vaccination rates. Editorials/Op-Eds New York Times. *=E2=80=9CWhy The North Korea Meeting Was The Trumpiest Moment So Far.=E2= =80=9D* In an editorial, the New York Times (6/12) writes that =E2=80=9Cas a model for diplomacy, the Singapore Summit = had its highs and lows. But as a platform for displaying the singular performance art of Donald Trump, it was a solid 10.=E2=80=9D The Times adds that =E2=80= =9Cif Mr. Trump can crack this nut, he=E2=80=99ll surely get the adulation =E2=80=93 not to= mention the Nobel Peace Prize =E2=80=93 that he is so desperate for.=E2=80=9D *=E2=80=9CTrump Gushes Over North Korea.=E2=80=9D *The New York Tim= es (6/12) editorializes that President Trump =E2=80=9Chas made major concessio= ns,=E2=80=9D Kim Jong-un =E2=80=9Cmade fewer commitments than North Korea has made to past administrations and merely reaffirmed a goal of =E2=80=98denuclearization= =E2=80=99 that North Korea first announced in 1992.=E2=80=9D And as Trump =E2=80=9Cgushed = about the virtues of the North Korean dictator, just a day after he savaged some of America=E2=80=99s closest democratic allies, he even endorsed the North Kor= ean view of such joint exercises=E2=80=9D with South Korea =E2=80=9Cas =E2=80=98prov= ocative.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D *=E2=80=9COn The Brink Of Disaster In Yemen.=E2=80=9D *In an editor= ial, the New York Times (6/12) criticizes the Administration for =E2=80=9Cstanding by=E2=80=9D as i= ts allies =E2=80=9Cprepare to intensify Yemen=E2=80=99s misery=E2=80=9D by a planned = attack on the Red Sea port of Al Hudaydah by a coalition led by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The Times blasts Trump for having =E2=80=9Cemboldened Saudi a= nd emirati leaders=E2=80=9D and now =E2=80=9Csending mixed signals=E2=80=9D on= the planned attack. The Times calls for the Administration to make =E2=80=9Cclear that an attack on= Al Hudaydah would be a disaster and that even considering such action reveals how futile their policy in Yemen has been.=E2=80=9D The Times concludes tha= t seeking =E2=80=9Ca cease-fire and a deal for neutral control of the port co= uld be the first step to a political settlement that is the only hope for peace.= =E2=80=9D Washington Post. *=E2=80=9CPope Francis At Last Opens His Eyes On Clergy Sex Abuse.=E2=80=9D= * A Washington Post (6/12) editorial. *=E2=80=9CThe Post=E2=80=99s Endorsements For Prince George=E2=80= =99s School Board.=E2=80=9D *In an editorial, the Washington Post (6/12) lists its endorsements in the nonpartisan primaries to fill four seats on the Prince George=E2=80=99s County, Maryland Board of Education. T= he Post says incumbent Lupi Grady deserves reelection in District 2. In District 3, Pamela Boozer-Strother is =E2=80=9Cthe most promising=E2=80=9D candidate = =E2=80=9Cto fill the seat being vacated by Dinora Hernandez.=E2=80=9D The Post endorses board vice ch= air Carolyn Boston for reelection in District 6, and in District 9, the Post endorses =E2=80=9Cincumbent Sonya Williams for a second term.=E2=80=9D *=E2=80=9CNo More Concessions.=E2=80=9D *The Washington Post (6/12) editorializes that the Singapore summit =E2=80=9Cwas, without questi= on, a triumph for=E2=80=9D North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who =E2=80=9Cwas able= to parade on the global stage as a legitimate statesman, praised by the president of the United States as =E2=80=98very talented=E2=80=99 and worthy of trust.=E2=80= =9D *Copyright 2018 by Bulletin Intelligence LLC* Reproduction or redistribution without permission prohibited. 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To: Vice President Joe Biden

Wednesday, June 13, 2018 8:00 AM EDT

Today's Table of Contents

Biden in the News

= =E2=80=A2 Biden Rips Trump=E2=80=99s Agreement With Kim.

=E2=80=A2 <= a href=3D"#S10">Norway T= o Invite More US Marines Amid Russia Tensions.

<= div>

=E2= =80=A2 = May Wins Parliament Vote Over Brexit Plans.

=E2=80= =A2 US = Unveils =E2=80=9CUnofficial Embassy=E2=80=9D In Taiwan.

= Biden Rips Trump=E2=80=99s Agreement With Kim.

The Washington Times (6/12, Boyer) reports that former Vice Pre= sident Joe Biden blasted President Trump=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cdeal with North= Korea on denuclearization Tuesday, saying Mr. Trump got taken to the clean= ers by Kim Jong-un. =E2=80=98Talking to dictators is one thing; embracing t= hem is another,=E2=80=99 Mr. Biden said=E2=80=9D in a statement. He added, = =E2=80=9CSo far, this is not a deal that advantages the United States or ma= kes us safer.=E2=80=9D Biden, =E2=80=9Cwho hasn=E2=80=99t ruled out a bid f= or the presidency in 2020, said Mr. Trump=E2=80=99s deal has =E2=80=98reduc= ed our leverage and signaled a weakening of our alliance in return for vagu= e promises to begin nuclear negotiations =E2=80=93 the same kind of promise= s that the North Korean regime has made to American presidents of both part= ies in the past =E2=80=93 and broken repeatedly.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D The Los Angeles Times (6/12, Cloud) also reports Biden=E2=80= =99s reaction =E2=80=93 in a story headlined =E2=80=9CTrump=E2=80=99s Decis= ion To Halt Military Exercises With South Korea Leaves Pentagon And Allies = Nervous=E2=80=9D =E2=80=93 and The Hill (6/12, Anapo= l) reported that Biden said Trump =E2=80=9Cgave Kim =E2=80=98many sought-af= ter wins up front without getting anything in return.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D Bid= en =E2=80=9Calso argued that the deal between Trump and Kim shows an inappr= opriate embracing of a dictator, and that it does not make the US safer. = =E2=80=98While we should never refuse to speak with our adversaries, neithe= r can we ignore the horrendous human rights abuses North Korea=E2=80=99s le= aders perpetrate against their own people,=E2=80=99 Biden said.=E2=80=9D

<= span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;c= olor:#333333">=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Medi= aite (6/12, Feldman) reported that Biden =E2=80=9Cis also troubl= ed by the lack of prep Trump said he took in advance of the meeting: =E2=80= =98By his own admission, the President did not prepare for the Singapore me= eting =E2=80=93 an inexcusable and irresponsible approach to a high-stakes = negotiation. Going forward, I hope that the President and his team will foc= us on what=E2=80=99s necessary for our safety and security=E2=80=93 =E2=80= =93 the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Kore= an peninsula. That is a goal we all share.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D On CNN=E2=80=99s Newsroom3D"Image (6/12), host Brooke Baldwin read Biden=E2=80=99s statement.

Biden Says Democrats =E2=80=9CB= etter Run Scared=E2=80=9D In Midterms.

The Wash= ington Examiner (6/12, Bedard) reported that former Vice Preside= nt Joe Biden =E2=80=9Cis putting Democrats on notice that they better =E2= =80=98run scared=E2=80=99 to keep their jobs in the 2018 elections. =E2=80= =98Pretend it=E2=80=99s Wednesday, November 7, 2018: the day after this yea= r=E2=80=99s midterm elections. Now, pretend the headlines all say the Repub= licans held the House and the Senate,=E2=80=99 he said in an email to suppo= rters.=E2=80=9D Biden went on to write, =E2=80=9CNow, I=E2=80=99m not sayin= g we=E2=80=99re going to lose. But I learned a long time ago that you bette= r run scared if you want to win.=E2=80=9D Biden added =E2=80=9Cthat he is c= onfident in his party in the fall elections, but not overly. =E2=80=98We ha= ve to stay motivated; we better run scared. We won=E2=80=99t win if we don= =E2=80=99t,=E2=80=99 he emailed to supporters of his group, American Possib= ilities.=E2=80=9D = National Review (6/12, McArdle) si= milarly reported on Biden=E2=80=99s email.

Beau Biden Recognized For His Work On Protecting Chi= ldren From Child Abuse.

KYW-TV3D"Ima= Philadelphia (6/12) reported that = the National Children=E2=80=99s Alliance on Tuesday =E2=80=9Crecognized the= late Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden for his commitment to protecting= victims of child abuse. Former Vice President Joe Biden accepted the award= in Washington on behalf of his son.=E2=80=9D KYW-TV broadcast Biden saying= , =E2=80=9CIt all came down to his passion to protect children. It=E2=80=99= s the one thing that drove his public service. And it=E2=80=99s why this ma= tters so much to our family that you recognized it.=E2=80=9D WF= OR-TV3D"Image Miami (6/12)= broadcast Biden making the same remark, and added that he =E2=80=9Calso sa= id Americans don=E2=80=99t take enough about preventing sexual abuse, espec= ially in the wake of several prominent sex-abuse scandals.=E2=80=9D WSHM-TV3D"Image Spr= ingfield (MA)'s CBS 3 News (6/12) also reported on the award honoring B= eau Biden.

Local TV St= ations Highlight Biden=E2=80=99s Slated Stop In Charlotte Today.

This morning, WSOC-TV3D"Image Charlotte, NC (6/13) reports that former Vice Preside= nt Joe Biden today =E2=80=9Cwill be in Charlotte as part of his =E2=80=98Am= erican Promise Tour.=E2=80=99 He=E2=80=99ll discuss the biggest political m= oments of his career, the life altering choices he made and what has helped= him get through some of the toughest times. Former Charlotte Mayor and Sec= retary of Transportation Anthony Foxx will join Biden. The event is schedul= ed for 7 p.m. at the Belk Theatre.=E2=80=9D WCNC-TV=3D"Image Charlotte, NC (6/13) and WXII-TV3D"Image = Winston-Salem, NC (6/13) this morning similarly report on Biden=E2=80=99s s= cheduled stop in Charlotte.

<= /a>Trump Touts =E2=80=9CGreat Progress=E2=80=9D On North Korea T= o Media Skepticism, Democratic Criticism.

Following his his= toric Singapore summit, President Trump tweeted yest= erday, =E2=80=9CHeading back home from Singapore after a truly amazing visi= t. Great progress was made on the denuclearization of North Korea. Hostages= are back home, will be getting the remains of our great heroes back to the= ir families, no missiles shot, no research happening, sites closing...=E2= =80=9D He later added, =E2=80=9CGot along great with= Kim Jong-un who wants to see wonderful things for his country. As I said e= arlier today: Anyone can make war, but only the most courageous can make pe= ace!=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Fu= rther, Trump tweeted this morning, =E2=80=9CJust lan= ded =E2=80=93 a long trip, but everybody can now feel much safer than the d= ay I took office. There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea. Mee= ting with Kim Jong Un was an interesting and very positive experience. Nort= h Korea has great potential for the future!=E2=80=9D He added in a second <= a href=3D"http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=3D201806= 1301biden&r=3Demail-4d3f&l=3D012-bbb&t=3Dc">tweet this morning, =E2=80=9CBefore taking office peo= ple were assuming that we were going to War with North Korea. President Oba= ma said that North Korea was our biggest and most dangerous problem. No lon= ger =E2=80=93 sleep well tonight!=E2=80=9D In a later tweet this morning, Trump added, =E2=80=9CWe save a fortune by not doing = war games, as long as we are negotiating in good faith =E2=80=93 which both= sides are!=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0 The summit, however, sparked widespread skepticism from the media, w= hich criticized the joint statement signed by the leaders as too vague, and= generally cast Trump as having accomplished little. In fact, the coverage = is so skeptical that Axios (6/12, Shin) ran an analy= sis pointing out to its readers that =E2=80=9Cdenuclearization could still = happen despite Trump=E2=80=99s lack of a plan.=E2=80=9D Reuters= (6/12, Spetalnick), however, says the summit =E2=80=9Cappears t= o have failed to secure any concrete commitments by Pyongyang for dismantli= ng its nuclear arsenal,=E2=80=9D while to Bloomberg News= (6/12, Talev, Olorunnipa) the meeting =E2=80=9Cwas unquestionably a su= ccess =E2=80=93 for Kim.=E2=80=9D Another Bloomberg News= (6/12, Wadhams) analysis says that the =E2=80=9Cbiggest winner=E2=80= =9D =E2=80=93 aside from Kim =E2=80=93 was the government of President Xi J= inping. The AP (6/12, Talmadge) reports that =E2=80= =9Cprobably even his own surprise,=E2=80=9D Kim =E2=80=9Cgot=E2=80=9D what = he wanted out of Trump =E2=80=9Cand a whole lot more,=E2=80=9D and the Washington Post (6/12, Hudson) cites =E2=80=9Cexperts=E2= =80=9D who state the North Korea deals brokered by Bill Clinton and George = W. Bush were far stronger than the agreement and diplomatic process touted = by Trump, and that the Administration handed Kim a big win by agreeing to t= he summit.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Democ= rats were of the similar mind. As USA Today (6/12, G= audiano) reports, =E2=80=9CDemocratic congressional leaders blasted...Trump= ...for granting concessions to...Kim...in exchange for a deal to work towar= d =E2=80=98complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula=E2=80=99 that = offered scant details on how to achieve it.=E2=80=9D Whereas =E2=80=9CRepub= lican leaders reacted with cautious optimism,=E2=80=9D Senate Minority Lead= er Schumer said yesterday, =E2=80=9CTrump has granted a brutal and repressi= ve dictatorship the international legitimacy it has long craved.=E2=80=9D H= ouse Minority Leader Pelosi similarly stated, =E2=80=9CIn his haste to reac= h an agreement...Trump elevated North Korea to the level of the United Stat= es while preserving the regime=E2=80=99s status quo.=E2=80=9D Sen. Robert M= enendez, ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said o= n CNN=E2=80=99s The Lead3D"Image (6/12), =E2=80=9CThis is the most anemic communique that= has ever come out of a US-North Korea engagement. Very little substance on= anything. ... All we got here was a promise for more promises and we=E2=80= =99ve been down that road before.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Townhall (6/12, Brown) h= ighlights the Democratic leaders=E2=80=99 criticism, while Brei= tbart (6/12, Poor) points out that on CNN=E2=80=99s = Inside Politics3D"Image (6= /12), Dana Bash =E2=80=9Csuggested there is a double standard to the extent= there would be a call for impeachment a Democratic president engaging in t= he style of diplomacy in which Trump has engaged with...Kim.=E2=80=9D Said = Bash, =E2=80=9CThere would be a call for impeachment.=E2=80=9D Along simila= r lines, media analyses are uniformly critical both of Trump and of the sig= ned agreement. Mark Landler writes in a New York Times (6/12) analysis that the statement =E2=80=9Cwas as skimpy as the summit = was extravagant. It called for the =E2=80=98complete denuclearization=E2=80= =99 of the Korean Peninsula but provided neither a timeline nor any details= about how the North would go about relinquishing its weapons.=E2=80=9D The= Wall Street Journal (6/12, Bender, Gordon, Cheng) r= eports that Trump failed to secure specific new commitments from Kim =E2=80= =93 even as he launched a new phase of personal diplomacy.

= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 NBC Nightly News3D"Image (6/12, lead story, = 5:15, Holt) said =E2=80=9Cthe accomplishments of their first face-to-face m= eeting are being held up to the light, especially what wasn=E2=80=99t in=E2= =80=9D the agreement Kim and Trump signed. ABC World News Tonig= ht3D"Image (6/12, lead sto= ry, 4:55, Muir) reported that =E2=80=9CTrump headed home today, confident t= he biggest gamble of his presidency had paid off,=E2=80=9D but the agreemen= t he and Kim signed is =E2=80=9Cshort on specifics.=E2=80=9D The White Hous= e =E2=80=9Cacknowledges there=E2=80=99s a lot of details to workout.=E2=80= =9D The CBS Evening News3D"Image (6/12, lead story, 4:10, Glor) said a =E2=80=9Cjubilant= =E2=80=9D Trump left Singapore =E2=80=9Cwith what he said was an historic n= ew relationship with North Korea and a commitment from=E2=80=9D Kim =E2=80= =9Cto eventually give up nuclear weapons.=E2=80=9D Margaret Brennan said on= the CBS Evening News3D"Image (6/12, story 3, 2:55, Glor) that Trump =E2=80=9Cgave hims= elf a lot of wiggle room today=E2=80=9D by saying, =E2=80=9CI may stand up = here I six months and say, =E2=80=98hey, I was wrong.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D But= the President =E2=80=9Calso gave the North Koreans room to maneuver as wel= l.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The = Washington Post (6/12, Nakamura, Rucker, Fifield, Ge= aran) says that at =E2=80=9Cjust over a page long,=E2=80=9D the statement = =E2=80=9Cwas perhaps most notable for its lack of details.=E2=80=9D Kim, it= says, =E2=80=9Cmade no specific commitment to relinquish his nuclear arms = and ballistic missiles and gave no timeline for which he would do so. Rathe= r, he committed solely to abiding by a mostly symbolic agreement he had mad= e during a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April.=E2=80= =9D Asked why his negotiating team had not locked do= wn specific promises from Pyongyang, Trump replied: =E2=80=9CBecause there= =E2=80=99s no time. I=E2=80=99m here one day ... But the process is now goi= ng to take place.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0 Under the headline =E2=80=9CTrump, Kim Claim Big Summit Succes= s, But Details Are Scant,=E2=80=9D the AP (6/12, Mi= ller, Lucey, Lederman, Klug) says the statement =E2=80=9Clargely amounts to= an agreement to continue discussions, echoing previous public statements a= nd commitments.=E2=80=9D Still, the two leaders =E2=80=9Cleft Singapore Tue= sday, praising their face-to-face progress.=E2=80=9D During a press confere= nce after the talks, Trump =E2=80=9Cacknowledged that denuclearization won= =E2=80=99t happen overnight,=E2=80=9D but contended, =E2=80=9COnce you star= t the process it means it=E2=80=99s pretty much over.=E2=80=9D

<= p style=3D"margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt">=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The Los Angeles = Times (6/12, Kim) characterizes the framework as =E2=80=9Ca vagu= ely worded agreement that contained no concrete plan for disarmament.=E2=80= =9D While the Times concedes the agreement =E2=80=9Cis no small achievement= considering that the two leaders were threatening each other with nuclear = war last summer...it was far less than the ambitious arms control deal Trum= p hoped to gain when he agreed to the summit in March.=E2=80=9D CNN (6/11, Liptak) similarly says Tuesday=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cun= precedented=E2=80=9D talks =E2=80=9Cculminated...with fulsome declarations = of a new friendship but just vague pledges of nuclear disarmament.=E2=80=9D= USA Today (6/12, Jackson) notes the agreement =E2= =80=9Cdid not provide specifics about what Kim means by =E2=80=98denucleari= zation.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0 The Washington Free Beacon (6/12, Gertz), = however, says that while the =E2=80=9Chistoric meeting...failed to produce = a dramatic breakthrough,=E2=80=9D it did =E2=80=9Cset the stage for future = talks on what was billed as a new relationship.=E2=80=9D To the AP (6/12, Lemire, Pennington), moreover, Trump staged =E2=80=9C= a shift from the nation=E2=80=99s asserted stance as the globe=E2=80=99s mo= ral leader=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Ca sharp break from the position of preside= nts from both parties to set America as the exemplar shining city on a hill= for other nations to emulate.=E2=80=9D The AP analysis adds that =E2=80=9C= it has been much the same at home,=E2=80=9D as when =E2=80=9Che pointedly r= efused to exclusively blame neo-Nazis and white supremacists for last summe= r=E2=80=99s deadly clash with anti-racist demonstrators.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 James Hohmann writes in a= Washington Post (6/12) analysis that Trump =E2=80= =9Cexpressed a bewilderingly high degree of confidence=E2=80=9D after Tuesd= ay=E2=80=99s meeting with Kim. Trump told reporters, =E2=80=9CMy whole life= has been deals. I know when somebody wants a deal. =E2=80=A6 I just feel v= ery strongly =E2=80=93 my instinct=E2=80=A6 =E2=80=93 they want to make a d= eal.=E2=80=9D Hohmann, however, says the President =E2=80=9Cis giving someo= ne the benefit of the doubt who has done little or nothing to earn it.=E2= =80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Ben Tracy= reported on the <= span style=3D"color:#0000ee">CBS Evening News3D"Image (6/12, story 2, 1:20, Glor) that =E2=80=9Cthe f= ront page of the newspaper in North Korea today...is covered with pictures = of Kim...with President Trump. And that=E2=80=99s one of the big things tha= t Kim...got out of this. He looks like a confident world leader on the worl= d stage. He doesn=E2=80=99t look like the leader of an isolated nation.=E2= =80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 A USA Today (6/12, Korte) analysis, meanwhile, says Tuesday= =E2=80=99s summit =E2=80=9Chearkens back to a bygone era of high-risk summi= ts where the outcome is not preordained,=E2=80=9D but it =E2=80=9Csuits=E2= =80=9D Trump=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cnegotiating style: Size up your adversary, = establish a rapport and make a deal.=E2=80=9D Ted Anthony writes for the AP (6/12) that the summit =E2=80=9Cis being vigorously= debated across the planet for what it did, what it didn=E2=80=99t do and w= ho emerged on top. ... But what if that=E2=80=99s not the whole point? What= if, on a sunny tropical morning in Singapore, the spectacle itself was the= most substantial thing of all?=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Kim Accepts Trump=E2=80= =99s Invite To Washington. The Ne= w York Post (6/12, Hicks) reports that =E2=80=9Cfresh off the Si= ngapore summit,=E2=80=9D Kim =E2=80=9Chas accepted...Trump=E2=80=99s invita= tion to visit Washington.=E2=80=9D The Daily Caller= (6/12, Pickrell) reports the state-run Korean Central News Agency said Kim invited Trump =E2=80=9Cto visit Pyongyang at a con= venient time and Trump invited Kim Jong Un to visit the US. ... The two top= leaders gladly accepted each other=E2=80=99s invitation.=E2=80=9D <= /p>

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Trump Reiterates Optimism About Denuclearization, US-North Korea Ties. Trump took to Twitter again later on Tuesday, <= a href=3D"http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=3D201806= 1301biden&r=3Demail-4d3f&l=3D034-741&t=3Dc">writing, =E2=80=9CThere is no limit to what NoKo can = achieve when it gives up its nuclear weapons and embraces commerce & en= gagement w/ the world. Chairman Kim has before him the opportunity to be re= membered as the leader who ushered in a glorious new era of security & = prosperity for his citizens!=E2=80=9D He later added= , =E2=80=9CI want to thank Chairman Kim for taking the first bold step towa= rd a bright new future for his people. Our unprecedented meeting =E2=80=93 = the first between an American President and a leader of North Korea =E2=80= =93 proves that real change is possible! ... The Wor= ld has taken a big step back from potential Nuclear catastrophe! No more ro= cket launches, nuclear testing or research! The hostages are back home with= their families. Thank you to Chairman Kim, our day together was historic!= =E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 During= an interview with George Stephanopoulos for ABC=E2=80=99s Good= Morning America3D"Image (= 6/12) after the summit, moreover, Trump said, =E2=80=9CThey are going to ge= t rid of their nuclear weapons, and...I think they want to do it relatively= quickly. ... I think they will. I really believe that [Kim] will. I=E2=80= =99ve gotten to know him well in a short period of time. ... He=E2=80=99s d= enuking the whole place and he=E2=80=99s going to start very quickly. I thi= nk he=E2=80=99s going to start now.=E2=80=9D In an interview conducted in S= ingapore after Tuesday=E2=80=99s summit and aired Tuesday night, Trump said= on Fox News=E2=80=99 Hannity3D"Image (6/12) that without the denuclearization of the Kor= ean Peninsula, =E2=80=9Cwe could not have had a deal. We want to de-nuke th= e entire peninsula. We want to de-nuke that whole situation =E2=80=93 that = is hotbed and you know what has been happening for years and nobody did any= thing about it. You have to, we have no choice. We had to. The relationship= was really good. ... I talked about early on in the relationship and the f= eeling, well, we had a really good feel right from the beginning and we wer= e able to get something very important done and actually some things happen= ed after that was signed, where we are getting rid of certain missile resea= rch areas and certain missile testing sites, we are getting rid of a lot.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The Washington Times (6/12, Boyer) reports that Trump also= told Sean Hannity that =E2=80=9Che=E2=80=99s certain that his warlike rhet= oric last year against...Kim...convinced Mr. Kim to negotiate over giving u= p his nuclear weapons.=E2=80=9D Trump told Fox News=E2=80=99 Ha= nnity3D"Image (6/12), =E2= =80=9CWithout the rhetoric we wouldn=E2=80=99t have been here, I really bel= ieve that. We did sanctions and all the things that you would do but I thin= k without the rhetoric, other administrations, I don=E2=80=99t want to get = specific on that, but they had a policy of silence. If they said something = very bad, very threatening and horrible, just don=E2=80=99t answer. That=E2= =80=99s not the answer. That=E2=80=99s not what you have to do. I think tha= t rhetoric, I hated to do it. Sometimes I felt foolish doing it. But we had= no choice.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0 Trump Called Into Senate GOP Lunch To Disc= uss Summit. The Hill (= 6/12, Carney) reports Trump =E2=80=9Ccalled into the Senate GOP lunch from = Air Force One on Tuesday to discuss North Korea, according to a senator who= attended the gathering.=E2=80=9D Sen. John Barrasso told reporters after t= he caucus lunch, =E2=80=9CWe just got off the phone with the President of t= he United States from Air Force One on his plane back from Singapore. He so= unded confident and upbeat, as he should.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Republicans = Offer =E2=80=9CMeasured Praise,=E2=80=9D Rubio Slams Media =E2=80=9CHypocri= sy=E2=80=9D Over Summit Coverage. Meanwhile, = says the Washington Post (6/12, Wagner, Debonis), = =E2=80=9Cleading Republicans in Congress offered measured praise...of...Tru= mp=E2=80=99s high-profile summit=E2=80=9D even as =E2=80=9Cthey emphasized = the difficult road=E2=80=9D ahead. Along those lines, the AP (6/12, Kellman) notes that Senate Majority Leader McConnell, mean= while, hailed the meeting as a =E2=80=9Cmajor first step.=E2=80=9D Dana Mil= bank writes in the Washington Post (6/12) that =E2= =80=9CRepublican lawmakers filled Twitter with applause emojis for Trump af= ter he did the very thing they denounced Obama for even suggesting.=E2=80= =9D Democrats, =E2=80=9Cwere they inclined to be demagogic, could have atta= cked Trump for sitting down with a murderous dictator. Most didn=E2=80=99t.= =E2=80=9D There is an =E2=80=9Casymmetrical partisanship in our current pol= itics: Republicans are blithely hypocritical in praising Trump for doing th= e same thing they blasted Obama for suggesting, but at least some Democrats= retain enough integrity not to dismiss diplomacy just because it is being = attempted by their opponent.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The New York Times (6/12, Fand= os) reports, however, that =E2=80=9Clawmakers from both parties...greeted t= he joint agreement...coolly on Tuesday,=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Ceven some Rep= ublicans who have largely declined to challenge the president=E2=80=9D on t= his issue saying =E2=80=9Cit was unclear what, if anything, had been gained= by the United States.=E2=80=9D The Times backs up that assertion by quotin= g Sens. Bob Corker and Lindsey Graham, who =E2=80=9Ccalled the talks a good= =E2=80=98first step=E2=80=99 but little more.=E2=80=9D Graham told NBC=E2=80=99s Today3D"Image (6/12, Guthrie), =E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t think canceling a war game= is going to matter over the arc of time,=E2=80=9D though =E2=80=9Cone thin= g I would violently disagree with is removing our troops. I can=E2=80=99t i= magine I would vote for any agreement that requires us to withdraw our forc= es because that would destabilize Asia.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The Washington Times= (6/12, Chasmar) reports Sen. Marco Rubio =E2=80=9Con Tuesday slammed A= merican media for their =E2=80=98hypocrisy=E2=80=99 in covering...Trump=E2= =80=99s historic meeting with...Kim.=E2=80=9D Taking to Twitter, =E2=80=9CR= ubio said the media=E2=80=99s coverage of the meeting again exposed a doubl= e standard in how they cover the Republican president compared to his liber= al predecessor, Barack Obama.=E2=80=9D Rubio tweeted= , =E2=80=9CI too have concerns about how all this with #NorthKorea will tur= n out,=E2=80=9D but =E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t recall all the =E2=80=98expert= s=E2=80=99 criticizing Obama when he met with a brutal dictator in #Cuba wh= o also oversaw a police state & also killed & jailed his opponents.= #DoubleStandard=E2=80=9D He added, =E2=80=9CPresidents meeting with #KJU e= xposed incredible hypocrisy of many in media. ... When Obama did these thin= gs, he was described as enlightened. When Trump does it he is reckless &= ; foolish. 1 yr ago they attacked Trump for leading us towards war, now att= ack for being too quick for peace.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Author Paul Brandus writes in USA = Today (6/12), =E2=80=9CHere=E2=80=99s how hyperpartisan our biza= rro world has become: Many of the same folks who, a few years ago, blasted.= ..Obama for going to Cuba and for working with other global powers to rein = in Iran=E2=80=99s nuclear program, are gushing over the fact that...Trump j= ust flew 10,000 miles to meet with Kim,=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cconversely, i= f you praised Obama=E2=80=99s actions then, there=E2=80=99s a good chance y= ou=E2=80=99ve been critical of Trump=E2=80=99s now.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Sa= nders, Gabbard Break With Democrats On Summit. In what Breitbart (6/12, Binder) calls =E2=80=9C= a revolt against the Democratic Party establishment,=E2=80=9D Sen. Bernie S= anders and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) =E2=80=9Cpraised Trump=E2=80=99s summi= t with Kim,=E2=80=9D calling it an =E2=80=9Cimportant first step=E2=80=9D t= owards peace and a =E2=80=9Cpositive step in de-escalating tensions.=E2=80= =9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Editorial Pages Critical Of Trump. Criticism of Trump is also the norm in today=E2=80=99s editorial pages.= The Washington Post (6/12) editorializes that the= summit =E2=80=9Cwas, without question, a triumph for Kim,=E2=80=9D who =E2= =80=9Cwas able to parade on the global stage as a legitimate statesman, pra= ised by the president of the United States as =E2=80=98very talented=E2=80= =99 and worthy of trust.=E2=80=9D Washington Post (6= /12) columnist Max Boot writes that Kim =E2=80=9Cwon an invaluable propagan= da windfall=E2=80=9D after being =E2=80=9Crecognized as an equal by the lea= der of the world=E2=80=99s sole superpower =E2=80=93 not just an equal, ind= eed, but a valued friend.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12) editorializes that =E2=80=9CTrump has made major concessions, whi= le Mr. Kim made fewer commitments than North Korea has made to past adminis= trations and merely reaffirmed a goal of =E2=80=98denuclearization=E2=80=99= that North Korea first announced in 1992.=E2=80=9D And as Trump =E2=80=9Cg= ushed about the virtues of the North Korean dictator, just a day after he s= avaged some of America=E2=80=99s closest democratic allies, he even endorse= d the North Korean view of such joint exercises=E2=80=9D with South Korea = =E2=80=9Cas =E2=80=98provocative.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D To Nicholas Kristof of = the New York Times (6/12), meanwhile, =E2=80=9Cit su= re looks as if...Trump was hoodwinked in Singapore.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The Wall Street = Journal (6/12) also expresses skepticism in its editorial, indic= ating that for all of Trump=E2=80=99s faith in North Korean denuclearizatio= n, so far there was been little evidence that Kim is indeed willing to move= forward with his commitment.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Less critical was an editorial in the Los Angel= es Times (6/12), which says Trump has =E2=80=9Cde-escalated the = rhetoric dramatically=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cmay have begun a process that w= ill succeed in reining in North Korea=E2=80=99s nuclear ambitions,=E2=80=9D= but =E2=80=9Cfor all the spectacle, the meeting was at best a down payment= on that change.=E2=80=9D Along similar lines, USA Today= (6/12) editorializes that that =E2=80=9Cthe world has certainly come a= long way since last year,=E2=80=9D that the summit was =E2=80=9Ca welcome = relief from all the warmongering,=E2=80=9D and that =E2=80=9Cthe agreement = signed by Kim and Trump was historic and potentially groundbreaking.=E2=80= =9D However, =E2=80=9Cthe sense of hopefulness emerging from the summit, ho= wever, has to be leavened with a heavy dose of skepticism.=E2=80=9D =

