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| Trump gets ready for State of the Union address – live news | Trump gets ready for State of the Union address – live news |
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| Trump is expected to declare near-total triumph over the Islamic State group in Syria in his State of the Union address Tuesday, but U.S. defense officials are increasingly fearful that the militants are simply biding their time until the Americans leave the battlefield as planned, the Associated Press reports: | |
| IS militants have lost territory since Trump’s surprise announcement in December that he was pulling U.S. forces out, but military officials warn the fighters could regroup within six months to a year after the Americans leave. | |
| A Defense Department watchdog report released Monday warned of just such a possibility. | |
| The Islamic State group “remains a potent force of battle-hardened and well-disciplined fighters that ‘could likely resurge in Syria’ absent continued counterterrorism pressure,” the report from the inspector general said. | |
| The top commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, Gen. Joseph Votel, told a Senate committee on Tuesday that of the 34,000 square miles of territory that IS once held, it now controls less than 20 square miles. | |
| “It is important to understand that even though this territory has been reclaimed, the fight against ISIS and violent extremists is not over and our mission has not changed,” Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee. | |
| White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, in an appearance on CNN, makes another pitch for Donald Trump’s proposed deal to trade temporary protections for young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children for his border wall. | White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, in an appearance on CNN, makes another pitch for Donald Trump’s proposed deal to trade temporary protections for young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children for his border wall. |
| She blasted Democrats for choosing not to counter the offer, which they quickly rejected. | She blasted Democrats for choosing not to counter the offer, which they quickly rejected. |
| “No’ is not a counter-proposal. It’s a child-like response,” she said, adding of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s comment that she would offer “one dollar” for the wall, “It’s actually an insult to our border patrol agents.” | “No’ is not a counter-proposal. It’s a child-like response,” she said, adding of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s comment that she would offer “one dollar” for the wall, “It’s actually an insult to our border patrol agents.” |
| Conway said that Trump would be willing to call his wall a fence or anything else in order to get Democratic support, a point Trump has changed his stance on repeatedly. | Conway said that Trump would be willing to call his wall a fence or anything else in order to get Democratic support, a point Trump has changed his stance on repeatedly. |
| Democrats, she said, have gotten “tongue tied” in discussing the wall. “I don’t know if they’re trying to say Wawa, my favorite store,” she said. “Call it what you want, but get it done.” | Democrats, she said, have gotten “tongue tied” in discussing the wall. “I don’t know if they’re trying to say Wawa, my favorite store,” she said. “Call it what you want, but get it done.” |
| Asked about Donald Trump’s golf clubs’ own employment of many undocumented immigrants - at least 18 of whom have been recently fired, according to the Washington Post - she offered little defense and instead tried to change the subject to Democrats troubles in Virginia. | |
| Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, in a speech on the Senate floor, says Donald Trump’s economy and healthcare system are failing Americans, while the state of his administration is chaos. | Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, in a speech on the Senate floor, says Donald Trump’s economy and healthcare system are failing Americans, while the state of his administration is chaos. |
| President Trump will report tonight on the state of our union.But, the state of the Trump economy is failing America’s middle class.The state of the Trump healthcare system is failing American families.The state of the Trump Administration is chaos. https://t.co/TFZmaoD2Jw | President Trump will report tonight on the state of our union.But, the state of the Trump economy is failing America’s middle class.The state of the Trump healthcare system is failing American families.The state of the Trump Administration is chaos. https://t.co/TFZmaoD2Jw |
| Trump shoots back that Schumer is “just upset that he didn’t win the Senate, after spending a fortune, like he thought he would.” | Trump shoots back that Schumer is “just upset that he didn’t win the Senate, after spending a fortune, like he thought he would.” |
| I see Schumer is already criticizing my State of the Union speech, even though he hasn’t seen it yet. He’s just upset that he didn’t win the Senate, after spending a fortune, like he thought he would. Too bad we weren’t given more credit for the Senate win by the media! | I see Schumer is already criticizing my State of the Union speech, even though he hasn’t seen it yet. He’s just upset that he didn’t win the Senate, after spending a fortune, like he thought he would. Too bad we weren’t given more credit for the Senate win by the media! |
| Many observers have noted the irony of the attack, coming as the White House has pledged a speech focused on unity. | |
| The White House has said the State of the Union tonight will call for unity https://t.co/7GUgm7JZfl | |
| From the Guardian’s Emily Holden in Washington: | From the Guardian’s Emily Holden in Washington: |
| A Senate committee advanced the nomination of Andrew Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, to run the Environmental Protection Agency. | |
