Bill Clinton left the presidency with a budget surplus. And although the first five years of Barack Obama's presidency have featured high (but falling) deficits, it's starting to look like Obama could do the same.

For the first time since the 1950s, federal spending is lower than it was four years ago:

[MKM Partners]

As Mike Darda argues:

The fiscal deficit has been falling by an average of 1.5 percentage points per annum since peaking in late 2009. If this trend continues, it would imply a balanced budget during 2015 and a fiscal surplus in 2016. [AEI]

Obama leaving office with a balanced budget would come as a big shock to those who have compared the U.S. to crisis-stricken countries like Greece, or claimed that Obama is spending like a drunken sailor.

But that is exactly what the U.S. is on trend to do. (h/t James Pethokoukis) John Aziz

The parents of a college student held captive in North Korea have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the country.

Otto Warmbier, 22, was held in North Korea for 17 months after allegedly stealing a political poster while touring the country. He was medically evacuated from North Korea last June and died a few days after returning home in a coma.

Now, his parents say he was "brutally tortured and murdered" and forced to "falsely 'confess' to an act of subversion on behalf of the United States government," per the lawsuit. They are suing to hold the government of North Korea "legally accountable" for their son's death, per The Washington Post, and are seeking damages.

North Korea alleges Warmbier died after contracting botulism and has denied nefarious involvement. But a U.S. coroner said an injury more than a year old, which starved Warmbier's brain of oxygen, caused his death. There were no clear signs of torture to Warmbier's body, the coroner said.

The suit comes amid a softening of tensions between North Korea and the U.S. Just-confirmed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Kim Jong Un over Easter weekend, and President Trump is narrowing down a time to meet with the North Korean leader, per CNN.

Fred Warmbier, Otto's father and one of the plaintiffs, was Vice President Mike Pence's guest at the Winter Olympics in South Korea. Kathryn Krawczyk

The anchors of Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" will bring their hi-jinks to the 70th annual Emmy Awards. Michael Che and Colin Jost were named co-hosts of the television award ceremony, NBC announced in a statement Thursday. The network also revealed that Lorne Michaels, SNL's creator and executive producer, will be executive producing the Emmys this year.

"NBC is thrilled to be the home of this year's Emmy Awards and with Colin and Michael in the driver's seat as hosts, along with surprise appearances by other cast members of Saturday Night Live, I think we are in for one of the funniest awards shows in a long time," said Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment, in the statement.

"We're proud to be the first duo hosting the Emmys since Jenna Elfman and David Hyde Pierce," said Che and Jost in a joint statement. "And somehow that's a real fact." Elfman and Pierce were co-hosts of the Emmys in 1999, per CNN.

Jost and Che both began on "Weekend Update" in 2014 and were named co-head writers of SNL in 2017, per the statement. SNL swept nine awards during last year's Emmys and continues to see "strong ratings," especially in the 18-to-49 demographic, Variety reports.

"We're proud of our deep comedy roster at NBC," said Paul Telegdy, president of NBC Entertainment's Alternative and Reality Group, per NBC's statement. "And Michael and Colin — along with the return of king of comedy producer Lorne Michaels — will make this the must-see comedy event of the year."

The 2018 Emmys will air Monday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Mary Catalfamo

For attorney Michael Cohen, President Trump's move to Washington was something of a breakup — one he's still not over.

Cohen, who has been Trump's personal attorney for years, is apparently going through a bit of a rough patch with the president, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Trump reportedly sought to distance himself from his longtime fixer once he decided to run for office, and apparently privately described him as a "bull in a china shop" with a tendency to make problems worse.

Cohen was disappointed that Trump didn't tap him to run his campaign or to work as White House chief of staff, the Journal reports. And his frustration has mounted as Trump publicly downplays his relationship with Cohen in the face of allegations of an affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels, whom Cohen paid $130,000 in a hush agreement in 2016.

The attorney reportedly shared his feelings with the president from afar, telling him in a phone call last year: "Boss, I miss you so much. I wish I was down there with you."

