The Latest: Vice admiral turns down national security job
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EST):
7:25 p.m.
Vice Admiral Robert Harward has turned down an offer to be President Donald Trump's new national security adviser.
A senior White House official says Harward turned the offer down due to financial and family commitments.
The official spoke anonymously because Harward's decision has not been publicly announced.
Harward would have replaced retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who resigned at Trump's request Monday after revelations that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about discussions he held with a Russian diplomat.
Officials said this week that there were two other contenders: acting national security adviser Keith Kellogg, and retired Gen. David Petraeus.
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6:50 p.m.
Mick Mulvaney has been sworn in as director of the White House budget office.
Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath of office Thursday hours after the Senate confirmed Mulvaney by a narrow 51-49 vote.
Democrats had opposed Mulvaney over his support for curbing the growth of Medicare and Social Security. They also objected to his brinksmanship as a freshman lawmaker during the 2011 debt crisis in which the government came perilously close to defaulting on its obligations.
Mulvaney's confirmation promises to accelerate work on the Trump administration's upcoming budget plan, which is overdue.
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6:10 p.m.
House Republicans who met Thursday with Donald Trump say the president committed to supporting the Export-Import Bank.
The agency helps U.S. exporters by making and guaranteeing loans, but has been a political football on Capitol Hill due to opposition from conservatives. It was allowed to expire in 2015 but was then revived, although it still isn't able to conduct major business due to a vacancy on its board.
Trump criticized the Ex-Im Bank on the campaign trail, but now appears to have warmed to it.
Congressman Kevin Cramer of North Dakota says Trump "said, 'You know I wasn't a real believer until I talked to some of the job creators who use it.'"
Cramer says Trump also asked for recommendations for the board.
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4:25 p.m.
President Donald Trump has put the brakes on a regulation blocking coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby streams.
Trump called the regulation a "job-killing rule" before he signed a measure to overturn it. Lawmakers from coal-mining states stood close by, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.
Several coal miners and energy company executives also attended the White House signing ceremony.
Republicans and some Democrats argued that the rule could eliminate thousands of coal-related jobs. They said the rule also ignored dozens of existing federal, state and local regulations.
The Interior Department said in December when it announced the rule that 6,000 miles of streams and 52,000 acres of forests would be protected.
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4:20 p.m.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are expressing bafflement and dismay after President Donald Trump asked a black reporter to set up a meeting with them.
Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina says there is "an element of disrespect" in Trump's comment to journalist April Ryan. Ryan asked Trump during his press conference Thursday whether he planned to include the CBC in developing his agenda.
The president responded by asking Ryan whether the CBC are "friends of yours" and remarking, "I tell you what, do you want to set up the meeting?"
Clyburn says: "He's not going to ask any other reporter to do that for any other group, so why did he do that to her? I think that was pretty instructive to me."
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2:35 p.m.
President Donald Trump says "nobody that I know of" on his campaign staff contacted Russian officials.
Trump initially did not provide a straight yes or no answer on whether or not anyone on his staff had made those contacts. When pressed by reporters at a Thursday news conference, he said he wasn't aware of any.
He repeatedly denied having links with Russia, a claim he deemed "fake news."
Trump asked for the resignation of Michael Flynn after the national security adviser misled the vice president about his conversations with a Russian official.
Flynn admitted that he discussed sanctions with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. Trump said Thursday that he did not order that conversation, but he "would have directed" him to have that conversation had he known.
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2:30 p.m.
President Donald Trump says that "with heart" he'll deal with the policy to allow undocumented minors to stay temporarily in the U.S.
The president made his comments Thursday at a White House press conference.
DACA, which stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, allows young adults to get work permits and Social Security numbers and protects them from deportation.
Ending DACA is part of the president's broader plan to crack down on illegal immigration, which was a cornerstone of his campaign. Trump says he'll focus his efforts on those in the country illegally who have criminal records.
Trump says he needs to convince politicians that "what I am saying is right."
He says he has the "best lawyers" working on the immigration policy now and the "new executive order is being tailored to the decision we got from the court."
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2:20 p.m.
President Donald Trump says a new executive order on immigration will be tailored to the federal court decision that blocked implementation of his original order.
The original order temporarily blocked travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. It sparked protests nationwide and was put on hold by a federal court. A federal appeals court based in San Francisco last week upheld the lower court's decision. Trump has called the appellate ruling a "very bad decision" and the administration has been mulling its options since then.
Trump says the new order is being tailored to satisfy the ruling from the San Francisco appeals court.
