1. Bannon stripped
The White House’s chief strategist, Steve Bannon, was removed from the national security council, where he’d been controversially installed, though he reportedly did not lose his security clearances. Fox News reported that Trump “wasn’t particularly happy … ”
Limelight
The other, other shoe drops.
— Tom Namako (@TomNamako) April 5, 2017
@johnrobertsFox: "The president wasn't particularly happy at the way Bannon had been grabbing the limelight…" pic.twitter.com/P3PIXNwL0n
2. Trump changes mind on Assad
Donald Trump said “my attitude toward Syria and Assad has changed very much” after a chemical attack there, which he said “crossed a lot of lines for me”. But Trump declined to describe his new attitude or articulate a policy.
'A whole different level'
I will tell you that attack on children yesterday had a big impact on me – big impact. My attitude toward Syria and Assad has changed very much … You’re now talking about a whole different level.
– Donald Trump
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4. Trump defends O’Reilly
The president sprang to the defense of Bill O’Reilly, as dozens of advertisers fled the Fox host’s show following revelations that O’Reilly had been involved in five settlements with women who said he had harassed them.
'I don't think Bill did anything wrong'
Personally, I think he shouldn’t have settled. Because you should have taken it all the way; I don’t think Bill did anything wrong … I think he’s a person I know well – he is a good person.
– Donald Trump, in an interview with the New York Times, on Bill O’Reilly
Summary
I don’t like to think about it on a regular basis bc it’s too painful but DJT in office is a daily insult to survivors of sexual assault.
— Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) April 5, 2017
5. Trump accuses Rice of crime
Citing zero evidence, Trump told the New York Times that he thought the former national security adviser Susan Rice had committed a crime in handling intelligence possibly related to Trump transition figures. “Do I think?” Trump said. “Yes, I think.”
... and another thing:
A senior State Department protocol official describes this setup (with Queen Rania and Mrs. Trump standing) as "so weird" pic.twitter.com/CziAljdqWC
— Yashar (@yashar) April 5, 2017
... and another thing:
FLOTUS Melania Trump, Queen Rania of Jordan and Sec. ed DeVos visit public charter school in SE, D.C. today pic.twitter.com/lSvDbaWCst
— Yasmeen Sami Alamiri (@Yalamiri) April 5, 2017
