What's happening in the political world:
Trump attacks Republican leaders in series of tweets
-- President Trump took aim at Republican leaders -- Sens. Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan -- and former national intelligence director James Clapper in an early morning tweetstorm.
Trump also spent Thursday morning attacking McConnell and Ryan, claiming he requested that the pair attach debt ceiling legislation to a recently passed VA reform bill and saying the debt ceiling could have been "easy," but "now a mess!"
I requested that Mitch M & Paul R tie the Debt Ceiling legislation into the popular V.A. Bill (which just passed) for easy approval. They...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2017
...didn't do it so now we have a big deal with Dems holding them up (as usual) on Debt Ceiling approval. Could have been so easy-now a mess!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2017
He singled out McConnell a short time later, with this tweet:
The only problem I have with Mitch McConnell is that, after hearing Repeal & Replace for 7 years, he failed!That should NEVER have happened!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2017
Trump also had something to say about former national intelligence director James Clapper, who has recently questioned Trump's ability to handle being president.
James Clapper, who famously got caught lying to Congress, is now an authority on Donald Trump. Will he show you his beautiful letter to me?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2017
In the midst of Trump's attacks, he found time to retweet a meme that shows a series of pictures of himself gradually moving in front of former President Obama with a caption that reads: "THE BEST ECLIPSE EVER!"
— Jerry Travone ? (@JerryTravone) August 24, 2017
Another communication staffer leaves White House
-- White House Director of Rapid Response Andrew Hemming became the latest Trump administration staff member to leave, according to Politico and CNN.
Hemming's departure, first reported by Politico, was a mutual decision, a White House source told CNN.
Hemming's White House role involved circulating positive news articles, often from conservative media outlets, about the Trump administration to reporters.
He joined the administration following work during the 2016 campaign for Rick Perry, followed by a stint at the Republican National Committee, where he worked alongside Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer.
Pardon for "Sheriff Joe" coming soon?
-- According to CNN, the White House has prepared the paperwork for President Trump to pardon former Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio when he makes the final decision to do so.
An administration official said the White House has also prepared talking points to send to surrogates after he is pardoned.
One of the talking points is that Arpaio served his country for 50 years in the military, the Drug Enforcement Administration and as Arizona's Maricopa County sheriff, and that it is not appropriate to send him to prison for "enforcing the law" and "working to keep people safe."
Arpaio, an early Trump supporter, was found guilty last month of criminal contempt for disregarding a court order in a racial profiling case. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5.
CNN contributed to this report
