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As it happenedended

Trump lashes out after economic gloom deepens, as he jokes about trading Puerto Rico for Greenland

The president appeared to take a break today

Lily Puckett
New York
,Joe Sommerlad
Thursday 22 August 2019 17:37 BST
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Trump muses about serving more than two terms as president

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Donald Trump had a much quieter day after yesterday's marathon spew. He started the morning off by renewing his criticism of the Federal Reserve, accusing it of “moving like quicksand” compared to Germany’s central bank, despite insisting the US economy is “strong”, refuting analysts' fears a recession is imminent and backing away from tax cuts. After that, he appeared to take the day off from social media, possibly at the hands of concerned aides, or maybe just after tiring himself out.

The morning's attack follows the president’s address to the American Veterans 75th National Convention in Kentucky on Wednesday evening, where he joked about awarding himself the Medal of Honor and trailed the idea of dumping thousands of captured Isis fighters on Europe.

That speech followed a particularly wild day for Mr Trump in which he retweeted praise from an evangelical broadcaster likening the affection in which he is held by Israeli Jews to “the second coming of God”, referred to himself as “the chosen one” in discussion with reporters and labelled the prime minister of Denmark “nasty” over her refusal to consider selling Greenland to him.

In 2020 news, the Democrats will not be granted a widely-anticipated climate change forum, after a top Joe Biden adviser came out against in at a DNC meeting. In a time with climate change is undeniably one of the country, and planet's, greatest threats, it's a confusing turn from the party in the US that actually acknowledges the existence of the existential threat.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders will take a new job at Fox News. The position has surprised practically no one.

Finally, four more representatives now support beginning impeachment proceedings, bringing the number to 135.

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Four new Democrats in the House now support moving forward with impeachment proceedings, bringing the total number to 135, according to a handy tracker by Politico. 100 Democrats either do not, or do not yet. There are zero Republicans who have come out in favour of impeachment. 

Lily Puckett22 August 2019 23:45

That's all for our live coverage of Donald Trump in the White House today. Thank you for following along.

Lily Puckett22 August 2019 23:46

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