Today in Trumpworld — Dec. 1

TRUMP’S SCHEDULE TODAY

11 a.m.: President Donald Trump will receive his daily intelligence briefing in the Oval Office.


11:45 a.m.: Trump will meet with Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj of Libya in the Oval Office.

12:30 p.m.: Trump will have lunch with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis at the White House.

3:15 p.m.: Trump will deliver remarks at the White House Christmas reception.

TRUMP’S TWITTER THIS MORNING: “The Kate Steinle killer came back and back over the weakly protected Obama border, always committing crimes and being violent, and yet this info was not used in court. His exoneration is a complete travesty of justice. BUILD THE WALL! … The jury was not told the killer of Kate was a 7 time felon. The Schumer/Pelosi Democrats are so weak on Crime that they will pay a big price in the 2018 and 2020 Elections. … Republicans Senators are working hard to pass the biggest Tax Cuts in the history of our Country. The Bill is getting better and better. This is a once in a generation chance. Obstructionist Dems trying to block because they think it is too good and will not be given the credit!”

BREAKING THIS MORNING: A statement from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office: “The court has scheduled a plea hearing for Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn (Ret.), 58, of Alexandria, Va., at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras.”

LATEST ON TAXES: From POLITICO’s Seung Min Kim and Colin Wilhelm: “Senate Republicans are frantically re-writing their massive tax overhaul to win over wavering senators just hours before a potential vote. GOP leaders had hoped to pass the bill late Thursday night or early Friday morning, but were forced to delay action after a ruling by the Senate parliamentarian threw out a crucial provision to prevent hundreds of billions in deficit spending. But in good news for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.), two hold-outs, said they would back the bill Friday morning after getting assurances the bill would change to their liking. It’s still not clear when the Senate will vote — or what they’ll actually be voting on, as key pieces of the multi-trillion-dollar bill are being rewritten in hopes of getting a major legislative victory to President Donald Trump’s desk by Christmas.”

TRUMP EYEING SHUTDOWN: From the Washington Post’s Josh Dawsey, Sean Sullivan and Ed O’Keefe: “President Trump has told confidants that a government shutdown could be good for him politically and is focusing on his hard-line immigration stance as a way to win back supporters unhappy with his outreach to Democrats this fall, according to people who have spoken with him recently. Over the past 10 days, the president has also told advisers that it is important that he is seen as tough on immigration and getting money for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to two people who have spoken with him. He has asked friends about how a shutdown would affect him politically and has told several people he would put the blame on Democrats. Trump’s mixed messages on a partial government shutdown could hamper the ability of congressional Republicans to negotiate with Democrats, whose support they need to pass spending legislation in coming weeks. Many Republicans said this week that a shutdown is a possibility they hope to avoid. Even inside the White House, aides fret about the possibility, saying it would not poll well.”

TRUMP PUT PRESSURE ON CONGRESSIONAL RUSSIA PROBE: From the New York Times’ Jonathan Martin, Maggie Haberman and Alexander Burns: “President Trump over the summer repeatedly urged senior Senate Republicans, including the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to end the panel’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, according to a half dozen lawmakers and aides. Mr. Trump’s requests were a highly unusual intervention from a president into a legislative inquiry involving his family and close aides.”

IN TRUMP’S INNER CIRCLE: From POLITICO’s Nancy Cook and Ben Strauss: “Inside the West Wing, everyone knows Johnny. At age 27, John McEntee, a former University of Connecticut quarterback and star of a viral YouTube trick-throw video, former low-level Fox News staffer and campaign official, now makes $115,000 a year as Trump’s personal aide and body man. How he rose to this level of prominence is in some respects the quintessential tale of success within Trump’s organization, where loyalty and looks often matter more than résumé. Athletically handsome and a sharp dresser—one former campaign official called him ’so pretty’—McEntee arrived at Trump’s doorstep in August 2015 with no more qualifications than his determination to make the boss happy.”



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