What we covered here
- Trump tweets: The President tweeted this morning that he has the right to pardon himself — but suggested that he won’t use that power.
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President Trump today
18 Posts
Our live coverage has ended. Scroll through the posts below to see how the day unfolded.
Trump says Philadelphia Eagles are no longer coming to White House over anthem controversy
President Trump said the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are no longer coming to the White House tomorrow because a number of players disagreed with him over the National Anthem controversy and wouldn’t come.
“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” Trump said in a statement.
The President is referring to a number of players who kneeled during the National Anthem at NFL games. The controversy started in 2016 by former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to protest of the treatment of black Americans, particularly by police.
He was joined by a number of players. The issue was amplified in 2017 after Trump called on team owners to fire kneeling players. After his comments, scores of players joined the protest.
Trump said he still plans to hold a “different type of ceremony” for Eagles fans who had planned to attend the event.
The ceremony, he said, “will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem.”
“I will be there at 3:00 p.m. with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus to celebrate America,” Trump said.
President Trump jokes about speculation over first lady’s absence, saying "Where’s Melania?"
A person inside a White House event tonight told CNN that President Trump made a light-hearted joke about first lady Melania Trump’s extended absence from public view, saying the media was asking: “Where’s Melania?”
He went on for a minute or so, saying the media was speculating where she has been. The President asked at one point, “Did she leave him?” before pointing out that Melania Trump was, in fact, sitting in the front row.
The riff was playful, but a bit awkward considering the event was being held to honor Gold Star families who have lost loved ones at war.
The President also talked about the strong economy during the closed-press event, a person inside the room said.
This senator won't say if he thinks Trump can pardon himself
Sen. Ted Cruz would not say whether he thinks the President can pardon himself.
Cruz told reporters he had not studied the issue so he would not weigh in, following an 18-second pause.
The first lady is "confident in what she is doing and in her role," her spokesperson says
Stephanie Grisham, spokesperson for first lady Melania Trump, told CNN the first lady feels confident about her role despite speculation surrounding her absence.
“Mrs. Trump has always been a strong and independent woman who puts her family, and certainly her health above all else, and that won’t change over a rabid press corps,” Grisham said.
The first lady will attend a White House event this evening to honor Gold Star families, Grisham said.
The attendance of the first lady at this year’s reception will mark the first time she has participated in an official event, either alone or by her husband’s side, since May 10 when the first couple greeted freed American prisoners upon their return to Andrews Air Force Base following captivity in North Korea.
GOP senator says Trump pardoning himself would have "catastrophic implications"
Republican Sen. Susan Collins says that if President Donald Trump pardoned himself it would have “catastrophic implications” for him, but she declined to say whether she viewed it as an impeachable offense.
9 times Sarah Sanders said Trump "hasn't done anything wrong"
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders repeatedly told reporters that Trump, who tweeted this morning that he has the authority to pardon himself, wouldn’t need to do that because he hasn’t done anything wrong.
Here are nine times she said the phrase during the White House press briefing.
- Does Trump agree with Rudy Giuliani that a self-pardon would be unthinkable? “Thankfully the President hasn’t done anything wrong and wouldn’t have any need for a pardon.”
- Does he rule out issuing a pardon for himself? “Once again, the President hasn’t done anything wrong and therefore wouldn’t need one.”
- If Trump thinks the special counsel is unconstitutional, why is his DOJ allowing it to continue? “The President knows that the special council isn’t needed because once again he hasn’t done anything wrong.”
- Does the President believe he is above the law? “Certainly not. The President hasn’t done anything wrong.”
- Does the President believe the framers envisioned a system where the president could pardon himself? “Once again the President hasn’t done anything wrong, and we feel very comfortable in that front.”
- Is it appropriate for Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to hypothetically talk about the President shooting James Comey? “Thankfully the President hasn’t done anything wrong.”
- Does Trump assume that special council will find him guilty of something? “No, because he hasn’t done anything wrong.”
- Trump tweeted he could pardon himself, so there seems to be an assumption that Robert Mueller will find him guilty of something. What would that be? “It seems to be a completely wrong assumption, the president hasn’t done anything wrong.”
- Has Trump asked for a new opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel on his pardoning powers? “I’m not aware of an ask or recommendation, but certainly would reiterate the fact that the President hasn’t anything wrong.”
Sarah Sanders declines to address discrepancy on Trump Tower statement
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders repeatedly refused to account for the discrepancy between contradictory statements she and the President’s lawyers made about Trump’s role in dictating the Trump Tower meeting response last summer.
Trump’s personal attorneys said in a January letter to special counsel Robert Mueller obtained by the New York Times last week that Trump “dictated a short but accurate response to the New York Times article on behalf of his son, Donald Trump, Jr.”
Sanders, meanwhile, said last August that Trump “certainly didn’t dictate” the initial misleading statement Trump Jr. released about his meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower during the 2016 campaign.
“He weighed in, offered suggestion like any father would do,” Sanders said in August.
