Fourth Circuit rules in immigration executive order case

In this week's Tap, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court injunction against President Trump's March 6 executive order on immig [View this email in your browser]( [Ballotpedia]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [The Tap]( The week in review:  May 20 - May 26What's on tap next week: May 27 - June 2 What's on tap? The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court injunction against President Trump's March 6 executive order on immigration. The injunction blocked the portion of the order that suspended the entry of nationals from Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen into the United States. The Fourth Circuit concluded that the motivation for the executive order was religious in nature in violation of the First Amendment. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he would appeal the case to the Supreme Court. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Week in Review Saturday, May 20 Comey postpones testimony before House Oversight Committee - Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee [Jason Chaffetz]( (R-Utah) announced that former FBI Director [James Comey]( postponed his testimony before the House Oversight Committee, which was scheduled for Wednesday. Chaffetz explained in a tweet, "Spoke with Comey. He wants to speak with Special Counsel prior to public testimony. Hearing Wed postponed. @GOPoversight." Comey would like to speak with former FBI Director [Robert Mueller]( the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, before publicly testifying. Mueller was selected for the job on May 17, 2017. - See also: [Donald Trump firing of FBI Director James Comey]( Verbatim Fact Check [Does the AHCA make being a woman a pre-existing condition?]( At a speaking event following the passage of the American Health Care Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said of the bill, "Being a woman is going to be now a pre-existing condition in this country." In support of Richards’ claim, Planned Parenthood cites a provision in the bill that would permit insurers, under limited circumstances, to factor in health status (i.e. pre-existing conditions) when setting premium rates. But such circumstances would not be limited to women, nor would the pre-existing conditions that could be considered only affect women. Moreover, as currently written, the legislation states that insurers cannot charge applicants higher premiums based on gender. Monday, May 22 SCOTUS issues rulings in three cases - The [U.S. Supreme Court]( issued rulings in three cases on Monday. - In an opinion written by Justice [Elena Kagan]( the court affirmed the judgment of the [U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina]( in [Cooper v. Harris](. The case was originally brought by former Gov. [Pat McCrory]( (R-N.C.) The Supreme Court held that [North Carolina’s General Assembly]( used race as a predominant criterion when drawing the state’s [1st]( and [12th]( congressional district boundaries, in violation of the [Equal Protection Clause]( and the [Voting Rights Act](. The court unanimously affirmed the judgment of the lower court with respect to [North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District]( but Justice [Samuel Alito]( dissented from the court’s judgment as to [North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District](. He was joined in dissent by Chief Justice [John G. Roberts]( and Justice [Anthony Kennedy]( regarding the 12th district. - For more on redistricting in [North Carolina]( read our [coverage]( including a [timeline]( of litigation related to redistricting efforts in the state. - In [Water Splash, Inc. v. Menon]( the court vacated and remanded a judgment of the [Texas Fourteenth District Court of Appeals](. The case will be sent back to the lower court to issue a new judgment based on the Supreme Court’s ruling. In this case, the Supreme Court held that the text and history of the Hague Service Convention allowed for the servicing of legal process by mail across international boundaries, provided that the receiving state does not object to process being served by mail. Process is the means of notifying a defendant that they are being called upon to answer a plaintiff’s declaration or complaint. Justice [Samuel Alito]( delivered the opinion of the court. - The court also issued a unanimous ruling in [TC Heartland v. Kraft]( reversing and remanding a judgment from the [U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit](. In an opinion by Justice [Clarence Thomas]( the court held that a domestic corporation only resides in the state in which the corporation is incorporated and, therefore, can only be sued in its state of incorporation. The case is seen as limiting the practice of venue shopping in patent law cases, where corporations were sued in any state where a court could assert jurisdiction over the corporation’s rights under law. DNC and RNC fundraising records released for April - April financial reports for the [Democratic National Committee]( and the [Republican National Committee]( were released, showing that the [DNC raised $4.7 million]( and the RNC [took in almost $9.6 million](. The DNC’s total fundraising for the month was the [lowest April total since 2009](. Tomi Lahren joins pro-Trump advocacy