December 29, 2017

David Ignatius: “The shrinking space for governance worries me at year-end. The problem begins at the top: President Trump is the most unpopular president in modern times. He’s less admired than his predecessor, Barack Obama. He misreads the nation: The more divisive Trump has become — the more he picks at the nation’s scabs — the less the public likes him, according to polls. Yet Trump persists, playing to his base, with harmful consequences for the country.”

“Trump is a defiant nationalist, and perhaps he hopes to be a unifier. But as this year ends, the numbers tell us that he has brought a level of division and disarray that should worry even his most passionate supporters.”

Toronto Star: “President Trump sat down Thursday for a rare interview with a media outlet other than Fox News, holding an impromptu 30-minute session with New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla.”

“He made nearly one false claim per minute — 25 false claims in all.”

“I don’t want to get into loyalty, but I will tell you that — I will say this: Holder protected President Obama. Totally protected him… And I have great respect for that, I’ll be honest, I have great respect for that.”

— President Trump, in an interview with the New York Times.

Mike Allen: “Guess who’s likely to stick around for all four or eight years, and will be empowered in 2018? Stephen Miller, the true-believer senior policy adviser, who trumps Trump on hardline immigration views — and may outlast almost everyone.”

“The two issues Miller cares and knows most about, immigration and trade, will be front and center. And Miller channels (and believes) Trump campaign rhetoric more than anyone internally.”

“Although some of Miller’s allies speculate that he could one day wind up as chief of staff, he’s seen more as an advocate and adviser than manager or leader. He works super-hard, but doesn’t delegate.”

“If you ask some close to President Trump what worries them most about 2018, it’s not Robert Mueller’s probe. It’s that establishment guardrails of 2017 come down — and Trump’s actual instincts take over,” Axios reports.

“Next year will bring ‘full Trump,’ said one person who recently talked to the president.”

“Trump has governed mostly as a conventional conservative — on tax cuts, his Supreme Court pick, and rolling back regulations. Most of his top advisers are fairly conventional conservatives, so that makes sense… But top officials paint a different portrait of Trump when it comes to what he really wants on trade, immigration and North Korea — but has been tamped down by skeptical staff and Cabinet officials.”

Former White House intern Jack Breuer held up a “white power” sign during a photo-op with President Trump and fellow interns in the East Room last month, the Daily Mail reports.

Politico: “Behind the crazy headlines, more conservative priorities got pushed through than most people realize. An exhaustive list of what really happened to the government in 2017.”