Trump Employee 5 talks to CNN

Plus, sex trafficking victim responds to senator misappropriating her story

View in Browser 03.11.24     Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Questions? Comments? what.matters@cnn.com   by Zachary B. Wolf : The latest Israel. US intelligence report states Netanyahu's viability to lead is in jeopardy. Anti-Netanyahu protests are expected and a more moderate government is possible. Details.   Trump and despots. Former advisers sound the alarm that Trump praises despots in private and on the campaign trail. Former chief of staff describes Trump comments about Hitler. New book from CNN's Jim Sciutto.   Princess Kate. We don't usually include news about the British royal family here. But this business about Catherine, Princess of Wales, is a bizarre story. The princess apologized after releasing a photo of herself and her children that news organizations later recalled for being doctored. The princess herself said she did the doctoring. Instead of quelling festering rumors about her time out of the public eye after surgery, the incident has fueled them. It's also yet another warning that these days everything is not always what it appears to be. More. : 'Trump Employee 5' CNN's Katelyn Polantz, Kaitlan Collins and Jeremy Herb have an exclusive interview with a key figure in one of former President Donald Trump's coming criminal prosecutions.   Brian Butler was a longtime valet at Mar-a-Lago. In the indictment alleging Trump and Mar-a-Lago employees conspired to obstruct justice and keep classified material from the government, Butler is known as "Trump Employee 5." He is a former close associate and friend of Carlos De Oliveira, who is accused by special counsel Jack Smith of helping Trump and his aide Walt Nauta try to delete surveillance footage and obstruct the federal investigation. The accused deny wrongdoing.   Unlike the other employees mentioned in the indictment, Butler has declined to accept an attorney paid for by Trump or Republicans and is speaking out against his former boss. Butler could end up being a pivotal witness in the classified document case. Read more.   Speaking of classified documents...   Special counsel Robert Hur, the Trump-appointed former US attorney who determined that President Joe Biden should not be prosecuted for his own handling of classified material from the years when he was a private citizen, will testify on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. I spent a good portion of Monday going back over Hur's 345-page report.    Hur is likely to face questions along two key lines.   1. Republicans will allege a double standard. They will be frustrated with Hur's decision to not prosecute Biden. Hur said that even if DOJ policy did not forbid the prosecution of a sitting president, he would still make that assessment.   2. They will want to know about Biden's age and memory. Hur created something of a firestorm when his report argued Biden's poor memory and sympathetic nature would make him impossible to convict. Republicans will be very interested in that aspect and will demand to see a transcript of Hur's questioning of Biden.   Ultimately, Hur offered the best explanation for why Trump is facing prosecution but Biden is not. Biden, when his lawyers discovered the documents, turned them back over to the government. Trump, on the other hand, refused. And then he allegedly tried to obstruct the investigation. Read more.     Sponsor Content by LendingTree Do this before your next credit card payment (it's genius) Discover the power of 0% interest balance transfers and bid farewell to credit card debt forever. Say hello to financial freedom today! #DebtFreeLiving : Sex trafficking victim responds to Sen. Katie Britt Here's an important story from CNN's Rafael Romo and Melissa Alonso. They write:   The woman whose story Alabama Sen. Katie Britt appeared to have shared in the Republican response to the State of the Union as an example of President Joe Biden's failed immigration policies told CNN she was trafficked before Biden's presidency and said legislators lack empathy when using the issue of human trafficking for political purposes.   "I hardly ever cooperate with politicians, because it seems to me that they only want an image. They only want a photo — and that to me is not fair," Karla Jacinto told CNN on Sunday.   CNN's Freedom Project, which seeks to raise awareness about modern-day slavery, previously profiled Jacinto's story.   Jacinto told CNN that Mexican politicians took advantage of her by using her story for political purposes and that it's happened again in the United States.   "I work as a spokesperson for many victims who have no voice, and I really would like them to be empathetic: all the governors, all the senators, to be empathetic with the issue of human trafficking because there are millions of girls and boys who disappear all the time. People who are really trafficked and abused, as she [Britt] mentioned. And I think she [Britt] should first take into account what really happens before telling a story of that magnitude," Jacinto said.   See her comments:     Read the full story. : The truth about Biden's chances The What Matters inbox was full of mail after Friday's edition in which I wondered which Biden we would be seeing for the next eight months — the one from the State of the Union address or the one portrayed by Republicans. Many readers felt the assessment was unfair to Biden.   Biden supporters should be clear-eyed about the difficulties he faces in the coming election. CNN's Harry Enten looks at the available polling and argues that even if the economy continues to improve, it will be difficult for Biden to win the election. Previous presidents who were as unpopular as him — George H.W. Bush and Trump — both lost. There are special circumstances here, including that Trump is unliked by a large portion of the population. But Enten's analysis, which accounts for the criminal indictments Trump is facing, is worth reading.   Enten's conclusion: Perhaps the big question over the next eight months is whether Trump's weaknesses will start to outweigh Biden's. If they do, it's probably the president's best chance at earning another term. Read more. : What did you think of today's newsletter? Send your feedback to what.matters@cnn.com.   You are receiving this newsletter because you signed up for What Matters. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or sign up to manage your CNN account   Learn more about the CNN app |  Get CNN web alerts  |  Sign up for a free CNN account   ® © 2024 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved. 1050 Techwood Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30318

