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DRIVING THE CONVERSATION: “Trump the Dealmaker Projects Bravado, but Behind the Scenes, Faces Rare Self-Doubt” by Glenn Thrush and Maggie Haberman: “To Mr. Trump and his team, the health care repeal is a troublesome stepchild. His son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, who is vacationing with his family in Aspen this week, has said for days that the bill was a mistake to support. Yet Mr. Trump wants to fulfill his party’s pledge to roll back President Obama’s signature accomplishment, but only as a prelude to building his wall, cutting taxes and pushing his $1 trillion infrastructure package.” [NYTimes] 

“Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner on Aspen Ski Break Amid Washington Drama” by Rebecca Ballhaus: “During a week in which Mr. Trump has faced perhaps the most significant test yet of his presidency, Mr. Kushner and Ms. Trump were in Aspen, Colo., skiing with other members of the Trump family… Mr. Kushner, officially a senior adviser, and Ms. Trump are considered two of the most influential voices in Mr. Trump’s orbit.” [WSJ] • Pics [DailyMail]

Jim Manley: “The idea that Jared Kushner is supposedly a top WH aide and yet is in Aspen this week is amazeballs and an insult to staffers everywhere.” [Twitter]

“Trump, Tillerson Settle on No. 2 at State Department” by Felicia Schwartz and Gordon Lubold: “John J. Sullivan, 57, initially was the Trump administration’s pick to be the Pentagon’s general counsel… But in recent days Trump administration officials decided they would instead tap him to be deputy secretary of state, the officials said… Mr. Tillerson met Mr. Sullivan while Mr. Tillerson was preparing for his confirmation hearing, the person said. Mr. Sullivan role-played as a senator to help him prepare, and the two men have kept in touch.” [WSJ] 

Robert Costa: “Trump wants to bring John Bolton into the administration. That’s why Bolton is at the WH today, per a Trump confidant. Ongoing convo.” [Twitter] 

Glenn Thrush‏: “John Bolton just walked into the West Wing — I asked him what he was doing, he smiled and said ‘health care!!!!'” [Twitter] 

ART OF THE DEAL? “US-Israeli talks conclude with no agreement on settlements” by Carol Morello and Anne Gearan: “The White House expressed its “concerns” with settlement construction after talks with senior Israeli officials in Washington ended Thursday night with a joint statement showing the two governments unable to agree on a settlement policy that could pave the way to peace talks resuming… In two sentences, the statement laid out positions that made it clear that issue was unresolved. “The United States delegation reiterated President Trump’s concerns regarding settlement activity in the context of moving towards a peace agreement,” it said. “The Israeli delegation made clear that Israel’s intent going forward is to adopt a policy regarding settlement activity that takes those concerns into consideration.”” [WashPost; Reuters]

Bret Stephens:“Most interesting about this readout is that it could have come from a Democratic Administration. #embassymove?” [Twitter] 

Earlier in the day, Senator Ted Cruz told JI’s Aaron Magid: “I have long said that the question of settlements is a question for the democratically elected government of Israel to resolve. I am going to focus on the underlying substance and leave conversations between the Administration and Israel to the Administration and Israel.”

Jason Greenblatt: “It was an honor to meet with Sen. Ted Cruz today. We had an engaging discussion on ways we can collaborate.” [Twitter]

“Conservatives in Israel, U.S. Target Obama Holdover on Trump’s Mideast Team” by Barak Ravid and Amir Tibon: “A senior minister in the security cabinet told Haaretz that [Yael] Lempert’s presence during Greenblatt’s visit – and her involvement in talks between the White House and Prime Minister’s Office about reining in settlement construction – were a concern for Netanyahu and his advisers. “The feeling I got was that the Prime Minister’s Office would rather distance her,” said the senior minister.” … The Israeli Embassy in Washington… said Dermer and Lempert have had, and continue to enjoy, a good working relationship. “We have no objections to working with Yael Lempert or with any other American official,” stated the Prime Minister’s Office.” [Haaretz]

Member of Knesset Yair Lapid on the Global Politico podcast with Susan Glasser: “I’m old enough to remember the first year of the Bill Clinton administration, which was as messy, if my memory, serves me. So in all, the American president has now been the president for a month. We’re not into the 100 days yet, right? So we’re willing to wait and I find this encouraging that there is a commitment, that there is a positive way of looking at things. You know what? If you are appointing your son-in-law, then you care about this… We know one thing about the son-in-law. Even four or eight years from now, after he’s president, he’s still going to meet him every Friday night. So if you’re putting somebody who is that close to you over there, then it means something… I’d rather be optimistic about it and there are signs that there is a reason to be optimistic… If you have an American president who is willing to put effort into solving the problem, then it’s a good thing.” [Politico] • Full Transcript [Politico]

KAFE KNESSET — Ya’alon Prepping PM Campaign — by Tal Shalev and JPost’s Lahav Harkov: Still in waiting mode for the next chapter of the latest coalition crisis, former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon is starting to heat up his campaign on the sidelines of the main court. Its been almost a year since Ya’alon was replaced by Avigdor Liberman, and earlier this month he reaffirmed that he will be heading a new party in the next election. That election, he estimated in a radio interview today, will take place within less than a year… Ya’alon hasn’t officially launched his new party yet, and his aides say he is discreetly working on scouting various public figures to join him on the list, which he envisions as a pragmatic right-wing party that will counter the growing populism in his former Likud home.

But recent polls show that the electoral prospects of another right wing party – alongside the Likud, Yisrael Beytenu, Bayit Yehudi, and center-right Kulanu – are shaky. In the latest poll, conducted this week for the local 103 radio station, Ya’alon does not even pass the electoral threshold, and in other surveys this month he was projected to receive between 4-6 seats. Ya’alon is only beginning his campaign, and polls in this era are always taken with a grain of salt, but these numbers are far from the minimum needed to reach the number 1 post, where Ya’alon has stated he is aiming. If the numbers don’t change dramatically, many political pundits assume he might have to eventually join forces with another party, presumably Lapid’s Yesh Atid or Kahlon’s Kulanu. However, Ya’alon and his aides totally dismiss this scenario. Time will tell. Read today’s entire Kafe Knesset here [JewishInsider]

FRIEDMAN, AMBASSADOR FRIEDMAN: After a brief debate yesterday afternoon, the Senate confirmed David Friedman’s nomination for U.S. Ambassador to Israel in a near party-line vote. Only two Democrats, Bob Menendez (NJ) and Joe Manchin (WV), crossed party lines and voted with the Republicans in favor of Friedman. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand voted against their fellow New Yorker.

Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) on the Senate floor: “Mr. Friedman’s smearing of my fellow Jews, many of whom are members of J Street, should be a disqualifier… I am convinced that a just and lasting agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians on a two-state solution though very difficult, can and must be achieved. Confirming David Friedman as Ambassador to Israel will only serve to make that job more difficult, if not impossible.” [JewishInsider]

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI): “There are some things that we ought to be able to agree upon, that our Ambassador to Israel should not be more involved in Israel’s politics than our own, that our Ambassador to Israel should not be so provocative that they wouldn’t even be welcome at the peace negotiating table. Our Ambassador should not be the kind of person who uses language to fuel violence, hate, instability, and that means we should be able to agree that our Ambassador to Israel cannot be Mr. Friedman.”

Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM): “29 Holocaust scholars objected to his Kapo remarks. The Historical record shows they said and I quote, ‘That Kapos were Jews who the Nazis forced at pain of death to serve them in the Concentration and Extermination Camps. These Jews faced terrible dilemmas but ultimately were made into unwilling tools of Nazi brutality. To brand one’s political opponents, members of one’s own community merely for debate is historically indefensible and is a deeply disturbing example of the abuse of the Holocaust and its victims for present political gain’ end quote. Mr. Friedman, a group of Holocaust survivors called his use of Kapos, and I quote here, ‘Slanderous, irresponsible, cynical and immensely damaging to our people,’ end quote.”

— “Inside the Israeli government, the party-line vote indicated that his confirmation was viewed less as a policy statement by lawmakers than as a statement on Trump’s ability to ram through a controversial appointment.” [WashPost] 

Phil Rosen, past foreign policy advisor to candidates Romney and Rubio, tells us… “It’s terrific that a great friend of Israel and of the wonderful U.S./Israel relationship in all respects will be representing the United States on the ground in Israel. David brings strong advocacy and fresh ideas to everything he does and touches. President Trump trusts David explicitly and implicitly which is essential for an ambassador in a key country like Israel. I’m disappointed that so few Democrat Senators supported David. David will represent the entire United States and its government and people as ambassador.”

