Trump news - live: Peter Navarro indicted for contempt of Congress as Jan 6 counterattack plot revealed

House committee member calls Trump ‘guilty as sin’ and a ‘one-man crime wave’

Former Trump aide Peter Navarro indicted for contempt of Congress

As the investigation into the attack on the US Capitol steadily yields more information about the events leading up to the 6 January attack, a memo has been released detailing a new angle on the Trump team’s efforts to subvert the 2020 election.

Written by attorney Kenneth Chesebro, it spells out a contorted multi-day plan to have Mike Pence take control of the electoral certification in the Senate, something the vice president ultimately refused to do despite intense pressure from the then-president.

Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin, a member of the House 6 January committee, has said that Donald Trump will “get his comeuppance” over the attack on the US Capitol.

A recently leaked memo, reportedly sent by the Republican National Committee, reveals the inner workings of Trump loyalists’ strategy to fan the airwaves with counterprogramming ahead of the first televised hearings of the select committee investigating the 6 January Capitol riot.

Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro has now been indicted by a federal grand jury for defying the committee’s subpoenas to appear and produce documents. He was arrested and appeared in court on Friday.

The select committee is set to begin its public hearings this month.

Key Points

• Trump loyalists plot counterprogramming storm
• Republicans say Trump could have stopped 6 Jan attack earlier
• Biden hammers Republicans for opposing AR-15 restrictions
• Trump ally Peter Navarro subpoenaed by January 6 grand jury
• Former Trump aide Peter Navarro indicted

[3 June 2022 21:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Rep Louie Gohmert compares Navarro and Sussmann

Rep Louie Gohmert compared the case of Peter Navarro with the recent end of proceedings against Michael Sussmann, the former Clinton campaign lawyer found not guilty of lying to the FBI.

“If you’re a Republican, you can’t even lie to Congress or lie to an FBI agent or they’re coming after you,” says Mr Gohmert.

Here’s what we wrote about Mr Sussmann earlier this week:

[3 June 2022 21:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Don Jr calls Johnny Depp ‘first man to win an argument with a woman’

Donald Trump Jr. has praised Johnny Depp as the “first man to win an argument with a woman” after the Pirates of the Caribbean actor was awarded $10.35m in damages in his high-profile defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard.

The eldest son of former president Donald Trump posted a meme on his Instagram page on Friday showing a photo of Mr Depp with his clenched fist held up in the air.

[3 June 2022 22:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman releases doctor’s letter saying he can campaign after stroke

Pennsylvania’s Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman has released a letter from his doctor stating that the Democratic nominee for Senate can resume campaigning in the highly watched senate race after he suffered a stroke.

Mr Fetterman’s campaign released a letter from Dr Ramesh Chandra of Alliance cardiology on Friday saying that he saw Mr Fetterman in a follow-up appointment after his stroke on 13 May.

Eric Garcia reports:

[3 June 2022 22:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Navarro: Arrest was in manor of ‘Stalinist Russia'

Peter Navarro says the manner of his arrest was “terrorism” and akin to “Stalinist Russia.”

He adds: “Shame on Kevin McCarthy,” arguing that the Republican Minority Leader hasn’t done enough to push back against the Jan 6 select committee.

[3 June 2022 23:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Navarro was in John Hinckley’s cell

Peter Navarro reveals he was in John Hinckley’s cell after his arrest.

Hinckley attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan on 30 March 1981.

[3 June 2022 23:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Navarro hits out at both Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy

[3 June 2022 23:45 · Oliver O'Connell]

Harris asked about prospects for gun control reform

Vice President Kamala Harris was asked about the prospects for gun control reform and said she had a great deal of confidence in lawmakers to work on a plan in a bipartisan way.

[4 June 2022 00:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Peter Navarro, former Trump aide, indicted for contempt of Congress

A federal grand jury has indicted former president Donald Trump’s economic adviser Peter Navarro for contempt of Congress for his refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the riot on 6 January at the US Capitol.

Federal agents arrested the ex-Trump aide on Friday morning as he was boarding an airplane for Nashville.

Eric Garcia and Andrew Feinberg report:

[4 June 2022 01:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Biden calls for action on gun violence

President Joe Biden delivered a plea for action on gun violence on Thursday as the US reels from a spate of mass shootings, including horrific massacres in New York and Texas.

The president delivered a rare prime time address as members of the Senate, away from Washington on recess, huddle to discuss possible compromise legislation in response to the shocking scenes of slaughter which unfolded at a supermarket, an elementary school and a hospital over the past few weeks.

John Bowden reports:

[4 June 2022 02:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Joe Biden and Elon Musk trade barbs over US economy

Joe Biden and Elon Musk have traded barbs about the health of the US economy after the Tesla boss said he had a “super bad” feeling about the future.

Mr Biden responded to the Tesla and SpaceX boss reportedly telling executives he wanted to cut 10 per cent of the electric vehicle company’s workforce, by saying “Lots of luck on his trip to the moon.”

The president’s joke came after he listed all the investments that other automakers were currently making in electric vehicle production plants across the US.

Graeme Massie reports: