House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiOvernight Health Care : Trump officials making changes to drug pricing proposal | House panel advances flavored e-cig ban | Senators press FDA tobacco chief on vaping ban Speaker Pelosi , it 's time to throw American innovators a lifeline Why Americans must tune in to the Trump impeachment hearings MORE ( D-Calif. ) has launched a fierce lobbying campaign within her caucus to become the next Speaker , pressing Democrats to publicly declare their support for her in an effort designed both to show her strength in the race and discourage detractors who are scrambling to block her ascension .\nPelosi , 78 , has been “ working the phones nonstop ” over the past few days , targeting those lawmakers “ who may be close to some of the insurgents and are getting pressured by some of those insurgents , ” said a Democratic aide whose boss has been on the receiving end of the campaign . To boost her odds of success , Pelosi has recruited congressional allies , friendly chiefs of staff and lobbyists off Capitol Hill , who are all showering on-the-fence lawmakers with phone calls , texts and emails .\n“ There is no question in my mind that she is concerned . She wants to get the votes , ” the aide said Monday . “ I think she can get them , because there ’ s nobody better at counting votes than Nancy Pelosi . ”\nHer campaign has found early success . Several members who have been previously critical of leadership reversed course in recent days and released official statements in support of Pelosi .\nAnd the top Democrats on three investigative committees , who had been armed by Pelosi ’ s allies with key messaging points , fanned out on the Sunday news shows where they gave high-profile endorsements .\nThe show of strength not only put key supporters on the record , but it also sent a not-so-subtle message to the rest of the conference : If even former critics are backing Pelosi , the insurgency is futile and those on the fence should simply fall in line .\n“ She ’ s not going to be run out of town , ” said a former Democratic leadership aide .\nPelosi foresees the end of her long leadership reign and is working on the “ transition ” she ’ s promised , the former aide added . “ But it ain ’ t gon na be on anybody else ’ s terms . ”\nPelosi expressed confidence last week that she will secure the Speaker ’ s gavel after Democrats seized control of the House , though she acknowledged it ’ s not going to be a cake walk , like when she first won the job in 2006 with unanimous Democratic support .\nHer pitch this time is simple : No one is more experienced to protect Obama-era victories like the Affordable Care Act , and there needs to be a woman at the leadership table to take on President Trump Donald John TrumpGOP senators balk at lengthy impeachment trial Warren goes local in race to build 2020 movement 2020 Democrats make play for veterans ' votes MORE .\n“ You can not have the four leaders of Congress , the president of the United States — these five people — and not have the voice of women , especially since women were the majority of the voters , the workers and campaigns and now part of this glorious victory , ” Pelosi said Sunday on CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation . ”\nBut there is a small yet vocal group of anti-Pelosi insurgents who are vowing to oppose her , and a number of candidates were critical of the longtime Democratic leader on the campaign trail . That could pose a serious threat to Pelosi ’ s bid for Speaker , depending on the size of the new Democratic majority and how many in the party are willing to vote against her .\nRep.-elect Mikie Sherrill , a New Jersey Democrat , added herself to that list on Monday .\n“ I have been talking about how important it is we have new leadership in Congress right now , ” Sherrill told MSNBC ’ s Andrea Mitchell . “ And so I won ’ t be voting for Nancy Pelosi . ”\n“ I do think it is important we move forward with new leadership , ” she said , while noting that Pelosi has been “ effective ” in her role as party leader in the House .\nThroughout the midterm campaign season , Pelosi was notably accepting of Democrats vowing to oppose her leadership aspirations . She encouraged them to win , whatever it took , and didn ’ t lobby for any support before Election Day .\nBut now , with just two weeks before the Democratic leadership elections and the party on track to pick up about 35 seats , Pelosi has been campaigning aggressively behind the scenes to line up votes .\nShe has been working the phones , personally asking lawmakers for their support and even encouraging members to show their commitments publicly . The whip operation officially kicked off Wednesday and continued through the weekend .\nAn aide for Pelosi said no one has been forced to stake out their positions , but it ’ s an idea that has been suggested whenever a supporter asks how they can be helpful .\nOne text reviewed by ███ , however , indicated that Pelosi is seeking concrete commitments , in hopes of publicly highlighting them .\nA former Democratic lawmaker said Pelosi , in tough fights like this one , shifts gears and adopts a no-nonsense persona — “ I call it ‘ the Baltimore Nancy , ’ ” the lawmaker said , an allusion to Pelosi ’ s roots in the rough-and-tumble world of Charm City politics .\n“ She doesn ’ t swear , but when she does , ” said the lawmaker , trailing off . The lawmaker predicted her message to the fence-sitters . “ ‘ No more bullshit . … You haven ’ t made up your mind ? We ’ re going to hold the vote until you do , and you ’ re going to tell us [ where you stand ] . ’ And she ’ s going to do that . ”\nPelosi has already peeled off support from some of her former critics . That includes Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney ( D-N.Y. ) , who openly criticized the party ’ s campaign efforts after the disappointing 2016 elections , and Rep. Albio Sires Albio B. SiresOvernight Defense : Protests at Trump 's NYC Veterans Day speech | House Dems release Pentagon official 's deposition transcript | Lawmakers ask Trump to rescind Erdogan invite Bipartisan House members call on Trump to rescind Erdoğan invitation Democratic lawmaker : Trudeau blackface photos 'disgusting ' MORE ( D-N.J. ) , who signed a letter earlier this year supporting a proposal that would have made it harder for Pelosi to secure the gavel .\nPelosi also blasted out a letter to the Democratic caucus on Monday urging members to unify when they return to Washington this week — a message that could be seen as applying to the leadership fight .\n“ In the next few weeks , we need to be unified , find common ground with Republicans in our legislative engagements , but stand our ground when we must , ” she wrote .\nThe full-court press for Pelosi has also included enlisting left-leaning outside groups to tout their endorsements through tweets , statements and letters . Organizations like the Feminist Majority , Protect Our Care , AFL-CIO , National Education Foundation and People for the American Way have all voiced support for Pelosi in recent days .\n“ I don ’ t think people think she can be beat , ” said one Democratic chief of staff tracking leadership races . “ No one has the tool kit and relationships that she has . ”\nPelosi ’ s critics , meanwhile , have struggled to coalesce around a candidate to run against her . While Rep. Tim Ryan Timothy ( Tim ) RyanTim Ryan endorses Biden for president Strategists say Warren 'Medicare for All ' plan could appeal to centrists Trump mocks O'Rourke after Democrat drops out of race MORE ( D-Ohio ) posed a challenge in 2016 , he has so far declined to jump in this year .\nRep. Ed Perlmutter Edwin ( Ed ) George PerlmutterFinancial sector 's work on SAFE Banking Act shows together , everyone achieves more House passes bill to protect cannabis industry access to banks , credit unions Showing consumers health care pricing could lower costs MORE ( D-Colo. ) , one of the lawmakers leading the charge to oust Pelosi , predicted a challenger will emerge before the Nov. 28 leadership elections within the caucus . But the real goal , he added , is to prevent Pelosi from getting the support of the majority in the subsequent Speaker vote on the House floor — a situation that would force her to step aside and spark a scramble to fill the void .\n“ There ’ s always this comment , ‘ You can ’ t beat somebody with nobody , ’ ” Perlmutter said by phone . “ Well , that ’ s just not true when you have to meet a [ majority ] threshold . ”\nPelosi ’ s critics say they ’ ve found a dozen incumbent lawmakers willing to vote against her in the Speaker vote on the floor , which will occur in the first days of January . And the insurgents have been scouring the campaign comments from incoming freshmen , identifying 12 who have been critical of the Democratic leader to some degree .\n“ Some were soft , ” said an aide familiar with the detractors ’ strategy , and could probably be persuaded either to support her or vote “ present . ”\nBut , the aide added , “ there ’ s no way eight of those 12 could ever say her name on the floor . ”\nRep. Henry Cuellar ( Texas ) , a Blue Dog Democrat , said those incoming lawmakers are in a “ tricky ” spot , warning that supporting Pelosi after telling voters differently will make them vulnerable to easy GOP attacks in 2020 .\n“ That could expose them to possible defeat , ” said Cuellar , who backs Pelosi but wants assurances of House rules changes empowering all members . “ I would caution those members to be careful . ”\nPerlmutter said the insurgents are making progress “ slowly but surely , ” targeting incumbents and newcomers alike in an aggressive phone campaign that ran through the weekend .\n“ The calls are going out there . They are not met with ire or anger or resistance , because there ’ s a recognition that , you know , there ’ s been this leadership team in place for a very long time , ” Perlmutter said . “ And it may stay in position , but I don ’ t think so . ”


Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday agreed to make what he called `` an extraordinary accommodation '' to Republicans investigating the botched `` Operation Fast and Furious '' by turning over department emails he has long insisted deal with internal deliberations and should be protected .\nHolder is trying to head off a push by House Republicans to hold him in contempt of Congress for allegedly `` stonewalling '' their investigation . And he offered to personally brief the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee , Rep. Darrell Issa , R-Calif. , in the next few days .\n`` We believe that this briefing , and the documents we are prepared to provide ... will fully address the remaining concerns identified in the recent letters to me from you and House leadership , '' Holder said in a letter to Issa . `` The department 's willingness to provide these materials is a serious , good faith effort to bring this matter to an amicable resolution . ''\nIssa 's office said in an early response that Holder 's letter `` only seems to indicate a willingness to offer a selective telling '' of key events and that the chairman is still asking the Justice Department to explain `` how it is prepared to alter its opposition to producing subpoenaed documents ''\nEarlier Thursday , Holder 's allies on the committee mounted their own aggressive defense of the attorney general , circulating a memo to House Democrats that calls the Republican argument for contempt , laid out in a contempt citation last month , `` irresponsible , unprecedented , and contrary to the rule of law . ''\nFor more than a year , Republicans have been leading an investigation into `` Fast and Furious , '' which was launched in Arizona in late 2009 by Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives officials , with help from the U.S. attorney 's office there . The operation 's targets bought nearly 2,000 weapons over several months . But for reasons that are still in dispute , most of the weapons sold were never followed , and high-powered weapons tied to the investigation ended up at crime scenes in Mexico and the United States , including the December 2010 murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry .\nLate last year , Issa issued a subpoena to Holder , and the Justice Department subsequently identified more than 80,000 documents responsive to it .\nHowever , the department has turned over about 7,600 documents and insisted those not turned over include traditionally protected deliberative material , legally protected grand jury material and other investigative material relating to ongoing cases .