1) Tweeted about crowd sizes (again) as thousands of Californians ran for their lives
Around 188,000 Californians were ordered to flee their homes on Sunday night after a fault in the US’s tallest dam threatened to cause widespread flooding.
A hole in a spillway on the Oroville Dam sent chunks of concrete flying and water cascading into the surrounding area.
By late evening the flow of water had stabilised but officials warned more of the torrential rain that has hit the state recently could cause further problems.
As Californians sat on grid-locked highways uncertain if they would be allowed back to their homes, President Trump tweeted:
Trump spent the weekend with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, reaffirming the relationship between the two countries as North Korea provocatively launched a ballistic missile.
The pair played golf at the Florida resort of Mar-a-Lago, retiring to the dining room to discuss the unfolding international crisis in front of other guests.
How times change...
(He even blacked out the windows of the press room)
2) Trump’s own intelligence agencies don’t trust him with sensitive information
An astonishing revelation from the New York Observer (of which Jared Kushner used to be publisher) claims intelligence agencies are so concerned about the White House’s ties to the Kremlin and the fact Trump has been so dismissive of briefings, they’ve essentially stopped sending top-secret information.
...some of our spy agencies have begun withholding intelligence from the Oval Office. Why risk your most sensitive information if the president may ignore it anyway? A senior National Security Agency official explained that NSA was systematically holding back some of the “good stuff” from the White House, in an unprecedented move. For decades, NSA has prepared special reports for the president’s eyes only, containing enormously sensitive intelligence. In the last three weeks, however, NSA has ceased doing this, fearing Trump and his staff cannot keep their best SIGINT secrets.
3) And while we’re on the subject of ties to the Kremlin...
A top White House aide repeatedly refused to defend national security adviser Michael Flynn over his possible violation of laws against private citizens engaging in foreign policy.
In the weeks leading up to the inauguration Flynn reportedly discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak.
After initially denying the allegations he later said he could not be certain whether or not he actually did.
The refusal of Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump’s top policy adviser, to defend Flynn over the weekend has raised the possibility he has already lost the confidence of Trump who may ask him to step down.
Adding to Flynn’s woes, an aide, Robin Townley, was recently denied security clearance by the CIA.
4) Trump’s choice for Austrian ambassador is based on the candidate’s love of The Sound of Music
According to the Palm Beach Daily, concert pianist and long-time Trump friend, Patrick Park, is to be the US ambassador to Austria.
A hand-written note saying “on to your next chapter, Ambassador!” is said to have confirmed the appointment based not on diplomatic experience but because he is steeped in musical culture.
And he loves The Sound of Music.
Park said: “I’m flying to Vienna to check out the embassy, and then I’m going to Salzburg to see if the Von Trapp house is for rent.
“And then I’m going to learn to like schnitzel and sachertorte.”
5) Didn’t lash out at Saturday Night Live even though it was one of the funniest yet
Some light comedy to end on.
Melissa McCarthy took on Press Secretary Sean Spicer for the second week in a row on Saturday Night Live and trust us, it’s worth watching the full eight minutes.
Whilst Trump refrained from his characteristic angry slamming of the show, Spicer couldn’t hold back.