The Note: Trump’s gravitational pull on his party

The TAKE with Rick Klein

So Michael Cohen isn't talking, but President Donald Trump is – at least to Fox and Friends. French President Emmanuel Macron is flake-free – and free, out of Trump’s grip, to speak his mind a bit more.

Ronny Jackson is out, Mike Pompeo is in, and Scott Pruitt is … somewhere in between.

Your one constant, again, is Trump himself – who, tellingly, heads to a rally in Washington, Mich., Saturday night, while Washington, D.C., celebrates itself at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

He campaigns this weekend knowing that, despite Cabinet chaos and partisan line-drawing, he got his choice for secretary of state confirmed. He also gained some powerful images with world leaders, and is moving toward a potential breakthrough with North Korea.

It’s a reminder that, for all the scandal, Trump retains an immense gravitational pull on his party – and even the world.

The RUNDOWN with MaryAlice Parks

That promise to “hire the best people,” may end up one of the president’s most memorable campaign lines after all. It is not hard to imagine the political ads his opponents have already drafted.

The first year of the Trump administration saw unprecedented turnover and then the turning over didn’t stop. This week, the pile of embarrassing headlines about sitting secretaries and presidential nominees created such a drumbeat that, for some, it started to sound like white noise.

Both the president and Ronny Jackson, his pick to run the Department of Veterans Affairs until yesterday, pointed fingers. They said the nomination fell victim to “the swamp,” “false allegations” and “how Washington works.”

Some Republicans on Capitol Hill used similar lines to defend EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, while Democrats grilled him about the various allegations of professional misconduct against him.

The buildup of scandals could start to break in Republicans' favor if the president’s team looks like victims. That said, it’s hard to bash the swamp and status quo when some the actions called into question look so ... swampy – like the transcript this week of Acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Mick Mulvaney.

The TIP with Mariam Khan

Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, is not taking the president’s bait.

Instead, he took the high road following Trump’s comment that he will have a “big price to pay in Montana” for his role in Adm. Ronny Jackson’s nomination withdrawal, saying, “I think I’m focused on the next secretary of the VA.”

“We need someone who’s going to serve our veterans and make sure we’re not privatizing the VA and make sure they can run that organization and move it forward for the best benefit of the veterans of this country,” Tester said.

“That’s what I’m going to be focused on,” he added.

When asked if he took the president’s comments as a threat, Tester didn’t respond.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“He did some things that weren't very nice and probably not right for the top law enforcement agency, so that was a pretty good reason for the president to let him go." — White House press secretary Sarah Sanders when asked why President Trump fired James Comey during a mock briefing with reporters’ children on National Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day.

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Secretary of State Pompeo hits ground running with big trip hours after swearing in. Immediately after he was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito — a man he admires and a fellow Italian-American, Pompeo said — the former CIA Director went to Joint Base Andrews to board a flight for his first trip as the U.S.'s top diplomat. (Conor Finnegan) https://abcn.ws/2Jt9nU7

Trump launches new attack on his Justice Department. President Donald Trump lambasted his Justice Department Thursday in an interview on Fox News, expressing frustration at the ongoing special counsel probe and suggesting that he may intervene in his Justice Department at some point. (Jordyn Phelps) https://abcn.ws/2FhFovS

Kathy Griffin: ‘Of Course’ President Trump ordered her Secret Service investigation. Citing a "vendetta" against her in the wake of a controversial photo last year, comedian Kathy Griffin accused President Donald Trump of personally ordering federal agents to make her life miserable. She spoke to Brad Mielke on ABC's "Start Here" podcast. (Brad Mielke and Stephen Iervolino) https://abcn.ws/2HBcmJp

Judge appoints independent referee to review records seized from Cohen. Judge Kimba Wood appointed an independent referee to determine which materials seized in the FBI’s raid of President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen properties are subject to the attorney-client privilege. (Aaron Katersky and Lauren Pearle) https://abcn.ws/2Fjhv7e

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Speaker Ryan forces House chaplain to resign, Dems say tied to tax law prayer. An aide to Speaker Paul Ryan Thursday refused to say exactly why he forced the House chaplain to resign last week but Democrats contend his dismissal is due to a prayer Father Patrick Conroy delivered last year as lawmakers prepared to begin consideration of tax reform – irking Republicans. (John Parkinson) https://abcn.ws/2vPlwAO

Bill to protect special counsel wins bipartisan Senate committee approval. The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday approved legislation aimed at protecting special counsel Robert Mueller from being fired without cause by President Donald Trump. Even the measure's opponents issued stark warnings to the president that any move to dismiss the special counsel would be political suicide and might lead to impeachment. (Trish Turner) https://abcn.ws/2vNVihU

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Trump administration ends humanitarian program for Nepal. The Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday that it will end the humanitarian protection known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nepal with a delay of 12 months to "allow for an orderly transition." (Geneva Sands) https://abcn.ws/2HycdXa

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The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the key political moments of the day ahead. Please check back Monday for the latest.