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When you talk to GOP lawmakers in the Congress about an overhaul of the Obama health law, one of the most mentioned items by Republicans is making it possible for insurance companies to sell health coverage policies across state lines, as the Trump Administration argues that will help promote competition, and bring down prices for consumers. Theres no question about it, said White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Tuesday, if one plan can sell that was in Maryland into Virginia where they could seek additional customers, that competition alone invariably brings down costs. Once you allow competition, by itself that will bring down costs, it will bring in choice, Spicer said, as he told reporters that such a plan would likely be part of a broader health policy bill in Congress, known as phase 3 of GOP efforts on health care. Spicer: There's bipartisan support for these things. 'Who could be against allowing insurance to be sold over state lines?' David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) March 14, 2017 But while this is a big Republican selling point in the health care debate, a quick look at current federal law shows that selling health insurance policies across state lines is already allowed ironically, there is a provision to do that under the Obama health law. Just grab your handy copy of the Affordable Care Act, and there in Section 1333 is where states can agree to health care choice compacts that would allow health insurance companies to sell their products across states lines. The fine print from 2010 shows us that the feds were to work with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to develop regulations for that interstate sale of health insurance. But those regulations for interstate health care choice compacts between states were never issued in fact, the Obama Administration never consulted the NAIC at all. The NAIC was never asked to develop the standards, the group told me earlier this week. Since those regulations have never been issued, that would seemingly give a big opening to Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to administratively make the push for interstate sale of health insurance since he would now be in charge of setting the ground rules. Under the provisions of the Obama health law, any state compacts to allow for the interstate sale of health insurance would have to include the ten Essential Health Benefits (EHBs) that govern the minimum coverage standards set out by the Affordable Care Act for insurance sales. It is important to note that those EHBs are not set in stone in the Obama health law, as section 1302(b) gives the HHS Secretary the power to define the essential health benefits, in ten different categories. In other words, Secretary Price could first set the ground rules for the interstate sale of health insurance, and then tweak the minimum standards for what needs to be covered in such a plan, all without any action by lawmakers in the Congress. In fact, in a Friday meeting with GOP lawmakers, Price indicated that he may be ready to issue a new rule on Essential Health Benefits but there was no mention of a change on selling insurance across state lines. One must point out in this discussion, that while the issue is popular with many Republicans, there are a number of people who see pitfalls in such a move. Selling insurance across state lines has to be one of the least well understood health policy issues, by the public and policymakers alike. https://t.co/MEy78HIBFz Larry Levitt (@larry_levitt) March 17, 2017 One reason is that individual states regulate insurance sales, setting many of their own rules dealing with coverage. So, while it might sound simple to someone outside the insurance industry, there would actually have to be some uniformity on sales of insurance across state lines thats why the Obama health law requires states to set out agreements in advance with each other. For example, if the state of Florida required health plans to cover preexisting conditions but the state of Georgia did not would Florida have to allow Georgia insurers to sell in the Sunshine State, even though they have lower coverage standards? Again, all of that could be hammered out administratively right now but so far, Republicans and the Trump Administration have showed no interest in whats already in federal law. Selling insurance across states lines its already allowed in the Obama health law.

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8 Tips for Deciphering Diet Claims - KRMG

This article, and others on alternative, natural ways to increase your health, is found in Newsweek's Special Edition: Nature's RemediesHeal Your Body.

The vast majorityof the estimated 1.6 million Americans who were newly diagnosed with some form of cancer last year had their lives forever changed, no doubt forced to reckon with overwhelming feelings of uncertainty, helplessness and fear. Its estimated the disease cost more than 600,000 Americans their lives in 2016, and it remains one of the most serious medical threats a person can confront in his or her lifetime. For this reason, oncologists continue to create a barrage of treatments in their fight against the Big C ranging from the dramatic, like blasting the body with radiation, to the mundane, like telling their patients to eat well.

While perhaps a third of all cancers are related to dietary factors, only a few people in contemporary American medicine realize that a well-structured, nutritional regimen may be useful in the treatment of cancer as well as essential in cancer prevention, writes Dr. Keith Block, co-founder of the Block Center Integrative Cancer Treatment, in the newsletter Nutrition Digest. The field is not unanimous in itsendorsement, however, and while treatment through diet is causing excitement for some, its eliciting cries of quackery from others.

