Trump news: President suffers double impeachment blow after court orders tax returns release and key witness agrees to testify

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Trump launches blistering attack on Ilhan Omar by repeating conspiracy theories from right-wing blog

Donald Trump has suffered a double blow after the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled his accountants, Mazars USA, must turn over eight years of his financial records to the House impeachment inquiry and his ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, confirmed he will now testify before Congress, defying a White House pledge to stonewall the Ukraine investigation.

At a campaign rally in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last night, the president attacked “America-hating socialist” and local Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and also laid into Joe Biden, his son Hunter and House speaker Nancy Pelosi over the ongoing probe.

The House has meanwhile subpoenaed energy secretary Rick Perry and the two business associates of Rudy Giuliani arrested in Florida on Thursday, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, as the ex-US ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, appears on Capitol Hill today to tell her side of the story.

Mr Trump on Friday said that he is not sure if Mr Giuliani is still his attorney — a statement he made on the White House lawn, sparking a flurry of reporters to contact Mr Giuliani to ask if he had a better idea of the circumstances (he said he is still representing him).

Mr Trump's Minneapolis rally ended up garnering more attention than just for his attacks on those prominent Democrats, too, with clips of him seeming to imitate a love affair between former FBI agent Peter Strzok and Lisa Page.

The president is choosing to spend yet another evening away from Washington on Friday, too, and will hold yet another rally in Louisiana to prop up two GOP candidates for governor there.

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Key Points

• Court orders Mazars to hand over Trump financial records
• EU envoy Gordon Sondland will now appear before Congress 
• Ex-Ukraine ambassador Marie Yovanovitch to testify
• Trump rips into 'America-hating socialist' Ilhan Omar at Minneapolis rally
• Deutsche Bank says it 'got rid of' president's tax returns

[11 October 2019 21:55 · Clark Mindock]

The House is reportedly set to vote later this month on legislation aimed at limiting foreign interference in US elections, following a bipartisan Senate report that called on Congress to take action.

The move could put more pressure on Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell to act on the issue, who has been attacked by Democrats over election security.

[11 October 2019 21:59 · Clark Mindock]

Hm... 

[11 October 2019 22:20 · Clark Mindock]

The Pentagon is planning to deploy an extra 1,500 troops to Saudi Arabia, with the intention to divert Iranian aggression. 

The decision was announced on Friday.

"Secretary Esper informed Saudi Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Muhammad bin Salman this morning of the additional troop deployment to assure and enhance the defense of Saudi Arabia," the Pentagon said in a statement. "Taken together with other deployments, this constitutes an additional 3,000 forces that have been extended or authorized within the last month."