The State Department announced on Friday that it is pulling more than half of its staff out of the American embassy in Havana in the wake of mysterious attacks that have injured 21 people associated with the embassy, reports The New York Times.

• Politico: Trump Faces Growing Backlash Over Puerto Rico Response
• The Hill: RSC Chairman: McConnell Should Call It a Career
• AP: Price Says He’s Reimbursing Costs for His Private Flights
• Reuters: Senate Panel Proposes $1.5 Trillion 10-Year Revenue Cut for Tax Plan
• Daily Caller: Gay Activists Are Furious Because Teacher Can’t Tell Fifth Graders to Use Gender-Neutral Pronouns

The tax cuts proposed by Republicans and the White House will stimulate enough economic growth to overcome expected deficits, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday, according to The Hill.

• WashExaminer: Steve Scalise: ‘I Just Started to Pray’ After the Shooting
• The Hill: Governors to Congress: Stabilize Insurance Markets, Reauthorize CHIP
• Daily Caller: Alan Dershowitz Threatens To Sue Berkeley Over First Amendment [VIDEO]
• Politico: White House ‘Back to Square One’ in Search for DHS Secretary
• Daily Caller: Chelsea Clinton’s ‘Best Friend’s’ Defense Company Got $11 Mil In Contracts But Doesn’t Have Federal Security Clearance

Trump and the “Big Six” group of Republican tax negotiators on Wednesday rolled out the most detailed look yet at a massive new tax plan. It is the opening salvo of what is likely to be a long process to attempt to overhaul the tax code, reports Business Insider.

• WashExaminer: Tea Party Group Supports GOP Tax Plan
• Daily Caller: Taliban Tries to Kill Mattis During Surprise Afghanistan Visit
• WashExaminer: Mo Brooks: ‘Terminate All Federal Government Support of NFL’ for Protests
• Free Beacon: Tillerson Holds Off on Shuttering Embassies, Pulling Diplomats After Meeting With Cuba’s Top Diplomat
• Daily Caller: Awan Funneling ‘Massive’ Data Off Congressional Server, Dems Claim It’s Child’s HOMEWORK