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| Trump and Johnson to meet amid impeachment and Brexit woes – live | Trump and Johnson to meet amid impeachment and Brexit woes – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Trump slammed calls for his impeachment, which are escalating among House Democrats, as “nonsense.” | |
| "I think it's ridiculous, it's a witch hunt," Trump says about impeachment calls amid reports on his call with Ukrainian leader."When you see the read out of the call, which I assume you will at some point, you'll understand. That call was perfect." https://t.co/Wl1hsQZcUY pic.twitter.com/BQLkRLDc78 | |
| “I think it’s ridiculous; it’s a witch hunt,” Trump told reporters at the UN General Assembly when asked about impeachment talks. He claimed Democrats were only pursuing impeachment because they feared they could not beat him in next year’s election. | |
| The president then reiterated his expectation that a transcript of his call with the Ukrainian president would be released, but he was vague on a timeline for that. | |
| Trump specifically called out European allies for not offering more aid to Ukraine while speaking to reporters at the UN in New York. | |
| President Trump says he blocked money to Ukraine a week before call with Ukrainian leader because he "wanted other countries to put up money." https://t.co/LOlwhKc8Ve pic.twitter.com/3k0wqrtAz0 | |
| “I want other countries to put up money. I think it’s unfair that we put up the money,” Trump said when asked why he reportedly instructed his acting chief of staff to hold back the military aid several days before his phone call with the Ukrainian president. | |
| Trump said he “let it go” once he had more conversations with advisers, noting that the $400 million in military aid was released to Ukraine earlier this month. But he singled out some of the United States’ European allies in not pulling their fair weight. | |
| Trump said: “Germany, France, other countries should put up money, and that’s been my complaint from the beginning.” | |
| Taking questions from reporters upon arrival to the UN General Assembly, Trump reiterated that Democrats should be investigating the unfounded corruption claims against Joe Biden and his son. | |
| The president went on to slam House Democrats’ demands to investigate his phone call with the Ukrainian president as a “witch hunt,” a phrase Trump repeatedly invoked to belittle special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe. | |
| Trump has arrived at the UN General Assembly and told reporters that he held back military aid from Ukraine because he felt allies should contribute more. | |
| “I always ask, why are other allies in Europe not putting up money for Ukraine?” Trump asked. | |
| The Washington Post reported yesterday that he instructed his acting chief of staff to hold back the aid several days before the phone call in which he allegedly pressured the Ukrainian president to investigate Biden. | |
| More bad news for Trump: the president reportedly instructed his acting chief of staff to hold back military aid from Ukraine several days before the phone call in which he allegedly pressured the country’s president to investigate Biden. | More bad news for Trump: the president reportedly instructed his acting chief of staff to hold back military aid from Ukraine several days before the phone call in which he allegedly pressured the country’s president to investigate Biden. |
| The Washington Post reports: | The Washington Post reports: |
| Officials at the Office of Management and Budget relayed Trump’s order to the State Department and the Pentagon during an interagency meeting in mid-July, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. They explained that the president had ‘concerns’ and wanted to analyze whether the money needed to be spent. | Officials at the Office of Management and Budget relayed Trump’s order to the State Department and the Pentagon during an interagency meeting in mid-July, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. They explained that the president had ‘concerns’ and wanted to analyze whether the money needed to be spent. |
| Administration officials were instructed to tell lawmakers that the delays were part of an ‘interagency process’ but to give them no additional information — a pattern that continued for nearly two months, until the White House released the funds on the night of Sept. 11. | Administration officials were instructed to tell lawmakers that the delays were part of an ‘interagency process’ but to give them no additional information — a pattern that continued for nearly two months, until the White House released the funds on the night of Sept. 11. |
| Trump’s order to withhold aid to Ukraine a week before his July 25 call with Volodymyr Zelensky is likely to raise questions about the motivation for his decision and fuel suspicions on Capitol Hill that Trump sought to leverage congressionally approved aid to damage a political rival. | Trump’s order to withhold aid to Ukraine a week before his July 25 call with Volodymyr Zelensky is likely to raise questions about the motivation for his decision and fuel suspicions on Capitol Hill that Trump sought to leverage congressionally approved aid to damage a political rival. |
| The latest domino to fall in the impeachment controversy is a Washington Post op-ed written by seven freshman House Democrats, all of whom have national security backgrounds and represent swing districts. | The latest domino to fall in the impeachment controversy is a Washington Post op-ed written by seven freshman House Democrats, all of whom have national security backgrounds and represent swing districts. |
| The authors of the piece are Gil Cisneros of California, Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Elaine Luria of Virginia, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia. | The authors of the piece are Gil Cisneros of California, Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Elaine Luria of Virginia, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia. |
