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Democrats claim justice department being used for 'political retribution' – live Democrats claim justice department being used for 'political retribution' – live
(32 minutes later)
Mark Esper, the secretary of defense, confirmed that a small number of US troops will remain in Syria to prevent the Islamic State from gaining access to key oil resources.
BREAKING: @EsperDoD says US will maintain a small presence in #Syria to prevent #ISIS from regaining access to oil revenues...Statement comes less than 30 minutes after POTUS tweeted "Our soldiers have left and are leaving Syria for other places, then...COMING HOME!" pic.twitter.com/0oOsvdVtdm
The announcement comes weeks after Trump announced he was withdrawing all US troops from northern Syria and less than an hour after the president tweeted that troops were “COMING HOME.”
This announcement will likely do little to assure Trump’s base that the president is moving to end US engagements in the Middle East.
John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, is reportedly in talks to sit for a deposition with the House committees investigating impeachment.
CNN reports:
Former NSC official Fiona Hill testified before the committee last week that she saw ‘wrongdoing’ in the American foreign policy and tried to report it to officials including the National Security Council’s attorney, according to multiple sources.
‘She saw wrongdoing related to the Ukraine policy and reported it,’ one source said. The same source told CNN that Hill testified that Bolton referred to Giuliani -- Trump’s personal attorney -- as a ‘hand grenade’ who was ‘going to blow everybody up.’
Bolton also reportedly instructed Hill at one point to tell White House lawyers: “I am not part of whatever drug deal Sondland and Mulvaney are cooking up,” referring to the US ambassador to EU and Trump’s acting chief of staff.
Bolton left the administration rather abruptly last month after Trump announced his departure in a tweet, and the former official has since been publicly critical of the president’s foreign policy.
Trump seems to be lashing out against reports that hundreds of US troops will remain in northern Syria, despite the president’s announcement that he was withdrawing American forces from the region.Trump seems to be lashing out against reports that hundreds of US troops will remain in northern Syria, despite the president’s announcement that he was withdrawing American forces from the region.
The Wall Street Journal reports:The Wall Street Journal reports:
The White House is considering options for leaving about 500 U.S. troops in northeast Syria and for sending dozens of battle tanks and other equipment, officials said Thursday, the latest in an array of scenarios following President Trump’s decision this month to remove all troops there.The White House is considering options for leaving about 500 U.S. troops in northeast Syria and for sending dozens of battle tanks and other equipment, officials said Thursday, the latest in an array of scenarios following President Trump’s decision this month to remove all troops there.
The options, presented by military officials, would represent a reversal from the American withdrawal Mr. Trump wanted. It also would modify U.S. objectives—from countering Islamic State extremists to also safeguarding oil fields in eastern Syria with additional troops and new military capability.The options, presented by military officials, would represent a reversal from the American withdrawal Mr. Trump wanted. It also would modify U.S. objectives—from countering Islamic State extremists to also safeguarding oil fields in eastern Syria with additional troops and new military capability.
However, Trump was on Twitter this morning insisting things in Syria were “gong well” and US troops were “COMING HOME.”However, Trump was on Twitter this morning insisting things in Syria were “gong well” and US troops were “COMING HOME.”
Turkey fully understands not to fire on the Kurds as they leave what will be known as the Safe Zone for other fairly nearby areas. I don’t have to repeat that large scale Sanctions will be imposed for violations. Going well! ISIS secured by Kurds with Turkey ready as backup.....Turkey fully understands not to fire on the Kurds as they leave what will be known as the Safe Zone for other fairly nearby areas. I don’t have to repeat that large scale Sanctions will be imposed for violations. Going well! ISIS secured by Kurds with Turkey ready as backup.....
....COMING HOME! We were supposed to be there for 30 days - That was 10 years ago. When these pundit fools who have called the Middle East wrong for 20 years ask what we are getting out of the deal, I simply say, THE OIL, AND WE ARE BRINGING OUR SOLDIERS BACK HOME, ISIS SECURED!....COMING HOME! We were supposed to be there for 30 days - That was 10 years ago. When these pundit fools who have called the Middle East wrong for 20 years ask what we are getting out of the deal, I simply say, THE OIL, AND WE ARE BRINGING OUR SOLDIERS BACK HOME, ISIS SECURED!
