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Week 31, in one sentence: President Trump fired Steve Bannon; saw at least 69 members of his advisory councils, including a pastor on his evangelical advisory board and at least three advisers from his digital economy board, quit over his incendiary comments about Charlottesville; praised the “many protesters in Boston speaking out against bigotry and hate”; promised to keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan, a situation he once called futile; smeared the media in a 77-minute speech at a campaign-style rally in Phoenix, where he selectively quoted himself — leaving out the part where he equated counterprotesters to white supremacists; said progress was being made in the standoff with North Korea, which a day later announced it was accelerating its weapons program; prepared a memo that will move his transgender military ban forward; fired off some tweets that insulted Mitch McConnell and James Clapper; and was criticized by his own economic adviser, who said he almost quit after Trump defended white supremacists last week.
The return of Bannon (to Breitbart) Day 211 — August 18
Steve Bannon’s controversial role as the president’s chief strategist came to an end. Bannon, credited with solidifying Trump’s populist platform, immediately returned to the throne at Breitbart News after he and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly “mutually agreed” Friday would be his last day at the White House. From the New York Times, which first reported Bannon’s sudden departure:
Mr. Trump had recently grown weary of Mr. Bannon, complaining to other advisers that he believed his chief strategist had been leaking information to reporters and was taking too much credit for the president’s successes. The situation had become untenable long before Friday, according to advisers close to Mr. Trump who had been urging the president to remove Mr. Bannon; in turn, people close to Mr. Bannon also were urging him to step down.
Susan Bro — the mother of 32-year-old Heather Heyer, who died when a car deliberately rammed into a crowd of counterprotesters in Charlottesville — said she has “not and now will not” take Trump’s calls. When the president tried to call Bro during her daughter’s funeral on Wednesday, she figured she’d call Trump back afterward. But then she saw the president defend white supremacists and decided she wouldn’t talk to him at all.
More and more members of Trump’s advisory councils are quitting in response to his comments on Charlottesville. Sixteen members of Trump’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, as well as members of Trump’s Digital Economy Board of Advisors, confirmed to VICE News that they announced their resignation in response to Trump’s Charlottesville remarks saying there was blame “on both sides.” A Brooklyn-based pastor also became the first member of Trump’s evangelical advisory board to quit. At least 69 people have now quit Trump’s White House advisory groups.
Everyone’s working for the weekend Day 212 — August 19
When counterprotesters overwhelmed a far-right “free speech” rally in Boston — which then completely fell apart — President Trump took to Twitter to congratulate the city’s mayor and police for “looking tough and smart.” Just before, officers had clashed with counterprotesters, who didn’t understand why law enforcement was protecting people they considered to be white supremacists.
Trump also praised the “many protesters in Boston speaking out against bigotry and hate.”
Later on his favorite platform, Trump rattled off a couple tweets about Bannon, his “tough and smart” former chief strategist. Although Bannon, back in the driver’s seat at Breitbart, has declared “war” on the White House since leaving, Trump thanked him for his service and said that “fake news needs the competition.”
In the days following the Charlottesville attack, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina — the only black Republican in the Senate — had a lot to say. In an interview with VICE News, he said that Trump’s “moral authority is compromised” and that the country is more divided under his presidency.
Mnuchin to the rescue Day 213 — August 20
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who’s Jewish, stepped in to defend the president’s widely condemned defense of white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville carrying torches and chanting “Jews will not replace us.”
“While I find it hard to believe I should have to defend myself on this, or the president, I feel compelled to let you know that the president in no way, shape, or form believes that neo-Nazi and other hate groups who endorse violence are equivalent to groups that demonstrate in peaceful and lawful ways,” Mnuchin said in a statement.
So much for Afghanistan withdrawal Day 214 — August 21
Trump gave a speech about his strategy for resolving the 16-year-old conflict in Afghanistan. The televised speech was short on details, but Trump said he now believes that “a hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for terrorists, including ISIS and al Qaeda.” The president once called the situation in Afghanistan futile.
The relationship between Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has gotten so bad that the two haven’t been on speaking terms for weeks, according to the New York Times. McConnell has privately wondered if Trump will be capable of salvaging his scandal-ridden administration, the report said.
The Secret Service is struggling to pay its agents for the security they provide for Trump and his large family. More than 1,000 agents have already hit the federally mandated caps for annual salary and overtime pay, Secret Service Director Randolph “Tex” Alles told USA Today.
