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Trump confirms he withheld Ukraine military aid as whistleblower scandal deepens – live Pelosi to make statement as calls for Trump's impeachment intensify – live
(about 2 hours later)
It looks like more senior House Democrats are moving toward impeachment, per a New York Times reporter. Nancy Pelosi has reportedly been exploring the creation of a select committee to investigate impeachment.
More Frontliners moving on impeachment in next few hours, am told, going to swell before the 4PM Dem caucus meeting
Joe Biden is now expected to make a statement about Trump allegedly pressuring the Ukrainian president to investigate him at 2 p.m. EST.
Joe Biden expected to deliver a new on-camera statement on Ukraine & Trump at 2pmET today, per @mikememoli
The blog is following news on multiple fronts today. Trump will meet with Boris Johnson in about 20 minutes, and House Democrats will have their caucus meeting this afternoon as impeachment talks intensify.
But with Biden addressing the controversy, the Ukraine controversy is liking to remain the biggest story of the day – particularly with Trump acknowledging he did hold back military aid from the country. However, the president claimed today that he did so because of concerns about European allies not equally contributing.
Trump has just wrapped up his speech to the UN General Assembly, which lasted about 37 minutes and covered a wide variety of topics.
The president did not shy away from criticizing foreign adversaries, including China and Iran, and touted his administration’s policies on issues like trade and immigration.
In what will likely be one of the most-quoted lines of the speech, Trump defended his “America First” agenda by saying, “The future does not belong to globalists. The future belongs to patriots.”
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Trump took aim at immigration advocates who have criticized his administration’s policies, including family separations at the southern border, as cruel.
Trump using UN to go after pro-immigration activists. He said they "cloak themselves in the rhetoric of social justice" but that their policies are "cruel and evil."Note: Activists have used that same language to attack Trump's policies of family separation & remain in Mexico.
The moderator of Face the Nation noted how much Trump’s tone has shifted in his UN addresses:
This is a very different speech from “little rocket man” on a suicide mission #UNGA address of just a few years ago. Now @realDonaldTrump is using language referring to opposing endless wars & desire not to use military force.
And a Washington Post reporter highlighted how the president has few foreign-policy achievements to tout nearly three years into his term:
We're almost 3 years into Trump's presidency -- he fully owns U.S. global leadership and what it has wrought -- and he's at the UN giving a confrontational, dispiriting speech about all of America's presumed enemies and threats with almost no uplifting or inspiring notes.
Trump threatened to escalate sanctions against Iran if the country continues its “menacing behavior.”
President Trump calls on "all nations" to act on Iran: "No responsible government should subsidize Iran's blood lust. As long as Iran's menacing behavior continues, sanctions will not be lifted. They will be tightened." https://t.co/BJSG7OBOXL pic.twitter.com/HVWZvBdQWE
“All nations have a duty to act. No responsible government should subsidize Iran’s blood lust,” Trump said. “As long as Iran’s menacing behavior continues, sanctions will not be lifted. They will be tightened.”
US-Iranian tensions have continued to rise since Trump scrapped the nuclear deal crafted by the Obama administration.
Trump expressed support for crafting a new trade deal with the UK as the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, struggles to navigate Brexit.
"As the United Kingdom makes preparations to exit the European Union, I have made clear that we stand ready to complete an exceptional new trade agreement with the U.K. that will bring tremendous benefits both of our countries," Trump says https://t.co/LOlwhKc8Ve pic.twitter.com/jfRiMEB23w
The UK supreme court ruled today that Johnson’s suspension of parliament, in an attempt to force a no-deal Brexit, was illegal.
But Johnson said this morning he remained committed to leaving the European Union by the end of October.
Trump is extensively criticizing China’s trade practices in his address to the UN General Assembly, accusing the country of gaming the system and stealing intellectual property.
The president showed no signs of backing down on his tariffs, even as US and Chinese negotiators plan to sit down for trade talks again next month.
Trump also warned China to respect the democratic needs of Hong Kong, where demonstrators have launched a series of protests to push back against Chinese control.
Trump is using his speech to the UN General Assembly to promote his “America First” agenda.
