Trump’s Meeting With Mexico’s President Cancelled and More In Politics Today

It’s difficult to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in this country and to break through the clutter, so we’re here to make it easier. Here’s what we at Countable are reading today:

1. "Mexican president cancels meeting with Trump"

"Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Thursday canceled a meeting with US President Donald Trump that had been set for next week after renewed tensions erupted over Trump's plan to build a wall on the border."

"Earlier Thursday morning, Trump had tweeted that it would be better to skip the meeting if Peña Nieto continued to insist Mexico would not pay for the wall -- something the Mexican leader had said as recently as Wednesday evening."

Read more at CNN.

2. "Speaker Ryan Lays Out Ambitious 200-Day Congressional Agenda"

"House Speaker Paul D. Ryan is laying out an aggressive 200-day agenda that will have Congress rolling back regulations, repealing and replacing the 2010 health care law, funding a border wall, rewriting the tax code, expanding the veterans’ choice program, advancing an infrastructure package and avoiding a debt default — all before the August recess."

Read more at Roll Call.

3. "‘Doomsday Clock’ moves 30 seconds closer to midnight"

"The minute hand on the “Doomsday Clock" has edged closer to midnight, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists announced Thursday, citing concerns with President Trump’s comments on nuclear arms and climate change as part of the reason for the move.”

"The group made the “unprecedented" move to change the minute hand from 3 minutes to midnight, where it has been since 2015, to 2.5 minutes to midnight.”

Read more at The Hill.

4. "Dems Circle Wagons as Supreme Court Battle Nears"

"Democrats have begun to reckon with the limits of their political power as Donald Trump's Cabinet takes shape. But in the wake of nationwide protests and swirling questions from liberals about the new president's legitimacy, party lawmakers are under pressure to hold the line on battles ahead."

"With President Trump next week expected to announce his choice to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia last year, Democrats will face a test of their resistance."

Read more at RealClearPolitics.

5. "Right-to-work a step closer as Missouri Senate approves fast-tracked bill"

"Senate lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to their chamber's right-to-work bill, sending the legislation to the House without approving any proposed changes from opponents who worry the policy is anti-worker."

"The bill has been fast-tracked by GOP supermajorities eager to get it to Gov. Eric Greitens' desk, saying that it will create jobs and bring more business to the state. House lawmakers have already passed their own version of the bill."

Read more at St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Chatham House, London / Creative Commons)