Trump Directed Cohen To Lie To Congress – A bombshell report by Buzzfeed claims that President Trump ordered his then-attorney Michael Cohen to lie during his testimony to Congress in regards to discussions concerning the building of a Trump Tower in Moscow. According to the report, Trump also supported a plan by Cohen to visit Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign to further negotiations to build the proposed tower. The report also claims that even as candidate Trump told Americans that he had no business dealings with Russia, he and his children received multiple updates from Cohen about Trump’s Moscow plans. Two senior law enforcement sources told Buzzfeed News that President Trump instructed Cohen to tell Congress that discussions regarding a Trump Tower in Moscow ended months earlier than they actually had in order to hide Trump’s involvement.

Pelosi Cancels State Of The Union – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to President Trump requesting that he does not deliver the State of the Union address on January 29^th as had been originally planned. Pelosi, who controls when the president can deliver the address before Congress, cited the shutdown and security issues related to the shutdown as the reasoning for her move. Pelosi asked that the President either give the address via written letter or as a speech from the Oval Office.

Trump Cancels Pelosi Trip – President Trump on Thursday told Nancy Pelosi in a letter that he would not be allowing US Air Force planes to carry her and a Congressional delegation on a planned international trip. The cancellation came just ten minutes before they were to depart. In the letter, President Trump said that the trip was being postponed, not cancelled, and can be rescheduled for sometime after the partial government shut down ends. “In light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay, I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate,” wrote Trump. While an administration denies it, some see Trump’s cancellation of the trip as revenge for Pelosi’s cancellation of the State of the Union address. Senator Lindsey Graham admonished both sides over the ruckus, saying that “one sophomoric response does not require another”

4 US Servicemen Killed In Syria – A suicide bombing carried out by ISIS claimed the lives of 2 US soldiers, and 2 US civilians working for the military. The bombing, which caused the highest US casualty count since the US entered the country in 2015, injured an additional 3 US soldiers. A total of 16 people were killed in the blast. The incident complicates President Trump’s plans to withdraw all US personnel from the war-torn country within the next few months.

Steve King Denounced By Congress – The House of Representatives voted 416-1 to rebuke GOP Rep. Steve King for racist remarks he made regarding white supremacy. The only dissenting vote came from Rep. Bobby Rush who felt the measure was not strong enough. King has a long history of making racist and insensitive remarks, but his comments have recently received more attention. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said that King would not be receiving any committee assignments in the new Congress.

More Democrats Wade Into 2020 Race – A handful of Democrats announced their intentions this week to run for president in 2020. Former HUD Secretary during the Obama administration Julian Castro, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard all chose this week to announce their 2020 pursuits. They join several other announced Democrats, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, in what is expected to be a massive pool of Democratic candidates for president.