The Note: Trump turns down the heat after Charlottesville, but for how long
Trump holds a campaign rally tonight in Phoenix, Arizona.
— -- WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY
THE TAKE with ABC News' Rick Klein
"Let us find the courage to heal our divisions within," President Trump declared last night, in a speech as much about Charlottesville as it was about Afghanistan. He follows it up today with what this moment really calls for…a reelection rally? When Trump sees a conflagration, his instinct is often to dump gasoline on it, confident in his ability to emerge from the ashes. Even so, tonight's Trump campaign rally in Phoenix has the potential to erupt. Take the emotions and anger after Charlottesville, some Jeff Flake primary politics, a dose of John McCain's health care vote, the border-wall buzz plus a possible pardon for Joe Arpaio, and this is no normal political atmosphere. (Not that the atmosphere at Trump political events have ever been normal.) As for "the courage to heal," the courageous thing would be for Trump to turn down the temperature in the desert tonight – to recognize the somber nature of the events of recent days and show the same kind of evolution in political thinking that changed his stance on the war in Afghanistan. The alternative is for him talk to his base some more - the 28 percent of Americans who say they approved of his response to Charlottesville, in the new ABC News/Washington Post poll.
TRUMP SCORES SOME POINTS AMONG GOP
After all that, President Trump made the hawks happy. Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, two Republicans who have been quick to criticize him lately, came out swiftly in support of his speech and strategy on Afghanistan - joining a long list of establishment and military figures in offering praise. Trump, of course, ran on ending the war, which he routinely described as a waste of blood and treasure. But in describing his evolution as a hallmark of leadership, he's now keeping the American commitment to Afghanistan mostly open-ended. The reversal earned him the kind of praise from congressional leaders that has eluded him, especially lately. Senate leader Mitch McConnell who still has not commented directly on the president's last press conference on Charlottesville, yesterday gave the commander-in-chief a thumbs up within an hour. Trump for now is also aligning himself with the generals he has so often praised. Still, in making clear he's going against his own instincts, he may have given himself an opening to spread some blame around should his strategy not succeed, ABC News' MaryAlice Parks writes.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I do believe that he messed up in his comments on Tuesday, when it sounded like a moral equivocation, or at the very least moral ambiguity." -- Speaker Paul Ryan on President Trump's Charlottesville response
NEED TO READ with ABC News' Daksha Sthipam
Trump avoids specifics in Afghan strategy, but vows "attack we will." President Trump on Monday announced his administration's plans to continue the military's engagement in Afghanistan, a strategy meant to combat the influence of the Taliban and the ISIS affiliate in the country. Trump's strategy will forgo a formal timetable and instead rely upon "conditions on the ground" to guide U.S. activities. http://abcn.ws/2v9ea6k
Lawmakers praise and condemn Trump's Afghanistan plan. U.S. lawmakers were divided Monday night on President Trump's plans to increase the presence of the U.S. military in Afghanistan, with the House speaker lauding "a new Trump strategy," while a fellow Republican in the Senate called it a "terrible idea." http://abcn.ws/2ikTCpq
ABC News/Washington Post poll: Only 28% approve of Trump's response to Charlottesville. President Trump received a poor but stable job performance rating and still-weaker grades for his handling of the neo-Nazi-fueled unrest – with vast gaps across groups. http://abcn.ws/2wrEGvY
How Trump has divided his time between the White House and Trump properties. As President Trump marked his 214th day in office on Monday, ABC News looked at how Trump divided his time between his private properties and the White House. Of his 213 days in office, 76 were spent at one of his properties, according to ABC News' count. http://abcn.ws/2ijIGsj
Trump's team and lawmakers making strides on tax reform plan. Politico
Why Gov. Doug Ducey won't attend President Donald Trump's Phoenix rally. The Arizona Republic
The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the key political moments of the day ahead. Please check back tomorrow for the latest.
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