WASHINGTON – A senior administration official penned an anonymous essay in The New York Times on Wednesday describing President Donald Trump as erratic and amoral and said his aides were actively working to thwart him on decisions that are detrimental to the nation.

“It may be cold comfort in this chaotic era, but Americans should know that there are adults in the room. We fully recognize what is happening. And we are trying to do what’s right even when Donald Trump won’t,” the unnamed official wrote.

The piece, entitled “I am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration,” was written by a senior official in the Trump administration, according to the Times. The newspaper said it was not disclosing the identity of the author because doing so would jeopardize that person’s job.

More than an hour after the essay was posted, Trump spoke about it in the White House East Room where he attacked the New York Times and the unnamed official. 

“Can you believe it? Anonymous — meaning gutless,”  Trump told reporters during an event with sheriffs from across the nation. 

He added people don’t like him because his agenda doesn’t always match what others want. 

“Nobody has ever done more in less than a two year period than what we’ve done,” Trump said.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders slammed the essay as “pathetic, reckless, and selfish” and said the official who wrote it should resign.

“This is a new low for the so-called ‘paper of record,’ and it should issue an apology,” she said. 

More: Eight things to know about the 25th Amendment

The piece chronicled the work of the anonymous writer, along with other “senior officials” in the administration, who dub themselves part of a “quiet resistance” to the president to “frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations.”

“But we believe our first duty is to this country, and the president continues to act in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic,” the piece said. “That is why many Trump appointees have vowed to do what we can to preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr. Trump’s more misguided impulses until he is out of office.”

The timing of the piece came a day after excerpts were published from a forthcoming book by veteran journalist Bob Woodward that depicted chaos inside the White House and efforts by aides to prevent the president from taking actions they viewed as irresponsible. The book, “Fear: Trump in the White House,” included details of Trump’s top aides removing documents from the president’s desk or hiding paperwork.

The official said there had been whispers within the Cabinet of invoking the 25th Amendment, which would allow the vice president to take over if a commander in chief becomes disabled. 

“But no one wanted to precipitate a constitutional crisis,” the official wrote. “So we will do what we can to steer the administration in the right direction until – one way or another – it’s over.”

The senior official described Trump as “impetuous, adversarial, petty and ineffective.”

“The erratic behavior would be more concerning if it weren’t for unsung heroes in and around the White House,” the author wrote. “Some of his aides have been cast as villains by the media. But in private, they have gone to great lengths to keep bad decisions contained to the West Wing, though they are clearly not always successful.”

 

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Wednesday is the day to celebrate that fabled fallback order – when you can’t decide or agree on what toppings you want on your pizza – it’s National Cheese Pizza Day.

This celebratory day comes after many other pizza days have already been served up this year, including National Pizza Day in February and Pi Day on March 14. 

Upcoming pizza celebrations include National Pepperoni Pizza Day on Sept. 20 and National Sausage Pizza Day on Oct. 11. (What no National Canadian Bacon Pizza Day?)

Since there are not many deals specific to Wednesday, how about an easy way to save today and everyday?

Besides taking advantage of daily or weekly deals, use restaurant loyalty programs and coupon codes to create your own deal.  

More: With Papa John’s benched, Pizza Hut hopes to score in NFL sponsorship

More: Best September food deals: Your guide to the month’s freebies and bargains

More: Get free Chick-fil-A nuggets with the chicken chain’s smartphone app through Sept. 29

Specials for Wednesday, Sept. 5

Brixx Wood Fired Pizza: Show this tweet Wednesday and get a buy-one-get-one free cheese pizza deal.

Boston’s Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar: The chain will be running a Facebook contest where one fan will win free pizza for one year. To enter for one pizza a month for 12 months, fans should like, comment and share Boston’s National Cheese Pizza Day post that will be posted at www.facebook.com/BostonsPizzaUSA.

Cicis: Get a $5 large one-topping pizza to go with an offer included in the MyCicis app. The National Cheese Pizza Day deal continues through September.

