Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Sure, why not: “During the president’s remarks today at the NATO summit he suggested that countries not only meet their commitment of 2 percent of their GDP on defense spending, but that they increase it to 4 percent,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.
* Sarah Huckabee Sanders also said White House Chief of Staff John Kelly looked unhappy during Donald Trump’s anti-Germany comments this morning “because he was expecting a full breakfast and there were only pastries and cheese.”
* Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill: “House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Wednesday that the 29-member international alliance was ‘indispensable’ and the House passed a non-binding resolution expressing support for NATO by unanimous voice vote in the afternoon. The Senate had approved a similar resolution Tuesday.”
* This will probably get worse before it gets better; “The Trump administration escalated its trade dispute with China on Tuesday, saying it would impose tariffs on roughly $200 billion worth of Chinese fish, petroleum, chemicals, handbags, textiles and other products if Beijing does not change its trade practices.”
* Nevada: “Hours before Nevada was set to carry out the country’s first lethal injection using the powerful opioid fentanyl, a judge on Wednesday halted the execution due to a challenge from a drug company that objects to the state’s plan to use one of its products as a sedative for the procedure.”
* Cambridge Analytica is back in the news: “Britain’s information regulator said on Wednesday she intends to fine Facebook for breaches of data protection law as her office investigates how millions of users’ data was improperly accessed by consultancy Cambridge Analytica.” * EPA: “An EPA spokesman who developed a reputation for fiercely defending the agency’s work and its former administrator is leaving to work on Republican political campaigns. The departure of Jahan Wilcox, a veteran political operative who handled communications for the Environmental Protection Agency, follows the resignation of former Administrator Scott Pruitt last week.” * This should be interesting: “The wife of former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos — a central figure in the FBI’s decision to launch an investigation of contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia — is planning to testify to members of the House Intelligence Committee on July 18.” Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
