Secretary of state Mike Pompeo has announced he will deliver remarks to the media at 11 a.m. ET. It’s unclear whether Pompeo will also take questions from reporters, who would inevitably ask about the cabinet member’s role in the Ukraine controversy.
Matt Lee
(@APDiploWriter)
Following his remarks to the media, Pompeo will head over to the White House, where he will have a meeting with the vice president and lunch with Trump.
Bolton lawyer says McGahn ruling does not apply to his clients
This could be some bad news for those hoping to soon see testimony from John Bolton in the impeachment iqnuiry. A lawyer who represents Bolton and his former deputy at the national security council, Charles Kupperman, said the ruling in Don McGahn’s case does not apply to his clients.
Olivia Beavers
(@Olivia_Beavers)NEW Bolton/Kupperman’s lawyer: House Judic “emphasized” that the info it sought from McGahn was not related to “sensitive topics of national security or foreign affairs.” So says McGahn case does not extend to validity of immunity for close WH advisors, like Kupperman.
The officials’ attorney argued that, because the House judiciary committee was specifically not seeking information from McGahn on “sensitive topics of national security or foreign affairs,” the ruling could not provide guidance on whether his clients should testify.
Kupperman has filed a separate lawsuit seeking a judge’s ruling on whether he should comply with his congressional subpoena or the White House order not to cooperate with the inquiry.
A Fox News reporter has additional details on the airspace violation that sparked this morning’s lockdown on the White House and the Capitol, which has now been lifted.
Chad Pergram
(@ChadPergram)Regarding WH/Capitol lockdown, Fox is told there was some sort of a “bogey” which popped up on the radar. They did not know what it was. There was a law enforcement helicopter deployed to check out what may have happened.
It looks like the lockdown on the Capitol has also been lifted. Officials briefly enforced a lockdown on Capitol Hill and at the White House due to an airspace violation that forced fighter jets to be redirected.
Chad Pergram
(@ChadPergram)Fox is told the lockdown is lifted at the Capitol after an issue with aircraft getting into restricted airspace. Some people in the Capitol complex Blgs were told to stay in their offices. Others were told to stay away from the Capitol complex
White House lockdown lifted
It appears the lockdown at the White House, due to an airspace violation, has been lifted.
Kaitlan Collins
(@kaitlancollins)And the lockdown has been lifted. https://t.co/EjLxhxfNCW
Police officers were also allowing people to enter the office buildings on Capitol Hill, although the status of the Capitol itself is unclear.
Garrett Haake
(@GarrettHaake)Looks like we have the all clear at the Capitol. Police are letting folks back into the office buildings. Not sure about the Capitol itself. pic.twitter.com/p8xq2XRoun
The US Northern Command is now responding to the potential security threat in Washington due to an airspace violation.
U.S. Northern Command
(@USNorthernCmd)@NORADCommand – tasked aircraft responding. More details to follow.
White House on lockdown due to airspace violation
The White House is currently on lockdown due to an airspace violation reported in Washington, forcing fighter jets to be redirected.
Reporters at the White House today are being kept in the briefing room for their safety.
Cheryl Bolen
(@cherylbolen)Well. WH is currently on lockdown, reporters are being kept in briefing room. We don’t know cause. pic.twitter.com/auCkxIpwUN
Justice department appeals McGahn ruling
As expected, the justice department has filed an appeal to judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s ruling that Don McGahn, Trump’s former White House counsel, must comply with a congressional subpoena.
Kyle Cheney
(@kyledcheney)IT’S OFFICIAL: DOJ has appealed the McGahn ruling. pic.twitter.com/KWgHA7647R
Dershowitz on McGahn ruling: Trump ‘far more powerful’ than a king
Good morning, live blog readers!
The president’s allies are lashing out against the ruling from judge Ketanji Brown Jackson that Don McGahn must testify about his time as Donald Trump’s White House counsel, a decision that could have sweeping implications on the impeachment inquiry.
“It is a core tenet of this nation’s founding that the powers of a monarch must be split between the branches of the government to prevent tyranny,” Jackson wrote in her decision. “Stated simply, the primary takeaway from the past 250 years of recorded American history is that presidents are not kings.”
Jason Campbell
(@JasonSCampbell)Apparent monarchist Alan Dershowitz: “Of course the President’s not the king. The President’s far more powerful than the king. The President has the power that kings have never had” pic.twitter.com/qOUy2tSFee
Speaking to Fox News’ Laura Ingraham just hours after the ruling was issued, Alan Dershowitz, a former Harvard law professor and frequent Trump defender, said Jackson “went nuts” describing the limits of presidential power.
“This has no substantive impact,” Dershowitz said. “The judge went out of her way to say I’m not ruling on the issues of privilege, all I’m saying is he has to show up. Then she went nuts talking about how the president’s not a king. Of course the President’s not the king. The President’s far more powerful than the king. The President has the power that kings have never had.”
It will be curious to see if the Republican lawmakers who have ardently defended Trump throughout the impeachmennt inquiry pursue a similar line of argument.

Bread and Butter, the National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate, walk in their hotel room at the Willard Hotel. Photograph: Win McNamee/Getty Images
Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on today:
- Trump will sign an executive order and have lunch with secretary of state Mike Pompeo before participating in the annual White House turkey pardoning. He will later travel to Florida for a campaign rally before continuing on to Mar-a-Lago for Thanksgiving.
- Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg are campaigning in Iowa.
- Bernie Sanders will appear on “The Tonight Show” at 11:35 p.m. ET.
The blog will have much more coming up, so stay tuned.
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