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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World

Trump baffles Britain and Germany

Partners.
Partners. Photograph: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

1. Call Fox

Asked about British intelligence officials denying a wild claim advanced a day earlier by press secretary Sean Spicer that they’d helped Barack Obama spy on him, Trump said, “You shouldn’t be talking to me, you should be talking to Fox” News, where the claim originated.

Not my fault, I just say this stuff

They report, we uncritically repeat it.
They report, we uncritically repeat it. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Updated

‘Utterly ridiculous’

A GCHQ spokesperson said earlier Friday that the allegation that the UK helped Obama collect intelligence on Trump during the 2016 election was “utterly ridiculous and should be ignored”.

‘Utterly ridiculous’

GCHQ.
GCHQ. Photograph: GCHQGOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS HEADQUARTERS / HANDOUT/EPA

2. Merkel’s awkward visit

German chancellor Angela Merkel visited the White House and talked with Trump about Nato, immigration, trade and terrorism. The trip got off to an awkward start when Trump seemed to refuse to shake her hand.

Round by round

What.
What. Photograph: REX/Shutterstock

Let’s shake on – OK let’s not

3. Trump: Obama tapped Merkel

When a German reporter asked Trump about his claim that Obama “wiretapped” him – a claim US intelligence agencies and Congress have denied – Trump said Obama surveilled Merkel, too. The chancellor’s reaction was impressively restrained.

Germany drops inquiry

There now, that wasn’t so hard was it?
There now, that wasn’t so hard was it? Photograph: Clemens Bilan/EPA

Summary

As far as, uh, wiretapping, I guess, by you know this past administration, at least we have something in common perhaps.

– Donald Trump, gesturing to Angela Merkel

Merkel reacts

4. Trump ‘100% behind’ health care bill

Trump spent Friday swearing that he was “100% behind” the endangered Republican healthcare bill. After a meeting with House members, Trump said: “We took 12 noes or semi-noes, no-yesses” and made them “yesses … It’s coming together pretty quickly.”

GOP health plan: the basics

‘Semi-nos, no-yeses.’
‘Semi-nos, no-yeses.’ Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Crucial caucus not yet on board

Dying feet on a respirator imploding

Obamacare is dead. It’s a dead health care plan. It’s not a health care plan, frankly … It’s on its last dying feet. The fake news is trying to say good things about it. The fake media … Obamacare is dead … It’s a disaster. Obamacare is dead … it’s on respirator, and it’s just about ready to implode.

– Donald Trump

Party

5. Why was US attorney fired?

Family...

...and friends:

6. Tillerson suffers ‘fatigue’ – report

Secretary of state Rex Tillerson skipped a dinner with South Korean officials, with US officials citing his “fatigue”, the Korea Herald reported.

Read the report

A North Korean soldier and Tillerson at the border village of Panmunjom.
A North Korean soldier and Tillerson at the border village of Panmunjom. Photograph: AP

Hillaryshade

7. Become a Guardian member

It might take just a minute to catch up on the latest politics news. But good journalism takes time and costs money. If you like the Guardian’s politics coverage, please consider joining us by becoming a member for only $6.99 a month. Thanks for reading!

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Secret Service fail

Secret Service fail fail

Updated

Secret Service FFS

8. Travel ban appeal

The Trump administration has appealed a federal court order issued in the state of Maryland that partially blocks the president’s revised travel ban.

Read our coverage

...and another thing:

...and another thing:

...and another thing:

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