“Trump’s Longtime Lawyer Is Defending Russia’s Biggest Bank,” by Anthony Cormier, Jeremy Singer-Vine and John Templon: “One of President Donald Trump’s personal attorneys was just named a lead attorney to defend Russia’s largest state-run bank against claims that it helped a granite-mining company raid and kill off its main competitor in the Russian market. Marc E. Kasowitz is representing OJSC Sberbank of Russia, which is accused in US federal court of conspiring with granite company executives… Kasowitz has served as an attorney for Trump for more than 15 years… In December, Trump named another partner at Kasowitz’s firm, David Friedman, to serve as the ambassador to Israel.” [BuzzFeed]

ON THE HILL — “Iran sanctions bill unveiled by bipartisan Senate group” by Austin Wright: “Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) on Thursday unveiled a bipartisan bill to slap Iran with new sanctions… The bill is supported by more than a dozen senators… giving it a strong chance of being taken up in the Senate. The measure would impose mandatory sanctions on those involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program. It would apply terrorism sanctions to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard… An aide to Cardin said the senator worked behind the scenes to strip from the bill anything that would harm the Iran nuclear deal… Cardin stripped out language that would have prohibited the president from using the national security waiver to enter into international agreements with Iran.” [Politico]

HAPPENING TODAY: The Foundation for Defense of Democracies will host a breakfast conversation titled “Keeping Iran in Check: How to Combat Iran’s Illicit Activities” with David Albright, Founder and President of the Institute for Science and International Security, FDD’s CEO Mark Dubowitz, and Brian Katulis, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. Oren Dorell, foreign affairs reporter at USA Today, will moderate the panel at 10 am EST.

HEARD YESTERDAY — Wendy Sherman discussed the Iran nuclear talks leading up to the deal on The Axe Files: “We negotiated with partners and allies – Israel, of course – on a regular basis… Technically, every step of the way they knew what we were doing and they were immensely helpful… We never told everybody that we could get everything done (re: Iran’s missiles and regional behavior) in one deal, and indeed oddly, at the beginning of the negotiation, Gulf countries said to us, ‘Don’t discuss anything else because we are not in the room. You are talking about our lives and our futures.’” [CNN] 

Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) talked to Aaron Magid about calls for the US to reduce funding or withdraw membership to the UNHRC: “I think Ambassador Haley should work really hard to try to prevail upon the other members — I hate for us to send the signal that we are no longer interested in human rights, but I also understand that Israel is not getting a fair shot at the UN right now. I think that (withdrawing membership) would be a dramatic step. I think we should do everything short of that to try to see if we can make it a fair place for Israel.”

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK): “I would do anything to get their attention so that they prioritize the independence of Israel.”

“What’s Behind Israel’s Diplomatic Flare-Up With Russia” by Adam Chandler: “Despite Netanyahu’s exhortations, there’s no guarantee that Russia will maintain its tacit agreement with Israel over its activities in Syria, especially as Assad’s prospects only continue to brighten. Should Russia change its mind and tell Israel to cease its activities in Syria, the cost of future Israeli strikes will go up, leaving Bibi with fewer options. He could turn to the U.S. for sympathy—something he may not find within the new administration.” [TheAtlantic] 

TALK OF OUR NATION: “Jewish groups say they are relieved and heartbroken after arrest in JCC threats” by Mark Berman: “It was heartbreaking to learn that a Jewish man is a prime suspect,” Jerry Silverman, president and chief executive of the Jewish Federations of North America, said in a statement… “While the details of this crime remain unclear, the impact of this individual’s actions is crystal clear: These were acts of anti-Semitism,” Jonathan A. Greenblatt, chief executive of the ADL, said in a statement… The FBI briefed Jewish leaders in the United States on Thursday morning, according to Silverman, who praised “the unprecedented level of time and resources that were committed to this investigation… Jewish groups pointed out that there are still troubling anti-Semitic incidents left unsolved.” [WashPost; NYTimes] 

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