Fired Pie: Get half off a cheese pizza with the purchase of any drink at all locations. Also in September for every $1 donated to No Kid Hungry at Fired Pie, get a voucher for a free Pookie to use on a future visit within 30 days.

HotBox Pizza: Get a large cheese pizza for $8 Wednesday at all HotBox Pizza locations. Limit five pies per customer.

Ledo Pizza: Is giving away a $50 gift card today. Retweet its #NationalCheesePizzaDay tweet to enter.

Rockin Jump: At participating locations Wednesday, get a free slice of cheese pizza with the purchase of jump time. Must mention the offer at check-in and limit one per customer.

Papa John’s: For a limited time, get a one-topping large or pan pizza for $7 with the code LG1TOP7 and get an order of 10-inch cheese sticks for $5 with the code CHEESELOVER.

PT’s Taverns: Three-cheese flatbread pizzas will be $8 on Sept. 5.

More deals: Local restaurants also will be celebrating with specials. One of the easiest ways to find specials is by checking social media accounts.

Pizza sign-ups, rewards and more

Blaze Pizza: Download the Blaze app and join the rewards program for discounts and freebies.

California Pizza Kitchen: Get a free small plate for signing up for CPK Rewards at www.cpk.com. 

Chuck E. Cheese’s: Join More Cheese Rewards and get a free personal one-topping pizza on your next visit, earn $10 after every three visits within one year with a $20 minimum spend, rewards for your child’s birthday and half-birthday and more. Sign up at www.chuckecheese.com/more-cheese-rewards.

Domino’s: With the mix and match special, choose two select menu items for $5.99 each. Earn points toward a free pizza with the Piece of the Pie Rewards program.

Donatos: Find special offers at www.donatos.com/offers.

Giordano’s: Join the chain’s G-Club at www.giordanos.com/join.

Godfather’s Pizza: Join Godfather’s Pizza Rewards and get a free one-topping pizza with the purchase of breadsticks or cheesesticks when you sign up. Offer varies by location. 

Hungry Howie’s: Sign up for Howie Rewards at www.hungryhowies.com/howierewards.

Imo’s Pizza: Get a free regular order of Provel Cheese Bites when you register for the chain’s rewards program at www.imospizza.com/rewards.

Jet’s Pizza: Sign up for the e-club at www.jetspizza.com/eclub.

Marco’s Pizza: Join the email club for discounts at www.marcos.com/email-club.

Mazzio’s Italian Eatery: Find coupons and deals at www.mazzios.com. Also get a $5 off $10 coupon for joining the email club.

Papa John’s: With Papa Rewards, earn points toward free pizza, desserts and more. Sign up at www.papajohns.com/papa-rewards.

Pieology: Join Pieology’s Pie Life rewards program at www.pieology.com/pie-life. Also sign up for emails to get a free Cinnamon Churro Pizza with a purchase.

Pizza Hut: For a limited time, large two-topping pizzas are $7.99 each for delivery and carryout orders. Sign up for Hut Rewards to earn free pizza at www.pizzahut.com.

Pizza Inn: Earn freebies and get exclusive offers with Pizza Inn Rewards. Sign up at www.pizzainn.com/rewards.

Pizza Patrón: The Latin-inspired pizza chain has eight regular combos.

Pizza Ranch: Find deals and coupons at www.pizzaranch.com.

Round Table Pizza: Sign up for offers at www.roundtablepizza.com.

Sbarro’s: Join The Slice Society and get a coupon within 24 hours for a free NY XL slice with purchase of a beverage. Sign up at www.sbarro.com.

Toppers Pizza: Find deals at www.toppers.com.

Uno Pizzeria & Grill: Join Uno’s Insider Club for “deep savings and delicious rewards.” Also get a free gift for signing up at www.unos.com.

Yard House: Pizzas are half-priced during traditional and late night happy hours. Happy hour days and times vary by location and are posted at www.yardhouse.com.

