Trump news: Secret impeachment plan revealed as rattled president posts 17 Fox News-related tweets in wake of Mueller hearings

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Trump berates reporters for asking him about being indicted

Donald Trump, clearly rattled by Robert Mueller's testimony to Congress, has attempted to spin the outcome of the Democratic-led hearings with a slew tweets featuring Fox News personalities declaring the "witch hunt" against the president to be over in spite of what some have viewed as damning testimony and a long investigation ahead for House Democrats.

Mr Mueller appeared before two congressional committees on Wednesday to explain his 448-page report into Russian election hacking in 2016, and whether the president obstructed justice by attempting to interfere in his investigation by ordering Mr Mueller's firing and sending his allies to pressure witnesses to deliver positive

Sticking largely to the script, the FBI veteran described “sweeping and systematic” interference by Russia, repeated that his findings were not an exoneration of the president, confirmed that Mr Trump had asked senior aides like counsel Don McGahn to lie on his behalf and said the president could be charged with a crime once he leaves office. The occasion sparked immediate cries among Democrats for impeachment proceedings against the president, which House speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly called "premature".

Later on Thursday, Mr Trump held a manufacturing event in the White House, where he welcomed business owners and workers who had benefited from his so-called Pledge to America's Workers drive, which began one year ago.

Mr Trump then took his presidential voice to Twitter, where he called for the release of A$AP Rocky, who has been charged with assault in Sweden. The president had demanded his return to the United States earlier in the week after Kanye West called him, but the Swedish government declined.

"Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM. We do so much for Sweden but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around. Sweden should focus on its real crime problem!" the president tweeted.

Mr Trump also tweeted about an incident in New York City, where police officers were seen on camera being doused with water. He called the incident a "disgrace".

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Key Points

• Democrats considered drafting impeachment articles after Mueller hearings
• Ex-special counsel paints damning portrait of Trump obstruction
• President gloats, spins and threatens journalists after claiming victory
• Opposition plot next move as Warren demands action
• Jeffrey Epstein found with 'injuries to neck' in jail
• Trump vetoes bill attempting to end Saudi arms sales

[25 July 2019 12:35 · Joe Sommerlad]

Surprise surprise, the Justice Department has decided against prosecuting attorney general William Barr and commerce secretary Wilbur Ross after the pair were held to be in contempt of Congress by the House Oversight Committee after they ignored subpoenas ordering them to appear and explain their thwarted plan to add a divisive citizenship question to the 2020 US Census.

"The Department of Justice’s long-standing position is that we will not prosecute an official for contempt of Congress for declining to provide information subject to a presidential assertion of executive privilege," deputy AG Jeffrey Rosen wrote in a letter to Speaker Pelosi.

"Consistent with this long-standing position and uniform practice, the department has determined that the responses by the attorney general and the secretary of commerce to the subpoenas issued by the committee on Oversight and Reform did not constitute a crime, and accordingly the department will not bring the congressional contempt citations before a grand jury or take any other action to prosecute the Attorney General or the Secretary," Rosen wrote.

[25 July 2019 12:50 · Joe Sommerlad]

House Judiciary chairman Jerrold Nadler was itching to launch impeachment proceedings yesterday but was rebuffed by Nancy Pelosi in a behind-closed-doors meeting, Politico reports.

Nadler suggested at a caucus gathering that he and fellow committee chairs could begin drafting the necessary articles but was told such a step was "premature", according to the news site's sources.

[25 July 2019 13:05 · Joe Sommerlad]

This is just very odd. While speaking to right-wing student movement Turning Point USA on Tuesday, Trump appeared before a joke presidential seal featuring Russian bald eagles and golf clubs.

A prank by the alt-right frat boys? They're denying it at present. 

Adam Forrest has more.

[25 July 2019 13:20 · Joe Sommerlad]

Trump may insist the US economy is going great guns...

... but here's some bad news for self-styled "strongman" presidents.

A new study published in Leadership Quarterly has found they seldom make for economic growth and usually ultimately find themselves presiding over a downturn.

[25 July 2019 13:35 · Joe Sommerlad]

This is good on how Trump's legislative record has failed to match his rhetoric when it comes to his white working-class support base.

[25 July 2019 13:50 · Joe Sommerlad]

A Trump-supporting deli owner in Clayton, California, has launched a promotion offering a free side dish to any of his customers who send back their serving of beef meatballs in tribute to the the president's racist attack on Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar and the chant it inspired at his North Carolina rally last week.

Don't eat there folks.

[25 July 2019 14:05 · Joe Sommerlad]

Yet more Fox publicity from the commander-in-chief in the last hour.

Plus this attempt to lean on Republicans.

[25 July 2019 14:20 · Joe Sommerlad]

The ever-growing influence of Fox in US politics is pretty terrifying.

[25 July 2019 14:35 · Joe Sommerlad]

Still haunted by Melania Trump's terrifying Christmas decorations? Well, brace yourselves...

[25 July 2019 14:50 · Joe Sommerlad]

Here's Ahmed Baba for Indy Voices on what the Mueller hearings tells us about Republican loyalties.