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 In a second editorial, = the New York Times (6/12) writes that =E2=80=9Cas a = model for diplomacy, the Singapore Summit had its highs and lows. But as a = platform for displaying the singular performance art of Donald Trump, it wa= s a solid 10.=E2=80=9D The Times adds that =E2=80=9Cif Mr. Trump can crack = this nut, he=E2=80=99ll surely get the adulation =E2=80=93 not to mention t= he Nobel Peace Prize =E2=80=93 that he is so desperate for.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Suspension Of =E2=80=9CWar Games=E2=80=9D Sparks More Criticism. Reports also cast Trump=E2=80=99s decision to suspe= nd joint US-South Korean =E2=80=9Cwar games=E2=80=9D as a concession that t= ook Seoul by surprise. The New York Times (6/12, Lan= dler) reports Trump=E2=80=99s decision to suspend the war games, which it c= alls =E2=80=9Ca major concession,=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9Cappeared to take South = Korea by surprise.=E2=80=9D Reuters (6/12, Holland) = calls it =E2=80=9Can unexpected concession to the North,=E2=80=9D and the <= a href=3D"http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=3D201806= 1301biden&r=3Demail-4d3f&l=3D04f-795&t=3Dc">AP (6/12, Klug) says the decision =E2=80=9Crocked the= region with the stunning announcement.=E2=80=9D It adds that Trump=E2=80= =99s =E2=80=9Csurprise, almost offhand=E2=80=9D remarks =E2=80=9Ccontradict= ed countless previous declarations by US political and military officials o= ver the years that the drills are routine, defensive and absolutely critica= l.=E2=80=9D The Los Angeles Times (6/12, Kim) report= s Trump told reporters that halting the drills would save =E2=80=9Ca lot of= money=E2=80=9D and he called them =E2=80=9Cprovocative,=E2=80=9D a =E2=80= =9Ccomplaint North Korea often made.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The Washington Times = (6/12, Boyer) and = Politico (6/12, Cook, Nelson, Toos= i), among others, similarly report the move, which Politico says caught =E2= =80=9CSouth Korea and US military officials by surprise=E2=80=9D and drew = =E2=80=9Ccriticism that he was giving away too much for little in return.= =E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12, Choe) says Trump= =E2=80=99s remarks =E2=80=9Capparently blindsided South Korea.=E2=80=9D The= office of President Moon Jae-in and the Defense Ministry in Seoul both sai= d they were scrambling to =E2=80=9Cfigure out the exact meaning and intenti= ons in President Trump=E2=80=99s comments.=E2=80=9D ABC World N= ews Tonight3D"Image (6/= 12, story 3, 1:30, Muir) too said the South Korean Defense Ministry was =E2= =80=9Ccaught off-guard, saying there was a need to discern the exact meanin= g and intent of President Trump=E2=80=99s comments.=E2=80=9D However, a sec= ond ABC World News Tonight3D"Image (6/12, story 11, 1:40, Muir) segment said =E2=80=9Cth= ere were cheers in South Korea=E2=80=9D on Tuesday.

=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 NBC Nightly News=3D"Image (6/12, story 2, 2:05, Holt)= reported that Trump =E2=80=9Cnot only surprised the South Koreans but US f= orces in the region, too.=E2=80=9D NBC (Engel) added that American forces i= n South Korea =E2=80=9Csaid they... received no updated guidance on executi= on or cessation of training exercises.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Trump told Fox News=E2=80=99 = Hannity3D"Image (6/12) lat= er on Tuesday, =E2=80=9COne of the things that I=E2=80=99m very happy about= , we are not going to play the war games anymore. You know how expensive th= at is? We are flying these massive bombers in for practice from Guam? ... I= hate to sound like a pure businessman, but I kept saying, what is this cos= ting? I look at them coming in from the sea and bombs exploding, and I said= what does this cost? I don=E2=80=99t even want to tell you, but it=E2=80= =99s a lot. So we are not going to be doing that as long as we are negotiat= ing in good faith, which I think we will be.=E2=80=9D

=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 On CNN=E2=80=99s New Da= y3D"Image (6/12), Jim Sciu= tto said, =E2=80=9CThere=E2=80=99s a clear imbalance in specifics. The US h= as made very specific commitments to end the exercises. The President even = brought up withdrawing US troops from the peninsula, a security guarantee t= o...South Korea. That=E2=80=99s very specific.=E2=80=9D Sciutto added that,= on the other hand, North Korea =E2=80=9Cgave no specifics on a timeline fo= r denuclearization, [and] no specifics on how that will be verified over ti= me.=E2=80=9D Likewise, on MSNBC=E2=80=99s Morning Joe=3D"Image (6/12), Council on Foreign = Relations President Richard Haass said that a =E2=80=9Cconcerning=E2=80=9D = aspect of the framework is that North Korea =E2=80=9Ctalked aspirationally = about =E2=80=98denuclearization,=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D while the US =E2=80=9Cof= fered up something tangible, which was the suspension of all military exerc= ises.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 T= he Washington Post (6/12, Kim), meanwhile, says Trum= p=E2=80=99s decision to halt the joint military exercises also =E2=80=9Ctou= ched off confusion on Capitol Hill as an influential GOP senator asserted t= he exercises would nonetheless continue. That was apparently the message de= livered by Vice President Pence to Senate Republicans during a private lunc= h earlier Tuesday,=E2=80=9D according to Sen. Cory Gardner,=E2=80=9D althou= gh that was immediately disputed by Pence=E2=80=99s office.=E2=80=9D Gardne= r told reporters, =E2=80=9CI think what the vice president said today =E2= =80=93 and we=E2=80=99ll continue to clarify what the President had talked = about =E2=80=93 exercises will continue with South Korea.=E2=80=9D <= /p>

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Gloria Borger said on CNN=E2=80=99s Situation Room3D"Image (6/12), =E2=80=9CYou had confusion on Capitol Hill ab= out what this really meant. You had confusion about whether we were, in fac= t, going to stop exercises or so-called war games. You saw the Vice Preside= nt trying to talk to Senate Republicans and the Republicans leaving confuse= d about what would actually occur.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 WPost: Japanese Offic= ials =E2=80=9CAppeared Satisfied.=E2=80=9D Th= e Washington Post (6/12, Murphy, Oda) reports Japan = =E2=80=9Cwas left Tuesday without what it wanted most from the Singapore su= mmit: a clear declaration that North Korea would reopen talks over the abdu= ctions of Japanese citizens decades ago.=E2=80=9D Nevertheless, Japanese of= ficials =E2=80=9Cappeared satisfied with what they got: President Trump=E2= =80=99s public promise that he raised the issue with...Kim...and that the N= orth was =E2=80=98working on that.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 China, Russi= a Looking To Loosen Sanctions Against North Korea. The CBS Evening News3D"Image (6/12, story 2, 1:20, Glor) that China =E2=80=93 whic= h is =E2=80=9Cquite happy=E2=80=9D about the =E2=80=9Ccessation of those mi= litary exercises=E2=80=9D since it=E2=80=99s something Beijing has =E2=80= =9Casked for for a long time=E2=80=9D =E2=80=93 is also =E2=80=9Cfloating t= he idea of easing sanctions on North Korea before there really is big progr= ess.=E2=80=9D National security analyst Samantha Vinograd said on CNN=E2=80=99s Situation Room3D"Image (6/12), =E2=80=9CI think it is unknowable right now what = the United States will gain, but what we do know is that there were clear w= inners here. Russia and China won out after the summit because the United S= tates announced we that would be rolling back our military operations in th= e region, that has been a goal of Russia and China, and that we would engag= e in the diplomatic process further.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Trump Showed Kim V= ideo Of Possible Future For North Korea. The = New York Times (6/12, Rich) reports Trump used an iP= ad to show Kim =E2=80=9Ca slick, bombastic video =E2= =80=93 essentially a Hollywood-style trailer presenting the North=E2=80=99s= possible future, featuring fighter jets and missile launches cut together = with images of dancing children, artisanal pizza and time-lapse sunrises ov= er skyscrapers.=E2=80=9D The video =E2=80=93 =E2=80=9Cwhich the White House= also showed to the traveling press corps before Mr. Trump answered questio= ns at a rambling news conference =E2=80=93 showcased the president=E2=80=99= s reality television sensibility.=E2=80=9D According to the Was= hington Times (6/12, Boyer), the video depicted Kim and Trump = =E2=80=9Cas two men who could change the course of history.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The AP (6/12, Thomas, Miller) reports the video was =E2=80=9Creminiscent= of a movie trailer=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cshows images of warplanes and art= illery while a narrator suggests in English and Korean that =E2=80=98a new = world can begin today, one of friendship, respect and goodwill.=E2=80=99=E2= =80=9D Trump said, =E2=80=9CWe had it made up. I showed it to him today, ac= tually during the meeting, toward the end of the meeting and I think he lov= ed it.=E2=80=9D Trump said the video =E2=80=9Cwas played for about eight me= mbers of the North Korean delegation, =E2=80=98and I thought they were fasc= inated by it.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D According to the Washington Pos= t (6/12, Selk), reporters who viewed the video initially assumed= it was North Korean propaganda.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Trump Instructed US Diplomats = To Seek POW Deal. The Washington = Post (6/12, Rein, Hudson) reports that =E2=80=9Cnestled=E2=80=9D= in Tuesday=E2=80=99s joint statement =E2=80=9Cwas a short bullet point tha= t addresses a long-running concern of US veterans groups: the recovery of t= he remains of thousands of American troops who were killed or captured in N= orth Korea during the Korean War.=E2=80=9D The Post says the statement =E2= =80=9Crepresents a significant victory for veterans groups that lobbied for= cefully behind the scenes for a renewed effort to recover remains.=E2=80=9D= Ahead of the summit, Secretary of State Pompeo told his negotiating team, = led by US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, that the POW issue is imp= ortant to Trump, and he =E2=80=9Cinstructed Kim to negotiate for it,=E2=80= =9D State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Trump told Fox News=E2= =80=99 Hannity3D"Image (6/= 12), =E2=80=9COne of the things I will to you that I=E2=80=99m most happy a= bout, and as you know is a big sticking point, is bringing back the remains= of thousands of soldiers that were killed. ... I said, would it be possibl= e because I get letters all the time from families who lost a son, lost a b= rother, lots of father in Korea. That was a rough fight. ... I get so many = letters from people who lost a loved one in North Korea essentially...and I= would say, I am going to try.=E2=80=99 And I brought it up and I tell you = what, it was almost immediate. Now in the past, you couldn=E2=80=99t even t= alk about it. But it was really a nice response.=E2=80=9D

= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Media = Analyses: Trump Mostly Mum On Human Rights. <= a href=3D"http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=3D201806= 1301biden&r=3Demail-4d3f&l=3D066-86d&t=3Dc">NBC Nightly News3D"Image (6/12, story 3, 2:25, Holt) reported, =E2=80=9COne issue that did= not receive much discussion during this summit was the brutal reality of l= ife in North Korea.=E2=80=9D The Washington Post (6/= 12, Nakamura) reports that while =E2=80=9Cgalvanizing international condemn= ation of North Korea last year,=E2=80=9D Trump =E2=80=9Coften invoked the a= uthoritarian nation=E2=80=99s brutal mistreatment of foreign prisoners and = its own people.=E2=80=9D But on Tuesday, Trump =E2=80=9Cdidn=E2=80=99t ment= ion human rights in his opening remarks=E2=80=9D at his press conference, a= nd the issue =E2=80=9Cwasn=E2=80=99t included in a joint statement signed b= y the two leaders.=E2=80=9D Major Garrett similarly said on the CBS Evening News3D"Image = (6/12, lead story, 4:10, Glor), =E2=80=9CLast year, the President called No= rth Korea with its abysmal human rights record =E2=80=98wicked and depraved= .=E2=80=99 Today, he said he trusts the dynastic young dictator after just = one face-to-face meeting.=E2=80=9D Trump: =E2=80=9CHe=E2=80=99s smart. He l= oves his people. He loves his country. He wants a lot of good things, and t= hat=E2=80=99s why he=E2=80=99s doing this.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 ABC World News Tonight3D"Image (6/12, story 2, 3:3= 5, Muir) reported on Trump=E2=80=99s interview with George Stephanopoulos, = who asked how he can trust a =E2=80=9Cbrutal dictator=E2=80=9D like Kim. Tr= ump replied in part: =E2=80=9CI can only tell you from my experience, and..= .I=E2=80=99ve spoken with him, and I=E2=80=99ve met him. ... I think that h= e really wants to do a great job for North Korea.=E2=80=9D

= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Hannit= y: Summit Exceeded Administration=E2=80=99s Expectations. On Fox News=E2=80=99 Fox & Friends=3D"Image (6/12), Hannity described h= is interview with Trump last night, and said that after seeing the Presiden= t, Pompeo, Chief of Staff Kelly, and National Security Adviser Bolton, =E2= =80=9Cit was obvious this had exceeded all of their expectations,=E2=80=9D = and =E2=80=9Cit was very obvious everybody felt really good about it, espec= ially the President.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Commentators Note Change In Tone = In US-North Korean Ties. Ian Bremmer of the E= urasia Group said on CBS This Morning<= img border=3D"0" width=3D"100" height=3D"100" style=3D"width:1.0416in;heigh= t:1.0416in" id=3D"_x0000_i1058" src=3D"cid:~WRD000.jpg" alt=3D"Image remove= d by sender. Video"> (6/12, O'Donnell), =E2=80=9CThe biggest= win is that six months ago we were talking about the possibility of milita= ry preemption against North Korea. It=E2=80=99s almost inconceivable now th= at there=E2=80=99s a short-term risk of military conflict.=E2=80=9D However= , Bremmer added, =E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s a very high bar to go from here to = =E2=80=98complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization.=E2=80=99=E2= =80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 On MSNBC=E2=80=99s Morning Joe3D"Image (6/12), Victor Cha, former Asia director at the National = Security Council, said, =E2=80=9CIf we weren=E2=80=99t doing this we would = probably be near an armed conflict. That=E2=80=99s certainly where we were = headed in December of 2017. So, in that sense, yes, this is a good first st= art in terms of the diplomacy, but there=E2=80=99s still a very long way to= go. And if you look at the balance sheet, it seems like Kim got a lot more= out of this meeting than Trump did.=E2=80=9D Appearing on NBC= =E2=80=99s Today3D"Image (= 6/12, Kotb), Cha said, =E2=80=9CWhat we got was a very broad statement, whi= ch will require negotiations to try to put some meat on the bones. But the = statements on denuclearization, which we care about the most as Americans, = are so broad, you can drive a truck through them.=E2=80=9D

= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Cha also writes today in the New York Times (6/12, Cha) that Trump deserves =E2=80= =9Ccredit. Only five months ago, based on my conversations with this admini= stration, I thought we were headed down an inexorable path toward a devasta= ting war.=E2=80=9D He says =E2=80=9CTrump=E2=80=99s diplomacy, however unco= nventional, has pierced the isolation bubble of the North Korean leadership= , which no previous president could do,=E2=80=9D and adds that =E2=80=9Cdes= pite its many flaws, the Singapore summit represents the start of a diploma= tic process that takes us away from the brink of war.=E2=80=9D

