On Tuesday, November 20, Trump participated in the annual turkey pardoning tradition ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Traditionally only one turkey is pardoned, but Trump pardoned two turkeys - named Peas and Carrots - after joking that the losing turkey "refused to concede and demanded a recount," much like the Democrats in the Florida gubernatorial and Senate races.
Aside from this lighthearted jest, the week was otherwise filled with bad news for the Trump administration. On Monday, Democratic Senators sued to prevent Acting AG Matthew Whitaker from assuming control of the Department of Justice, arguing that Trump's appointment was an unconstitutional attempt to obstruct the Mueller investigation.
On Tuesday, reports emerged that Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, had used her personal email for official White House business. This has spurred renewed efforts to investigate Trump's relatives for improper use of email that first began last year when Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner came under fire for the same violation of federal records laws. A bipartisan investigation begun last year in the House Oversight Committee stalled after the White House refused to respond to document requests, citing its own internal review.
Also on Tuesday, Trump's legal team reportedly turned over written responses to questions Mueller submitted to the White House. Mueller may still attempt to interview Trump in person about his actions after taking office, but Trump's legal team has already signaled the president is unlikely to comply. Mueller may subpoena Trump, likely sparking an unprecedented legal battle about the inquiries a sitting president may face.
Reports also broke on Tuesday that Trump had a year ago attempted to seek an investigation of former political rivals Hillary Clinton and ex-FBI head James Comey, and that the White House counsel at the time, Don McGahn - who has since left due to disagreements with Trump - had to draft a memo warning him not to target his political enemies. It's unclear if Trump reviewed the memo or still plans to seek prosecution.
Trump drew criticism after refusing to admit the potential connection between Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Though the CIA reportedly believes bin Salman ordered the killing, Trump insisted that their evidence is not conclusive, refused to place sanctions on Saudi Arabia, and seems to prioritize a beneficial economic relationship over basic human rights. On Wednesday, Trump even thanked Saudi Arabia for lowering oil prices via Twitter.
On Wednesday Trump also had a barbed exchange with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts over whether federal courts are partisan. Roberts, who was appointed by former Republican President George Bush, noted that judges are meant to be independent, though Trump has accused them of being partisan.
On Wednesday China and the EU filed a claim in the World Trade Organization claiming that Trump's tariffs are unjustifiable and that claims that they are designed to protect national security are absurd. Other countries, including Mexico and Russia, support the claim. The move is unprecedented, as most countries have not challenged restrictions set based on national security concerns. There are concerns that doing so could upend norms of global trade.
Lastly, the border fight continues. The White House has authorized troops deployed to the border to interact with migrants, including taking law enforcement action and using lethal force. Meanwhile, Trump's wall is still very much up in the air.