Trump news: US delays tariffs as president threatens long jail sentences for FBI 'spying' against his campaign

Follow the latest updates from Washington, as it happened

Donald Trump mocks Bill de Blasio after 2020 annoucement

Donald Trump has claimed on Twitter he was “conclusively spied on” by the Obama-era Justice Department in 2016, citing a Fox News opinion poll as proof and threatening long jail sentences for those found responsible in attorney general William Barr‘s upcoming investigation into the matter, widely regarded as revenge for the Mueller report.

The president meanwhile unveiled plans to revamp US immigration at the White House on Thursday, proposing a more selective, merit-based system and English tests for asylum seekers. It has also emerged he wants his US-Mexico border wall to be painted black and lined with spikes to intimidate and deter would-be illegal entrants.

As Washington reacted to those plans — they are likely dead on arrival with Democrats in control of the House — the Trump administration has continued to wrestle with potential crises when it come to trade, and Iran.

As tensions with Iran rumble on, Mr Trump is also reported to be seething in private about the perception his hawkish national security adviser, John Bolton, is dictating policy on Tehran and leading the US to the brink of a war the president says he “hopes” can be avoided.

As for trade, Mr Trump has given a pass to the European Union and Japan for tariffs for the next six months on autos, after threatening a stiff tax on the goods if they're brought into the US.

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Key Points

• Trump cites Fox opinion poll as proof he was 'conclusively spied on' in 2016
• President revising US immigration system to be 'merit-based'
• Trump 'wants US-Mexico border wall painted black and lined with spikes'
• Trump 'fumes at perception John Bolton dictating Iran policy'
• Trump mocks Bill de Blasio after 2020 run announced

[17 May 2019 13:55 · Joe Sommerlad]

Here's Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee and a regular Trump retweetee, defending the need for the president's stubborn tariff war with China.

[17 May 2019 14:15 · Joe Sommerlad]

Attorney general William Barr is trailing his investigation into those "spying" allegations recently promoted by Trump in an interview with Bill Hemmer of Fox News (where else?).

"I’ve been trying to get answers to the questions and I've found that a lot of the answers have been inadequate and some of the explanations I've gotten don't hang together, in a sense I have more questions today than when I first started," Barr told Hemmer for American Newsroom. 

Barr is in El Salvador at present to address officials on the US-Mexico border, MS-13, drugs and human trafficking.

[17 May 2019 14:25 · Joe Sommerlad]

In the last hour, Trump tweeted this wild revival of the Oldest Conspiracy Theory In The World about Hillary Clinton and her emails.

Perhaps the Michael Flynn story has him riled up.

[17 May 2019 14:30 · Joe Sommerlad]

Here's some creepy Don Jr fan art to ruin your afternoon, retweeted by the man himself.

What's that you say? You want more?

[17 May 2019 14:45 · Joe Sommerlad]

Elizabeth Warren has responded to Alabama's abortion ban and a similar piece of legislation on its way in Missouri with a strong statement urging Congress to pass federal laws protecting access for women to reproductive care.

"Our democracy should not be held hostage by right-wing courts and women should not have to hope that Brett Kavanaugh and Donald Trump’s Supreme Court will respect the law," the Democratic presidential candidate writes in a Medium post you can read in its entirety here.

[17 May 2019 14:50 · Joe Sommerlad]

Here's Trump's latest - attacking the "Fake News Media" over its coverage of Iran.

[17 May 2019 15:07 · Clark Mindock]

In tariff news: The United States has delayed imposing new tariffs on European and Japanese autos for at least six months, after the Trump administration considered a 25 per cent tax on the vehicles.

The decision came in a proclamation, in which Donald Trump directed US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to work towards finding a solution, and to update the White House in 180 days.

[17 May 2019 15:25 · Clark Mindock]

 In case you're wondering, or if this has any impact on your day, Gene Simmons was spotted at the White House yesterday. 

Apparently he struggled to hear question from reporters, who tried to shout at him while a helicopter — Marine One — took off.

[17 May 2019 15:45 · Clark Mindock]

Here's Pete Buttigieg responding to the the recent, extreme rape bills passed in the country.

[17 May 2019 16:00 · Clark Mindock]

It's not clear why this is even being considered to any real degree, but a new poll shows that most American's don't approve of the idea of extending Donald Trump's term by two years.

According to the University of Virginia Center for Politics, a whopping 77 per cent say they don't think it's a great idea.

Which is great, because the idea runs contrary to the US Constitution — you generally don't get do-overs for two years just because the president was being investigated for some potentially shady stuff.