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A healthy diet is the first line of defense for cancer prevention. A 2014 study in The Lancet revealed a connection between a gain of 34 pounds and a 10 percent increase in the risk of colon cancer. DAXIAO PRODUCTIONS/STOCKSY

The vast majority of medical professionals remain skeptical of claims that proper nutrition alone can drive cancer into remissionciting the dearth of evidence backing up such assertionsbut mainstream science has by-and-large come to a consensus that what patients eat and drink affects how they react to treatments. With a healthy diet, youll go into treatment with reserves to help keep up your strength, prevent body tissue from breaking down, rebuild tissue and maintain your defenses against infection, the American Cancer Society posts on its website. In fact, some cancer treatments work better in people who are well-nourished and are getting enough calories and protein. In other words, while an apple a day might keep the doctor away, a better rule to keep your oncologist happy is to never skip breakfast and make sure youre eating enough grilled chicken breasts.

The vague nature of the ACSs recommendations on what exactly to eat if one wants to ward off cancer reflects how personal nutrition is, and how any truly effective diet plan needs to be created in conjunction with nutritional experts. But in general, whats healthy for the general population is also whats good for cancer patients, meaning those battling the disease should continue to load up on green, leafy vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats. One study conductedat the Albert Einstein College of Medicine trying to determine if cancer patients undergoing treatment benefit from a special diet found some evidence that shows restricting carbohydrates (and therefore reducing the amount of insulin the body produces) slowed cancer growth in some patients.

Though the question of prevention through diet is still a contentious one, theres a solid and growing body of evidence that what we eat can help us ward off cancer before it strikes. Again, rather than working on promises of miracle foods that can protect the body against all forms of the disease, a diet aimed at cancer prevention needs to incorporatea variety of foods to help reduce the risk. For example, according to a study in British Medical Journal, for every 10 grams of fiber consumed daily (found in whole grains such as oatmeal and brown rice), the risk of contracting colon cancer lowers by 10 percent. A cancer-conscious consumer should also be wary of processed meats, such as hot dogs, ham and bacon, which the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified as a carcinogen (studies found consuming 50 grams of those meats every day increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent). Its just one more reason to think before you eat.

This article was excerpted from Newsweek's Special Edition: Nature's RemediesHeal Your Body. For more on the definitive guide to alternative methods of healing the mind, body and soul, pick up a copy today.

Topix Media Lab

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Can a Good Diet Help Ward Off Cancer? - Newsweek

You may not walk like an Egyptian, but you might want to eat like a Tsimane.

A study published today in The Lancet says the forager-horticulturist tribe in South America has the lowest reported levels of vascular aging of any population on Earth.

Besides the healthy heart conditions, these indigenous people of the Bolivian Amazon region also have low blood pressure, low cholesterol, and low blood glucose.

The researchers attributed these healthy qualities to the tribes high level of physical activity and its plant-based diet.

They concluded that the lack of this type of activity and diet in developed countries such as the United States should be added to the risks associated with heart problems.

The loss of subsistence diets and lifestyles could be classed as a new risk factor for vascular aging and we believe that components of this way of life could benefit contemporary sedentary populations, said Hillard Kaplan, PhD, senior author and anthropology professor at the University of New Mexico, in a press statement.

Katie Ferraro, a registered dietitian and assistant clinical professor at the University of San Diego and University of California, agrees with the assessment.

We could certainly move in their direction, Ferraro told Healthline. We could look to them as models.

Read more: Why nutrition advice is so confusing

The researchers visited 85 Tsimane villages in 2014 and 2015.

They took CT scans of the hearts of 705 village residents between the ages of 40 and 94.

They checked for hardening of the coronary arteries as well as the villagers height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, blood glucose, and inflammation.

They discovered that 85 percent of Tsimane people had no risk of heart disease. That included two-thirds of the villagers who were 75 years or older.

Another 13 percent of the tribe members had a low risk, while 3 percent had moderate or high risk.

A similar study of 6,814 people in the United States ages 45 to 84 showed that only 14 percent had no risk of heart disease. About 50 percent had a moderate or high risk. Another third had a low risk.

The Tsimane population also had low heart rates and healthy levels of blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol.

This was despite the fact that about half of villagers did show elevated levels of inflammation.

The inflammation common to the Tsimane was not associated with increased risk of heart disease and may instead be the result of high rates of infections, said Dr. Randall Thompson, cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute.

The researchers credited the villagers plant-based diet and physical activity level for their health.

They noted that the Tsimane people spend only 10 percent of their waking hours being inactive. That compares with a 54 percent inactivity level in people in industrialized nations.

The researchers said hunting, fishing, gathering, and farming keep the men working six to seven hours a day, and the women working four to six hours a day.

They also noted the Tismane peoples plant-rich diet, which is 72 percent carbohydrates, includes nonprocessed foods such as rice, corn, nuts, and fruits. Their diet is about 14 percent protein, coming from animal meat.

Smoking is also rare in these villages.

Read more: Hold the butter. Its not that good for you

Ferraro said the activity level and the carbohydrate-rich diet were the two factors that stood out in the study.

She noted high-carb diets are generally considered unhealthy in the United States, but thats because Americans tend to get their carbohydrates from processed foods.

The villagers are eating the right carbohydrates, said Ferraro, who teaches a cultural foods class at San Diego State University. Theyre a prescription for heart disease prevention.

Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD, a licensed, registered dietitian who is a wellness manager at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, agreed with that assessment.

It shows that having a high-carb diet is not as bad as people think with the key point that their carbs were also loaded with fiber, something the body cannot digest, Kirkpatrick told Healthline. I've always recommended a back to the basics approach to diet and this clearly shows the upside to that.

Both dietitians also pointed to the high activity level as another key.

I think the physical activity factor here is huge, said Kirkpatrick, and for sure corresponds to the new studies showing that inactivity is as risky to health as obesity.

Both acknowledge that Americans arent going to move to a tent in a national park and try to hunt game.

However, they said there are ways people in modern societies can incorporate parts of the Tsimane lifestyle.

One is to significantly reduce the amount of processed foods in the diet.

The mantra of fresh vegetables, fruits, and nuts is applicable here.

The other is to lead a more active lifestyle, even for people who have desk jobs where they are sitting most of the workday.

Ferraro said its a good habit to get up every hour from your desk and be active for 5 to 7 minutes. You can even set a timer to remind you.

That practice will add 45 minutes to an hour of exercise to your day.

Make movement part of your daily routine, she said.

Read more: Children consuming lots more artificial sweeteners

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The Tribal Diet That Could Eliminate Heart Disease - Healthline

Calving season either has started or is just around the corner. Although first-calvers represent your future brood cows, they require more labor, higher quality feeds, and they reward your efforts by weaning the lightest group of calves in the herd.

This is temporary, because, if we have done our homework with due diligence, they will reward us by being productive cows for a long time.

One of the challenges is providing a high-quality diet to these females after calving. In many situations, the energy needs are not met, and the first-calf female loses weight and body condition from the time of calving to the start of the breeding season.

The pounds of protein or energy needed by the first-calf female compared to a mature cow at the same stage of gestation or lactation are not all that different. However, the percent of the diet that needs to be protein or energy between these two groups of females is different.

The difference is because of the amount of feed/forage they can eat. The mature cow can eat more feed compared to the younger female.

For this reason, beginning at least three weeks before calving, first-calvers need to be managed and fed separate from the mature cows. Research from the University of Nebraska reported indicates a first-calf-heifer within three weeks of calving experiences a 17 percent decrease in daily feed intake.

These data further illustrate the need to separate first-calf-heifers from mature cows beginning at least three weeks before the start of the calving season and illustrate that nutrient density of the diet has to be high because intake is restricted. Intake is re-established to more normal levels by about one week post-calving.

The first-calf-females post-calving need to consume a diet that is at least 62 percent TDN and 10 percent to 11 percent crude protein, depending on level of milk production. Feeding bermudagrass hay that tests 58 percent TDN and 12 percent crude protein, prairie hay that tests 54 percent TDN and 6.5 percent crude protein, bromegrass hay that is 58 percent TDN and 11 percent crude protein, or early-bloom alfalfa that is 60 percent TDN and 20 percent crude will not meet the first-calf-females energy (TDN) needs, whether feeding individually or in a combination of feeds. Some of these forages will not meet their protein needs. A high energy feed needs to be supplemented. Corn, distillers grains, gluten feed, 20 percent cube, or silage may be good choices. Make sure the protein requirement is met, especially when corn or silage is fed.