<= p style=3D"margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt">=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Gerald F. Seib argues in the= Wall Street Journal (6/12) that the prospects for T= uesday=E2=80=99s summit turning into lasting change rest on whether Kim is = prepared to shift away from a quest for more powerful arms into a quest for= a more powerful economy.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0 Thomas Countryman, former assistant secretary of state for intern= ational security and nonproliferation, and Daryl G. Kimball, executive dire= ctor of the Arms Control Association, write for USA Today (6/12) that the summit =E2=80=9Coffers a moment of cautious hope,=E2= =80=9D but =E2=80=9Cwe should have no illusions that the denuclearization e= ffort would be simple. There is no precedent for a country with a nuclear a= rsenal and infrastructure as substantial as North Korea=E2=80=99s to give u= p its nuclear weapons program.=E2=80=9D They urge President Trump to =E2=80= =9Cresist the urge to abandon diplomacy and to return to irresponsible thre= ats=E2=80=9D if =E2=80=9Cearly results are not fully satisfactory.=E2=80=9D=

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Trump Campaign Manager: CNN=E2=80=99s Acosta Should Lose Credent= ials. The Washington Post<= /a> (6/12, Wagner) reports Trump=E2=80=99s campaign manager, Brad Parscale,= on Tuesday called for CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta to have his= media credentials pulled =E2=80=9Cfor asking questions while Trump and Nor= th Korean leader Kim Jong Un were signing an agreement at their Singapore s= ummit.=E2=80=9D Parscale tweeted, =E2=80=9CJim @Acos= ta should immediately have his press credentials suspended. He is an absolu= te disgrace!=E2=80=9D The Post notes that as Trump and Kim were signing the= document in front of a small group of reporters, Acosta asked: =E2=80=9CMr= . President, did he agree to denuclearize?=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Politico: Tr= ump Places =E2=80=9CBig Midterm Bet=E2=80=9D On Trade, North Korea. = Politico (6/12, Cadelago, Wh= ite) says that =E2=80=9Cto President Donald Trump=E2=80=99s camp, his scorc= hed-earth challenge to key US allies over trade and his valedictory denucle= arization pact with Korean dictator Kim Jong Un amount to a compelling midt= erm pitch.=E2=80=9D Politico, however, cautions that the President=E2=80=99= s =E2=80=9Cbig moves of the past few days also represent a giant bet that h= e can keep his negotiating partners at the table between now and November.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Dan Ba= lz writes for the = Washington Post (6/12) that Trump = =E2=80=9Cis now embarked on two ambitious foreign policy initiatives =E2=80= =93 redrawing the rules of international trade and defanging a nuclear-arme= d North Korea =E2=80=93 that represent significant personal gambles. The qu= estion is, can he gain something politically from these efforts in the abse= nce of demonstrable accomplishments?=E2=80=9D Balz argues that Trump=E2=80= =99s =E2=80=9Cbiggest gamble could be his confidence that his unorthodox ap= proach, regardless of the outcomes, will produce tangible political dividen= ds for 2018 and especially 2020.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 White House Thanks Ro= dman For Being =E2=80=9CHelpful=E2=80=9D In North Korea. The New York Post (6/12, Tacopino) repor= ts White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders=E2=80=9D thanked Dennis Rodman= for his =E2=80=98positive=E2=80=99 comments and being =E2=80=98helpful=E2= =80=99=E2=80=9D in bringing Trump and Kim together. In a phone call Monday,= Sanders is quoted as telling Rodman, =E2=80=9CThe President had seen some = of your comments over the last several days. He just wanted me to reach out= and thank you for some of the positive things you said and appreciate you = being helpful in this process.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 USA Today=E2=80=99s Robb= ins: =E2=80=9CAnti-Trump Mania=E2=80=9D Driving Media Narrative. James S. Robbins, writing for USA Today (6/12), =E2=80=9CLast fall,=E2=80=9D Trump and Kim =E2=80=9Cwere tr= ading personal insults and threatening nuclear war. Fast-forward to the Sin= gapore summit, and the two men are smiling and talking on the Island of Tra= nquility. Just like that, peace broke out.=E2=80=9D While =E2=80=9Cthere ha= s been no lack of criticism of the summit...anti-Trump mania drives most of= the critical narrative, rather than a reasoned analysis of strategic oppor= tunity.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= Margaret Sullivan, meanwhile, writes for the Washington Post (6/12) that =E2=80=9Calthough every legitimate news organization = made efforts, some better than others, to bring context and even a measure = of skepticism into their mix of stories, the event overall was a triumph of= Trumpian stagecraft. And the media played its accustomed role.=E2=80=9D Su= llivan says that =E2=80=9Cto their credit, news organizations tried to brin= g context to the pageantry, but it was largely lost.=E2=80=9D

Trump: Trudeau=E2=80=99s Crit= icism Of US Tariffs Will =E2=80=9CCost Him A Lot Of Money.=E2=80=9D<= /h3>

Pamela Brown reported on CNN=E2=80=99s Situation Room<= /span>3D"Image (6/12) that Presid= ent Trump is =E2=80=9Cwaiving off concerns he=E2=80=99s favoring America=E2= =80=99s enemies over allies following discord at the G-7=E2=80=9D this week= end. =E2=80=9CHowever,=E2=80=9D Brown continued, Trump =E2=80=9Cdid call ou= t Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for criticizing US tariffs=E2=80= =9D at the end of the G-7 summit, with Trump calling Trudeau =E2=80=9Cquote= , =E2=80=98obnoxious.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D CNN also showed Trump telling ABC= =E2=80=99s George Stephanopoulos: =E2=80=9CI actually like Justin. ... But = he shouldn=E2=80=99t have done that. That was a mistake that will cost him = a lot of money.=E2=80=9D ABC World News Tonight3D"Im= (6/12, story 4, 2:15, Muir) also = reported that =E2=80=9Cjust hours after heaping praise on North Korea=E2=80= =99s dictator,=E2=80=9D Trump =E2=80=9Cescalated his war of words with...Tr= udeau, declaring Canadians would pay a price.=E2=80=9D On Tuesday though, T= rudeau =E2=80=9Cinsisted the President=E2=80=99s tariffs will end up hurtin= g Americans.=E2=80=9D Trudeau was shown saying, =E2=80=9CThis is not in the= interest of two countries that have the closest and best trading relations= hip and alliance in the history of the world. We=E2=80=99re gonna continue = to stand for that.=E2=80=9D Fox News Special Report=3D"Image (6/12) reported that Navarr= o =E2=80=9Csays his language was inappropriate.=E2=80=9D

= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Navarr= o Apologizes For =E2=80=9CSpecial Place In Hell=E2=80=9D Comment. ABC World News Tonight3D"Imag= (6/12, story 4, 2:15, Muir) reporte= d that while Trump is =E2=80=9Cnot backing away from this fight,=E2=80=9D W= hite House trade adviser Peter Navarro =E2=80=9Capologized to...Trudeau=E2= =80=9D after saying this weekend that =E2=80=9Cthere=E2=80=99s a special pl= ace in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad-faith diplomacy with= ...Trump.=E2=80=9D The AP (6/12) reports that Navar= ro said Tuesday during a Wall Street Journal conference, =E2=80=9CLet me co= rrect a mistake I made...In conveying that message I used language that was= inappropriate.=E2=80=9D Politico (6/12, Cassella) q= uotes Navarro as adding, =E2=80=9CMy mission was to send a strong signal of= strength. ... The problem is that in conveying that message I used languag= e that was inappropriate.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12, Rappeport) notes Navarro also said, =E2=80=9CI own that, that was= my mistake, those were my words.=E2=80=9D The Wall Street Jour= nal (6/12, Mauldin) says Navarro made it clear his remarks refer= red to Trudeau.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 = The Hill (6/12, Samuels) says Navarro =E2=80=9Capolo= gized=E2=80=9D after Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said his S= unday remarks were =E2=80=9Cparticularly appropriate or useful,=E2=80=9D an= d after a =E2=80=9Cnumber of US lawmakers=E2=80=9D and other foreign offici= als like European Council President Donald Tusk =E2=80=9Cwere quick to cond= emn=E2=80=9D his comments. According to Bloomberg News (6/12, Leonard, Pickert), =E2=80=9CNavarro=E2=80=99s apology could ease = tensions after Canada=E2=80=99s parliament condemned the personal attack on= Trudeau and as Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland gets ready to m= eet with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday in = Washington.=E2=80=9D Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the committee, =E2=80=9Cs= aid on Tuesday that he=E2=80=99s =E2=80=98glad=E2=80=99 that Navarro admitt= ed that he misspoke.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 However, Reuters (6/12) reports that= =E2=80=9CCanada reacted coolly to the apology, with Trudeau declining to a= nswer when reporters asked him whether he accepted it.=E2=80=9D The Washington Post (6/12, Wagner) notes that Navarro=E2=80=99s= =E2=80=9Cbroadside against Trudeau followed Trump=E2=80=99s decision over = the weekend to pull the US endorsement of a Group of Seven economic agreeme= nt=E2=80=9D after Trump took =E2=80=9Cumbrage over comments made by Trudeau= about the need for Canada to stand up to the United States on trade tariff= s.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Corker Chides GOP Colleagues After His Tariff Measure= Is Blocked In Senate. The Hill (6/12, Carney) reports legislation authored by Sen. Bob Corker = =E2=80=9Creining in President Trump=E2=80=99s tariff authority was blocked = from getting a vote in the Senate on Tuesday.=E2=80=9D Corker =E2=80=9Ctrie= d to bring up his bill and schedule a vote but was blocked=E2=80=9D by Sen.= James Inhofe, =E2=80=9Cwho is managing the defense bill for Republicans.= =E2=80=9D Inhofe =E2=80=9Cnoted he had talked to members of the House, who = were =E2=80=98strenuously=E2=80=99 objecting to the inclusion of Corker=E2= =80=99s amendment in the defense policy bill.=E2=80=9D The Wash= ington Post (6/12, Werner) says =E2=80=9Cthe leadership move, wh= ich blocked Corker from including his legislation as an amendment on a pend= ing defense bill, probably killed it for good =E2=80=93 and with it, Congre= ss=E2=80=99s best chance of taking any action to confront Trump on trade.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Bloomberg News (6/12, Litvan) reports that Corker, =E2=80= =9Cwho is retiring in January, is increasingly open about his frustrations = with Trump=E2=80=99s trade and other policies,=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Con the= Senate floor, Corker accused Republicans lawmakers of being afraid to =E2= =80=98poke the bear=E2=80=99 when they find themselves on the other side of= the president.=E2=80=9D The AP (6/12, Freking) reco= unts that =E2=80=9Csounding exasperated, Corker said Republican senators ov= erwhelmingly agree with the concept behind his bill, but are afraid of upse= tting the president.=E2=80=9D Said Corker, =E2=80=9CWe might poke the bear = is the language I=E2=80=99ve been hearing in the hallways. ... The United S= tates Senate right now on June 12th is becoming a body where, well, we=E2= =80=99ll do what we can do, but my gosh if the President gets upset with us= , then we might not be in the majority, so let=E2=80=99s not doing anything= that might upset the President.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The Washington Examiner = (6/12, Weaver) reports that =E2=80=9Cas his voice went up an octave,=E2=80= =9D Corker added yesterday, =E2=80=9CI can=E2=80=99t believe it!=E2=80=9D <= a href=3D"http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=3D201806= 1301biden&r=3Demail-4d3f&l=3D089-c3f&t=3Dc">Reuters (6/12, Zengerle) also says =E2=80=9CCorker ac= cused his fellow Republicans of being afraid to stand up to...Trump,=E2=80= =9D and USA Today (6/12, Collins) that he =E2=80=9Cc= hastised his fellow Republicans.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Trump May Impose Chin= a Tariffs As Soon As Friday. Poli= tico (6/12, Behsudi) reports two sources briefed on internal del= iberations say that, in a move =E2=80=9Csure to further inflame tensions an= d spark almost immediate retaliation,=E2=80=9D Trump =E2=80=9Cis expected t= o impose tariffs on Chinese goods as soon as Friday or next week.=E2=80=9D = This =E2=80=9Caggressive stance calls into question the future of talks bet= ween the two trade powers.=E2=80=9D After the summit with North Korean lead= er Kim Jong-un, which =E2=80=9CChina was seen as playing a key role=E2=80= =9D in making happen, Trump =E2=80=9Csaid Beijing has not done an adequate = job closing its border to trade with North Korea in recent months, which Tr= ump seemed to blame for rising U.S.-China trade tensions.=E2=80=9D On Frida= y, the Administration plans to publish a list of Chinese goods that will be= affected by tariffs, and Trump =E2=80=9Cmay choose to use the publication = of the list on Friday as the latest shot across China=E2=80=99s bow=E2=80= =9D instead of actually implementing the tariffs.

=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Ross: ZTE Legis= lation Not Guaranteed To Become Law. Bloomberg News (6/12, Shields) reports that at an event in = Washington on Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Ross =E2=80=9Csaid =E2=80=98we=E2= =80=99ll see=E2=80=99 when asked about plans to impose tariffs on Chinese i= mports, as the US prepares to reveal its list of final targets this week.= =E2=80=9D Ross =E2=80=9Calso said that legislation that would restore penal= ties on the China=E2=80=99s ZTE Corp. is not a certainty as the measure sti= ll needs final approval.=E2=80=9D White House Council of Economic Advisers = Chairman Kevin Hassett, meanwhile, said President Trump =E2=80=9Cis =E2=80= =98very serious=E2=80=99 about China addressing its alleged IP abuses and f= orced technology transfers.=E2=80=9D Reuters (6/12) = reports that ZTE =E2=80=9Csaid trading in its shares would resume on Wednes= day, ending a two-month suspension, after the Chinese telecommunications gi= ant agreed to pay up to $1.4 billion in penalties to the U.S. government an= d radically overhaul its management.=E2=80=9D

Rouhani Asks Macron For Action To Save Nuclear Deal= .

= Reuters (6/12, Irish, Sharafedin) = reports Iranian President Hassan Rouhani =E2=80=9Cwarned world powers on Tu= esday that it was impossible for Tehran to stay in the nuclear deal if it c= annot benefit from the accord after the US withdrawal.=E2=80=9D In a call w= ith French President Emmanuel Macron, Rouhani =E2=80=9Csaid he was satisfie= d with Europe=E2=80=99s stance, especially French efforts to salvage the 20= 15 deal,=E2=80=9D but that =E2=80=9Csuch statements should be combined with= actions and tangible measures.=E2=80=9D Iranian state media quoted him as = saying, =E2=80=9CIf Iran cannot benefit from the deal, then it=E2=80=99s pr= actically impossible to stay in the accord.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 State Depart= ment: Iranian Official=E2=80=99s Interview Confirms Country Facilitated 9/1= 1 Attacks. The Washington Free Be= acon (6/12, Kredo) reports the State Department =E2=80=9Cis taki= ng a top Iranian official=E2=80=99s explanation of events linked to the tra= vel of the 9/11 terrorist attackers as an admission of guilt in facilitatin= g the=E2=80=9D attacks. According to Al Arabiya, Mohammad-Javad Larijani, a= n international affairs assistant in the Iran=E2=80=99s judiciary, disclose= d in Farsi-language remarks =E2=80=9Cthat Iranian intelligence officials se= cretly helped provide the al Qaeda attackers with passage and gave them ref= uge in the Islamic Republic.=E2=80=9D However, =E2=80=9CIranian officials r= epresenting the country=E2=80=99s interests at the United Nations have atte= mpted to recharacterize Larijani=E2=80=99s remarks and said that translatio= ns were manipulated by al Arabiya.=E2=80=9D A =E2=80=9Csenior State Departm= ent official=E2=80=9D told the Free Beacon, =E2=80=9CThese actions once aga= in confirm the egregious nature of the Iranian regime and are further evide= nce of the regime=E2=80=99s malign role in the world.=E2=80=9D

<= h3 style=3D"margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.75pt;margin-left:0in;line-heig= ht:16.5pt">Israeli Minister: Social Media Mon= itoring Has Thwarted Hundreds Of Attacks.

