| | | | | President Trump departs from the White House after answering questions from the media about his firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Tuesday morning. Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images | | | Ex Tillerson: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is out
Big House for Sale in Kalorama?: What'll happen to Rex T's $5.6 million house?
Why Trump Isn't Tweeting About Stormy: He's being advised against pushing back, a source told CNN | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump's news re Secretary of State -- and his trip to California to see border wall prototypes, give remarks, and tonight attend a fundraiser in Los Angeles.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
Meh, not much. JK! It's crazy today.
-Rex Tillerson unceremoniously out.
-Trump body man John McEntee, also out.
-Mike Pompeo, in.
-Russia investigation closes in the House, no evidence of collusion.
-Not really any time for you, Stormy, but we've still got an eye out.
-Oh, and that election in Pennsylvania is today.
"We Were Not Really Thinking the Same":
Also known as: Rex Tillerson got fired. This morning, the President tweeted that he was replacing Tillerson with CIA Director Mike Pompeo. There's a strong chance Tillerson officially found out he got the boot via that tweet, by the way, but other reporting suggests chief of staff John Kelly gave him the news via a phone call over the weekend. Per usual, however, no one else really had a head's up -- especially at the State Department and on Capitol Hill. On his way out the door to California this morning, Trump told the press that he and Tillerson simply didn't agree on a variety of important diplomatic issues, and he added (I love this part), "I think Rex will be much happier now."
Personally? I don't think Trump ever really got over Tillerson calling him a "moron."
Related: Big House for Sale in Kalorama?:
Tillerson bought this stately brick number in Kalorama last year for $5.6 million. It's near Wilbur Ross' house, and Ivanka Trump's house, and blocks from the Obamas. Guessing it'll soon be on the market... | | Credit: Google maps
Never Forget:
The house is also near the Safeway, where Tillerson was spotted doing some light shopping of Raisin Bran and peeled baby carrots, in January of last year. Pour out some of that milk for Tilly. | | Credit: @SanhoTree/Twitter
Pompeo Will Be Replaced By This Person:
In case you want to know more about the proposed incoming CIA director, here's a Maegan Vazquez explainer on Gina Haspel.
Also, Trump's Top Personal Aide Got Fired:
John McEntee, who, as presidential aide and body man, for all intents and purposes, was closest to Trump in the White House, was escorted off the property yesterday. McEntee, also a well-liked presence in the executive residence, had issues with his security clearance, apparently related to some financial discrepancies that are currently under investigation.
THE WALL:
This is one of the wall prototypes Trump will be looking at today when he's in California, (port-a-potties not included.) | | Credit: CNN.com
There were eight proposals chosen for production as potential wall models -- four are 30-foot concrete walls, and four are made of other materials. They've all been in test mode in the San Diego area since completion in October. This will be the first time Trump will be seeing them in person.
Dress Like the Almost-Princess:
I was going to do a whole thing about Meghan Markle's outfit yesterday because I'm dead over it, it was so good. But now today feels weird and newsy and maybe not a fashion day? So I'll just leave you with my tweet about how her beret reminded me a lot of Princess Diana. Also, stay for the end of this clip from yesterday when Harry and Meghan snicker over a not-great live performance by one of the One Direction guys. | | | Credit: @KateBennett_DC/Twitter | | What Washington is Talking About:
President Trump's surprise firing of Rex-T, the special House election today in Pennsylvania and responding to the House Intel Committee Repub findings on the Russia investigation.
What America is Talking About:
Three package bombs have gone off in Austin, Texas, over the course of 10 days and killed two people, and law enforcement now say they appear to be connected.
Poll of the Day:
Americans' opinion about how much Russia and China respect the personal freedoms of their people is similar to the opinion of people in other full democracies, per Pew.
