Biden on his Putin-cannot-remain-in-power comment: "I wasn't then, nor am I now, articulating a policy change. I was expressing moral outrage that I feel and I make no apologies for it." "I don't think it complicates" matters related to Ukraine, Biden says. "If he continues on this course that he's on, he is going to be a pariah worldwide, and who knows what he becomes at home in terms of support?"

To the authors of the Kabul attacks, Biden says, "Know this: We will not forgive, we will not forget, we will hunt you down and make you pay." (earlier, top Central Command general said US would hunt them "24-7"). Biden says US "will continue the evacuation." And US is drawing up plans to strike ISIS-K. (Dunno what this means for the days leading up to Aug 31 and the date itself.)

Asked about the threat from ISIS-K going forward, Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of U.S. Central Command, says "we expect those attacks to continue" and are preparing for that. Will there be a military response? McKenzie says "yes, if we can find who was associated with this" and "24-7 we are looking for them"

Secretary of State Blinken confirms since Aug 14 more than 82,300 people flown out of Kabul. At least 4,500 US citizens. 500 in the last day. 6,000 Americans in Afghanistan on 8/14 who wanted to leave. Currently helping 500 more Americans who want to leave. In touch with another 1,000 people who may be Americans to confirm they are Americans, confirm they are in Afghanistan, confirm they want to leave. So actual number will be "lower, likely significantly lower."

Source tells me the Biden administration told Congress today it has processed 4,500 Americans for repatriation from Afghanistan, and another roughly 4,100 remain, not all in Kabul. Some want to stay. Awaiting @SecBlinken 2:30 remarks. Well here's a wrinkle.

https://twitter.com/JacquiHeinrich/status/1430590825860317184?s=20

Biden says the US evacuation effort in Afghanistan has gotten 70,700 people out of Kabul since the military started its operation Aug. 14. Biden says the evacuation is "currently on a pace to finish August the 31st" but says meeting that timetable depends on Taliban helping, not hindering the operation.

Trump says he'll formally invoke the Defense Production Act shortly. Here's a primer on what it *can* do: fema.gov/defense-produc… Trump says he's mobilizing the Comfort *and* the Mercy. The latter will be heading to the West Coast, precise destination TBD. Cuomo said earlier the Comfort would go help New York. Trump says ships will move "over the next week or so."

Pence: "You don’t need the results of testing to know what you should do." The 15-day (renewable) guidance on social distancing applies to "every American in every community." Pence urges construction companies to donate their inventory of n95 masks to local hospitals, forgo ordering more. (Also says there's a public-service media campaign coming to amplify CDC guidelines.)

Trump said today that Putin had assured him by telephone that Russia is "not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela." Here's what Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said yesterday. (This isn't some idle gotcha. US officials have been using the Russian presence - and, to a lesser degree, Cuba's - in rhetoric about Washington keeping military options for Venezuela on the table. So what the president says about this could matter a great deal.)

The wildfires in the news have reminded me of an NYC evening, not that long after 9/11. I and a couple of colleagues were at a bar (Automatic Slim's, if memory serves) and there was this group of young guys in some kind of uniform. 1/X 2/X They were having a grand old time, though I noticed they weren't having much luck chatting people up. We could not figure out what the uniform was. I was dispatched by our group to go find out.

A couple of nuggets from telephone briefing this morning on reimposition of US sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the Iran nuclear deal. First, Trump aides would not explicitly say US policy is regime change in Tehran. 1/N 2/N They also would not urge protestors against the regime to bring about regime change. Instead, the officials said the demonstrators have "valid complaints" and said US sanctions aim to "modify the Iranian regime’s behavior"