| In a party line vote, Republicans sent the nomination to a final vote on the Senate floor. Wheeler, formerly the deputy administrator, has been running the agency since Scott Pruitt stepped down amid myriad ethics scandals. | |
| Wheeler has continued many of the same priorities Pruitt pursued to roll back environment and climate regulations and to ease pollution rules for industry. In his recent confirmation hearing, he downplayedthe severity of man-made climate change. | |
| “In many instances Mr. Wheeler has gone further than his predecessor in his rejection of important measures that are supported by environmentalists and industry,” said the Senate environment panel’s ranking Democrat, Tom Carper. | |
| Carper urged Republicans to slow down the confirmation process to examine some of Wheeler’s proposals to amend rules for mercury emissions from power plants and pollution from cars. | Carper urged Republicans to slow down the confirmation process to examine some of Wheeler’s proposals to amend rules for mercury emissions from power plants and pollution from cars. |
| BuzzFeed News has published a cache of internal Trump Organization documents detailing negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. | BuzzFeed News has published a cache of internal Trump Organization documents detailing negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. |
| .@BuzzFeedNews published a cache of Trump Org docs that lay bare the secret negotiations that continued after Cohen claimed Trump Moscow was abandoned. They reveal the effort to get the tower built was entwined with the ups and downs of Trump's campaign.https://t.co/e3pfjdrr1L | .@BuzzFeedNews published a cache of Trump Org docs that lay bare the secret negotiations that continued after Cohen claimed Trump Moscow was abandoned. They reveal the effort to get the tower built was entwined with the ups and downs of Trump's campaign.https://t.co/e3pfjdrr1L |
| From the report: | From the report: |
| The documents, many of which have been exclusively obtained by BuzzFeed News, reveal that — despite Trump’s claim that the development was never more than a passing notion — the effort to get the tower built was long-running, detail-oriented and directly entwined with the ups and downs of his campaign. | The documents, many of which have been exclusively obtained by BuzzFeed News, reveal that — despite Trump’s claim that the development was never more than a passing notion — the effort to get the tower built was long-running, detail-oriented and directly entwined with the ups and downs of his campaign. |
| As Trump went from rally to rally, vociferously denying any dealings in Russia, his representatives, Michael Cohen and his associate Felix Sater, worked with Trump Organization lawyers and even Ivanka Trump to push forward negotiations to build a 100-story edifice just miles from the Kremlin. The fixers believed they needed Putin’s support to pull off the lucrative deal, and they planned to use Trump’s public praise for him to help secure it. At the same time, they plotted to persuade Putin to openly declare his support for Trump’s candidacy. “If he says it we own this election,” Sater wrote to Cohen. | As Trump went from rally to rally, vociferously denying any dealings in Russia, his representatives, Michael Cohen and his associate Felix Sater, worked with Trump Organization lawyers and even Ivanka Trump to push forward negotiations to build a 100-story edifice just miles from the Kremlin. The fixers believed they needed Putin’s support to pull off the lucrative deal, and they planned to use Trump’s public praise for him to help secure it. At the same time, they plotted to persuade Putin to openly declare his support for Trump’s candidacy. “If he says it we own this election,” Sater wrote to Cohen. |
| Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggests her supporters may want to skip watching tonight’s State of the Union speech. | Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggests her supporters may want to skip watching tonight’s State of the Union speech. |
| None of it https://t.co/k2SY2NnTpB | None of it https://t.co/k2SY2NnTpB |
| I’m so excited for @staceyabrams, and I’m excited for all of us - it’s a blessing to hear her insight every time.If you’re skipping watching #SOTU tonight, be sure to tune in afterwards to watch her. ☺️https://t.co/WdvWx0DeYm | I’m so excited for @staceyabrams, and I’m excited for all of us - it’s a blessing to hear her insight every time.If you’re skipping watching #SOTU tonight, be sure to tune in afterwards to watch her. ☺️https://t.co/WdvWx0DeYm |
| Senator Richard Blumenthal plans to vote against the confirmation of William Barr, Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. | Senator Richard Blumenthal plans to vote against the confirmation of William Barr, Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. |
| The nomination is expected to come up in the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. | The nomination is expected to come up in the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. |
| “I will vote against his nomination in committee on Thursday,” Blumenthal said, according to the Hill. | “I will vote against his nomination in committee on Thursday,” Blumenthal said, according to the Hill. |
| He cited Barr’s refusal to commit to releasing the full report of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian election interference and the potential of collusion with Trump’s campaign. | He cited Barr’s refusal to commit to releasing the full report of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian election interference and the potential of collusion with Trump’s campaign. |
| “The defining question for me was his declining to commit to release the Special Counsel’s report fully and completely,” Blumenthal said. “He chose not to make the commitment to release that report completely and directly to Congress and the American people.” | “The defining question for me was his declining to commit to release the Special Counsel’s report fully and completely,” Blumenthal said. “He chose not to make the commitment to release that report completely and directly to Congress and the American people.” |
| Donald Trump has a new idea - a “Human Wall” to secure the southern border. Presumably such a “wall” would be made up of military troops. | Donald Trump has a new idea - a “Human Wall” to secure the southern border. Presumably such a “wall” would be made up of military troops. |
| Tremendous numbers of people are coming up through Mexico in the hopes of flooding our Southern Border. We have sent additional military. We will build a Human Wall if necessary. If we had a real Wall, this would be a non-event! | Tremendous numbers of people are coming up through Mexico in the hopes of flooding our Southern Border. We have sent additional military. We will build a Human Wall if necessary. If we had a real Wall, this would be a non-event! |
| Democrats are spotlighting climate change with a number of their State of the Union guests, the Washington Post reports. | Democrats are spotlighting climate change with a number of their State of the Union guests, the Washington Post reports. |
| Longtime climate activist Bill McKibben was invited by Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin. Varshini Prakash, co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, will attend as the guest of Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey. University of Washington professor Lisa Graumlich, a pioneer in using tree rings to understand climate trends, was invited by Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, the Post reports. | Longtime climate activist Bill McKibben was invited by Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin. Varshini Prakash, co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, will attend as the guest of Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey. University of Washington professor Lisa Graumlich, a pioneer in using tree rings to understand climate trends, was invited by Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, the Post reports. |
| “Instead of tackling the problem head-on, President Trump is burying his head in the sand and handing out favors to his friends in the coal industry,” Jayapal said. | “Instead of tackling the problem head-on, President Trump is burying his head in the sand and handing out favors to his friends in the coal industry,” Jayapal said. |
| The Trump administration has a plan in place to fight expected efforts by Congressional Democrats to get ahold of Donald Trump’s tax returns, Politico reports. | The Trump administration has a plan in place to fight expected efforts by Congressional Democrats to get ahold of Donald Trump’s tax returns, Politico reports. |
| Federal law gives three Congressional committees - including the House Ways and Means Committee, now controlled by Democrats - the power to obtain the tax filings of any individual or business from the Internal Revenue Service. That includes Trump, who unlike every other presidential nominee in modern history refused to make his taxes public. A vote by the committee and the full House could then make the tax returns public. | Federal law gives three Congressional committees - including the House Ways and Means Committee, now controlled by Democrats - the power to obtain the tax filings of any individual or business from the Internal Revenue Service. That includes Trump, who unlike every other presidential nominee in modern history refused to make his taxes public. A vote by the committee and the full House could then make the tax returns public. |
| But the Treasury Department does not plan to give them up without a fight, according to the Politico report. They plan to use legal maneuvers to delay the release, while arguing publicly that the request is a partisan exercise. | But the Treasury Department does not plan to give them up without a fight, according to the Politico report. They plan to use legal maneuvers to delay the release, while arguing publicly that the request is a partisan exercise. |
| Donald Trump is “as committed today as he’s ever been to border security”, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told CNN this morning. | Donald Trump is “as committed today as he’s ever been to border security”, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told CNN this morning. |
| Asked about the president’s State of the Union address tonight, Sanders said observers would have to wait and see on the content of the speech, but on border security she pledged that the president is “not gonna stop until we fix this problem”. | Asked about the president’s State of the Union address tonight, Sanders said observers would have to wait and see on the content of the speech, but on border security she pledged that the president is “not gonna stop until we fix this problem”. |
| Crime will only fall if we “have real border security and that includes the wall”, Sanders said. | Crime will only fall if we “have real border security and that includes the wall”, Sanders said. |
| Asked whether the structure is “a wall or fence” – Trump last week returned to saying wall, having previously suggested the wall could be a barrier, or a fence, Sanders said: “What we’re looking at is a steel barrier that you can see through.” | Asked whether the structure is “a wall or fence” – Trump last week returned to saying wall, having previously suggested the wall could be a barrier, or a fence, Sanders said: “What we’re looking at is a steel barrier that you can see through.” |
| Of the subpoena issued to Trump’s inauguration committee this morning, Sanders insisted: “This has nothing to do with the White House.” | Of the subpoena issued to Trump’s inauguration committee this morning, Sanders insisted: “This has nothing to do with the White House.” |