\nIn recent days , Issa narrowed his demands to focus on correspondence between department officials after they sent a now-retracted letter to Congress on Feb. 4 , 2011 . In that letter , the department inaccurately insisted : `` ATF makes every effort to interdict weapons that have been purchased illegally and prevent their transportation to Mexico . ''\nIssa says the documents he wants are `` critically important '' because , among other things , they could show whether top officials were `` surprised or were already aware '' about `` gunwalking '' in `` Fast and Furious '' when confronted with evidence contradicting the Feb. 4 letter . And the documents could further detail how the department handled officials who were negligent .\nIn his letter Thursday , Holder said he appreciates Issa 's `` narrowed '' request for information , calling it `` an important step forward '' and noting the department has `` repeatedly expressed concern that the production of ( certain ) materials would undermine the integrity and independence of ( its ) core law enforcement operations . ''\nHolder said he is willing to turn over documents that , `` while outside the scope of the committee 's interest in the inappropriate tactics used in Fast and Furious , '' show how his department 's `` understanding '' of the facts `` evolved throughout 2011 '' and how the Feb. 4 , 2011 , letter came to be withdrawn .\nBut in his letter , Holder insisted department leaders drafted the inaccurate letter based on assertions from others that the allegations being made were `` categorically false . ''\nHe also insisted , `` The record in this matter reflects that until allegations about the inappropriate tactics used in Fast and Furious were made public , department leadership was unaware of those tactics . ''\nRepublicans scheduled the contempt vote against Holder for June 20 after accusing him of failing to comply with the subpoena and turn over tens of thousands of still-undisclosed documents . The measure , if it remains on the agenda , would be voted on at the committee level and would still have to be approved by the full House .\nIn the memo circulated Thursday , Democrats said , `` Holding the attorney general in contempt of Congress for protecting these documents is an extreme and blatant abuse of the congressional contempt power and undermines the credibility of the committee . ''\nBut a spokeswoman for Issa took issue with that assessment , saying , `` The only credibility that has been undermined is that of Attorney General Holder and the Justice Department who issued a false denial of reckless conduct . ''\nNevertheless , House Democrats also took aim more broadly at the Republicans ' investigation of `` Operation Fast and Furious , '' saying it `` has been characterized by a series of unsubstantiated allegations against the Obama administration that later turned out to be inaccurate . ''\n`` Rather than conducting this investigation in an even-handed manner , the committee has politicized this inquiry by systematically refusing to investigate gunwalking operations during the Bush administration and by disregarding clear evidence that contradicts ( their ) political narrative , '' the Democrats ' memo states .\nOne of the `` most significant flaws of the investigation , '' according to the memo , is Issa 's refusal to hold a public hearing with former ATF head Ken Melson , who told congressional investigators in July 2011 that he never informed senior Justice Department officials about the tactics of `` Fast and Furious '' because he did n't know them himself .\nIn addition , the memo states , Issa has refused multiple requests for the committee to hear from former Attorney General Michael Mukasey , who could discuss `` the origination and evolution of gunwalking operations '' dating back to 2006 .\nIn late 2007 , Mukasey was sent a memo noting that the `` first-ever attempt '' to have a `` controlled delivery '' of weapons smuggled into Mexico was `` unsuccessful '' in tracking the weapons , but ATF would still like to `` expand the possibility '' of such cases with Mexico . It 's unclear if Mukasey ever saw the memo .\nThe spokeswoman for Issa , Becca Watkins , said the Democrats ' criticism is based on a `` fundamental misunderstanding '' about the facts of the case and the Justice Department 's `` failure to comply '' with the subpoena .\nAs for the contempt vote scheduled for Wednesday , the Democrats ' memo said negotiations could last into next week , and `` it is important for committee members to be fully prepared in the event that negotiations are unsuccessful . ''\nIn his letter Thursday , Holder told Issa that `` as the chairman only you have the authority to bind the committee , '' and therefore a meeting between the two `` is required both to assure that there are no misunderstandings about this matter and to confirm that the elements of the proposal we are making will be deemed sufficient to render the process of contempt unnecessary . ''


NEW YORK/WASHINGTON ( ███ ) - Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s office on Friday disputed key elements of a media report that President Donald Trump directed his former lawyer to lie to Congress about a Moscow real estate deal , raising questions about a story that has dominated U.S. news coverage for the past 24 hours .\nBuzzFeed News reported late on Thursday that Michael Cohen , Trump ’ s former lawyer who is slated to go to prison for lying to Congress and other crimes , told investigators working for Mueller that Trump had instructed him to lie about efforts to build a skyscraper in Moscow while he was running for president .\n“ BuzzFeed ’ s description of specific statements to the Special Counsel ’ s Office , and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office , regarding Michael Cohen ’ s Congressional testimony are not accurate , ” Peter Carr , a spokesman for Mueller , said in the special counsel ’ s first comment on a media report since its probe started 20 months ago .\nWhile Carr did not directly address whether there was evidence that Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress , he disputed portions of the story about how BuzzFeed corroborated the explosive allegations against Trump .\nCiting information from two federal law enforcement officials , BuzzFeed said Cohen told the special counsel that after the 2016 presidential election Trump instructed him to tell Congress that negotiations over the Moscow project had ended earlier than they had in order to obscure Trump ’ s involvement .\nCarr ’ s statement also appeared to dispute BuzzFeed ’ s assertion that the special counsel learned about Trump ’ s directive from interviews with employees of the Trump Organization , emails , text messages and other documents .\nBuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith said in a statement : “ We stand by the reporting and the sources who informed it , and we urge the Special Counsel to make clear what he ’ s disputing . ”\nAfter the BuzzFeed report was published on Thursday night , investigators in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives said they planned to investigate the allegations , while some Democrats described the report as a game-changer that , if true , could be grounds for impeaching the president .\nEarlier on Friday , the White House said the story was false . “ Look , that ’ s absolutely ridiculous , ” spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters .\nDavid Weinstein , a former federal prosecutor , said Mueller ’ s decision to comment highlighted the significance of the allegations made in the BuzzFeed article and the attention it was getting in the media and among lawmakers .\n“ They are making a public comment to tell everyone to calm down , ” Weinstein said . “ He doesn ’ t want people to think his silence is confirming the truthfulness of the report . ”\nTrump said on Twitter that Cohen was lying to get less prison time . Trump ’ s lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , said in a statement that any suggestion that Trump told Cohen to lie is “ categorically false . ”\nRepresentatives for the Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment on the BuzzFeed report .\nCohen , who once said he was so loyal to Trump that he would “ take a bullet ” for him , is scheduled to begin a three-year prison sentence in March after pleading guilty to charges including campaign finance violations , tax evasion and lying to Congress .\nIf Trump did tell Cohen to lie , that would constitute criminal activity , said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler , a Democrat . He added that he would look into the matter .\n“ Directing a subordinate to lie to Congress is a federal crime , ” Nadler said on Twitter .\nHouse Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said the allegation that Trump may have directed Cohen to lie under oath “ is among the most serious to date . ”\nRelated Coverage Trump says grateful to Mueller for BuzzFeed statement\n“ We will do what ’ s necessary to find out if it ’ s true , ” Schiff , also a Democrat , said on Twitter .\nSome Senate Intelligence Committee investigators hope to ask Cohen about the BuzzFeed report when he testifies behind closed doors in February , a committee source told ███ . He also will face questions about it in testimony before the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 7 .\nYet Mueller ’ s move to push back on the BuzzFeed report could give some lawmakers pause , while also giving ammunition to allies of Trump in their efforts to criticize the media and in their calls for Mueller to complete his probe .\n“ Today ’ s development only underscores the need for the special counsel to wrap this investigation up immediately , ” Republican Representative Mark Meadows said on Twittter . “ The constant secrecy and breathless speculation helps no one . ”\nLegal experts said the allegation , if true , exposed Trump to a new level of risk in an investigation that has already resulted in convictions of or guilty pleas from four former campaign aides , including ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort .\nIf true , “ it ’ s a seismic event , ” Andy Wright , an associate White House counsel under former Democratic President Barack Obama , told ███ .\nCohen , his left arm in a sling , did not comment as he entered his apartment building in New York on Friday . His adviser , Lanny Davis , also declined to comment to ███ , and his lawyer , Guy Petrillo , did not respond to a request for comment .\nTrump denounced Cohen as a “ rat ” after he began cooperating with investigators while Cohen , whose duties included making payoffs to two women who said they had affairs with Trump , said on Thursday he regretted giving “ my blind loyalty to a man who doesn ’ t deserve it . ”\nDirecting or encouraging someone to lie under oath is a crime known as subornation of perjury . The report also raises questions about obstruction of justice and conspiracy .\nWilliam Barr , Trump ’ s nominee to be attorney general , said at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday that a president would be committing obstruction if he directed a subordinate to lie under oath . A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment .\nWhile the Justice Department has previously concluded that a sitting president can not be charged while in office , such an allegation , if found true , could fuel impeachment proceedings in Congress .\nTrump repeatedly has denied collusion with Russia and slammed Mueller ’ s investigation as a “ witch hunt. ” Russia also has rejected U.S. intelligence findings that Moscow interfered in U.S. politics in the 2016 election in an effort to boost Trump .\nTrump said during the presidential campaign that he had no ties or business dealings with Russia .\nDemocrats , who took over the U.S. House of Representatives this month , have generally been cautious regarding any talk of impeachment to remove Trump from office although some rank-and-file members have pushed for such a resolution .\nImpeachment proceedings would face an uphill battle in the Senate , where Trump ’ s fellow Republicans have a majority .\nBuzzFeed also reported that Cohen regularly updated Trump ’ s son Donald Trump Jr. and his daughter Ivanka Trump , who is now a top White House adviser , about the Moscow project .\nA combination photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump 's onetime personal attorney , Michael Cohen and U.S. President Donald Trump from outside federal court in the Manhattan borough of New York City , New York , U.S. , April 16 , 2018 and in the White House in Washington , U.S. , July 18 , 2018 . ███/Lucas Jackson , Leah Millis/File Photos\nA spokesman for Abbe Lowell , a lawyer for Ivanka Trump , said she was minimally involved in the development . Trump Jr. , who has also testified previously before Congress , in a Twitter post called the BuzzFeed report “ fake news . ”\nAfter Mueller ’ s statement disputing the report , Trump Jr. called out the media and Schiff in a series of Twitter posts . “ Hey Adam , turns out it was Full of Schiff ! ” he wrote .