Trump on Thursday admitted to Fox & Friends that Cohen represented him in the Daniels case, but said that Cohen only handled a "tiny, tiny little fraction" of his legal work. Trump's delayed repayment of the hush money reportedly pushed Cohen to consider "defecting" from Trump's side, even though he has publicly said he'd "take a bullet" for the Trump family.

The Journal reports that Trump is likely paying close attention to his legal bull lately, hoping his crash through the metaphorical china shop doesn't take the president down with him. Read more at The Wall Street Journal. Summer Meza

The Senate confirmed Mike Pompeo as President Trump's next secretary of state Thursday. Pompeo, who was previously serving as CIA director, was sworn into office Thursday afternoon by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and immediately departed to Brussels for a summit with NATO allies.

In celebration of Pompeo's confirmation, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted never-before-seen images of Pompeo meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un over Easter weekend. Reports of Pompeo's secret meeting with Kim leaked earlier this month, and Trump later confirmed the summit occurred. See the photos below. Kimberly Alters

If you didn't learn Diamond and Silk's names from Mark Zuckerberg's congressional hearing earlier this month, their own testimony on Capitol Hill might catch you up to speed.

The Trump-supporting vlog duo testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday after alleging their conservative content was censored on social media. Their testimony was quite combative — here are three of the wildest moments from the hearing. Kathryn Krawczyk

1. Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson (Ga.) asked why Diamond and Silk were "bashing" Facebook even after they profited from its ads. Lynette "Diamond" Hardaway said that Facebook had stopped the pair from monetizing videos for "six months, 29 days, five hours, 43 minutes, and 40 seconds."

When a remarkably calm Johnson countered that diamonds are "a girl's best friend," Hardaway added: "And they're hard too. And if I have to be hard and be firm with you, I will."

2. When the duo confirmed they were "not paid by the Trump campaign," Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) asked about a $1,274.94 payment from the campaign to Diamond and Silk for "field consulting." "We are familiar with that particular lie," Rochelle "Silk" Richardson said. "We can see that you do look at fake news."

3. Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu (Calif.) got right to the point. "This is a stupid and ridiculous hearing," he said. "The only reason I'm still here is I want to enter some facts into the record to at least try to salvage some of this hearing."

Next time reporters want to get a clear-cut answer from the White House, they should consider leaving it to the kids.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders took questions from the children of White House journalists for a mock press briefing during Thursday's "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day" events.

Some children clearly took after their reporter parents, asking hard-hitting questions about topics like President Trump's decision to fire former FBI Director James Comey. Sanders gave a kid-friendly answer, explaining that Comey "did some things that weren't really very nice," one CBS News correspondent reported. Another child reportedly asked whether Trump still trusts White House physician Ronny Jackson, who withdrew from his nomination to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday.

But kids will be kids, so other lines of inquiry included Trump's favorite candy (pink and red Starbursts), favorite animal (elephant), and what advice he had on how to become president one day (don't care what anyone else thinks).

Sanders gave the children quite a scoop for their first day on the job, with an announcement that Trump will visit the U.K. in July for a meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May. In true childlike fashion, one kid reportedly ignored the announcement, instead choosing to ask, "How many times has Donald Trump been married?" Summer Meza

A Pennsylvania jury on Thursday found comedian Bill Cosby guilty on three counts of indecent aggravated assault.

Cosby had been charged with drugging and sexually assaulting plaintiff Andrea Constand in 2004. The verdict resulted from a retrial, after Cosby's original trial ended in a mistrial last June. Cosby, 80, faces up to 30 years in prison — 10 years per count — and a fine of up to $25,000 for each of the charges, though CNN reports that he could instead see a probationary sentence.

Five additional women besides Constand testified against Cosby during the trial, and dozens more have publicly claimed sexual misconduct by the comedian. Cosby has denied all allegations against him, and CNN reports that he will likely seek to appeal the verdict. Cosby shouted at a prosecutor after the verdict was announced, The Associated Press reports, lashing out during a discussion about whether he should be granted bail. When the district attorney pointed out that Cosby may be a flight risk because he owns his own plane, Cosby yelled, "He doesn't have a plane, you a--hole!"

Cosby's sentencing date has not been set. He will reportedly be out on bail until he is sentenced, but will be required to wear a GPS tracker to ensure that he remains in the state. Summer Meza