Trump Personally Intervened to Toughen Iran Deal Letter

President Donald Trump personally intervened to inject tougher language into a State Department letter to Congress last week that found Iran was in compliance with the deal limiting its nuclear program, according to an administration official familiar with the matter. The letter to Congress from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson certified that Iran is complying with terms of the accord it reached with the U.S. and five other world powers in 2015 to restrict its nuclear activities in return for relief from certain economic sanctions, a finding required by U.S. law every 90 days.

Lawmakers suggest former Trump aide Michael Flynn broke U.S. law

President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, appeared to violate federal law when he failed to seek permission or inform the U.S. government about accepting tens of thousands of dollars from Russian organizations after a trip there in 2015, leaders of a House oversight committee said Tuesday. The congressmen also raised new questions about fees Flynn received as part of $530,000 in consulting work his company performed for a businessman tied to Turkey's government.

Ex-spy admits anti-Trump dossier’ssensational charge unverified, saysClinton backer betrayed him

Ex-spy admits anti-Trump dossier's sensational charge unverified, says Clinton backer betrayed him Washington Times, by Rowan Scarborough Christopher Steele, the former British spy who wrote the infamous anti-Donald Trump dossier, acknowledges that a sensational charge his sources made about a tech company CEO and Democratic Party hacking is unverified.

Ap Fact Check: Misfires in Donald Trump’s Ap interview

In an Associated Press interview, President Donald Trump claimed more progress than he's achieved on his 100-day plan and showed he was not completely familiar with what he had promised in that "contract" with voters. A look at some of his assertions in the interview conducted Friday and other statements he made over the past week: Of 38 specific promises Trump made in his 100-day "contract" with voters, he's accomplished 10, mostly through executive orders that don't require legislation.

Trump to propose massive tax cuts for businesses

President Donald Trump plans to propose massive tax cuts for businesses big and small as part of an overhaul that he says will provide the biggest tax cuts in U.S. history. In addition to big tax cuts for corporations, Trump also wants to cut taxes for small business owners from a top tax rate of 39.6 percent to a top rate of 15 percent, said an official with knowledge of the plan.

Priebus: US Court Went ‘Bananas’ in Blocking Trump’s Order

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said a federal district court in California went "bananas" in blocking President Donald Trump's order blocking funding to sanctuary cities Tuesday. "It's the Ninth Circuit going bananas," Priebus told reporters in his office in the West Wing of the White House late Tuesday, The Hill reported.

Oregon timber execs hope new Canadian duty leads to better times

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, center, accompanied by White House press secretary Sean Spicer, left, smiles while speaking to the media about a new tariff on Canadian lumber during the daily press briefing at the White House, Tuesday, April 25, 2017, in Washington. Oregon timber executives said Tuesday they will consider adding jobs, instituting new shifts, and investing more in existing Northwest mills as a result of a new 20 percent duty on Canadian softwood lumber announced by the White House.

Zinke will recommend Bears Ears fate within 45 days

Interior Secretary-designate, Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., is sworn in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, prior to testifying at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Zinke, 55, a former Navy SEAL now in his second term in Congress, was an early supporter of President-elect Donald Trump and, like his prospective boss, has expressed skepticism about the urgency of climate change.

A Federal Judge Just Blocked Trump’s Executive Order Targeting Sanctuary Cities

A federal judge in San Francisco blocked a January executive order that the Trump administration was using to threaten to withhold funds from so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions refusing full cooperation with federal enforcement of immigration laws. In issuing a nationwide preliminary injunction Tuesday, US District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco cited public comments by President Donald Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and other administration officials that warned cities that they would lose public safety funds if they did not comply with federal immigration agents' attempts to locate and detain undocumented immigrants.

GOP drops US-Mexico wall demands as spending talks advance54 minutes ago

Congressional negotiators on Tuesday inched toward a potential agreement on a catchall spending bill that would deny President Donald Trump's request for immediate funding to construct a wall along the Mexico border. The emerging measure would increase the defense budget and eliminate the threat of a government shutdown on Trump's 100th day in office this Saturday.

Illinois House ignores veto threat by passing abortion expansion

The Democratic-led Illinois House defied a veto threat by the state's Republican governor by passing legislation on Tuesday to expand state-funded coverage of abortions for low-income residents and for state employees. The measure, which passed the House 62-55 and now moves to the state Senate, also aims to keep abortions legal in Illinois if the U.S. Supreme Court follows President Donald Trump's call to overturn its landmark Roe v.

Is attacking Trump the ticket? Democrats are trying it out

In New Jersey, a candidate running for governor compared the Trump camp to Nazis. In Virginia, a doctor running for governor fired up a gathering of Democrats by calling Trump a "narcissistic maniac," while his primary opponent called Trump's victory a "political and constitutional Sept.

Ohio governor, ex-GOP presidential candidate, publishes book

The book, released Tuesday by Thomas Dunne Books, is roughly equal parts campaign-trail memoir, political biography and Kasich's own self-help therapy session for living in a post-Donald Trump world. Kasich, 64, expresses clear disappointment that his decades as a state legislator, congressman, business executive and governor failed to earn him the Republican Party's nomination - especially over populist billionaire Donald Trump.

Highs and lows of Trump’s first 100 days

Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump looks on during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2017. Protesters stream onto Independence Avenue at the Women's March on Washington during the first full day of Donald Trump's presidency, Jan. 21, 2017 in Washington.

Negotiators make progress on bill to keep government open

By ALAN FRAM and ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press WASHINGTON - Congressional and White House negotiators made progress Tuesday on a must-pass spending bill to keep the federal government open days ahead of a deadline as President Donald Trump indicated that U.S. funding for a border wall with Mexico could wait until September. But a big stumbling block remains, involving a Democratic demand for money for insurance companies that help low-income people afford health policies under former President Barack Obama's health law, or that Trump abandon a threat to use the payments as a bargaining chip.

Progress seen on budget deal that would prevent government shutdown

Bipartisan bargainers are making progress toward a budget deal to prevent a partial federal shutdown this weekend, a major hurdle overcome when President Donald Trump signaled he would put off his demand that the measure include money to build his border wall with Mexico. Republicans are also vetting proposed changes to their beleaguered health care bill that they hope will attract enough votes to finally push it through the House.

Government shutdown, health bill rescue at stake in Congress

Bipartisan bargainers are making progress toward a budget deal to prevent a partial federal shutdown this weekend, a major hurdle overcome when President Donald Trump signaled he would put off his demand that the measure include money to build his border wall with Mexico. Republicans are also vetting proposed changes to their beleaguered health care bill that they hope will attract enough votes to finally push it through the House.