The Lead With Jake Tapper

WH official says he sounded the alarm on Trump's Ukraine call; First WH official who was on Trump-Ukraine call testifying; New testimony raises questions about credibility of EU ambassador Sondland's testimony; Sources: tense moment in deposition as Dems accuse GOP of trying to "out" whistleblower; Thursday House vote may force Republicans to rethink strategy; Trump attacks career diplomats testifying in impeachment inquiry, without evidence they are partisan; Kushner to Biden: I've spent 3 years "cleaning up your messes"; Kushner: impeachment is nothing but "silly games"; New CNN NH poll: Sanders & Warren neck and neck in lead; Biden drops 9 points in new CNN poll of NH Dem voters via Knit

Full house to vote this week on impeachment inquiry; Schiff: we can infer WH position to ex-official's testimony means they think it would incriminate Trump; Pentagon: videos, phots of Baghdadi raid to be released; Picture of hero dog used in raid of ISIS leader released; Trump lauds U.S. raid on ISIS leader, says Baghdadi is "dead as a doornail"; Trump shares vivid details of raid, ISIS leader's death on TV; Pentagon official unable to confirm Trump's description of raid; Trump calls house intel committee chairman Schiff "biggest leaker" in Washington; Raid on ISIS leader puts spotlight on U.S. relationship with Kurdish forces; Pelosi knocks republicans who won't call out Trump on foreign election interference; 16 fires rage in CA, thousands evacuated, millions without power; Wildfires force 200,000 to evacuate in Northern California, nearly one million without power; via Knit

Source: Bolton in talks about testifying behind closed doors; Sources: WH official to back up diplomat's damning testimony; "Anonymous" author of new book promises to recount conversations with president Trump; Trump on impeachment messaging: "I am the team"; Trump repeats defense of Ukraine call: it was "perfect"; Rep Gowdy in 2018: private hearings "are much more constructive"; Trump family explores selling Washington, D.C. hotel; Biden on his opponents: "I'll flat out beat them"; Biden: if elected, my children won't have White House offices: Biden knocks Jared Kushner's credentials to negotiate middle east peace deal; Gabbard says she won't launch re-election bid for congress, staying in presidential race; Obama, Clintons, among notables honoring Rep. Elijah Cummings at funeral today; via Knit

Sources: Dems aiming for public hearings in November; NYT: WH sent warning letter to Pentagon Official who testified before Congress; GOP Source: Diplomat's testimony "reverberating" among House GOP; GOP tries to downplay damning testimony as "hearsay"; "No quid pro quo" defense may not matter for impeachment; Trump applauds GOP lawmakers who stormed secure room; Sources: Giuliani now searching for a defense attorney; Two Giuliani associates promoted connections to Giuliani and Trump to make money; Lawyer for Giuliani associate links Trump to case by suggesting executive privilege may apply; Right now: Rep. Cummings lies in State at U.S. Capitol; via Knit

Number two GOP Senator: the picture coming out of Bill Taylor's testimony "is not a good one"; GOP cracks on impeachment as Trump lifts Turkey sanctions; WH attacks Bill Taylor as "radical unelected bureaucrat"; Trump calls never Trumper Republicans "human scum!"; WH attacks Bill Taylor as "radical unelected bureaucrat"; Pence on diplomats testifying: "an awful lot of the swamp has been caught up in the State Dept; Former Trump official: abuse of power not a crime; Key diplomats' testimony undermines Trump defense; Trump announces Turkey sanctions lifted, as his own envoy tells Congress Turks suspected of war crimes; Trump on Syria: "let someone else fight over blood-stained sand"; CNN poll: Biden widens significant lead among 2020 Dems via Knit

Source: "Anonymous" has "explosive" book coming out with first-hand account of president Trump; CNN: Key diplomat testifies he was told political investigations may be reason for Ukraine aid delay; McConnell denies he told Trump Ukraine call was "perfect"; CNN Poll: 50% of Americans support impeaching, removing Trump from office; Ceasefire between Turkey and Syrian Kurds just expired; Turkey and Russia agree to joint patrols along Syrian border; Iraq: U.S. Troops withdrawing from Syria cannot stay in Iraq; Esper: U.S. will conduct phased withdrawal out of Syria and Iraq; Impeachment struggling to break through in Iowa?; Iowa voters weigh in on impeachment inquiry; CNN: Key diplomat testifies he was told political investigations may be reason for Ukraine aid delay; Top diplomats tell Congress Trump wanted probe of Bidens, 2016 in return for Ukraine aid; Dem Rep calls impeachment witness Bill Taylor's testimony "a sea change"; McCarthy on Trump's lynching compar

Trump reverse course on Doral, Syria amid GOP backlash; Sources: Mulvaney faced internal efforts to oust him before democrats moved ahead with impeachment inquiry; Trump goes on rant over "phony emoluments clause"; CNN: key witness initially hesitant to take Ukraine role; Tonight: republicans to try to force censure vote on Schiff; U.S. convoy pelted with rotten vegetables as they leave Syria; Defense secretary says some U.S. troops will stay in Syria to stop ISIS form gaining access to oil fields; Trump claims U.S. troops are coming home, says his crowds love when he says it; Trump: I know more about Syria than the pundits; WSJ uncovers even more photos showing indicted Giuliani associate with president, Trump family on private Instagram; Sen. Mitt Romney tells the Atlantic he's behind secret "Pierre Delecto" twitter account; Klobuchar sharpens attacks of warren, raises $1.1M in one day; via Knit

GOP won't rule out impeachment after Mulvaney's admission; Trump deflects, distracts after Mulvaney admits quid pro quo; WaPo: Diplomat says Biden's office dismissed concerns about Hunter Biden's work in 2015; Rick Perry resigns as questions grow over conversations with Giuliani about Ukraine; Sources: Pompeo frustrated at criticism directed at him; Despite claims of a ceasefire, deadly violence continues; Turkey's President to meet Russian President Putin in days; McConnell Op-ed: Withdrawing from Syria is a grave mistake; Trump on Syria violence: "Sometimes you have to let them fight"; Hillary Clinton seems to suggest Russians "grooming" Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for third-party 2020 run; Rep. Gabbard responds to Clinton, calls her "queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption"; Hillary Clinton calls 2016 Green Party candidate Jill Stein a "Russian asset"; Former news anchors demand investigation into NBC covering up sexual misconduct; Ronan

Mulvaney admits to quid pro quo with Ukraine: "Get over it. There's going to be political influence in foreign policy"; Source: Trump legal team "baffled" by Mulvaney briefing; House lawyer drives Dems impeachment strategy; Trump: U.S. and Turkey agree to ceasefire in Syria; Turkey: "Not a ceasefire" in Syria, just a "pause"; Romney rips Trump's Syria strategy, calls for public hearings; Adm. McRaven: Our republic is under attack from the President; Trump: Kurdish allies of the U.S. are not "angels"; Warren's campaign says she's reviewing options for funding "Medicare for all"; Biden on Warren: She needs to tell truth on funding "Medicare for all"; Trump to host G7 at his Florida golf resort; via Knit

Federal investigations of Rudy Giuliani includes counterintelligence probe; Democrats speak after meeting with Trump at WH; Trump claims Turkey's invasion of Northern Syria "has nothing to do with us"; House voted 354-60 on resolution condemning Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria; Former senior aide: Pompeo silent when asked to support ambassador targeted by Giuliani; Former senior Pompeo adviser ends testimony after 5 hours; Top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine expected to testify Tuesday; Former WH, admin officials paint damning picture of Ukraine push; Trump's letter to Erdogan: "don't be a tough guy! Don't be a fool!" via Knit

Sources: Giuliani will defy subpoena for Ukraine docs; Budget Office does not plan to comply with document subpoena; OMB does not comply with document subpoena; Source: Trump's ex-Russia adviser said Bolton thought Giuliani was a "hand grenade" ready to explode; Democrats question another key witness behind closed doors as republicans attack the process; U.S. Official: Turkish-backed forces come close to U.S. troops; Void left by U.S. troops in Syria being filled by Russia; 12 Democrats face off tonight in crucial Ohio debate; Warren preps for first debate since becoming a front-runner; Hours away from twelve Democratic candidates taking the stage; via Knit

Source: in today's testimony, Trump's ex-Russia advisor praised the ousted ambassador targeted by Giuliani; NYT: former Trump adviser will testify Giuliani ran "shadow diplomacy" in Ukraine to aid Trump; Trump: "small footprint" of U.S. forces to remain in southern Syria to disrupt "remnants of ISIS"; Kurdish leader: U.S. "leaving us to be slaughtered"; McConnell slams Trump's withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria; Retired four-star gen: Trump has "blood on his hands"; Joe Biden's son Hunter to give first TV interview on day of debate; Once a toss-up, Dems fear Ohio leaning Republican; Cop who shot & killed woman in her Texas home resigns, may face charges via Knit

NYT: Former Ambassador to Ukraine testifies Trump pressured State Department to remove her; NYT: Former Ukraine Amb. blames Trump, Giuliani for her removal; NYT: Yovanovitch testifies Trump fired her based on "false claims by people with clearly questionable motives"; Sources: National Security Adviser to slash career NSC staff and add political appointees; Source: President Trump sent WSJ Op-ed "Ukraine smoke and mirrors" to all senators; U.S. Official: Turkish artillery fire hit just hundreds of meters away from U.S. Special Forces in Syria ISIS claims responsibility for car bombing in Northern Syria; Trump threatens "powerful sanctions" against Turkey; Why did Trump pull U.S. troops in Syria now?; 2020 Dems take on LGBTQ issues at CNN Town Hall; Wildfire rips through Northern L.A.; 100,000 residents evacuate; via Knit

Sources: Giuliani associates arrested while trying to leave U.S.; Prosecutors: Investigation involving Giuliani associates ongoing; Two men who helped Giuliani's efforts to dig up dirt on Biden in Ukraine under arrest; Giuliani associates to be held on$1 Million bond; Secretary Perry subpoenaed in House impeachment inquiry; Campaign finance records indicate Giuliani associates funneled money to campaign of former GOP Rep Pete Sessions; Conway: WH's response to impeachment inquiry "was trash"; Conway: Trump's pattern of prioritizing himself is impeachable; Sources: Feds looking at Giuliani's financial ties to arrested associates; Only fraction of GOP express concern over Trump Ukraine call; GOP anger grows over Trump's decision to pull troops in Syria; via Knit

Dems plan wave of subpoenas despite Trump stonewalling; Speaker Pelosi still resisting calls for impeachment inquiry vote; Trump tweets attack on impeachment probe, whistleblower; Trump Admin launches war against impeachment inquiry; Trump predicts impeachment fight could go to Supreme Court; Trump, without evidence, says whistleblower in "cahoots" with Rep Schiff; Whistleblower may secretly be deposed on Capitol Hill; Turkey sends ground forces into Syria after Trump moves U.S. troops out; U.S. Official: Turkey's attacks already hurting fight against ISIS; After heart attack, Sanders will cut back on campaign events; Warren takes the lead over Biden in new Quinnipiac poll. via Knit

Source on WH strategy: "The days of playing nice are done"; Sources: WH officials scrambled immediately after Ukraine call; Sources: At least one official alerted White House's National Security lawyers about Trump-Ukraine call; Source: WH reached out to lawyers for impeachment counsel, including former Rep Trey Gowdy; Source: Gordon Sondland called Trump before texting diplomat there was no quid pro quo & asking not to discuss over text; Schiff: State Dept withholding more relevant texts, emails from Gordon Sonland's personal device; GOP Sen Graham says he'll invite Giuliani to come testify before Senate Judiciary Committee; Top House lawyer: Trump could be impeached for lying to American public; House lawyer takes fight over Mueller docs to federal court; NYT: WH Official called Trump-Ukraine call "crazy" & "frightening"; Washington Post poll: 58% of Americans support decision to start impeachment probe; Washington Post poll: Support for impeachment inves

Rick Perry: I asked Trump to call Ukraine on energy, not Bidens; Two key witnesses testify in impeachment inquiry this week; Trump unleashes on Dems & whistleblowers in twitter rant; Source: Mulvaney said Trump would win 45 states if impeached; Some republican allies dismiss Trumps request to China and Ukraine as a joke; Portman now forth GOP senator to criticize Trump for asking China & Ukraine to investigate Biden; Trump: whistleblower got Ukraine call "completely wrong"; Fact: WH transcript aligns with whistleblower complaint; Trump: Schiff & Pelosi should be impeached; Fact: House members cannot be impeached; Sources: Dems considering disguising whistleblowers face and voice if they testify before congress; Trump pulls U.S. troops from northern Syria leaving Kurds vulnerable to Turkish military forces, some in GOP say he's abandoning allies; Nikki Haley: Trump leaving U.S. allies "to die"; Trump: "I'm not siding with anybody" on decision to move troops;

Trump claims Biden probe just about rooting out corruption, but cannot name any other corruption probes he's ordered; Trump claims he's investigating corruption, not his rivals; Sources: Trump promised China's president he'd be silent on Hong Kong democracy protests while trade talks continued; House Dems ask VP Pence to turn over Ukraine docs; Trump can't name a corruption investigation he's requested that isn't about a political rival; Sources: Intel IG gave committee documents showing efforts to corroborate whistleblower complaint; WSJ: GOP Sen. learned of potential quid pro quo from U.S. Amb., Trump denies in a phone call with Senator; Trump insists text messages reveal no quid pro quo in Ukraine dealings; Volker: Trump said "corrupt" Ukraine "tried to take me down"; Text messages show how Trump admin tried to pressure Ukraine to investigate Biden; Ukraine to probe owner of company linked to Biden's son; via Knit

Pence on Biden: Must be "above the appearance of impropriety"; First witness in Ukraine probe testifies before 3 House Cmtes; Schiff clarifies after saying committee had no contact with whistleblower; Schiff: Trump's invitation to foreign leaders today "repugnant"; Giuliani says some of the conspiracy theory documents about Bidens, Ukraine Ambassador originated with him; Trump publicly urges another foreign power to investigate Biden; Trump: Ukraine & China should investigate Joe Biden & Son; Trump says Ukraine & China should investigate Bidens, despite no evidence of wrongdoing; Dem Rep Rose: Democrats should not cheer Trump impeachment; Pence insists Trump's Ukraine call was "appropriate"; Sources: Pence aides anxious, frustrated over Ukraine scandal; Pence echoes Trump's debunked claims about the Bidens; Pence claims he didn't discuss Biden with Ukrainian Pres; Trump says Ukraine & China should investigate Bidens, despite no evidence of wron

Trump: Only "legitimate" whistleblowers should be protected; Trump falsely claims whistleblower is "dishonest" & "inaccurate"; Now: State Dept Inspector General holding "urgent" briefing on Capitol Hill over Ukraine; House Democrats: Stonewalling by Trump Administration may be considered obstruction; Lineup announced for CNN/NYT Dem Presidential Debate; Trump froze Ukraine aid in June, demanded a policy review that baffled officials; via Knit