Paul Ryan: The Speaker of the House announced today that he will not seek re-election.
Syria: President Trump tweeted this morning, “Get ready Russia,” saying a US military response to the alleged chemical attack in Syria is coming.
Michael Cohen: FBI agents sought Trump’s communications with his personal lawyer regarding the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape during yesterday’s raid, sources said.
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Our live coverage has ended. Scroll down to see how the day unfolded.
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GOP leaders are meeting with Trump tonight
President Trump tweeted a photo with the Congressional GOP leaders ahead of their dinner at the White House tonight.
The group, which included Vice President Pence, posed giving a thumbs up. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was also part of the gathering
Who will be at tonight’s dinner
Senate Majority Leader John Cornyn, House Speak Paul Ryan, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will be at the dinner.
The agenda is expected to focus on Congressional priorities and will likely touch on the ongoing deliberations over how to respond to an alleged chemical attack in Syria.
One topic that will be off limits is the fate of special counsel Robert Mueller.
Earlier today, Cornyn told CNN that he doesn’t plan to bring up the possibility of the President firing Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Mueller, a move that Cornyn would oppose.
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What we know about the "Access Hollywood" tape
From CNN's Gloria Borger and Shimon Prokupecz
The circumstances of the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape remain something of a mystery.
The 2005 “Access Hollywood” recording first surfaced about a month before Election Day, damaging Donald Trump’s campaign at a key moment. In the recording, Trump could be heard off-camera bragging about being able to sexually assault women.
NBC has long held that it was about to broadcast the tape when The Washington Post obtained and published it.
According to the network, the tape sat on a shelf for years before being discovered during the late stages of the presidential election.
It is unknown how many people at NBC had access to the tape.
The Post published the video on October 7, just a month before the 2016 election. That same day, the Obama administration accused the Russian government of hacking the Democratic National Committee and meddling in the presidential election. Soon after, The Washington Post published the Access Hollywood tape and then WikiLeaks began publishing stolen emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta within an hour of the tape’s release.
A source with knowledge of the matter said NBCUniversal, which produces “Access,” has not been contacted by special counsel Robert Mueller’s office or the Southern District of New York. There has been no subpoena, the source said.
An NBC spokesman declined to comment.
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FBI sought Trump's communications with his lawyer regarding "Access Hollywood" tape
From CNN's Gloria Borger and Shimon Prokupecz
FBI agents who raided the home, office and hotel of Donald Trump’s personal lawyer sought communications that Trump had with attorney Michael Cohen and others regarding the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape that captured Trump making lewd remarks about women a month before the election, according to sources familiar with the matter.
One of the sources said the warrant also referenced an investigation into wire fraud and bank fraud. CNN previously reported FBI agents removed Cohen’s computer, cell phone, business files and financial documents, according to the source.
The search warrant also sought communications between then-candidate Trump and his associates regarding efforts to prevent disclosure of the tape, according to one of the sources. In addition, investigators wanted records and communications concerning other potential negative information about the candidate that the campaign would have wanted to contain ahead of the election. The source said the warrant was not specific about what this additional information would be.
The warrant is the first indication that investigators suspect there was any effort to suppress the tape. It is not clear Cohen played any role in the Access Hollywood controversy.
Another source familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN that agents sought information regarding the Access Hollywood tape, as The New York Times first reported.
An attorney for Cohen didn’t respond immediately to request for comment.
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Preparations are underway for possible action against Syria, UK official says
From CNN's Michelle Kosinski
A British government official told CNN that the preparations are being made by the United Kingdom for possible action against Syria for the recent alleged chemical weapons attack. The official cautioned that though preparations are underway, the political decision has not yet been made.
CNN has previously reported that President Trump has spoken to both French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Theresa May.
One US official said the White House was most likely to coordinate with the French on a potential response since there are apparently concerns that May wouldn’t receive approval from the UK parliament for strikes.
