Trump news: White House rescinds policy banning international students from online courses amid mounting criticism and lawsuits

President delivers campaign-style remarks at White House attacking Democratic rival

Kayleigh McEnany denies Trump undermining Dr Fauci despite sending 'opposition research' to reporters

After cancelling a campaign rally that was scheduled for New Hampshire on 11 July, Donald Trump made up for lost time by launching a nearly one-hour attack against Joe Biden from the White House Rose Garden as the president went down a literal list of grievances and the Democratic presidential candidate's platform pitches, which the president had grossly mischaracterised.

Moments earlier, the administration rescinded controversial new measures that would have effectively banned any international students from living in the United States during the fall months amid the coronavirus pandemic, with the news being announced after a court hearing that lasted just minutes.

A federal judge announced that the administration had reached a settlement with universities who had sued over the measures.

Mr Trump has continued to insist US schools must reopen this autumn despite the raging coronavirus, declaring at the White House on Monday that “schools should be opened. Kids want to go to schools. You’re losing a lot of lives by keeping things closed.”

Asked by CBS News on Tuesday what he would tell parents and teachers worried about sending their children to school, he said: "I would tell parents and teachers that you should find yourself a new person whoever is in charge of that decision, because it's a terrible decision."

Hillary Clinton has meanwhile warned Americans must “be ready” for Trump not to “go quietly” if he loses his re-election bid.

The former vice president recently unveiled a sweeping $2tn environmental plan on Tuesday seeking to achieve carbon-free power by 2035.

Follow live coverage as it happened

Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load

Key Points

• Trump attacked as school reopening row deepens
• White House denies undermining Fauci despite 'fact sheet' given to press
• Judge clears Mary Trump’s brutal tell-all book for publication
• Administration rescinds controversial international student policy

[14 July 2020 23:23 · Alex Woodward]

Trump, from the White House: 'There has never been a time when candidates are so different'

Donald Trump went down a list of what appeared to be campaign-provided attacks against Joe Biden's platform, riffing on each point listed after he read each one aloud.

It appeared to be a list posted on Twitter by his son a few days ago.

He made numerous false claims and outright falsehoods – claiming Joe Biden wants open borders and to "abolish law enforcement as we know it" as well as the military, among other claims that aren't remotely close to what the former vice president has proposed.

“There has never been a time when candidates are so different," the president said. "There has never been an election where we've had this kind of difference."

[14 July 2020 23:30 · Alex Woodward]

Trump claims 'there is nothing that the African American community wants more than school choice'

Donald Trump claimed that "there is nothing that the African American community wants more than school choice" as he defended his administration's support for charter schools and voucher programs.

His remarks echo similar comments in which he called "school choice" the "civil rights issue of all time".

"School choice" critics have argued that instead of bolstering chronically underfunded public schools, the administration is rewarding private schools and privately funded schools with federal money.

[14 July 2020 23:38 · Alex Woodward]

Trump to announce 'merit-based' immigration order following DACA decision

After his loss at the US Supreme Court over his administration's attempt to dismantle DACA, ​Donald Trump says he plans to announce a "merit-based" immigration order to allow people to remain or enter the country legally, an idea he floated last week.

The White House said the order aims to "protect US workers."

The president left the Rose Garden after taking only a few questions after nearly an hour of campaign-style attacks against Joe Biden.

[14 July 2020 23:51 · Alex Woodward]

Watch: Donald Trump says he will be 'signing an immigration act very soon' which will be 'based on merit'

[15 July 2020 00:16 · Alex Woodward]

We're closing today's live coverage of the Trump administration.

Stay tuned with The Independent.