Good Thursday morning, I'm Anna Palmer and welcome to your Politico Playbook Audio Briefing,

sponsored by the National Retail Federation. We're starting off the morning with some sad news.

Senator John McCain has been diagnosed with brain cancer. The AP reports the 2008 Republican presidential nominee,

Vietnam Prisoner of War, and Political Maverick in Congress for the past three decades,

has an aggressive

type of brain tumor. He and his family are considering treatment options. Big news of the day

is President Donald Trump going off script with the New York Times. Trump gave an extended interview

with the paper focused largely on his frustration with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and

Sessions decision to recuse himself

from the Russia investigation. It is a significant break from Sessions, who was one of Trump's

earliest supporters. Trump also criticized Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, and when asked if he

thought it would cross the red line if Mueller expanded his investigation into Trump's family

finances beyond the

Russian investigation, Trump said it would.

A couple of key things here.

This interview shows that Trump values loyalty before anything else.

Most Republicans have said the recusal was completely appropriate.

Also of note, the only aid in the room was Hope Hicks.

And by the way, it's important to remember. This is an interview with the New York Times.

Keep that in mind when the president says the Grey Lady is fake news.

Frustration with Trump is brewing on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Here's a stunning quote our colleague Rachel Bade got from Republican Representative Mike Simpson of Idaho.

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