Why President Trump’s National Security Pick Needs Congress

President Trump finally spoke out Tuesday forcefully against a spate of anti-Semitic incidents around the country. His comments in an interview with NBC came after the desecration of a Jewish cemetery in Missouri and dozens of incidences of bomb threats being called into Jewish community centers nationwide. Trump previously declined to address the issue last week in his press conference, telling a Jewish reporter to “sit down” when he asked about Trump’s response to rising anti-Semitism in the country.

Newly-minted National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster will need congressional sign-off in his new post. While the national security advisor job is technically not Senate-confirmable, as an active duty Lt. General, McMaster will need congressional approval to keep his third star (otherwise he’d return to Major General rank, potentially affecting his pension.) The minor fix will almost certainly be made, as McMaster is widely respected on Capitol Hill—and is viewed far more favorably than the man he’s replaced, Mike Flynn.

The Department of Homeland Security took steps Tuesday to begin implementing Trump’s two executive orders on border and internal security, laying out new policies to dramatically expand the number of people in the U.S. illegally subject to deportation. The White House said Trump wasn’t trying to implement “mass deportation,” as he had promised during the campaign, but advocates worry that will be the effect. Meanwhile, the White House has remained murky about Trump’s plans for those brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

The Trump administration targets transgender student bathrooms. Cabinet picks clash with Trump over staffing. And protests at GOP town halls heat up.

Here are your must reads:

Must Reads

Following Weeks of Silence, President Trump Has Finally Spoken Out Against Anti-Semitism
What took so long? [TIME]

Conservative Forces Clash in Trump’s Early Days
The fight to define conservatism is only heating up [Associated Press]

McMaster’s Takeaways: Don’t Lie, Don’t Blame the Media, Don’t Rely on an Inner Circle
His lessons from Vietnam [Politico]

3 Generals Bound by Iraq Will Guide Trump on Security
Trump’s National Security team [New York Times]

White House Contradicts Justice Department on Immigration Order
Government may take different path than the one the Justice Department told a federal court it would take [Wall Street Journal]

State Department Silent While Other Countries Shape the Message
Tillerson’s State Department stays quiet [CNN]

Sound Off

“We did a pretty comprehensive tour but not comprehensive enough, so Lonnie I’ll be back, I told you that, because I could stay here for a lot longer, believe me, it’s really incredible. I’m deeply proud that we now have a museum that honors the millions of African American men and women who built our national heritage, especially when it comes to faith, culture and the unbreakable American spirit.” —President Trump Tuesday at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

“The President is proud to welcome General McMaster to the team where he will have full authority to structure the office to his desires to best serve its ultimate mission, which is to protect the American interests at home and abroad.” — White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on the new National Security Advisor

Bits and Bites

President Trump Can’t Stop Talking About the Election [TIME

Beto O’Rourke is a Mexico-loving liberal in Texas. Can he really beat Ted Cruz? [Washington Post]

The Trump Administration Wants to Revise Transgender School Bathroom Guidelines [Associated Press]

Sweeping New Trump Administration Rules Put Most Undocumented Immigrants at Risk of Deportation [TIME]

New Trump Deportation Rules Allow Far More Expulsions [New York Times]

Cabinet picks clash with White House over hiring [Politico]

GOP Politicians Face Anger and Protests Over President Trump at Town Halls [Associated Press]