group - Conservative commentator Tomi Lahren announced that [she would join]( Great America Alliance, an advocacy group that supports the policy agenda of President Trump, as a communications and messaging consultant. [Lahren said]( her employment with the group was on a part-time basis and that she was still exploring options for continuing to work as a commentator on television. She was fired from the conservative network The Blaze in April after she told The View she [took a pro-abortion rights stance]( on the issue of abortion. House and DOJ submit status update in lawsuit against insurer subsidies - The [House of Representatives]( and[U.S. Department of Justice]( jointly submitted their second status update in a lawsuit filed by the House challenging [certain payments]( made by the executive branch to insurers under the [Affordable Care Act]( (ACA). The House [filed the lawsuit]( in 2014, alleging that the payments were made without an express appropriation from Congress. Proceedings in the case have been on hold since November 2016, when the House asked the court for an abeyance following the election of President Donald Trump. The May 22 status update asked for the court to maintain the suspension of proceedings for another three months while Congress and the administration negotiate a potential health bill to amend the ACA. --------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, May 23 Former Univision chairman and Republican donor Perenchio dies - [Jerry Perenchio]( the former chair of Univision and Hollywood producer, [died]( at the age of 86. Perenchio, who had been a donor to super PACs [supporting]( [Mitt Romney]( and [Carly Fiorina]( produced the television programs All in the Family, Good Times, and The Facts of Life, as well as the films Blade Runner and Driving Miss Daisy. He was identified in 2015 by Ballotpedia as a [top state influencer](. Vice President Mike Pence records robocall for Montana special election candidate - [The Republican National Committee]( (RNC) [released a robocall]( featuring Vice President Mike Pence, who encouraged voters in Montana to vote for Republican [Greg Gianforte]( in the May 25 [special election](. Pence said in the robocall: "Hello, this is Vice President Mike Pence, calling to say there is an important special election being waged right now for Montana’s open congressional seat. Greg Gianforte is running to be your next congressman and President Trump and I need Greg working with us in Washington to cut your taxes, secure our borders, and protect your Second Amendment rights. Don’t let Nancy Pelosi and the liberal Democrats take this seat out of Republican hands. The stakes are high and your vote will matter this Thursday. Remember to get to the polls this Thursday, May 25, and cast your vote for Republican Greg Gianforte for Congress. Thanks for listening. With Greg Gianforte’s help, we will make America great again." Gianforte went on to defeat Democrat [Rob Quist]( earning more than 50 percent of the vote on May 25. Media Matters begins campaign targeting Hannity advertisers - [Media Matters for America]( an organization that tracks conservative information in news media, [began a campaign]( to pressure companies to withdraw advertisements during [Sean Hannity]( nightly program on [Fox News](. The organization cited Hannity’s promotion of a story about a DNC staffer’s death that Fox News has officially retracted as the basis for pulling advertisements. Media Matters, which was founded by [David Brock]( launched a similar campaign concerning Bill O’Reilly’s advertisers in April 2017. Former CIA director testifies before House Intelligence Committee on Russia - [John Brennan]( the former director of the CIA, [testified]( before the House Intelligence Committee regarding his concerns with [Russian interference in U.S. politics]( beginning in the summer of 2016. "I encountered and am aware of information and intelligence that revealed contacts and interactions between Russian officials and U.S. persons involved in the Trump campaign that I was concerned about because of known Russian efforts to suborn such individuals," Brennan said. He added that he did not know whether these individuals were compromised or if there was collusion between the [Trump campaign]( and [Russia](. - See also: [House Intelligence Committee investigation on Russian activity in 2016 presidential election]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, May 24 Candidates in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District special election receive outside help - The [Congressional Leadership Fund]( [announced]( that it would send 45 more canvassers to [Georgia's 6th Congressional District]( to support Republican [Karen Handel]( in the special election there, increasing its voter reach by 100,000 households. The [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]( also invested an additional $2 million into the race primarily for television ad buys, bringing the organization's total spending to support Democrat [Jon Ossoff]( run to $5 million. Of that recent investment, approximately $150,000 was spent on radio targeting black voters. Handel and Ossoff will face off on June 20. Gianforte went on to defeat Democrat [Rob Quist]( earning more than 50 percent of the vote on May 25. President Trump records robocall for Montana special election