The president is also exaggerating the situation he inherited in Syria. There was never any agreement to completely withdraw from Syria after a month, and US forces only became involved in the country in 2014.The president is also exaggerating the situation he inherited in Syria. There was never any agreement to completely withdraw from Syria after a month, and US forces only became involved in the country in 2014.
Trump is essentially demanding credit for a promise that he has not kept.Trump is essentially demanding credit for a promise that he has not kept.
Good morning, live blog readers!Good morning, live blog readers!
We are almost to the end of a very damaging week for the president, with more evidence of a quid pro quo in the Ukraine scandal coming to light, but it appears that the Trump administration may be using every tool at its disposal to fight back.We are almost to the end of a very damaging week for the president, with more evidence of a quid pro quo in the Ukraine scandal coming to light, but it appears that the Trump administration may be using every tool at its disposal to fight back.
News broke last night that the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into its own Russia investigation, which Donald Trump spent more than two years criticizing as a “witch-hunt”.News broke last night that the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into its own Russia investigation, which Donald Trump spent more than two years criticizing as a “witch-hunt”.
The New York Times reports:The New York Times reports:
Justice Department officials have shifted an administrative review of the Russia investigation closely overseen by Attorney General William P. Barr to a criminal inquiry, according to two people familiar with the matter. The move gives the prosecutor running it, John H. Durham, the power to subpoena for witness testimony and documents, to convene a grand jury and to file criminal charges.Justice Department officials have shifted an administrative review of the Russia investigation closely overseen by Attorney General William P. Barr to a criminal inquiry, according to two people familiar with the matter. The move gives the prosecutor running it, John H. Durham, the power to subpoena for witness testimony and documents, to convene a grand jury and to file criminal charges.
The opening of a criminal investigation is likely to raise alarms that Mr. Trump is using the Justice Department to go after his perceived enemies. Mr. Trump fired James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director under whose watch agents opened the Russia inquiry, and has long assailed other top former law enforcement and intelligence officials as partisans who sought to block his election.The opening of a criminal investigation is likely to raise alarms that Mr. Trump is using the Justice Department to go after his perceived enemies. Mr. Trump fired James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director under whose watch agents opened the Russia inquiry, and has long assailed other top former law enforcement and intelligence officials as partisans who sought to block his election.
Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler, the Democratic chairmen of the House intelligence and judiciary committees, issued a statement last night warning that the reported criminal investigation could signal the Justice Department has become “a tool of political retribution”.Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler, the Democratic chairmen of the House intelligence and judiciary committees, issued a statement last night warning that the reported criminal investigation could signal the Justice Department has become “a tool of political retribution”.
Schiff and Nadler said: “These reports, if true, raise profound new concerns that the Department of Justice under AG Barr has lost its independence and become a vehicle for President Trump’s political revenge.Schiff and Nadler said: “These reports, if true, raise profound new concerns that the Department of Justice under AG Barr has lost its independence and become a vehicle for President Trump’s political revenge.
“If the Department of Justice may be used as a tool of political retribution, or to help the President with a political narrative for the next election, the rule of law will suffer new and irreparable damage.”“If the Department of Justice may be used as a tool of political retribution, or to help the President with a political narrative for the next election, the rule of law will suffer new and irreparable damage.”
Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on:Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on:
Trump will participate in a criminal justice reform forum in Columbia, South Carolina, before traveling to Camp David.Trump will participate in a criminal justice reform forum in Columbia, South Carolina, before traveling to Camp David.
The funeral for the late congressman Elijah Cummings will be held in Baltimore. A number of notable Democrats – including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi – are expected to speak.The funeral for the late congressman Elijah Cummings will be held in Baltimore. A number of notable Democrats – including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi – are expected to speak.
Game 3 of the World Series will take place tonight in Washington as the city’s Nationals play the Houston Astros.Game 3 of the World Series will take place tonight in Washington as the city’s Nationals play the Houston Astros.
The blog will have much more coming up, so stay tuned.The blog will have much more coming up, so stay tuned.