This week, in a letter, White House counsel Pat  Cipollone issued a blanket refusal of records and testimony from Trump  and dozens of current and former White House staff, saying Trump did not  recognize Congress as a law enforcement body with the legitimate  purpose to investigate. While the letter sent shock waves, Congress’s  reaction was decidedly muted as House Democratic leaders sought to avoid  impeachment, as other deadlines passed without cooperation.

This week Trump welcomed another far-right  authoritarian to the White House, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban,  whom Trump likened to a “twin brother.” Tensions escalated with Iran,  and the regime issued conflicting statements and stances, and  increasingly stood alone.

More troubling stories about atrocities being  committed and contemplated against migrants surfaced, including a  planned operational blitz to round up 10,000 migrants in 10 U.S. cities.  Trump rolled out a new immigration plan, emphasizing skills over family  ties, in an uncharacteristically low-energy Rose Garden speech that was  met with a cool reception. Attacks on abortion rights were front and  center of the national dialogue as Alabama passed the country’s most  restrictive ban, setting up a possible challenge for Roe v. Wade. Other  states are set to follow.

Read the full list here: https://theweeklylist.org/weekly-list/week-131/