Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Donald Trump to visit DHS, renews vow to build border wall
President Trump will visit the Homeland Security Department on Wednesday as part of what he called a big push on national security -- and said building his border wall is still part of that. Published January 24, 2017
Budget feuds spell trouble for Donald Trump’s first national plan
President Trump's pick to be White House budget director ran into a bipartisan buzz saw on Capitol Hill on Tuesday with Democrats blasting Rep. Mick Mulvaney's support for raising the Social Security retirement age and Republicans fretting that the South Carolinian would decimate the military -- both reactions serving as early indicators of the difficulties Mr. Trump faces in putting together his first national budget. Published January 24, 2017
GOP’s border adjustment tax divides conservatives, pits House against Trump
Congress's chief tax-law writer threw his support Tuesday behind the House GOP's plans for a border adjustment tax, igniting a ferocious debate that's already dividing conservatives and pitting them against President Trump. Published January 24, 2017
Democrats propose taking Donald Trump’s finger off nuclear trigger
Saying they fear President Trump with his finger on the nuclear trigger, two congressional Democrats introduced legislation Tuesday that would prevent the White House from launching a nuclear first strike without a declaration of war from Capitol Hill. Published January 24, 2017
Donald Trump to confer with senators on Supreme Court pick
President Trump's meeting with senators Tuesday is the first official consultation as he prepares to name a Supreme Court justice nominee, Sen. Mitch McConnell said. Published January 24, 2017
Debt spike, sluggish growth predicted by Congressional Budget Office
The federal government will run another half-trillion-dollar deficit this year -- and that's the good news. Published January 24, 2017
Donald Trump orders freeze on federal civilian hiring
President Trump ordered a freeze in federal civilian hiring Monday and hinted at even bigger changes to come, as he took quick early action to make good on his campaign promise to cut the size of government. Published January 23, 2017
Mike Pompeo confirmed to head Donald Trump’s CIA by Senate
The Senate confirmed Mike Pompeo to be the new CIA chief Monday and cleared the way for a vote later this week on Rex Tillerson, President Trump's pick to lead the State Department, as Republicans pushed through Democrats' roadblocks. Published January 23, 2017
DHS rushing faulty citizenship system that could miss ‘national security threats’: IG
The government's new system that grants citizenship has "alarming" security breaches, including allowing immigrants to be approved without a full FBI background check, the Homeland Security inspector general said Monday in an "urgent" warning telling the government to put everything on hold. Published January 23, 2017
Marco Rubio to back Rex Tillerson for State Department, clearing way for confirmation
Sen. Marco Rubio said Monday he'll back Rex Tillerson as the secretary of state, clearing the path for the former ExxonMobil chief to be confirmed as soon as this week. Published January 23, 2017
Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks delayed by Democrats, only two confirmed
Donald Trump got off to the slowest start for any president in modern political history, with just two of his Cabinet picks confirmed so far and Democrats poised to make the process even more painful over the next weeks. Published January 22, 2017
Rex Tillerson nomination gains steam as John McCain, Lindsey Graham signal support
Two key Republicans said Sunday they'll vote to confirm Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, ending weeks of speculation and making it far more likely he'll succeed in the upcoming vote. Published January 22, 2017
Donald Trump tweets at protesters: ‘Why didn’t these people vote?’
President Trump took to Twitter Sunday to tweak the protesters who flooded the National Mall on Saturday. Published January 22, 2017
President Trump set to continue White House transparency by releasing visitor records
President Trump appears poised to keep releasing the records of those who visit the White House, continuing an Obama administration transparency policy that gave Americans an unprecedented look at the comings and goings through the powerful complex. Published January 20, 2017
Dems block Trump’s CIA nominee Mike Pompeo
Liberal senators on Friday blocked plans to speed through President Trump's pick to lead the CIA, demanding more time to scrutinize the nominee, Rep. Mike Pompeo. Published January 20, 2017
Trump still tweeting as new White House ‘POTUS’ account awaits
President Trump has a new Twitter account under @POTUS, but nearly an hour after he was sworn in Friday afternoon he was still using his old account, @realDonaldTrump, to connect with his people. Published January 20, 2017
Donald J. Trump sworn as 45th president
Donald John Trump, first dismissed as a stuntman, then a nuisance, then a threat to the political order, took the oath of office Friday to become the 45th president of the United States, ushering in one of the most compelling administrations in history. Published January 20, 2017
Donald Trump breaks with political traditions on triumphant ride to White House
Most presidential candidates pick a place close to the heart to announce their campaigns — a childhood hometown, the place they came of age politically or somewhere associated with a political hero. Published January 19, 2017
Trump ‘Day One’ may not live up to his campaign promises
President-elect Donald Trump made a lot of promises about what would happen on Day One of his administration. But what President Trump will actually do remains very murky. Published January 19, 2017
Judge: Obama DOJ had 132 ethical lapses in last four years
Federal Judge Andrew S. Hanen said the Justice Department has notched 132 different cases of self-reported ethical misconduct in just four years -- with more than two dozen of those involving lawyers misleading the courts. Published January 19, 2017