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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2017/feb/23/cpac-live-mike-pence-kellyanne-conway-steve-bannon
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| CPAC 2017 live: Steve Bannon taunts media and vows 'every day will be a fight' | CPAC 2017 live: Steve Bannon taunts media and vows 'every day will be a fight' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 9.19pm GMT | |
| 21:19 | |
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| 9.06pm GMT | |
| 21:06 | |
| Trump repeats nuclear expansion threat | |
| Meanwhile Trump has given an interview to Reuters in which he has said he wants to expand the US nuclear arsenal to ensure it is “top of the pack”. | |
| The president also told the news agency he felt the US had fallen behind in its atomic weapons capacity. | |
| He complained about Russian deployment of a cruise missile in violation of an arms control treaty and said he would raise the issue with Russian president Vladimir Putin when and if they meet. | |
| On another front, Trump said China could solve the national security challenge posed by North Korea “very easily if they want to”, ratcheting up pressure on Beijing to exert more influence to rein in Pyongyang’s increasingly bellicose actions. | |
| Speaking from behind his desk in the Oval Office, Trump also declared himself “very angry” at North Korea’s ballistic missile tests and said accelerating a missile defense system for US allies Japan and South Korea was among many options available. | |
| Trump made similar comments about nuclear weapons in December, when he tweeted: “The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes,” and told MSNBC’s Morning Joe: “Let it be an arms race … We will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all.” | |
| Then and now, the remarks flew in the face of 35 years of bipartisan US policy geared towards reducing the number of nuclear weapons around the world. | |
| A 2013 US review found that the country already had a third more strategic weapons than were necessary to ensure nuclear deterrence. | |
| 8.52pm GMT | 8.52pm GMT |
| 20:52 | 20:52 |
| Trump supports a border adjustment tax – won’t it just be passed on to consumers? | Trump supports a border adjustment tax – won’t it just be passed on to consumers? |
| When a company choses to leave our country and shed American jobs there is a big cost to our workers, he says. | When a company choses to leave our country and shed American jobs there is a big cost to our workers, he says. |
| With that he calls it a day. | With that he calls it a day. |
| 8.51pm GMT | 8.51pm GMT |
| 20:51 | 20:51 |
| Does Steve Bannon really believe the media is the “opposition party”? Yes he does. | Does Steve Bannon really believe the media is the “opposition party”? Yes he does. |
| 8.50pm GMT | 8.50pm GMT |
| 20:50 | 20:50 |
| Will the administration hold people like former labor secretary nominee Andrew Puzder to account when they employ undocumented immigrants? | Will the administration hold people like former labor secretary nominee Andrew Puzder to account when they employ undocumented immigrants? |
| Spicer says they will. Puzder did the right thing when he found out. | Spicer says they will. Puzder did the right thing when he found out. |
| 8.47pm GMT | 8.47pm GMT |
| 20:47 | 20:47 |
| Trump has said he has given permission for the US to sell two countries military equipment. Which countries? Spicer says they’ll reveal that at some point. | Trump has said he has given permission for the US to sell two countries military equipment. Which countries? Spicer says they’ll reveal that at some point. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.58pm GMT | at 8.58pm GMT |
| 8.46pm GMT | 8.46pm GMT |
| 20:46 | 20:46 |
| Where is the travel ban legal fight up to? | Where is the travel ban legal fight up to? |
| Spicer says it is being fought in “10 or so” courts and they continue to deal with it “in all of those venues”. And there is an “additional executive order” about to come out. | Spicer says it is being fought in “10 or so” courts and they continue to deal with it “in all of those venues”. And there is an “additional executive order” about to come out. |
| He repeats his pledge that they will “prevail” in court on the merits of the case. | He repeats his pledge that they will “prevail” in court on the merits of the case. |
| 8.45pm GMT | 8.45pm GMT |
| 20:45 | 20:45 |
| Is Trump still committed to pulling out of the Paris climate change deal? | Is Trump still committed to pulling out of the Paris climate change deal? |
| That’s a conversation he is having with secretary of state Rex Tillerson, Spicer says. | That’s a conversation he is having with secretary of state Rex Tillerson, Spicer says. |
| 8.44pm GMT | 8.44pm GMT |
| 20:44 | 20:44 |
| The media just got thrown out of the main hall so that it can be searched by law enforcement in preparation for Mike Pence’s speech here later, so I missed the last couple of questions. | The media just got thrown out of the main hall so that it can be searched by law enforcement in preparation for Mike Pence’s speech here later, so I missed the last couple of questions. |
| What is the president’s thinking on Syria and the future of Bashar al-Assad? | What is the president’s thinking on Syria and the future of Bashar al-Assad? |
| Spicer refers that one to the State Department. | Spicer refers that one to the State Department. |
| What about safe zones? Trump’s goal is to get commitments from other world leaders on that, Spicer says. | What about safe zones? Trump’s goal is to get commitments from other world leaders on that, Spicer says. |
| 8.36pm GMT | 8.36pm GMT |
| 20:36 | 20:36 |
| Does the administration have any plans to build a wall with Canada? | Does the administration have any plans to build a wall with Canada? |