More: The best frozen pizza you can buy is actually gluten-free

Kelly Tyko is a consumer columnist and retail reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers and TCPalm.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Read her Bargainista tips at TCPalm.com/Bargainista, follow her on Twitter @KellyTyko and email her at kelly.tyko@tcpalm.com. Sign up for her weekly newsletter at www.tcpalm.com/newsletters.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.

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Europe captain Thomas Bjorn says he “felt sick” when telling Rafa Cabrera-Bello he would be left out of the Ryder Cup squad.

Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson were the four players given Ryder Cup wildcards by Bjorn on Wednesday.

“It’s the tough part of being captain,” said the Dane, 47.

“I called the four that made it and I called six players to let them know it wasn’t going to be this time.”

Cabrera-Bello, 34, might have expected to be named among Bjorn’s four picks, having finished just short of an automatic qualification spot after a strong season.

Bjorn added: “I can only imagine what the other guy on the end of the phone felt like.

“For Rafa it was hard to understand and tough for him to take it. That was really hard for me. When I picked up the phone I almost felt sick having to do it.”

The four wildcard picks join automatic qualifiers Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Alex Noren and Thorbjorn Olesen.

The three-day event starts on 28 September at Le Golf National in Paris.

‘It was a risk, but I’m ready’

Meanwhile, Garcia defended his decision to not compete for automatic qualification by sitting out the Made In Denmark tournament.

The Spaniard, 38, believes he will now arrive rested and ready to take on defending champions the United States, who have not won in Europe since 1993.

“Unfortunately because of how the year went I had to play five weeks in a row in the summer, eight weeks out of 10 – and I’m not 25 any more,” Garcia said.

“I knew I was putting my position at risk, but at the same time I told Thomas I want to get to the Ryder Cup at 100%.

“I’m thrilled and now want to help my team again to make sure we have the best possibility of winning the Ryder Cup back.”

Garcia is the first European to win Ryder Cup selection having missed the cut at all four majors in the season.

But fellow wildcard pick Poulter backed his selection, saying: “If you look at the highlights of what Sergio has brought to the European Ryder Cup team through the years, that’s why he was picked.

“It’s hard to explain to the rookies how they are going to feel and how big a stage the Ryder Cup really is.

“You definitely need guys like Sergio in the team who can help these guys to be able to feel comfortable.”

Islamabad, Pakistan – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has held talks with Pakistan’s prime minister and foreign minister, as the two erstwhile strategic allies seek to mend ties that Pakistan has said have become “almost non-existent” in recent months.

Pompeo met Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Wednesday, in a set of talks both sides described as a “positive beginning” to rebuilding the relationship.

Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, whose institution has ruled Pakistan for roughly half its history and still controls aspects of security and foreign policy, was also part of the talks.

“We have still got a long way to go, lots more discussion to be had,” Pompeo told reporters before leaving Islamabad for his next stop, the Indian capital New Delhi.

Qureshi will meet Pompeo again in Washington DC later this month, following his attendance of the UN General Assembly. He will also be travelling to Kabul shortly for talks with Afghan authorities, he said.

‘Alignment and convergence‘

The talks on Wednesday focused on opportunities to reset the relationship and for greater cooperation on the war in Afghanistan, particularly on Pakistan’s role in the political reconciliation process with the Taliban, Pakistan’s foreign minister told reporters.

“The US has been evaluating its policy, and they have reached the conclusion that the solution in Afghanistan is a negotiated political settlement,” said Qureshi. “And here once again you will see an alignment and convergence between the US and Pakistan.”

Pakistan and the US have differed greatly over the conflict in Afghanistan, with the United States and Afghanistan often accusing Pakistan of offering sanctuary to leaders of the Afghan Taliban and its ally, the Haqqani Network.

Pakistan denies the charges, saying it has acted indiscriminately against all armed groups on its soil, and in turn accuses Kabul of allowing elements in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban) to operate in that country’s eastern provinces.

Pompeo said the talks on Wednesday focused on deliverable outcomes.

“We made it clear to them – and they agreed – that it’s time for us to begin to deliver on our joint commitments,” he said. “We have had lots of times where we have talked and made agreements, but we have not been able to actually execute those.”

“And so, there was a broad agreement between myself and Foreign Minister Qureshi, as well as with the prime minister, that we need to begin to do things that will actually begin to deliver, on the ground, outcomes so that we can begin to build confidence and trust between the two countries.”

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, meanwhile, said Pompeo commented on Pakistan’s role in neighbouring Afghanistan and the wider region during the talks.

“In all of his meetings, Secretary Pompeo emphasised the important role Pakistan could play in bringing about a negotiated peace in Afghanistan, and conveyed the need for Pakistan to take sustained and decisive measures against terrorists and militants threatening regional peace and stability,” Nauert said. 

Funding slashed

The US-Pakistan relationship has remained troubled since President Donald Trump assumed power last year.

In January, Trump cut more than $1.1 billion in security assistance to Pakistan, accusing the country of “lies and deceit” in its role in the Afghan conflict.

On Sunday, the US confirmed that $300 million in a Coalition Support Funds reimbursement, which was initially suspended under that announcement, had been finally cancelled.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi said he did not raise the issue of the funds with Pompeo as he wanted to focus on resetting the atmosphere of the relationship, rather than dwelling on previous decisions.

“Our relationship is not based on transactions, we have to think differently,” he said. “We have to talk not about money, but about principles.”

Qureshi said that if the relationship was to move forward, “it must be based on truth [and] frank, candid conversations”.

“I said this to him, and he agreed, that this blame and shame game does not achieve anything,” he said.

“Yes, we have challenges. On some things, we may think differently, but we have shared objectives as well.”

Asad Hashim is Al Jazeera’s digital correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim

NEWTON SQUARE, Pa. – The ballroom at the Philadelphia Marriott West was sprinkled with reporters Tuesday night while Jim Furyk was announcing Tiger Woods, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson as his first three U.S. Ryder Cup captain’s picks.

It was well attended but plenty of open seats were available. Vice captains David Duval, Zach Johnson and Davis Love III found a spot in the back row, taking it all in.

Behind the chairs, to the side of a camera bank, a 20-something guy in jeans and a tee shirt was taking video on his cell phone for an Instagram story.

That would be Jordan Spieth, who is already on the team and showed up for the ceremony, lingering around in the ballroom where he was eventually joined by Justin Thomas.

The team is just about set now, and the edition of Woods and Mickelson adds another element to the matches in Paris. Spieth was asked Wednesday if he thinks if there’s still an intimidation factor playing against Woods.

“I think the home crowd will help,” Spieth said. “If I were a young European player and I was going to play the Ryder Cup in the United States, you’ve got an away game, you’re playing against Tiger and you haven’t really seen a whole lot of him or at least him playing as well as he’s playing right now. … Healthy Tiger, that would be something that would make it more difficult, absolutely. He adds something to it. He certainly moves the needle in every sense of the game. So it’s good to have him in our corner for sure.”

It’s unlikely, however, that Spieth will have Woods as a teammate. (Who wants to break up that Spieth-Patrick Reed pairing?)

But just having Woods and Mickelson in the team room with a chance to get paired up is significant.

“To get an opportunity to play with Tiger or Phil in a Ryder Cup match, it’s stuff you tell your grandkids about some day,” Spieth said. “I’m not sure if I’m going to get that opportunity. I’m not sure if that’s the way it works within the team, but we’re going to figure out who is going to be the best fit for everyone and I think we’re going to be more prepared earlier than we’ve ever been going overseas to a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup.”

Spieth also seems more personally prepared than he would have been a month or two ago. He struggled with the putter in missed cuts at the Memorial and U.S. Open, but things are coming around.

He’s 27^th in the FedEx Cup standings and looking to stay on the right side of the Tour Championship bubble when he tees off at 11:30 a.m. Thursday with Woods and Rickie Fowler.

“I’m in a more difficult position to win the FedEx Cup than I’ve been in the last five, six years,” Spieth said. “At some point in your career you’ll be stuck in a position that’s more difficult than other years. So embrace the challenge and try and go out and work my way into the top 10 this week.”