He did not reveal any specifics of the new order, but says it will be issued next week.
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2:10 p.m.
President Donald Trump says it makes sense for the U.S. to get along better with Russia because both are nuclear powers.
The president said during a lengthy White House news conference that the risks of conflict with the country are enormous.
Trump says, "We're a very powerful nuclear country, and so are they."
He says he's been briefed on the issue and adds, "Nuclear holocaust would be like no other."
Trump also says he won't forecast how he'll respond to provocations from Russia, North Korea or Iran. He says that's to maintain the element of surprise.
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2:10 p.m.
President Donald Trump is defending the rocky rollout of his travel ban, which judges have put on hold while they weigh its legality.
He calls the rollout "very smooth" and "perfect" but says it ran into "a bad court."
Trump says he wanted to do the same order but have it take effect after a month or so, but he says he was advised by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly not to do that because it would give people with bad intent time to flow into the country.
He says, "That's why we did it quickly." Waiting, he says, "would have wasted a lot of time, and maybe a lot of lives."
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2 p.m.
Senate Democrats are asking the White House and law enforcement agencies to preserve all materials related to contacts between Russians and individuals associated with President Donald Trump.
The nine Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter Thursday to White House counsel Donald McGahn, and similar letters to the Justice Department and the FBI.
The letters ask for confirmation the White House, FBI and Justice Department have instructed their employees to preserve all materials related to any contacts Trump's administration, campaign, transition team — or anyone acting on their behalf — have had with Russian government officials or its associates.
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2 p.m.
President Donald Trump is staunchly denying that he has any contact or connections with Russia.
Defending against accusations that he and certain members of his administration have close ties or contacts with the Russian government, Trump said, "I have nothing to do with Russia. I have no deals there. I don't know anything."
He says Michael Flynn, his national security adviser who was fired this week after revelations that he discussed sanctions with a Russian diplomat, was just doing his job by contacting Russia.
He says Flynn was asked to resign because he was dishonest about the details of the call with Vice President Mike Pence.
But he adds, "I didn't direct him (to make the call), but I would have directed him because that was his job."
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1:30 p.m.
President Donald Trump says his ousted national security adviser was "just doing his job."
Trump is recounting why he asked Michael Flynn for his resignation.
The president says at a news conference that he was "not happy" with how information about Flynn's phone call to a Russian diplomat was relayed to Vice President Mike Pence.
But Trump says what Flynn did "wasn't wrong" — and after that, Trump is calling attention to what he says is "classified information that was given illegally."
Trump also says he's got someone good to replace Flynn, which made the decision to let him go easier.
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1:25 p.m.
President Donald Trump claims his administration is running like "a fine-tuned machine."
But evidence points to the contrary.
Trump says at a White House news conference that he turns on the TV and opens the newspapers and sees "stories of chaos."
He says the truth is that "it is the exact opposite."
Trump says his administration "is running like a fine-tuned machine despite the fact that I can't get my Cabinet approved."
Trump's comments come amid a period of apparent dysfunction at the White House marked by leaks, division and several high-profile exits.
Just this week, his top national security aide and his pick for labor secretary were ousted.
—This story has been corrected to reflect in the item on Trump's comments about how his administration is running that the quote is 'the exact opposite,' not 'the exact opposition.
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1:20 p.m.
President Donald Trump says his administration will release a new executive order on immigration next week to — in his words — "comprehensively protect our country."
Trump's original order restricted immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. It led to massive protests and was put on hold by a federal appeals court.
Trump tweeted "SEE YOU IN COURT!" after that ruling. His administration said it would immediately appeal — and either revise its original executive order or write a new one.
But nearly a week has gone by without action from the White House.
Trump isn't saying what the new order would do.
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1:05 p.m.
President Donald Trump says he's chosen R. Alexander Acosta to be labor secretary — a day after Trump's first nominee, fast-food executive Andrew Puzder, withdrew when he lost support among Republican senators.
Trump says at a White House news conference that he believes Acosta will be "tremendous" in the Cabinet job.
Acosta is dean of the Florida International University law school, has a law degree from Harvard and is a former member of the National Labor Relations Board.
Puzder pulled out after it was revealed that he once employed a housekeeper who was not authorized to work in the U.S.
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1 p.m.
President Donald Trump has met with one of his staunchest campaign opponents, financier Paul Singer.
The president says at a news conference that Singer was at the White House on Thursday morning and is now "a very strong ally."
Singer is a New York hedge fund manager who spends millions of dollars on political candidates and causes. He had been a crucial player in the "Never Trump" movement that tried to stop Trump's Republican candidacy.
