Trump news: US nuclear arsenal now 'in tippy-top shape' says president when asked about responding to Iran: 'We should all pray we don't have to use them'

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Trump tells reporters border fence is 'wired' despite Army general's protestations

Donald Trump has defended himself on Twitter as his administration faces an extraordinary showdown with Congress after acting national intelligence director Joseph Maguire withheld a whistleblower’s complaint understood to concern a private conversation between the president and a foreign leader, despite its being classified a matter of “urgent concern”.

He also told reporters that they should "look into Joe Biden" when asked about the whistleblower's complaint, in an angry press conference in the Oval Office, during which he called the whistleblower "bipartisan," though he said he did not know who the person was.

Later, The Wall Street Journal reported that the president asked Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukranian president, to investigate Joe Biden's son "about eight times" during one phone call in July.

The White House said the president will meet with Mr Zelensky next week.

The House Intelligence Committee has not ruled out going to court to force Mr Maguire’s hand, according to the panel’s chairman Adam Schiff, as The Washington Post and New York Times report at least part of the mystery complaint involves Ukraine.

The president’s former secretary of state Rex Tillerson has meanwhile told Harvard University that the administration “got played” by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he described as “a bit Machiavellian”.

The president did not mention Friday's wildly successful climate strike at all today.

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Key Points

• Trump defends himself as Democrats plot release of whistleblower complaint
• Rudy Giuliani says 'of course' he pressed Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden
• Trump 'got played' by Benjamin Netanyahu, says Rex Tillerson
• New York mayor Bill de Blasio derided by Trump after dropping out of 2020 race
• Border Patrol agents testing asylum seekers for 'credible fear'

[20 September 2019 17:17 · Andrew Buncombe]

Good morning. This is Andrew Buncombe in Seattle, picking up the coverage for a while. How is everyone today. I know it's a cliche, but Seattle really does have excellent coffee.

[20 September 2019 17:19 · Andrew Buncombe]

I get the impression watching Trump at these interactions with the press and world leaders, that he needs no stimulation other than his own ego and drive, to get fired up. Having said that, we do know he likes drinking Coke.

[20 September 2019 17:22 · Andrew Buncombe]

So Trump said this of Justin Trudeau's blackface controversy: “I’m surprised, and I was more surprised when I saw the number of times.”

[20 September 2019 17:24 · Andrew Buncombe]

Is the president suggesting he has better judgment than Trudeau? I imagine every picture editor in New York is now digging through their archives from the 1980s and 90s to see if they can find a similar picture of Trump.

[20 September 2019 17:28 · Andrew Buncombe]

Trump is now holding a joint press conference with Australian PM Scott Morrison 

“We're looking for a complete deal” with China," says Mr Trump. “As you know we're talking a little bit this week. We're talking a lot next week.”

[20 September 2019 17:30 · Joe Sommerlad]

Full Frontal host Samantha Bee has laid into Texas senator Ted Cruz over his suggestion we all need to "let the anger go" over the credible accusations of sexual assault against US Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh. 

[20 September 2019 17:31 · Andrew Buncombe]

Trump said he is looking for “the big deal” regarding trade with China but says he doesn't need to get it done before 2020 election

[20 September 2019 17:32 · Andrew Buncombe]

Courtesy of Jim Acosta the scene in the East Room:

[20 September 2019 17:36 · Andrew Buncombe]

Trump now saying it's amazing what Australia has done with "clean coal". Claims miners are safe now b/c of what they've done in Australia. Imagine lots of environmentalists would disagree

[20 September 2019 17:41 · Andrew Buncombe]

Trump is defending his use of sanctions against Iran. Says he doesn't want to talk about military operations, but says nuclear weapons are in good shape. 'We should all pray we don't have to use them'.