Trump After Dark: Upset Alert edition

President Donald Trump’s version of March Madness: A week of shuffling staff and, perhaps, a controversial policy proposal.

As POLITICO’s Dan Diamond reports , President Trump is finalizing a plan for opioids that includes the death penalty for dealers. It’s part of an ambitious plan to address the opioid epidemic — a topic that Trump has said is a top priority.


“The ambitious plan, which the White House has quietly been circulating among political appointees this month, could be announced as soon as Monday when President Donald Trump visits New Hampshire, a state hard hit by the epidemic. It includes a mix of prevention and treatment measures that advocates have long endorsed, as well as beefed-up enforcement in line with the president’s frequent calls for a harsh crackdown on drug traffickers and dealers.”

The part likely to grab headlines, however, is Trump’s call for the highest punishment for dealers — an unprecedented step.

“Trump’s plan to use the death penalty in some cases found at least one fan among congressional Republicans: Rep. Chris Collins of New York, one of the president’s most consistent cheerleaders. ‘I’m all in on the capital punishment side for those offenses that would warrant that,’ he said when asked about the plans Thursday afternoon. ‘Including drug cases. Yep.’”

Elsewhere in President Trump’s orbit:

CALL H.R.?: The Washington Post reports that President Trump has decided to remove his national security adviser H.R McMaster.

RUSSIAN TO FINISH: Fears are growing among House Republicans that they botched the rollout of their report on Russian election interference.

AT WILL EMPLOYEE: Retiring FBI official Andrew McCabe has little legal recourse if he is fired by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

TOO MNUCH?: Steve Mnuchin’s plane travel cost taxpayers more than $1 million, documents show.

CONSERVATIVE PUTSCH: Emails show that conservatives were alarmed and worked to oust “Obama holdovers” in the Trump administration.

A TRUMP SPLIT: President Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. and his wife, Vanessa, filed for divorce.

ZINKE BEFORE YOU SPEAK: Sen. Mazie Hirono upbraided Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke after he responded to a question about continued funding for recognition of Japanese internment by saying, “Oh, konnichiwa.”

There you have it. You’re caught up on the Trump administration. TGIT.