Trump at U.N.: "Wise leaders always put the good of their own people and their own country first. The future does not belong to globalists. The future belongs to patriots." https://t.co/LOlwhKc8Ve pic.twitter.com/gcFlZyjQLM
“The future does not belong to globalists; the future belongs to patriots,” Trump said. The president’s use of the term “globalist” is striking given complaints that its roots are anti-Semitic.
He said his policies would allow for “national renewal.” “If you want freedom, take pride in your country,” Trump said. “If you want democracy, hold on to your sovereignty. If you want peace, love your nation.”
The president has started speaking at the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to tout his administration’s handling of issues like trade and immigration.
“At the center of our vision for national renewal is an ambitious campaign to reform international trade,” Trump will say, according to excerpts released by the White House. “For decades, the international trading system has been easily exploited by nations acting in bad faith. As jobs were outsourced, a small handful grew wealthy at the expense of the middle class.”
Trump will say on immigration: “When you undermine border security you are undermining human rights and human dignity.”
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.
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. The California Democrat has spoken to key allies in recent days about establishing a special panel rather than leaving the task with the House Judiciary Committee, said several Democratic officials. Nothing has been decided, the individuals cautioned, but some members are expected to publicly endorse the move soon. ...
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. The creation of a special committee is expected to come up at a series of Democratic meetings planned for Tuesday afternoon, when Pelosi will address her caucus on impeachment for the first time since the news about Trump’s conversations with Ukraine broke.
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. But some members of Pelosi’s caucus, including representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are already pushing back against the possible creation of a select committee. They fear such a move could delay the investigation process and create friction with the committees already probing Trump’s actions.
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. Yes, this is an emergency. We don’t have the luxury of time w/ another committee.Judiciary has been investigating& putting the pieces together for months. Impeachment belongs there.We must honor jurisdiction, historical precedent,& work done + allow Judiciary to move forward. https://t.co/CM0gXN7T1i
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. A source close to Nancy Pelosi told an NBC News analyst that the House speaker will announce an impeachment inquiry and confirm her own support of launching proceedings in her statement later today.
They write of reports that Trump pressured the Ukrainian president to investigate Joe Biden: Very solid #Dem House leadership source just confirmed to me that @SpeakerPelosi will announce a formal impeachment inquiry this afternoon and imply that she herself favors impeachment of @realDonaldTrump.
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. ... Here’s where the day stands so far:
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. More House Democrats are coming out in favor of impeaching Trump, even those lawmakers who are from more conservative districts. The escalating support could put pressure on Nancy Pelosi, who is expected to give a statement later today, to back launching impeachment proceedings.
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. Trump delivered his address to the UN General Assembly, in which he offered a wide-ranging (although somewhat low-energy) defense of his administration’s foreign and domestic agendas.
Good morning, live blog readers! Trump also sat down with Boris Johnson, who is facing criticism back home after the UK supreme court ruled the prime minister’s attempted suspension of parliament to force a no-deal Brexit was illegal.
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 blog is still tracking the latest developments on impeachment, so stay tuned.
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. Representative Katie Hill – a first-term congresswoman from a district that flipped in 2018 and fierce ally of Nancy Pelosi – said on Tuesday: “I strongly support the House of Representatives moving forward with impeachment proceedings –– it is what the Constitution, my constituents, and my conscience demands.”
Owen Bowcott and Severin Carrell have more on that latter development: I strongly support the House of Representatives moving forward with impeachment proceedings –– it is what the Constitution, my constituents, and my conscience demands.My full statement ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8Vo98AXQJq
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. ... Hill previously said after special counsel Robert Mueller testified in July that she was “waiting until we have the STRONGEST possible case” before backing impeachment. Apparently the Ukraine call tipped the scales for her.
[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.’ It appears a majority of House Democrats facing some of the toughest reelection races next year now favor impeachment, per a Politico reporter.
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. MORE NEWS: A majority of Democrats' most vulnerable frontliners now support impeachment proceedings.Reps. Horsford and Lee (both of Nevada) mean 23 out of 44 of Dems' toughest swing members are out in favor.
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. Joe Biden is expected to give a statement about Trump allegedly pressuring Ukraine to investigate him at 2:30 p.m. EST.
Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: According to a source from Biden’s campaign, the former vice president will call for impeachment if the White House does not hand over information about Trump’s conversation with the Ukrainian president.
Trump will deliver remarks at the UN at 10.15am ET and meet with other world leaders, including India’s Narendra Modi. NEW: A source says Joe Biden is "going to make the point that Trump’s latest abuses are on top of all of his prior abuses." Biden is going to say if Trump doesn't comply with requests for info on Ukraine & investigations from Congress that "Congress has no choice but to impeach."
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. Representative John Lewis echoed the message from his House floor speech in a tweet calling for impeachment against Trump:
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.) The future of our democracy is at stake. I truly believe the time to begin impeachment proceedings against this president has come. To do otherwise would betray the foundations of our democracy.
That’s all still coming up. Almost immediately after Lewis finished speaking, representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, put out a statement explaining her support for impeachment proceedings if the White House doesn’t turn over information about the Ukraine call.
Read my statement on impeachment proceedings here: https://t.co/GOoSPADyq3 pic.twitter.com/2qX3jYB26H
Nancy Pelosi said she would make a statement later today, after meeting with House Democratic chairmen and leaders, as calls for impeachment intensify.
Asked by reporters if she’ll comment on calls for impeachment, Pelosi, leaving the House floor, said she will make an announcement “later today” after she meets with “my chairmen, my leadership and my caucus.”
The House speaker has previously been very cautious about backing impeachment, warning members of her caucus that they should have the best possible case against Trump before exploring such an option.
But with House Democrats from more conservative districts coming out in favor of impeachment, Pelosi’s calculus around protecting her most vulnerable members may have changed.
Representative John Lewis, the veteran Democratic lawmaker and civil rights icon, has come out in favor of impeachment against Trump.
NEW: Rep. John Lewis: "I truly believe the time to begin impeachment proceedings against this president has come."To delay or to do otherwise would betray the foundation of our democracy." https://t.co/wJmYqyqHpH pic.twitter.com/lYGvv6IXQi
“I truly believe the time to begin impeachment proceedings against this president has come,” the Georgia Democrat said on the House floor. “To delay or to do otherwise would betray the foundation of our democracy.”
He added: “The people of this nation realize that if they had committed even half of the possible violations, the federal government would be swift to seek justice.”
Lewis’ announcement could trigger even more announcements of impeachment support, per a Politico reporter:
This could unlock votes on the Congressional Black Caucus and among progressives who were holding the line until now. A lot of Democrats who talked to us said Lewis wouldn't come out without knowing that Pelosi was right behind him.
Amid all of the news today, there are developments happening on the presidential campaign trail as well.
Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard has qualified for the October debate after receiving 2 percent in a Monmouth University poll of New Hampshire.
The debate qualifications: @TulsiGabbard has QUALIFIED for the October debate. That makes 12 candidates on stage for October and with a week to go until the deadline closes on Oct. 1, it doesn't look like anyone else will make it https://t.co/8nHK5Bu3nI
But the bigger news from the New Hampshire poll may be Elizabeth Warren continuing to surge in the early voting states. Warren came out on top in the Monmouth poll, attracting the support of 27 percent of New Hampshire Democrats in comparison to Joe Biden’s 25 percent.
Similar to the Iowa poll released this weekend, Warren and Biden are head-and-shoulders above the rest of the field. The third-place finisher in the Monmouth poll, Bernie Sanders, attracted 12 percent. The dip in his support is pretty remarkable, given that the Vermont senator won the New Hampshire primary in 2016.
In combination with a Nevada poll released earlier today, which also showed Biden and Warren leading the pack, the two are currently the unmistakable front-runners in the race.
Another freshman House Democrat from a more conservative district, Lizzie Fletcher of Texas, has said she would be open to impeachment.
The facts we have learned recently are matters of utmost importance for our national security, country, and Constitution. The House should act swiftly to investigate and should be prepared to use the remedy exclusively in its power: impeachment. See my full statement here: pic.twitter.com/xho0DlD107
According to a Politico reporter, the number of House Democrats open to supporting impeachment has reached 161, representing about two-thirds of the caucus.
Can't keep up. Don McEachin makes it 161. https://t.co/Jo55b0RK1Y