Tom Howell Jr.

Donald Trump heralds rebuilt military in Air Force address: ‘Our country is respected again’

President Trump praised the 2019 class of the Air Force Academy in a muscular commencement speech Thursday, saying graduates will be part of a military that puts "America First" and won't sacrifice U.S. interests to foreign powers.

May 30, 2019

Donald Trump on USS McCain flap: ‘Well-meaning’ but shouldn’t have been done

President Trump said Thursday that people who took steps to conceal the USS John McCain during his overseas trip were "well-meaning" but that their actions were ill-advised and he had nothing to do with it.

May 30, 2019

Trump, White House say it’s time to move on from Mueller probe

The president and his team reacted to special counsel Robert Mueller's wrap-up Wednesday by urging Congress and the public to consider the investigation "case closed."

May 29, 2019

Donald Trump cools Iran, North Korea rhetoric amid war fears, Democrats’ criticism

President Trump's suddenly mellow rhetoric toward Iran and North Korea runs counter to his more hawkish advisers and comes on the heels of some 2020 Democratic candidates accusing him of fomenting war in the Middle East.

May 28, 2019

Trump North Korea tweet threatens Japan progress

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to charm President Trump in Tokyo appeared to pay dividends Sunday, as the president touted "great progress" in striking a trade deal after a round of golf and a sumo wrestling showcase in which Mr. Trump presented an American-themed trophy before a mesmerized crowd.

May 26, 2019

Donald Trump, Shinzo Abe enjoy golf, sumo tournament

President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were all smiles Sunday as they replaced tough tariff talk with personal diplomacy, enjoying a round of golf in Chiba on Sunday and taking in a sumo wrestling tournament in Tokyo.

May 26, 2019

Trump arrives in Japan, toasts business leaders

Kicking off a fun-filled Tokyo weekend, President Trump told Japanese business leaders Saturday they're "doing great" but that he's seeking a bilateral trade deal to reset the balance of the relationship in the coming months.

May 25, 2019

Trump sees no need for Mueller testimony

President Trump said Friday he still doesn't think special counsel Robert Mueller should testify before Congress, saying it's time to get onto legislation and that Democrats can't "go down two tracks" if they want to tackle drug prices and other priorities.

May 24, 2019

Trump to mull ‘lots of different pardons’ for accused soldiers

President Trump said Friday his administration is looking at "a lot of different pardons" amid reports he is considering a Memorial Day reprieve for soldiers accused of war crimes.

May 24, 2019

HHS proposes rollback of Obama protections for transgender patients

The Trump administration wants to roll back protections for transgender patients, saying the Obama-era push went too far afield of existing law and ran afoul of the federal courts.

May 24, 2019

Patty Murray, Lamar Alexander unveil bipartisan plan for health costs

Senators announced a bipartisan plan Thursday to tackle "surprise" medical billing, speed generic drugs to market and promote vaccines, looking to forge common ground beyond the contentious battlefield of Obamacare.

May 23, 2019

Transition to ‘Medicare for All’ health care system could be complicated, say budget analysts

Democrats' aspirations for "Medicare for All" are smashing into the harsh realities of filling in the details of who gets covered and how much it will cost taxpayers, with budget analysts Wednesday warning the transformation "could be complicated, challenging, and potentially disruptive."

May 22, 2019

Seth Moulton, in Democratic 2020 field, stumps for public option over single-payer

Rep. Seth Moulton, a Democrat in the crowded 2020 presidential primary, used a hearing on single-payer health care Wednesday to push for a public option instead, saying "competition is good" and that his experience with the Department of Veterans Affairs makes him hesitant to embrace a socialized system.

May 22, 2019

Blue states sue over Trump’s ‘conscience’ rule for health workers

Blue state leaders filed suit Tuesday against a Trump administration rule that shields doctors or nurses who object on religious grounds to participating in abortions or other medical procedures.

May 21, 2019

Free-market activists slam Trump’s international drug-pricing index

Free-market activists on Tuesday slammed an administration plan that would align the price of certain Medicare drugs with those in other countries, saying it would "import price controls" and undercut President Trump's message on Democrats' embrace of socialism.

May 21, 2019

Donald Trump: Iran attack would be ‘met with great force’

President Trump said Monday an Iranian attack on the U.S. or its allies would be "met with great force," though seemed to downplay the likelihood of an assault.

May 20, 2019

Mike Pence: Time for Congress to ‘do its job’ on NAFTA rewrite

Vice President Mike Pence told Congress to get moving and pass the White House's rewrite of the North American trade deal before autumn, after President Trump cleared a major hurdle by agreeing with Canada and Mexico to lift tariffs on aluminum and steel.

May 20, 2019