| She blamed “hysteria over the fact this president became president” for the multiple investigations into the Trump campaign and people in his orbit. | She blamed “hysteria over the fact this president became president” for the multiple investigations into the Trump campaign and people in his orbit. |
| Regarding the Mueller investigation and whether Trump would commit to releasing the final report, Sanders said the White House was “going to let [his] attorneys figure it out”. | Regarding the Mueller investigation and whether Trump would commit to releasing the final report, Sanders said the White House was “going to let [his] attorneys figure it out”. |
| Donald Trump is expected to pick Treasury Department official David Malpass to head the World Bank, Politico reports. | Donald Trump is expected to pick Treasury Department official David Malpass to head the World Bank, Politico reports. |
| The choice is a clear sign the Trump administration is looking to rein in international financial institutions, according to Politico. Malpass has been critical of the World Bank, global organizations like it “have grown larger and more intrusive” and “the challenge of refocusing them has become urgent and more difficult.” | The choice is a clear sign the Trump administration is looking to rein in international financial institutions, according to Politico. Malpass has been critical of the World Bank, global organizations like it “have grown larger and more intrusive” and “the challenge of refocusing them has become urgent and more difficult.” |
| The US has traditionally been allowed to choose the leader of the World Bank, but a pick like Malpass could generate opposition. | The US has traditionally been allowed to choose the leader of the World Bank, but a pick like Malpass could generate opposition. |
| A top aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told health insurance executives that Democratic leadership has deep reservations about single payer healthcare, the Intercept reports. | A top aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told health insurance executives that Democratic leadership has deep reservations about single payer healthcare, the Intercept reports. |
| Wendell Primus, Pelosi’s top healthcare adviser, met with Blue Cross Blue Shield executives in December and told them Democrats were more focused on lowering prescription drug prices, rather than pushing for “Medicare for All” as some progressives would prefer. | Wendell Primus, Pelosi’s top healthcare adviser, met with Blue Cross Blue Shield executives in December and told them Democrats were more focused on lowering prescription drug prices, rather than pushing for “Medicare for All” as some progressives would prefer. |
| He told them Democrats were wary of single payer because of its huge cost, the widespread opposition it would generate, and the difficulties of implementing it, according to the Intercept report. | He told them Democrats were wary of single payer because of its huge cost, the widespread opposition it would generate, and the difficulties of implementing it, according to the Intercept report. |
| Good morning. Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union speech tonight, where we’ll be listening to see if he makes any news on how he plans to force through a wall on the US-Mexico border. Will he declare a national emergency, or force another government shutdown when the current three week federal spending bill expires? | Good morning. Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union speech tonight, where we’ll be listening to see if he makes any news on how he plans to force through a wall on the US-Mexico border. Will he declare a national emergency, or force another government shutdown when the current three week federal spending bill expires? |
| Trump will address a more hostile audience this year, with a Democratic-controlled House and a record number of female lawmakers. In the gallery overhead there will be two former employees of Trump’s New Jersey golf club, both immigrant women who have gone public about its hiring practices. A number of other lawmakers are bringing as guests immigrants who were separated from their families at the border, and other guests intended as shots across the bow at Trump. | Trump will address a more hostile audience this year, with a Democratic-controlled House and a record number of female lawmakers. In the gallery overhead there will be two former employees of Trump’s New Jersey golf club, both immigrant women who have gone public about its hiring practices. A number of other lawmakers are bringing as guests immigrants who were separated from their families at the border, and other guests intended as shots across the bow at Trump. |
| Trump will have guests of his own, and First Lady Melania Trump is bringing an 11-year-old boy named Joshua Trump who has been bullied because of his last name. | Trump will have guests of his own, and First Lady Melania Trump is bringing an 11-year-old boy named Joshua Trump who has been bullied because of his last name. |
| Donald Trump is expected in his speech tonight to announce a push to end transmissions of HIV by 2030. | Donald Trump is expected in his speech tonight to announce a push to end transmissions of HIV by 2030. |
| It’s one section of his agenda that could draw bipartisan support. | It’s one section of his agenda that could draw bipartisan support. |
| The plan calls for more funding for AIDS prevention and treatment, the Washington Post reports. Meanwhile, Brett Giroir, the assistant secretary of Health and Human Services who has been working on the project, is giving a keynote speech at the American Public Health Association this morning where he may provide some details. | The plan calls for more funding for AIDS prevention and treatment, the Washington Post reports. Meanwhile, Brett Giroir, the assistant secretary of Health and Human Services who has been working on the project, is giving a keynote speech at the American Public Health Association this morning where he may provide some details. |