Trump news: President vows to be 'unborn' children's strongest defender at abortion rally as impeachment trial gets back underway
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Donald Trump has bemoaned the Senate impeachment trial rules set by Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell after realising the first day of his defence team’s opening argument will take place on Saturday, “which is called Death Valley in TV”, he noted, because viewer ratings are likely to be lower than they would be on a week night.
On Friday afternoon Mr Trump made history by becoming the first sitting president to attend the anti-abortion March for Life rally in Washington, DC, as he seeks to shore up conservative support ahead of November’s election.
Just before that speech, his administration announced that it would cut federal funding streams to California unless the liberal state revokes rules that require abortion coverage by health insurers.
During Mr Trump's speech to the anti-abortion group, he drew attention for claiming that unborn babies had never had a "stronger defender" in history, and pledged to maintain his support for religious liberties.
The Democratic impeachment managers have meanwhile continued to make the case against the president in the upper chamber on Thursday, focusing on abuse of power and accusing the administration and Fox News of pursuing “completely bogus, Kremlin-pushed” conspiracy theories as a pretext to cheat in 2020 by leaning on Ukraine for a political favour to damage possible rival Joe Biden.
Trump makes surprise Thanksgiving visit to US troops in Afghanistan
Show all 10Meanwhile, the Pentagon announced that dozens of US service members who were present when Iran attacked an Iraqi base suffered from brain injuries, contradicting Mr Trump's previous comments that they simply had headaches after the blast.
Many of those soldiers were transported to the United States for treatment, while others were taken to Germany.
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Saturday impeachment schedule delayed
From The Independent's Washington DC bureau chief John T Bennett: Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell announced at the start of Friday's trial session that the chamber will convene at 10 am Saturday to hear the start of the Trump defense team's case.
He said he expects the Saturday session to last "several hours." A White House official earlier in the day said it is possible the Trump attorneys will not use their entire eight hours.
How much longer will Trump's impeachment trial last?
It could end as soon as next week, says congressman Jim Jordan.
Mr Jordan is not a juror in the Senate's ongoing impeachment trial, which began this week with opening statements from House impeachment managers. But, Mr Jordan has predicted on Fox News that the whole affair could be over much sooner than most have anticipated.
“I feel real confident that hopefully next week we’ll get this decision and get this thing over with it and get on to the business of the American people,” Mr Jordan said. “When you have [Democrats] talking for this long and not seeming to move anyone, the American people don’t seem to be tuning into this as much as we might have anticipated, I think it looks good for the president."
Republicans claim impeachment plan is all about tiring out the American people
From The Independent's Washington DC bureau chief John T Bennett: White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said the impeachment trial, for Democrats, is about tiring out the American people so they decide “we can’t have four more years of Donald Trump.”
Her comments came during a television appearance in the White House briefing room.
The 2020 response to Donald Trump's State of the Union will come from Michigan
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer will deliver Democrats' response to Mr Trump's speech, early next month.
The choice is often someone that the party would like to highlight as a potentially rising star, and worthy of watching. Previous responses have come from Stacey Abrams, for instance, who lost her 2018 Georgia gubernatorial bid but is seen as a potential vice presidential candidate in 2020.
Joe Biden is betting big on black voter support in the upcoming primaries. Is it as sure of a thing as many suggest?
If recent comments from the chairwoman for the Clark County Black Caucus in Nevada are any indication, no it is not.
Yvette Williams, the chairwoman, told Hill.tv that black voters are not "monolithic", and noted that there are black voters in places beyond South Carolina.
"The notion that Joe Biden has all of the black vote i snot true," Ms Williams said.
"We talk about South Carolina when we talk about black people but you have black people living all over in the United States and our needs may be different because we may have social issues that impact us different than in other parts of the country."
An end to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau?
Democrats are hoping they can save the agency, which was created in the aftermath of the 2008 election, in part after pressure by now-senator Elizabeth Warren.
The agency is facing a challenge that could reach the Supreme Court, based upon the argument that its unique structure could make it unconstitutional.
But powerful Democrats, including House speaker Nancy Pelosi, say they plan on fighting for it.
“The independence of the Consumer Bureau is essential to curb the fraud and abuse that led up to the Great Recession and wreaked havoc on the economic strength and stability of countless American seniors, service members, veterans, students and consumers across the country,” said House speaker Nancy Pelosi in a statement on Wednesday.
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