Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended1576536327

Trump news: President lashes out after impeachment report accuses him of bribery, as Republicans urged not to conduct 'cover-up' Senate trial

Follow here for the latest updates, as they happened

Clark Mindock
New York
,Andy Gregory
Monday 16 December 2019 20:57 GMT
Comments
Donald Trump congratulates Boris Johnson and talks of 'tremendous trade' with the UK

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Donald Trump unleashed a furious tirade against his opponents and ranted about his personal ratings as a Fox News poll suggested half of Americans want him removed from the White House ahead of a looming vote on his impeachment.

The president launched personal attacks on Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff as the House Judiciary Committee published its full 658-page report into the Ukraine scandal, accusing him of bribery and concluding he had “abused his power in soliciting and pressuring a vulnerable foreign nation to corrupt” the 2020 election.

The outbursts came after an adviser tasked with defending Mr Trump in the upcoming inquiry suggested the pressure of the looming charges was beginning to weigh heavily on him, with the House expected to vote for his impeachment this week.

On the campaign trail, Democrats have continued to argue about Medicare for All, with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — a leading surrogate for Bernie Sanders — making the case with fervour online.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez has argued that the American healthcare system provides too many options for consumers, and creates a confusing system.

Please allow a moment for the liveblog to load

1576511011

More on the five aides that resigned after Jeff Van Drew defected to the GOP over Trump's impeachment

Cheri Bustos, chair of the Democrat's campaigning committee, has offered jobs to the five staff members left cold by the New Jersey senator's decision to jump party.

Donald Trump Jr and other Republicans have praised Mr Van Drew's decision amid efforts to paint the impeachment proceedings as an unjust "hoax".

Andy Gregory16 December 2019 15:43
1576511703

Hundreds of anti-Trump marches reportedly planned ahead of impeachment vote

According to a pro-impeachment protest site, there are more than 550 "Nobody is Above the Law" demonstrations planned this week in preparation for the House vote on two articles of impeachment.

LA Kauffman, a grassroots activist and author of Direct Action: Protest, shared information of the events calling for the "impeachment, conviction, and removal of Donald Trump".

Andy Gregory16 December 2019 15:55
1576512203

'What is Trump hiding?' advert unveiled in Times Square

It appears the marchers on Tuesday might have something sympathetic to their cause to look at as they gather in Times Square.

A group of anti-Trump Republicans have been putting these adverts up in a number of states, with their Times Square advert going up today.

Andy Gregory16 December 2019 16:03
1576512400

Trump congratulates British PM in first call since election and discusses 'ambitious free trade agreement'

Boris Johnson and Mr Trump said they looked forward to continued close cooperation and the negotiation of an "ambitious free trade agreement" during a phone call on Monday, Reuters reports Downing Street officials as saying.

"The prime minister spoke with President Trump, who congratulated him on the result of the general election," a Downing Street spokesman said.

"They discussed the huge importance of the relationship between the UK and US, and looked forward to continued close cooperation on issues such as security and trade, including the negotiation of an ambitious free trade agreement."

Andy Gregory16 December 2019 16:06
1576514496

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is on a bit of a Twitter tear this morning, laying into the arguments made by center-left Democrats who have suggested that Medicare for All is too radical of a policy.

Clark Mindock16 December 2019 16:41
1576515610

Mr Trump is choosing this morning to align himself with the fate of Richard Jewell, the security guard who was falsely accused of orchestrating the Atlanta Olympic bombings.

Clark Mindock16 December 2019 17:00
1576517410
Clark Mindock16 December 2019 17:30
1576519210
Clark Mindock16 December 2019 18:00
1576521010
Clark Mindock16 December 2019 18:30
1576524104

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer is delivering impeachment remarks right now, and noting that he believes Republicans in the Senate will have a "choice" between a "fair" trial in which facts are brought to the fore, or not.

Mr Schumer says "we need to know the facts from those who are in the position to know". He is, by doing this, attempting to put pressure on Mitch McConnell.

"To conduct the trial without the facts is saying we're afraid, we have something to hide," Mr Schumer said, arguing that not hearing from witnesses would amount to a "cover-up".

Clark Mindock16 December 2019 19:21

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in