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Trump's top economic adviser to huddle with House Republicans tomorrow
From CNN's Deirdre Walsh
A House GOP leadership aide told CNN that new White House chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow will meet with roughly 50 House Republicans for about an hour tomorrow.
Expect some members of leadership, key committee chairs, members who represent agriculture communities who are concerned about trade issues.
This is part of a series of meetings set up by House GOP Conference Chair Cathy McMorris “to connect House members with Admin officials, which she started fairly early in the Administration when she established the ‘Meet the Cabinet’ meetings,” according to an aide.
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White House concerned Democratic wave could lead to impeachment effort, sources say
From CNN's Jim Acosta
Six White House and Congressional sources said there are growing concerns inside the White House and among GOP leadership that Democrats will immediately seek to impeach President Trump should Republicans lose control of the House this November.
“POTUS is aware” of the concern, one White House source said, describing the hand-wringing inside the West Wing over the upcoming midterms as “the anticipation of death.”
To avert that scenario, Trump is expected to campaign hard for House Republicans in the November elections, the source said, citing internal White House planning.
The fears of a wave election that would sweep Republicans from power in the House and perhaps usher in Democrat-led impeachment proceedings in 2019 are now heightened with the exit of House Speaker Paul Ryan.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters Wednesday that Trump is counting on GOP lawmakers to not make any plans to leave Congress.
“We certainly hope that Republicans will continue to remain in the House, particularly those that support the President’s agenda,” Sanders said.
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Paul Ryan lists his best and worst moments in Congress
House Speaker Paul Ryan, in his interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper today, described his best and worst moments in Congress. Here’s what he said:
His worst:
“Losing the majority in ’06 was a pretty ugly time when we lost the majority. Losing in 2012 election was a pretty tough moment for me. I was on the ticket with Mitt, as you know. Those are tough moments,” he said.
His best:
“I think getting tax reform done was one of the best moments,” he said. “That’s something I’ve been working on for over 20 years, ever since I’ve worked for Jack Kemp I have been working on tax reform. I think it is critical to lay a strong foundation for economic growth. I think there are a lot of things in the tax bill that help advance our poverty fighting agenda, like enterprise zones (and) social impact bonds. There’s a lot things here that a lot of Americans don’t even know about yet that I’m proud about and I’m excited about advancing some issues I really care about and that’s really what I’m most proud about.”
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Paul Ryan: "I'm not going to run for president"
Speaker Paul Ryan, who announced today he will not be running for reelection, told CNN’s Jake Tapper the decision wasn’t because he had higher hopes.
“I really thought when I took this job, Jake, this is the probably last elected office I would have. I’m not going to run for president. That is not my plan. I will not do that,” he said.
He added: “The last thing I’m thinking about is running for something.”
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Ryan: Trump and I are "very different people"
CNN’s Jake Tapper told Speaker Paul Ryan that there were a lot of Republicans on Capitol Hill speculating how President Trump hasn’t exactly made his life as Speaker any easier.
He added that while they “had a lot of friction in our relationship,” Trump and Ryan learned they had a “common agenda to agree on” and so decided they had to get along to “get things done and make a big difference.”
Today, CNN’s Jake Tapper asked House Speaker Paul Ryan to respond to the report.
Ryan said he didn’t read the report, but was familiar with the raid.
“So we’re pretty focused on just getting our work done here,” he said. “And so this is something that I’ll let you guys speculate about. Right now, I’m busy trying to get things done in Congress. We have a big agenda and that is where my focus is and I don’t have much punditry to offer you on this. And look, I just think the way the President ought to handle it is compartmentalize it and focus on doing your job. We have issues with Syria and a budget to pass this week and we have got a lot to do and that is what I’m focused on.”
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Sanders: Trump has "deep concern about direction" of Mueller probe
From CNN's Liz Landers
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was asked if the FBI search of Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s apartment and belongings has strayed from the mission of the Mueller investigation.
Sanders said Trump has “a very deep concern about the direction that the special counsel and other investigations have taken.”
She reiterated that there has been no collusion.