According to the Pew poll, in full democracies -- including Sweden, Germany, the US, and the UK -- people are less likely to think Russia and China respect personal freedoms than people who live in flawed democracies or authoritarian regimes. | | Credit: Pew
Ex Tillerson:
As Kate noted, Trump explained Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's firing this morning saying, "we were not really thinking the same." In the past week, we've had two examples of Trump and Rex-T not being on the same page when it comes to North Korea and Russia: - North Korea: Five days ago, Trump agreed to meet with Kim Jong Un, a decision for which Tillerson was not even in the country (he was in Africa), and one that came after Tillerson said the US was still a long way from having a meeting.
- Russia: One day ago, Tillerson went further than the White House in condemning Russia following a nerve agent attack in the UK. "We have full confidence in the UK's investigation and its assessment that Russia was likely responsible for the nerve agent attack that took place in Salisbury last week," he said in a statement. "Russia continues to be an irresponsible force of instability in the world, acting with open disregard for the sovereignty of other states and the life of their citizens." Today, Trump pulled another "400-pound-man"-style deflection, hedging that Russia was behind the attack. "As soon as we get the facts straight -- if we agree with them -- we will condemn Russia, or whoever it may be," he said.
| | Tillerson in Mexico City on February 2, 2018. Credit: Hector Vivas/Getty Images
House Repubs Break With Intel Community:
Republicans in the House Intelligence Committee said they've ended their investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, and that Russia was not trying to help Trump win.
Important to note: This is happening as special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation is still ongoing, and the Repubs' findings are at odds with the intel community's assessment that Russia tried to help Trump. There are also two other ongoing investigations, in the Senate Intel and Senate Judiciary committees.
The top Dem on the House Intel Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, condemned Repubs in a statement. He said:
"By ending its oversight role in the only authorized investigation in the House, the Majority has placed the interests of protecting the President over protecting the country, and history will judge its actions harshly."
Why Trump Isn't Tweeting About Stormy:
A source close to the President tells CNN Trump has been asking for advice from those close to him about how to handle Stormy Daniels. The source said Trump hasn't tweeted about her because advisers told him that pushing back against Daniels' efforts to break the confidentiality agreement could make him look guilty.
Meanwhile, Daniels' attorney, Michael Avenatti, tweeted that Trump and his attorney Michael Cohen have ignored their settlement offer and it's "time to buckle up."
Amazon Just Opened Its Washington Store:
Amazon founder and CEO and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos now has a bookstore in town. The two-story Amazon Books opened today on M Street in Georgetown in the site of a former Barnes & Noble.
On The Run Tour II:
Beyoncé and Jay-Z announced the second iteration of their "On The Run Tour," and they're coming to the DMV with a July 28 show at FedEx Field. Presale tickets go on sale tomorrow. I'm wondering if the Obama women, noted Beyoncé fans, already have their tickets.
"Party People":
Steve Pierce, a director at Hattaway Communications (and full disclosure, a college friend of mine), is out with a podcast looking behind-the-scenes of the political industry with interviews of Dem staffers called "Party People." Episode 1 is an interview with Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign manager Robby Took, who said one of his favorite Hillary stories is how she would pull out one of those lawn chairs with the cup holders aboard the campaign plane, and "she would kind of wrap herself in a blanket and we would just kick it," talking about, among other things, Netflix shows.
A Few Obama Netflix Ideas:
Cartoonist Gerardo Alba imagined what kind of show Obama could produce for Netflix. You can see his full set over at The Nib, but these were my favs: | | Credit: Gerardo Alba/The Nib
Street Art Sighting:
British energy supplier OVO Energy tapped artist Edel Rodriguez, whose depictions of Trump have been popularized in the US on the covers of Time magazine, for a renewable energy campaign. One of the images shows Trump, with his long, red tie flapping behind him, standing before the fire and fury of a blazing sun under the copy, "Renewable Is Unstoppable." | | Credit: @AdGreenAPA/Twitter
If you spot political street art, I'd love to see it. Here's how you can reach me:
1. Tweet me @hunterschwarz
2. Tag me on Instagram @hunterschwarz
3. Email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com | | | | | | |
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