( Note at 11:20 a.m . ET : Scroll down to see the GOP plan , which has now been released ; new comments from Rep. Ryan ; and White House reaction . )\nHouse Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin , the 2012 Republican vice presidential nominee , unveiled his latest budget plan Tuesday morning — and as NPR 's Tamara Keith told our Newscast Desk , he says it would bring the federal budget in balance by 2023 .\nRyan 's previous proposal , he said , would balance the budget in 20 years . How has he cut 10 years off that time ? The `` fiscal cliff '' deal reached as 2012 turned into 2013 `` raises $ 600 billion in tax revenue over the next decade , '' Tamara reported , `` and Ryan is including that in his new budget . ''\n`` Otherwise , '' she added , `` Ryan has telegraphed that his new plan will include many of the same cuts as past GOP budgets , most notably it would convert Medicare into a premium support program . ''\nOn the op/ed pages of The Wall Street Journal today , Ryan makes his case for the new plan .\n`` How do we do it ? '' he writes . `` We stop spending money the government does n't have . ... Our budget matches spending with income . Under our proposal , the government spends no more than it collects in revenue — or 19.1 % of gross domestic product each year . As a result , we 'll spend $ 4.6 trillion less over the next decade . ... `` Our opponents will shout austerity , but let 's put this in perspective . On the current path , we 'll spend $ 46 trillion over the next 10 years . Under our proposal , we 'll spend $ 41 trillion . On the current path , spending will increase by 5 % each year . Under our proposal , it will increase by 3.4 % . Because the U.S. economy will grow faster than spending , the budget will balance by 2023 , and debt held by the public will drop to just over half the size of the economy . ''\nPresident Obama and his fellow Democrats , of course , have other ideas about how to get the federal government books in order . Politico this morning looks at the president 's new efforts to reach out to some Republicans in order to cut a deal . It concludes though , that `` the expectations for both a sustainable civil alliance and a grand bargain remain low for one very simple reason : The parties are further apart on taxes and entitlements than they were in 2011 when Obama and House Speaker John Boehner ( R-Ohio ) first entered into talks and came close to striking the ever-elusive grand bargain . ''\nUpdate at 11:20 a.m . ET . White House Says Ryan 's Math `` Just Does n't Add Up . ''\nIn a statement just sent to reporters , the White House says , in part :\n`` While the House Republican budget aims to reduce the deficit , the math just does n't add up . Deficit reduction that asks nothing from the wealthiest Americans has serious consequences for the middle class . By choosing to give the wealthiest Americans a new tax cut , this budget as written will either fail to achieve any meaningful deficit reduction , raise taxes on middle class families by more than $ 2,000 – or both . ... `` The president has put forward a balanced approach to deficit reduction with no sacred cows . It includes more Medicare savings over the next decade than the House Republican budget , but it does so by cracking down on waste and fraud , not by asking middle class seniors to bear the burden . It closes tax loopholes for the wealthiest and biggest corporations so we can still afford to create jobs by investing in education , manufacturing , infrastructure , and small businesses . The President 's plan puts our nation on a fiscally sustainable path and grows our economy from the middle class out . `` While the president disagrees with the House Republican approach , we all agree we need to leave a better future for our children . The President will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to grow the economy and cut the deficit in a balanced way . This is the approach the American people overwhelmingly support , and that is what the president will continue to fight for each day . ''\nUpdate at 10:55 a.m . ET . Ryan Says He Wo n't Surrender His Principles :\nRyan is holding a news conference this hour . A reporter noted that he 's pitched a similar budget plan before — one that focuses on cuts in projected spending and eschews tax increases — and in the time since then was on the losing presidential ticket .\nShould losing an election mean `` we surrender our principles ? '' Ryan asks . That Republicans should `` stop believing in what we believe in ? ''\n`` We think we owe the country a balanced budget , '' he says , and `` solutions '' to the nation 's problems .\nRyan 's `` Path to Prosperity ; a Responsible , Balanced Budget , '' plan is now out . As Tamara notes , `` it calls for the repeal of the president 's healthcare law , and approval of the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline . It would cut growth in programs for the poor by turning them over to the states . And for future seniors , it would convert Medicare into a premium support program . ''


Government wants you to play a role in the `` shutdown '' of the federal government . Your role is to panic .\nRepublicans and Democrats both assume that shutting some government is a terrible thing . The press concurs . `` Shutdown threatens fragile economy , '' warns Politico . `` Federal workers turn to prayer , '' laments The Washington Post .\nIf the public starts noticing that life goes on as usual without all 3.4 million federal workers , we might get dangerous ideas , like doing without so much government . Politicians do n't want that .\nThey 'd rather have us worry about how America will cope .\nPresident Obama gave a speech where he actually said we need to keep government open for the sake of people like the person working for the Department of Agriculture `` out there helping some farmers make sure that they 're making some modest profit , '' and the Department of Housing and Urban Development `` helping somebody buy a house for the first time . ''\nGive me a break . Farmers do n't need bureaucrats to teach them how to make a profit , and Americans can buy first homes without HUD helping a chosen few . Americans would make more profit and afford better homes if they did n't have to spend a third of national income on federal taxes .\nBureaucrats , acting like bullies , protest the partial closures by doing things like cutting off access to public parks—even privately funded ones . Federal cops block access to outdoor war memorials and much of Mt . Rushmore . They block access to motels and order people out of private homes that happen to sit on federal land . The Washington Free Beacon reports , `` The closure of a Virginia park that sits on federal land , even though the government provides no resources for its maintenance or operation . ''\nIt 's similar to the fake `` austerity measures '' in other countries . We 're told that Europe 's slow economic growth is a result of `` austerity '' embraced by European governments .\nBut there has n't really been any austerity . England , where a `` conservative '' government is in charge , ( SET ITAL ) increased ( END ITAL ) government spending by 4 percent .\n`` Austerity '' in Greece—supposedly so drastic that the public has little choice but to riot in protest—meant changes like reducing mandatory severance pay to one entire year ( instead of two ! ) .\nIn the U.S. , Rep. Nancy Pelosi ( D-Cal . ) told CNN the federal government has cut so much spending that there 's just nothing left to cut : `` The cupboard is bare ! There 's no more cuts to make ! ''\nWhat ? The federal government spends almost 4 trillion dollars ! The government cupboard overflows ! We fund entire cabinet departments that are worse than useless . The Labor Department ( SET ITAL ) interferes ( END ITAL ) with actual labor . Commerce would flow more smoothly without Commerce Department bureaucrats channeling money to their cronies .\nThe government has n't cut spending—it never does . After the last shutdowns , politicians even voted to award retroactive pay to government workers who did n't work . Bet they do it again this time . The federal government remains the biggest employer in the country . President Obama says so with pride .\nCompare this to what happens in the private sector in tough times : AT & T cut 40,000 workers . Sears cut 50,000 . IBM : 60,000 . They were n't easy decisions , but they enabled the companies to stay profitable . With fewer workers , leaner companies found more efficient ways to get things done .\nAnd the rest of us barely noticed . We expect change and adaptation in free-market institutions . But it does n't happen in government . Government just grows .\nMaybe the ugliest part of this story is that the city that whines most about suffering through the shutdown , Washington , D.C. , is now the richest geographic area in America . Washington got richer while the rest of America did n't . Over the past 12 years , median income in the U.S. dropped about 6.5 percent—but not in D.C. ! There , it rose 23 percent . Four of the five richest counties now surround Washington , D.C .\nNo wonder politicians and bureaucrats are convinced big government is essential to keep the economy going—it is essential to keep them going .


