"This is not a payment or any kind of ransom," John Kirby says of the $6 billion released to Iran in exchange for the release of American citizens.

He notes that the money isn't coming from taxpayers and it's not sanction relief. Kirby adds that:
-It's not American money
-Funds are monitored and not available all at once
-Iranian people will be recipients, not the regime

The Tucker Carlson news isn't just a media story. It significantly changes the GOP 2024 primary overnight. abcnews.go.com/US/tucker-carl… Tucker went where other journalists were too squeamish to go.

He pressed the gender identity question, objecting also to GOP sacred cows on foreign policy and trade.

That is, Tucker asked questions the conservative base cares about.

The president told me yesterday that the 2022 midterms "easily could be illegitimate." He added also "I’m not going to say it’s going to be legit."

https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1484166808894640131

I was following up on an excellent question asked first by @allison__news. Screen shots of both our questions below:

The Virginia governor's race is quite the mile marker given that a decade ago Mitch Daniels was calling for a "truce" on social issues in order to focus on "the red menace" of debt and deficits. The argument social conservatives are making inside the GOP is 1) It was always a one sided truce, 2) they were never the aggressors, but regardless, 3) following Youngkin's lead on culture wars will lead to wins in 2022. realclearpolitics.com/articles/2021/…

Reporter asking Education Secretary to give an update on the proposal "to teach more Black history in schools" questions the affect of "Republican backlash over that."
Read that critical race theory. Cardona says that he "always" trusts educators "to make sure that our curriculum promotes the beautiful diversity of this country."

The controversy, the secretary says, is "another example of something that's become politicized."

Love him or hate him, Josh Hawley offers the clearest case as to why conservatives are wary of critical race theory. Read our sit down interview: realclearpolitics.com/articles/2021/… The thing that gets lost in all this talk about culture war? Republicans and conservatives aren't the aggressors. At least, so says Hawley.

.@KristiNoem spokesman: "Apparently, uninformed cancel culture is fine when the right is eating their own." After noting that Noem stood with 4H Rodeo when Trump's USDA "tried to force boys and girls to compete against each other," Noem's office argues the bill, as written, "is a trial lawyer’s dream" and needs to be fixed.

New: Per senior administration official, White House is "aware of military activity last weekend by the DPRK not sanctioned under UN Security Council resolutions restricting the ballistic missile program." This after North Korea fired short-range missiles over the weekend in defiance of US-South Korea joint military operations. washingtonpost.com/national-secur…

Scoop: @Heritage President Kay Coles James will announce her resignation this afternoon. According to three sources with knowledge, Kay Coles James informed the @Heritage board she is "committed to smooth transition."

Just got off the phone with Rep. @NancyMace who worked on Trump's 2016 campaign. She says of his first term, "all of those accomplishments were wiped out today." "Millions were told that the vice president could overthrow the Electoral College single handedly," @NancyMace said. She condemned those claims, calling rhetoric from "fringe members" of her party "disgusting, and adding "it's gotta end, it needs to stop. Enough is enough."

Trump is speaking but the mic isn't working. Trump: "We will never give up. We will never concede--it doesn't happen. You don't concede when there is theft involved."

NEW: White House announces Trump will appoint Hope Hicks to the Fulbright selection board. Trump also plans to name OMB Chief Russ Vought to Board of Visitors at the US Naval Academy.

Bill Stepien tells reporters that this AM the campaign reviewed "math that showed a clear, distinct pathway for the president and vice president." Stepien says that there are 1.2 million votes to be counted and that for Biden to defeat Trump, "he would need to win 70% of those remaining votes."

A picture of @kimguilfoyle and the artist known as “Lil Pump.” #Realignment? Mom, if you're reading, don't listen to this young man's raps. #GucciGang

Trump posts 60 Minutes Interview:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1319298695683334144

"I think we have enough of an interview. Okay. Let's go," Trump says five minutes before the walk-and-talk with Pence and Lesley Stahl.

Chris Christie and Rudy Giuliani are here awaiting Trump presser. Trump: "I'm sort of waiting for the New York Times and The Washington Post, ABC, CBS NBC, CNN MSDNC--I'm waiting for them to endorse me."

BREAKING: Trump and First Lady accompanied by Amy Coney Barrett and family have arrived in Rose Garden. Sustained standing ovation and cheering for ACB. Trump is beaming.

Are there any pictures of Trump shooting a gun? Obama:

A thread of current and former White House staff denying the Atlantic story: Former Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders: “I was actually there and one of the people part of the discussion — this never happened.”

https://twitter.com/SarahHuckabee/status/1301702348071460864

I interviewed Pence on Air Force 2. From me and @susancrabtree.
realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/… Pence responded to Biden's argument about restoring the soul of the nation, by noting that the nominee would end contraception mandate for Little Sisters of Poor:

"They were targeted by the Obama administration for simply trying to live out their faith”

realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/…

Highlights from Trump's prepared remarks for tonight: Biden in the White House means "bloodstained sidewalks."

"If you want a vision of your life under a Biden presidency, imagine the smoldering ruins of Minneapolis, the violent anarchy of Portland and the bloodstained sidewalks of Chicago coming to every city and town in America."