Attorney General Jeff Sessions questioned as part of the Russia inquiry by the Special Counsel, according to The New York Times. Axios Reporter Alayna Treene explains the implications of this interview from a member of President Trump's cabinet.
"It's a huge deal," said Treene. "It's going to play a big role in what Mueller is looking into."
In other news, FBI Director Christopher Wray reportedly threatened to resign amid pressure from Trump and Session according to a report in Axios. Treene says this is in tune with reports Trump and his administration have been putting a lot of pressure on the FBI, and looking at ways to discredit the Russia investigation.
The White House budget office says mass firings of federal workers have started in an attempt to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues.
President Donald Trump says “there seems to be no reason” to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as part of an upcoming trip to South Korea after China restricted exports of rare earths needed for American industry. The Republican president suggested Friday he was looking at a “massive increase” of import taxes on Chinese products in response to Xi’s moves. Trump says one of the policies the U.S. is calculating is "a massive increase of Tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States." A monthslong calm on Wall Street was shattered, with U.S. stocks falling on the news. The Chinese Embassy in Washington hasn't responded to an Associated Press request for comment.
Most members of the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate setting committee supported further reductions to its key interest rate this year, minutes from last month’s meeting showed.
From Wall Street trading floors to the Federal Reserve to economists sipping coffee in their home offices, the first Friday morning of the month typically brings a quiet hush around 8:30 a.m. eastern, as everyone awaits the Labor Department’s monthly jobs report.
The Supreme Court is allowing Lisa Cook to remain as a Federal Reserve governor for now.
Rep. John Moolenaar has requested an urgent briefing from the White House after Trump supported a deal giving Americans a majority stake in TikTok.
