If you've been starting to anticipate your phone or TV buzzing in with a big news alert about the Trump administration sometime around dinner time, the Trump White House is probably right there with you.
President Trump found out that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had appointed a special counsel to oversee the federal investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with President Trump's campaign or associates only about 25 minutes before the news was made public; after signing the order, Rosenstein had called White House counsel Don McGahn, who informed Trump, White House officials tell Bloomberg and CNN. Attorney General Jeff Sessions wasn't informed until after the order was signed, either, the Los Angeles Times reports, citing a Justice Department spokesperson.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"The White House can hardly attack Rosenstein's decision," notes Dave Lawler at Axios. "After all, they spent 24+ hours arguing that his judgment was above reproach" last week, when the White House was using Rosenstein's advice as the rationale for firing FBI Director James Comey. The decision to appoint a special prosecutor was Rosenstein's to make because Sessions, a key member of Trump's campaign, recused himself from the Russia investigation.
-
August 31 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include FEMA's new scheme, Gavin Newsom's antics, and a clue in the Epstein files
-
Disarming Hezbollah: Lebanon's risky missionTalking Point Iran-backed militia has brought 'nothing but war, division and misery', but rooting them out for good is a daunting and dangerous task
-
Woof! Britain's love affair with dogsThe Explainer The UK's canine population is booming. What does that mean for man's best friend?
-
RFK Jr. names new CDC head as staff revoltSpeed Read Kennedy installed his deputy, Jim O'Neill, as acting CDC director
-
DC prosecutors lose bid to indict sandwich throwerSpeed Read Prosecutors sought to charge Sean Dunn with assaulting a federal officer
-
White House fires new CDC head amid agency exodusSpeed Read CDC Director Susan Monarez was ousted after butting heads with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccines
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official saysSpeed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judgesSpeed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policingSpeed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa CookSpeed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportationSpeed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda
