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| Trump denies Hillary Clinton claim he sought foreign help for 2020 election | Trump denies Hillary Clinton claim he sought foreign help for 2020 election |
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| Donald Trump on Friday denied an accusation from his political rival Hillary Clinton that he sought help from a foreign government to help his bid for re-election – a potential replay of Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election.The White House was rocked this week by a whistleblower’s complaint that included a private conversation between the US president and a foreign leader. Some of the allegations appear to centre on Ukraine, according to reports in the Washington Post and the New York Times. | Donald Trump on Friday denied an accusation from his political rival Hillary Clinton that he sought help from a foreign government to help his bid for re-election – a potential replay of Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election.The White House was rocked this week by a whistleblower’s complaint that included a private conversation between the US president and a foreign leader. Some of the allegations appear to centre on Ukraine, according to reports in the Washington Post and the New York Times. |
| Pelosi: whistleblower complaint raises 'urgent concerns for national security' – live | Pelosi: whistleblower complaint raises 'urgent concerns for national security' – live |
| Trump spoke with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, on 25 July, about two weeks before the complaint was filed. Washington is rife with speculation that the US president may have been pressuring Zelensky to provide damaging information about former vice-president Joe Biden, his potential opponent in the 2020 election.The Trump campaign in 2016 had numerous contacts with Russia, and accepted a meeting that promised “dirt” on Clinton, although the special counsel Robert Mueller’s report earlier this year of his investigation into the controversy stopped short of finding direct collusion.Clinton, a former secretary of state and Trump’s Democratic party opponent in 2016, tweeted on Friday: “The president asked a foreign power to help him win an election. Again.”Trump offered a characteristically pugnacious defence against what he called a “partisan” whistleblower. He told reporters in the Oval Office that it was “a ridiculous story” and “just another political hack job” and that his conversations with foreign leaders were “totally appropriate”. | Trump spoke with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, on 25 July, about two weeks before the complaint was filed. Washington is rife with speculation that the US president may have been pressuring Zelensky to provide damaging information about former vice-president Joe Biden, his potential opponent in the 2020 election.The Trump campaign in 2016 had numerous contacts with Russia, and accepted a meeting that promised “dirt” on Clinton, although the special counsel Robert Mueller’s report earlier this year of his investigation into the controversy stopped short of finding direct collusion.Clinton, a former secretary of state and Trump’s Democratic party opponent in 2016, tweeted on Friday: “The president asked a foreign power to help him win an election. Again.”Trump offered a characteristically pugnacious defence against what he called a “partisan” whistleblower. He told reporters in the Oval Office that it was “a ridiculous story” and “just another political hack job” and that his conversations with foreign leaders were “totally appropriate”. |
| Asked about whether he discussed Biden, Trump insisted: “It doesn’t matter what I discussed.” But he added “someone ought to look into” the Democrat, who is currently leading opinion polls against rivals for the party’s nomination in 2020. | Asked about whether he discussed Biden, Trump insisted: “It doesn’t matter what I discussed.” But he added “someone ought to look into” the Democrat, who is currently leading opinion polls against rivals for the party’s nomination in 2020. |
| Trump also said he does not know if the phone call with Zelensky – a comedian and political novice elected in May – is the subject of the complaint, now caught in a standoff between the White House and Congress. | Trump also said he does not know if the phone call with Zelensky – a comedian and political novice elected in May – is the subject of the complaint, now caught in a standoff between the White House and Congress. |
| The whistleblower filed it with the inspector general of the intelligence community, Michael Atkinson, who acknowledged that he considered it a credible matter of “urgent concern” that merited notifying congressional oversight committees.But during a three-hour closed-door briefing on Thursday, Atkinson told the House intelligence committee that the acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, a Trump appointee, barred him from providing details of the complaint to Congress. | The whistleblower filed it with the inspector general of the intelligence community, Michael Atkinson, who acknowledged that he considered it a credible matter of “urgent concern” that merited notifying congressional oversight committees.But during a three-hour closed-door briefing on Thursday, Atkinson told the House intelligence committee that the acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, a Trump appointee, barred him from providing details of the complaint to Congress. |
| Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top House Democrat, said: “Reports of a reliable whistleblower complaint regarding the president’s communications with a foreign leader raise grave, urgent concerns for our national security.” | Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top House Democrat, said: “Reports of a reliable whistleblower complaint regarding the president’s communications with a foreign leader raise grave, urgent concerns for our national security.” |
| She added: “The president and acting DNI’s stonewalling must end immediately, and the whistleblower must be provided with every protection guaranteed by the law to defend the integrity of our government and ensure accountability and trust.” | She added: “The president and acting DNI’s stonewalling must end immediately, and the whistleblower must be provided with every protection guaranteed by the law to defend the integrity of our government and ensure accountability and trust.” |
| Trump whistleblower complaint: focus shifts to Ukraine amid Giuliani claims | Trump whistleblower complaint: focus shifts to Ukraine amid Giuliani claims |
