INTERNATIONAL: Trump's announcement that the U.S. would pull out of the nuclear deal with Iran sparked a mountain of questions about what comes next, the what-ifs for all parties, and vigorous debate about the president's belief that a tough posture with Iran bolsters his upcoming denuclearization talks with North Korea. Trump's move has Washington policymakers in upheaval but it wasn't a surprise – the president has been promising for three years to pull the U.S. out of the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran. The president is now on a mission to disarm the world's nuclear hotspots. In his mind, North Korea and Iran are linked and only he has the negotiating prowess to bring their governments to heel. History will decide whether Trump's gambles pay off, but in the interim, the president continues to shock by doing exactly what he said he'd do. Associated Press: Trump pulled in two directions on Iran, North Korea On Tuesday, the unknowns (and competing predictions) outnumbered the answers. Pew Research: Public is skeptical of Iran deal - and Trump's handling of it. And as with everything these days, there are partisan differences. The Hill: Five takeaways by Niall Stanage drawn from Trump's announcement. Reuters: Diplomatic and Iran experts predict Iran will not soon return to the negotiating table as Trump hopes. BBC News: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran is on standby to resume uranium enrichment, but will "wait to see how others react." The Washington Post: Iran to negotiate with Europeans, China, Russia about remaining in nuclear deal. Reuters: European officials scramble to salvage Iran deal. BBC News: What happens now to the nuclear agreement? Bipartisan Policy Center National Security Director Blaise Misztal: The president did not say how the U.S. now plans to reckon with "Iran's wide range of regionally destabilizing activities." (Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement as he flew to North Korea on Tuesday suggesting the first order of business would be discussing that question with European and other allies. His arrival Wednesday sparked reports and expectations that he may return to the U.S. with three captured Americans, per The Washington Post.) BBC News: UK, France, Germany remain committed to the 2015 agreement. Vox: Trump believes his Iran decision strengthens his posture with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, but Kim may decide the U.S. can't be trusted. The president tweeted Tuesday that with North Korea "relationships and trust are building." CNN: Kim visited President Xi Jinping in China for the second time in two months ahead of a planned Trump-Kim summit. On Tuesday, Trump and Xi spoke by phone about trade, North Korea and Xi's talks with Kim, but it was unclear what the two leaders discussed regarding the Iran agreement that China backed in 2015. The Washington Post: Re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran will affect business contracts, including Boeing's. Five Americans continue to be held in Iran. Their fate retreats further from public view, says Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, who spent 18 months imprisoned in Iran. His wife, Yeganeh Salehi, tweeted her concerns for the missing Americans following Trump's announcement. © Twitter
INVESTIGATIONS: One year ago today, Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey, setting off the chain of events that led to special counsel Robert Mueller's probe and an epic clash between the executive branch and the nation's premier law enforcement agencies. © CNN
Gallup: Trump approval rating best in a year. But 12 months in, lots of attention on this 👉 CNN: Mueller's team questioned a Russian oligarch about payments his company's U.S. affiliate made to Trump attorney Michael Cohen following the election. Financial records reviewed by The New York Times show Cohen used the shell company, Essential Consultants L.L.C., to pay hush money to Stormy Daniels, and to receive funds from the U.S. affiliate tied to the Russian billionaire. Transactions adding up to at least $4.4 million flowed through the shell company starting shortly before Trump was elected and continuing to this January, according to the Times. Poll: Majority of Americans say special counsel investigation is motivated by politics. The Hill: Senate Intelligence Committee to wrap up Russia probe in August. The Hill: Russia waged "unprecedented" cyber campaign on U.S. voting systems, Senate report finds. In a wide-ranging interview with NBC News reporter Kristen Welker, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said they want to make a decision about an interview with Mueller by May 17 – the one-year mark for the special counsel. Politico: Mueller turns down possibility of written questions. The Hill: Comey says Trump should be wary of Mueller interview because he "lies a lot." "If they can demonstrate they have an open mind, and they would stop all of these prosecutorial acts and misconduct… we would be much more comfortable that we can get a fair shake here." - Giuliani to NBC News. Jonathan Turley: Clinton defense lawyer a strong addition to Trump's legal team. The Washington Post: What is Giuliani up to? National Review: Mueller's tough week in court. |
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