“The President certainly has been clear that he has a very deep concern about the direction that the special counsel and other investigations have taken. This investigation started off as Russia collusion, which there was none,” she said.
“While the media continues to focus on this despite the fact that there’s been no evidence after a year, we’re going to continue to stay focused on the issues,” she added.
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All options are on the table when it comes to Syria, White House says
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the US is still keeping its options open on how to respond to the reported chemical weapons attack in Syria.
“We’re maintaining that we have a number of options and all those options are still on the table. Final decisions haven’t been made yet,” Sanders said. “The President has a number of options at his disposal and all of those options remain on the table.”
This comes even after Trump tweeted this morning that missiles were coming.
Asked if that complicates the planning of a US response or presents a national security threat, Sanders said, “Not at all.”
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White House hopes Republicans who support Trump agenda will remain in the House
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
Press secretary Sarah Sanders said the White House hopes Republican lawmakers will remain in the House following House Speaker Paul Ryan’s announcement that he won’t seek re-election.
She reiterated Trump’s praise of Ryan, and said he’d accomplished a lot in his time as speaker.
“The President’s been very clear about how he feels about Speaker Ryan,” Sanders said. “He knows that he’s truly a good man and will leave a legacy of achievement that no one can question.”
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Paul Ryan says he thinks Republicans will hold the House in 2018 election
Speaker Paul Ryan pushed back against claims by former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who said Ryan decided to not run for reelection because Republicans are going to lose the house, and Ryan would therefore lose his Speakership.
“Actually, I don’t believe that. That’s not true. Because we have an excellent track record to run on,” Ryan said, listing “the economy and wages and bonuses and tax reform and regulatory relief” as some of those successes.
He added: “I feel like we have put our majority in a good place, because we have gotten a lot done. It is making a big difference in people’s lives so I’m confident I will handle this over to another Republican speaker.”
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White House: Trump holds "Syria and Russia responsible" for chemical attack
From CNN's Jeremy Diamond
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders responded to Russia’s claims that the chemical weapons attack was staged by the Syrian rescue group the White Helmets, saying US intelligence findings point to Syria and Russia as the responsible parties.
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A final decision on Syria hadn't been made when Trump tweeted missiles "will be coming"
From CNN's Kaitlan Collins
A final decision on how to respond to the chemical attack in Syria had not been made yet when President Trump tweeted a warning this morning that missiles “will be coming.”
Though the President has been presented with military options, had several briefings with his top commanders, and may have made a decision since the tweet was posted, a final decision regarding possible military strikes had not been made when he tweeted at roughly 7 a.m., a source with knowledge of the discussions tells CNN.
Defense Secretary James Mattis essentially said as much earlier today, when he said they were “still assessing the intelligence” on whether the Assad regime is to blame for the recent chemical attack.
“We stand ready to provide military options if they are appropriate as the President determined,” Mattis said.
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GOP senator says he worries Syria strike is "not going to happen"
“I’m actually more concerned on the other side and I think every day that goes by, we actually get ourselves more fully in position where it could create a geopolitical outbreak whereas if we had just done it, before the Russians and the Iranians, and the Syrians prepped for it, we’d been in much better shape. Now we’re announcing what we’re going to do, and unfortunately it puts us in a place where possibly it creates a greater conflict.”
Asked if the President’s tweet was reckless, Corker said, “I would prefer that we would have done it.”
“Again, I’m concerned that it’s dragging on as long as it is now,” he said. “And both sides sort of raising stakes in it. Whereas I think we would be in a much better place if we had just done what we said we were going to do.”
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Republicans see House leadership race as a big financial windfall
From CNN’s Manu Raju
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) speaks while flanked by House Majority Whip, Steve Scalise (R-LA) (C) and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), during a news conference on Capitol Hill December 5, 2017 in Washington, DC.
A GOP source involved in House races said they view a potential leadership race between House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy as a financial windfall for their party.
