Time to tame irrational Trump’s nuclear powers

Will Saetren warns that the US president has virtually no restraints on his ability to launch nuclear strikes and, given Trump's reputation for impulsiveness, Congress should act to impose new limits Few people realise that Donald Trump , as the American president, has total control over the US nuclear arsenal. Every last one of America's nuclear weapons is at the US president's disposal 24/7 and can be launched at any time, for any reason.

Gorsuch establishes conservative cred in 1st year on court new

More than 2,000 conservatives in tuxedos and gowns recently filled Union Station's main hall for a steak dinner and the chance to cheer the man who saved the Supreme Court from liberal control. Justice Neil Gorsuch didn't disappoint them, just as he hasn't in his first seven months on the Supreme Court.

White House defends Mulvaney’s appointment to CFPB

The White House on Saturday vehemently defended President Donald Trump's decision to appoint Mick Mulvaney as the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, calling it a "typical, routine move." "We think that this move is clearly supported by a plain reading of the Vacancies' Act," a senior administration official said on a call with reporters, referring to the presidential appointment authorities outlined in the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998.

Trump truly deserves to be ‘Person of the Year’

Twitter exploded Friday night and into Saturday after Donald Trump alleged that he was offered Time magazine's title of "Person of the Year" and Time responded by challenging the President's account of events. Trump tweeted that the magazine wanted him "to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot" before confirming he had won the award.

Barney Frank rips Mulvaney’s appointment to CFPB

Former Rep. Barney Frank pushed back Saturday on the White House's assertion that President Donald Trump has the authority to appoint an interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, saying the independence of watchdog agency was a key consideration when Congress passed the law to create it in 2010. "We gave a lot of attention to how to structure the CFPB and how to protect its independence, because its job is to go after some very powerful forces in the economy," the Massachusetts Democrat, who authored the law with then-Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd, told CNN in an interview.

Congress coming back to crush of business in a fraught time

The crush of unfinished business facing lawmakers when they return to the Capitol would be daunting even if Washington were functioning at peak efficiency. It's an agenda whose core items - tax cuts, a potential government shutdown, lots of leftover spending bills - could unravel just as easily as advance in factionalism, gamesmanship and a toxic political environment.

Gorsuch’s early reviews: What right hoped for, left feared

More than 2,000 conservatives in tuxedos and gowns recently filled Union Station's main hall for a steak dinner and the chance to cheer the man who saved the Supreme Court from liberal control. Justice Neil Gorsuch didn't disappoint them, just as he hasn't in his first seven months on the Supreme Court.

Who’s the boss come Monday at consumer agency?

In this March 26, 2015, file photo, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray speaks during a panel discussion in Richmond, Va. Cordray, the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, tendered his resignation Friday, Nov. 24, 2017, and simultaneously named his own successor, setting up the consumer agency for another battle with the Trump White House over control of the powerful federal watchdog.

Turkey’s Torrid Love Affair With Michael Flynn

Diplomats Sound the Alarm as They Are Pushed Out in Droves - WASHINGTON - Of all the State Department employees who might have been vulnerable in the staff reductions that Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson has initiated as he reshapes the department, the one person who seemed least likely Trump visits his West Palm Beach golf club - President Trump traveled to his West Palm Beach, Florida golf club Saturday, marking the fourth consecutive day he's visited one of his golf properties.

Confusion as Trump and outgoing director pick leaders for consumer agency

President Donald Trump named an interim head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau shortly after the outgoing director appointed his own successor, signaling a potential showdown over who's in charge of the federal agency. Trump named Mick Mulvaney, the current director of the Office of Management and Budget, as interim director of the consumer watchdog agency.

Consumer watchdog head names a successor, and Trump does too

In this March 26, 2015, file photo, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray speaks during a panel discussion in Richmond, Va. Cordray, the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, tendered his resignation Friday, Nov. 24, 2017, and simultaneously named his own successor, setting up the consumer agency for another battle with the Trump White House over control of the powerful federal watchdog.

Sessions quietly, dramatically reshapes Justice Department

For more than five hours, Attorney General Jeff Sessions sat in a hearing room on Capitol Hill this month, fending off inquiries on Washington's two favorite topics: President Donald Trump and Russia. But legislators spent little time asking Sessions about the dramatic and controversial changes in policy he has made since taking over the top law enforcement job in the United States nine months ago.

Trump names interim consumer agency head, likely sparking showdown

U.S. President Donald Trump has designated White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau until a permanent director is nominated and confirmed, the White House said on Friday. Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney attends the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., July 20, 2017.

Turkey: Trump told Erdogan won’t give Syria Kurds more arms

President Donald Trump told Ankara on Friday that the US will no longer supply arms to the Syrian Kurdish militia Washington has used against the Islamic State, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday. Trump delivered the message during what the Turkish presidency called a "productive" phone call with his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the White House hailed as reaffirming a "strategic partnership."

Cordray Names Aide to Lead Consumer Bureau in Challenge to Trump

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and named one of his lieutenants to immediately take over as acting director, setting up a potential standoff with the Trump administration over the controversial agency's leadership. In a memo to the consumer watchdog's employees, Cordray said his current chief of staff, Leandra English, would become deputy director and automatically rise to acting director when he leaves.

Castro Meets N. Korea Minister Amid Hope Cuba Can Defuse Tensions

Cuban President Raul Castro met with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho on Friday amid hopes the communist-run island might be able to persuade its Asian ally to avert a showdown with the United States. North Korea is facing unprecedented pressure from the United States and the international community to cease its nuclear weapons and missile programs.