Trump news: President's ally Roger Stone banned from speaking about case after Instagram post of judge
The updates from Washington as they happened on Thursday
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Your support makes all the difference.FBI special counsel Robert Mueller could hand in his report into allegations members of the Trump campaign conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 US presidential election as early as next week, according to reports on Wednesday.
As that report was hypothesised about, Donald Trump’s former confidant, the flamboyant political consultant Roger Stone, appeared in court after posting an image on Instagram appearing to threaten a US district judge overseeing his criminal trial, itself instigated by Mr Mueller’s investigation.
The judge, who he repeatedly apologised to, then issued a full gag order on him and warned him that he would not be given another chance to keep his freedom as he awaits trial.
House Democrats will meanwhile file a resolution tomorrow against Mr Trump’s controversial decision to declare a national emergency over illegal immigration from the southwestern border in order to bypass Congress and get his wall built.
As all of that Washington drama swirled, Mr Trump weighed in on a number of issues on Thursday, including the case of Empire actor Jussie Smollett, who was charged in Chicago on Thursday for filing a false police report.
"What about MAGA and the tens of millions of people you insulted with your racist and dangerous comments!?" the president tweeted, referring to Smollett's claims that he was attacked by two men who told him he was in "MAGA country", referring to the president's popular slogan. Chicago police have said that Smollett's attack was staged and orchestrated by the actor.
The White House also detailed on Thursday the president's upcoming trip to Vietnam, where he will have his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
That summit is scheduled for next week.
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Donald Trump’s inauguration investigation has taken a new turn, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Federal prosecutors are reportedly looking into the inaugural committee’s dealings with vendors. Reports have raised questions about the validity of several vendors and their presence at the inauguration.
Trump has just referred to Jussie Smollet's claims that two of his apparent supporters attacked the actor as "racist" and "dangerous" -
The president will reportedly meet “face-to-face” with North Korean regime leader Kim Jong Un during their second summit together arriving next week, CNN reported on Thursday.
The North Korean summit arrives as Vice President Mike Pence heads to Colombia on the same day next week — meaning both the president and vice president will be outside of the United States at the same time.
Nancy Pelosi has said that the House will vote in the coming days on a resolution rejecting Donald Trump's national emergency declaration, while encouraging fellow Democrats to support the effort as they try to stop the president's push to expand efforts to build a barrier along the US-Mexico border.
In a letter, the California Democrat said Mr Trump's declaration "undermines the separation of powers and Congress' power of the purse, a power exclusively reserved by the text of the Constitution to the first branch of government, the Legislative branch, a branch co-equal to the Executive."
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has staked his legacy on the stunning diplomatic progress he has forged with North Korea, as well as the behind-the-scenes orchestration of the US-North Korean summits.
But following months of stalemate on North Korea nuclear talks, Mr Moon’s presidency faces a crucial moment, with Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un set to meet for the second time next week.
Mr Moon, a liberal who took office in May 2017, is desperate for a breakthrough so he can continue engagement with the North that has driven the three-way diplomacy but is now held back by tough US-led sanctions against Pyongyang. There’s hope among Mr Moon’s supporters that progress by Mr Trump and Mr Kim on the nuclear issue will allow the partial sanctions relief needed for the Koreas to resume joint economic projects that were shelved during previous standoffs.
AP
The Human Rights Campaign has lambasted Donald Trump over seemingly being unaware of his own administration’s latest efforts to eradicate the criminalization of homosexuality worldwide:
Claims the president tweeted footage from 2017 showing barrier construction along the US-Mexico border and suggesting the wall was being built “RIGHT NOW” are going viral across Twitter. We are currently working to confirm the date the video was recorded.
Donald Trump’s administration has ended talks with California over federal plans to roll back fuel economy rules designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the White House said in a statement on Thursday.
“The administration is moving forward to finalize a rule later this year with the goal of promoting safer, cleaner and more affordable vehicles,” the statement said.
Reuters
Roger Stone is set to arrive in court in just under an hour to explain to the judge presiding over his case why his bail shout not be revoked and why there should not be a full gag order in the trial after he shared a seemingly threatening image of her on social media:
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