Trump at the Ford's Theatre Gala on Sunday
Here's what's going on in Washington this week:
- President Trump has berated London Mayor Sadiq Khan for two straight days on Twitter as Khan deals with the aftermath of the city's third terror attack in 74 days. Khan has said he has more important things to do than mind Trump's rants.
- Trump has confirmed what everyone knew: his travel ban is, in fact, a travel ban. This could have an impact on the Supreme Court case, which he also seems pretty confused about.
- George Conway, a staunch conservative and the husband of top Trump aide Kellyanne Conway — he's been the rumored pick for several top posts in the White House — tweeted Monday that Trump's statements on the travel ban were a bad idea.
- Former FBI Director James Comey is set to testify to Congress on Thursday about his conversations with Trump before he was fired. He is expected to say Trump tried to get him to drop an investigation into former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn's potential ties to Russia.
Updates
President Trump won't try and block James Comey from testifying
President Donald Trump will not use his executive privilege to block former FBI director James Comey from testifying on Thursday.
In a statement, the White House says while the president's "power to assert executive privilege is well-established," Trump will not exercise that right "in order to facilitate a swift and thorough examination of the facts sought by the Senate Intelligence Committee."
Comey is set to appear before the Senate intelligence committee Thursday morning to testify as to whether the president tried to interfere with his department's Russia investigation and if the president's actions amount to an obstruction of justice.
Trump suddenly fired the former FBI director last month after reportedly demanding Comey's loyalty at a dinner in January.
—Brianna Sacks
Trump hosts White House ceremony — in a room typically reserved for major events — to announce a memo
President Trump held a ceremony in the White House's East Room to make his case for privatizing the nation's air traffic control system — a move some say could have been announced by the president's staff.
Flanked by the Vice President, transportation officials, and airline executives Trump signed a decision memo and a letter to lawmakers — proposing new principles to Congress that he said would modernize air traffic — in a ceremony resembling a bill singing, which included the president distributing the two pens he used.
"Today we're proposing to take American air travel into the future. Finally," Trump said
Trump isnât signing a bill. Heâs signing a list of âprinciplesâ on air traffic control. Itâs a faux bill signing ceremony. Amazing.
Trump's memo is a proposal supporting aviation changes — in order for the changes to be implemented, they would require congressional approval. Democrats have largely opposed the changes, saying it would give too much power to the airline industries, according to the AP.
"If we adopt these changes, Americans can look forward to cheaper, faster, and safer travel," Trump said.
An administrator of the FAA later delivered tepid remarks about the plan:
Not exactly a full-throated endorsement⦠https://t.co/0YVXQcAIU7
—Mary Ann Georgantopoulos
Donald Trump has criticized Sadiq Khan over the London Bridge terror attack (again)
Donald Trump has once again decided to comment on the London Bridge terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of seven individuals, by criticising Sadiq Khan.
The US President accused Khan of having "to think fast" after the mayor of London said there was no reason for Londoners to be alarmed following the terror attack, which appears to have been conducted by Islamist extremists.
Trump also said the mainstream media was spinning the story on the mayor's behalf and implied Khan, one of the only Muslim mayors of a major Western city, had to come up with an explanation for his comments after the event.
In reality Khan's comment was taken out of context by Trump on Sunday morning when he implied the Muslim mayor was playing down the impact of the attack. The original quote was intended to reassure Londoners they had "no reason to be alarmed" about the "increased police presence today and over the course of the next few days" on the streets of the capital, rather than the attack itself.
Read more here.
—Jim Waterson
Trump starts out week with a tweet storm confirming once and for all that his travel ban is a travel ban
People, the lawyers and the courts can call it whatever they want, but I am calling it what we need and what it is, a TRAVEL BAN!
President Trump confirmed Monday that his executive order is a "travel ban," while urging the courts to implement the tougher version he originally submitted.
The early morning Twitter rant comes just one day after the president tweeted that "we must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people."
Monday he said people "can call it whatever they want, but I am calling it what we need and what it is, a TRAVEL BAN!"
In the past, White House press secretary Sean Spicer has argued to reporters that the executive order is not a travel ban.
Now, Trump appears to be doubling down on comments he made over the weekend and urging the Justice Department to shoot down what he calls the "watered down" and "politically correct" version of the "travel ban" that he signed on March 6. He wants either a tougher version or to go back to the original version he signed in January.
Read the full story here.
–Jessica Simeone
Trump calls his executive order a "travel ban" just moments after the London Bridge attack
President Donald Trump tried to garner support for his legally challenged travel ban, just moments after suspected terror attacks in London Saturday, referencing the violent incidents as a justification for the executive order.
Trump's tweet, connecting the London attack to the travel executive order currently tied up in the courts, was his first public statement concerning the violent incidents Saturday.
It followed a retweet of a Drudge Report item on the attacks, which left six people dead and more than 20 injured after a van rammed into pedestrians on London Bridge and suspects began stabbing people in Borough Market.
Read more here.
–Salvador Hernandez
People protested across the US over the weekend for a fully independent investigation of any Trump ties to Russia
In New York, D.C., Philly, many cities around the US on Saturday, people gathered at the "March for Truth" to demand an independent investigation of any ties President Trump or his aides have to Russia.
The protestors are calling for "a fair and impartial investigation, for the pursuit of truth, and for the restoration of faith in our electoral system and the Office of the Presidency." (US spy agencies agreed Russia worked to help Trump in the 2016 election.)
"The legitimacy of our democracy is more important than the interests of any party, or any President," reads the march's website. Organizers claimed there would be marches in more than 100 US cities.
Check out images here from protests in cities across the country.
–Julia Reinstein
Iowans say Republicans in Congress aren't doing enough to support Trump
Speaking at a political event in Boone, Iowa on Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence praised the "strong support" both he and President Donald Trump have received from Congress — but some Iowans were not so confident that the administration is getting the support it needs to move forward with its agenda.
"In fact, thanks to President Trump's leadership, and the strong support we have from Iowa and Congress, over 600,000 new private sector jobs have been created this year, and unemployment is at its lowest level in 16 years," Pence said. He added later that he has "faith" in the Republican majority in Congress.
The remarks were made at Republican Sen. Joni Ernst's third annual Roast and Ride event in Central Iowa, where Pence pulled up on a Harley Davidson, part of a 500-strong parade motorcycle parade in honor of veterans. While the Republicans present were still overwhelmingly supportive of what Trump is doing in the White House, their generosity did not extend to the GOP lawmakers he has to work with in Congress.
Read the full story here.
–Lissandra Villa
Trump supporters and some climate change deniers rallied to thank him for leaving the Paris Agreement
Dozens of Trump supporters gathered outside of the White House Saturday to show their support for the President Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, which he said would have drained the country's economy.
The rally, drawing roughly 200 people both in support and against Trump's decision, ran about two hours and was organized by the Fairfax County Republican Committee and the Republican Party of Virginia.
It was dubbed the "Pittsburgh not Paris" rally after Trump's most memorable — and criticized — line from his speech where he announced the US would leave the agreement. It began in Lafayette Square outside the White House, named for French aristocrat/military officer Marquis de Lafayette who fought in the Revolutionary War.
Find out more here.
–Nidhi Subbaraman