The Evening: The House targets TikTok

Also, Biden proposed new taxes and larger social programs.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 11, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Monday. A new push to ban TikTok Biden's budget proposal Plus, memorable Oscar moments After the bill sailed through a House committee last week, Donald Trump lashed out on social media. Scott McIntyre for The New York Times Republicans threaten to ban TikTok, despite Trump's dissent House Republican leaders said today that they were planning to vote this week on legislation demanding that the video app TikTok cuts ties with its Chinese parent company or face a ban in the U.S. Lawmakers in both parties have described the app as a national security threat. The House majority leader, Steve Scalise, said the chamber would try to quickly approve the bill through special procedures that are reserved for noncontroversial legislation. That approach reflected the effort's growing momentum during an election year in which both Republicans and Democrats are eager to show they're willing to be tough on China. President Biden has committed to signing the bill if it passes. But the Republican push flies in the face of the party's de facto leader, Donald Trump. Trump had pushed to ban TikTok while he was in office, but he has recently reversed course. Today, he said a ban would make young people "go crazy," and also benefit Facebook, which he called an "enemy of the people." The House vote will test Trump's ability to use his influence to help tank legislation in Congress, as he recently did with a bipartisan immigration bill. In the Senate, the majority leader has not yet committed to holding a vote. The U.S. is not alone: My colleagues explained why countries are pushing to ban TikTok. President Biden spoke in Goffstown, New Hampshire, today. Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times Biden proposed new taxes and larger social programs President Biden sent to Congress today a $7.3 trillion budget for the next fiscal year. It included increased government aid for workers, parents and students, offset by tax increases on corporations and high earners. Biden's plan reiterated his request for about $100 billion for border security and aid to Israel and Ukraine. But it stands almost no chance of becoming law, given that Republicans control the House. Instead, the document serves as a draft of Biden's policy platform as he campaigns for re-election in November. It includes principles, such as cutting taxes for people earning less than $400,000 and covering the cost by raising taxes on corporations, that are intended to draw a distinction with his presumptive Republican opponent, Donald Trump. Here's a look at what else is in Biden's proposal. A photo released by Catherine, Princess of Wales, alongside a version highlighting several inconsistencies. Prince of Wales/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images A doctored image fueled royal speculation Catherine, the Princess of Wales, apologized today for doctoring a photograph of her with her three children, which was recalled by several news agencies after they determined the image had been manipulated. In a statement, she chalked up the alteration to an innocent desire to retouch the image. If the photograph was meant to quell speculation about Catherine's health after abdominal surgery in January, it instead achieved the opposite, fueling the spread of rumors and conspiracy theories. More top news Court: Senator Robert Menendez and his wife pleaded not guilty to obstruction of justice. Jan. 6: A newly released transcript fleshed out an account of Donald Trump's demand to go to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Ukraine: The country could deploy F-16s as soon as July, but it might only have as few as six by then, out of about 45 pledged from other countries. Politics: Democrats are hopeful about Biden's chances in North Carolina, and nervous in Georgia. Washington: Marcia Fudge, the secretary of housing and urban development, said she would resign this month. Trump: The writer E. Jean Carroll suggested that she is considering suing Trump for defamation again over comments he made on the campaign trail. A.I.: Covariant, a robotics start-up, is designing technology that lets robots learn skills much as chatbots do. Middle East: The Yemen-based branch of Al Qaeda said that its leader, Khaled Batarfi, had died. Health: Wegovy, the blockbuster weight loss drug, is now approved for a new use: reducing the risk of heart attacks. TIME TO UNWIND Ryan Gosling led a rousing rendition of "I'm Just Ken." Amir Hamja/The New York Times A glamorous evening at the Oscars The big winner of last night's Academy Awards was Christopher Nolan's biopic "Oppenheimer," which took home seven Oscars, including best picture. The most competitive race of the night, best actress, was won by Emma Stone of "Poor Things." The night's most memorable moments included Ryan Gosling's bring-the-house-down performance of the song "I'm Just Ken," from "Barbie"; a naked John Cena; and a warm reception for Messi, the Border collie from "Anatomy of a Fall." And, as always, there was a healthy dose of fashion, both during the Oscars and at the after-parties. Our photographer got an inside look at Vanity Fair's. Still need to catch up? Here's how to stream this year's winners. Henri Campeã  Avoid the multitasking trap Many of us try to do two or more tasks at once: chatting with colleagues while checking emails, or cooking dinner while watching TV. But the fact is, we're not great at multitasking, and it's also not great for us. Some studies have found that multitasking can make our hearts race, raise our blood pressure and anxiety, and dampen our mood. It can also negatively affect our perception of the work at hand. Experts recommend doing one thing at a time, or monotasking. Here are their tips. Two couples who divorced, reconciled and remarried their previous spouses.  Dinner table topics Reconciliation: We talked to five couples who married, divorced and then married their ex-spouses again. Where art comes first: A couple redesigned a loft in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Manhattan to reflect their many decades of art collecting. No makeup: The actress Pamela Anderson has embraced a barefaced look in Hollywood and at fashion week. An interview: Jeremy Strong, the "Succession" star, isn't sure he knows who he is. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: This chicken biryani works for entertaining or a family meal. Watch: "Kuessipan" is one of the best international movies to stream right now. Read: A new novel amended Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn." Our critic called it majestic. Listen: We're enjoying new tracks by Salt Cathedral and 4batz. Dress up: Follow the lead of Oscar hopefuls and embrace the black tuxedo. Squeeze: Wirecutter tested 19 juicers. This one is their favorite. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ONE LAST THING Peter Kaestner in the Philippines after snapping a photograph of his record-breaking bird. Peter Kaestner Breaking a birding record Peter Kaestner now stands alone at the top of birding's "big listers," the small group of people who travel the world in an effort to document as many different species as possible. He cemented that position last month when he spotted an orange-tufted spiderhunter, a banana-loving songbird in the Philippines. The spiderhunter was the 10,000th bird that Kaestner documented — an achievement once considered unreachable. Have an unrivaled evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Photo Editor: Brent Lewis Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018