| | | | | Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen leaves after she briefed members of the press Monday as White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders looks on. Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images | | | Every Living Former FLOTUS Has Weighed in on Border Crisis: What Rosalynn, Hillary, Laura, and Michelle said
Melania's Poll Numbers Have Dipped: New CNN poll finds her favorability has fallen
Wonder Woman is Out Here Doing Stunts: Gal Gadot spotted filming scenes with the Capitol dome behind her | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump today welcome Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia to the White House. He will meet with the king, she will host the queen for tea. Later, Trump heads to Capitol Hill to deliver remarks at the House Republican Conference.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
The hard line the administration is drawing on the zero-tolerance policy at the borders -- and whether there will be enough pressure for the President to take action.
No press briefing today.
Yesterday's Briefing Tho:
It was hard to watch, quite frankly. DHS secretary Kirstjen Nielsen flew back to DC from New Orleans to stand at the podium and field questions from an eager and determined White House press corps. They attempted to get answers about everything from is what is happening child abuse, to whether Nielsen had seen the images of children in caged areas, or heard the audio of crying kids separated from their parents (she said she had not!), and where are all the girls and toddlers? (She didn't know!) It was ... not good. And even if you're on the side of the administration, I don't think Nielsen, who was equal parts defensive and angry, did anything to help reassure these kids are OK and not being psychologically damaged as a result of the separation trauma. She used the word "adequate" a lot when describing their care, and that, for me at least, was chilling.
Here are some other good stories to read on this, including statistics that contradict the White House messaging; what Attorney General Jeff Sessions said on the topic; and how Republicans on the Hill are starting to panic.
Trump Back to the Tweets About It:
Trump tweeted a few times again this morning on the topic, seemingly indicating a night's sleep hasn't affected his thoughts. (He also continued to rail against Germany ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) | | Credit: @realDonaldTrump/Twitter
Four Former First Ladies:
All of the living former first ladies -- Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama -- have now publicly weighed in on the crisis at the border. Carter cited first-hand experience dealing with refugee children, calling the policy "disgraceful," and a "shame to our country." Clinton said Bush's scathing condemnation of the situation was "absolutely right," and what is happening is "horrific." And Obama retweeted Laura Bush's tweet of her oped, saying "sometimes truth transcends party."
I find it interesting, and no less important, that we're hearing from the first ladies on this, and not necessarily the former presidents. For whatever reason, issues involving children fall more into the purview of FLOTUS, not POTUS. I think what Carter and Clinton and Bush and Obama are also doing here is providing cover of sorts for their husbands, whose work on the policy and politics side of this issue is easier to pick apart, but it is extremely more complicated and emotionally challenging to argue against the compassionate angle. Either way, it's important, and pretty amazing, that all of them have now said something. | | Meanwhile, Melania's Poll Numbers Have Dipped:
In new polling out today from CNN, Melania's favorability rating has dropped six points since May. She's now at 51%, down from 57% -- a number that was an astonishing 10 points up from her previous rating of 47% back in January. The President is now 11 points below his wife in terms of respondents having a favorable position of him. The latest numbers show Trump at 40% favorable and 55% unfavorable, while Melania is now 51% favorable and just 29% unfavorable. Considering the first lady hasn't really done all that much since the last poll, except have a medical procedure that kept her out of the public eye for more than three weeks, it's hard to point to anything other than that for the drop in her numbers? | | Credit: CNN
China Tariffs Force Dow Down:
The stock market this morning responded to Trump's threat of $200 billion more in tariffs against China, and not in a good way. The Dow, responding to fear of a trade war, was already down 350 points on early trading.