The guy running the world’s biggest hedge fund doesn’t sound optimistic about politics
Trump “officially” declared an opioid emergency and then did nothing
Trump doesn’t have enough diplomats to deal with North Korea
More troops won’t win the unwinnable war in Afghanistan
77 “downright scary” minutes in Phoenix Day 215 — August 22
President Trump spoke for 77 minutes straight at a campaign-style rally in Phoenix, where he repeatedly lambasted the “very dishonest media.” Trump inaccurately recited his remarks about the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, leaving out comments he made that equated counterprotesters to white supremacists. He also accused news networks of turning off their cameras to avoid broadcasting his words, calling out CNN by name. (CNN broadcast the speech in full.)
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, in a CNN appearance the following morning, described Trump’s speech as “downright scary and disturbing.” Clapper also expressed concern about Trump’s “fitness” to be president, especially worrying about his access to the nuclear codes.
Even before Trump spoke, the rally was a contentious event. The mayor had asked Trump not to come so soon after Charlottesville, and top Republicans (including Arizona’s governor) didn’t attend. Rumors even spread that Trump would pardon Sheriff Joe Arpaio, though the president didn’t up doing that. (Arpaio hasn’t lost hope, though.) Outside of the convention center, police used tear gas on protesters to disperse massive crowds.
EPA administrator Scott Pruitt starred in a Big Beef promotional ad about ending the Obama-era Clean Water Rule, which disallowed dumping waste into undefined “navigable waters” without a permit. The video, made by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, encourages farmers and cattle ranchers to submit comments — a mandated process for changing some federal rules — about their confusion over the rule and in support of a repeal before August 28.
Trump’s very own email scandal Day 216 — August 23
Congressional investigators got their hands on an email from top Trump aide Rick Dearborn (now the president’s deputy chief of staff) that alluded to a previously unknown effort to arrange a meeting last year between Trump campaign representatives and Vladimir Putin, anonymous sources told CNN. From CNN:
While many details around the Dearborn email are unclear, its existence suggests the Russians may have been looking for another entry point into the Trump campaign to see if there were any willing partners as part of their effort to discredit — and ultimately defeat — Hillary Clinton.
North Korea announced it is accelerating its weapons program by producing more rocket engines and warhead tips — just after Trump said in Phoenix that progress was being made in the U.S.’ standoff with the Hermit Kingdom.
The Department of Justice backed down from its demand that the web-hosting service DreamHost turn over information on 1.3 million visitors to an anti-Trump website, disruptj20.org. It’s the second time the DOJ has tried to act on a broad search warrant for a tech company and then changed its mind after public scrutiny.
Oregon became the latest state to fire back at Attorney General Jeff Sessions for using bad data to evaluate — and consider regulating — its legal marijuana industry. Officials from Alaska, Colorado, and Washington have expressed similar issues to the DOJ.
The tweets that became military policy Day 217 — August 24
Trump’s administration is planning to send a memo about transgender people serving in the military to Defense Secretary James Mattis, U.S. officials familiar with the document told the Washington Post. The memo reportedly gives Mattis the power to deny all new transgender service members’ applications, stop treating some, and remove others from duty, based on their deployability. The ban will undoubtedly face a healthy legal opposition — much like Trump’s Muslim travel ban did.
Trump tacitly confirmed reports that his relationship with Mitch McConnell is on the rocks by tweeting that the “only problem [he has] with Mitch McConnell is that, after hearing Repeal & Replace for 7 years, he failed! That should NEVER have happened!”
Trump also went after former intelligence chief James Clapper — who condemned Trump this week — by cryptically referencing a “beautiful letter” apparently written by Clapper to Trump.
At least 18 charities have cancelled their plans to hold events at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private club, in the wake of his inflammatory comments in defense of white supremacists in Charlottesville, the Washington Post reported.
Cohn is upset but won’t resign Day 218 — August 25
Gary Cohn, Trump’s economic adviser, went on the record saying he was close to quitting after Trump’s Charlottesville remarks. He didn’t quit, though.
“Citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK,” Cohn said in an interview with the Financial Times. “I believe this administration can and must do better in consistently and unequivocally condemning these groups and do everything we can to heal the deep divisions that exist in our communities.”