candidate - President Trump [recorded a robocall]( in the final week of the special election to fill Montana’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, in support of Republican candidate [Greg Gianforte](. In the ad paid for by the [Republican National Committee]( (RNC), Trump said, "Hi, this is President Donald Trump, and I know what the people of Montana really want and really care about. ... If you don't vote tomorrow, the liberal Democrats running for Congress will decimate and dismantle all that we've done. ... So get to the polls and vote for Greg. That's Greg Gianforte, you'll be very proud of him for years to come. Thanks a lot!" Gianforte charged with misdemeanor assault on eve of Montana special election - On Wednesday evening, Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs [alleged]( that Montana special election candidate [Greg Gianforte]( (R) slammed him to the floor and broke his glasses during an interview at the candidate's campaign headquarters. The Gianforte campaign [denied]( the claim in a statement, saying, "Jacobs was asked to leave. After asking Jacobs to lower the recorder, Jacobs declined. Greg then attempted to grab the phone that was pushed in his face. Jacobs grabbed Greg's wrist, and spun away from Greg, pushing them both to the ground. It's unfortunate that this aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist created this scene at our campaign volunteer BBQ." - Fox News reporter Alicia Acuna, who says she witnessed the incident with a news crew, [wrote]( that Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck, slammed him to the ground, and punched him. - Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin [announced]( on Wednesday night that Gianforte had been charged with misdemeanor assault. - Three Montana newspapers—[The Billings Gazette]( [The Helena Independent Record]( and [The Missoulian]( their endorsements]( of Gianforte. All three papers noted his citation for [assaulting Jacobs]( as the reason for retracting their endorsements, though none of the papers endorsed Gianforte’s Democratic opponent, [Rob Quist](. - After winning the election on Thursday, Gianforte [offered an apology]( to Jacobs during his victory speech. He said, “When you make a mistake, you have to own up to it. That’s the Montana way. Last night I made a mistake and I took an action that I can’t take back and I’m not proud of what happened. I should not have responded in the way that I did and for that I am sorry.” CBO releases score of American Health Care Act - The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) released a [report]( estimating the cost of the amended version of the [American Health Care Act]( and its impact on the number of uninsured. Among its findings were the following: - The AHCA would reduce the federal deficit by $119 billion between 2017 and 2026 due to a $1.1 trillion decrease in direct spending and a $992 billion reduction in revenues. - Compared to the ACA, 14 million more people would be uninsured in 2018 under the AHCA, and 23 million more people would be uninsured in 2026. - The individual insurance market would be stable in most states, with instability occurring in states that obtain waivers from the requirement to charge all individuals the same premiums regardless of health status. - The AHCA would increase premiums by about 20 percent in 2018 and 5 percent in 2019, compared to the ACA. Beginning in 2020, premiums would depend on waivers obtained by states. States that obtain no waiver or waivers to make modest changes would see lower premiums. States that obtain waivers from both the benefits mandate and the community rating requirement would have lower premiums overall but they would vary widely by health status. - House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) [said]( “This CBO report again confirms that the American Health Care Act achieves our mission: lowering premiums and lowering the deficit. It is another positive step toward keeping our promise to repeal and replace ObamaCare.” - Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) [said]( “The report makes clear: Trumpcare would be a cancer on the American healthcare system, causing costs to skyrocket, making coverage unaffordable for those with pre-existing conditions, and many seniors, and kicking millions off their health insurance.” Trump submits budget request to Congress - President Donald Trump submitted his [budget request]( New Foundation For American Greatness, Fiscal Year 2018"—to Congress. He requested $668 billion in defense spending, $22 billion above current levels, and $479 billion for non-defense programs, $57 billion less than current levels. Twelve of the 15 executive departments would see cuts in funding. The Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs would see increases in funding. The budget seeks to balance the federal budget within 10 years by introducing $4.5 trillion in spending cuts and growing the economy through Trump’s proposed fiscal, economic, and regulatory policies. The budget blueprint assumes that many of Trump’s proposals will pass Congress, including the [American Health Care Act of 2017]( (AHCA) and Trump’s tax reform and [infrastructure]( plans. The plan also assumes that the economy will grow at a 3 percent annual rate. According to The Wall Street Journal, “The Fed projects the economy