In ranch situations, the supplement may be fed on the ground instead of in bunks. Depending on the quality of the hay and the energy content of the supplement, it may take two to three pounds per head per day to meet requirements. Likely there is minimal waste when feeding an energy cube/cake or whole shell corn.

A young beef female poses challenges, but she is the future of your cowherd. Do not short her after calving; especially do not skimp on the energy. She has enough challenges between calving and the beginning of the breeding season. Do not over-feed her, but give her an opportunity to be a productive part of the herd.

Nelson is Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service ag educator for Garfield County.

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First-calvers have special diet requirements - Enid News & Eagle

Katey Sagal, four-time Golden Globe Award nominee for Married With Children, who finally won a Globe for Sons of Anarchy, writes in her new book, Grace Notes: My Recollections, out Tuesday: The magical part about winning is that, if you have a Globe award in hand, you can talk to anyone, and everyone wants to talk to you.

Sarah [her daughter] wanted to meet Colin Firth, and so we did. Dame Helen Mirren talked to me like we were old friends, even though wed never met. Anne Hathaway chased me down and leapt into my arms, letting me know how happy she was to see me.

Sagal blames growing up in Los Angeles for an attitude toward drugs that led to a 15-year addiction to diet pills, cocaine and alcohol. When I was 12, we lived on the same block as Judy Garland. Her daughter Lorna Luft and I became neighborhood buddies. Lornas mom had a lot of pills on her bedside table and slept past noon just like my mom. We hung tight. And, of course, I thought everyones mom took a lot of pills.

Before becoming an actress, Sagal was a singing waitress. I could get your order wrong, spill blue cheese dressing on your lap, whisper what an a-hole you were, and then pick up my guitar or go to the piano and sing you an awesome rendition of Brown Eyed Girl.

After being a backup singer for Bette Midler and Etta James, she was approached to audition for The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Her reaction was, Are you kidding? Im not even looking for a job as an actor. Im a musician! Sagal recalled. Apparently that approach is gold for me.

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Katey Sagal reveals diet-pill, drug addiction in new memoir - Page Six

"[So] we were unable to confirm whether or not the meals would be designated as Free Food on Slimming Worlds healthy eating plan.

"Its always been our view that Asda were misusing our trademarks to promote the range, trading on the back of our much-loved and respected name and reputation, regardless of whether the meals count as Free Food on our healthy eating plan."

The spokesperson added: "Its never been our intention to prevent Asda from selling healthy meals that help people lose weight our concern has been about our trademarks, and we hope that Asda will be able to relaunch the range without relying on Slimming Worlds trademarks or name.

A chicken tikka masala, a cottage pie and a Thai green curry were just some of the meals pulled from the shelves on Sunday morning.

An Asda spokesperson said the meal packs included a statement informing customers that the range was not endorsed by Slimming World.

The spokesperson added: "We take great pride in the integrity of the claims we make about our products. "Recent information has come to light indicating that the method used by Slimming World to assess whether a ready-meal is free or not, surprisingly, is partly subjective and involves more than simply making food with free ingredients.

Slimzone was always intended to bring more choice and lower prices to customers shopping for healthy frozen ready meals but because of this new information, we have chosen to remove the range while we consider the best option for our customers."

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Asda pulls diet ready meals from shelves after Slimming World dispute - Telegraph.co.uk

LONDON After several years of restructuring and regulatory pressure, investment banks have reached a turning point after Donald Trump became American president and can look to grow again, according to a study published on Friday.

"The world has turned upside down post the U.S. elections," said the joint annual study by Morgan Stanley and management consultants Oliver Wyman.

"This is the first year since we've been producing this paper that we're looking to see a significant shift to the positive in terms of revenue growth, operational leverage and return on equity," said Magdalena Stoklosa, head of European financials research at Morgan Stanley.

Globally, investment banks have been on an "intensive diet" since 2011 and have shrunk their balance sheets on aggregate by a third, according to the analysis produced in the 7th edition of the "Blue Paper".

With the global economy appearing to be on a stable footing, the Federal Reserve raising interest rates and political rhetoric pointing to a pause on new banking regulation, growth beckons for an industry reshaped by the global financial crisis.

In three years' time, return on equity could reach 13 to 14 percent across the industry from 10 to 11 percent currently, the study said.

Regulatory costs are expected to peak in 2017 and decline by as much as 40 percent by the end of 2020.

However, European banks, lagging in their restructuring programs, are expected to continue to underperform their rivals on the other side of the Atlantic.

U.S. banks could see return on equity rising to 15 percent from 11 percent currently, from a combination of revenue growth and removing costs over the next three years.

European banks are forecast to improve their return on equity to 11.5 percent from 7.5 percent currently, with 75 percent of that uptick driven by cost cutting and only 25 percent by revenue growth.

U.S. banks are sitting on $83 billion of excess capital, which could be used to invest in profitable business lines or paid out in share buybacks or dividends, whilst European banks have a mere $1 billion of excess capital to play with.

Fixed income, currencies and commodities revenues, which faced the brunt of regulation, are forecast to grow 2 percent over the next five years to $119 billion after shrinking to $109 billion from $140 billion over the previous five.

"Unlocking excess capital and collateral turns secular headwinds to tailwinds, powering a sustainable inflection in the global FICC pool for the first time in a decade," the study said.

"Our bull case "Dares to Dream". If the US administrations tax reform, fiscal stimulus, and deregulation agenda is achieved, we would expect much stronger revenue growth and more capital release," the study said.

(Reporting by Anjuli Davies; Editing by Keith Weir)

NEW YORK As success stories go, chef Marcus Samuelssons is as geographically varied and fascinating as they come.

ValueAct Capital raised its stake in Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc, in a move that could provide a confidence boost to the drug company three days after its largest shareholder sold out of the stock.

BOSTON/LONDON Hedge-fund firm Pine River Capital Management LP is losing two more partners following a difficult year that involved a restructuring and major decline in assets, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

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Investment banks ditch the diet and look to expand: study - Reuters

A wide range of women have poor diets in the months leading up to their first pregnancy, according to research published Friday and led by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. Their food choices, with too many empty calories and too few nutrients, fell far short of national dietary guidelines set to reduce the risk of premature birth, restricted fetal growth, preeclampsia and maternal obesity.

Although none of the women reached the dietary goals, black, Hispanic and less-educated women had a poorer diet than white women and those with college degrees, according to the study, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

One of the most concerning aspects of the results for me is that one-third of calories from their diets was solid fats and sugars, said nutritional epidemiologist Lisa Bodnar, the lead author.

The recommendation is [no more than] 9 to 13 percent empty calories. These women were consuming three times the recommended amount, Ms. Bodnar said.

The study analyzed the results of questionnaires filled out by 7,511 women in eight U.S. medical centers. They reported on what they ate and drank during the three months around conception. Non-Hispanic white women made up 69 percent of the group; 18 percent were Hispanic and 13 percent were non-Hispanic black women. In education, those with high school or less made up 18 percent of the group; some college, 29 percent; college graduate, 30 percent; and graduate degree, 24 percent.

Top dietary sources for energy were soda, pasta dishes, grain desserts such as cake or cookies, refined bread, and beer, wine and spirits. Soda was the top energy source among women who were non-Hispanic black (8.7 percent), Hispanic (6.2), high school-educated (9.2) or who had some college (7.1). Women with a college or graduate degree got more energy calories from beer, wine and spirits than any other source (5.0 and 5.6 percent, respectively).

Energy from solid fat added up to an average of 18 percent, the study said, with cheese, eggs, egg dishes and pizza the top sources. The top two fat sources were different for black women and women with high school education or less: fatty meat (sausage, hot dogs, bacon and ribs) and cakes and cookies.

Energy from added sugars made up 14 percent of calories on average, and sugar-sweetened drinks soda, sports drinks and energy drinks were the top sources.

All of these women were high in empty calories, low in nutrition and high in added sugars and alcohol, Ms. Bodnar said. We would like the source of their energy to be nutrient-dense food, food with a lot of vitamins and minerals.