President Trump and GOP senators buried their differences for an ...\nWASHINGTON — House Republicans on Thursday narrowly adopted the Senate ’ s $ 4 trillion budget blueprint , despite grumblings about the impact on the deficit and the elimination of state and local tax deductions .\nWith 20 Republicans joining all Democrats in voting no , the budget passed 216-212 .\nThe House had already passed its own budget that directed upcoming tax reform legislation to be deficit-neutral . But to speed up the process toward their ultimate goal of tax cuts , the House passed the Senate plan that would allow tax cuts to add $ 1.5 trillion to the deficit .\n“ By passing this budget today , we can send a clear message to the American people : Real tax reform is on the way , ” said Rep. Kevin Brady ( R-Texas ) .\nThe budget vote opened a process called reconciliation that will allow the upcoming tax reform legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority vote — and without any Democrats .\nDemocrats blasted the plan as “ the billionaires ’ budget ” that will roll back Medicaid and Medicare spending to deliver tax relief to the wealthiest Americans .\n“ Snake oil is all that this Republican budget will give to the American middle class and working families , ” said Rep. Salud Carbajal ( D-Calif. ) . “ This Republican budget is squarely aimed at ramming through a tax plan without bipartisan consensus or input . … Eighty percent of the tax cuts in this plan benefits only the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans . ”\nRep. Diane Black ( R-Tenn. ) said Democrats shouldn ’ t make assumptions about a tax plan that hasn ’ t even been written yet .\n“ The devil ’ s in the details and those details have not yet been released yet , ” Black said .\nRepublicans and President Trump believe they can deliver a massive tax cut to Americans and businesses this year that will create economic growth and deliver relief to the middle class .\nOne major sticking point is how to pay for those tax cuts . The current plan would eliminate the deductibility of state and local taxes to save about $ 1.3 trillion over the decade .\nMore than 44 million people rely on those deductions , especially in high-taxes states like New York , New Jersey and California .\nNew York Republicans voting “ no ” were Dan Donovan , Claudia Tenney , Lee Zeldin , Elise Stefanik , John Katko , Peter King and John Faso .\nFaso said he couldn ’ t support “ a budget resolution that singled out for elimination the ability of New York families to deduct state and local taxes . ”


Story highlights House Republicans , President Obama still far apart on budget priorities , GOP leaders say\n`` He did himself some good , '' Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin says\nObama offered `` just a bunch of platitudes , '' Georgia congressman says\nSome in the Republican caucus think Obama should have reached out long ago\nPresident Barack Obama entered the conference room in the Capitol basement to a standing ovation , but after nearly an hour and a half of discussion with House Republicans , there was little evidence that the meeting -- part of the White House 's `` charm offensive '' on Capitol Hill -- did much to change the partisan gulf between the president and his chief adversaries .\nAt a news conference after the meeting , House Speaker John Boehner thanked the president for coming but also noted the challenges remaining on a host of issues , especially ones related to reducing the deficit .\n`` We know how there are some very real differences between our two parties ( on issues like ) jobs , balancing the budget and what do we do to get economy moving again , '' Boehner said . `` Republicans want to balance the budget . The President does n't . Republicans want to solve our long term debt problem . The President does n't . We want to unlock our energy resources to put more Americans back to work . The President does n't . ''\nThe speaker added , `` But having said that , today was a good start and I hope that these kinds of discussions can continue . ''\nRepublicans ' top priority -- tackling federal spending and reining in record deficits -- came up early in the Republican conference meeting . Oklahoma Rep. Jim Lankford asked the first question , pressing the president to explain why he would n't join House Republicans in their effort to balance the budget in a decade .\nObama , according to several Republicans , explained that he did n't share that priority , an answer that many emphasized as they left the meeting .\nGeorgia Rep. Paul Broun , a conservative who is running for the Senate , mentioned that exchange as he left , telling reporters , `` basically his whole talk was just a bunch of platitudes and no substance to it . ''\n`` He thought what was more important was that deficits fall below growth as a percentage of GDP -- certainly a laudable goal , but I think the federal government , like any business or any family , needs to work towards a balanced budget , '' Rep. Tom Cotton , R-Arkansas , said afterward .\nHouse Majority Leader Eric Cantor gave a blunt assessment about the divide on fiscal issues , suggesting it could carry over to other issues .\n`` If the president wants to let our unwillingness to raise taxes get in the way , then we 're not gon na be able to set differences aside and focus on what we agree on , '' Cantor told reporters at the GOP leaders ' news conference .\nWhen Lankford raised fiscal issues during the meeting , he also pointed out that the president 's other meeting on Wednesday was with his political arm , Organizing for Action . Word of that meeting rankled many GOP members who suggested Obama was more concerned with political goals than working across the aisle .\n`` We know the president is going to speak before Organizing for Action tonight , '' Rep. Greg Walden , R-Oregon , who leads the House Republicans ' campaign arm , told reporters as he left the meeting . `` We know he 's made it clear that taking out the House is his big priority , and we know he 's been on the never-ending campaign tour up to this point , so there 's a trust factor . ''\nMindful of the House GOP undercurrent that Obama is chiefly focused on scoring political points , one source inside the meeting said the president addressed those concerns directly at the end of the meeting .\nThis source told CNN that the president told GOP members that if he were only focused on the midterms , he would not be pushing immigration reform because that 's not necessarily helpful for some members of his party . He said he would not push for entitlement reform because a lot of Democrats do n't agree and are nervous about tackling such a politically explosive issue .\nHe told them that he runs the country , that he wants it to succeed and that he looks around the room and sees other people who love their country . Obama said they have a moment and should seize it , according to this source .\nBut Walden did say the session helped build some trust , and it was a good opportunity to raise a wide spectrum of issues . He mentioned Israel as one area where both parties found some common ground .\nExiting the conference , House Budget Committee Chairman and former Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan ( R-Wisconsin ) said of the president : `` He did himself some good . ''\nSeveral members in the meeting said it helped open a dialogue but lamented that the session was only the second time the president had traveled up Pennsylvania Avenue to talk to House Republicans since he was elected .\n`` The president does n't spend a lot of time working with members of Congress . He does n't have to -- he 's president of the United States -- but I think it 's made his job a lot more difficult , and it 's made our task a lot more difficult because there 's very little communication , '' Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart said after the meeting .\nCotton described the president 's demeanor in the meeting as `` affable '' and said the various members who asked questions were `` very cordial and respectful . ''\nAccording to multiple GOP sources , conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington screened questions in advance and called on members after the president made opening remarks .\nRep. Michael Grimm of New York said the event had been peppered with occasional lighter moments such as speculation after word got around the room that the new pope was about to be announced .\n`` Anyone who thinks this president is anything but affable and pleasant when he 's speaking with group is just simply wrong . They have n't met him , '' said Grimm . But he added he was waiting to see if the president would follow up his outreach with some bipartisan action .\nObama fielded some tense questions during the meeting . Michigan Rep. Candice Miller told reporters she was not satisfied with the president 's response to her complaint that the White House had suspended public tours after forced spending cuts went into effect . Republicans have charged that the closures were politically motivated , but Obama said Wednesday the decision had been made by the Secret Service .


WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump called for deep cuts in environmental and safety net programs , billions more for his border wall and a huge boost for the military in a $ 4.75 trillion 2020 budget proposal that is unlikely to gain traction in Congress .\nTrump delivered his first budget under a divided government Monday , a road map that would not balance the books for 15 years despite deep reductions . The proposal also called for $ 8.6 billion for Trump 's border wall , a request Democrats flatly rejected .\n`` Congress has been ignoring the president 's spending reductions for the last two years , '' Trump 's top budget aide , Russell Vought , told reporters when pressed for an explanation about why the budget anticipates a $ 1.1 trillion deficit next year .\nEven before Democrats claimed control of the House , similar proposals by Trump failed in Congress . The schism between the president 's wish list and actual government spending only deepened after a dispute over the border wall led to a 35-day partial government shutdown that ended in January .\n`` This is not a serious proposal , '' said Sen. Patrick Leahy , D-Vt. , the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee .\nPresidential budgets , required by the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 , for decades have had more to do with politics than policy . With the 2020 election underway , the document gives Trump an opportunity to lay out a vision he can trumpet to supporters .\nNot your budget : 'Get rid of the fat ' : Why Uncle Sam 's budget is different from yours\nThe White House is eager to sell three messages with the president 's third budget : that Trump hasn ’ t given up on building his long-promised border wall , that he wants to increase military spending and that he hopes to slash just about everything else .\nThe president requested $ 8.6 billion more for his wall , just weeks after Congress failed to approve his demand for $ 5.7 billion . With both sides dug in on the issue , the latest proposal is certain to go nowhere . Trump declared a national emergency in February , a move the White House says will free up billions more for the wall .\nTrump is also requesting billions more in spending at the Defense Department – one of the few priorities that could gain some attention from lawmakers . After initially considering Pentagon cuts last year , the White House embraced a proposal to increase the Defense Department ’ s budget 5 percent to $ 750 billion .\n• A $ 2.8 billion , or 31 percent reduction in for the Environmental Protection Agency and a $ 327 billion cut to safety-net programs . Some of that reduction would be carried out by imposing a work requirement for food stamps , Medicaid and other programs .\n• A new user fee on e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery system products to `` address today ’ s alarming rise in youth e-cigarette use . ''\n• Nearly $ 315 million to hire an additional 1,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and 128 immigration court prosecuting attorneys .\n• Almost $ 300 million toward the goal eliminating nearly all new infections of HIV/AIDS within 10 years .\nSome proposals in Trump 's budget could become law , but most of the high-profile items will face tough odds .\nTrump has proposed many of the same changes before , without success . Last year ’ s budget , which came at a time when Republicans controlled both the House and Senate , included $ 18 billion for the border wall . His 2017 budget proposed eliminating 62 federal agencies entirely . Congress largely ignored those requests and many others .\nNone of those agencies was eliminated and lawmakers approved only $ 1.37 billion for border barriers . That partly reflects a politically divided Congress but also the fact that the president 's budget has long been viewed as a wish list .\nGovernment printers published about 20,000 hard copies of the president 's budget , and a spokesman for the Government Publishing Office says the online version of the document averages about 2 million retrievals each year .\nThe budget proposal must include information about how much the government collected in taxes and other revenue , the public debt and proposed spending priorities . But the real work of spending taxpayer money is handled by the congressional appropriations process . And that means Democrats and Republicans must work together to decide which programs should be prioritized .\nEven some Republicans remained noncommittal about the White House proposal .\n“ I look forward to reviewing additional details , '' said Sen. Richard Shelby , R-Ala. , the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee , `` Throughout the next few months , the ( committee ) will conduct hearings and carefully review the president ’ s proposal . ''


Story highlights Obama cancels a trip to the APEC summit because of the shutdown\nRepublican : Boehner says he 'd allow debt ceiling vote that relies on Democrats to pass\nA GOP legislator describes Republicans as `` very unified '' despite reports of division\nThe federal government may not be hit with a double whammy on top of the ongoing shutdown , as House Speaker John Boehner told a group of fellow GOP legislators that he wo n't let the nation default on its debt , according to a House Republican .\nBoehner said that he 'd set aside the `` Hastert Rule '' -- that Republicans would only bring measures up for a vote if they are backed by a majority of their caucus -- and rely on Democrats to pass a measure to raise the nation 's debt limit , said the House member . This legislator attended a meeting Wednesday involving Boehner , but requested anonymity because that gathering was private .\nCongressional Republicans remain divided on how to structure legislation to raise the government 's borrowing level . And an aide to the House speaker downplayed the development , saying , `` Boehner has always said the United States will not default on its debt , so that 's not news . ''\nStill , at least one Democrat -- Sen. Charles Schumer of New York -- cheered the prospect of the GOP leader refusing to block at least this measure that President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats strongly support .\n`` This could be the beginnings of a significant breakthrough , '' Schumer said in a statement . `` Even coming close to the edge of default is very dangerous , and putting this issue to rest significantly ahead of the default date would allow everyone in the country to breathe a huge sigh of relief . ''\nThe Ohio Republican 's vow comes exactly two weeks before the government is set to run out of money to cover its roughly $ 16.7 trillion debt , unless Congress agrees to lift the so-called debt ceiling . That had long been routine in Washington -- until recently , that is , when conservative Republicans have pushed not to allow more borrowing without significant cuts .\nJUST WATCHED GOP Rep. : You 're beautiful but be honest Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH GOP Rep. : You 're beautiful but be honest 01:40\nJUST WATCHED Sen. Reid : I will not pick and choose Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Sen. Reid : I will not pick and choose 02:07\nJUST WATCHED GOP 'lemming caucus ' blocking leadership Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH GOP 'lemming caucus ' blocking leadership 10:04\nBoehner himself wrote earlier this week in USA Today that `` there is no way Congress can or should pass ( a debt ceiling hike ) without spending cuts and reforms to deal with the debt and deficit and help get our economy moving again . '' He accused President Barack Obama of refusing to negotiate ; Obama and fellow Democratic leaders have since said they are open to talks on any and all budgetary matters , but only after the government is reopened .\nYet Boehner 's comments signal that , at least on the debt ceiling issue , he 's willing to allow a vote on a measure backed by top Democrats but not most Republicans in his chamber -- something he 's refused to do with a Senate-passed measure to reopen the federal government , without any add-ons .\nChief among those Democrats is Obama who , for all his strong rhetoric on ending the government shutdown , has said that avoiding a federal debt default is an even bigger necessity . He 's insisted Congress pass such a measure , as is , without tying it to anything else .\n`` As reckless as a government shutdown is , an economic shutdown that results from default would be dramatically worse , '' the president said in a speech Thursday in Rockville , Maryland . `` There will be no negotiations over this . ''\nWhile Boehner 's comments suggest hope toward some common resolution on the debt ceiling , the government shutdown is another matter entirely .\nThe two sides appeared no closer to an agreement Thursday , the third day of the shutdown that comes because Congress failed to agree on a budget plan to send to President Barack Obama . In fact , they appeared to dig in -- insisting their approach is best and that the other was to blame for the 800,000 workers at risk of furloughs , shuttering of national parks , loss of funding for various programs and other effects of the shutdown .\nA conservative GOP wing has demanded that any spending measure include provisions to dismantle or defund Obamacare , which became law in 2010 and was upheld by the Supreme Court last year .\nAs he 's done before , Obama on Thursday challenged Boehner to stop what he called Republicans `` reckless '' strategy of refusing to pass the `` clean '' spending bill -- which does n't have provisions targeting the president 's signature health care reform , the Affordable Care Act , like several passed by the GOP-led House -- and instead pushing measures to fund popular programs on a one-by-one basis .\nThe president said the spending initiative passed by the Democratic-led Senate would pass the House with support from Democrats and some Republicans , except that Boehner wo n't allow the vote .\n`` The only thing that is keeping the government shut down , the only thing preventing people from going back to work , and basic research starting back up , and farmers and small-business owners getting their loans -- the only thing that 's preventing all that from happening right now today , in the next five minutes , is that Speaker John Boehner wo n't even let the bill get a yes-or-no vote because he does n't want to anger the extremists in his party , '' Obama said .\nSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid was part of the Democratic chorus Thursday , accusing Boehner of reneging on an agreement to let the House vote on a `` clean '' spending package of $ 988 billion , $ 70 billion less than Democrats wanted ) . Boehner went back on that deal , Reid surmised in an interview with CNN 's Dana Bash , because he feared fellow Republicans would turn on him and oust him from his position as House speaker .\n`` His job is not as important as our country , '' Reid said . `` ... He has to have some courage . ''\nGOP Rep. Michael Grimm said Thursday night that `` very , very arrogant and very obstinate '' remarks by Reid and what he calls a lack of needed leadership from Obama undermines the chances of reaching a deal .\n`` If you 're going to be insulted ... , and if you 're going to be spoken down to , and there 's going to be this air of arrogance , you 're only going to make things worse , '' Grimm , of New York , told CNN 's Anderson Cooper .\nWhile Grimm and a few other moderate Republicans have backed a `` clean '' spending bill without anti-Obamacare provisions , some of his colleagues in the House say the party wo n't budge from their strategy . Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas , for one , described his caucus as `` very unified '' and said Reid and Obama are `` confused '' if they think `` we 're going to fold and let them win on everything . ''\nIn fact , House Majority Leader Eric Cantor wrote in a memo that it 's the positions of Obama and other Democrats that are `` untenable . ''\nHouse Republicans would continue passing piecemeal funding measures for popular programs such as veterans affairs , national parks and medical research to keep up pressure on Senate Democrats who refuse to consider such measures in the ongoing stalemate , Cantor 's memo said .\n`` While no one can predict with certainty how the current shutdown will be resolved , I am confident that if we keep advancing common-sense solutions to the problems created by the shutdown that Senate Democrats and President Obama will eventually agree to meaningful discussions that would allow us to ultimately resolve this impasse , '' Cantor said in the memo that a GOP source made available to CNN .\nA conversation between two conservative GOP senators showed Republicans think they can win the debate . In the comments caught by live microphone , tea party-backed Sen. Rand Paul told his Kentucky Republican colleague , Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , that continuing to hammer Democrats for refusing to consider GOP proposals would eventually succeed .\nMeanwhile , two moderate House members -- one Republican and one Democrat -- proposed a compromise Thursday that would fund the government for six months while eliminating a tax on medical devices in the health care reforms .\nSenate Democrats quickly rejected the idea because it would link the health care reform provision to the need to fund the government now while extending deep mandatory budget cuts they oppose for half of the new fiscal year .\nInstead , Obama -- who canceled a trip to Brunei and Indonesia for this weekend 's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit because of the ongoing shutdown -- and other Democrats have said they want to negotiate a broad budget deal that could include tax reforms and other matters . But they 're only willing to engage in such talks after the government reopens .\nThis already slogging debate over what to do about the crisis ground to a halt Thursday because of something that , at first glance , did not directly involve any of the legislators on Capitol Hill , even if it did hit very close to home .\nA chase that began at a White House security checkpoint ended near the U.S. Capitol Hill when authorities opened fire on a car containing a woman and a child , an intelligence source told CNN .\nTwo police officers suffered injuries in the ordeal , according to D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier . The female driver -- who did n't fire any shots herself , according to multiple sources -- died of gunshot wounds .\nThe House and Senate were both put on lockdown , with no one allowed to leave or enter Capitol Hill buildings and everyone urged to steer clear of windows and doorways , for about an hour .\nNot long after , Democrats and Republicans reconvened on the House floor and , in a rare show of unanimity , thanked the responding officers .\nThen they resumed their normal business -- which , if the past few weeks is any indication , meant more blame and little agreement on how to bring the government back on line .


