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As it happenedended

Trump news: President attacks journalist in rambling press conference as impeachment inquiry escalates

Follow the latest updates from Washington

Chris Riotta
New York
,Joe Sommerlad,Lily Puckett
Wednesday 02 October 2019 20:07 BST
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Trump accuses Adam Schiff of lying to Congress over Ukraine call

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Donald Trump has been labelled “dangerous” and accused of “unhinged depravity” after he tweeted that the impeachment inquiry into his phone call with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky amounted to a “coup” days after quoting a far-right Texas pastor’s warning that Congress risks creating a “Civil War like fracture” by pursuing him.

As his job approval rating slides to an all-time low, the president has been forced to deny reports emanating from a new book that he suggested shooting migrants in the legs, building a snake and alligator-filled moat at the US-Mexico border (no, really) and electrifying his much-touted wall before being told by aides his ideas were both illegal and impractical.

In a furious press conference with the Finnish president, Mr Trump snapped at reporters multiple times and appeared to be somewhat admonished by the visiting leader.

In other developments, 2020 candidate Bernie Sanders has been hospitalised following a chest complaint, House Democrats have threatened to subpoena the White House and secretary of state Mike Pompeo had admitted for the first time he was in on the Zelensky call. However, his aides are still denying that he took part in the attempts to get Ukraine to interfere with the 2020 election.

Follow live updates

Donald Trump is saying his call with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "great" and "perfect," adding that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was listening to the phone call for "security reasons".

Chris Riotta2 October 2019 19:45

"I have a lot of respect for whistleblowers, but only when they're real," Donald Trump said during the press conference. 

He's claiming he received permission to release a memorandum of the phone call he had with the Ukrainian president. 

Chris Riotta2 October 2019 19:46

Donald Trump is calling Adam Schiff a "fraud" after being asked about reports the House intelligence chairman met knew about the contents of the whistleblower complaint before it was released. He said the complaint was a "scam" and suggested Mr Schiff "helped write it".

Chris Riotta2 October 2019 19:50

Bernie Sanders was taken to the hospital with chest pains before having surgery to combat a blocked artery, his campaign has announced.

The 78-year-old is said to be "conversing and in good spirits" following the procedure, which resulted in two stents being inserted into an artery.

"During a campaign event yesterday evening, [senator] Sanders experienced some chest discomfort. Following medical evaluation and testing he was found to have a blockage in one artery and two stents were successfully inserted," the campaign said in an emailed statement.

The statement continued: he "is conversing and in good spirits. He will be resting up over the next few days. We are cancelling his events and appearances until further notice, and we will continue to provide appropriate updates."

Chris Riotta2 October 2019 19:50

"Believe it or not I watch my words very closely, there are those that think I'm a very stable genius," Donald Trump said during this press conference while attacking Adam Schiff.

Chris Riotta2 October 2019 19:57

"I probably will be bringing a lot of litigation against people" involved in the federal investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Donald Trump is saying.

Chris Riotta2 October 2019 19:58

This line appears to be one of the major takeaways from the press conference happening right now -

Chris Riotta2 October 2019 19:59

Donald Trump's comments about treason have also gained swift backlash online -

Chris Riotta2 October 2019 20:03

The president is now fighting with a US reporter who is asking what he wanted from his Ukranian counterpart surrounding Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.

Chris Riotta2 October 2019 20:05

Donald Trump demanded reporter Jeff Mason ask the president of Finland a question rather than answer his questions about what he wanted Ukraine to do involving Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Critics have said the president was urging his Ukranian counterpart to launch an investigation into his 2020 political rival.

Chris Riotta2 October 2019 20:08

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