will grow at a 1.8% annual rate in the coming years and the Congressional Budget Office projects 1.9% growth.” - What happens next in the budget process? Budget Director [Mick Mulvaney]( and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, as well as other members of the administration, will defend the proposal to members of Congress. The House and Senate Budget Committees will then write their own budget plans, which may or may not look anything like the president’s proposal. Lieberman takes his name out of consideration for FBI director - Former Sen. [Joe Lieberman]( (I-Conn.) withdrew his name from consideration to become the next FBI director. In a letter to President Donald Trump, Liberman wrote, “With your selection of Marc Kasowitz to represent you in the various investigations that have begun, I do believe it would be best to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, given my role as a senior counsel in the law firm of which Marc is the senior partner." Trump hired Kasowitz to represent him during investigations into alleged ties between Russia and his 2016 presidential campaign. - See also: [Trump administration FBI Director appointment]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, May 25 Republican Greg Gianforte wins Montana special election - Republican candidate [Greg Gianforte]( won Montana's At-Large Congressional District special election, defeating Democrat [Rob Quist]( and Libertarian [Mark Wicks](. - Although Montana's At-Large District seat was held by a Republican continuously from 1997, with former incumbent [Ryan Zinke]( winning election in 2014 and 2016 by roughly 15 points, the race garnered significant national attention and fundraising. In the final week of the election alone, Quist announced that he had received $1 million, bringing his total campaign contributions to $6 million. The pro-Democrat [House Majority PAC]( also spent $125,000 on ad buys for the election's final week. Outside organizations backing Quist like the [Congressional Leadership Fund]( have spent $7 million on ad buys—approximately $4 million more than Democratic outside groups. - See also: [27s_At-Large_Congressional_District_special_election,_2017]( Thapar confirmed as Sixth Circuit judge - The [U.S. Senate]( voted 52-44 to confirm [Amul Thapar]( President [Donald Trump’s]( nominee to the [United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit]( to succeed Judge [Boyce Martin](. Thapar is the second of Trump’s judicial nominees to be confirmed by the Senate this year, along with Justice [Neil Gorsuch]( of the [U.S. Supreme Court](. Thapar will take his place on the Sixth Circuit after taking a judicial oath and receiving his new commission. Judge Thapar’s move will create an [Article III vacancy]( on his former court, the [U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky](. Fourth Circuit rules in immigration executive order case - The [U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit]( upheld a lower court’s injunction that blocked a portion of President Donald Trump’s [March 6 executive order on immigration](. The portion of the order in question would have prevented Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen nationals from entering the country. The Fourth Circuit ruled that the motivation of the executive order was religious in nature and therefore violated the Establishment Clause of the [Constitution's]( First Amendment. In making this determination, the court took into account public statements President Trump made regarding Muslims, both during the 2016 presidential campaign and following his election. The court found that while the reasons for the executive order appeared to be legitimate (i.e. for national security), the government’s order was issued in bad faith: “EO-2 cannot be divorced from the cohesive narrative linking it to the animus that inspired it. In light of this, we find that the reasonable observer would likely conclude that EO-2's primary purpose is to exclude persons from the United States on the basis of their religious beliefs.” The court concluded that the motivation for the executive order was religious in nature in violation of the [First Amendment]( and that the district court was correct in issuing its injunction. - The majority opinion was written by Chief Judge [Roger Gregory]( an appointee of former President [George W. Bush](. Ten judges voted to uphold the injunction while three judges dissented from the majority.  Two judges, [Allyson Duncan]( and [J. Harvie Wilkinson]( recused themselves in the case.  - Writing in dissent, Judge [Paul Niemeyer]( argued that the district court and the appellate majority both erred in interpreting governing precedent, in creating a new rule of law that “uses campaign statements to recast the plain, unambiguous, and religiously neutral text of an executive order”, and by inappropriately extending the Constitution’s Establishment Clause jurisprudence.  