Tipsheet: Trump takes on critics with Russia moves — Sponsored by FICO

View in your browser     The Memo: Trump takes on critics with Russia moves By Niall Stanage      The White House sought to quash suggestions that President Trump is too soft on Moscow Thursday, ordering sanctions against Russians alleged to have participated in election meddling and joining allies to condemn the Kremlin for an attempted murder in Britain.  The moves took many skeptical observers by surprise, given that the administration has long been accused of being too sympathetic to Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Some critics remained unsatisfied. Read the full story here     Washington wonders: Who will get axed next? By Jonathan Easley President Trump’s abrupt firing of secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the conflicting signals coming from the White House about whether more staff moves are on the way has Washington on edge. Read the full story here     Trump reportedly set to remove McMaster as national security adviser By Brett Samuels President Trump has decided to remove H.R. McMaster as his national security adviser, according to a new report. The White House said Thursday night that “there are no changes” at the National Security Council. Read the full story here     Key Republicans back VA secretary as talk of firing escalates By Rebecca Kheel Key Republicans are sticking by Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin as rumors of his firing swirl. Read the full story here     Grassley: Sessions should not be fired By John Bowden Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) warned President Trump against firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday amid rumors of a major shakeup pending for the Trump administration. Read the full story here     Zinke criticized for 'juvenile' comment at hearing By John Bowden Democrats rebuked Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Thursday for comments he made during a House budget hearing about planned cuts to grant programs that fund institutions focusing on the history of Japanese-Americans. “Oh, konnichiwa,” Zinke said in response to a Democrat’s question. Read the full story here     Trump Jr., Vanessa Trump announce they are separating By Rebecca Savransky Donald Trump Jr. and his wife Vanessa Trump announced Thursday that they are separating after 12 years of marriage. Read the full story here     Mueller subpoenas Trump Organization By Olivia Beavers and Avery Anapol Special counsel Robert Mueller has subpoenaed the Trump Organization for documents as part of the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Read the full story here     GOP senators call for special counsel to probe FBI over Russia By Jordain Carney A group of Republican senators is asking the Department of Justice (DOJ) to name a special counsel to probe the FBI's handling of its investigation into Russia's election meddling and possible ties between Moscow and the Trump campaign. Read the full story here     FBI supervisor warned Comey in 2014 that warrantless surveillance program was ineffective By John Solomon and Alison Spann An official who supervised the FBI’s Section 215 warrantless phone surveillance program revealed by Edward Snowden in 2013 says he warned then-Director James Comey it was woefully ineffective in catching terrorists and needed to be modified. Read the full story here         SPONSORED CONTENT   Sponsored by FICO Don't be fooled. VantageScore is not an independent startup -- it's owned by the three credit bureaus. Allowing the credit bureaus to offer a credit score they own and control in mortgage lending decisions would consolidate their power over the entire credit reporting process. That's not good for competition or for consumers. Read More.         ObamaCare bailouts are paving the way for government-run health By Marie Fishpaw and Dan Holler OPINION | If you thought Republican opposition to ObamaCare and taxpayer-funded bailouts were pillars of the party platform, you could be in for disappointing surprise.  Read the full story here     Trump's lie to the leader of a key ally shows how low he'll stoop By Maria Cardona OPINION | I would say that now we’ve seen it all. But I am confident that Donald Trump will soon do something even more outrageous than lying to the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and then boasting about it to his donors and supporters, which is what he did on Wednesday at a fundraiser. Read the full story here     The New York Times: Cyberattacks put Russian fingers on the switch at power plants, US says By Nicole Perlroth and David E. Sanger   The Trump administration accused Russia on Thursday of engineering a series of cyberattacks that targeted American and European nuclear power plants and water and electric systems, and could have sabotaged or shut power plants off at will. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: Trump decides to remove national security adviser, and others may follow By  Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey, Philip Rucker and Carol D. Leonnig    President Trump boasted that he insisted to the Canadian prime minister that the United States runs a trade deficit with its neighbor to the north. But, he said, “I didn’t even know. ... I had no idea.” The U.S. trade representative's office says the country has a trade surplus, not a deficit, with Canada. Read the full story here     The Wall Street Journal: How the DOJ's face-off with AT&T could alter American business By Brent Kendall and Drew FitzGerald   The government accuses the company’s chief executive of behaving like the disingenuous Captain Renault in the film “Casablanca.” The company likens the government’s case to a shaved Persian cat, “pale and thin.” Read the full story here     The Associated Press: Abortion, free speech collide in Supreme Court dispute By Mark Sherman Informed Choices is what its president describes as a “life-affirming” pregnancy center on the edge of downtown Gilroy in northern California. Read the full story here     Reuters: Tillerson to talk soon with successor nominee Pompeo: State Department By Reuters Staff   Fired U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to speak soon with CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who has been nominated to succeed him, the State Department said on Thursday. 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