The White House ignores report of Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting to talk about Democratic obstruction

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published 10 July 2017

The White House has one topic on its mind going into its first press conference since June 30 and it's ... Democratic obstruction?

There are a number of other topics the White House might have chosen to address instead, chief among them The New York Times' explosive article Sunday that revealed Donald Trump Jr. offered shifting explanations regarding a June 2016 meeting with Kremlin-connected lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, with whom he apparently discussed receiving incriminating about Hillary Clinton. Legal experts claim Trump Jr.'s behavior "borders on treason" and could send him to jail.

Meanwhile, at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., the concerns are more along the lines of how "President Trump has nominated qualified individuals to key positions, but their confirmations have been delayed by obstructionism in the Senate," as a handout distributed to reporters Monday reads. "The blatant obstruction of President Trump's nominations threatens key aspects of the government, including national security, by leaving positions vacant." While Trump does have an unfilled jobs problem, "the process is bogged down by the involvement of top White House officials, turf wars, and an inexperienced and overworked staff," Politico writes — not primarily by the Senate, which is controlled by the Republicans, Trump's own party.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.