The A= P (6/12, Federman) reports that Israeli Public Security Minister= Gilad Erdan says his government has =E2=80=9Cfoiled over 200 Palestinian a= ttacks by monitoring social media and sifting through vast amounts of data = to identify prospective assailants ahead of time.=E2=80=9D According to the= AP, =E2=80=9CThese pre-emptive actions put Israel at the forefront of an i= ncreasingly popular =E2=80=93 and controversial =E2=80=93 trend used by int= elligence and law enforcement agencies around the world that use big data t= echnology to track would-be criminals.=E2=80=9D Erdan =E2=80=9Csaid Israel= =E2=80=99s use of algorithms and other technology has been an important fac= tor in lowering the number of knife and shooting attacks in Israel in recen= t years.=E2=80=9D

Bolt= on Got $115,000 To Speak At Ukrainian Steel Magnate=E2=80=99s Foundation=E2= =80=99s Events.

The Washington Post = (6/12, Fahrenthold) reports that according a financial disclosure form rele= ased Monday by the White House, National Security Adviser Bolton was paid $= 115,000 in the last year to take part in two panel discussions sponsored by= Ukrainian steel magnate Victor Pinchuk=E2=80=99s foundation --=E2=80=9Dinc= luding one in Kiev last September, during which Bolton reassured the audien= ce that President Trump would not radically change U.S. foreign policy.=E2= =80=9D Bolton said, =E2=80=9CThe notion that [Trump=E2=80=99s election] is = going to represent a dramatic break in foreign policy is just wrong. Calm d= own, for God=E2=80=99s sakes.=E2=80=9D

Norway To Invite More US Marines Amid Russia Tensions.

<= span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;c= olor:#333333">Reuters (6/12, Fouche) reports Norway = will ask the US to =E2=80=9Cmore than double the number=E2=80=9D of Marines= stationed in the country =E2=80=9Cin a move that could raise tensions=E2= =80=9D with Russia. Roughly 330 Marines were scheduled to leave Norway at t= he end of this year, but Oslo has =E2=80=9Cgrown increasingly concerned abo= ut Russia following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.=E2=80=9D Foreign Mini= ster Ine Eriksen Soereide, however, =E2=80=9Ctold reporters the decision di= d not constitute the establishment of a permanent US base in Norway and was= not targeted at Russia.=E2=80=9D

May Wins Parliament Vote Over Brexit Plans.

Reuters (6/12, Piper) reports British Prime Minister T= heresa May =E2=80=9Cdefused a rebellion in parliament over her Brexit plans= on Tuesday but only after having to compromise and hand lawmakers more con= trol over Britain=E2=80=99s departure from the European Union.=E2=80=9D Aft= er winning Tuesday=E2=80=99s vote over changes to a final agreement, May=E2= =80=99s agreement to discuss the changes =E2=80=9Cmay mean lawmakers could = have more power if she fails to secure a Brexit deal, possibly leading to a= softer approach to Britain=E2=80=99s divorce.=E2=80=9D The New= York Times (6/12, Castle) says the =E2=80=9Cretreat is only the= latest setback for Mrs. May who last week averted the resignation of her B= rexit secretary, David Davis, then faced criticism in leaked comments from = her foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, who accused her government of lacking= =E2=80=98guts.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The AP (6/12, Lawless) says May = =E2=80=9Cstaved off defeat by offering concessions to lawmakers who want to= soften the terms of the UK=E2=80=99s exit from the European Union.=E2=80= =9D By a vote of 324 to 298, lawmakers =E2=80=9Crejected a move to give the= House of Commons power to send the government back to the negotiating tabl= e if lawmakers don=E2=80=99t like the terms of the Brexit deal struck with = the EU.=E2=80=9D <= span style=3D"color:#0000ee">Bloomberg News (6/12, Donaldson, Hu= tton) says May won the vote =E2=80=9Cafter last-minute horse-trading, some = of it in the open on the floor of the House of Commons =E2=80=93 some behin= d closed doors.=E2=80=9D

US Unveils =E2=80=9CUnofficial Embassy=E2=80=9D In Taiwan.

<= p style=3D"margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt">The New York Times (6/12, Horton) reports the US= =E2=80=9Cunveiled its unofficial embassy in Taiwan=E2=80=99s capital on Tu= esday, holding a low-key ceremony that signaled its support for the self-go= verning island while also trying to avoid a bigger clash with China.=E2=80= =9D While Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and her predecessor =E2=80=9Cbot= h attended the dedication of the new, $250 million compound of the American= Institute in Taiwan, the highest-ranking attendee from Washington was Mari= e Royce, the assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affa= irs.=E2=80=9D According to the Times, =E2=80=9Cthere had been speculation t= hat President Trump might make a bolder show of support for Taiwan,=E2=80= =9D but the =E2=80=9Clack of cabinet-level visitors from Washington display= ed the Trump administration=E2=80=99s unwillingness to upset China.=E2=80= =9D

Media Anal= yses: Court Decision On AT&T-Time Merger A Loss For Trump, DOJ.<= /h3>

Media reports, which included stories on all three major network n= ewscasts, described a court ruling allowing the AT&T-Time Warner merger= as a clear loss for President Trump and his Justice Department. The AP (6/12, Swoyer) reports =E2=80=9CDistrict Judge Richard = Leon announced the decision Tuesday, bringing the biggest antitrust trial i= n years to an end,=E2=80=9D and ABC World News Tonight (6/12, story 6, 0:20, Muir= ) that =E2=80=9Cthe $85 million deal combines Time Warner=E2=80=99s program= ming resources, including HBO and CNN, with the distribution reach of AT&am= p;T, setting it up to compete with Amazon and Netflix.=E2=80=9D The decisio= n, is added, =E2=80=9Cis a defeat for the White House, that opposed the dea= l.=E2=80=9D NBC Nightly News3D"Image (6/12, story 5, 1:50, Holt) also referred to =E2=80= =9Ca defeat for the Trump Administration in court,=E2=80=9D and the Los Angeles Times (6/12, Puzzanghera) to a =E2=80=9Ca sting= ing defeat to the Trump administration.=E2=80=9D USA Today (6/12, Baig) reports that =E2=80=9Csuspense about the outcome has be= en building since the trial ended April 30,=E2=80=9D and that =E2=80=9Ca ne= w twist emerged in early May with the revelation that AT&T paid...Trump= =E2=80=99s personal lawyer Michael Cohen $600,000 for consulting services a= t the time the company was seeking regulatory approval for the merger.=E2= =80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Brian Ste= lter said on CNN=E2=80=99s Situation Room3D"Image (6/12), =E2=80=9CI think this announcem= ent by the judge lends more credence to the suspicion that somehow, some wa= y...Trump had something to do with the DOJ=E2=80=99s action here. This was = a strange move by the DOJ to try to block this media merger. ... There was = suspicions and theories that somehow Trump=E2=80=99s disdain for CNN was a = factor.=E2=80=9D There was =E2=80=9Cnot proof of this but it was a widely-h= eld suspicion and it was a cloud over the entire case.=E2=80=9D Jeffrey Too= bin, also on CNN=E2=80=99s Situation Room3D"Image (6/12), argued that =E2=80=9Cthis was s= uch a fiasco for the Justice Department it raises the question of why this = lawsuit was brought in the first place. Conservatives, Republicans generall= y don=E2=80=99t believe in stopping mergers. The only thing we know about t= he origin of this case is that candidate Trump and [President] Donald Trump= denounced this merger in advance and also indicated, as we have heard many= times, that he hates CNN.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Under the headline =E2=80=9CTrump Gambles And Loses O= n AT&T,=E2=80=9D the New York Times (6/12) edito= rializes that =E2=80=9CTrump=E2=80=99s chilling campaign to politicize the = Justice Department ran into a stinging rebuke on Tuesday.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12, Kang) also reports that =E2=80=9CT= rump, while still a candidate, said he would block the deal =E2=80=98becaus= e it=E2=80=99s too much concentration of power in the hands of too few.=E2= =80=99=E2=80=9D His =E2=80=9Ccomments and his repeated criticism of CNN, wh= ich is owned by Time Warner=E2=80=99s unit Turner Broadcasting, raised spec= ulation that Mr. Trump had pushed...the Justice Department to block the dea= l.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The = Washington Post (6/12, Romm, Fung) reports, meanwhil= e, that =E2=80=9Cthe decision amounts to a stunning loss for Makan Delrahim= ,=E2=80=9D who is =E2=80=9CTrump=E2=80=99s chief antitrust regulator.=E2=80= =9D DOJ =E2=80=9Chad not lost an antitrust case since 2004, and since the N= ixon administration, the agency had not challenged in court a so-called ver= tical deal, in which companies in different lines of businesses seek to mer= ge.=E2=80=9D In a statement, Delrahim =E2=80=9Csaid he was =E2=80=98disappo= inted=E2=80=99 in the ruling, saying that his division would =E2=80=98consi= der next steps in light of our commitment to preserving competition.=E2=80= =99=E2=80=9D Politico (6/12, Overly) notes that =E2= =80=9Cspeaking to reporters outside the courthouse,=E2=80=9D Delrahim also = said, =E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99re going to have to review the opinion to see wha= t impact it will have on other mergers.=E2=80=9D Bloomberg News= (6/12, McLaughlin, Harris, Moritz, Larson) reports DOJ =E2=80= =9Chas six days to ask the judge to stay his ruling, though Leon said he ho= ped the government would have the =E2=80=98good judgment, wisdom and the co= urage=E2=80=99 not to do so.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The CBS Evening News3D"Image (6/12, story 4, 1:45, Schlesinger) ind= icated that =E2=80=9Csecurities lawyers...say this could pave the way for s= omething called...a vertical merger,=E2=80=9D which =E2=80=9Cis the combina= tion of companies that do not produce competing products. In this case, one= makes media content, the other distributes it. So health care companies, m= edia, and Telecom companies, they are waiting in the wings,=E2=80=9D and = =E2=80=9Cthis could have a huge implication for a lot of mergers that are o= n the horizon.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0 The Washington Examiner (6/12, Cohen), The Hill (6/12, Neidig), Reuters= (6/12, Bartz) and Wall Street Journal (6/12, Kendal= l, Fitzgerald), among other news outlets, run similar reports on the court = decision. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (= 6/12) praises the judge=E2=80=99s ruling allowing the merger, and urges DOJ= to avoid another embarrassing legal defeat but not appealing it.

Rosenstein Threatened To Subpo= ena House Intelligence Committee.

On its website, Fox News (6/12, Herridge) cites emails which show that in a= January 2018 meeting involving senior FBI and Justice Department officials= and members of the House Intelligence Committee, Deputy Attorney General R= od Rosenstein =E2=80=9Cthreatened to =E2=80=98subpoena=E2=80=99 emails, pho= ne records and other documents from lawmakers and staff.=E2=80=9D The commi= ttee=E2=80=99s then-senior counsel for counterterrorism Kash Patel wrote to= the House Office of General Counsel that Rosenstein went =E2=80=9Cso far a= s to say that if the Committee likes being litigators, then =E2=80=98we [DO= J] too [are] litigators, and we will subpoena your records and your emails,= =E2=80=99 referring to HPSCI [House Permanent Select Committee on Intellige= nce] and Congress overall.=E2=80=9D A committee aide backed up the account,= writing, =E2=80=9CLet me just add that watching the Deputy Attorney Genera= l launch a sustained personal attack against a congressional staffer in ret= aliation for vigorous oversight was astonishing and disheartening. ... Also= , having the nation=E2=80=99s #1 (for these matters) law enforcement office= r threaten to =E2=80=98subpoena your calls and emails=E2=80=99 was downrigh= t chilling.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0 Attorney General Sessions said on Fox News=E2=80=99 Tuck= er Carlson Tonight3D"Image= (6/12) that =E2=80=9Cthe FBI director, the senior ethics attorney for the = Department of Justice, who was in the room, say that is a mischaracterizati= on, really, of what occurred.=E2=80=9D Sessions added, =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m= confident that Deputy Rosenstein, 28 years and the Department of Justice d= id not improperly threaten anyone on that occasion.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 DO= J To Brief Lawmakers On Mueller Investigation. The Washington Times (6/12, Mordock) reports tha= t DOJ will meet with =E2=80=9Ctop lawmakers=E2=80=9D again on Thursday =E2= =80=9Cto review documents related to special counsel Robert Mueller=E2=80= =99s Russia investigation and claims U.S. Intelligence spied on President T= rump=E2=80=99s 2016 campaign.=E2=80=9D According to a DOJ official, the mee= ting is being held at the request of House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nune= s =E2=80=9Cand will answer questions raised during last months meetings.=E2= =80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Johnson Questions FBI Redactions In Strzok Texts. <= /i>The Daily Caller (6/12, Ross) = reports that Senate Homeland Security Chairman Ron Johnson =E2=80=9Cis aski= ng the FBI about =E2=80=98highly questionable=E2=80=99 redactions in text m= essages exchanged between two bureau officials who worked on the Hillary Cl= inton and Trump campaign investigations.=E2=80=9D In a letter to FBI Direct= or Christopher Wray, Johnson =E2=80=9Cflagged several redactions in text me= ssages, which he said the bureau made =E2=80=98without apparent legitimate = reasons.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D Among the texts singled out by Johnson were an O= ctober 2016 message that =E2=80=9Csuggested that FBI counterintelligence of= ficial Peter Strzok was locked in a battle with another government official= over a secret surveillance warrant.=E2=80=9D and a July 2016 text in which= =E2=80=9CStrzok suggested that the FBI lacked the resources to conduct a t= horough investigation of Hillary Clinton=E2=80=99s use of a private email s= erver.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 = Mueller Court Filing Says Russian Intelligence Co= ntinues To Meddle In US Elections. According = to the AP (6/12, Day), Mueller=E2=80=99s prosecutor= s are =E2=80=9Cworried that Russian intelligence services will use a crimin= al case in Washington to gather information about...U.S. intelligence-gathe= ring methods,=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Care asking a federal judge to impose li= mits on the information that can be shared by attorneys in the first crimin= al case directly related to Russian attempts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. = presidential election.=E2=80=9D The AP says , =E2=80=9CSo far, only one def= endant, Concord Management and Consulting LLC, has appeared in the case, an= d prosecutors say they=E2=80=99re worried information they provide to the c= ompany=E2=80=99s attorneys could end up in the hands of other defendants or= Russian spy agencies.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Bloomberg News (6/12, Voreacos, Harr= is) reports that Mueller =E2=80=9Cwarned that Russian intelligence services= still have active =E2=80=98interference operations=E2=80=99 into U.S. elec= tions and that handing over certain evidence in a criminal case could imper= il ongoing investigations.=E2=80=9D Prosecutors wrote that the evidence =E2= =80=9Cincludes between 1.5 and 2 terabytes of data and involves U.S. reside= nts not charged with crimes who the government says were unwittingly recrui= ted by Russians to engage in political activity.=E2=80=9D According to pros= ecutors, =E2=80=9Cunauthorized disclosure of such evidence would help forei= gn intelligence services in Russia and elsewhere while undermining U.S. law= enforcement and national security investigations.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Muell= er Must Name Those Involved In Manafort=E2=80=99s Alleged Lobbying Campaign= For Ukraine. Politico= (6/12, Gerstein) reports that in =E2=80=9Ca rare courtroom win=E2=80=9D fo= r former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort=E2=80=99s defense, Judge Amy= Berman Jackson =E2=80=9Chas ordered special counsel Robert Mueller to iden= tify by Friday all the individuals and organizations involved in=E2=80=9D M= anafort=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Calleged scheme to lobby on behalf of Ukraine wit= hout registering as a foreign agent under U.S. law.=E2=80=9D The people Mue= ller will be required to identify to the defense include =E2=80=9Ctop Europ= ean former politicians who took part in the influence campaign, as well as = others whose testimony Manafort has been accused of trying to influence in = recent months.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0 The Washington Post (6/12, Hsu) says that = although Jackson =E2=80=9Cmostly denied Manafort=E2=80=99s challenge to the= legal adequacy of his indictment in the District for conspiracy and money = laundering,=E2=80=9D she =E2=80=9Cfound what she called =E2=80=98one minor = exception=E2=80=99 in saying Manafort=E2=80=99s legal team should be given = the names of the politicians and others to help him prepare for =E2=80=98a = complex trial with a voluminous record within a relatively short period of = time.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D Jackson said Manafort =E2=80=9Cshould not have to b= e surprised at a later point by the addition of a new name or allegation.= =E2=80=9DBloomberg News (6/12) also reports on Jacks= on=E2=80=99s ruling.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0 King: DOJ IG=E2=80=99s Report Will =E2=80= =9CDevastatingly=E2=80=9D Show Missteps By Comey, McCabe. The <= span style=3D"color:#0000ee">Washington Examiner (6/12, Quinn) r= eports Rep. Peter King (R) told Fox News (6/12) Tuesday that the report from DOJ = Inspector General Michael Horowitz will =E2=80=9Cdevastatingly=E2=80=9D sho= w =E2=80=9Cthe missteps from former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI= Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.=E2=80=9D King said, =E2=80=9CThe [inspector= general] report, I think it=E2=80=99s going to show devastatingly, it will= show improprieties here by Director Comey and the way he proceeded, and al= so Andrew McCabe, at the very least, plus the two love birds.=E2=80=9D The = =E2=80=9Ctwo love birds=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9Care FBI officials Peter Strzok an= d Lisa Page, who were engaged in an extramarital affair and were found to h= ave exchanged derogatory messages about President Trump before the 2016 ele= ction.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 = McCabe Sues FBI, DOJ, IG. The Washington Times (6/12, Swoyer) reports t= hat former FBI Director Andrew McCabe has filed a lawsuit against the FBI, = DOJ, and its IG in federal court in Washington, =E2=80=9Calleging the Trump= administration violated procedures when it fired him in March just hours b= efore his retirement.=E2=80=9D McCabe=E2=80=99s attorneys =E2=80=9Cargue th= at the Justice Department is refusing to hand over documents relating to th= e policies and procedures related to Mr. McCabe=E2=80=99s dismissal because= it fears further litigation.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Rivkin, Casey Op-Ed: Tru= mp Has Constitutional Authority To Order Investigations. In an op-ed for the Washington Post (6/1= 2), David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey, who served in the Justice Departm= ent under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, write that it is = =E2=80=9Cpuzzling to see so much criticism of President Trump=E2=80=99s dem= and that the Justice Department investigate allegations about his president= ial campaign being improperly subjected to an FBI counter intelligence prob= e=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Chis instruction to the Justice Department and the F= BI that they should grant congressional requests for information about that= matter,=E2=80=9D since under the Constitution, the President =E2=80=9Chas = the authority to determine what matters will, and will not, be investigated= and prosecuted by the U.S. government.=E2=80=9D They conclude that regardl= ess of one=E2=80=99s views on =E2=80=9Cthe wisdom of Trump=E2=80=99s direct= ives, fidelity to the Constitution best protects our democracy in the long = run.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Cohen Expects To Be Indicted Soon. <= span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;c= olor:#333333">The = New York Daily News (6/12, Sommerf= eldt) reports that =E2=80=9Ca person familiar with the matter=E2=80=9D said= Tuesday that President Trump=E2=80=99s attorney Michael Cohen =E2=80=9Cexp= ects to be put in cuffs any day now, possibly opening up his top client to = legal complications.=E2=80=9D According to the source, Cohen =E2=80=9Chas b= een telling friends he fears he will soon be indicted and arrested over the= federal investigation he=E2=80=99s facing in New York.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Avenatti Says Russian Government Is Trying To Plant Negative Stories Abou= t Him. The Daily Caller (6/12, Simonson) reports that Stormy Daniels=E2=80=99 attorney Michael Av= enatti told The Daily Beast Tuesday =E2=80=9Cthat h= e believes the Russian government is trying to plant damaging stories about= him in the press, without any evidence to support this claim.=E2=80=9D Ave= natti, who =E2=80=9Cclaims two members of the media and a =E2=80=98high ran= king American intelligence official=E2=80=99 informed him of the Russian pl= ot,=E2=80=9D said, =E2=80=9CThey=E2=80=99re doing it because they see me as= a threat, a considerable threat. ... If we weren=E2=80=99t a threat, none = of this would be happening.=E2=80=9D Avenatti added that =E2=80=9Cmembers o= f the Russian government are trying to spread a story that he once traveled= to Moscow and had sexual relationships with several women during his trip.= =E2=80=9D

South Carol= ina Rep. Sanford=E2=80=99s Loss Among Host Of Primary Results Yesterday.

<= span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;c= olor:#333333">Voters went to the polls yesterday to decide a number of clos= ely-watched primaries in South Carolina, Virginia, Nevada, North Dakota, an= d Maine.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 = In =E2=80=9CStartling Upset,=E2=80=9D Trump-Critic Sanfo= rd Ousted In GOP Primary. SC1 Rep. Mark Sanfo= rd (R), a critic of President Trump, on Tuesday was defeated in the GOP pri= mary election by freshman state Rep. Katie Arrington (R). The C= olumbia (SC) State (6/12) describes the outcome as =E2=80=9Ca st= artling upset,=E2=80=9D and adds that Arrington=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Ccampaign= strategy was to align herself with...Trump and harp on Sanford=E2=80=99s c= riticism of the president. She received a last-minute boost from Trump, who= endorsed her in a tweet three hours before polls closed.=E2=80=9D McClatchy (6/13, Douglas) reports that Sanford was =E2=80= =9Cstunned=E2=80=9D by Arrington, =E2=80=9Cpowered by a strong last-minute = endorsement from...Trump.=E2=80=9D McClatchy adds that =E2=80=9Cthe message= from voters was clear. =E2=80=98It says the Trump factor matters here,=E2= =80=99 Kendra Stewart, a College of Charleston political science professor,= said Tuesday night. =E2=80=98In South Carolina, it=E2=80=99s very unusual = for an incumbent to lose a seat. ... Almost more so than anywhere else, Sou= th Carolina likes to elect the known quantity, the person with the most nam= e recognition. Going into this race, that was Mark Sanford.=E2=80=99=E2=80= =9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 In Tweet Today, Trump Hails Arrington=E2=80=99s Victory, Tout= s His Support For Her. Trump twee= ted this morning, =E2=80=9CMy political representatives didn=E2= =80=99t want me to get involved in the Mark Sanford primary thinking that S= anford would easily win =E2=80=93 but with a few hours left I felt that Kat= ie was such a good candidate, and Sanford was so bad, I had to give it a sh= ot. Congrats to Katie Arrington!=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 SC4: Primary Candidat= es In Race To Succeed Gowdy Head To Runoffs. = In a report on the race to succeed retiring SC4 Rep. Trey Gowdy (R), the Charleston (SC) Post and Courier (6/12, Lovegrove) say= s that ex-state Sen. Lee Bright (R) and state Sen. William Timmons (R) will= advance to a GOP primary runoff, =E2=80=9Caccording to unofficial results = Tuesday night.=E2=80=9D Bright took =E2=80=9Cabout a quarter of the vote by= the time most ballots had been counted in the early hours of Wednesday mor= ning.=E2=80=9D State Rep. Dan Hamilton (R) trailed =E2=80=9Cjust a few hund= red votes behind Timmons, both of whom hovered around 19 percent. That coul= d be within the margin to trigger a recount.=E2=80=9D In the Democratic pri= mary, businessman Brandon Brown (D) and accountant Doris Lee Turner (D) als= o advanced to a runoff.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0 SC5: Parnell, Who Admitted Beating His = Ex-Wife, Wins Democratic Primary. The Charleston (SC) Post and Courier (6/12, Cranney) reports th= at ex-Goldman Sachs adviser Archie Parnell (D), =E2=80=9Cwho admitted to be= ating his ex-wife several decades ago, overcame a wave of intense criticism= from within his own party to easily win in the Democratic primary Tuesday.= =E2=80=9D In the general election, Parnell will face off against SC5 Rep. R= alph Norman (R) in a rematch of last year=E2=80=99s special election to suc= ceed now-White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney. The Post and Courier says,= =E2=80=9CParnell=E2=80=99s candidacy had been seen by Democrats as an oppo= rtunity to flip the=E2=80=9D SC5. However, in the wake of reports that Parn= ell =E2=80=9Cattacked his ex-wife in a 1970s incident, his chances of=E2=80= =9D unseating Norman =E2=80=9Cseem to have greatly diminished.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Gov. McMaster, Warren Head To GOP Runoff; Smith Wins Democratic Nod.= Gov. Henry McMaster (R) and businessman John= Warren (R) are headed to a June 26 runoff, after finishing first and secon= d, respectively, in Tuesday=E2=80=99s GOP gubernatorial primary election. I= n the general election, the eventual GOP nominee will face off against stat= e Rep. James Smith (D), who won Tuesday=E2=80=99s Democratic primary. The <= a href=3D"http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=3D201806= 1301biden&r=3Demail-4d3f&l=3D0bf-f77&t=3Dc">AP (6/13, Kinnard) reports that McMaster, =E2=80=9Can= early supporter of President Donald Trump,=E2=80=9D received the most vote= s in the GOP primary, =E2=80=9Cbut failed to win the 50 percent necessary t= o avoid a runoff.=E2=80=9D The Charleston (SC) Post and Courier= (6/12, Shain) reports that McMaster =E2=80=9Cis in a position t= o win the=E2=80=9D GOP =E2=80=9Crunoff...after receiving a larger-than-expe= cted share of support from voters in Tuesday=E2=80=99s primary.=E2=80=9D

<= span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;c= olor:#333333">=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Trump-Supporter Stewart Wins Virginia GOP Senate Primary To Face Of= f Against Kaine. Prince William County Board = of Supervisors chief Corey Stewart (R), a vocal supporter of President Trum= p, on Tuesday won Virginia=E2=80=99s GOP Senate primary, earning the right = to face off against Sen. Tim Kaine (D) in November=E2=80=99s election. The = AP (6/12, Suderman) reports that Stewart, who defeat= ed state Del. Nick Freitas (R) and minister E.W. Jackson (R), =E2=80=9Chas = promised to run a =E2=80=98vicious=E2=80=99 campaign against...Kaine.=E2=80= =9D The AP adds that Stewart =E2=80=93 =E2=80=9Cwho favors keeping Confeder= ate monuments =E2=80=93 had long been on the fringe of the state=E2=80=99s = GOP; now the win makes him the standard-bearer of a deeply divided party th= at hasn=E2=80=99t won a statewide race in nearly a decade.=E2=80=9D The Washington Times (6/12, Sherfinski) reports that Stewar= t =E2=80=9Crode a pro-Trump message to narrowly win the=E2=80=9D GOP primar= y.=E2=80=99 The Times says, =E2=80=9CWith 100 percent of precincts reportin= g, Mr. Stewart was at about 45 percent support, with Mr. Freitas at 43 perc= ent and...Jackson at 12 percent.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch (6/12, Moomaw) reports, =E2=80=9CAs Stewart=E2=80=99s hard-right s= upporters celebrated the victory by a culture warrior who seems to relish p= oking the party establishment, Republican moderates were worried Stewart=E2= =80=99s rise to prominence could cause other Republicans to sink, including= a handful of GOP congressional incumbents already facing tough re-election= fights in suburban districts.=E2=80=9D On its front page, the = Washington Post (6/12, A1, Schneider) reports that Stewart=E2=80= =99s =E2=80=9Cpresence atop the ticket will cast a shadow over all Virginia= congressional races this year. He=E2=80=99s sure to excite the most ferven= t parts of the Republican base, especially in rural areas, but his identifi= cation with Trump also could inspire Democratic voters to come out against = him.=E2=80=9D CQ Roll Call (DC) (6/12, Path=C3=A9) r= eported, =E2=80=9CInside Elections rates the race Solid Democratic.=E2=80= =9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Trump Tweets Congratulations To Stewart, Blasts Kaine On Crim= e, Borders, Taxes. Trump tweeted<= /span> this morning,=E2=80=9DCongratulations to Corey Stewart for his g= reat victory for Senator from Virginia. Now he runs against a total stiff, = Tim Kaine, who is weak on crime and borders, and wants to raise your taxes = through the roof. Don=E2=80=99t underestimate Corey, a major chance of winn= ing!=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Wexton Wins Crowded VA10 Democratic Primary, Settin= g Up Clash With Comstock. State Sen. Jennifer= Wexton (D) on Tuesday won the crowded VA10 Democratic primary. In the gene= ral election, she=E2=80=99ll face VA10 Rep. Barbara Comstock (R), a top Dem= ocratic target this fall. The Washington Post (6/12,= Portnoy) reports that the Comstock-Wexton matchup =E2=80=9Cwill be one of = the most closely watched midterm elections in the nation.=E2=80=9D In the D= emocratic primary, Wexton =E2=80=9Cwon about 42 percent of the vote, bestin= g her nearest rival, anti-human-trafficking activist Alison Friedman, by al= most 20 points.=E2=80=9D The Post describes Wexton as =E2=80=9Cthe establis= hment favorite.=E2=80=9D The Winchester (VA) Star (6= /12, Castiglia) reports that in the general election, Comstock =E2=80=9Chas= her work cut out for her as she aims to keep her seat in a district that= =E2=80=9D Hillary Clinton carried =E2=80=9Cby 10 percentage points in 2016.= =E2=80=9D CQ Roll Call (DC) (6/12, Path=C3=A9) repor= ted that Comstock =E2=80=9Cwas No. 2 on Roll Call=E2=80=99s list of the 10 = most vulnerable House incumbents last month.=E2=80=9D

=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 VA7: Span= berger Cruises To Democratic Primary Win To Challenge Brat. = The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch (6/1= 2, Wilson) reports that ex-CIA officer Abigail Spanberger (D) =E2=80=9Chand= ily defeated=E2=80=9D ex-Marine pilot Dan Ward (D) in Tuesday=E2=80=99s VA7= Democratic primary, earning the right to face off against VA7 Rep. Dave Br= at (R) in the general election. Spanberger received =E2=80=9Cmore votes Tue= sday than any other candidate on the ballot in Virginia=E2=80=99s House pri= mary races.=E2=80=9D While the VA7 =E2=80=9Cleans Republican, Democrats hav= e cited a recent shift among the electorate. They hope to score an upset ag= ainst Brat.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0 Heller-Rosen General Election Battle For O= pen Nevada Senate Seat Now Set. As expected, = Sen. Dean Heller (R) and Rep. Jacky Rosen (D) on Tuesday easily won their r= espective Senate primaries, setting up what will be a closely watched gener= al election matchup. The AP (6/12) reports that Hell= er is facing =E2=80=9Ca tough re-election battle that could help swing cont= rol of the Senate. Heller is considered the most vulnerable Republican US s= enator seeking re-election this year because he=E2=80=99s the only one runn= ing in a state that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in 2016.=E2=80=9D <= /p>

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Lee, Tarkanian To Face Off In Race To Succeed Rosen In NV3. The Nevada Independent (6/12, Messe= rly, Snyder, Rindels) reports that businessman Danny Tarkanian (R) on Tuesd= ay won the NV3 GOP primary and will face off in the general election agains= t philanthropist Susie Lee (D), winner of the Democratic primary, in the ra= ce to succeed Rosen. The Independent adds that Tarkanian =E2=80=9Cjumped in= to the race in March =E2=80=93 a day before the filing deadline =E2=80=93 a= fter President Donald Trump nudged him out of the US Senate race against Se= n. Dean Heller with a tweet.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 NV4: Hardy-Horsford Rematch= Set. The Nevada Independent (6/12, Messerly, Snyder, Rindels) reports that ex-Reps. Cresent Hard= y (R) and Steven Horsford (D) on Tuesday easily won their respective primar= ies in the race to succeed retiring NV4 Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D), =E2=80=9Cwho= decided not to run for re-election after a series of allegations of sexual= misconduct surfaced against him in December.=E2=80=9D Hardy unseated Horsf= ord in 2014, but was himself ousted in 2016 by Kihuen.

