Today’s edition of quick hits.
* The White House looks for some fine print in congressional war powers: “The White House delivered letters to congressional leaders on Friday arguing that hostilities with Iran ‘have terminated,’ an assertion that comes amid mounting bipartisan pressure on Capitol Hill for the administration to seek authorization for the conflict goes past the 60-day mark.”
* In an ideal scenario, Trump might offer some hints about why the latest proposal was unsatisfactory: “Iran sent its latest proposal in negotiations to end the war with the United States, Iran’s state news agency reported on Friday, but hours later in Washington President Trump said, ‘They want to make a deal, but I’m not satisfied with it.’”
* One of those rare ideas that will increase prices, alienate longtime U.S. allies and push legal boundaries, all at the same time: “President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will increase the tariffs charged on cars and trucks from the European Union next week to 25%, a move that could jolt the world economy at a fragile moment.”
* Spirit’s future is not bright: “President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration gave a ‘final’ bailout proposal for Spirit Airlines as the budget carrier could be forced to liquidate without a lifeline. Talks with bondholders for a government bailout this week have not yielded a deal as of Friday.”
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* Marco Rubio’s former roommate: “A federal jury convicted former Representative David Rivera of Florida on Friday, finding him guilty of conspiracy and five other crimes for secretly lobbying officials in Washington on behalf of the Venezuelan government in 2017 and 2018.”
* The FISA fight continues: “The House on Thursday passed on a vote of 261-111 a 45-day extension of a controversial foreign surveillance program, voting just as the program was set to expire. The Senate earlier Thursday unanimously passed the measure, which will next go to President Donald Trump for his signature next.”
* The administration didn’t need to give the public another reason to question its competence, but it did: “The Trump administration inadvertently exposed the Social Security numbers of health care providers in a database powering a new Medicare portal, The Washington Post found.”
* For all the talk about the “emergency” that empowers Trump’s tariff authority, he continues to prove that his policy is shaped entirely by his personal whims: “President Donald Trump said Thursday he is removing certain tariffs on Scotch whisky after this week’s White House visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom.”
Have a safe weekend.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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