An internal White House review shows that they were seeking a legal justification for witholding the aid months after Trump already ordered the hold: “In the early August email exchanges, Mulvaney asked acting OMB director Russell Vought for an update on the legal rationale for withholding the aid and how much longer it could be delayed. Trump had made the decision the prior month without an assessment of the reasoning or legal justification, according to two White House officials. Emails show Vought and OMB staffers arguing that withholding aid was legal, while officials at the National Security Council and State Department protested. OMB lawyers said that it was legal to withhold the aid, as long as they deemed it a “temporary” hold, according to people familiar with the review.”
Trump had Defense Secretary Esper fire the Navy Secretary over the dispute over the Navy SEAL Gallagher keeping his position in the SEALs.
Trump issued a formal order threat Gallagher not be punished, which is what Spencer had suggested last week.
Here is Ignatius on the firing: “the Gallagher case illustrates how an irascible, vengeful commander in chief is ready to override traditional limits to aid political allies in foreign policy, law enforcement and now military matters.”
A federal judge has ruled the Don McGahn must testify before the House and adhere to the subpoena.
The New York Times uncovered documents that show Giuliani pursued business deals with the same Ukrainian officials he was pushing to investigate the Bidens and 2016 election: “His discussions with Ukrainian officials, including the country’s top prosecutor, who assisted him on the dirt-digging mission, proceeded far enough along that he signed at least one retainer agreement, on his company letterhead.”
Trump visited troops in Afghanistan for Thanksgiving. He announced that talks with the Taliban were resuming, but his statements about a cease fire were at odds with where the negotiations now stand, so his statement only sowed confusion.
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Trump’s Job Approval: 41.7%