Sanders was pressed by three different reporters Monday about the contradictory statements and each time she referred questions to the President’s personal attorneys.
Asked how the public can trust her comments from the podium, Sanders demurred.
“Once again I can’t comment on a letter from the President’s outside counsel,” she said.
White House looking into reports Pruitt asked aide to buy used Trump hotel mattress
House Democrats are asking Monday to subpoena records that they think will show that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt used his staff to run personal errands, including trying to buy a used mattress from the Trump International Hotel in Washington during his controversial apartment search.
Press secretary Sarah Sanders said the White House is looking into the matter.
“Certainly looking into the matter, I couldn’t comment on the specifics of the furniture used in his apartment,” she said.
White House: Trump is "certainly not" above the law
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, in response to a briefing question, said that President Trump is “certainly not” above the law.
She added that Trump “has not done anything wrong.”
White House preps primetime meeting during North Korea summit
Sarah Sanders refused to share specifics about what was in the letter Kim Jong Un sent President Trump – “the President said they were interesting” – though she shared when the first meeting would occur at the June 12 summit in Singapore.
That first meeting will be on June 12 at 9 a.m. Singapore time, which is June 11 at 9 p.m. ET.
It isn’t clear who, exactly, the participants would be.
White House: The President hasn't done anything wrong and wouldn't need a pardon
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders rejected questions about whether the President would rule out pardoning himself following his tweet Monday morning.
She declined to say whether the President agrees with his attorney Rudy Giuliani’s comment that Trump would be immediately impeached if he pardoned himself.
Here’s the moment:
And we're live
Sarah Sanders just took the podium and opened her briefing with praise of the economy under President Trump (“Americans are optimistic, and business is booming”) and an update on the North Korean talks. It’s also her husband Brian’s birthday.
And now on to the questions…
7 questions that could come up in today's press briefing
Sarah Sanders is about to host the week’s first White House press briefing. Here are some questions we think reporters may ask.
- The North Korea summit: One source familiar with the North Korea discussions told CNN that Trump’s upcoming meeting with Kim Jon Un will me bore of a “meet and greet” than a historic summit. What exactly will this include?
- A possible pardon: The President tweeted this morning that he has “the absolute right” to pardon himself, but suggested that he won’t use that power. Does Trump believe he is above the law?
- Trade war fears: Republicans have sharply condemned Trump’s new tariffs on several US allies, which have promised to retaliate. Will the administration alter the plan in the face of such criticism?
- Allies call Trump: A call about trade and migration between Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron soured last week after Macron criticized Trump’s policies. Is the “bromance” over?
- The Russia probe: Why did Trump call special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation “unconstitutional”?
- SCOTUS: The Supreme Court today ruled in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to bake a cake for a same sex couple because of a religious objection. Does the President agree with this opinion?
- The first lady: Melania Trump has not appeared publicly for nearly a month. Why is that?
Dem senator accuses Trump admin of "cruel" effort against immigrant children
A Democratic senator is accusing the Trump administration of being part of a “cruel” effort against unauthorized immigrant children after he was denied entry to a Texas immigration center for unaccompanied minors when he showed up asking for a tour of the facility.
Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley – who acknowledged that he had been told in advance he wouldn’t be admitted to the facility – told CNN’s “New Day” Monday morning that he believes President Donald Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Department of Homeland Security “do not want members of Congress or the public to know what’s going on” in the center.
CNN has reached out to both the White House and the Administration for Children and Families, a part of the Department of Health and Human Services, for comment.
Senior Republican on Giuliani pardon claim: "I think I would hire a new lawyer"
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, suggested Monday that the President should hire a new lawyer if his current one is telling him that he can pardon himself.
“If I were President of the United States and I had a lawyer that told me I could pardon myself, I think I would hire a new lawyer,” Grassley told CNN when asked if he agrees that President Donald Trump could pardon himself.
The Trump-Kim Jong Un summit will be more of a "meet and greet"
President Trump’s summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will be more of a “meet and greet” than the realization of “historic action” that the State Department publicly outlined, according to one source familiar with the discussions.
The consideration is a broad agreement on nuclear disarmament as the objective —then hand it over to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his department to do the negotiation, which the source said could take years.
Last month, Trump announced he had canceled the summit — and then last week announced it was back on.
Here’s the moment from Friday:
What happened in politics over the weekend
- A possible trade war? The threat still hangs over the trade talks between the US and China. A delegation, led by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, held talks with the Chinese over the weekend in Beijing, and things reportedly went well. The talks with China came just days after Trump announced tariffs on key US allies.
- The US-North Korea summit: North Korea’s top three military officials have been replaced as the country prepares for a historic summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Trump, according to multiple reports.
- Russia probe: Rudy Giuliani said Sunday that the President should not testify before special counsel Robert Mueller because “our recollection keeps changing.”
- Also in the Russia probe: Chris Christie knocked the claim from Trump’s legal team that, by nature of his office, the President cannot obstruct justice and could simply shut down the Russia investigation altogether.
- This morning: Trump tweeted that he has the “absolute right” to pardon himself.
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