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| Portland mayor teargassed as calls mount for Trump to withdraw federal agents – live | Portland mayor teargassed as calls mount for Trump to withdraw federal agents – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| City’s Democratic mayor, Ted Wheeler, teargassed at protest hours after Trump announced he would send agents to more cities despite mayors’ objections | City’s Democratic mayor, Ted Wheeler, teargassed at protest hours after Trump announced he would send agents to more cities despite mayors’ objections |
| Trump will do another coronavirus briefing today at 5 pm ET, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany just told Fox News. | |
| This will mark the president’s third briefing in as many days, as Trump seeks to reverse his sinking approval and polling numbers. | |
| The past two briefings have not been quite as eventful as the president’s April briefings, when Trump infamously suggested Americans could protect themselves from contracting coronavirus by ingesting disinfectants. (That is dangerously false.) | |
| However, this week’s briefings have included some of the president’s traditional exaggerations about his achievements in office. | |
| Yesterday, for example, Trump once again claimed he had “done more for black Americans than anybody with the possible of exception of Abraham Lincoln,” who ended slavery. | |
| Trump lashed out against former secretary of the department of homeland security Tom Ridge, who has criticized the president’s decision to send federal agents to Portland to crack down on recent protests against racism. | |
| “Recently watched failed RINO Tom Ridge, former head of Homeland Security, trying to justify his sudden love of the Radical Left Mayor of Portland, who last night was booed & shouted out of existence by the agitators & anarchists. Love watching pathetic Never Trumpers squirm!” Trump said in a tweet. | |
| Ridge, who served as the first DHS secretary under Republican president George W Bush, said yesterday, “The department was established to protect America from the ever-present threat of global terrorism. It was not established to be the president’s personal militia.” | |
| The former Pennsylvania governor added, “Had I been governor even now, I would welcome the opportunity to work with any federal agency to reduce crime and lawlessness in any of the cities, but ... it would be a cold day in hell before I would consent to an unilateral, uninvited intervention in one of my cities.” | |
| Ridge’s comments came as protests continued in Portland over the presence of federal agents in the city. Portland’s Democratic mayor, Ted Wheeler, participated in last night’s protests and was teargassed, but he also faced criticism from some of the demonstrators for not defunding the local police. | |
| Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin previewed the Republican coronavirus relief bill in a CNBC interview this morning. | Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin previewed the Republican coronavirus relief bill in a CNBC interview this morning. |
| “The president’s priority is about kids and jobs,” Mnuchin said of the Republican proposal, which has not yet been released. | “The president’s priority is about kids and jobs,” Mnuchin said of the Republican proposal, which has not yet been released. |
| Mnuchin acknowledged additional unemployment beenfits would be reduced in the bill, saying Republicans hoped to give unemployed Americans a “reasonable wage replacement” that will be based on “approximately 70%” of their usual paycheck. | Mnuchin acknowledged additional unemployment beenfits would be reduced in the bill, saying Republicans hoped to give unemployed Americans a “reasonable wage replacement” that will be based on “approximately 70%” of their usual paycheck. |
| The additional unemployment benefits are set to expire next week, and Democrats have called for continuing them at their current level of $600 per week. | The additional unemployment benefits are set to expire next week, and Democrats have called for continuing them at their current level of $600 per week. |
| The treasury secretary also confirmed the president’s payroll tax cut, which has attracted little Republican support, will not be in the “base bill” of the next relief package. | The treasury secretary also confirmed the president’s payroll tax cut, which has attracted little Republican support, will not be in the “base bill” of the next relief package. |
| “We think the payroll tax cut is a very good, pro-growth policy, but the president’s focus is, he wants to get money into people’s pockets now because we need to reopen the economy,” Mnuchin said. | “We think the payroll tax cut is a very good, pro-growth policy, but the president’s focus is, he wants to get money into people’s pockets now because we need to reopen the economy,” Mnuchin said. |
| “The president’s preference is to make sure that we send out direct payments quickly, so that in August, people get more money.” | “The president’s preference is to make sure that we send out direct payments quickly, so that in August, people get more money.” |
| The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits last week rose again last week after four months of falls as the surge in coronavirus cases led states, including California and Texas, to pause the reopening of businesses shuttered to slow the coronavirus’s spread. | The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits last week rose again last week after four months of falls as the surge in coronavirus cases led states, including California and Texas, to pause the reopening of businesses shuttered to slow the coronavirus’s spread. |
| The labor department announced on Thursday that 1.4m claims had been received last week, up 109,000 from the previous week. The previous week’s figure was also revised up by 7,000. | The labor department announced on Thursday that 1.4m claims had been received last week, up 109,000 from the previous week. The previous week’s figure was also revised up by 7,000. |
| The latest proof of Covid 19’s devastating impact on the US job market comes as Congress debates an extension to a $600 a week lifeline for those on benefits that experts argue has kept many in their homes amid a wave of unemployment unseen in decades. | The latest proof of Covid 19’s devastating impact on the US job market comes as Congress debates an extension to a $600 a week lifeline for those on benefits that experts argue has kept many in their homes amid a wave of unemployment unseen in decades. |
| Claims for unemployment have dropped sharply since the shutdown orders in March which triggered more than 6m claims in just one week. But they remain stubbornly high and in recent weeks have hovered around 1.3m a week, twice as high as the pre-pandemic record of 695,000 set in 1982. | Claims for unemployment have dropped sharply since the shutdown orders in March which triggered more than 6m claims in just one week. But they remain stubbornly high and in recent weeks have hovered around 1.3m a week, twice as high as the pre-pandemic record of 695,000 set in 1982. |
| There are signs that claims could rise higher as more states report increases in infections and reconsider their reopening plans. In the week ending 11 July the largest increases were in California, Florida and Georgia, all states struggling with rising infection rates, the labor department announced. | There are signs that claims could rise higher as more states report increases in infections and reconsider their reopening plans. In the week ending 11 July the largest increases were in California, Florida and Georgia, all states struggling with rising infection rates, the labor department announced. |
| The president has already tweeted dozens of times this morning, and one of his messages took aim at congresswoman Liz Cheney, the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference. | The president has already tweeted dozens of times this morning, and one of his messages took aim at congresswoman Liz Cheney, the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference. |
| “Liz Cheney is only upset because I have been actively getting our great and beautiful Country out of the ridiculous and costly Endless Wars,” Trump said. | “Liz Cheney is only upset because I have been actively getting our great and beautiful Country out of the ridiculous and costly Endless Wars,” Trump said. |
| Trump’s tweet came two days after Cheney was sharply criticized by her colleagues during a closed-door meeting of House Republicans. | Trump’s tweet came two days after Cheney was sharply criticized by her colleagues during a closed-door meeting of House Republicans. |
| During the meeting, some of Trump’s most loyal congressional allies, including congressman Matt Gaetz, went after Cheney for breaking with the president on foreign policy and defending Dr Anthony Fauci. | During the meeting, some of Trump’s most loyal congressional allies, including congressman Matt Gaetz, went after Cheney for breaking with the president on foreign policy and defending Dr Anthony Fauci. |
| Some Republicans, including Gaetz, have since called on Cheney to step down as the party’s third-ranking House leader, arguing the caucus would be better served by a conference chair “who doesn’t chide our President.” | Some Republicans, including Gaetz, have since called on Cheney to step down as the party’s third-ranking House leader, arguing the caucus would be better served by a conference chair “who doesn’t chide our President.” |
| But House minority leader Kevin McCarthy has defended Cheney and the “amazing job” she has done as conference chair. | But House minority leader Kevin McCarthy has defended Cheney and the “amazing job” she has done as conference chair. |
| However, with the president himself now weighing in on the issue, it’s likely McCarthy will feel more pressure to respond to complaints about Cheney, and Republicans who challenge Trump have paid dearly for it in the past. | However, with the president himself now weighing in on the issue, it’s likely McCarthy will feel more pressure to respond to complaints about Cheney, and Republicans who challenge Trump have paid dearly for it in the past. |
| Good morning, live blog readers, and greetings from Washington. | Good morning, live blog readers, and greetings from Washington. |
| The protests continued last night in Portland, as residents of the Oregon city called on Donald Trump to recall the federal agents that have been sent to crack down on recent demonstrations against racism. | The protests continued last night in Portland, as residents of the Oregon city called on Donald Trump to recall the federal agents that have been sent to crack down on recent demonstrations against racism. |
| The city’s Democratic mayor, Ted Wheeler, was actually teargassed during last night’s protest. The AP reports: | The city’s Democratic mayor, Ted Wheeler, was actually teargassed during last night’s protest. The AP reports: |
| The protest came hours after the president announced he would send federal agents to two more Democratic-controlled cities – Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico – to supposedly help fight violent crime. | The protest came hours after the president announced he would send federal agents to two more Democratic-controlled cities – Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico – to supposedly help fight violent crime. |
| But Democratic mayors are trying to fight back against Trump’s tactics, denouncing the federal agents’ deployment in a letter sent to attorney general William Barr and acting secretary of the department of homeland security Chad Wolf earlier this week. | But Democratic mayors are trying to fight back against Trump’s tactics, denouncing the federal agents’ deployment in a letter sent to attorney general William Barr and acting secretary of the department of homeland security Chad Wolf earlier this week. |
| “These are tactics we expect from authoritarian regimes – not our democracy,” wrote the group of mayors, which included Wheeler and Chicago’s Lori Lightfoot. | “These are tactics we expect from authoritarian regimes – not our democracy,” wrote the group of mayors, which included Wheeler and Chicago’s Lori Lightfoot. |
| “Unilaterally deploying these paramilitary-type forces into our cities is wholly inconsistent with our system of democracy and our most basic values.” | “Unilaterally deploying these paramilitary-type forces into our cities is wholly inconsistent with our system of democracy and our most basic values.” |
| Here’s what else is going on today: | Here’s what else is going on today: |
| Trump has no events on his public schedule, but White House officials could still add a coronavirus briefing to his schedule, as they did yesterday. | Trump has no events on his public schedule, but White House officials could still add a coronavirus briefing to his schedule, as they did yesterday. |
| Joe Biden will share his recent conversation with Barack Obama at 10am ET. | Joe Biden will share his recent conversation with Barack Obama at 10am ET. |
| The Louisville Metro Council will discuss a resolution to probe the handling of the police shooting of Breonna Taylor at 6pm ET. | The Louisville Metro Council will discuss a resolution to probe the handling of the police shooting of Breonna Taylor at 6pm ET. |
| That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned. | That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned. |