Story highlights Majority of African leaders convene in Washington for first-ever African leaders summit\nEbola outbreak on the continent sure to distract from talks on trade\nU.S. hopes to be a player on the African continent and blunt China 's influence\nBy any measure it 's historic : The vast majority of Africa 's leaders flying to Washington at the invite of the President , whose father was born on the continent , to mark what the White House hopes is a new era of cooperation .\nWhile plans for the first African Leaders Summit this week in the nation 's capital are ambitious , the reality is the United States still has strides to make on the kind of political and economic relationships in Africa that can benefit both sides .\nOther nations , namely China , have turned their focus to the continent as a trade partner . Terrorist networks have expanded their reach in some countries , most notably in Nigeria , where hundreds of schoolgirls remain at large after being kidnapped earlier this year . And while U.S.-backed efforts have helped slow the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa , countries there rate among the lowest in life expectancy and infant mortality .\n`` The importance of this for America needs to be understood , '' President Barack Obama said on Friday about the summit .\nJUST WATCHED West African Ebola epidemic Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH West African Ebola epidemic 04:32\nJUST WATCHED Doctors struggle to treat Ebola patients Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Doctors struggle to treat Ebola patients 04:37\nJUST WATCHED Obama : U.S. prepared for Ebola Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Obama : U.S. prepared for Ebola 02:11\nHe added later that Africa `` happens to be one of the continents where America is most popular and people feel a real affinity for our way of life . ''\nHere are five reasons that the U.S.-Africa Leader 's Summit , which kicked off on Monday , is important :\n1 . Health scare : The health problems in Africa were underscored this week when an Ebola outbreak prompted leaders of two nations to cancel their trips to Washington .\nLiberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , a Nobel Peace Prize winner , and Ernest Bai Koroma , the leader of Sierra Leone , both said they would remain in their countries .\nEbola has killed more than 700 people in three nations : Guinea , Liberia and Sierra .\nSummit leaders , and even Obama , have stressed there is no risk to Washingtonians from those arriving from Africa this week .\nObama said anyone who might have been exposed to the virus would be screened both in their home countries and upon arrival in the United States .\nBut worry over the worsening outbreak only highlighted challenges Africa faces in combating disease and poverty , despite the billions in U.S. aid over the years .\n`` This is an uphill challenge for them , '' said Gayle Smith , Obama 's senior director for development and Democracy , noting both Liberia and Sierra Leone had recently emerged from periods of civil war .\nObama hopes to move past the traditional elements of humanitarian aid to Africa , focusing instead on potential trade .\nBut promoting commercial ties with countries engulfed in Ebola outbreaks could prove to be difficult . The State Department warned against non-essential travel to Sierra Leone and Libera last week , and some schools and businesses have closed .\n`` The timing is very unfortunate , and no one would have wished for this , '' said Howard French , an associate professor of international affairs at Columbia University . `` Having high-level discussions between the U.S. and Africa on business and investment are infrequent . So to the extent that this distracts from that I think will be regretted all around . ''\n2 . Security challenges : Another potential barrier to U.S. investment in Africa : Growing extremism on the continent , which has overwhelmed certain governments .\nThe most flagrant example came earlier this summer , when the group Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 school girls in Nigeria . The incident prompted international outrage and so far , a U.S.-backed team has not located them .\nNigeria-based Boko Haram opposes western-style education , and there are fears the group 's influence could be crossing borders .\nLast month , armed gunman suspected to be Boko Haram militants abducted the wife of Cameroon 's deputy prime minister .\nIntra-country sniping has followed . Nigeria has expressed frustration with Cameroon for not doing enough to fight Boko Haram on its side of the border , a charge Cameroon has denied .\nThe unrest has inflicted damage on African economies , including Nigeria 's , the largest on the continent . Other African nations combating violent extremism , like Mali , Kenya and Somalia , are also tough sells for U.S. investment .\nMany of those nations want more U.S. assistance to counter militants , sentiments likely to be expressed at this week 's summit .\n`` We are concerned about efforts by terrorist groups to gain a foothold in Africa , '' said Ben Rhodes , Obama 's deputy national security adviser .\nHe pointed to U.S. counterterror efforts that aim to partner with nations in stemming unrest .\n`` We 're looking at how do we get at the broader issue of countering violent extremism in Africa so that these groups , like Boko Haram , like al-Shabaab , like al-Qaeda , are not able to prey on young people with disinformation and intimidation , '' he said .\n3 . Countering China : The United States has some catching up to do in Africa when it comes to trade and investment .\nChina 's imports of African oil and natural minerals have skyrocketed over the past two decades . Alongside have come massive Chinese investments in African infrastructure and construction projects , manned by waves of Chinese workers who ended up remaining in Africa . More than a million Chinese citizens now live there .\n`` Africa is in a very particular moment , economically speaking , '' said French during an interview with CNNI from Nairobi . `` The continent has been growing very fast . Demographically , there 's a bulge in terms of it 's youth population . And Africa needs partnerships . ''\nObama wants to make sure the United States is one of those partners , and a more attractive one than China .\n`` My advice to African leaders is to make sure that if , in fact , China is putting in roads and bridges , number one , that they 're hiring African workers ; number two , that the roads do n't just lead from the mine to the port to Shanghai , but that there 's an ability for the African governments to shape how this infrastructure is going to benefit them in the long term , '' Obama told The Economist last week .\n4 . Cementing legacy : Obama 's two predecessors both secured legacy achievements in Africa -- Bill Clinton through his African Growth and Opportunity Act , and George W. Bush through his program combating HIV/AIDS .\nObama similarly hopes for a way to leave his mark on the continent after he leaves office , though his status as the first president of African descent has already made history .\nThat fact led some Africans to regard Obama with outsized expectations when he took office in 2009 , leading to some disappointment that he has n't focused more on shoring up U.S.-Africa ties .\nDuring his time in office , Obama has focused on terrorism , uprisings in the Arab world , Russian provocations , and the much-awaited pivot to Asia .\nObama made his first presidential trip to sub-Saharan Africa in 2009 when he visited Ghana . He did n't return again until 2013 with tour of Senegal , Tanzania and South Africa .\nHe 's embarked upon an initiative that aims to bring electricity to more Africans , and a program supporting young leaders working toward Democratic governments .\nBoth are elements to a legacy designed to shore up conditions for individuals on the continent .\nAnd the summit itself , while not expected to produce any large-scale trade agreements , is meant to signal a shift from purely humanitarian assistance to a two-way partnership .\n`` We believe it can be a game-changer in the U.S.-Africa relationship , '' Rhodes said of the summit .\n5 . Not invited : While the bulk of Africa 's leaders will be in Washington , the continent 's most reviled leaders wo n't be attending . They include Zimbabwe 's Robert Mugabe and Sudan 's Omar al-Bashir .\nThey were n't invited because of their alleged human rights abuses .\nOther controversial leaders -- like Kenya 's Uhuru Kenyatta , accused of crimes at the International Criminal Court -- will attend .\nLike any major diplomatic gathering , the Africa Leaders Summit has been an exercise in protocol and careful planning .\nInstead of meeting with leaders separately , Obama has been scheduled for larger group discussions , to the disappointment of some who wanted to talk to him one-on-one .\n`` We just would n't be able to do bilats with everybody , and so the simplest thing is for the President to devote his time to engaging broadly with all the leaders . That way we 're not singling out individuals at the expense of the other leaders , '' Rhodes said .\nHe noted Obama would speak with each leader individually during a dinner at the White House on Tuesday .\nThat event has taken on state dinner-type proportions , with a large tent constructed on the South Lawn . Organizers have the added stress of accommodating leaders of 50 nations , all with varied religious and cultural sensitivities that must be respected .\nFor example , servers must know who drinks alcohol and who abstains for religious reasons .\nIt 's a reflection of just how diverse Africa is , and how high the stakes are for Obama as he forges new relationships there .


President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G-7 summit in Quebec , June 8 , 2018 . ( Leah Millis/Reuters )\nJustin Trudeau may be the annoying , youthful avatar of chic progressivism — but he ’ s not our adversary .\nAfter leaving the G-7 summit , President Donald Trump blasted the Canadian prime minister on Twitter as weak and dishonest , in the kind of invective once reserved for “ Little Rocket Man . ”\nThe Trump presidency routinely produces unprecedented events , and here is another : Never before has a president of the United States spoken as scornfully in public about the head of state of a friendly , allied country . Particularly one who has appeared in Vogue .\nTrudeau is not exactly a threatening figure , although his worshipful , celebrity-fueled press coverage qualifies as one of the more vexing political phenomena in all of North America ( Rolling Stone celebrated the fact that he rides a unicycle ; TMZ declared him on the “ clear path to hottest leader in the world ” ) .\nIt ’ s not clear what exactly led to the great U.S.–Canada tiff of 2018 . White House aides fanned out over the weekend to try to lend meaning and justification to the flap .\nThey said Trudeau had stabbed the president in the back at the meeting . But Trudeau didn ’ t say anything after Trump left the G-7 that he hadn ’ t signaled before — namely that Canada finds Trump ’ s steel and aluminum tariffs insulting and will retaliate .\nThey said that Trudeau risked undermining the president ’ s position at his imminent summit in Singapore with Kim Jong-un . But the North Korea dictator is not recalibrating his diplomacy based on the statements of a leader of an inoffensive country half a world away .\nThe incident is a great misdirection . Canada ’ s trade practices are hardly above reproach . Its tariff on milk of 270 percent , highlighted by Trump officials the past few days , is stupid and indefensible . It is guilty of subsidizing and protecting favored companies and sectors , the way most countries are .\nIt is nothing compared with the world ’ s great mercantilist power , though . China routinely steals U.S. intellectual property , seeks to distort the entire system of international commerce to its advantage , and is pouring resources into a massive military buildup , with which it eventually hopes to expel the United States from East Asia .\nThat we are dissipating our energies with steel and aluminum tariffs against allies and potentially alienating friends speaks to a key mistake .\nTrudeau is the facile , democratically elected leader of a Western society ; President Xi Jinping is the remorseless president for life of a hostile dictatorship . It ’ s not a remotely close call who we should be aiming our fire at .\nThat we are dissipating our energies with steel and aluminum tariffs against allies and potentially alienating friends in what should be a united front against China speaks to a key mistake . Trump views the U.S. trade deficit — with any country , friend or foe — as the problem rather than China as the unique commercial and geostrategic competitor .\nOne of the advantages that the United States has in the long-term conflict with China is that we border peaceable , friendly countries . This is a blessing that shouldn ’ t be treated dismissively or recklessly .\nThe flare-up with Trudeau is not an encouraging sign for prospects of renegotiating NAFTA , which also should be viewed in strategic terms . As Derek Scissors of the American Enterprise Institute points out , the trade agreement could extend beyond North America to Britain , which is seeking a new trade arrangement as it exits the EU , and the Philippines and Taiwan , which are pressured by China .\n“ A completed NAFTA 2.0 , ” Scissors writes , “ would provide the concrete foundation for rapid conclusion of comprehensive or partial trade agreements with these and other countries , while reassuring partners that the Trump administration is willing and able to move forward on trade if they are willing to meet some American demands . ”\nNone of this will happen if Trump is determined to pursue a protectionist policy no matter what , or he lets his pique at friends get the best of him . The trade war — and the fight for our paramount interests — won ’ t be won or lost against Justin Trudeau . Beijing , not Ottawa , is our enemy .