Key prenatal nutrients are iron, folate (a B vitamin) and calcium. Iron helps to form hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood. Folate is needed to develop the neural tube, from which the brain and spinal cord form. Calcium builds bones and helps maintain healthy blood pressure.

In the womens diets, the study found primary sources of iron were instant cereals (14.1 percent for the group overall); yeast bread, non-100 percent whole wheat (6.4 percent); pasta dishes (5.4); grain desserts (4.2) and pizza (4.1). Green salad was the only vegetable in the top 10 of the iron category overall (3.9 percent) and higher among white (13.9 percent) and college- and graduate-degree women (14.6 and 16.1). Iron from cereals was higher among women who were black (14.5 percent), Hispanic (13.7), with high school education or less (16.2) and some college (13.2).

Green salad and ready-to-eat cereals were the top two sources for folate for all the groups except black women, where the top two were cereals and orange or grapefruit juice. Reduced-fat milk and cheese were the top two foods serving as calcium sources.

In addition to the higher amounts of sugary drinks, black, Hispanic and non-college-graduate women were lower in their intake of nutrient-dense foods, such as beans, nuts and seeds, seafood, fruits and vegetables.

The diet quality gap among nonpregnant individuals is thought to be a consequence of many factors, the study said, including the access to and price of healthy foods, knowledge of a healthful diet, and pressing needs that may take priority over a healthful diet.

Ms. Bodnar said something positive might be done about womens choice of beverages:

If we can find a beverage that substitutes for soda or alcohol, we'd be finding a simple way to reduce the calories and added sugars. It could have a real impact on obesity in the U.S.

She continued, If we could move people to diet soda, they'd be better off, although there are concerns about the safety of artificial sweeteners.

We would like people to drink more water. The bottom line is, we have to get people to stop drinking not just soda, but energy drinks, sweet tea, fruit juice drinks sometimes they have just as much sugar [as soda].

One limitation of the study, she pointed out, is that people have difficulty recalling what theyve eaten.

Overall, diet is something very hard to measure, she said, adding, however, that the study found that the pregnant womens reports follow national trends for children and non-pregnant adults.

Race/ethnicity and education. Those are really two of the most important factors that show health inequalities, the researcher said, pointing out that non-Hispanic black women and women with lower levels of education have higher risk of poor outcomes for their pregnancies, including a baby more likely to die before the first birthday and problems with growth.

A resource that already exists for women with low incomes is the federally funded WIC program (for women, infants and children). Ms. Bodnar said along with nutritional counseling, women receive food packages that provide a healthy diet.

Moving away from a preference for sugary and salty foods can take time, Ms. Bodnar said. It takes a little while to modify your taste preferences.

Jill Daly: jdaly@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1596.

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Pitt research finds women have poor diets before pregnancy - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Runner's World

7 Ways to Add More Vegetables to Your Diet Runner's World You don't need to come up with an entirely new diet when transitioning to a more plant-based lifestyle. Instead, determine the nutritional makeup of the foods you're already eating: What are their macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat) and ...

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7 Ways to Add More Vegetables to Your Diet - Runner's World

President Donald Trumps habit of repeating controversial claims from conservative media outlets and refusing to apologize when hes called out for a lack of evidence is repeatedly landing the White House in hot water, irritating Republicans and alienating foreign allies.

The White House touched off an international incident this week when press secretary Sean Spicer, berating reporters during the briefing on Thursday, cited comments from a Fox News commentator who accused former President Barack Obama of using the British spy agency GCHQ to surveil Trump Tower.

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The Brits were not pleased. The typically close-lipped British spy agency fired off a strongly worded statement, calling the allegation utterly ridiculous. The White House had to try to calm irate British diplomats, with Spicer and national security adviser H.R. McMaster getting an earful from British officials.

It was hardly an isolated incident.

Trump has racked up a series of scandals that have sprung from his apparently voracious consumption of conservative media, both from watching Fox News and from aides sharing with him reports from Breitbart and other right-wing outlets. And as the fallout has spread each time, Trump has refused to admit any wrongdoing.

