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Trump mystifies everyone on immigration; North Korea is likely headed to the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Trump pushes a “bill of love” on immigration
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- The American public got a rare glimpse of President Trump and congressional leaders negotiating an immigration deal today, and it was ... something. (You can watch the full thing on C-SPAN, if you wish.) [C-SPAN]
- Trump sat down at the White House with both Democratic and Republican lawmakers and seemed to agree with everything presented at various points — including comprehensive immigration reform, which could give millions of undocumented people a pathway to citizenship. [NYT / Julie Hirschfeld Davis]
- The president said he wanted a bipartisan “bill of love” to protect 800,000 unauthorized immigrants known as DREAMers, but he also reiterated that he wanted his signature border wall as part of a deal (something Democrats are adamantly opposed to). [CNN / Phil Mattingly, Lauren Fox, and Tal Kopan]
- Trump also did some things that have conservatives worried, including a moment when he agreed to a suggestion made by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) of passing a “clean” DACA bill – in other words, one without the enhanced border security Republicans want. [David Mack via Twitter]
- In fact, Trump had to be reminded of Republican talking points on the issue by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). [David Mack via Twitter]
- Trump also didn’t present a lot of substance when he was asked what his definition of a clean DACA bill was, responding, “A clean bill is a bill of DACA ... and we also take care of security.” [M.J. Lee via Twitter]
- As the Atlantic’s Russell Berman notes, Trump made it through the meeting having said yes to both Republicans and Democrats, ultimately revealing little about what will happen next. The president indicated he is likely to sign whatever bill lands on his desk. [Atlantic / Russell Berman]
The Winter Olympics are thawing relations between North and South Korea
- North Korea is likely headed to the 2018 Winter Olympics after talks with South Korea — a strategic move, but a reprieve from tensions on the Korean Peninsula. [NYT / Choe Sang-Hun]
- This signifies a thaw in the extremely cold relations between the countries. The talks themselves were the first in two years; although the North didn’t want to talk about its nuclear weapons program, it left the door open for future discussions. [Vox / Alex Ward]
- In a press briefing after the talks, the North’s chief delegate said it was “ridiculous” for the two countries to talk about nuclear weapons, because they are aimed at the US. So while relations between North and South Korea may be improving, it’s fair to say relations between the US and North Korea have not. [WSJ / Andrew Jeong]
- North Korea has participated in past Olympic Games, and has done relatively well — even though the country’s economy is tiny, the North prides itself on sports and spends a lot of resources on them. [Washington Post / Adam Taylor]
Miscellaneous
- Preschool is a hugely important developmental time for young children and can set kids up for success as they enter kindergarten. But preschool teachers are desperately underpaid and are often thought of as babysitters. [NYT / Jeneen Interlandi]
- If you’ve ever wondered how species come to be, you might want to start by creating an underground lizard colony. At least, that’s what Harvard scientists did when they set out to discover how species split off from one another during evolution. [Atlas Obscura / Geoffrey Giller]
- Amazon’s problem with counterfeit goods has earned the retail giant an unlikely adversary in its bid to dominate retail: US customs agents. [Racked / Hilary George-Parkin]
- The Trump administration’s plan to expand offshore oil drilling isn’t policy yet, but if successful, it could drastically change the landscape of the coastal United States. [Atlantic / Robinson Meyer]
Verbatim
“If you want to ask any questions, ask this guy.” [Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to reporters, pointing to a literal cardboard cutout of himself / Associated Press]
Watch this: Here’s how Trump’s nuclear “button” actually works
There’s no physical button, but there is a “football” and a “biscuit.” [YouTube / Danush Parvaneh]
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