The greatest threat to President Donald Trump and his presidency, say administration officials and outside advisers, comes from his own conduct and obsessive behavior after he took office. | Getty 45 After Dark: Self-Inflicted edition

President Donald Trump, his aides worry, is doing this all to himself.

With word that Russia special counsel is now investigating whether Trump himself obstructed justice, Trump’s aides are now most worried not about what happened before Trump was sworn into office, but what has happened since, POLITICO’s Josh Dawsey reports.


“The greatest threat to Trump and his presidency, say administration officials and outside advisers, comes from his own conduct and obsessive behavior after he took office. While congressional and FBI investigations may prove Trump or his team broke laws before he took office, his advisers say they’re more worried that the things he’s done since the inauguration may have left him exposed to obstruction of justice or other charges.”

Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence is taking measures to deal with the expanding Russia probe, POLITICO’s Matthew Nussbaum reports. Pence has retained outside counsel — Virginia lawyer Richard Cullen — as special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation continues.

Elsewhere in President Trump’s orbit:

JARED’S A FOCUS: The Washington Post reports that the special counsel’s investigation includes a look at Jared Kushner’s finances and business dealings.

MAN OF INTEREST: Even as he is said to be a subject of the special counsel’s investigation, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has continued to tout his services to foreign clients, suggesting he has access to President Trump.

HI JIM: Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Dianne Feinstein says she would like former FBI Director James Comey back on the hill for more testimony.

TURN OF PHRASE: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull mocked President Trump and made fun of his own efforts to ingratiate himself with the U.S. leader in leaked audio. (CNN)

STILL WITH HER: Amid the Russia probes, President Trump has continually invoked Hillary Clinton and attacked his 2016 opponent.

AS THE WORM TURNS: Dennis Rodman delivered a copy of President Trump’s “The Art of the Deal” to Kim Jong Un during his visit to North Korea. (Washington Post)

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