=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Laxalt, S= isolak Advance To General Election In Race To Succeed Gov. Sandoval. Clark County Commission chief Steve Sisolak (D) on = Tuesday defeated Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani (D) in Nevad= a=E2=80=99s Democratic gubernatorial primary. In the general election, Siso= lak will face state Attorney General Adam Laxalt (R), who easily won the GO= P primary. The candidates are vying to succeed term-limited Gov. Brian Sand= oval (R). The Reno (NV) Gazette-Journal (6/12, DeHav= en) reports that Sisolak defeated Giunchigliani =E2=80=9Cby 13 percentage p= oints=E2=80=9D in the Democratic primary, =E2=80=9Ca bigger-than-expected w= in over his fellow Clark County commissioner. Some 12,000 votes separated t= he pair after a bruising campaign battle that counted among the most bitter= , expensive state primary races in recent memory.=E2=80=9D

= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 North = Dakota Sen. Heitkamp, Cramer To Battle In General Election. = Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D) will face off against Rep. Kevin Cra= mer (R) this fall. Heitkamp was unopposed in Tuesday=E2=80=99s Democratic p= rimary, while Cramer cruised to victory in the GOP contest. The Grand Forks (ND) Herald (6/12, Hageman) reports that Heitkamp i= s =E2=80=9Cthe only Democrat elected to statewide office in=E2=80=9D North = Dakota, where President Trump =E2=80=9Cwon easily less than two years ago. = North Dakota=E2=80=99s race could help determine which party controls the S= enate, where Republicans currently hold a slim majority. Cramer initially o= pted to seek re-election in the House but jumped to the Senate contest in F= ebruary after some prodding from Trump.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 ND-AL: Armstron= g Wins GOP Primary In Race To Replace Cramer. The AP (6/12) reports that state Sen. Kelly Armst= rong (R) on Tuesday =E2=80=9Ceasily won=E2=80=9D the GOP primary in the rac= e to succeed Cramer. In the general election, Armstrong will face ex-state = Sen. Mac Schneider (D), =E2=80=9Cwho ran unopposed for the Democratic nomin= ation.=E2=80=9D CQ Roll Call (DC) (6/12, Bowman) rep= orted, =E2=80=9CInside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the House ge= neral election Solid Republican.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Maine Sen. King To Fa= ce Republican Brakey, Democrat Ringelstein. T= he AP (6/12) reports that in his bid for reelection,= Sen. Angus King (I) =E2=80=9Cwill face two lesser-known candidates who won= uncontested primaries Tuesday but now face a difficult challenge against a= popular incumbent.=E2=80=9D State Sen. Eric Brakey (R) and teacher Zak Rin= gelstein (D), both of whom ran unopposed in their respective primaries, wil= l face off against King in the general election.

=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Moody Wins GOP = Gubernatorial Primary; Democratic Race Won=E2=80=99t Be Decided Until Next = Week. The AP (6/13, Vi= llenueve) reports that businessman Shawn Moody (R) =E2=80=9Cwon Tuesday=E2= =80=99s ranked-choice voting [GOP] primary in the race to succeed=E2=80=9D = term-limited Gov. Paul LePage (R), =E2=80=9Cwhile no clear majority winner = had emerged in the Democratic primary.=E2=80=9D The AP =E2=80=9Cdid not cal= l the Democratic primary as no candidate was close to the majority needed t= o be declared the outright winner, so more tabulations are required next we= ek under ranked-choice voting. Last-place candidates will be eliminated and= votes reallocated until there is a winner, a process that may take more th= an a week.=E2=80=9D In the Democratic contest, state Attorney General Janet= Mills (D) and attorney Adam Cote (D) =E2=80=9Cboth had more than 25 percen= t of the vote with more than 60 percent of the expected vote counted.=E2=80= =9D The Portland (ME) Press Herald (6/12, Thistle) r= eports, =E2=80=9CWith 63 percent of precincts reporting shortly before 1 a.= m. Wednesday, Moody had 55 percent of the vote.=E2=80=9D

= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Golden= Appears Likely To Emerge As ME2 Rep. Poliquin=E2=80=99s Fall Opponent. The AP (6/12) reports tha= t state Rep. Jared Golden (D), who is seeking to take on ME2 Rep. Bruce Pol= iquin (R) this fall, =E2=80=9Chad the most first-place votes in=E2=80=9D Tu= esday=E2=80=99s ME2 Democratic primary, =E2=80=9Cbut it=E2=80=99ll take add= itional tabulations to determine if he=E2=80=99s=E2=80=9D advanced to the g= eneral election. Golden =E2=80=9Chad collected about 50 percent of the vote= with about two-thirds of the votes counted early Wednesday. If there=E2=80= =99s no majority, then the ballots will be shipped to the state capital for= additional tabulations next week under ranked-choice voting.=E2=80=9D Envi= ronmentalist Lucas St. Clair (D) trailed Golden. The Lewiston (= ME) Sun Journal (6/12, Collins) reports, =E2=80=9CSince it is no= t clear Golden got more than half the vote, it is possible ranked-choice vo= ting will have to be factored in. But given Golden=E2=80=99s lead, St. Clai= r has little chance of pulling out a victory.=E2=80=9D

Sessions Defends Decision On Restricting = Asylum.

Attorney General Sessions was asked on = Fox News=E2=80=99 Tucker Carlson Tonight3D"Image (6/12) about his decision to restrict asylum for vic= tims of gang and domestic violence. Sessions said, =E2=80=9CSeven years ago= , 5,000 people applied for asylum claiming a credible fear of being at home= in their home country, and they needed to flee that country. That number j= umped to 94,000 in just seven years. It is overwhelming our system. Over 80= % of those claims are being denied by the immigration judges as being not m= eritorious.=E2=80=9D Sessions added, =E2=80=9CYou do not get to come to Ame= rica if you have a private threat or someone personally attacks you. You do= not get to have asylum for that. It=E2=80=99s based on your race, religion= or nationality, that you are part of some special identifiable group that = has been persecuted in your home country. That=E2=80=99s what it takes to h= ave asylum and we need to get this straight.=E2=80=9D

=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The New York Times (6/12, Robbins) reports that =E2=80=9Cimmigrants and their attorneys= =E2=80=9D across the nation =E2=80=9Cwere grappling with the precedent-sett= ing decision.=E2=80=9D Sessions =E2=80=9Ceffectively narrowed the definitio= n of persecution when he reversed a decision by an appellate board in a 201= 6 asylum case.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0 Immigration Judges Fear Sessions=E2=80= =99 Agenda Could Impede Their Work. The New York Times (6/12, Benner) reports that =E2=80=9Cmany= =E2=80=9D immigration judges say =E2=80=9CSessions=E2=80=99s hard-line immi= gration agenda is increasingly standing in the way of their ability to mete= out justice.=E2=80=9D Some =E2=80=9Cobjected to quotas he imposed on them = this spring of 700 cases per year, as well as his ban on a bureaucratic too= l they used to reduce their caseloads,=E2=80=9D while others =E2=80=9Cexpre= ssed concern about the impact his zero-tolerance policy on illegal immigrat= ion could have on their dockets, and his push for faster rulings.=E2=80=9D =

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Administration May House Child Immigrants In Tent Cities. = The Washington Examiner (6/12= , Giaritelli) reports that =E2=80=9Can administration official=E2=80=9D say= s the Trump Administration =E2=80=9Cis moving forward on a plan to tentativ= ely house unaccompanied minors in tent cities located on three Texas milita= ry bases due to increasing high border apprehensions and a shortage of beds= for the underage immigrants.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The Miami Herald (6/12, Ord= o=C3=B1ez) reports that HHS =E2=80=9Cwill visit Fort Bliss, a sprawling Arm= y base near El Paso in the coming weeks to look at a parcel of land where t= he administration is considering building a tent city to hold between 1,000= and 5,000 children, according to U.S. officials and other sources familiar= with the plans.=E2=80=9D In addition, HHS officials confirmed that they ar= e looking at =E2=80=9CDyess Air Force Base in Abilene and Goodfellow AFB in= San Angelo for potential use as temporary shelters.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Ho= use Republicans To Vote On Two DACA Bills Next Week. Politico (6/12, Bade, Bresnahan, Caygle) rep= orts that House Speaker Ryan=E2=80=99s office said Tuesday that House Repub= licans will vote on two bills to address the fate of Dreamers next week. On= e is =E2=80=9Ca conservative proposal=E2=80=9D drafted by House Judiciary C= hairman Bob Goodlatte, and the other is =E2=80=9Ca compromise package still= being assembled by Ryan in consultation with moderates and conservative Re= publicans.=E2=80=9D The plan =E2=80=9Ceffectively kills the discharge petit= ion campaign, a staggering loss for moderates seeking to pass legislation p= rotecting Dreamers.=E2=80=9D USA Today (6/12, Collin= s) says the plan =E2=80=9Cmeans GOP leadership has avoided an embarrassing = defeat by rogue moderates of their party and every House Democrat.=E2=80=9D= The group =E2=80=9Cwas just two signatures away from putting into a play a= rare maneuver =E2=80=93 known as a discharge petition =E2=80=93 to go arou= nd the speaker and bring legislation to the floor.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The New York Times<= /span> (6/12, Stolberg, Kaplan) reports that House Republican leaders s= aid Tuesday that they are nearing a deal =E2=80=9Con a Republican immigrati= on bill.=E2=80=9D Following =E2=80=9Ca closed-door negotiating session,=E2= =80=9D with conservatives and moderates, House Majority Leader McCarthy sai= d, =E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99re close, we=E2=80=99re very close,=E2=80=9D but he = =E2=80=9Cwould not provide details.=E2=80=9D Politico (6/12, McCaskill) says House Majority Whip Scalise =E2=80=9Cexpressed cau= tious optimism...that GOP leadership, moderates and conservatives could rea= ch an immigration deal and put an end to a weeks-long intra-party impasse.= =E2=80=9D Scalise is quoted as saying, =E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99re not there yet= , but I think we=E2=80=99re moving a lot closer. And in exchange we would a= lso make sure there would be no discharge petition.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Sc= alise Warns Against Passing Immigration Bill That Does Not Include Border S= ecurity. The Washington Post (6/12, Debonis) reports that at a Politico event Tuesday, Scalise = =E2=80=9Cwarned...that it would be =E2=80=98devastating=E2=80=99 if lawmake= rs passed bipartisan legislation legalizing young undocumented immigrants j= ust hours before a crucial deadline for a group of renegade Republicans try= ing to force votes on the issue.=E2=80=9D Scalise =E2=80=9Csaid that the Dr= eam Act =E2=80=93 which would grant permanent legal status to young immigra= nts who arrived in the U.S. as minors =E2=80=93 =E2=80=98threatens national= security=E2=80=99 because it would not include accompanying enforcement me= asures that President Trump and GOP lawmakers are demanding.=E2=80=9D Scali= se is quoted as saying, =E2=80=9CIt does not secure the border. There seems= to be broad agreement we should secure the border. Well, then, why not go = and do it and then address these other problems?=E2=80=9D

= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 According to the Was= hington Examiner (6/12, Weaver) Scalise =E2=80=9Cpredicted Tuesd= ay that House GOP centrists will not get the requisite 218 signatures to mo= ve forward with a plan to force three immigration votes at the end of the m= onth.=E2=80=9D Breitbart (6/12, Munro) reports that = Scalise pointed out today that Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL) has announced that h= e won=E2=80=99t sign the discharge petition. According to Breitbart, =E2=80= =9CRoss=E2=80=99s exit leaves the discharge group with few possible signato= ries, such as=E2=80=9D Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), =E2=80=9Ca farmer who has = pushed the GOP to expand guest-worker programs to help supply more cheap la= bor to dairy farms and apple orchards.=E2=80=9D Breitbart notes that FWD.us= , =E2=80=9Ca pro-immigration lobbying group for Silicon Valley investors, u= rged DACA supporters to call Newhouse=E2=80=99s office to persuade him to s= ign the petition.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0 DHS Unveils =E2=80=9CStrengthened=E2= =80=9D Northern Border Strategy Amid Growing Tensions With Canada. <= /i>Newsweek (6/12, Silva) repor= ts that =E2=80=9Cwith tensions=E2=80=9D between the US and Canada =E2=80=9C= on the rise,=E2=80=9D DHS announced =E2=80=9Ca =E2=80=98strengthened=E2=80= =99 Northern Border Strategy that it claims will help =E2=80=98combat terro= rism=E2=80=99 and =E2=80=98help facilitate travel and trade=E2=80=99 at its= border with Canada.=E2=80=9D DHS, which says the strategy draws upon the f= indings from a Northern Border Threat Analysis Report delivered to Congress= in summer 2017, said that while the Northern border =E2=80=9Cremains an ar= ea of limited threat in comparison to the U.S. Southern border, safeguardin= g and securing the northern border presents unique challenges.=E2=80=9D It = adds, =E2=80=9CThe most common threat to U.S. public safety along the North= ern border continues to be the bi-directional flow of illicit drugs,=E2=80= =9D though the US also faces =E2=80=9Cpotential terror threats...primarily = from homegrown violent extremists in Canada who are not included in the U.S= . Government=E2=80=99s consolidated terrorist watch list and could therefor= e enter the U.S. legally at the Northern Border ports of entry without susp= icion.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 = USCIS Launching Office To Focus On Citizenship Ch= eaters. The Washington Times (6/12, Taxin) reports that USCIS =E2=80=9Cis launching an office tha= t will focus on identifying Americans who are suspected of cheating to get = their citizenship and seek to strip them of it.=E2=80=9D USCIS Director L. = Francis Cissna told the AP =E2=80=9Cthat his agency is hiring several dozen= lawyers and immigration officers to review cases of immigrants who were or= dered deported and are suspected of using fake identities to later get gree= n cards and citizenship through naturalization.=E2=80=9D According to Cissn= a, such cases would be referred to DOJ, =E2=80=9Cwhose attorneys could then= seek to remove the immigrants=E2=80=99 citizenship in civil court proceedi= ngs.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Border Patrol Agent Shot Near Mexican Border In Ari= zona. The AP (6/12) re= ports that a US Border Patrol agent =E2=80=9Cwas wounded in a shooting on a= n Arizona ranch near the US-Mexico border before dawn Tuesday in a remote a= rea known for drug and migrant smuggling.=E2=80=9D Jim Chilton, identified = as a =E2=80=9Cfifth-generation Arizona cattleman=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Ca we= ll-known Arizona backer of President Donald Trump=E2=80=99s efforts to secu= re the U.S.-Mexico border,=E2=80=9D says the Border Patrol =E2=80=9Csent hi= m an email saying the agent was alone when he was wounded on the ranch and = was struck in the leg and the hand. Several bullets also struck the agent= =E2=80=99s protective vest, which probably saved his life, Chilton said.=E2= =80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The Washington Times (6/12, Dinan) reports that Chilton =E2= =80=9Csaid the shooting could have been averted had the government taken bo= rder security more seriously.=E2=80=9D Chilton said, =E2=80=9CPresident Tru= mp needs to complete the wall and fill the 25-mile gap, and move the Border= Patrol to the international boundary rather than be located 80 miles from = the boundary.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0 Nielsen Inspects Israel=E2=80=99s Border W= ith Egypt For Mexico Wall Ideas. = Reuters (6/12, Williams) reports DHS Secretary Nielsen =E2=80=9C= inspected Israel=E2=80=99s fenced-off border with Egypt on Tuesday for idea= s for the US border with Mexico,=E2=80=9D where President Trump has pledged= to build a wall. A US official who spoke to Reuters confirmed Nielsen=E2= =80=99s visit to the Israel-Egypt border.