The two lawmakers will now be in a race to see who can raise the most campaign cash in order to curry favor with their colleagues, adding to House Speaker Paul Ryan who will continue to be a presence on the fundraising circuit, the source said
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Senator won't bring up possibility of firing Mueller at dinner with Trump tonight
From CNN's Manu Raju, Phil Mattingly and Jeff Zeleny
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn and three other lawmakers are having dinner with President Trump tonight.
Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, told CNN that he doesn’t plan to bring up the possibility of the President firing Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and special counsel Robert Mueller, a move that Cornyn would oppose.
“I just don’t think it would be appropriate to talk about,” he said.
Cornyn will join House Speak Paul Ryan, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at the dinner.
The agenda is expected to focus on Congressional priorities and will likely touch on the ongoing deliberations over how to respond to an alleged chemical attack in Syria.
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Ryan's move to retire is all about his family
From CNN's Deirdre Walsh
U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) wife Janna Ryan (2nd R), mother Betty Douglas (R) and family attend the House of Representatives chamber at the U.S. Capitol October 29, 2015 in Washington, DC.
House Speaker Paul Ryan’s family was the driving force in his decision to retire, according to a person familiar with the decision.
“It weighs on him that he is home one day a week,” the person told reporters, adding “you have to remember he didn’t want the job in the first place.”
One thing that was always part of the speaker’s calculus, and he has spoken about throughout his career was the impact of losing his father at the age of 16.
This person dismissed any idea that Ryan was concerned he would lose in November, saying the political team has recent polling showing he was in good shape.
“It was very clear he was going to win re-election. That was not a factor. There were local deadlines that did factor in — there was an upcoming April 15 deadline to begin officially circulating nomination papers and a June 1 filing deadline and he wanted to make sure any move he made wouldn’t impact others ability to compete for the seat.
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Paul Ryan made decision to retire during spring recess
From CNN's Deirdre Walsh
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), announces he will not seek re-election for another term in Congress, during a news conference at the US. Capitol, on April 11, 2018 in Washington, DC.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, his wife Janna and their three kids have been discussing his next steps with a group of roughly six close aides for the last several months, according to a person familiar with the decision.
Ryan made his final decision over the spring recess with his wife and family while spending some time with them overseas after his official trip wrapped up in the Czech Republic.
“This has been a direction that he has been heading in for a while, but I will say as recently as February he has been talking about running again,” this person said.
But Ryan was contemplating whether this would be his last term in the House even before his biggest legislative accomplishment — tax reform — was across the finish line.
He directed his aides to never definitely say he was running for re-election, and his public comments always gave himself the room to step down next year, this source said.
As for his future, this source, who has been part of small group discussions, admitted, “I don’t know,” but said Ryan did not plan to make any decisions about his next job until January.
He will continue to raise money and campaign on behalf of House Republicans.
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Trump's defense secretary will be at the White House this afternoon
From CNN's Kaitlan Collins
Defense Secretary Mattis will be at the White House for meetings this afternoon, according to a White House official.
This comes as President Trump weighs retaliation against Syria for the alleged chemical attack.
Earlier today, President Trump tweeted that US action is coming:
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Sen. Grassley plans to hold a vote on new special counsel protection bill soon
From CNN’s Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley has agreed to hold a vote in committee on the new bipartisan bill to protect the special counsel.
Grassley told CNN he wants to hold a committee vote on the bill as soon as tomorrow. But any member can hold over the bill and delay a vote for a week, so it’s very possible the vote could get delayed until next week.
GOP leadership is very skeptical about this bill, and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn renewed his concerns this morning about moving forward with it. Its chances of passage are slim.
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4 senators just introduced bipartisan legislation to protect Mueller
From CNN's Daniella Diaz
A bipartisan group of senators just introduced legislation that would make it harder for special counsel Robert Mueller to be fired for investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
These are the senators behind the legislation:
— Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina
— Chris Coons, D-Delaware
— Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina
— Cory Booker, D-New Jersey
The bill is called the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, which protects Mueller and ensures that the Special Counsel can only be fired for “good cause” by a senior Justice Department official.