Notts County defender Matt Tootle says gambling is “rife” in football as he revealed his own problems with betting.

The 27-year-old spoke in 2017 about how he had been dealing with mental health issues.

Tootle said on Twitter on Wednesday: “I’ve been a compulsive gambler for as long as I remember and it has brought to me some of my worst memories.

“This problem is rife in football and something needs to be done about it and I’m hoping to also help with that now.”

The Magpies tweeted in support of their defender, saying: “We have been helping Toots through this and are liaising with the EFL to identify if they can offer any further support.”

Gambling on football is banned by the game’s authorities in the UK to avoid conflicts of interest and maintain the sport’s integrity.

Last year ex-Wales and Arsenal striker John Hartson – a former gambling addict – said six top-flight managers in Scotland and England had recently asked him to help their players tackle gambling addiction, while another former player, Matthew Etherington, claimed some gambling companies targeted players due to their high disposable incomes.

Tootle revealed during Mental Health Awareness week in 2017 how he was getting his career back on track and overcoming his mental health problems – and has now opened up about his gambling problems via social media.

“Many times I have tried to quit and been unsuccessful and almost lost loved ones closest to me who tried to help,” he said. “It’s an illness and until you decide you actually want to help yourself you will never get over it.

“I’m now one month clean from betting and I’m proud of it. On top of my mental health, I understand I’m a complicated character, but one thing I’m sure of is my strength deep within which makes me never give up in any walk of life.

“I think the best thing I have ever done is be open and honest about my mental health.

“I feel prouder than ever about how I came through the darkest days and be able to help others, which is why I feel I need to be open and honest for the first time about another problem that has been part of my life since I was 16 years old.”

Meanwhile, the head of the NHS has said Premier League football clubs should do more to help tackle gambling addiction.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said reports that some foreign betting companies are “failing to play their part” in funding services to treat problem gamblers are “deeply concerning”.

Paraguay will return its embassy in Israel back to Tel Aviv, reversing a contentious decision months ago to move the diplomatic site to Jerusalem.

“Paraguay wants to contribute to an intensification of regional diplomatic efforts to achieve a broad, fair and lasting peace in the Middle East,” Foreign Minister Luis Alberto Castiglioni said on Wednesday.

In response, Israel announced it will close its embassy in Paraguay and recall its ambassador, the Haaretz newspaper quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office as saying.

The Palestinians, meanwhile, will “immediately” open an embassy in Paraguay, Foreign Affairs Minister Riyad al-Maliki said, according to the official news agency Wafa.

Maliki hailed Paraguay’s change of mind as “a new Palestinian diplomatic achievement”.

Paraguay’s former president Horacio Cartes traveled to Jerusalem to inaugurate the embassy in May. But Cartes’ successor, Mario Abdo Benitez, also a member of the conservative Colorado party, took office last month and reversed the decision.

In December, US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reversing decades of American policy and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies. It opened a new embassy in the city on May 14. Two days later, Guatemala also opened its embassy in Jerusalem. 

‘Irresponsible leader’

The decision by the three countries was hailed as a political victory by Israel as it presses other countries to recognise Jerusalem as its capital.

But the relocations drew Palestinian and international anger. Deadly protests in Gaza and the West Bank also took place. 

Palestinian leaders see East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state and said Trump’s move disqualifies Washington as a peace mediator.

Previous US presidents, as well as nearly every other country, refrained from opening embassies in Jerusalem, saying the city’s final status should first be resolved through Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Saeb Erekat, secretary-general of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), had condemned the opening of the Paraguayan embassy in Jerusalem.

“We have witnessed today how the Paraguayan president is an irresponsible political leader by defying international law and the achievement of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” he said.

Netanyahu has attempted to persuade other countries to follow the US’ lead.

On Wednesday – while meeting Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov – Netanyahu said: “I appreciate your decision to open an honorary consulate in Jerusalem, and I hope, I hope, I hope it’s the first step towards establishing the Bulgarian embassy in Jerusalem.” 

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies