Trump news: President says US forces killed terrorists behind Paris attacks, after launching latest insults at John McCain

Updates from Washington as they happened on Wednesday

Donald Trump escalates criticism of US war hero: 'I was never a fan of John McCain and I never will be'

Donald Trump has resumed his attack on George Conway, the husband of White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway, after the latter questioned the president’s mental health.

In response, Mr Trump called the lawyer “a stone cold LOSER & husband from hell!”

Mr Trump has also been accused of “punching at a person that can’t fight back because he’s dead” over his feud with recently deceased Vietnam War hero and Republican senator John McCain.

“I was never a fan of John McCain and I never will be,” Mr Trump said yesterday during a press conference at the White House with Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro, prompting the comment from CNN anchor Anderson Cooper on the disrespect being shown to a long-serving American public servant who passed away of brain cancer last August, aged 81.

The ongoing attacks on the late senator has led many to express support for the famed Arizonan, even as the president has continued to double down on his criticism of the war hero.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mr Trump took a trip to Lima, Ohio, where he visited a tank manufacturing plant and expressed admiration for the "patriotism" he said was on full display in the company.

Before boarding his plane to leave Washington, Mr Trump told reporters that he expects special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian meddling in the 2016 election to be released publicly.

Mr Mueller's report is expected any day now, with many reports indicating the investigation is winding down or already finished up.

The report would first be sent to the Justice Department, at which point Attorney General William Barr would determine what form of a report he would pass along to Congress for further review.

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Key Points

• Trump resumes attack on 'stone cold LOSER' husband of adviser Kellyanne Conway
• Criticised over repeated attacks on late senator and war hero John McCain
• Defends electoral college against Democratic calls for reform
• Due to visit Ohio days after attacking GM autoworkers' union

[20 March 2019 20:20 · Clark Mindock]

Here's another look at what Mr Trump said earlier when asked about the Mueller report, which is expected imminently:

"I have no idea.  No collusion.  No collusion.  I have no idea when it’s going to be released.  It’s interesting that a man gets appointed by a deputy; he writes a report.  You know -- never figured that one out.  A man gets appointed by a deputy; he writes a report.

     I had the greatest electoral victory -- one of them -- in the history of our country.  Tremendous success.  Tens of millions of voters.  And now somebody is going to write a report who never got a vote.

     So we’ll see what the report says.  Let’s see if it’s fair.  I have no idea when it’s going to be released."

 ​

[20 March 2019 20:40 · Clark Mindock]

Here's a quick clip of Mr Trump not letting it go. We're talking, of course, about his attacks on the late Arizona Senator John McCain.

[20 March 2019 21:00 · Clark Mindock]

Here's a scathing tweet from George Conway, who is married to Mr Trump's adviser Kellyanne Conway.

The two have had a pretty sour relationship lately:

Here's our recap on the animosity:

[20 March 2019 21:15 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Trump has no further events planned today, so we will be signing off.

Thanks for accompanying us on this ride today.