President is slammed for leaving ‘press conference’ without addressing Minnesota as he disbands US relationship with WHO
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump held a "press conference" on Friday to discuss the United State's relationship with China, but then left the Rose Garden without taking questions or addressing the mounting situation in Minnesota following the death of George Floyd.
The president announced during his statement the US would disband its relationship with the World Health Organisation (WHO) amid the coronavirus pandemic.
This statement came moments after he shared two tweets attempting to clarify his "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" tweet released late Thursday night about the violent protests in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd. Twitter attached an unprecedented warning to a tweet by Mr Trump, accusing him of "glorifying violence".
Following the "press conference" in the Rose Garden, the president later held an additional conference to address the death of Mr Floyd. The president said he spoke with Mr Floyd's family and expressed his condolences.
"We all saw what we saw and it's very hard to even conceive of anything other than what we did see. Should never happen, should never be allowed to happen, a thing like that," Mr Trump said, sentiments people initially thought would happen earlier in the Rose Garden.
Mr Trump's war against Twitter continued into Friday just one day after he signed an executive order to limit legal protections against social media sites that shields them from liability about content posted on their platforms.
The war first started when Twitter fact-checked a tweet the president posted about mail-in voting. It only heightened when it labelled Mr Trump's protest tweet as "glorifying violence".
Former Vice President Joe Biden attacked the president for his tweets and his handling of the situation in Minnesota. "This is no time for incendiary tweets. It's no time to encourage violence," Mr Biden said. "This is a national crisis, and we need real leadership right now."
Bernie Sanders' supporter explains why progressives have gone 'totally silent' after Biden endorsement
Chris Riotta with his latest for the Polarized weekly column:
Trump attempts to roll back his controversial tweets about Minneapolis protesters
Donald Trump has addressed his controversial "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" tweet on Friday.
Our developing story:
BREAKING NEWS: Trump will disband the United State's relationship with the WHO
Donald Trump gave announced during a press briefing on Friday about China that that US would be terminating its relationship with the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The Trump administration and WHO have battled in recent months amid the coronavirus pandemic, specifically the organisation's treatment of China.
Now Mr Trump has said he's "terminating" the country's relationship with the WHO because the organisation has not made any moves towards coronavirus reform, according to the president.
"We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engaged with them directly but they have refused to act. Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organisation and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs," he said.
"The world needs answers from China on the virus. We must have transparency."
President is slammed for leaving press conference without addressing Minnesota
Donald Trump gathered the press in the Rose Garden of the White House on Friday to discuss the country's relationship with China. It was expected the president would then address the situation in Minnesota and answer reporters questions.
But instead, after the president faced backlash for his "shooting" tweet, he walked out of the Rose Garden following his statement on China.
Our story about the "press conference":
Trump ally Lindsey Graham urges judges in their 60s to retire so they can be replaced before election
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham has called for judges who are 65 or older to step down, so Republicans can take their seats in time for November's presidential election.
Mr Graham, a Republican senator for South Carolina, said that judges in their mid to late 60s should take "senior status," which would open up their seat for a new appointment.
Senior status is a position that puts judges into semi-retirement, but officials are only eligible for it if they are 65 or older and their age and years as a judge add up to 80.
James Crump reports:
George Floyd was "non-responsive" for nearly three minutes, criminal complaint says
The criminal complaint into George Floyd's death on Monday was released following one former cop being charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
The combined effect of police restraint on Mr Floyd, his underlying heart condition, and potential intoxicants in the man's system ultimately led to his death, according to the criminal complaint against former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin.
Mr Floyd was held down by the police officer 8 minutes and 45 seconds. Of that time period, the man was unresponsive for 2 minutes and 53 seconds with the officer's knee still on Mr Floyd's neck.
The complaint also states Mr Floyd had underlying heart conditions that included coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease.
"No physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation," Mr Floyd's autopsy found.
Amy Klobuchar's position on 2006 shooting by officer in George Floyd's death 'could cost her VP role'
Amy Klobuchar's decision as a Minneapolis prosecutor in 2006 not to bring charges against the police officer filmed kneeling on the neck of George Floyd could cost her the role of vice president, critics have said.
With Joe Biden asking Ms Klobuchar to undergo official vetting to be his running mate in November, the death of Mr Floyd has renewed scrutiny of her record as a district attorney that reportedly brought zero charges against police involved in 40 deaths during her tenure.
One of those officers was Derek Chauvin. Mr Chauvin was one of six police officers who shot and killed Wayne Reyes, who stabbed two people and pulled a shotgun before a car chase in October 2006.
Justin Vallejo reports:
Florida governor responds to rumours RNC could move to Florida
Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said Florida would be the "most natural landing spot" if the Republican National Committee and Trump administration was decide to move the August convention.
Currently, the RNC was set to take place in North Carolina. But problems arose between the state governor and the Trump administration amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"I think that they're losing patience with North Carolina ... I think we would be the most natural landing spot for it," Mr DeSantis said.
Democratic Governor Roy Cooper said he and his office would make a decision based on "science" about what the RNC could look like in August with the novel virus.
This has angered President Donald Trump because he wants a packed arena for the event, which health experts do not advise.
Mr DeSantis said a decision could be made "within the next week" about the RNC.
Taylor Swift praised by other stars for tweet against Donald Trump
Taylor Swift has received praise for a tweet in which she spoke out against Donald Trump and his threat to unleash violence against protesters in Minneapolis.
"After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence?" the singer tweeted on Friday.
She also told the president: "We will vote you out in November."
Trump previously reacted to demonstrations unfolding in Minnesota over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was seen on video pleading for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck.
Clémence Michallon reports:
Senator Lindsey Graham announces Judiciary will hold hearing on police use of force
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina announced on Friday the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary would be holding a formal hearing about how police officers use force.
The senator's announcement comes after outrage erupted this week following the death of George Floyd, a black man who was arrested for alleged forgery. In a horrifying video circulating social media, a white officer, who has since been charged with third-degree murder, is shown pressing his knee into Mr Floyd's neck to subdue the man.
A criminal complain against former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin said Mr Floyd was non-responsive for 2 minutes and 53 seconds while the officer had his knee on the man's neck.
The Judiciary will “call a wide variety of witnesses on the topics of better policing, addressing racial discrimination regarding the use of force, as well as building stronger bonds between communities and police," Mr Graham said, according to a Washington Post reporter.
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