Trump news — live: President mocked and markets slide as CDC issues grave warning over potential coronavirus pandemic

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Donald Trump addresses huge rally in India

A Donald Trump press conference in India descended into a bitter row with CNN reporter Jim Acosta on Tuesday after the president criticised the journalist’s network and the latter replied: “I think our record on delivering the truth is a lot better than yours sometimes.”

Trump has meanwhile secured a lucrative arms deal with the fellow superpower’s prime minister Narendra Modi, a venture he risked putting in jeopardy by refusing to eat any of the vegetarian delicacies – notably broccoli samosas - laid out for him at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on Monday afternoon.

On Twitter, the president has insisted that the global coronavirus epidemic is “under control” — and was soon after undermined by the CDC, which warned that an outbreak of the virus in the US is nearly inevitable. That announcement spurred further market losses, as the potential global death toll remains uncertain.

The final Democratic debate before the South Carolina primaries is set for Tuesday night, and will feature two billionaires on stage this time with the addition of Tom Steyer to the mix.

In South Carolina, Joe Biden is fighting for staying power int he race after several losses in early states. He is facing stiff competittion from Bernie Sanders, who has won the popular vote in all three states to have voted so far.

Mr Steyer is performing well in the state as well, though it does not seem as though a third place performance in South Carolina would do much to bolster his very narrow path to a Democratic nomination.

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Key Points

• CDC warns of potential pandemic, and tells Americans to prepare for coronavirus
• President rows with CNN reporter over 'truth telling'
• Trump continues India tour and secures lucrative arms deal
• President declines to eat vegetarian delicacies prepared for him
• Seven killed in New Dehli riot ahead of presidential visit
• Trump downplays coronavirus threat as White House requests $2.5bn

[25 February 2020 18:50 · Clark Mindock]

Coronavirus outbreak 'inevitable'

A top US health official says that there isn't much that can be done at this point, and that America better be ready for an outbreak of the deadly virus.

"It is not so much a question of if, but when," Nancy Messonnier, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on Tuesday. "Data over the last week has raised our expectation that we are going to have community spread here."

[25 February 2020 19:10 · Clark Mindock]

Georgia senator attacks Sanders

Kelly Loeffler is attacking Bernie Sanders for his "socialism" in a new ad for her Senate campaign, even though the Vermonter is of course not running against her for that seat.

In the ad, the Georgia Republican touts her lived experience as achieving the "American dream" by breaking glass ceilings and becoming "one of America's leading businesswomen".

Then she takes a swipe at Sanders:  "I believe in America, that Bernie Sanders's radical ideas are dangerous and that socialism risks everything that makes us great."

[25 February 2020 19:19 · Clark Mindock]

Markets slide after CDC warns of coronavirus

The Dow slid by 800 points shortly after the CDC warned that things could get very bad in the US as the coronavirus spreads.

Meanwhile, the president has been mocked online by those who have pointed out that Trump has publicly been downplaying the risks of the virus outbreak that has been spreading from China.

Read our report on the CDC warning, here:

[25 February 2020 19:30 · Clark Mindock]

More signs the Trump family wants to use coronavirus to close America's borders

Here you go:

[25 February 2020 19:50 · Clark Mindock]

Polls in South Carolina right now:

With the primary just days away, Joe Biden maintains the narrowest of leads over Sanders, at least according to the polling available.

Of course, we have relatively few post-Nevada polls, which could skew in the Vermonter's favor, given his strong performance in the Silver State.

So, currently, we have Biden at about 30 per cent, with Sanders at about 23 per cent. Tom Steyer, in third place, is outperforming compared to other states, with 13 per cent.

[25 February 2020 20:10 · Clark Mindock]

Senate Democrats seek $3.1 billion 

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday that Congress must pass at least $3.1 billion in new funding to handle the threat of coronavirus, which would be much more than Trump has asked for so far.

Schumer said it "is the amount our public health organizations say is necessary." The president had asked Congress to approve $2.5 billion to combat the virus, but only $1.5 billion of that would have been new funding.