The Russia House: The NY Times reports that President Trump has been “angry, defensive and protective” since his son Donald Jr. has been swept up in the Russia mess, according to people who’ve spoken to the President.

Trump tweeted about Junior’s appearance on Fox News Tuesday night, “My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!”

It’s a witch hunt in which Donald Jr. admitted that he took a meeting with a Russian lawyer offering damaging information about Hillary Clinton. News outlets reported for several days about the meeting citing “sources” until Trump Jr. confirmed the meeting and released his own damning emails.

Nonetheless, the President tweeted, “Remember, when you hear the words ‘sources say’ from the Fake Media, often times those sources are made up and do not exist.” The sources do exist and some of them may have offices within 100 feet of the President. There appears to be an internal battle in the White House and among Trump’s advisers, in which some members of the inner circle are trying to kill off others with leaks. Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner could be one of the targets.

Philip Rucker and Ashley Parker write in The Washington Post that, “A handful of Republican operatives close to the White House are scrambling to Trump Jr.’s defense and have begun what could be an extensive campaign to try to discredit some of the journalists who have been reporting on the matter.”

Rucker and Parker say, “Their plan, as one member of the team described it, is to research the reporters’ previous work, in some cases going back years, and to exploit any mistakes or perceived biases. They intend to demand corrections, trumpet errors on social media and feed them to conservative outlets, such as Fox News.”

Trump attempted to gloss over the mess tweeting, “The W.H. is functioning perfectly, focused on HealthCare, Tax Cuts/Reform & many other things. I have very little time for watching T.V.”

The Big Breakup: A 120-mile long chunk of ice weighing a trillion tons has broken off from Antarctica, creating one of the biggest icebergs ever recorded. Scientists have been watching what’s known as the Larsen C ice shelf, predicting its break.

The map of Antarctica will have to be re-drawn. The berg’s volume is described as twice the size of Lake Erie, but we’d understand better if it was measured in cubic football fields.

There’s debate about whether this is the result of global warming, but scientists say it appears to be an otherwise natural calving of an iceberg. Because it was already floating, it makes no difference to the sea level.

Nation: Investigators in Pennsylvania have found the body of one of four young men who went missing last week. The body of 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro was found in what has been described as a 12-foot deep “common grave.” Other remains have been found.

New Genes: In a harbinger of what is to come in medicine, an FDA panel has approved a gene-altering therapy for leukemia, the first such disease treatment that would reach the market. The full FDA is expected to sign off on it.

The treatment alters genes so that the body fights its own cancer.

The FDA panel introduced 12-year-old Emily Whitehead, who was given the experimental treatment at age six and is now cancer free.

Justice Files: President Trump’s nominee to head the FBI, Christopher Wray, said in his Senate confirmation hearing yesterday that he would “never allow the FBI’s work to be driven by anything other than the facts, the law and the impartial pursuit of justice. Period.” He’s been named to replace the fired James Comey — David Wildstein, the supposed mastermind of the New Jersey “Bridgegate” scandal avoided prison yesterday with a sentence of three years’ probation. He pleaded guilty and testified against his accomplices, who went to jail — A new law in Michigan makes female genital mutilation a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. It applies to doctors and whoever performs the procedure as well as the parents who submit their daughter to it. The operation to deny a woman sexual pleasure has been somewhat common in parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East and has now come to the United States.

Jim: President Trump is in Paris today to attend Bastille Day celebrations without his friend, “Jim.” Trump has occasionally mentioned his otherwise unidentified friend who used to love to go to Paris with his family, but doesn’t anymore. Trump said during a February speech, that “Jim” told him, “I don’t go there anymore. Paris is no longer Paris.”

No one knows whether “Jim” is real or an imaginary friend.  The President will have to tell Jim all about it when he gets home.

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