Fashion Face-Off:
When Queen Letizia and Melania Trump meet today for tea in the Red Room at the White House, I'm going to be looking at the fashion. Sorry. They are both almost the same age, have a similar sense of style, and, I think, even bear a slight resemblance to one another. In Spain, the queen is lauded for her fashions, which are sleek and refined, but occasionally quite feminine, just like Melania. On this tour of America (the king and queen have already been to New Orleans and San Antonio), Letizia has worn a lot of Carolina Herrera, a designer also favored by Melania, and whose personal coutourier, Hervé Pierre was creative director at the label for many years. For funsies, here are a few times I think Melania and Letizia dressed alike: | | Credit: Getty Images, AFP/Getty Images
Both appreciate a white pantsuit. Here's Melania in her State of the Union Christian Dior, and the queen, in May, wearing Carolina Herrera. | | Credit: AFP/Getty Images
They also dig a red dress. Here's Melania in Alexander McQueen at a Florida rally last year, and Letizia in wearing Carolina Herrera in New Orleans this week. | | Credit: Getty Images
Twinning in femme florals and pastel suede pumps -- Melania at Bastille Day last summer, wearing Valentino, and Letizia in Haiti in May, wearing Spanish label Sweet Matitos. | | What Washington is Talking About:
It's primary Election Day in the District, Barry Trotz has resigned as head coach of the Capitals, and Bryce Harper shaved off his beard.
What America is Talking About:
Opposition to the Trump administration's policy of separating families at the border is growing nationwide. Governors from Colorado, Massachusetts, and New York have come out with measures to oppose it, and the Mormon Church has also come out against it. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called the policy "unconscionable" and labeled it child abuse.
Poll of the Day:
The majority of Americans are opposed to the Trump administration policy of separating families at the border, according to a CNN poll released Monday. The policy is opposed by 67% of Americans, including a majority of Dems and independents. The only group that approves is Repubs. | | Credit: CNN
Pentagon Suspends Military Exercises in South Korea:
Trump's request to halt "war games" in South Korea has been honored by the Pentagon, which announced it was not going forward with exercises planned for August. This US concession comes as we still have no answer from the Trump administration how it plans to enforce North Korea's denuclearization.
When You Find Out Trotz Resigned in the Middle of a Senate Hearing:
This is peak "govster" and I love it. Shoutout to Washington Examiner's Kelly Cohen, who found out Trotz was leaving the Caps while Justice Department IG Michael Horowitz was testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, in view of CNN. Amazing.
Karen Pence, "Queer Eye" Fan?:
"Queen Eye" host Karamo Brown said in an interview with Vulture he met with the second lady's chief of staff and that "some of her staffers said she enjoyed the show." Jonathan Van Ness gave Brown a hard time for meeting with a Pence, but Brown called it part of his job to "show up in spaces" and "figure out how to try to work" with people who might not agree with him. | | Credit: Vulture/YouTube
Wonder Woman is Out Here Doing Stunts in Front of the Capitol:
"Wonder Woman" star Gal Gadot is in Washington shooting scenes for an upcoming sequel. You can check the paparazzi photos here of Gadot and her stunt double hanging in the air with the Capitol dome in the background.
The Black Panther Literally Gave Up His Hero Award:
"Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman won the Best Hero Award at last night's MTV Movie & TV Awards, but during his acceptance speech, Boseman surprised James Shaw Jr., the man who wrestled a gun away from a shooter at a Waffle House in Tennessee in April, inviting him on stage to accept the award instead. "Receiving an award for playing a superhero is amazing, but it's even greater to acknowledge the heroes that we have in real life," Boseman said. | | Credit: @MTV/Twitter
Fired Cartoonist Shares First Cartoon Since Losing Job:
Rob Rogers, the former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette cartoonist who blamed his firing on being anti-Trump, shared his first cartoon as a freelance syndicated cartoonist today, about locking up children. "This story about the immigrant children makes me ashamed to be an American," he tweeted. | | Credit: @Rob_Rogers/Twitter
Street Art Sighting:
These posters characterizing Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser as a destructive gentrifier were spotted on 7th Street in Shaw by Patrick McNally and sent in Friday. Bowser faces two Democratic challengers the Post described as "nominal" in today's primary. | | Credit: Patrick McNally
If you spot political street art, tweet me @hunterschwarz, tag me on Instagram @hunterschwarz, or email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com with your sighting so I can feature it in COVER/LINE.
P.S.:
Musicians including Kanye West, J.Cole, Diplo, and Travis Barker shared their condolences for rapper XXXTentacion, who was fatally shot Monday. XXX scored his first No. 1 album this March. He was accused of domestic violence and had his music temporarily pulled from Spotify playlists because of their "hateful conduct" policy. | | | | | | |
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