The Establishment Clause of the [First Amendment]( provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion” and is the basis for cases involving constitutional issues regarding the separation of church and state. Judges [Dennis Shedd]( and [Steven Agee]( also dissented in the case. - See also: [Donald Trump’s immigration executive order issued March 6, 2017]( Trump calls for investigation after U.S. intelligence agencies leak information about Manchester terror attack Information the British shared with the U.S. after Monday’s terror attack in Manchester was leaked to The New York Times and other media outlets. British officials, including Prime Minister Theresa May and Manchester law enforcement, were upset with the leaks, prompting President Donald Trump to call for an investigation into how the sensitive information was given to the U.S. media. According to [The Wall Street Journal]( “A focus of U.K. outrage over leaks was the publication by the New York Times on Wednesday of official police photographs taken at the entrance hall of Manchester Arena where Monday’s blast occurred. The photos showed shrapnel and what the newspaper said were the remnants of a backpack, a switch and a battery that may have been used in the bombing.” The photos were taken after a suicide bomber murdered 22 people and injured more than 100 after an Ariana Grande concert. Manchester police temporarily stopped sharing information with the U.S. because of the leaks. They said that the information was upsetting to the families of victims of the attack and could harm the investigation. The leaking of classified and sensitive information has been an ongoing problem for the Trump administration. Trump threatened to prosecute those responsible for the leaks. Verbatim Fact Check [Is Jon Ossoff a small business owner?]( Georgia 6th Congressional District candidate Jon Ossoff's campaign website describes him as "a small business owner, executive, and entrepreneur." Political opponents including a senior contributing editor for the blog RedState and America Rising PAC are questioning that claim. Is Ossoff a small business owner? He is registered with the United Kingdom government as the managing director of a London-based documentary film company, and owned 50 percent of the company shares as of 2016. The company qualifies as a small business under UK law. What's On Tap Next Week Tuesday, May 30  Early in-person voting starts in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District - Early in-person voting begins in the [special election runoff]( to fill the open seat representing Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. Democrat [Jon Ossoff]( and Republican [Karen Handel]( as the top two vote-getters in the [18-candidate special election]( on April 18. In the first round of voting, Ossoff received 48.1 percent of the vote against Handel’s 19.8% of the vote. The runoff became necessary because no candidate reached the necessary 50 percent to win outright. Election day for the runoff is June 20, giving voters a three week voting window. --------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, May 31 Federal judge in New Jersey to take senior status - [Jerome Simandle]( the [chief judge]( of the [United States District Court for the District of New Jersey]( elected to take [senior status]( beginning on Wednesday. Judge Simandle’s decision creates a third [vacancy]( on the court.  Under current law, the court has 17 active judicial positions. To enter into an [Article III judicial position]( a candidate must be nominated by the president and that nomination is subject to the [advice and consent]( of the [U.S. Senate](. - To learn more about potential judicial vacancies in Trump’s first term, read [our report](. Congress is in session SCOTUS is in session Members of Congress will be on Memorial Day recess next week. The Senate will return to Capitol Hill on Monday, June 5, and the House will return on Tuesday, June 6. The U.S. Supreme Court has concluded arguments for this term. The court will hold a non-argument session on Tuesday, May 30, in which orders are expected and in which opinions in pending cases may be announced. To date, the court has issued opinions in 36 of the 71 argued cases this term. --------------------------------------------------------------- Trump’s first foreign trip On May 19, President [Donald Trump]( departed Washington, D.C., for his [first international trip]( as president. The eight-day trip took Trump to five different countries. The highlights from each day appear below. Saudi Arabia - On Sunday, during a meeting with 55 leaders of Muslim-majority nations in Riyadh, Trump delivered a speech that focused on promoting peace by building partnerships to [end extremism and terrorism](. Trump said, "Our goal is a coalition of nations who share the aim of stamping out extremism and providing our children a hopeful future that does honor to God." During his speech, Trump outlined the following steps in the joint effort to end terrorism: - On Saturday, Trump landed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, becoming the first president to choose the KSA as a destination on his first foreign trip. When he arrived, he was greeted on the tarmac by King Salman. Trump signed a military arms deal with Saudi Arabia worth $350 billion over 10 years, with $110 billion that will take effect immediately. The deal was struck in an effort to [contain Iran](. - Deny sanctuary for terrorists; - Prevent the financing of terrorism; - Confront "the crisis of Islamist extremism and the Islamist terror groups it inspires;" - Stand "together against the murder of innocent Muslims, the oppression of women, the persecution of Jews, and the slaughter of Christians;" - Promote "the aspirations and