President Trump on Monday dismissed widespread reports of Russia's meddling in the presidential election as "FAKE NEWS." In a series of tweets, Trump alleged Democrats "made up and pushed the Russian story," seemingly referring to the FBI- and CIA-backed reports that Russia interfered in the election to dash Hillary Clinton's chances, thus helping Trump.

Trump claimed Democrats fabricated the story "as an excuse for running a terrible campaign":

Trump then noted former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper's remark earlier this month that a paper compiled by the DNI, NSA, FBI, and CIA included "no evidence" of Trump associates' collusion with Russia. Clapper said neither he nor the agencies had uncovered any "evidence of such collusion."

Top House Intelligence Committee Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.) later said he was "surprised" by Clapper's comment because he did not think that claim could be made "categorically." "I would characterize it this way: At the outset of the investigation, there was circumstantial evidence of collusion," Schiff said. "There was direct evidence, I think, of deception."

Later Monday, FBI Director James Comey and NSA chief Mike Rogers will testify before Congress about possible connections between Trump's campaign and Russia. Becca Stanek

On Tuesday, a federal judge acted in a lawsuit filed by the Regents of the University of California and former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, ordering the Trump administration to hand over documents related to its decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration program.

In September, the Justice Department released a one-page opinion authored by Attorney General Jeff Sessions that claimed DACA was "unconstitutional" and "an open-ended circumvention of immigration laws." Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke then rescinded the memo that created DACA in June 2012; the program allowed undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally at a young age some legal protections. U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled that if the Trump administration believed DACA was unconstitutional, the lawsuit's plaintiffs "are entitled to challenge whether this was a reasonable legal position and thus reasonable basis for rescission."

Alsup's order also demanded the administration provide all materials that were considered by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly when he released a memo in February, while he was still in his capacity as homeland security secretary, that kept DACA intact.

Over the past year, President Trump has given conflicting statements on his support for the DACA program. As recently as September, Trump had come to a bipartisan deal with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to protect the so-called Dreamers, but a recent phone call with Fox News host Sean Hannity reportedly pushed Trump to take a harder line on immigration enforcement. Kelly O'Meara Morales

The mother of a Green Beret killed in Niger this month told The Washington Post on Wednesday: "President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband." Cowanda Jones-Johnson, the mother of Sgt. La David T. Johnson, made her comments after Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.) claimed Trump made Johnson's widow, Myeshia, cry.

"She was crying the whole time, and when she hung up the phone, she looked at me and said, 'He didn't even remember his name,'" said Wilson, who was in the car with Myeshia Johnson and Cowanda Jones-Johnson at the time of the call. "That's the hurting part."

Trump denied the allegations Wednesday. "Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!" he tweeted.

Jones-Johnson did not elaborate to the Post about how Trump disrespected her family, but she confirmed that Wilson's account of the conversation between the president and her daughter-in-law was accurate.

When asked for a comment about the phone call to Johnson, the White House said: "The president's conversations with the families of American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice are private." Jeva Lange

Ford is recalling 1.3 million trucks due to issues with their side door latches, the company announced Wednesday.

Right now, doors on 2015-2017 models of F-150 trucks, as well as doors on 2017 Super Duty pickups, may not latch all the way even if the door appears to be closed. That means they might swing open while driving or get stuck when drivers try to open them, though Ford hasn’t heard any reports of this happening.

Ford will install water shields over the latches to prevent freezing and inspect latch cables for free to repair the issue.

Just one day earlier, the Center for Auto Safety urged Ford to recall another 1.3 million Explorer SUVs over carbon monoxide poisoning concerns. But the company has insisted time and time again that these vehicles are safe, making the trucks Ford's only recall of the day. Kathryn Krawczyk

Gold medal-winning Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney, 21, joined the #MeToo movement on Wednesday to allege that she had been molested by the team doctor for the U.S. Women's National Gymnastics Team and Olympic Team beginning when she was 13 years old. "It didn't end until I left the sport," she wrote in a letter about the "unnecessary" and "disgusting" abuse she allegedly endured.

Dr. Larry Nassar, named by Maroney in her letter, pleaded guilty to child pornography charges earlier this year, The Washington Post reports. He has been accused of assaulting more than 100 women and girls during his time with the U.S. gymnastics team.

From Maroney's letter:

It seemed whenever and wherever this man could find the chance, I was "treated." It happened in London before my team and I won the gold medal, and it happened before I won my silver. For me, the scariest night of my life happened when I was 15 years old. I had flown all day and night with the team to get to Tokyo. He'd given me a sleeping pill for the flight and the next thing I know, I was all alone with him in his hotel room getting a "treatment." I thought I was going to die that night. [McKayla Maroney via Twitter]

Maroney emphasized that while the #MeToo movement grew out of the Harvey Weinstein allegations, "people should know that this is not just happening in Hollywood."

"Our silence has given the wrong people power for too long, and it's time to take our power back," Maroney wrote. "And remember, it's never too late to speak up." Read her full letter below. Jeva Lange

President Trump invited scrutiny of his condolences after erroneously claiming Monday that presidents before him did not call the bereaved families of fallen troops. "I think I've called every family of someone who's died," Trump said, although The Associated Press found that isn't true.

Critics reacted to Trump's statements as going a step too far, especially after the president reignited the controversy Tuesday by telling Fox News: "You could ask General [John] Kelly, did he get a call from Obama?"

"I just wish that this commander in chief would stop using Gold Star families as pawns in whatever sick game he's trying to play here," said Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), an Iraq War veteran.

Trump has also been criticized for how he's handled phone calls to grieving families, with a Democratic congresswoman reporting Wednesday that the president made the widow of a slain Green Beret break down in tears. The wife, Myeshia Johnson, reportedly told Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) that Trump "didn't even know" her husband's name. Jeva Lange

Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) stood by her claim that President Trump made the widow of a Green Beret killed in Niger break down in tears, even after the commander in chief denied the allegations on Twitter on Wednesday morning:

"I don't know what kind of proof he could be talking about," said Wilson, who was in the car with the grieving wife when she received Trump's phone call. Wilson added: "This man is a sick man. He's cold-hearted, and he feels no pity or sympathy for anyone."

Wilson added that the widow, Myeshia Johnson, told her that Trump "didn't even know" her husband's name.

"This might wind up to be Mr. Trump's Benghazi," Wilson said. Jeva Lange

President Trump went on a wide-ranging Twitter rant on Wednesday morning, touching on subjects as disparate as Hillary Clinton, taxes, the NFL, and reports that he made the widow of a Green Beret killed in Niger cry:

Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) claims that when Trump called Myeshia Johnson, he told her that her husband, Army Sgt. La David Johnson, "knew what he signed up for, but I guess it still hurts." Wilson said she was in the car at the time and overheard the comments on speakerphone. "It's so insensitive," Wilson said.

Trump had begun his morning with tweets about the FBI's release of a document that apparently indicates former Director James Comey began his draft of a controversial statement about Hillary Clinton's private email server months before he ultimately delivered it in July 2016:

Trump fired Comey earlier this year, ostensibly over the director's unfair treatment of Clinton. Trump briefly interrupted his tweets about the FBI to add that "the Democrats will only vote for tax increases."

Trump also lashed out at the NFL: "The NFL has decided that it will not force players to stand for the playing of our national anthem," he tweeted. "Total disrespect for our great country!" Jeva Lange