➔ INTERNATIONAL: G-7 summit next-steps: Trump played hardball on trade with U.S. allies in Canada, and he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau engaged in some verbal jousts after it was over. The public trash talking among world leaders is a prelude to the economic repercussions of tit-for-tat tariffs, which appear all but certain – and unwelcome everywhere but inside the White House. 
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South China Morning Post: Trade war: European Union will put tariffs on U.S. metals after "depressing" G-7 tweets by Trump."It's hard, it's depressing this time, but that's not the end" of the G-7 alliance, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday. EuroNews.com: Merkel said a tariff-free area among G-7 allies would be an ideal outcome, but she made clear that any talks about such a trade bloc would have to include non-tariff barriers to trade as well as free access to public tenders. The Hill: Trump's refusal to endorse the G-7 communique. Trump's disruptive performance in Canada prompted weekend observations on Twitter by two national reporters who cover the president: 
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Trade and Investment: Reuters: Trade tensions drive Chinese auto investors from U.S. to Europe. ➔ CAMPAIGNS & POLITICS: We're beginning to see more analysts raise doubts about the prospect of a "blue wave" in the 2018 midterm elections. In this piece for the New York Daily News, senior elections analyst Sean Trende, who once believed Democrats could pick up 40 to 50 seats in the House, is now expressing uncertainty about whether they'll flip the 23 they need to seize a majority. Christopher Buskirk, writing in The New York Times: If there's a red wave, this will be why. Former Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), a contributor for The Hill: Gun control will be a winning issue for Democrats. Elsewhere, The Washington Post landed a rare interview with billionaire liberal donor George Soros. Soros said he won't be backing Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) if she runs for president. He blames Gillibrand for forcing out Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), who resigned after several women accused him of inappropriate touching. Also on the Democratic side, Politico reports that the Democratic National Committee is moving forward with a proposal to force the party's presidential candidates to identify as Democrats. That, of course, would impact Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who has steadfastly refused to become a Democrat. Sanders's supporters are angry over the proposed rule, adding fire to the long-running and bitter battle between Clinton and Sanders supporters. More from the campaign trail: The Cook Political report has shifted three House races in favor of Democrats and two in favor of Republicans (The Hill) … Evangelical groups will reward Trump with a $20 million midterms investment (The Hill) … Nevada's Democratic Party is accused of illegally funneling millions of dollars to Clinton's campaign (Las Vegas Review-Journal) … GOP embraces single-payer healthcare attack in California (The Hill) … Democrats think rising health care costs could become an "October surprise" among disenchanted voters (NBC News). ➔ INVESTIGATIONS: Lawmakers, investigators and the press continue to deal with fallout from the former Senate Intelligence Committee staffer who has been charged with making false statements to the FBI about his contacts with the media. James Wolfe made his first appearance in court on Friday. As part of that investigation, the DOJ seized phone and email records between Wolfe and New York Times reporter Ali Watkins, who was at one point romantically involved with Wolfe. The Hill: GOP lawmaker troubled by DOJ's seizure of reporter's records. Andrew McCarthy: Leak investigations, journalists and double standards. Gabe Rottman: We need federal shield laws to protect journalists now. Jonathan Turley: New leak indictment spells disaster for McCabe. Elsewhere, special counsel Robert Mueller has hit Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort with a new round of charges, as well as two new counts against his former aide, Konstantin Kilimnik. The new obstruction of justice charges pertain to allegations of witness tampering. Read the indictment HERE. Paul Rosenzweig: Tampering charges against Manafort are thin. The Hill: House approves watchdog financial oversight of Mueller. Sharyl Attkisson: The FBI's fractured fairy tale. Finally, The Hill's Lydia Wheeler takes a look at how a defamation lawsuit brought against Trump by a former contestant on "The Apprentice" is fraught with peril for the president. A judge has ruled that the president can be deposed in the suit, brought by Summer Zervos, who has accused Trump of making unwanted advances. | 
