Donald Trump says Greenland would be a 'large real-estate deal'
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Donald Trump has launched an extraordinary attack on Anthony Scaramucci, his short-lived communications director, branding him a “highly unstable nut job” and a “mental wreck” on Twitter.
The president and his advisers have meanwhile moved to reassure Americans over the state of the economy amid growing recession fears, with Mr Trump insisting: “We’re doing tremendously well. Our consumers are rich. I gave a tremendous tax cut and they’re loaded up with money.”
He is also facing further ridicule after confirming his interest in buying Greenland, telling reporters in New Jersey on Sunday: “Strategically it’s interesting and we’d be interested... It’s not number one on the burner, I can tell you that.”
The president has also stepped back from his position calling for background checks for gun sales, and has begun focusing once again on mental health's part in mass shootings. He has done before as well.
Mr Trump has also ramped up his claims that the 2016 election results were impacted by fraudulent efforts, this time going after Google and claiming the search engine flipped millions of votes in favour of Hillary Clinton.
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In making the claim, Mr Trump cited a right-wing conspiracy website, Judicial Watch.
Susan Glasser's New Yorker profile on secretary of state Mike Pompeo is making waves online, not least because it contains a quote from a former American ambassador who describes him as: "Like a heat-seeking missile for Trump's ass."
This is perhaps the more telling line on the president's enforcer preferences. "He wanted a Mike Pompeo, not a Jim Mattis, a captain trained to follow orders, not a general used to giving them."
Scaramucci says he is putting together a coalition of former Trump Cabinet officials to denounce the president ahead of the 2020 election - hence Trump's explosive Twitter rant earlier.
"I'm in the process of putting together a team of people that feel the exact same way that I do. This is not a 'Never Trump' situation. This not just screeching rhetoric. This is - OK, the guy is unstable. Everyone inside knows it, everyone outside knows it. Let's see if we can find a viable alternative," he told CNN's Alisyn Camerota on New Day earlier.
"Moreover, I have to get some former Cabinet officials in unity to speak up about it. They know it's a crisis," he added.
Scaramucci did not provide any names of people associated with the coalition he said he is assembling, but predicted that by "middle to late fall" there will be a "trove" of people willing to speak out against Trump.
On the 2020 campaign trail, Republican senator Joni Ernst faced down an angry crowd over the weekend in Iowa, where she hopes to win a second term.
While responding to a question about school shootings, Ms Ernst emphasised her view that mental health issues need to be a top priority to stop gun violence.
But, the crowd interrupted her with shouts of "do something".
"We need to be sure that those that are showing signs of mental instability are able to receive treatment," Ms Ernst said after the shouts subsided.
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