The Presidential Daily Brief

Kamala Harris to Withdraw From Presidential Race

Senator of California Kamala Harris announced Tuesday that she is pulling out of the 2020 Democratic Presidential race after slumping in the polls in recent months. Harris's campaign enjoyed a strong start, but her inability to communicate a clear strategy to voters proved to be a major set back. Pressure from major donors was another issue, with Harris fearing that she could loose vital financial support if she failed to make gains in the polls.

What's the big picture? Harris falling out may be a gain for Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who was directly ahead of her in the polls.

Turmoil, Tensions Mark NATO Summit

"Are we waving in celebration or do people think we are drowning?" That's what one senior European diplomat asked as the military alliance prepared to mark its 70th anniversary in London today. With members squabbling over cash and a failure to cooperate, NATO is facing a precarious political future. French President Emmanuel Macron even called it "brain dead" last month after Washington's troop withdrawal from Syria paved the way for a unilateral Turkish offensive.

What's on the agenda? When officials meet at Buckingham Palace, they'll discuss the military threat from China and consider space as a new arena of warfare.

North Korea Offers Stark Warning to Washington

Less than a week after its latest weapons test, the Hermit Kingdom warned the Trump administration that it's "entirely up to the U.S. what Christmas gift" it will get. The comments by North Korea's vice minister of foreign affairs served as a stark reminder that the year-end deadline to strike a nuclear deal is fast approaching. Talks between the two sides have suffered since February.

What "gift" could the U.S. receive? Some observers suspect it could be a satellite launch or another intercontinental ballistic missile test.

Read this OZY op-ed about why North Korea is keeping its nukes.

US Threatens Tariffs on French Goods

The Trump administration says it's preparing to levy taxes of up to 100 percent on $2.4 billion in French imports like Champagne, cheese and handbags in response to France's digital services law. The White House claims the measure, enacted in July, unfairly targets major American tech firms like Apple and Google by levying a 3 percent tax on revenue earned in France.

Is this a done deal? Producers and consumers will have a chance to weigh in on the tariffs in Washington next month, while tech sector representatives are hoping a settlement can still be reached.

Reports: Barr Disputes Inspector General's Finding on Russia

U.S. Attorney General William Barr reportedly disagrees with his own department's assertion that the FBI had enough cause to launch a probe into suspected collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in July 2016. If Barr goes public with his complaint, it could buoy Republicans' claims of a politically motivated investigation — but also fuel criticism that the country's top lawyer is openly siding with the president. Inspector General Michael Horowitz's report is due next week.

Will Barr pipe up? That remains to be seen, especially since he's said to have praised Horowitz's work in the past.

Also Important...

In her first British TV interview, Virginia Giuffre repeated her allegations that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew. Iranian state media said police had killed "rioters" in multiple cities during recent gasoline-related protests. And jury selection begins today in the defamation lawsuit against Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

#OZYfact: Support for the Labour Party has declined by 12 percentage points among British Indians since the 2017 general election. Read more on OZY.

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