Azar Says He Wants To Preserve Protections For Preexis= ting Conditions.

The Washington Post= (6/12, Goldstein, McGinley) reports that in testimony before the Senate He= alth, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Tuesday, HHS Secretary Azar = said =E2=80=9Cthat he wants to preserve access to affordable insurance for = Americans with preexisting medical conditions,=E2=80=9D but he =E2=80=9Csid= estepped grilling on whether he agreed with a legal brief filed last week b= y Justice Department attorneys stating they would not defend the Affordable= Care Act in a federal lawsuit by Texas and 19 other Republican-led states.= =E2=80=9D Asked by Sen. Maggie Hassan if he would encourage the Administrat= ion to change its position that =E2=80=9Cthe ACA=E2=80=99s individual manda= te...will become unconstitutional next year =E2=80=93 and, with it, the law= =E2=80=99s insurance protections for consumers,=E2=80=9D Azar said that =E2= =80=9Cwe do believe in finding solutions on the matter of preexisting condi= tions and the matter of affordability regardless of the litigation.=E2=80= =9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 McConnell, Alexander Voice Support Preexisting Condition Prot= ections. The Hill (6/= 12, Hellmann) reports that Senate Majority Leader McConnell said in his wee= kly pres conference Tuesday that =E2=80=9Ceverybody=E2=80=9D in the Senate = wants to preserve protections for people with preexisting conditions. McCon= nell said, =E2=80=9CEverybody I know in the Senate =E2=80=93 everybody =E2= =80=93 is in favor of maintaining coverage for preexisting conditions. Ther= e is no difference in opinion about that whatsoever.=E2=80=9D McConnell=E2= =80=99s comments comes as the Trump Administration is =E2=80=9Cseek[ing] to= have such protections overturned in court.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The Washington Times (6/12, Howell) reports that in =E2=80=9Cthe clearest protest yet from= the GOP,=E2=80=9D Senate HELP Chairman Lamar Alexander said Tuesday, =E2= =80=9CThere=E2=80=99s no way Congress is going to repeal protections for pe= ople with pre-existing conditions who want to buy health insurance. ... Con= gress specifically repealed the individual mandate penalty, but I didn=E2= =80=99t hear a single senator say that they also thought they were repealin= g protections for people with pre-existing conditions. ... In fact, Republi= cans are seeking to expand insurance options for Americans with pre-existin= g conditions through a new Department of Labor rule that will make lower co= st employer insurance with patient protections available to the self-employ= ed and more employees of small businesses.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Azar Lowers = Expectations For Large Price Cuts From Dug Makers. Politico (6/12, Karlin-Smith) says HHS Secre= tary Azar =E2=80=9Cis lowering expectations that drug companies will soon a= nnounce huge price cuts,=E2=80=9D despite President Trump=E2=80=99s May 30 = claim that some major drug makers would announce =E2=80=9Cvoluntary massive= drops in prices=E2=80=9D within two weeks. Azar told the Senate panel that= although there are =E2=80=9Cseveral drug companies that are looking at sub= stantial, material decreases in drug prices,=E2=80=9D it could take time fo= r the cuts to occur. Bloomberg News (6/12, Edney) re= ports that Azar said =E2=80=9Cit may be time to eliminate the complex syste= m of rebates that drug companies and pharmacy-benefit managers use to negot= iate and set prices.=E2=80=9D Azar is quoted as saying, =E2=80=9CWe may nee= d to move toward a system without rebates, where PBMs and drug companies ju= st negotiate fixed-price contracts. Such a system=E2=80=99s incentives, det= ached from artificial list prices, would likely serve patients far better.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The New York Times (6/12, Pear) says =E2=80=9CDemocratic s= enators blistered=E2=80=9D Azar, =E2=80=9Ctelling him that the Trump admini= stration=E2=80=99s efforts to undo health insurance protections for people = with pre-existing conditions made a mockery of the president=E2=80=99s camp= aign to rein in prescription drug prices.=E2=80=9D They argued that =E2=80= =9Cthat the effort to lower drug prices and the push to end protections for= people with pre-existing conditions contradicted each other. If a federal = court accepts the administration=E2=80=99s argument on pre-existing conditi= ons, they said, tens of millions of people with such conditions could lose = access to affordable insurance that includes coverage for prescription medi= cines.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 = DOJ Official Resigns After Decision Not To Defend= ACA. The Washington Post<= /a> (6/12, Barrett, Zapotosky) reports that Joel McElvain, who has worked a= t DOJ for more than 20 years, resigned last week =E2=80=9Cin the wake of th= e Trump administration=E2=80=99s move to stop defending a key provision of = the Affordable Care Act.=E2=80=9D The departure of McElvain, who submitted = his resignation the day after Attorney General Sessions notified Congress t= hat DOJ would not defend the ACA against lawsuits filed by GOP-led states, = =E2=80=9Chighlights internal frustration generated by the decision, accordi= ng to people familiar with the matter.=E2=80=9D

Trump Reportedly To Nominate CFPB Head Next Week= .

= Reuters (6/12) cites a =E2=80=9Cto= p US official=E2=80=9D who said President Trump =E2=80=9Chas been reviewing= a handful of potential nominees to lead the Consumer Financial Protection = Bureau (CFPB) and his final pick will be named next week.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12, Rappeport) reports that acting CFP= B head Mulvaney =E2=80=9Chas relished curbing the agency=E2=80=99s power = =E2=80=93 curtailing its enforcement activity, easing up on payday lenders = and urging the agency=E2=80=99s career staff to be more humble in their eff= orts to protect consumers.=E2=80=9D In an interview with the Times, Mulvane= y =E2=80=9Creflected on the future of the C.F.P.B. =E2=80=93 or as he calls= it, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.=E2=80=9D Mulvaney =E2=80= =9Chas succeeded in internally neutering much of the agency=E2=80=99s enfor= cement power.=E2=80=9D In his next budget request, Mulvaney =E2=80=9Cwill b= e asking for a deep spending cut of about 20 percent. That would bring the = bureau=E2=80=99s annual funding down to 2015 levels =E2=80=93 or about $480= million.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0 The Washington Examiner (6/12, Lawler) reports t= hat a CFPB official said Tuesday that the agency =E2=80=9Chas started a num= ber of investigations against companies=E2=80=9D under Mulvaney. The Examin= er says word of the probes =E2=80=9Ccould allay Democratic fears that the c= onservative Republican has stopped policing markets.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Tr= ump Nominees Win Backing Of Democrats On Senate Banking Committee. <= /i>Bloomberg News (6/12) report= s that economist Richard Clarida, who was nominated by President Trump to s= erve as Federal Reserve vice chairman, =E2=80=9Cwon bipartisan support from= members of the Senate Banking Committee=E2=80=9D today, =E2=80=9Csignaling= he will likely win confirmation in the full chamber.=E2=80=9D In addition,= Kansas banking commissioner Michelle Bowman, who was nominated to serve as= a Fed governor, =E2=80=9Calso got a thumbs-up from both Republicans and De= mocrats, meaning two of Trump=E2=80=99s three current Fed nominees appear w= ell on their way to joining the central bank.=E2=80=9D Bloomberg notes that= Clarida =E2=80=9Creceived support from seven Democrats,=E2=80=9D while fiv= er Democrats voted in favor of Bowman.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Krebs Confirmed To DHS C= ybersecurity Post. Axios (6/12, Uchill) reports that in a voice vote Tuesday evening, the Senate = confirmed Chris Krebs =E2=80=9Cto a top Homeland Security cybersecurity and= critical infrastructure post by a Senate voice vote.=E2=80=9D

<= p style=3D"margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt">=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Fr= iends Expect Kudlow To Return To Work. The New York Times (6/12, Tankersley) reports that friends= who spoke with National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow say the exp= ect him =E2=80=9Cto return to his White House job after recovering from a m= ild heart attack that landed him in the hospital on Monday.=E2=80=9D Treasu= ry Secretary Mnuchin tweeted =E2=80=9Cthat he had spoken with Mr. Kudlow an= d that he was =E2=80=98doing well.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D The Wall= Street Journal (6/12, Nicholas, Timiraos) reports that White Ho= use Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Kudlow remained = hospitalized as a standard precaution, but, =E2=80=9CHis doctors expect Lar= ry will make a full and speedy recovery.=E2=80=9D

Kwame Kilpatrick Asks Trump For Sentence Commu= tation.

The Detroit Free Press (6/12= , Daalder) reports that former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick =E2=80=9Chas = asked for a commutation of his sentence, according to a public Facebook pos= t and records from the Justice Department.=E2=80=9D In a message posted on = Facebook and the =E2=80=9CFree Kwame Project=E2=80=9D website, Kilpatrick s= aid that he is =E2=80=9Cready (mentally, emotionally, spiritually) to go ho= me!=E2=80=9D If the President does not grant Kilpatrick=E2=80=99s commutati= on, he =E2=80=9Cwill remain in prison until at least 2037.=E2=80=9D =

Study: AI May Be Bett= er At Identifying Skin Cancer Than Dermatologists.

The Healthline (6/11, Mammoser) reports researchers found in= a small study published in the Annals of Oncology = =E2=80=9Cthat artificial intelligence can identify skin cancer more accurat= ely than dermatologists.=E2=80=9D The authors of an accompanyin= g editorial wrote, =E2=80=9CIn the future, I think AI will be in= tegrated into practice as a diagnostic aide, particularly in primary care, = to support the decision to excise a lesion, refer, or otherwise to reassure= that it is benign.=E2=80=9D Suzanne M. Olbricht, MD, FAAD, the president o= f the American Academy of Dermatology, said in a statement, =E2=80=9CAlthou= gh artificial intelligence may be a useful tool in skin cancer diagnosis, n= o machine can replicate the high-quality, comprehensive skin, hair, and nai= l care provided by a board-certified dermatologist.=E2=80=9D Olbricht added= , =E2=80=9CWhile this technology has great promise for the practice of derm= atology, more work and research are necessary for that promise to be realiz= ed.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 WPost Op-Ed: Dermatologists Can, Should Work With AI= Not Compete Against It. Carrie L. Kovarik, a= n associate professor of dermatology, dermatopathology and medicine at the = University of Pennsylvania, and Caroline A. Nelson and John S. Barbieri, ch= ief residents in dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania, write in an= opinion piece in the Washington Post (6/12) that = =E2=80=9Clast month, dermatologists were told they had narrowly lost a comp= etition=E2=80=9D against AI at diagnosing melanoma. Kovarik, Nelson, and Ba= rbieri argue that =E2=80=9Cto optimize the potential benefits of artificial= intelligence while preserving the doctor-patient relationship, we believe = that collaboration, not competition, is the winning strategy.=E2=80=9D The = three authors cite the 1960 treatise, =E2=80=9CMan-Computer Symbiosis=E2=80= =9D by J.C.R. Licklider, =E2=80=9Cwhich described how the two could have a = mutually beneficial relationship.=E2=80=9D They conclude, =E2=80=9CIf artif= icial intelligence becomes another tool in our toolbox, it will support the= time-honored lesson that man with machine is superior to either alone.=E2= =80=9D

Texas HPV Coal= ition Launching Education Campaign To Boost Vaccination Rates.

<= p style=3D"margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt">The Austin (TX) American Statesman (6/12, Price)= reports that considering about one-third of Texas children have been vacci= nated for human papillomavirus (HPV), the Texas HPV Coalition =E2=80=9Con T= uesday announced the launch of a new education effort=E2=80=9D which aims t= o =E2=80=9Ceducate physicians and parents to encourage the use of the vacci= ne.=E2=80=9D The coalition aims =E2=80=9Cto increase vaccination rates to 8= 0 percent by 2026, the 20th anniversary of the vaccine=E2=80=99s approval b= y the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,=E2=80=9D the piece says, adding th= at with =E2=80=9Conly 33 percent of children aged 13 to 17=E2=80=9D being v= accinated, the state ranks 47th in the nation for vaccination rates.

New York Times.

<= b>=E2=80=9CWhy The North Korea Meeting Was The Trumpiest = Moment So Far.=E2=80=9D In an editorial, the = New York Times (6/12) writes that =E2=80=9Cas a mode= l for diplomacy, the Singapore Summit had its highs and lows. But as a plat= form for displaying the singular performance art of Donald Trump, it was a = solid 10.=E2=80=9D The Times adds that =E2=80=9Cif Mr. Trump can crack this= nut, he=E2=80=99ll surely get the adulation =E2=80=93 not to mention the N= obel Peace Prize =E2=80=93 that he is so desperate for.=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =E2=80=9CTrump Gushes Over North Korea.=E2=80=9D The New York Times (6/12) editorializes that P= resident Trump =E2=80=9Chas made major concessions,=E2=80=9D Kim Jong-un = =E2=80=9Cmade fewer commitments than North Korea has made to past administr= ations and merely reaffirmed a goal of =E2=80=98denuclearization=E2=80=99 t= hat North Korea first announced in 1992.=E2=80=9D And as Trump =E2=80=9Cgus= hed about the virtues of the North Korean dictator, just a day after he sav= aged some of America=E2=80=99s closest democratic allies, he even endorsed = the North Korean view of such joint exercises=E2=80=9D with South Korea =E2= =80=9Cas =E2=80=98provocative.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =E2=80=9COn The= Brink Of Disaster In Yemen.=E2=80=9D In an e= ditorial, the New York Times (6/12) criticizes the A= dministration for =E2=80=9Cstanding by=E2=80=9D as its allies =E2=80=9Cprep= are to intensify Yemen=E2=80=99s misery=E2=80=9D by a planned attack on the= Red Sea port of Al Hudaydah by a coalition led by the United Arab Emirates= and Saudi Arabia. The Times blasts Trump for having =E2=80=9Cemboldened Sa= udi and emirati leaders=E2=80=9D and now =E2=80=9Csending mixed signals=E2= =80=9D on the planned attack. The Times calls for the Administration to mak= e =E2=80=9Cclear that an attack on Al Hudaydah would be a disaster and that= even considering such action reveals how futile their policy in Yemen has = been.=E2=80=9D The Times concludes that seeking =E2=80=9Ca cease-fire and a= deal for neutral control of the port could be the first step to a politica= l settlement that is the only hope for peace.=E2=80=9D

Washington Post.

= =E2=80=9CPope Francis At Last Opens His Eyes On Clergy Sex Abuse.=E2=80=9D<= /span> A Washington Post (6/1= 2) editorial.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =E2=80=9CThe Post=E2=80=99s Endorsements For Prince= George=E2=80=99s School Board.=E2=80=9D In a= n editorial, the <= span style=3D"color:#0000ee">Washington Post (6/12) lists its en= dorsements in the nonpartisan primaries to fill four seats on the Prince Ge= orge=E2=80=99s County, Maryland Board of Education. The Post says incumbent= Lupi Grady deserves reelection in District 2. In District 3, Pamela Boozer= -Strother is =E2=80=9Cthe most promising=E2=80=9D candidate =E2=80=9Cto fil= l the seat being vacated by Dinora Hernandez.=E2=80=9D The Post endorses bo= ard vice chair Carolyn Boston for reelection in District 6, and in District= 9, the Post endorses =E2=80=9Cincumbent Sonya Williams for a second term.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =E2=80=9CNo More Concessions.=E2=80=9D <= span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;c= olor:#333333">The = Washington Post (6/12) editorializ= es that the Singapore summit =E2=80=9Cwas, without question, a triumph for= =E2=80=9D North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who =E2=80=9Cwas able to parade = on the global stage as a legitimate statesman, praised by the president of = the United States as =E2=80=98very talented=E2=80=99 and worthy of trust.= =E2=80=9D

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