The president set off a furor in Sweden when he seemed to claim the country had just suffered a terrorist attack a statement that appeared to spring from a Fox News interview with documentary filmmaker Ami Horowitz about a crime surge in the country. Swedish officials angrily issued public statements that no such attack had happened.

After Fox News ran a segment about Guantanamo Bay, Trump falsely tweeted: 122 vicious prisoners, released by the Obama administration from Gitmo, have returned to the battlefield. Only a fraction of those detainees were released under Obama; most had been released under President George W. Bush. (Spicer later said Trump obviously was referring to the total released under both presidents.)

And in the biggest doozy, Trump claimed Obama wiretapped his Trump Tower phones an accusation that appears to have been based on a Mark Levin talk radio segment and a short Breitbart article. The allegation has created a major rift with prominent Republicans and put the White House in the awkward position of repeatedly defending it, without providing evidence.

When asked why Trump wont simply back down on evidence-free claims like the wiretapping allegation, one Republican close to the White House responded simply: When has he ever apologized about anything?

Its true that Trump has long avoided the normal rules of political gravity he never apologized, for example, for his claims that Obama was not born in the United States but it remains to be seen whether what worked for candidate Trump can work in the White House.

The White House is discovering that the presidents and his advisers words matter a great deal a fact seen both in the fury of foreign governments at falsehoods and in legal opinions striking down the travel ban and alleging intent to discriminate by pointing to comments from Trump and his aides.

Those around the president, though, have proved more than willing to play along with the presidents theories.

Jobs reports produced by the government may have been phony before, but are to be trusted now that they show job growth under Trump, Spicer has said. The crowds at Trumps inauguration were the biggest ever, period, Spicer declared in one of his first briefings from the White House. And, on Thursday, he read off a series of media reports in an attempt to back up Trumps wiretapping claim none of which did including the report that accused the British government of spying on Trump.

Sean Spicer conducts every press briefing like hes on a hostage video. I mean he essentially has an audience of one, said Rick Tyler, a former communications director for Sen. Ted Cruzs presidential campaign who knows Spicer. [Trump] is just looking to make sure that Sean is out there defending him at all costs. I mean, I couldnt live like that, but he can.

It has not only been Spicer forced to try to explain controversial claims. Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway defended Spicer in January by saying he was using alternative facts, and touted a terrorist attack that did not happen as a reason for Trumps attempted travel ban. Policy adviser Stephen Miller has claimed that there was mass voter fraud, even though no evidence of that has been presented.

And while reports surfaced on Friday that Spicer had apologized to British officials for repeating the spying accusation, the White House was publicly offered no such mea culpa.

That was a statement made by a very talented lawyer on Fox, Trump said at a news conference. And so you shouldnt be talking to me. You should be talking to Fox.

A Fox News anchor said later Friday that the network has no evidence of any kind, that the now president of the United States was surveilled at any time, in any way, full stop.

After the news conference, Spicer pushed back on the idea that he apologized.

"We just reiterated the fact that we were just simply reading media accounts. Thats it, Spicer told reporters. I dont think we regret anything. We literally listed a litany of media reports that are in the public domain."

Especially worrisome, to many, is Trumps seeming lack of desire to distinguish myth from fact.

Donald Trump, like millions of Americans, is susceptible to conspiracy theories, said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University. He tends to just pick things up from right-wing talk radio and the alt-right if it fits his agenda of the day.

Weve never had a president operate like this. The long-term damage is youre going to get just ravaged in history, Brinkley added.

But for many, especially on the right, Trumps and the White Houses claims carry weight, whether backed up by evidence or not.

Trump essentially has a media company of his own, largely on Twitter, and what he needs to do, or wants to do, is get people to follow him and listen to what he says and believe me and not them, said Tyler. He has to get his audience, his base, to mistrust the media and he becomes, ultimately, their media source.

It is an endeavor in which he has significant help from conservative media outlets like Fox News, Breitbart, Gateway Pundit, the Independent Journal Review and various talk radio hosts.

After the Sweden flub, Breitbart published a piece called Ten Incidents in Ten Days That Proved Trump Right on Swedens Migration Problem.

The White House did not provide a comment Friday, beyond noting that Spicer read Thursdays allegation straight from the Fox transcript.

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Trump's media diet causes global heartburn - Politico

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