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| Trump calls impeachment inquiry 'a lynching' | Trump calls impeachment inquiry 'a lynching' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| US President Donald Trump has called the congressional impeachment investigation that may seek to remove him from office "a lynching". | US President Donald Trump has called the congressional impeachment investigation that may seek to remove him from office "a lynching". |
| In a tweet Mr Trump condemned the inquiry as "without due process or fairness or any legal rights". | In a tweet Mr Trump condemned the inquiry as "without due process or fairness or any legal rights". |
| Democrats may seek to impeach the Republican president by Christmas. | Democrats may seek to impeach the Republican president by Christmas. |
| A racially loaded term in the US, lynching refers to historic extrajudicial executions by white mobs mainly against African Americans. | A racially loaded term in the US, lynching refers to historic extrajudicial executions by white mobs mainly against African Americans. |
| White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said: "The president has used many words, all types of language, to talk about the way the media has treated him." | |
| He added: "The president wasn't trying to compare himself to the horrific history in this country at all." | |
| What's the reaction? | What's the reaction? |
| Mr Trump has repeatedly called the impeachment inquiry, as well as an earlier investigation into foreign meddling in the 2016 election, a "witch hunt". | Mr Trump has repeatedly called the impeachment inquiry, as well as an earlier investigation into foreign meddling in the 2016 election, a "witch hunt". |
| But his likening of a process enshrined in the US constitution to racist killings provoked outrage among African-American lawmakers. | But his likening of a process enshrined in the US constitution to racist killings provoked outrage among African-American lawmakers. |
| Congressman Jim Clyburn told CNN on Tuesday: "That is one word that no president ought to apply to himself." | Congressman Jim Clyburn told CNN on Tuesday: "That is one word that no president ought to apply to himself." |
| "I've studied presidential history quite a bit and I don't know if we've ever seen anything quite like this." | "I've studied presidential history quite a bit and I don't know if we've ever seen anything quite like this." |
| "I'm a product of the South," the South Carolina Democrat added. "I know the history of that word. That is a word that we ought to be very, very careful about using." | "I'm a product of the South," the South Carolina Democrat added. "I know the history of that word. That is a word that we ought to be very, very careful about using." |
| Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democrat, tweeted to Mr Trump: "What the hell is wrong with you?" | Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democrat, tweeted to Mr Trump: "What the hell is wrong with you?" |
| "Do you know how many people who look like me have been lynched, since the inception of this country, by people who look like you." | "Do you know how many people who look like me have been lynched, since the inception of this country, by people who look like you." |
| He called on Mr Trump to delete the tweet. | He called on Mr Trump to delete the tweet. |
| "Thousands of African-Americans were slaughtered during the lynching epidemic in this country for no reason other than the colour of their skin," said New York Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. | |
| "The president should not compare a constitutionally mandated impeachment inquiry to such a dangerous and dark chapter of American history." | |
| Republicans mostly defended Mr Trumps sentiment but not necessarily his choice of language. Congressman Jim Jordan said the comment shows that "the president's frustrated". Senator Lindsey Graham said: "This is a lynching in every sense." | |
| Senator Tim Scott, the only black Republican US Senator, said: "There's no question that the impeachment process is the closest thing to a political death row trial, so I get his absolute rejection of the process. | |
| "I wouldn't use the word lynching." | |
| House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters: "That's not the language I would use." | |
| What's the latest with the impeachment inquiry? | What's the latest with the impeachment inquiry? |
| The inquiry is examining whether the Republican president abused his office by improperly pressuring Ukraine to launch an investigation into former US Vice-President Joe Biden, a leading candidate for the Democratic 2020 presidential nomination. | The inquiry is examining whether the Republican president abused his office by improperly pressuring Ukraine to launch an investigation into former US Vice-President Joe Biden, a leading candidate for the Democratic 2020 presidential nomination. |
| Mr Trump denies holding up US military aid to Ukraine so they would investigate Mr Biden's son, who worked for a Ukrainian gas company. | Mr Trump denies holding up US military aid to Ukraine so they would investigate Mr Biden's son, who worked for a Ukrainian gas company. |
| On Tuesday, veteran US diplomat William Taylor - the acting US ambassador to Ukraine - is scheduled to be interviewed by the impeachment committees at Congress. | On Tuesday, veteran US diplomat William Taylor - the acting US ambassador to Ukraine - is scheduled to be interviewed by the impeachment committees at Congress. |
| Texts show Mr Taylor raised the alarm to other Trump officials about withholding US aid to Ukraine. | Texts show Mr Taylor raised the alarm to other Trump officials about withholding US aid to Ukraine. |
| "I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign," Mr Taylor wrote in one message. | "I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign," Mr Taylor wrote in one message. |
| During a cabinet meeting at the White House on Monday, Mr Trump called for his party "to get tougher and fight" the impeachment inquiry. | During a cabinet meeting at the White House on Monday, Mr Trump called for his party "to get tougher and fight" the impeachment inquiry. |
| "We have some that are great fighters, but they have to get tougher and fight, because the Democrats are trying to hurt the Republican party before the election," he said. | "We have some that are great fighters, but they have to get tougher and fight, because the Democrats are trying to hurt the Republican party before the election," he said. |
| Initially hopeful the impeachment inquiry would be finished by November's Thanksgiving holiday, Democrats are now signalling it may drag on towards Christmas. | Initially hopeful the impeachment inquiry would be finished by November's Thanksgiving holiday, Democrats are now signalling it may drag on towards Christmas. |
| Quick facts on impeachment | Quick facts on impeachment |
| Impeachment is the first part - the charges - of a two-stage political process by which Congress can remove a president from office | Impeachment is the first part - the charges - of a two-stage political process by which Congress can remove a president from office |
| If the House of Representatives votes to pass articles of impeachment, the Senate is forced to hold a trial | If the House of Representatives votes to pass articles of impeachment, the Senate is forced to hold a trial |
| A Senate vote requires a two-thirds majority to convict - unlikely in this case, given that Mr Trump's party controls the chamber | A Senate vote requires a two-thirds majority to convict - unlikely in this case, given that Mr Trump's party controls the chamber |
| Only two US presidents in history - Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson - have been impeached but neither was convicted and removed | Only two US presidents in history - Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson - have been impeached but neither was convicted and removed |
| President Nixon resigned before he could have been impeached | President Nixon resigned before he could have been impeached |