Venezuela 's President Nicolás Maduro says he has defeated an `` attempted coup '' by opposition leader Juan Guaidó .\nDozens of National Guardsmen sided with the opposition in clashes on Tuesday that injured more than 100 people .\nBut in a defiant TV address , President Maduro said Mr Guaidó had failed to turn the military against him .\nMr Guaidó insists that Mr Maduro has lost control of the armed forces . The opposition leader called for more streets protests on Wednesday .\n`` Today we continue , '' he tweeted . `` We will keep going with more strength than ever , Venezuela . ''\nMr Guaidó has been recognised as interim leader of Venezuela by more than 50 countries , including the US , the UK and most in Latin America .\nThe US reiterated its support for Mr Guaidó on Wednesday , with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying `` military action is possible '' if necessary .\nBut Mr Maduro , backed by Russia , China and the top of the country 's military , has refused to cede leadership to his rival .\nMr Pompeo is scheduled to speak with Russia 's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday , National Security Adviser John Bolton said .\nIn his televised address , flanked by military commanders , Mr Maduro accused protesters of `` serious crimes '' which he said would `` not go unpunished '' .\nBoth the president and Mr Guaidó have called on their supporters to take to the streets , setting up more potential violent unrest in a nation already beset by economic crisis , chronic power cuts and widespread food shortages .\nMr Maduro lashed out again at the United States , which he accuses of plotting against him . He dismissed a claim by the US that he had a plane ready on the tarmac to take him to Cuba , a staunch supporter of the beleaguered president .\n`` They had an airplane on the tarmac , '' Mr Pompeo said . `` He was ready to leave this morning [ Tuesday ] , as we understand it . Russians indicated he should stay . ''\nA three-minute video by Mr Guaidó published in the early hours of Tuesday showed him standing alongside a number of men in military uniform . He announced that he had the support of `` brave soldiers '' in the capital , Caracas .\nHe urged Venezuelans to join them in the streets , and appeared alongside another opposition leader , Leopoldo López , who had been under house arrest since 2014 .\nSupporters on both sides then gathered in different places of Caracas throughout the day , and there were clashes between Mr Guaidó 's supporters and armed military vehicles .\nProtesters were also seen throwing rocks , but being repelled by tear gas and water cannon . At one stage a military vehicle was filmed driving into protesters .\nMr Guaidó , the president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly , has called on Venezuela 's military to back him ever since he declared himself interim president in January .\nHe argues that President Maduro is a `` usurper '' because he was re-elected in polls that had been widely disputed .\nTuesday marked the most violent episode of the Venezuelan political crisis this year . Venezuelan health officials said 69 people were injured in the clashes , including two with bullet wounds .\nBroadcasts from a number of news agencies , including the BBC and CNN , were apparently suspended amid the violence .\nLater on Tuesday , it emerged Mr López had sought safety in the Chilean , then the Spanish embassy , along with his family .\nThe US Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) issued an emergency prohibition against all US carriers flying below 26,000ft in Venezuelan airspace .\nIt also said all US operators should leave the country within 48 hours , due to increasing political instability .\nOne sidebar to the Venezuela story is the battle for influence between the US and Russia . It 's a battle that , for now at least , Russia seems to be winning .\nUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was quick to accuse Russia of meddling , insisting that its government had persuaded President Maduro to abandon plans to flee to Havana .\nWhile the US has firmly backed the Venezuelan opposition leader Russia has thrown its weight behind Mr Maduro - vetoing a US resolution calling for fresh Venezuelan elections and offering considerable practical assistance - medicines , grain supplies and unspecified military support .\nRussia 's support for Venezuela has been long-standing . And it 's not just a matter of strategic rivalry with Washington , corporate interests in Moscow and individuals close to President Putin have large stakes in Venezuela 's oil industry .\nUN Secretary General António Guterres has appealed for both sides to avoid violence .\nThe US reiterated its support for Mr Guaidó . In a television interview on Wednesday , Mr Pompeo said Washington would prefer a peaceful transition of power but stated that `` military action is possible '' .\n`` If that 's what 's required , that 's what the United States will do , '' the US Secretary of State said .\nPresident Donald Trump said he was monitoring events in Venezuela `` very closely '' and said the US stood with the Venezuelan people and their freedom .\nHe also threatened to implement the `` highest-level sanctions '' and a `` full and complete embargo '' against Cuba unless its military immediately ceased its support of Mr Maduro .\nGovernments who still support Mr Maduro , including Bolivia and Cuba , condemned Mr Guaidó 's efforts as an attempted `` coup d'etat '' .\nThe Mexican government expressed `` concern about a possible increase in violence '' while Colombian President Ivan Duque urged the Venezuelan military to stand `` on the right side of history '' against Mr Maduro .\nAn emergency meeting of the Lima Group of Latin American countries has been scheduled for Friday .


When Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that he would visit Pearl Harbor , meeting President Obama in Hawaii Tuesday , it was noteworthy that both leaders characterized the visit as an opportunity for reconciliation .\nThe United States and Japan , after all , would seem to have reconciled long ago . The two nations have made peace and become close allies since the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor 75 years ago and the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima four years later .\nBut the two leaders ' message is clear . What the Obama-Abe visit will demonstrate is that reconciliation is not a one-and-done , but is a perpetual work in progress between onetime adversaries – even after decades of close relations . Coming seven months after Mr. Obama ’ s groundbreaking visit to Hiroshima , Mr. Abe ’ s Pearl Harbor trip is yet another step beyond a declaration made decades ago .\n“ To some extent , these two events … are the last remaining hurdles in the process of reconciliation , ” says James Schoff , a senior fellow and expert in US-Japan relations at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington . “ This is taking us a greater distance down this road – and it ’ s a long road . ”\nDemonstrating the power of reconciliation can be an important example for other relationships , some diplomatic experts say . The progress of the US-Japan relationship shows it can only happen after leaders and the people behind them grasp how reconciliation is not simply a nicety but crucially in their self-interest , some experts say .\nThat motivation may help explain Abe ’ s initiative to visit Pearl Harbor , where a surprise Japanese attack killed more than 2,400 American service members and civilians . It was originally announced that he would be the first sitting Japanese leader to visit the site , but as many as three Japanese prime ministers apparently visited Pearl Harbor with less fanfare in the 1950s . Abe is the first to visit with a US president .\n“ Abe ’ s plan and policy is to ensure that as much as he can personally , he closes the book on World War II – because Japan faces a worrisome future in a very unstable region , ” says Michael Auslin , director of Japan studies at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington . “ By visiting Pearl Harbor I think he ’ s saying , ‘ We no longer shirk responsibility for the past , but we do so in part because we ’ re concerned about preserving this unique relationship [ with the US ] to deal with our current challenges . ’ ”\nAbe isn ’ t taking the first step in what might be considered the ultimate US-Japan reconciliation dance . In May , Obama became the first American president to visit Hiroshima , the Japanese city where the US first used the atomic bomb . ( The second and last time was three days later on the city of Nagasaki , forcing Japan ’ s surrender . )\nAbe ’ s visit to Pearl Harbor “ makes a fitting counterpoint to [ Obama ’ s Hiroshima ] trip , marking the alpha and omega of World War II in the Pacific , ” says Bruce Klingner , a senior research fellow in Northeast Asian issues at the Heritage Foundation in Washington .\nBy commemorating the two terrible events that opened and closed the horrendous Second World War between their countries , the two leaders are underscoring how the US and Japan have been able to “ overcome the animosity of conflict to become enduring partners and allies , ” Mr. Klingner wrote in a recent commentary on the Heritage website .\nComing to terms with their intertwined history and onetime adversarial past has allowed the two countries to build a partnership that is now a “ symbol of what democracies can achieve together , ” he says .\nThat the two leaders are only now visiting the two iconic sites offers some measure of how fraught such symbolic gestures can be .\nFirst , the US had some misgivings about an Abe visit to Pearl Harbor so soon after Obama ’ s trip to Hiroshima because there were concerns it would look like a “ quid pro quo , ” Mr. Schoff says – or that it would establish some unwanted equivalency between the two events .\n“ Even though the US and Japan have been solid allies for more than a half century , the two sides have remained divided about the tragedies of the beginning and the end of the war , ” says Dr. Auslin . “ They may never see fully eye-to-eye on the two events , but with these two visits together they are putting aside whatever differences remain to focus on how much stronger the two countries are together . ”\nAbe ’ s visit to Pearl Harbor is particularly important as a “ message ” not just to Americans but to Japan ’ s neighbors – chief among them South Korea – who were the victims of imperial Japan ’ s violent expansion across the region , says Auslin , author of “ The End of the Asian Century . ”\nAbe has made reconciliation with South Korea a goal of his tenure . A year ago , the Japanese leader and South Korean President Park Geun-hye sealed an agreement that begins to address the wrenching issues left by Japan ’ s more than three decades of occupation of the Korean Peninsula .\nPart of that agreement was reparations for “ comfort women ” the Japanese military seized during occupation – a couple hundred of whom remain alive today . Several of Abe ’ s predecessors considered the issue settled and behind the two countries , but clearly South Korea did not .\nBy going further than previous Japanese leaders , Abe was not just acknowledging past mistakes but recognizing the overriding interest both countries have in getting beyond their past , Auslin says .\nBut some say Japan and its neighbors – particularly South Korea and China – have much further to go on the path to reconciliation .\n“ If anything , I ’ d say the whole question of Japan ’ s occupation and wartime activities has become a bigger issue as these Asian countries have grown and prospered , ” says Schoff . “ Their rising status has made them much more vocal on these issues. “\nPerhaps the crucial factor that sets the US-Japan reconciliation apart , Schoff says , is that , during the “ process ” of walking the path together , the two countries have become friends .\n“ When they begin to express sympathy for each other ’ s misfortune , that ’ s when you see that there ’ s an element of understanding that has been picked up on this path of reconciliation , ” he says .\nGet the Monitor Stories you care about delivered to your inbox . By signing up , you agree to our Privacy Policy\nReferring to Abe ’ s statement that he hoped to send “ messages ” with his Pearl Harbor visit , Schoff says , “ There ’ s a message of friendship in these expressions of sympathy and understanding . ”


