First Draft on Politics: Here Are the Biggest Stories in American Politics This Week

View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Saturday, May 26, 2018 [NYTimes.com/Politics »]( [Here Are the Biggest Stories in American Politics This Week]( By EMILY COCHRANE [President Trump at the White House on Thursday, speaking about why he canceled the North Korean summit.]( President Trump at the White House on Thursday, speaking about why he canceled the North Korean summit. Doug Mills/The New York Times President Trump pulled out of the summit meeting with North Korea — for now. President Trump on Thursday sent a letter to the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, [pulling out of a highly anticipated summit meeting]( next month and accusing the North Koreans of bad faith. But the next day, he said that his administration [was back in touch]( with North Korea, and that the meeting may be rescheduled. North Korea [had been infuriated]( over comments from Mr. Trump’s national security adviser, John R. Bolton, describing the voluntary disarmament of Libya in 2003 as a precedent for the negotiations with North Korea. A North Korean official later labeled Vice President Mike Pence a “political dummy” and threatened a “nuclear-to-nuclear showdown” after he echoed Mr. Bolton’s sentiments. Mr. Trump, however, said he was pleased with a [conciliatory statement]( from North Korea that said the country was willing to give Mr. Trump “time and opportunity” to reconsider his decision. Additional Reading [■Anatomy of a Breakup: The Turbulent Relationship of Trump and Kim Jong-un]( ■News Analysis:[Trump’s Negotiating Playbook Faced Test in North Korea]( [■Trump’s Letter to Kim Canceling North Korea Summit Meeting, Annotated]( [■Canceling of Trump-Kim Meeting Shakes Asia but Could Help China]( The president continued to push back against his own Justice Department and top intelligence officials. [Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, on Thursday.] Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, on Thursday. Tom Brenner/The New York Times Mr. Trump [demanded]( on Sunday that the Justice Department investigate whether the department or the F.B.I. “infiltrated or surveilled” his presidential campaign under orders from the Obama administration. It was an extraordinary application of presidential pressure that has little legal precedent and [highlights the struggle]( Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, faces in maintaining the department’s independence. John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, and Emmet T. Flood, a lawyer representing the president in the Russia investigation, [were present at the beginning]( of two meetings requested by top lawmakers to view classified information about the F.B.I.’s use of an informant in the inquiry. Their presence alarmed Democrats, although the two men left the meetings before any information was shared. Additional Reading ■News Analysis: [By Demanding an Investigation, Trump Challenged a Constraint on His Power]( [■Jared Kushner Gets Security Clearance, Ending Swirl of Questions Over Delay]( [■At Trump Tower, Michael Cohen and Oligarch Discussed Russian Relations]( [■Trump Repeats Claim That James Clapper ‘Admitted’ to Campaign Spying. It’s Still Wrong.]( There were historic upsets and breakthroughs in a series of primary elections. [Stacey Abrams at her election night watch party in Atlanta, after winning the Democratic primary in Georgia on Tuesday.] Stacey Abrams at her election night watch party in Atlanta, after winning the Democratic primary in Georgia on Tuesday. Melissa Golden for The New York Times In a primary election held Tuesday in Georgia, Stacey Abrams made history, becoming the first black woman in any state to be nominated for governor by a major party. Ms. Abrams, a liberal former State House leader, [will now test]( how much the traditionally conservative state’s politics are shifting. And there were upsets in two Kentucky primary elections: In a State House race, a [teacher beat out a Republican power broker]( and in a congressional race, Amy McGrath, a military veteran, [defeated the popular mayor of Lexington](. Mr. Pence and other high-profile conservatives also saw the limitations of their political clout, as their preferred candidate, Bunni Pounds, a conservative activist, [was defeated]( in a Republican primary for the Dallas-area House seat that Representative Jeb Hensarling is vacating. Additional Reading [■5 Key Takeaways From Tuesday’s Primaries]( [■Young People Keep Marching After Parkland, This Time to Register to Vote]( [■Concerned by Trump, Some Republicans Quietly Align With Democrats]( [■Don Blankenship Announces Third-Party Bid for West Virginia Senate Seat]( The White House announced continuing negotiations with China over tariffs and a major telecom firm. [The Trump administration is said to have reached a deal that would allow the Chinese telecom firm ZTE to once again begin doing business with American companies.] The Trump administration is said to have reached a deal that would allow the Chinese telecom firm ZTE to once again begin doing business with American companies. Manu Fernandez/Associated Press The White House told Congress on Friday that [it had a deal]( to save the Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE, a powerful bargaining chip in trade negotiations with Beijing. The deal comes over objections from lawmakers, [who took steps on Thursday]( to limit the administration’s flexibility on the issue. The company was recently banned from buying American products for seven years because it violated United States sanctions against Iran and North Korea — and then lied about it. The Commerce Department would lift the so-called denial order preventing the company’s purchases if ZTE paid a substantial fine, made changes to its current management team and hired American compliance officers to be placed at the firm. Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, said on Sunday that the administration [had suspended plans]( to impose tariffs on China as trade talks between the two countries continued. The planned tariffs were on as much as $150 billion of Chinese goods. Additional Reading [■Chances of China Trade Win Undercut by Trump Team Infighting]( [■Trump Initiates Trade Inquiry That Could Lead to Tariffs on Foreign Cars]( Military and diplomatic tensions escalated with China and Venezuela. [Todd D. Robinson, right, the chargé d’affaires of the United States Embassy in Venezuela, in Caracas last week.] Todd D. Robinson, right, the chargé d’affaires of the United States Embassy in Venezuela, in Caracas last week. Juan Barreto/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela on Tuesday [ordered the top American diplomat and his deputy expelled]( labeling them conspirators against his government. The announcement came days after Mr. Maduro’s re-election, which the United States government called a “sham” election. The Trump administration on Monday placed[new sanctions]( on Venezuela after Mr. Maduro’s lopsided victory, seeking to block Mr. Maduro from selling off government debt to enrich himself. The United States also [revoked an invitation]( to China to participate in a multinational naval exercise, citing China’s rapid military buildup on disputed islands in the South China Sea. The military snub, announced on Wednesday, added to tensions already present over trade and China’s relationship with North Korea. Additional Reading [■How a 4-Hour Battle Between Russian Mercenaries and U.S. Commandos Unfolded in Syria]( [■As Trump Adds Sanctions on Venezuela, Its Neighbors Reject Election Result]( [■Pompeo Says Mysterious Sickness Among Diplomats in Cuba Has Spread to China]( ADVERTISEMENT LIKE THIS EMAIL? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up [here](. And consider [subscribing to get unlimited access to nytimes.com and our apps.]( FOLLOW NYTimes [Facebook] [FACEBOOK]( [Twitter] [@NYTPolitics]( Get more [NYTimes.com newsletters »](  | Get unlimited access to NYTimes.com and our NYTimes apps for just $9.99. [Subscribe »]( ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's First Draft newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Change Your Email]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( | [Advertise]( Copyright 2018 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018