dreams of all citizens who seek a better life – including women, children, and followers of all faiths;" andPractice "tolerance and respect for each other once again." Israel - The second stop on Trump’s trip was [Israel]( where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin on Monday. He also became the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews are allowed to pray. During a welcoming ceremony in Tel Aviv, Trump reiterated the United States’ commitment to Israel and encouraged Israel and its Arab neighbors to seek peace, saying, “We have before us a rare opportunity to bring security and stability to this region and to its people. We can only get there by working together. There is no other way.” Trump indicated that he sees Israel making peace with the Palestinians as part of an agreement to create an anti-Iran coalition. Trump was the first president to visit Israel this early in a presidency. - On Tuesday, Trump met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, and he once again delivered a message of peace but did not offer concrete steps for [Israel and Palestine]( to take to achieve it. He then spoke of the importance uniting against terrorists and extremists and reiterated his call for Arab nations, Israel, and the U.S. to form a coalition to defeat terrorism. Vatican City, Rome - On Wednesday, Trump traveled to Vatican City and met privately with Pope Francis. They discussed international affairs, promoting peace, health care, education, and immigration, according to a statement from the Vatican. The meeting was described as cordial, despite their differences on immigration and climate change, among other issues. After meeting with Pope Francis, Trump met with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. Brussels, Belgium - On Thursday, Trump spoke with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The leaders discussed fighting terrorism, the conflict in Ukraine, policy on Russia, trade, and climate change. The meeting was described as cordial, despite Trump's past statements that were critical of the European Union. Trump then met with French President Emmanuel Macron, and the two leaders discussed security, counterterrorism issues, and maintaining the alliance between the U.S. and France. This meeting was also described as cordial, despite their disagreements on immigration, trade, and climate change. - After meeting with Macron, Trump spoke at a ceremony unveiling a memorial at the entrance to NATO headquarters. He called on [NATO members to pay their fair share of defense spending]( percent of GDP—and said that the underpayments of 23 of the 28 member nations harmed NATO's ability to fight terrorism. Trump also spoke about the memorial, which has a piece of steel from the World Trade Center and a portion of the Berlin Wall. The memorial symbolizes the principle of collective defense established in NATO Article 5. Article 5 was invoked after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. He said, “This twisted mass of metal reminds us not only of what we have lost, but also what forever endures -- the courage of our people, the strength of our resolve, and the commitments that bind us together as one." Taormina, Italy - On Friday, Trump traveled to Taormina, Italy, for the first day of a two-day Group of Seven (G7) summit. He met with leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Trump and leaders of the six other nations discussed terrorism, climate change, trade, and Russia. Trump also had one-on-one meetings with UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Trump and May discussed a post-Brexit trade deal, and Trump and Abe discussed North Korea, agreeing to "enhance sanctions on North Korea, including by identifying and sanctioning entities that support North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programmes,” according to the White House. - After the G7 meeting concludes on Saturday, Trump is expected to address American and allied military personnel and their families before returning to Washington, D.C. Where was the president last week? Last Friday, President [Donald Trump]( departed for Saudi Arabia, the first stop on his first international trip as president. He met with King Salman of Saudi Arabia and delivered a speech on fighting extremism and terrorism to 55 leaders of Muslim-majority nations. In Israel, he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin. He then met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Trump traveled to Vatican City and met with Pope Francis and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. In Brussels, Trump spoke with European Council President Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and French President Emmanuel Macron. After the meetings, he spoke at NATO headquarters, calling on NATO members to pay their fair share of defense spending. He then attended the Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Taormina, Italy. Federal Judiciary - 139 total federal judicial vacancies - 9 pending nominations - 23 future vacancies Ballotpedia depends on the support of our readers. The Lucy Burns Institute, publisher of Ballotpedia, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Donations to the Lucy Burns Institute or Ballotpedia do not support any candidates or campaigns. 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