Politics

Senate Invokes 'Nuclear Option' To Ease Gorsuch Nomination

5:14pm April 06, 2017

by Nina Totenberg

The Senate fell short of the 60 votes it needed to proceed on the Supreme Court nomination of Neil Gorsuch, sparking procedural moves that invoked the "nuclear option" — lowering the threshold to advance Supreme Court nominees with a simple majority.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping Positions Himself As The Anti-Trump

5:14pm April 06, 2017

NPR's Kelly McEvers talks with John Pomfret, author of The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom: America and China, 1776 to the Present, about the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Trump and what each country stands to gain.

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North Korea Likely To Overshadow Chinese President's U.S. Visit

5:14pm April 06, 2017

by David Welna

North Korea is likely to cast its shadow over the splendor at Mar-a-Lago when President Trump hosts Chinese leader Xi Jinping there this week. Trump is promising "if China is not going to solve North Korea, we will." A nuclear weapons drive that could allow Pyongyang to hit the U.S. mainland worries Washington, and a missile defense battery the U.S. is installing in South Korea has China on edge.

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House Intel Chair Devin Nunes Steps Aside From Russia Investigation

5:14pm April 06, 2017

by Phil Ewing

The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee is stepping aside from its investigation into Russia's meddling in the election last year after being accused of ethics violations. Devin Nunes says the charges against him are baseless, and he retains the confidence of House leadership, but his Democratic counterpart welcomed the move.

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Sen. Mark Warner On Russia Probe: 'This Is An Awful Lot Of Coincidences'

5:14pm April 06, 2017

by Mary Louise Kelly

NPR interviews Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, in his hideaway below the Capitol. Warner is helping lead the investigation into Russia's meddling in the presidential election, as that controversy continues to take unexpected partisan twists.

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Trump Revises Rhetoric On Islamic Terrorism In Remarks With Middle East Allies

5:14pm April 06, 2017

by Greg Myre

During a joint press conference at the White House with King Abdullah of Jordan on Wednesday, President Trump refrained from using the term "radical Islamic terrorism" to describe ISIS.

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Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, will take over the House Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election, at least temporarily.

Meet Mike Conaway, GOP Congressman Now Overseeing House's Russia Probe

3:50pm April 06, 2017

by Brakkton Booker

The Texas Republican is taking over the investigation as an ethics committee looks into whether Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes mishandled classified information.

Magazines at a Beijing newsstand show images of President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders are meeting at Mar-a-Lago Thursday and Friday.

Summit Between China's Xi Jinping And President Trump Comes Amid Tensions

2:14pm April 06, 2017

"We worried if we did not take immediate stabilizing measures," a Chinese analyst says, "the relationship could nosedive and pose serious problems for our finances, economy and strategic security."

Jared Kushner (left), President Trump's son-in-law; President Trump; and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. Bannon's influence with Trump appears to be on the decline with Kushner on the rise.

All That White House Drama Might Be Sexy, But It's Beside The Point

2:10pm April 06, 2017

by Domenico Montanaro

There is backbiting and infighting in the Trump White House that's playing out like a season of House of Cards or Veep. But the president is facing real and difficult challenges at home and abroad.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and fellow Republicans set a precedent for the Senate on Thursday, changing rules for Supreme Court confirmations and easing the process for nominee Neil Gorsuch.

Politics & Government

Senate Pulls 'Nuclear' Trigger To Ease Gorsuch Confirmation

1:24pm April 06, 2017

by Susan Davis

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell set a new precedent in the Senate to advance Supreme Court nominations with a simple majority. The GOP change ended a Democratic filibuster of Neil Gorsuch.