How President Trump’s Iran Criticism Affects North Korea

President Trump teased Wednesday that he has reached a conclusion on whether to re-certify the Iran nuclear accord, which he has been blasting since his time as a candidate. Trump faces an October deadline to affirm Iran’s compliance with the letter of the agreement, and he told reporters that he has made a decision about what to do. The stakes are high not just for the immediate region, but for the world. The nuclear agreement, which Trump and GOP critics have called a bad deal, allowed Iran to continue its destabilizing activities in the region, but the Obama-reached accord is also viewed as a model for a potential North Korean disarmament pact. Efforts to undermine the Iran deal, when domestic and international monitors concur that Iran has not violated the letter of the agreement, could only make it harder to reach one on the Korean peninsula.

Senators are continuing their last-ditch effort to repeal-and-replace Obamacare, but are coming up against the uncertainty in a bill they are still struggling to understand. Some Republican governors are speaking out against the legislation, and lawmakers themselves are offering contradictory answers about what the Graham-Cassidy legislation would accomplish short of fulfill their longstanding campaign pledges to voters.

Trump’s HHS Secretary comes under fire for private travel. How Trump’s speech gave Kim what he wanted. And a look at The Wall.

Here are your must reads:

Must Reads

For Trump Aides Caught in Russia Probe, Legal Bills and Paranoia
Communications adviser says he bought guns after threats [Bloomberg]

A 2,000-Mile Search for Answers
‘The Wall’ explored [USA Today]

Trump Offers a Selective View of Sovereignty in U.N. Speech
Unpacking Trump’s UN speech [New York Times]

Special Counsel’s Office Interviewed Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein
Interview could be a sign that Rosenstein isn’t seen as a central witness, as he hasn’t withdrawn himself from his oversight role [Wall Street Journal]

RNC Covering More Than $230,000 in Trump Legal Fees
Trump, Jr. also covered [CNN]

White House Seriously Considers Abandoning Some Tax Cuts for the Wealthy
Bid to reduce cost and increase popularity of tax cuts [Washington Post]

Price’s Private-Jet Travel Breaks Precedent
HHS secretary took chartered aircraft on five flights last week, while his predecessors would fly commercial [Politico]

President Trump’s U.N. Speech Is Exactly What Kim Jong Un Wanted to Hear
‘Rocket Man’ was happy [TIME]

Sound Off

“I have decided.” — President Trump Wednesday when asked about the future of the Iran nuclear deal

“This is the moment. Now is the time. We have 12 days.” —Vice President Mike Pence Tuesday on Graham-Cassidy

Bits and Bites

Jimmy Kimmel gets heated about health-care bill, says Sen. Bill Cassidy ‘lied right to my face’ [Washington Post]

Trump’s trashing of Iran deal poses problems for NK strategy [Associated Press]

Ambassador Nikki Haley on Trump’s Iran, N. Korea comments at U.N. [CBS]

New health-care plan stumbles under opposition from governors [Washington Post]

Trump Slammed the Emmys for ‘Worst Ever’ Ratings. Here Are the Numbers [Associated Press]

Trump Called a U.S.-Australia Refugee Swap ‘Dumb.’ But the First Refugees Will Soon Arrive in the U.S. [TIME]

Senate Panel Calls Off Meeting With President Trump’s Lawyer Amid Dispute [Associated Press]