<em>The Atlantic</em> Daily: Roadblocks and Rifts

What We’re Following

Responses to Harvey: After being criticized for his lack of empathy toward Hurricane Harvey victims Tuesday, President Trump expressed compassion for those affected in Texas in prepared remarks ahead of a speech on tax reform. While he acknowledged recovery would be a tough process, lawyers in Houston got to work helping victims of the storm who might face challenges from landlords and bureaucratic systems. More roadblocks wait down the road, with the psychological and academic impact on schoolchildren—who tend to be particularly affected by these types of extreme events —yet to be seen.

Though Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is getting heavy criticism for, diplomats inside his department have long been skeptical of the utility of such positions. Tillerson is also clashing with the White House over whether to sanction Venezuela for its authoritarian actions—which in the Trump administration’s foreign policy.