Associated Press: “Trump has long measured allies’ loyalty by their willingness to fight for him on TV, and he complained bitterly this week that few had done so. And those who did, including House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy on CBS’ 60 Minutes, he believed had flubbed their appearance.”

“Though there has been growing discontent with Giuliani in the West Wing and State Department, where some officials blame him for leading Trump into the Ukraine mess, the president continued to stand by his personal lawyer.”

Wall Street Journal: “‘The only person that likes Rudy on TV right now is Trump,’ said another person close to the president, adding that Mr. Trump ‘likes people who get on TV and fight for him.’”

Washington Post: “In Trump’s Washington, many administration officials have calculated that if they do not enthusiastically wade into Trump’s riptide of grievances and personal pursuits, they risk being ridiculed or sidelined by the president…”

“The implicit day-to-day charge for many Trump advisers is simple, according to aides and other officials familiar with the president’s Cabinet and West Wing staff: Figure out how to handle or even polish Trump’s whims and statements, but do not have any illusion that you can temper his relentless personality, heavy consumption of cable news or thirst for political combat.”

“Acquiescence is central to survival. Trump has bonded with aides who take his running complaints about the “deep state” and “fake news” seriously, along with his embrace of people and positions outside of the mainstream. The leading members of Trump’s inner circle dutifully work to address his concerns, sometimes by directing federal resources.”

President Trump escalated his criticism of the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry, tweeting the process resembled a “coup.”

Said Trump: “As I learn more and more each day, I am coming to the conclusion that what is taking place is not an impeachment, it is a COUP.”

A new Monmouth poll finds that only 40% of Republicans believe President Trump talked to the Ukrainian president about investigating political rival Joe Biden — even though Trump has acknowledged doing so.

That compares with 85% of Democrats and 61% of independents surveyed who said Trump “probably did” mention the possibility of an investigation into the Biden family during a July phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Nearly six months after taking over the Department of Homeland Security as acting secretary, Kevin McAleenan has guided the United States out of a crisis at the southern border, but he also says he has lost command of the public messaging from his department and lacks some of the authority he was promised when he took the job,” the Washington Post reports.

“Increasingly isolated within the administration and overshadowed by others who are more effusive in their praise for President Trump, McAleenan said he retains ‘operational’ control of DHS… But he acknowledged that he is losing the battle to keep DHS, which he views as a neutral law enforcement agency, from being used as a powerful tool for a partisan immigration agenda.”