Trump gets boost from Brexit leader as he aims for ‘American independence’

Donald Trump’s reset: Can it last?
After a campaign reboot that his new campaign manager calls his “best week” to date, Donald Trump could have a shot at reversing weeks of negative headlines and sliding poll numbers — if he can stay out of his own way.

Mark Kirk on Iran payment: Obama acting like ‘drug dealer in chief’
Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk criticized President Barack Obama for delivering money to the Iranian government in coordination with the release of Americans being held prisoner there — saying he was “acting like the drug dealer in chief.”

Why more Trump turmoil may be right around the corner
The prospect of more turmoil in Trump land, new efforts by Team Clinton to target millennials — and a plea that could shape how many candidates get debate invites: it’s all a part of our Inside Politics forecast.

O’Malley to Lewandowski: US isn’t an ‘only-for-white Americans sort of country’
Former Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley on Sunday chided ex-Donald Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski over the GOP nominee’s immigration policies, saying the US isn’t an “only-for-white Americans sort of country.”

Top RNC strategist to work more with Trump campaign
Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican party will coordinate more closely going forward, with the GOP’s top communicator and chief strategist Sean Spicer increasingly working out of Trump campaign headquarters, the campaign confirmed Sunday.

George P. Bush visits Israel
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush returned Saturday from an unannounced visit to Israel.

What role is Ailes playing in Trump’s campaign?
What exactly is Roger Ailes’ role with Donald Trump’s run for president?

Louisiana governor: Donald Trump’s visit ‘helpful’
The governor of Louisiana said Sunday that Donald Trump’s trip to his state was “helpful” in getting the country’s attention on the devastating flooding around Baton Rouge.

Hillary Clinton campaign manager: Foundation step ‘unprecedented’
Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager defended the decision by the Clinton Foundation to separate itself from foreign money, but not before the election is decided.

Trump campaign manager: A deportation force TBD
It’s still undecided whether Donald Trump will continue to support forced deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants living in the US, his campaign manager said Sunday.

Top US commander warns Russia, Syria
In the most direct public warning to Moscow and Damascus to date, the new US commander of American troops in Iraq and Syria is vowing to defend US special operations forces in northern Syria if regime warplanes and artillery again attack in areas where troops are located.

The week in politics
Take a look at the week in politics from August 14 through August 20.

Trump wants GOP to court black voters — then slams voting rights for felons
Donald Trump acknowledged Saturday that the Republican Party “must do better” in appealing to African-Americans.

Friends for a benefit: Timberlake steps in for DiCaprio to host Clinton fundraiser
An upcoming Hillary Clinton fundraiser was recast Saturday when Leonardo DiCaprio dropped out of hosting the gala — instead asking his Hollywood pal, Justin Timberlake, and his wife, Jessica Biel, to take over.

Top Clinton super PAC reports nearly $40M cash on hand
The leading super PAC backing Hillary Clinton, Priorities USA, reported Saturday it had nearly $40 million in cash on hand, a staggering amount less than three months away from Election Day.

Trump campaign, RNC convene Hispanic outreach effort
Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee are meeting with Hispanic supporters of the real estate mogul’s campaign at Trump Tower Saturday.

A brief history of Trump and African-Americans on the trail
Donald Trump developed a new campaign pitch this week, arguing that African-Americans have been struggling and taken for granted by the Democratic Party and thus should consider a different direction this November.

The summer of Sandra Day O’Connor, then and now
She always insisted it was luck that led to her appointment as the first woman on the US Supreme Court. But Sandra Day O’Connor was ready for her luck. She demonstrated that 35 years ago this summer when Reagan administration lawyers flew to Arizona to interview her as one of several candidates for a court vacancy.

Obama admin seeks to explain perceived ransom in Iran case
Obama administration officials described a tense and hectic 48 hours in January in a call with reporters Friday, when the release of four American prisoners from Iran — already agreed to in principle — seemed anything but certain.

Trump pitches black voters: ‘What the hell do you have to lose?’
Donald Trump on Friday continued his outreach to African-American voters, presenting them with a stark question: “What the hell do you have to lose?”

Trump goes mainstream — but will it last?
It turns out Donald Trump is a politician, after all.

Taste test 2016: Clinton’s cookies vs. Trump’s cookies
The way to a voter’s ballot is through their stomach.

Judge sinks guilty sailor’s ‘Clinton defense’
A federal judge sentenced a Navy sailor to one year in prison Friday for taking photos in a classified area of a nuclear submarine, after the seamen had pleaded for leniency by citing the government’s decision not to indict Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified information.

If Trump wanted to apologize, here are (more than a dozen) good places to start
Donald Trump wants the American people to know that he realizes some of the things he’s said have hurt people. Which people and what things, exactly, is less clear.

SEAL who wrote bin Laden raid tell-all forced to give all proceeds to government
Matthew Bissonnette, the former Navy SEAL who participated in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and wrote a tell-all book about it, has agreed to pay the US government all past and future proceeds from the best-seller after the Department of Justice said he failed to have a draft reviewed by the government.

Judge denies request to depose Clinton
A federal judge denied Friday a request by the conservative legal watchdog group Judicial Watch to depose Hillary Clinton over her email server.

First on CNN: Feds investigate Manafort firm as part of Ukraine probe
FBI and Justice Department prosecutors are conducting an investigation into possible US ties to alleged corruption of the former pro-Russian president of Ukraine, including the work of Paul Manafort’s firm, according to multiple US law enforcement officials.