Both the nuclear production and the attacks on tankers underscore the way Trump ’ s retreat from diplomacy has made the world more perilous . But they both are measured provocations : If you want to damage a tanker , you put the limpet mine below the water line rather than above it , and Iran ’ s violations of the Iran pact won ’ t put it close to a bomb soon .\nTrump described the damage to the tankers as “ very minor , ” and he seems to recognize the danger of escalation . But he has sent an additional 2,500 U.S. troops to the region , and there have been calls for striking Iran . If the U.S. does , then of course Iran will respond .\nBrett McGurk , a national security expert and former presidential envoy , warned that given the failure of the administration ’ s Iran policy so far , “ Trump may soon be boxed in : Either back down or resort to military tools . ”\nIt ’ s troubling that the administration is also conflating Shiite Iran with the Sunni Taliban . Members of Congress fear that this is meant to give Trump legal cover to attack Iran under the 2001 authorization for the use of military force against Al Qaeda and its offshoots .\nReflecting the administration ’ s propensity to inhabit a fantasyland , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has offered a ridiculous 12-point plan that essentially called for Iran to roll over and surrender .\nI was in Paris over the weekend for the annual meeting of the Trilateral Commission , and it ’ s sad to see how distrustful our allies have become toward America . Instead of forcing Iran into submission , Washington ’ s incompetent bullying of Europe and Asia to join Iran sanctions has managed to antagonize our oldest friends , push Iran back toward a nuclear path and increase the risk of war .\nThere are few good options now , but an international force to protect tankers might help , along with secret diplomacy to see if the nuclear deal can be patched up in a way that both sides can accept . I doubt it , but it ’ s worth trying .


Ukraine 's acting government issued an arrest warrant Monday for President Viktor Yanukovych , accusing him of mass crimes against the protesters who stood up for months against his rule . Russia sharply questioned its authority , calling it an `` armed mutiny . ''\nYanukovych has reportedly fled to the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea , a pro-Russian area in Ukraine . His exact whereabouts are unknown .\nCalls are mounting in Ukraine to put Yanukovych on trial , after a tumultuous presidency in which he amassed powers , enriched his allies and family and cracked down on protesters . Anger boiled over last week after government snipers killed scores of protesters in the bloodiest violence in Ukraine 's post-Soviet history .\nYanukovych ‘ s departure came hours after signing an agreement on resolving Ukraine 's political crisis that reduced his powers and was seen by many as a tacit admission of defeat . He apparently fled Ukraine 's capital by car and aircraft , heading for the parts of the country where he is most likely to find friends , according to the acting head of the police .\nThe turmoil has turned this strategically located country of 46 million inside out over the past few days . The parliament speaker is now nominally in charge of a country whose ailing economy is on the brink of default and whose loyalties are sharply torn between Europe and longtime ruler Russia .\nRussia and the European Union appeared to be taking opposing sides in Ukraine 's new political landscape .\nRussian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev questioned the legitimacy of the new Ukrainian authorities on Monday . According to Russian news agencies , he said the acting authorities have come to power as a result of an `` armed mutiny , '' so their legitimacy is causing `` big doubts . ''\nIn Brussels , European Commission spokesman Olivier Bailly referred to parliament speaker Oleksandr Turchinov as the `` interim president '' and said Turchinov will meet with Monday visiting EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Kiev .\nTurchinov said he hopes to form a new coalition government by Tuesday .\nWhite House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters Monday that the U.S. is prepared to provide financial support to Ukraine at this crucial time .\n`` The United States , working with partners around the world , stands ready to provide support for Ukraine as it takes the reforms it needs to , to get back to economic stability , '' Carney said .\n`` This support can complement an IMF program by helping to make reforms easier and by putting Ukraine in a position to invest more in health and education to help develop Ukraine 's human capital and strengthen its social safety net , '' Carney added .\nRussian President Vladimir Putin is facing a huge challenge in how to respond to the turmoil in Ukraine , a country he has declared vital for Russia 's interests , which is home to millions of Russian-speakers and hosts a major Russian navy base .\nSome in Ukraine 's Russian-speaking east and south already have begged the Kremlin to help protect them against what they fear could be violence by the victorious protesters who toppled Ukraine 's Moscow-backed leader . Putin has refrained from taking a public stance on Ukraine amid the Sochi Games , but the mounting tensions could quickly leave him with a stark choice : Stick to diplomacy and risk losing face at home , or open a Pandora 's box by entering the fray .\nIf Moscow openly backs separatist-minded groups in Ukraine 's Crimean Peninsula that serves as the base for Russia 's Black Sea Fleet , it could unleash devastating hostilities that Europe has n't seen since the Balkan wars . And ignoring pleas for help from pro-Russian groups in Ukraine could shatter Putin 's carefully manicured image of the tough ruler eager to stand up to the West , eroding his conservative support base at home , where his foes could be encouraged by the Ukrainian example .\nFacing such high risks , Putin has remained silent , weighing his options .\nPutin spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel by telephone Sunday and the German government said the two agreed that Ukraine 's `` territorial integrity must be respected . ''\nOn Monday , German government spokesman Steffan Seibert told reporters that Ukraine 's new leaders should consider the interests of the south and east -- the pro-Russian sections of Ukraine -- in the composition of a new government . He also said the offer of an association agreement with the EU is still on the table .\nMeanwhile , Ukraine 's acting interior minister , Arsen Avakhov , said on his official Facebook page that a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Yanukovych and several other officials for the `` mass killing of civilians . ''\nAt least 82 people , primarily protesters , were killed in clashes in Kiev last week .\nYanukovych set off a wave of protests by shelving an agreement with the European Union in November and turning instead for a $ 15 billion bailout loan from Russia . Within weeks , the protests expanded to include outrage over corruption and human rights abuses , leading to calls for Yanukovych 's resignation .\nAfter signing an agreement Friday with the opposition to form a unity government , Yanukovych fled Kiev for his pro-Russian power base in eastern Ukraine . Avakhov said he tried to fly out of Donetsk but was stopped then went to Crimea on Sunday .\nYanukovych then freed his official security detail and drove off to an unknown location , turning off all forms of communication , Avakhov said .\nSecurity has been tightened across Ukraine 's borders , the Interfax news agency quoted the State Border Guard service as saying .\nAvakhov published a letter that he said was from Yanukovych , dated Monday , in which he gave up his security guard . Yanukovych 's aides and spokespeople could not be reached Monday to verify the reported letter -- they have been rapidly distancing themselves from him as his hold on power disintegrates .\nActivist Valeri Kazachenko said Yanukovych must be arrested and brought to Kiev 's main square for trial .\n`` He must answer for all the crimes he has committed against Ukraine and its people , '' Kazachenko said .\nTensions have been mounting in Crimea in southern Ukraine . Russia maintains a large naval base in Sevastopol that has strained relations between the countries for two decades .\nPro-Russian protesters gathered in front of city hall in the port of Sevastopol on Monday chanting `` Russia ! Russia ! ''\n`` Extremists have seized power in Kiev and we must defend Crimea . Russia must help us with that , '' said Anataly Mareta , head of a Cossack militia in Sevastopol .\nThe head of the city administration in Sevastopol quit Monday amid the turmoil , and protesters replaced a Ukrainian flag near the city hall building with a Russian flag .\nAs president , Yanukovych moved quickly to consolidate power and wealth , curb free speech and oversee the imprisonment of his top political rival , former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko . But as protesters took control of the capital over the weekend , many allies turned against him .\nTymoshenko , the blond-braided heroine of the 2004 Orange Revolution , is back on the political scene after having been freed from prison .\nThe current protest movement in Ukraine has been in large part a fight for the country 's economic future -- for better jobs and prosperity .\nUkraine has a large potential consumer market , an educated workforce , a significant industrial base and good natural resources , in particular rich farmland . Yet its economy is in tatters .\nUkraine has struggled with corruption , bad government and short-sighted reliance on cheap gas from Russia . Political unrest has pushed up the deficit , sent the currency skidding and may have pushed the economy back into a recession .