| They write of reports that Trump pressured the Ukrainian president to investigate Joe Biden: | They write of reports that Trump pressured the Ukrainian president to investigate Joe Biden: |
| If these allegations are true, we believe these actions represent an impeachable offense. We do not arrive at this conclusion lightly, and we call on our colleagues in Congress to consider the use of all congressional authorities available to us, including the power of ‘inherent contempt’ and impeachment hearings, to address these new allegations, find the truth and protect our national security. ... | If these allegations are true, we believe these actions represent an impeachable offense. We do not arrive at this conclusion lightly, and we call on our colleagues in Congress to consider the use of all congressional authorities available to us, including the power of ‘inherent contempt’ and impeachment hearings, to address these new allegations, find the truth and protect our national security. ... |
| These new allegations are a threat to all we have sworn to protect. We must preserve the checks and balances envisioned by the Founders and restore the trust of the American people in our government. And that is what we intend to do. | These new allegations are a threat to all we have sworn to protect. We must preserve the checks and balances envisioned by the Founders and restore the trust of the American people in our government. And that is what we intend to do. |
| It’s worth noting that the op-ed does not explicitly call for immediately launching impeachment proceedings. All the same, the group’s openness to impeachment is an unmistakable shot across the bow from the more centrist wing of the Democratic Party. | It’s worth noting that the op-ed does not explicitly call for immediately launching impeachment proceedings. All the same, the group’s openness to impeachment is an unmistakable shot across the bow from the more centrist wing of the Democratic Party. |
| Good morning, live blog readers! | Good morning, live blog readers! |
| The UN General Assembly continues today in New York, and two of the most powerful and most controversial world leaders are set to meet at 11.15am ET: Donald Trump and Boris Johnson. | The UN General Assembly continues today in New York, and two of the most powerful and most controversial world leaders are set to meet at 11.15am ET: Donald Trump and Boris Johnson. |
| The meeting between the pair comes as each faces potentially career-ending controversies back home. More Democrats are coming out in favor of launching impeachment proceedings against Trump, and the UK supreme court has just ruled that Johnson’s suspension of parliament to try to force a no-deal Brexit was illegal. | The meeting between the pair comes as each faces potentially career-ending controversies back home. More Democrats are coming out in favor of launching impeachment proceedings against Trump, and the UK supreme court has just ruled that Johnson’s suspension of parliament to try to force a no-deal Brexit was illegal. |
| Owen Bowcott and Severin Carrell have more on that latter development: | Owen Bowcott and Severin Carrell have more on that latter development: |
| The judgment from 11 justices on the UK’s highest court follows an emergency three-day hearing last week that exposed fundamental legal differences over interpreting the country’s unwritten constitution. ... | The judgment from 11 justices on the UK’s highest court follows an emergency three-day hearing last week that exposed fundamental legal differences over interpreting the country’s unwritten constitution. ... |
| [The president of the supreme court] said: ‘This court has … concluded that the prime minister’s advice to Her Majesty [ to suspend parliament] was unlawful, void and of no effect. This means that the order in council to which it led was also unlawful, void and of no effect should be quashed.’ | [The president of the supreme court] said: ‘This court has … concluded that the prime minister’s advice to Her Majesty [ to suspend parliament] was unlawful, void and of no effect. This means that the order in council to which it led was also unlawful, void and of no effect should be quashed.’ |
| Johnson said this morning that, while he did “strongly disagree” with the verdict, he would “respect the judicial process”. The prime minister also restated his commitment to Britain leaving the European Union by the end of October. | Johnson said this morning that, while he did “strongly disagree” with the verdict, he would “respect the judicial process”. The prime minister also restated his commitment to Britain leaving the European Union by the end of October. |
| Trump and Johnson will almost certainly be asked about their respective controversies when they sit down this morning, and the blog will cover that meeting live, so stay tuned. | Trump and Johnson will almost certainly be asked about their respective controversies when they sit down this morning, and the blog will cover that meeting live, so stay tuned. |
| Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: | Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: |
| Trump will deliver remarks at the UN at 10.15am ET and meet with other world leaders, including India’s Narendra Modi. | Trump will deliver remarks at the UN at 10.15am ET and meet with other world leaders, including India’s Narendra Modi. |
| Nancy Pelosi will speak at the Atlantic Festival, where she will likely be asked about the latest members of her caucus to come out in favor of impeachment. | Nancy Pelosi will speak at the Atlantic Festival, where she will likely be asked about the latest members of her caucus to come out in favor of impeachment. |
| Two of Trump’s primary challengers, Joe Walsh and Bill Weld, will attend a debate in New York tonight. (Mark Sanford declined the invitation to campaign in Iowa.) | Two of Trump’s primary challengers, Joe Walsh and Bill Weld, will attend a debate in New York tonight. (Mark Sanford declined the invitation to campaign in Iowa.) |
| That’s all still coming up. | That’s all still coming up. |