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As it happenedended1562713634

Trump news: President speaks out about Jeffrey Epstein relationship, after lashing out at 'very stupid' UK ambassador

Follow the latest updates from Washington, as it happened

Chris Riotta
New York
,Clark Mindock,Joe Sommerlad
Tuesday 09 July 2019 19:26 BST
Comments
Donald Trump: 'The ambassador has not served the UK well, I can tell you that'

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Donald Trump’s Russian-born business associate Felix Sater testified before the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday, as the president resumed his row with UK ambassador to the US Sir Kim Darroch, and lashed out at the “mess” Theresa May has made of Brexit.

In one of his latest angry Twitter diatribe, the president called Sir Kim “wacky”, “a very stupid guy” and “a pompous fool” before laying into Ms May for going “her own foolish way” and ignoring his advice on Britain’s departure from the EU. “A disaster!” he concluded.

A meeting between his Commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, and Liam Fox was later cancelled. It was not immediately clear why, but officials told The Independent that the Brexit-related deal was being rescheduled.

Mr Trump talked up his environmental credentials at the White House on Monday night, during which he was brutally fact-checked by Fox News (and others), before sitting down to dinner with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who was caught up in a prostitution scandal earlier this year, just days after his former friend Jeffrey Epstein was arrested and accused of sex crimes involving underage girls.

The US president later said that he and Mr Epstein had a falling out roughly 15 years ago. Mr Epstein is known for having a close relationship with Bill Clinton as well, and managed to get a favourable plea deal on previous charges in Florida, when he was being accused by Alexander Acosta. Mr Acosta is now the secretary of Labour.

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Some perspective on the Darroch affair from UN diplomat "Emin Pasha".

Was the leaker trying to embarrass foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt as he challenges Boris Johnson for the Tory leadership by slipping Sir Kim's barbed remarks to the Boris-friendly Mail on Sunday?

"Someone is seeking to score political points. But using the UK’s foreign relationships as chips within a domestic game is irresponsible in the extreme."

Joe Sommerlad9 July 2019 13:15
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Joe Sommerlad9 July 2019 13:30
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Trump’s nominee to become the top officer in the US Navy has instead announced his retirement amid allegations of an inappropriate professional relationship with a former public affairs official. 

Admiral William Moran announced the sudden decision on Sunday, adding to the perception of turmoil in the Pentagon's senior ranks, less than a month after Pat Shanahan abruptly withdrew from consideration to be defence secretary after serving as the acting secretary for six months. 

Moran had been vetted for promotion to succeed Admiral John Richardson as chief of naval operations and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff but instead issued a written statement declaring that he had decided to decline the appointment and in favour of retirement.

Moran said his decision was based also on what he called an open investigation into "the nature of some of my personal email correspondence over the past couple of years." 

Here's Chris Riotta's report.

Joe Sommerlad9 July 2019 13:45
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Donald Trump's impeachment is not a threat for which his legal team is preparing, according to the president's lawyer Jay Sekulow.

Dozens of Democrats have called for Trump to face impeachment proceedings following the release of Robert Mueller's report into alleged collusion between his campaign and Russia in 2016.

While the former FBI director could not say that there had been collusion, he said he was not able to "exonerate" the president of claims he obstructed justice.

"There is no impeachment team," said Sekulow, who has represented the president from the early days of his administration, during an appearance on ABC's The Investigation podcast. "I just don't see this as a real threat."

Joe Sommerlad9 July 2019 14:00
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Donald Trump has said tariffs from India are "no longer acceptable" in a tweet -

Chris Riotta9 July 2019 14:14
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Donald Trump is also touting a new reported record low in food stamp usage on Twitter today -

Chris Riotta9 July 2019 14:20
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So farewell then, Democratic 2020 challenger Eric Swalwell, we hardly knew ye.

Joe Sommerlad9 July 2019 14:30
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Reaction is coming in from Donald Trump's latest Twitter meltdown, this time targeting the UK ambassador. Folks are describing the tweetstorm as "absurd," "embarrassing" and "upsetting," among other terms - 

Chris Riotta9 July 2019 14:30
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The fate of former President Barack Obama’s health care initiative, the Affordable Care Act, is once again in jeopardy.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments beginning on Tuesday over the latest legal challenge against the landmark legislation, which expands insurance access to millions while mandating every American gets health insurance or pays a tax. 

A three-panel judge will determine whether the law, also known as Obamacare, was rendered unconstitutional in 2017 when it zeroed out the tax imposed on those who chose not to buy insurance. US District Judge Reed O’Connor declared in December that it did, causing the law’s supporters to appeal.

Story to come...

Chris Riotta9 July 2019 14:45
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When one goes, another enters. 

Tom Steyer, who has long called for Donald Trump's impeachment, announced on Tuesday he's running for president of the United States -

Chris Riotta9 July 2019 15:00

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