• Politics

How President Obama Hit Donald Trump

4 minute read

If you only read one thing: President Obama’s broadside Tuesday against Donald Trump’s comments about Muslims marked the deepest he has waded into the race for the election of his successor, but the speech was about more than just one election. Obama never referred to Trump by name, but he was the obvious target of Obama, who called him “dangerous,” ill-informed, and accused him of demagoguery. “We hear language that singles out immigrants and suggests that entire religious communities are complicit in violence,” Obama said. “Where does this stop?” Flanked by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the speech left reporters struggling for precedent as Obama warned Trump’s rhetoric was undermining the fabric of the country and contributing to radicalization. Obama did little to highlight his administration’s own plan against ISIS and extremism beyond pointing to the roster of terrorists he has ordered killed. But he found allies among Republicans who either didn’t defend Trump from Obama’s assault, or joined with him in condemning Trump’s rhetoric.

It’s over. The District of Columbia primary Tuesday marked the end of primary and caucus season after four-and-a-half months. At the start there were three Democrats (Bye O’Malley) and more than 10 Republicans (it’s hard keeping all those names straight). The Republican National Convention starts on July 18 and the Democratic National Convention a week later. The outcomes are preordained (Sorry, Bernie—who may be coming to that realization himself, announcing an address to his supporters Thursday night to outline his path forward), but the intra-party squabbles over how the parties govern themselves—and even what they stand for—will continue through next month.

Donald Trump attracts his former critics looking for a pay check. Clinton and Sanders meet. And Trump can’t find a campaign venue in Dallas.

Here are your must-reads:

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Why the FBI Dropped Its Previous Orlando Shooter Investigations
Former FBI deputy director says investigative guidelines are too “restrictive,” aren’t keeping pace with the threat, TIME’s Massimo Calabresi reports

Obama Denounces Donald Trump for His ‘Dangerous’ Mind-Set
President defends terrorism record as he warns about Trump [New York Times]

Hillary Clinton Offers Blistering Rebuttal to Donald Trump’s Muslim Ban
One-two punch with Obama [TIME]

Top Republicans Join Obama in Condemning Trump’s Words
Failure to win over GOP establishment comes back to haunt Trump [Washington Post]

Meet the Republican Critics of Donald Trump Now Working to Elect Him
TIME’s Alex Altman on the growing number of former critics are now cashing in Trump’s candidacy

Sound Off

“We just took the press credentials away, I love it.” — Trump on banning the Washington Post from his events

“There’s no magic to the phrase ‘radical Islam.’ It’s a talking point, not a strategy” — President Obama rebutting Donald Trump’s criticism Tuesday

Bits and Bites

Trump: U.S. Troops Stole Money in Iraq [Politico]

Russian Government Hackers Penetrated DNC, Stole Opposition Research on Trump [Washington Post]

See What Life Was Once Like for Women in Washington, D.C. [TIME]

President Obama at Women’s Summit: This Is What a Feminist Looks Like [TIME]

Clinton, Sanders Talk After the Former Wins D.C. Primary [Washington Post]

In Revoking Press Credentials, Trump Casts Himself as Punisher in Chief [New York Times]

At White House staff picnic, Biden says, seven women told him they’d been raped [Washington Post]

Donald Trump turned down by Grand Prairie, Irving as rally locations [Dallas Morning News]

Donald Trump: I won’t kick reporters out of White House press briefing room [CNN]

 

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