President Donald Trump said Tuesday he has directed the release of the 'complete' transcript of his July phone call with the president of Ukraine that has led to an uproar and fueled calls by Democrats for his impeachment. The president made his decision known during a day of meetings at the UN, just as former Vice President Joe Biden called for his impeachment if he doesn't hand over a whistle-blower's complaint. Hours earlier, Trump admitted he had held up millions in security aid to Ukraine before holding the call with President Voldymyr Zelensky. 'I am currently at the United Nations representing our Country, but have authorized the release tomorrow of the complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript of my phone conversation with President Zelensky of Ukraine,' the president tweeted. 'You will see it was a very friendly and totally appropriate call. No pressure and, unlike Joe Biden and his son, NO quid pro quo! This is nothing more than a continuation of the … [Read more...] about Donald Trump will release UNREDACTED transcript of his call to Ukraine’s president and says it will show ‘NO quid pro quo!’ as whistle-blower prepares to talk to impeachment-focused Democrats
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Nancy Pelosi launches formal impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump amid reports he withheld aid money from Ukraine – as he brands the move ‘more breaking news Witch Hunt garbage’ and accuses the Dems of ‘presidential harassment’
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday launched what she designated a formal impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump – giving in to demands from her party's leading presidential candidates and an increasingly bellicose caucus that Congress should follow a path that could oust the sitting president. Pelosi announced in a televised statement that she'd opened an umbrella for numerous congressional investigations into the Republican president who Democrats say is in willful violation of the U.S. Constitution. 'This week the president has admitted to asking the president of Ukraine to take actions which would benefit him politically. The actions of the Trump presidency revealed dishonorable fact [sic] of the president's betrayal of his Oath of Office, betrayal of our national security, and betrayal of the integrity of our national elections,' she said in a 5 pm announcement. 'Therefore, today I'm announcing the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official … [Read more...] about Nancy Pelosi launches formal impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump amid reports he withheld aid money from Ukraine – as he brands the move ‘more breaking news Witch Hunt garbage’ and accuses the Dems of ‘presidential harassment’
Will Trump Follow Through on His Incredibly Dumb Shutdown Threat?
Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images Most weeks, New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich speaks with contributor Alex Carp about the biggest stories in politics and culture. Today, the threat of government shutdown following Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Democratic leaders, the president’s search for a new chief of staff, and thoughts on who should host the Oscars. With funding for some federal agencies set to expire in less than two weeks, President Trump turned his Oval Office meeting with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer into a reality-TV standoff over his border wall. Did their exchange increase or decrease the chance of a shutdown? My profound hope is that Trump makes good on his threat and shuts down the government right before Christmas. He will set his party back even further than he already has, and do so at a time when congressional Republicans are going to be trapped with angry constituents back home during the holiday break. I still can’t get … [Read more...] about Will Trump Follow Through on His Incredibly Dumb Shutdown Threat?
Latest White House Meeting on Government Shutdown Resolves Nothing
Let’s compromise: Do it my way! Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images It’s understandable that the president’s invitation to congressional leaders to attend a White House “briefing” on border issues from the Department of Homeland Security got a lot of attention, since it ended days of virtual noncommunication on the issues underlying the ongoing partial government shutdown (aside from Trump’s communications to the whole world via Twitter). But now that get-together has come and gone, and appears to have been a big nothing-burger, per the Hill: A partial government shutdown showed no signs of ending Wednesday as congressional leaders left what appeared to be an unproductive meeting with President Trump.Before and after the meeting, there was little talk of compromise as Trump and Democrats battled over his demand for border-wall funding, all but assuring the shutdown will barrel into a third week. Politico reports the session never even got close to … [Read more...] about Latest White House Meeting on Government Shutdown Resolves Nothing
Donald Trump fires US Attorney General Jeff Sessions
Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned on Wednesday, pushed out by President Donald Trump. Matthew Whitaker, Session's chief of staff, will become acting attorney general and oversee the Mueller probe into Russian collusion with Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. What we know Sessions gave Trump an undated resignation letter. The letter says the resignation was at Trump's "request." Trump announced Sessions' departure on Twitter and wrote: "We wish him well." Whitaker will be acting attorney general until Trump names a permanent replacement. Whitaker has previously criticized the Mueller probe, once musing about whether an attorney general could undermine the investigation by cutting its budget. What did Sessions write in his resignation letter? In his undated letter, Sessions wrote he was "submitting his resignation" at the request of the president. Sessions said he had advanced Trump's political objectives during … [Read more...] about Donald Trump fires US Attorney General Jeff Sessions
White House Explains Why Trump Canceled Pelosi’s Trip
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders explained that President Donald Trump canceled House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip abroad because it would guarantee federal workers miss another paycheck, she told reporters Thursday afternoon. Trump canceled Pelosi’s trip to Brussels, Egypt and Afghanistan mere hours before she was scheduled to depart on a military aircraft. Trump justified the cancellation in a letter telling her, “I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate,” and that it would be better if she “were in Washington negotiating with” him.The president told her she was free to fly on a commercial aircraft if she wished. President @realDonaldTrump’s letter to @SpeakerPelosi concerning her upcoming travel pic.twitter.com/TtBCvwp080 — Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) January 17, 2019 Trump’s move was immediately interpreted as a swipe back against Pelosi after she … [Read more...] about White House Explains Why Trump Canceled Pelosi’s Trip