Trump news: President accuses Democrats of holding stimulus money ‘hostage’ and awards football coach Lou Holtz the Presidential Medal of Freedom after his RNC speech
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Donald Trump has awarded famed college football coach Lou Holtz the Presidential Medal of Freedom after the coach made a speech during the Republican National Convention. During his speech, Mr Holtz called into question Joe Biden's Catholic faith.
The president's Friday press briefing also involved him accusing Democrats of holding stimulus money "hostage", with claims that $300bn in funding could be available to Americans if the Democrats would just reach a deal with the White House.
When asked about the poisoning of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, Mr Trump said he was "no proof" yet that the man was poisoned, despite Germany reporting it to be true.
Mr Trump has also denied reports that he labelled American war dead “losers” and “suckers” during a visit to Europe, where he was said to have avoided visiting a cemetery he believed was unimportant. When asked why General John Kelly, his former chief of staff, has not denied the reports, Mr Trump said that General Kelly might be one of The Atlantic's sources.
Since the report was released, journalists from The Washington Post, Associated Press, and Fox News have all independently confirmed key information. But the White House has held firm that the president never said disparaging comments against military troops.
The US president argued on Thursday that ”nobody has done what I’ve done” for war veterans, as he mocked his election opponent Mr Biden for wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic.
His Democratic rival condemned the president's alleged comments in a furious speech on Friday while delivering remarks on the economy and urging the president work with Congress on extending coronavirus relief. His remarks followed the release of an August jobs report showing unemployment at 8.4 per cent, still more than double February's jobless figures.
The president also criticised Mr Biden for visiting Kenosha, Wisconsin, claiming there was “nobody there” despite the candidate holding a church meeting and speaking with the family of Jacob Blake, who was left paralysed after an officer fired seven rounds into his back.
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Grenell chastises White House reporters following 'economic normalisation' agreement between Serbia and Kosovo
During a White House press conference, Richard Grenell chastised reporters that he accused were not asking substantive questions following an "economic normalisation" agreement and signing ceremony with Donald Trump.
"Maybe it's too complicated of an issue for you all," he told reporters.
Pressed on what exactly the president signed, Grenell said it was "an agreement to work with each other."
"He signed a... how would you describe it... basically, a letter acknowledging that they are going to work together and do this agreement," he said.
Barr congratulates officers for killing suspected gunman in Portland and claims 'streets of our cities are safer with this violent agitator removed'
Attorney General William Barr issued a chilling statement following federal law enforcement's killing of Michael Forest Reinoehl, who was suspected of killing a far-right protester in Portland during antiracist demonstrations.
The attorney general congratulated law enforcement for a "significant accomplishment in the ongoing effort to restore law and order to Portland and other cities" for killing the man after police reported that he attempted to escape and drew a weapon.
"I applaud the outstanding cooperation among federal, state, and local law enforcement, particularly the fugitive task force team that located Reinoehl and prevented him from escaping justice," Barr said. "The streets of our cities are safer with this violent agitator removed, and the actions that led to his location are an unmistakable demonstration that the United States will be governed by law, not violent mobs."
Mr Reinoehl said he acted in self defence following threats that Aaron “Jay” Danielson was going to stab him and a friend.
The Justice Department statement is a remarkably difference response from the Trump administration's defence of a Trump-supporting teenager accused of killings two protesters in Kenosha.
White House press secretary denounces story in The Atlantic on Trump's alleged military comments
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany – flanked by graphics claiming that the president's remarks on the military reported in The Atlantic "smearing" the president have been debunked by 10 "on-the-record sources" – said reporting by the publication's editor "is based on four cowardly anonymous sources, who probably do not even exist."
“The liberal activists at The Atlantic are uninterested in the truth," she said from the White House on Friday.
Ms McEnany displayed a 2018 email that she said proves a "bad weather call" cancelled a cemetery visit during a Paris trip, which The Atlantic claimed the president called off. "Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers," he said, according to the article.
She read statements from current staffer Derek Lyons and former staffer Dan Walsh before leaving the lectern without taking questions.
Biden blasts 'deplorable' report that Trump mocked military veterans: 'He's not fit to be the commander in chief'
The Independent's Oliver O'Connell has more from Joe Biden's remarks on Friday
Trump says Stars and Stripes – facing orders from the Pentagon to shut down – won't lost funding 'under my watch'
Following a memo from the Department of Defence ordering that the century-old military newspaper Stars and Stripes publish its last issue at the end of the month, Donald Trump – facing intense scrutiny for disparaging comments about the military reported in The Atlantic – says the US won't cut funding to the outlet.
Stars and Stripes ombudsman Ernie Gates told The Independent that "shutting it down would be fatal interference and permanent censorship of a unique First Amendment organization that has served US troops reliably for generations."
A bipartisan Senate group, and an effort from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, have urged the Pentagon to continue funding the operation.
The Pentagon had proposed cutting funding in its $1 trillion budget request earlier this year. The paper's budget is $15 million.
Trump says Stars and Stripes – facing orders from the Pentagon to shut down – won't lose funding 'under my watch'
Following a memo from the Department of Defence ordering that the century-old military newspaper Stars and Stripes publish its last issue at the end of the month, Donald Trump – facing intense scrutiny for disparaging comments about the military reported in The Atlantic – says the US won't cut funding to the outlet.
Stars and Stripes ombudsman Ernie Gates told The Independent that "shutting it down would be fatal interference and permanent censorship of a unique First Amendment organization that has served US troops reliably for generations."
A bipartisan Senate group, and an effort from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, have urged the Pentagon to continue funding the operation.
The Pentagon had proposed cutting funding in its $1 trillion budget request earlier this year. The paper's budget is $15 million.
Fox News confirms Trump's comments in The Atlantic
Fox News national security correspondent Jen Griffin has reportedly confirmed remarks made by Donald Trump as reported in The Atlantic, which published a damning account from several administration sources illustrating the president's disdain for service members.
Fox correspondent Jacqui Heinrich, citing Jen Griffin's reporting, corroborated quotes with a senior administration official who joined the president during a 2018 trip to France.
"When the president spoke about the Vietnam War he said, 'It was a stupid war. Anyone who went was a sucker,'" according to the reporters.
He also reportedly "could not understand why someone would die for their country" and that including wounded service members in a military parade is "not a good look," they reported.
‘We’re not going anywhere’: Why Portland is still protesting 100 days after George Floyd’s killing
One hundred days after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis triggered demonstrations across the county, protesters in Portland, Oregon, have indeed not gone anywhere.
While protests in cities such as Seattle, Oakland and San Francisco have come and gone, their numbers swelling in response to specific events such as the shooting of Jacob Blake, those in Portland have continued almost without pause. Even more noteworthy is that less than 6 per cent of the city’s population is African American.
Portland has been repeatedly denounced by Donald Trump as a hotbed of anarchy and terrorism, with the president claiming wrongly that Portland “has been burning for decades”.
Andrew Buncombe reports:
Trump to hold a news conference
The White House announced President Donald Trump would be holding press conference at 5pm EST on Friday.
It is expected for the president to address The Atlantic's report of him saying disparaging comments about service members.
Trump wants to defund Democratic cities. His re-election strategy just took a very dark turn Andrew Feinberg with his latest analysis for The Independent:
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