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DONALD TRUMP JR. SAYS HE DIDN’T TELL HIS FATHER ABOUT MEETING WITH RUSSIAN LAWYER The Trump CEO told Sean Hannity last night. Here are the seven most important things you need to know from the emails Trump Jr. released yesterday, as well as a rundown on the guy who set the whole thing up ― who is quite the character. The president issued a statement calling his son a “high-quality person” and tweeted this morning, saying his son “did a good job” on Hannity last night. Vice President Mike Pence has moved to distance himself, issuing a carefully worded statement saying the meeting took place before he joined the ticket. And the White House staff and Trump associates are growing increasingly frustrated with this scandal and its consequences. [HuffPost] [Tweet | Share on Facebook]
THE DAY TRUMP JR. SET MEETING, THE PRESIDENT PROMISED DIRT ON CLINTON ”Donald Trump promised a ‘major speech’ attacking campaign rival Hillary Clinton last June, just hours after his son, Donald Trump Jr., set up a meeting with a Russian lawyer he was told had compromising information on the Democratic candidate.” [HuffPost]
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL WANTS A VOTE ON THE GOP HEALTH CARE BILL NEXT WEEK But whether or not it’ll pass? The jury is still out on that one. [HuffPost]
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE BUDGET INCLUDES $1.6 BILLION FOR BORDER WALL Mexico will not be footing the bill. [HuffPost]
‘MORNING JOE’ HOST JOE SCARBOROUGH ANNOUNCED HE HAS LEFT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY And registered as an Independent, saying “my party has betrayed their core values.” Scarborough was a Republican congressman who represented Florida’s 1st District from 1994 to 2001. [HuffPost]
HOW TRUMP’S QATAR CRISIS IS HURTING HIS ANTI-ISIS SUMMIT “The first day of the confab was marred by sparring between U.S. partner nations reacting to mixed messages from the Trump administration.” [HuffPost]
WHAT’S BREWING
CLAY AIKEN: TRUMP DIDN’T DECIDE WHO GOT FIRED ON ‘THE APPRENTICE’ According to the former “Apprentice” contestant, NBC made the decisions. [HuffPost]
THE ONE EMOJI FROM NICKI MINAJ THAT CAUSED A TWEETSTORM Because it was the baby emoji... [HuffPost]
THESE BEACHGOERS FORMED A HUMAN CHAIN To rescue this family caught in a rip current off of Florida’s Gulf Coast. [HuffPost]
THIS IS A RED WEDDING-LEVEL PLOT TWIST Turns out some of those “Game of Thrones” leaked photos were... wait for it... faked. Just four more days, people. Four more days. [HuffPost]
INTRODUCING THE SONG OF THE SUMMER We only have listened to the new Demi Lovato song “Sorry Not Sorry” 17 bajillion times in the last 24 hours. [HuffPost]
JENNIFER GARNER REPORTEDLY CONFRONTED BEN AFFLECK’S GIRLFRIEND YEARS AGO After she discovered the two were having an affair. [HuffPost]
BEFORE YOU GO
Hannity opened his interview with Trump Jr. by going after the“overpaid, lazy” media and closed it by saying he could not think of any more questions ― after 15 minutes.
According to Howard Fineman, in order to understand the latest Trump-Russia scandal, follow the rubles.
The New York Post editorial on Trump Jr. is blistering, and #BringBackObama is trending.
The internet is fighting for net neutrality ― again.
This Texas family says their teen died after being electrocuted by looking at her phone while in the bathtub.
The Catholic Church has offered up a fourth pathway to becoming a saint.
Here’s why Twitter had a lot of thoughts about sandwiches and David Brooks yesterday.
We are still fangirling over Pippa Middleton’s latest off-the-shouldersWimbledon outfit.
What IKEA, Beyonce and Lady Gaga have in common.
Try not to laugh at this mom’s rant about Build-A-Bear.
Ex-Anheuser Busch CEO August Adolphus Busch IV was arrested after allegedly trying to fly a helicopter while intoxicated.
The secret app that allows you to change the colors of the NYC skyscraper skyline.
We are creeped out for Ryan Phillippe over the news that the killer from “I Know What You Did Last Summer” sent him a very odd DM.
This is the video that has finally surpassed “Gangnam Style” for the most views on YouTube.