What We’re Following
Rough Relations: On his way to the G7 Summit, President Trump said the forum “should let Russia come back in.” Russia has been suspended from the group since 2014, and Trump’s call for its reinstatement may add to the divisions between the U.S. and its fellow G7 members. Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Europe and Canada are a key point of conflict, reportedly even causing friction between him and French President Emmanuel Macron, who had cultivated a friendly relationship with his U.S. counterpart. As for America’s relations with Asian powers, Reihan Salam argues that normalizing trade relations with China was a mistake.
Public Health: The Justice Department announced that it won’t defend the Affordable Care Act’s guarantee of coverage for people who have preexisting conditions against a lawsuit from several states that hope to overturn the Obama-era law. And a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes a striking 30 percent increase in suicide rates since 1999, affecting Americans from a broad range of racial, gender, and geographic backgrounds.
Probing Questions: The Senate Judiciary Committee is considering interviewing Curt Weldon, a former congressman with ties to Russia and alleged ties to the Trump campaign, in its probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. And Special Counsel Robert Mueller has indicted Konstantin Kilimnik, who’s appeared in Mueller’s previous court filings as “Person A.” Read about Kilimnik’s back story below, in tonight’s Evening Read.