*By Conor White*
FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday contradicted claims by President Trump, the man who appointed him to the position, that Russia is no longer targeting the United States with cyberattacks.
At the Aspen Security Forum Wray remarked, "The intelligence community’s assessment has not changed, my view has not changedーwhich is that Russia attempted to interfere with the last election and continues to engage in malign influence operations to this day."
For Reason.com reporter Eric Boehm, Trump's repeated denial of Russia's activities can only mean one thing.
"The President clearly has personal interests, or some sort of interests, that are separate from what the U.S. intelligence community has when it comes to Russia," he told Cheddar on Thursday.
During a briefing this week, Trump denied that Russia poses any threat to Americans, simply responding "no" when asked about the danger.
Boehm explained that Trump may have reason to doubt American intelligence agenciesーbut that still doesn't explain his unwavering defense of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"It's possible to believe that well, maybe we should trust everything that the head of the \[Office of the Director of National Intelligence\] or the director of the CIA or the head of the FBI tells us," he said. "At the same time Trump's behavior still doesn't really make sense."
For the full segment, [click here.]( https://cheddar.com/videos/trump-contradicts-fbi-director-on-russian-meddling)
President Biden and Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell meet at the White House today for the first time since Powell's renomination to the position. The President and the Fed Chair discussed the economy and historically high inflation, as new data shows inflation may be cooling slightly. Morning Consult economic analyst Jesse Wheeler joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss how the Biden administration at the U.S. central bank can work together to combat soaring prices for American consumers.
In the second part of Cheddar's talk with Governor Asa Hutchinson, the Republican from Arkansas discussed his state's abortion trigger law and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Texas law that would prevent social media platform moderation currently being held up by the U.S. Supreme Court, and rumors of his 2024 presidential run. "I did go to New Hampshire. I am testing the waters out there, so no decision at this point. But we're looking at it," he said, noting that if former President Donald Trump runs, it would not affect his own decision.
Cheddar Politics looks at the ongoing efforts to pass meaningful gun safety laws in both Chambers of Congress following multiple mass shootings. Lisa Hagen, senior political reporter for U.S. News and World Report, helps break down why Senators are hopeful that a modest bipartisan gun safety package might be able to overcome a filibuster.
Join Cheddar News as we break down the top headlines this morning including updates on the Tulsa medical center shooting, Johnny Depp V. Amber Heard verdict, and Democrats push for gun control reform.
After two subway shootings in two months and the more recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, Mayor Eric Adams is calling for gun detection scanners to be installed in New York City subways. The tech would be similar to that used in sporting arenas, however, experts note multiple difficulties with such a setup including the need for nearby human operators.
Catching you up on what you need to know on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, House lawmakers hold an emergency hearing on gun control measures in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, the Supreme Court temporarily blocks Texas' law stopping social media moderation, and the James Webb Space Telescope gets a new mission.
With the baby formula in the United States surging to an out-of-stock rate of 70 percent, the FDA has given Abbott permission to reopen its Michigan plant amid the crisis and authorized foreign imports. Professor Peter Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner and current president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, joined Cheddar News to discuss the ongoing shortage and its wide impact. “As difficult as things is in urban areas, they’re even worse in small communities and tribal areas where parents can't just go to the next store on the corner," he said. Pitts also noted that the Abbott factory was a "disaster" prior to its shutdown and that it would have been "regulatory malpractice" to have left it open.
Cheddar's Megan Pratz reports from the ground in Uvalde, Texas where the community's grief and frustration with lawmakers and police officers grows as more details emerge.
