Trump impeachment news: Pressure to start Senate trial as worldwide survey reveals lack of confidence in president
Donald Trump says Iran is 'standing down' as Congress hears justification for military strike
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Donald Trump has told reporters at the White House that John Bolton, his former national security advisor and a potential key witness at his upcoming Senate impeachment trial, “knows nothing” about the Ukraine quid pro quo scandal, an apparent attempt to dismiss the significance of any testimony he might give before Congress.
Senate leader Mitch McConnell has said he is prepared to push on with the trial without having first agreed a deal on new witnesses and evidence with opposition Democrats, as House speaker Nancy Pelosi urges him to publish a resolution outlining the rules of engagement “immediately”.
After the Iran crisis deepened with the bombing of two US military bases in Iraq overnight, the president was ridiculed for seeking to reassure Americans by tweeting “All is well!” before making a statement declaring the country is now “standing down” but would face punishment through new economic sanctions rather than via military conflict.
During a brief address from the White House, the president made vague claims that General Qassem Soleimani planned "new attacks on American targets" before his killing. He also threatened new sanctions and repeated false claims that the Obama administration had paid for Iranian missiles in recent attacks.
Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves
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Meanwhile, members of Congress heard from the administration about its justification for military strikes in Iran.
House Speaker Pelosi intends to introduce a resolution this week to prevent further military action from the president
Follow along with live coverage as it happened:
Neal Katyal, George Conway pressure McConnell over impeachment in NYT op-ed
Lawyers Neal Katyal and George Conway - the latter married to senior White House advisor Kellyanne Conway, you will recall - have written a New York Times op-ed pressuring McConnell to allow Bolton to appear at Trump's trial, arguing: "The Constitution imposes upon the Senate a duty to 'try all impeachments', and so a real trial - with all relevant testimony and evidence - is what is required."
Trump, Michael Bloomberg to buy competing Super Bowl campaign spots
Both Trump and super-rich Democratic 2020 contender Michael Bloomberg are planning to pay $10m (£7.6m) for competing advertising slots during this year's Super Bowl on 2 February.
Here's Clark Mindock with more on the challenger's plan to "get under the president's skin".
Trump tweeted about 'horrendous leadership' starting World War III in 2013
There's always a tweet - and Greg Evans has this for Indy100 on one of the president's most prescient from seven years ago.
Ex-Trump aide under fire for bad taste Greta Thunberg joke
"Dr" Sebastian Gorka, a former aide to President Trump turned alt-right Frasier Crane and "fish oil" pill salesman, has come under fire after making a decidedly inappropriate remark about 17-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on his obnoxious America First radio show, a programme on which he is routinely prank called by listeners.
Here's more from Indy100.
Trump to address nation on Iran at 11am EST/4pm GMT
At last, word from the West Wing:
Our man at the White House, Andrew Feinberg, says Mike Pence has just arrived and is expected to appear alongside President Trump.
He'll have plenty of company:
Fox 'drops' guest after he planned to state opposition to Trump aggression against Iran
Conservative pundit Geraldo Rivera has claimed a planned appearance on Fox News last night was cancelled after he said he would urge Trump to show restraint in the ongoing political crisis with Iran.
In a sign of a split at the network over how to respond to the president’s escalation of tensions, Rivera suggested he was pulled from Sean Hannity’s show over his opposition to military action.
Conrad Duncan has the whole story.
Elizabeth Warren says it was a mistake for 'anyone' to have voted for Iraq War, calls on Trump to negotiate with Tehran
Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren appeared on MSNBC's Morning Joe today and generously mounted a defence of her 2020 Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden for voting in favour of the Iraq War in 2003, saying it was a mistake for "anyone" to have backed that misguided conflict.
"Look, I think the war was a mistake and I think it was a mistake for anyone to vote for that war," she said.
The candidate also had a message of caution for Trump on Iran.
Fox and Friends pundits trade wild Iran conspiracy theories
How is Fox News coping this morning, having had a chance to sleep on last night's events?
Not well, you will not be surprised to learn. God help Bobby Lewis.
Hegseth's speculation that Iran has been using its cultural sites as hiding places for concealing military assets has also been entertained by Kellyanne Conway in recent days, by the way.
Both can lay claim to having the ear of Trump.
Trump 'viewed less favourably than Vadlimir Putin or Xi Jinping'
A new poll finds the president is currently less trusted around the world than authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
German chancellor Angela Merkel scored top marks.
Alex Woodward has this report.
Trump on Iran: 'This is gonna open the door to negotiations'
The president was reportedly optimistic about the Iran situation last night, apparently telling Oklahoma Republican senator Jim Inhofe "this is gonna open the door to negotiations". Huh.
He also has the backing of his old pal Benjamin Netanyahu, which is nice.
But one man who is decidedly less pleased with how things are going is Chuck Schumer:
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