1. Comey praised the FBI for speaking up against "weasels and liars" in a tweet, and called on more leaders in the government to do the same. (The Hill)

  2. Sean Hannity has been advising Trump on The Memo™ all week, according to sources with knowledge of their conversations. Trump has apparently had several phone calls with Hannity over the last few weeks, and his constant advocacy has reinforced Trump's own determination to see the memo released to the public. (The Daily Beast)

  3. CIA Director Mike Pompeo met with the head of Russia's foreign intelligence agency, even though the head of the GRU was barred from entering the US under sanctions put in place in 2014. On Thursday, Pompeo defended the meeting and claimed that he and other officials only met with the Russian operatives "to keep Americans safe." The Russian Embassy in Washington announced the meeting with Pompeo in a tweet on Jan. 30. (CNN)

  4. Top aides in the White House are worried that FBI Director Christopher Wray may resign if Republicans release The Memo™ alleging the FBI abused its surveillance tools. Trump was expected to announce on Thursday whether he would be releasing the memo, and was caught saying that he would on a hot CSPAN mic after the State of the Union address. (CNN)

  5. Trump ramped up his attacks on the FBI and Justice Department by claiming in a tweet that the leaders of the agencies favor Democrats over Republicans and have “politicized the sacred investigative process.” He also added: “Rank & File are great people!” (Washington Post)

  6. White House officials want to see more military options for a strike against North Korea, and are frustrated by what they consider to be the Pentagon's unwillingness to provide them. The national security adviser, Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster believes threats are only credible if they are backed by well-developed military plans, but sources say the Pentagon is worried that the White House is too eager to use military action against the Korean Peninsula, which could lead to a catastrophic escalation. (New York Times)