Trump news: President threatens Iran with 'obliteration' as Melania announces new White House press secretary
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has threatened Iran with “obliteration” if the country launches any attack on US forces.
“Iran’s very ignorant and insulting statement, put out today, only shows that they do not understand reality”, Mr Trump tweeted Tuesday morning.
His comments came after Iranian president Hassan Rouhani hit out at the “hard-hitting” sanctions introduced by the Donald Trump administration on Monday against the country’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, calling the action “mentally retarded” in a live TV address.
Speaking at the White House later in the day, Donald Trump said: “We were going to end up in a war if it kept going in the way it was going ... The deal was no good” adding that the US is ready for “whatever” Iran wants to do.
Meanwhile, Melania Trump announced that the new White House press secretary will be her spokesperson, Stephanie Grisham
When questioned about the news in the Oval Office, Mr Trump said: “Stephanie has been with me from the beginning ... I think she’s very talented a lot of people wanted the job ... I asked people who do you like and so many people said Stephanie.”
The president then said Stephanie Grisham accepted this morning and that the first lady “is very happy for her.”
In the latest US-Mexico border developments, the acting chief of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), John Sanders, is expected to resign from his post. The announcement comes amid public outcry over the squalid conditions migrant children face in Texas shelters.
Speaking about the resignation of John Sanders, Mr Trump said: “I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to him ... I don’t know anything about him” before quickly adding “I hear he’s a very good man.”
In other White House news, the president has continued to deny the historic rape accusation made against him by New York writer E Jean Carroll, insisting he could not have done it because the alleged victim is “not my type”.
Catch up on events as they happened
Here's more information on Stephanie Grisham. Judging by the first lady's tweet, it looks like she'll be maintaining her roles for both Mr and Mrs Trump at once.
John Sanders, the acting chief of US Customs and Border Protection, has announced his resignation, effective 5 July. A letter to his employees, obtained by CNN reporters, does not mention the unsanitary and unsafe living conditions in the internment camps he's overseen, but does encourage remaining members to "continue to make CBP extraordinary."
Here's the letter in full:
Details of Stephanie Grisham's new role are emerging. It appears she'll be both the White House press secretary and communications director, and, as previously suggested, also stay on as Melanie Trump's spokesperson.
Grisham joined the Trump campaign in 2015 and has stayed loyal to the president and his family throughout the administration. In an unusual op-ed for CNN last year, she defended Melania Trump against criticism from "the media," particularly around the first lady's confusing Be Best campaign.
"News personalities and outlets use the 'Be Best' hashtag to taunt her about her husband," Grisham wrote of Melania, "instead of focusing on the underlying message of kindness and compassion the campaign is intended to convey."
The president's upcoming visit to South Korea will likely require extra security precautions after a car filled with gas cannisters was driven into the main gate of the US embassy in Seoul. Police have not yet said whether or not the incident appears to have been an attack.
Trump has already said he's mulling over a visit the demilitarised zone that divides North and South Korea on this trip, but it's unclear if that visit will take place. No talks between the North Korean leader and the president were expected during the suggested visit.
The House Judiciary Committee's hearing on voting rights and Shelby County v Holder is happening now. The 2013 supreme court ruling has had a substantial effect on US elections. Watch what house representatives and key witnesses are saying here.
"It’s Tuesday, in a parallel but possible universe. Donald Trump wakes up, hits the gym with his boxing trainer, showers, then styles his hair.
"Gone is the orange barnet, with its intricate candy-floss styling. Instead, his mane is a muted dark brown, slicked back like on his recent trip to Virginia.
"He’s still wearing the Brioni suits, but the cut is different. Instead of the boxy jackets with dangling sleeves and trousers with absurdly wide legs, everything’s tucked and tapered, cutting a cleaner outline.
"His Twitter account, managed by his communications team, is updated sporadically. Everything posted in his name has been ruthlessly tested in focus groups. Ever since he handed over the logins, he has to go through a group of PR experts whenever he wants to lash out at a perceived enemy. Every time, they round off the edges.
"It’s still Trump, just not as we know him..."
Read more from our voices team here:
Back to Trump's actual schedule, the president is due to present the Medal of Honor at The White House at 3.25pm ET (8.25pm UK).
He is addressing immigration at the border after news the acting chief of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), John Sanders, is expected to step down from his post in the coming weeks.
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