The news comes after White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said publicly that President Donald Trump believes he has the power to fire Mueller. She did not suggest the President would be moving to do so.
Pence: Ryan was instrumental in enacting President Trump’s agenda
Vice President Mike Pence just sent this statement on Paul Ryan not running for re-election:
Few Americans have done more to advance the conservative agenda over the last 20 years than Paul Ryan and I will miss his leadership and friendship when he leaves Congress at the end of this year. Paul is my friend, a former colleague, a true patriot, and I congratulate him on his long service to Wisconsin and to the American people. As Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan was instrumental in enacting President Trump’s agenda and we will be always be grateful for his partnership and support. Under his leadership, House Republicans delivered for the American people. Paul Ryan has been a fierce defender of our military, a leader in ushering historic tax reform through Congress, and a public servant with a heart for helping lift up the less fortunate. I know Paul will continue to be a great representative for the people of Wisconsin through the rest of his term and we will continue to work every day with him to keep our promises to the American people. Thank you Paul Ryan for your decades of service to our country. God bless you, Janna, and your three wonderful children, Liza, Charlie, and Sam.
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Steve Scalise: If Nancy Pelosi becomes House leader, GOP agenda "will be in jeopardy"
From CNN's Suzanne Malveaux
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Rep. Steve Scalise spoke briefly with CNN in the hallway of the Capitol this morning. Here’s what he said about House Speaker Paul Ryan’s decision not to seek re-election:
CNN: You said previously that you were interested in becoming House Speaker…
Scalise: “I don’t think now is the time to talk about what titles people want. We need to keeping focusing on moving our agenda forward and making sure we keep House Republican majority. If Nancy Pelosi is Speaker next year, the ability to move a conservative agenda will be in jeopardy. So that’s something we need to keep our focus on, on keeping the economy to get back on track.”
CNN: You think jockeying now is not productive to either you or anybody?
Scalise: “I think if we lose focus on our current job, it’s going to hurt our ability to move the agenda forward that the American people elected us to do. What we’re doing is working. The economy is getting back on track. There’s a lot more work to do.”
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Mitt Romney: Paul Ryan "unified the House"
Mitt Romney, who is running for Senate this year, tweeted that Paul Ryan took over as House Speaker at a critical moment.
Here’s what else he said about Ryan’s decision:
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Paul Ryan: Trump "not at all" a reason for this decision
House Speaker Paul Ryan didn’t mention President Trump at all in his prepared remarks.
However, asked if his decision was influenced by the way President Trump has changed the “character” of Washington, Ryan said “not at all.”
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"It's been a wild ride," Paul Ryan says
House Speaker Paul Ryan called his time in Congress a “wild ride” and said he was proud of what he accomplished during his time.
He later added that he has accomplished everything he wanted to do while in office.
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Paul Ryan says his family is the top reason he isn't seeking reelection
House Speaker Paul Ryan cited his family as the No. 1 reason is not seeking re-election.
“This is my 20th year in Congress. My kids weren’t even born when I was first elected. Our oldest was 13 years old when I became Speaker,” he said.
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Paul Ryan: "I have no regrets"
House Speaker Paul Ryan announced that he will not be seeking re-election and will retire in January.
He noted that he took the position “reluctantly,” but said he had “no regrets.”
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Speaker Ryan called President Trump and VP Pence this morning
From CNN’s Kaitlan Collins
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Speaker Paul Ryan called President Trump this morning to inform him that he will not seek re-election, a source familiar with their conversation says, before going into his conference meeting. He also called Vice President Mike Pence.
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Pelosi on Ryan: "Despite our differences, I commend his steadfast commitment to our country"
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on Paul Ryan not seeking re-election:
“The Speaker has been an avid advocate for his point of view and for the people of his district. Despite our differences, I commend his steadfast commitment to our country. During his final months, Democrats are hopeful that he joins us to work constructively to advance better futures for all Americans. My colleagues and I wish Paul the best in the next chapter of his career.”