| The intelligence committee’s chairman, Democrat Adam Schiff, told reporters after the briefing: “That whole purpose is being frustrated here because the director of national intelligence has made the unprecedented decision not to share the complaint with Congress.”Schiff warned that he was prepared to go to court to force the Trump administration to open up about the complaint. “The inspector general has said this cannot wait. There’s an urgency here that I think the courts will recognise.” Trump’s relationship with Ukraine has been the subject of growing scrutiny. In early September, an editorial column in the Washington Post asked: “Is Trump strong-arming Volodymyr Zelensky for political gain?” | The intelligence committee’s chairman, Democrat Adam Schiff, told reporters after the briefing: “That whole purpose is being frustrated here because the director of national intelligence has made the unprecedented decision not to share the complaint with Congress.”Schiff warned that he was prepared to go to court to force the Trump administration to open up about the complaint. “The inspector general has said this cannot wait. There’s an urgency here that I think the courts will recognise.” Trump’s relationship with Ukraine has been the subject of growing scrutiny. In early September, an editorial column in the Washington Post asked: “Is Trump strong-arming Volodymyr Zelensky for political gain?” |
| The Post editorial board claimed “we’re reliably told” that the president “is attempting to force Mr Zelensky to intervene in the 2020 US presidential election by launching an investigation of the leading Democratic candidate, Joe Biden”. | |
| The leader column added: “Mr Trump is not just soliciting Ukraine’s help with his presidential campaign; he is using US military aid the country desperately needs in an attempt to extort it.” | |
| The Democratic heads of three House committees recently announced an investigation into alleged efforts by Trump and his combative lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to pressure the Ukrainian government for their own political ends, including by withholding US security assistance. | The Democratic heads of three House committees recently announced an investigation into alleged efforts by Trump and his combative lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to pressure the Ukrainian government for their own political ends, including by withholding US security assistance. |
| They allege that Trump and Giuliani have pressured Kiev to prosecute Ukrainians who provided evidence against Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and to provide damaging information about Biden’s son. Hunter Biden worked for a Ukrainian gas company beginning in 2014, while his father was vice-president. | They allege that Trump and Giuliani have pressured Kiev to prosecute Ukrainians who provided evidence against Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and to provide damaging information about Biden’s son. Hunter Biden worked for a Ukrainian gas company beginning in 2014, while his father was vice-president. |
| The Democrats have demanded a full transcript of the Trump-Zelensky call along with a list of participants. | The Democrats have demanded a full transcript of the Trump-Zelensky call along with a list of participants. |
| The intrigue deepened on Thursday night when Giuliani was asked by the CNN host Chris Cuomo whether he had asked Ukraine to look into Biden. He initially said: “No, actually I didn’t,” but about 30 seconds later admitted: “Of course I did.” | |
| Observers in Ukraine said there were no signs yet that an agreement had been struck between Trump and Zelensky. | Observers in Ukraine said there were no signs yet that an agreement had been struck between Trump and Zelensky. |
| Serhii Leshchenko, an investigative journalist and former MP who advised Zelensky on foreign policy during the campaign, said: “There is nothing it could be besides this Biden stuff. It’s clear what they were talking about.” | |
| He cited a Ukrainian readout of the 25 July phone call between the two leaders: “Donald Trump is convinced that the new Ukrainian government will be able to quickly improve image of Ukraine, complete investigation of corruption cases, which inhibited the interaction between Ukraine and the USA.” | He cited a Ukrainian readout of the 25 July phone call between the two leaders: “Donald Trump is convinced that the new Ukrainian government will be able to quickly improve image of Ukraine, complete investigation of corruption cases, which inhibited the interaction between Ukraine and the USA.” |
| Leschenko said Trump’s allies, including Giuliani, had sought meetings with Zelensky since before his May inauguration, and accused Giuliani of “attempting to interfere in Ukrainian internal politics and blackmail Ukraine”. | Leschenko said Trump’s allies, including Giuliani, had sought meetings with Zelensky since before his May inauguration, and accused Giuliani of “attempting to interfere in Ukrainian internal politics and blackmail Ukraine”. |
| “[Zelensky] doesn’t want to be involved in this fight between two political parties in the US,” Leschenko said. “He doesn’t want to become a hostage of this situation.” | |
| Meanwhile Ukraine’s presidential administration announced on Friday that Zelensky will meet Trump next week during the UN general assembly in New York. | |
| Zelensky has not spoken publicly about the 25 July call with Trump since it was revealed as a cause for the whistleblower complaint on Thursday. A representative for Zelensky could not immediately be reached for comment. The Ukrainian president has eagerly sought a face-to-face meeting with Trump to discuss financial aid for the country and support in its ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelensky has met the vice-president, Mike Pence. | |
| Trump and his attorney general, William Barr, claimed that the Mueller report cleared him of collusion and obstruction of justice. Critics say it showed the Trump campaign was eager to accept help from Moscow, and crucial questions remain unanswered. | Trump and his attorney general, William Barr, claimed that the Mueller report cleared him of collusion and obstruction of justice. Critics say it showed the Trump campaign was eager to accept help from Moscow, and crucial questions remain unanswered. |
| The political pressure on Trump looks set to intensify. Ben Rhodes, former national security adviser to Barack Obama, wrote on Twitter: “If Trump was trying to abuse his power of the presidency to solicit foreign help for his campaign, it’s hard to imagine a more impeachable offense.” | The political pressure on Trump looks set to intensify. Ben Rhodes, former national security adviser to Barack Obama, wrote on Twitter: “If Trump was trying to abuse his power of the presidency to solicit foreign help for his campaign, it’s hard to imagine a more impeachable offense.” |
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| Trump-Russia investigation | Trump-Russia investigation |
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