| Spicer laughs. The southern border is more important but we are paying attention to the northern border too, he says. | Spicer laughs. The southern border is more important but we are paying attention to the northern border too, he says. |
| 8.35pm GMT | 8.35pm GMT |
| 20:35 | 20:35 |
| What about Trump’s promises to fix America’s roads? | What about Trump’s promises to fix America’s roads? |
| He is going to work with the Department of Transport on infrastructure projects and elements will be in his budget, Spicer says. | He is going to work with the Department of Transport on infrastructure projects and elements will be in his budget, Spicer says. |
| 8.33pm GMT | 8.33pm GMT |
| 20:33 | 20:33 |
| Is the president leaving transgender children open to bullying? | Is the president leaving transgender children open to bullying? |
| There are already anti-bullying laws, Spicer says. | There are already anti-bullying laws, Spicer says. |
| You’re missing the point, Spicer says. It should be a state decision. | You’re missing the point, Spicer says. It should be a state decision. |
| The court stopped this in August last year, he says, because the Obama administration did not have the authority. “It wasn’t properly drafted,” he says. | The court stopped this in August last year, he says, because the Obama administration did not have the authority. “It wasn’t properly drafted,” he says. |
| But are they sending a message? | But are they sending a message? |
| Spicer denies it. Trump sent a message when he said Caitlyn Jenner could use whichever bathroom she liked at Trump Tower, he says. “The message shows he’s a guy with a heart.” | Spicer denies it. Trump sent a message when he said Caitlyn Jenner could use whichever bathroom she liked at Trump Tower, he says. “The message shows he’s a guy with a heart.” |
| 8.29pm GMT | 8.29pm GMT |
| 20:29 | 20:29 |
| What is Ivanka Trump’s role in the administration? “She has a lot of expertise and wants to offer that, especially in the area of trying to help women.” | What is Ivanka Trump’s role in the administration? “She has a lot of expertise and wants to offer that, especially in the area of trying to help women.” |
| 8.28pm GMT | 8.28pm GMT |
| 20:28 | 20:28 |
| Spicer is asked about that last quote. “Then that’s what I said”, he says, but then says it will be up to the Department of Justice. | Spicer is asked about that last quote. “Then that’s what I said”, he says, but then says it will be up to the Department of Justice. |
| 8.26pm GMT | 8.26pm GMT |
| 20:26 | 20:26 |
| Spicer says “you will see greater enforcement of it” – suggesting the federal government may choose to enforce federal laws outlawing marijuana in states where it has been legalised. | Spicer says “you will see greater enforcement of it” – suggesting the federal government may choose to enforce federal laws outlawing marijuana in states where it has been legalised. |
| 8.25pm GMT | 8.25pm GMT |
| 20:25 | 20:25 |
| A Skype caller from Arkansas asks about medical marijuana. Will Trump’s Department of Justice choose to enforce federal anti-marijuana laws in states where it has been legalised? | A Skype caller from Arkansas asks about medical marijuana. Will Trump’s Department of Justice choose to enforce federal anti-marijuana laws in states where it has been legalised? |
| Spicer says the president understands the pain and suffering of people who use medical marijuana because they are sick or dying. | Spicer says the president understands the pain and suffering of people who use medical marijuana because they are sick or dying. |
| But there’s “a big difference between that and recreational marijuana”, he says, making the leap to the increased use of opioids. | But there’s “a big difference between that and recreational marijuana”, he says, making the leap to the increased use of opioids. |
| 8.23pm GMT | 8.23pm GMT |
| 20:23 | 20:23 |
| Will people who have committed crimes as minor as traffic offences be deported? | Will people who have committed crimes as minor as traffic offences be deported? |
| If they are not here legally, they have committed a crime and might be deported, Spicer says. The people who have a criminal record or might endanger public safety will be first priority, he says. | If they are not here legally, they have committed a crime and might be deported, Spicer says. The people who have a criminal record or might endanger public safety will be first priority, he says. |
| 8.21pm GMT | 8.21pm GMT |
| 20:21 | 20:21 |
| Is the administration vetting Miguel Estrada as solicitor general before the travel ban case gets to the supreme court? Is the president “discouraged” about getting the nominees he wants for the cabinet? | Is the administration vetting Miguel Estrada as solicitor general before the travel ban case gets to the supreme court? Is the president “discouraged” about getting the nominees he wants for the cabinet? |
| Spicer won’t answer the first one. On the second, he says there are “a deep bench” of possible candidates for the cabinet. But he attacks the Democrats for putting cabinet nominees through the wringer during their Senate confirmation hearings. Some people look at that and say they don’t want to join the cabinet, he says. | Spicer won’t answer the first one. On the second, he says there are “a deep bench” of possible candidates for the cabinet. But he attacks the Democrats for putting cabinet nominees through the wringer during their Senate confirmation hearings. Some people look at that and say they don’t want to join the cabinet, he says. |
| 8.18pm GMT | 8.18pm GMT |
| 20:18 | 20:18 |
| How can Spicer criticise the way the Obama administration’s transgender bathrooms guidance was drawn up when the exact same criticisms have been made of the way the travel ban was introduced? | How can Spicer criticise the way the Obama administration’s transgender bathrooms guidance was drawn up when the exact same criticisms have been made of the way the travel ban was introduced? |
| Spicer says they are “apples and oranges”. | Spicer says they are “apples and oranges”. |