Today in 5 Lines
President Trump criticized Republican leadership on Twitter, calling the debt-ceiling debate “a mess.” When responding to a question about the “acrimony” between Trump and Congress, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said “the relationships are fine.” Sanders also condemned Senator Bob Corker’s comments about Trump’s competence as “ridiculous and outrageous.” After a review, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced that he won’t eliminate any national monuments, but he is recommending changes to a “handful” of them. Cities in Texas have begun evacuating as Tropical Storm Harvey, which is forecast to become a category 3 hurricane, intensifies.
Today on The Atlantic
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The Establishment Stands Behind Trump: The Atlantic asked 146 Republican state party chairs and national committee members about President Trump’s response to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. Of the 22 who responded, only seven of them were critical. (McKay Coppins and Elaine Godfrey)
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Shut it Down: On Tuesday night, President Trump threatened to shut down the government over funding for his border wall, something Republican leaders say they want to avoid. But is a government shutdown inevitable? (Russell Berman)
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Unconstitutional: For the fifth time, a court has ruled that a Texas voter-ID law is unconstitutional—and the decision could have major effects for state-election laws down the line. (Vann R. Newkirk II)