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Who Speaker Ryan called about his decision
From CNN’s Dana Bash and Deirdre Walsh
Speaker Ryan called House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy before the news broke, according to a source familiar.
He also called House Majority Whip Steve Scalise before telling members of the House GOP conference, per a source familiar.
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Trump: Paul Ryan is a "truly good man"
President Trump weighed in briefly on House Speaker Paul Ryan’s decision to not seek re-election:
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Moments away: Paul Ryan speaks
House Speaker Paul Ryan will address the press at the weekly House GOP briefing at 10 a.m. ET.
This will be the first time we hear from Ryan since the news broke that he will not be seeking re-election.
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Paul Ryan says he wants to be more than a "Sunday dad"
From CNN's Manu Raju
House Speaker Paul Ryan is telling his colleagues that he is stepping down to spend more time with his family.
According to Rep. Darrell Issa, Republican of California, Speaker Ryan told members he promises to be more than a “Sunday dad” and he cited his family.
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Paul Ryan will retire in January 2019
Brendan Buck, counselor to House Speaker Paul Ryan, just sent out this statement:
“This morning Speaker Ryan shared with his colleagues that this will be his last year as a member of the House. He will serve out his full term, run through the tape, and then retire in January. After nearly twenty years in the House, the speaker is proud of all that has been accomplished and is ready to devote more of his time to being a husband and a father. While he did not seek the position, he told his colleagues that serving as speaker has been the professional honor of his life, and he thanked them for the trust they placed in him. He will discuss his decision at a press conference immediately following the member meeting.”
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Who's next in line for House Speaker
From CNN's Jim Acosta
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is, at this early stage, likely to have the support to become the next House Speaker, a source with the House Freedom Caucus says.
Rep. Mark Meadows a frontrunner to become Majority Leader.
The source recognized that Majority Whip Steve Scalise is also gunning for the job of Speaker. However, this source stressed the next leadership will need the support of the HFC.
McCarthy is viewed as President Trump’s choice for Speaker because he is close to the President. All of this is riding on what Ryan ultimately decides in terms of his timetable for leaving Washington. But the jockeying has obviously already begun.
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Here's what Paul Ryan told his leadership team this morning
From CNN's Phil Mattingly
In calls this morning with his leadership team, House Speaker Paul Ryan made clear much of this decision was about spending time with his family, according to two sources with direct knowledge.
But he also noted that he planned to leave after this Congress and didn’t think it was fair to his district of the GOP conference to run for reelection only to leave right after.
It has long been expected that Ryan would leave after the 115th Congress, but sources close to him have said for weeks they expected he would run again in order to raise money for the party and not throw his conference into a leadership battle.
Ryan “recently” came to the conclusion that wasn’t the best path for him, one of the sources said.
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Trump blames Mueller probe for "bad blood" with Russia
President Trump has been on a tweetstorm this morning about Russia. In the latest tweet, from 9 a.m. ET, he blames the special counsel’s investigation and Democrats for the US’s strained relationship with Russia.
Earlier this morning, President Trump tweeted that relations between the US and Russia have never been worse, even during the Cold War.
This is all coming on the heels of an alleged chemical attack in Syria. Trump is currently weighing a US military response.
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The big story now: Paul Ryan
From CNN's Phil Mattingly
House Speaker Paul Ryan has told confidantes he is not seeking reelection and will soon announce his decision, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told CNN Wednesday.
He is expected to address his decision in a closed-door GOP conference meeting Wednesday morning, the sources said.
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President Trump this morning: "Get ready Russia"
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
President Donald Trump warned Russia on Wednesday that it should “get ready” for a missile strike on Syria, vowing to thwart any missile defenses.
The public suggestion of US military confrontation with Russia is sure to raise tensions in an already volatile situation and add more confusion to US policy in the region. Trump said earlier this month – before the weekend’s suspected chemical attack on civilians at the hands of the Assad regime – that he wanted to withdraw US troops from Syria. Wednesday’s statement is also notable because Trump has criticized his predecessors for telegraphing US military action.