During a news conference, Trump pledged federal aid to the people hit by Hurricane Harvey.
President Trump will visit Texas on Tuesday, after Hurricane Harvey pummeled parts of the state over the weekend, killing at least eight people. Former President George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush expressed sympathy for the residents of Texas, adding, “We salute them, the first responders, and the local elected officials for their grit and determination in the face of this extraordinary storm.” During a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Trump defended his decision to pardon former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and pledged federal aid to the people hit by Hurricane Harvey, saying “You’re going to have what you need, and it’s going to be fast.” In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Arpaio said “the door is open” to challenging Arizona Senator Jeff Flake. North Korea fired a missile over Japan, according to reports.
First Responders: The outpouring of volunteer support in Texas is not a failure of local government’s disaster-response systems; it’s a feature . (David A. Graham)
By the Book: Matt Ford explains how President Trump’s understanding of the Civil War was likely influenced by what his generation learned in history class.
The Return of the King: Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon has returned to Breitbart News. Will he use the site to continue to push for President Trump’s agenda? (Rosie Gray)
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‘Our Boy Can Become President’ : During the presidential campaign, a business associate of Donald Trump reportedly offered to help orchestrate a real estate deal with Russia that he said would ultimately help Trump get elected. (Matt Apuzzo and Maggie Haberman, The New York Times)
What Disasters Teach Us: Natural disasters, like Hurricane Harvey, show “how an individualistic work ethic and a spirit of collective generosity can and have to coexist.” (Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker)
The Immigration Reform America Needs: Reihan Salam argues that the RAISE Act, far from being an anti-immigration bill, “represents a long-overdue correction of a mistake made decades ago.” (National Review)
Javanka in Exile: When Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner arrived in Washington, they were in awe over their newfound power. But soon the excitement wore off, and they were rejected by the Washington elite. (Sarah Ellison, Vanity Fair)
Man on a Mission: In the Trump administration, the most well-liked Cabinet secretary —and one of the most effective—is also an Obama appointee. (Arthur Allen, Politico)
‘Harvey in Photographs’ : These images capture the devastation caused by the tropical storm that continues to hammer the Gulf. (Alan Taylor, The Atlantic)
Last week, it was rumored that Ohio Republican Governor John Kasich and Colorado Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper were eyeing a joint bid to challenge President Trump in 2020. While Kasich shot down those rumors on Sunday, the hypothetical pairing prompts the question: What’s your dream bipartisan match-up to run in 2020?
Share your response here, and we’ll feature a few in Friday’s Politics & Policy Daily.
-Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey)
