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As it happenedended

Trump news: Impeachment calls grow as top Democrat endorses removal, while Planned Parenthood rejects funding over abortion restrictions

Follow the latest updates from Washington, as it happened

Clark Mindock
New York
,Joe Sommerlad
Monday 19 August 2019 16:37 BST
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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.

In making the claim, Mr Trump cited a right-wing conspiracy website, Judicial Watch.

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On the impeachment front, the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House has backed impeaching Donald Trump.

Representative Ben Ray Luján announced his support, saying he was swayed by the warnings that Russia intends to act against the US in 2020 — and that Mr Trump "has failed to act".

Mr Luján is leaving his seat in order to pursue a Senate seat in his state, New Mexico.

Clark Mindock19 August 2019 20:25

Planned Parenthood has announced it will withdraw from the federal Title X programme, instead of complying with a new Trump administration rule that restricts what health providers can say about abortion.

The decision, announced on Monday, could impact more than 1.5 million low-income women who turn to the health care provider for things like screenings for sexually transmitted diseases, birth control, and pregnancy tests.

The new rule states that clinics that accept Title X funding cannot refer women to abortion providers, or tell them where they might get an abortion.

Clark Mindock19 August 2019 20:45

In case you missed this story of ours from Iowa, where we spoke with some farmers about the impact of tariffs on their business:

Clark Mindock19 August 2019 21:00

From a strong critic of Donald Trump's on the right, a former Republican who resigned from the party earlier this year:

Clark Mindock19 August 2019 21:15
Clark Mindock19 August 2019 21:26
Clark Mindock19 August 2019 21:26

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