Trump news: President rages over impeachment talk as Nancy Pelosi attacks immigration hypocrisy over Melania
President posts tweet claiming 'the case is closed' after Robert Mueller's surprise public statement
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Donald Trump is facing rejuvenated calls for his impeachment by House Democrats following FBI special counsel Robert Mueller's surprise statement on Wednesday in which he suggested only Justice Department policy prevented his team from charging a sitting president with a crime.
Mr Trump was quick to declare “The case is closed!” on Twitter but 2020 challengers Kamala Harris and Cory Booker called on Congress to hold the president to account while House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has so far attempted to resist “divisive” impeachment proceedings, said: “Nothing is off the table”.
Quickly moving on to a fresh controversy, Mr Trump has been forced to deny asking the US Navy to have its destroyer the USS John S McCain, named after the late senator and Trump antagonist, kept “out of sight” during his recent four-day trip to Japan.
The Pentagon’s acting chief, Patrick Shanahan, said he never authorised attempts to make sure Mr Trump would not see the USS John S. McCain at its homeport in Japan and would have his chief of staff investigate. Trump said he was not involved in the matter.
Mr Trump, who long feuded with Mr McCain, told reporters at the White House that he “was not a big fan” of the Arizona Republican and onetime presidential nominee “in any way, shape or form.” But, Mr Trump added, “I would never do a thing like that.”
“Now, somebody did it because they thought I didn’t like him, OK? And they were well-meaning, I will say,” he said, while insisting he was kept in the dark.
The order that a Navy destroyer be kept out of sight reflected what appeared to be an extraordinary White House effort to avoid offending an unpredictable president known for holding a grudge, including a particularly bitter one against Mr McCain.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that a US Indo-Pacific Command official wrote an email to Navy and Air Force officials about Mr Trump’s Memorial Day weekend visit, including instructions for preparations for the USS Wasp, where he was to speak.
Mr Trump tweeted late Wednesday that he “was not informed about anything having to do with the Navy Ship USS John S. McCain during my recent visit to Japan.”
Still, he added Thursday that he “was very, very angry with McCain because he killed health care. I was not a big fan of John McCain in any way, shape or form.”
Additional reporting by AP. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load
Donald Trump is touting technological advancements in flying and pay raises the Air Force is receiving, while calling on Congress to increase investing in modern weaponization.
"The sound of American warplanes is the righteous sound of American justice," Donald Trump said.
Donald Trump is concluding his remarks by congratulating the class of 2019. "On behalf of our nation, God bless you, God bless the Air Force and God Bless America."
The president has concluded his remarks and received a standing ovation. He is now posing for photos before shaking hands with the graduating class.
The Air Force class of 2019 has announced Donald Trump is an honorary member of the graduating class.
Speaking of commencement addresses, Hillary Clinton drew headlines for some choice words she had for Facebook last night at Hunter College:
Here's more on Donald Trump's Russia comments from earlier in the day -
New York Attorney General Letitia James has released the following message about her office’s lawsuit against Donald Trump’s administration involving federal funding for so-called “sanctuary cities” -
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