Here's what Trump thinks of Singer now: "He was a very strong opponent, and now he's a very strong ally."
Singer has been wooing Trump since shortly after his election. Trump isn't saying what the two discussed Thursday, and a Singer representative isn't immediately replying to a request for comment.
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12:55 p.m.
The "press is out of control."
That's what President Donald Trump has said at a White House news conference.
He says the "level of dishonesty is out of control," and he says he'll take his message "straight to the people."
Trump's criticism of the media has grown amid reports that members of his administration had associations or communications with the Russian government.
Trump says there is "distortion," but he hopes everyone can get along.
But, he adds, "maybe we won't and that's OK."
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12:41 p.m.
President Donald Trump is expected to name law school dean R. Alexander Acosta as his new choice for secretary of labor.
A White House official says the announcement will come the day after Trump's original pick, Andrew Puzder, withdrew after it became clear he lacked enough Republican votes for Senate confirmation. The official isn't authorized to comment on an announcement that has not been made and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Acosta has served on the National Labor Relations Board and as a federal prosecutor in Florida. Former President George W. Bush named him assistant attorney general for civil rights.
Puzder withdrew on the eve of his confirmation hearing because Republicans balked at an array of personal and professional issues. Puzder said he had employed — and belatedly paid taxes on — a housekeeper not authorized to work in the United States.
—This story has been corrected to reflect that the announcement has not been made.
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12:30 p.m.
The Trump administration has asked the co-founder of a New York-based equity fund to lead a review of the intelligence community.
A senior White House official says Stephen Feinberg of Cerberus Capital Management has been asked to head a review of the various intelligence agencies and make recommendations on improvements.
The official was not authorized to discuss private personnel matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official says that Feinberg's role is not official until he completes an ethics review.
President Donald Trump has been highly critical of the intelligence community amid leaks that led to revelations about associations and conversations with Russia by some senior members of his staff.
Trump on Tuesday tweeted, "The real scandal here is that classified information is illegally given out by "intelligence" like candy. Very un-American!"
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11:20 a.m.
President Donald Trump plans a news conference about midday Thursday to announce his nominee for labor secretary — "a star, great person," in his words.
Trump's first pick for the job, fast food chain executive Andy Puzder, withdrew from consideration after it was revealed he employed a housekeeper who wasn't authorized to work in the U.S.
Trump has blamed Senate Democrats for stalling or complicating the confirmation process of several of his Cabinet nominees.
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9:55 a.m.
President Donald Trump is accusing Democrats of fabricating news reports about Russia because "they lost the election."
The president tweeted Thursday, "The Democrats had to come up with a story as to why they lost the election, and so badly (306)," he wrote, citing the number of electoral votes he banked to win the general election.
He continues, "so they made up a story - RUSSIA. Fake news!"
Trump asked his national security adviser, retired Gen. Michael Flynn, to resign this week when it was revealed that Flynn had discussed sanctions with a Russian diplomat before Trump took office.
U.S. intelligence agencies have also said the Russian government tampered with the presidential election in an attempt to help Trump win.
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7:05 a.m.
A former Donald Trump associate and campaign official is blaming the bumpy start of the billionaire's presidency on mixed loyalties in the White House.
Roger Stone declined to name names in an appearance on NBC's "Today" show Thursday, but he discussed "a division between those who are loyal to the president and those who are loyal to the Republican National Committee."
When asked if he was referring to Reince Priebus (ryns PREE'-bus), who headed the RNC before joining Trump's team and becoming chief of staff in the West Wing, Stone demurred, indicating he didn't want to say who he was talking about.
Stone says, "The leaking that is coming out of the White House is a manifestation of the fact" that some of the people Trump hired "are not loyal."
He adds, "I think it's healthier to have people in the administration who share the president's vision of where he wants to take the country."
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7:05 a.m.
President Donald Trump is warning "low-life leakers" of classified information that they will be caught.
In a pair of tweets Thursday, Trump says, "Leaking, and even illegal classified leaking, has been a big problem in Washington for years. Failing @nytimes (and others) must apologize!"
Trump writes, "the spotlight has finally been put on the low-life leakers! They will be caught!"
Trump's national security adviser, retired Gen. Michael Flynn, resigned at Trump's urging this week after a series of reports revealed Flynn held addressed the issue of sanctions with a Russian diplomat before Trump was in office.
On Wednesday, Trump said it was "really a sad thing that he was treated so badly."
He tweeted Wednesday that "classified information is illegally given out by 'intelligence' like candy. Very un-American!"
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