This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/feb/06/donald-trump-speech-impeachment-verdict-romney-buttigieg-sanders-biden-live-latest-news

The article has changed 29 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 12 Version 13
Trump celebrates impeachment acquittal by lashing out at 'evil' opponents – live Trump celebrates impeachment acquittal by lashing out at 'evil' opponents – live
(31 minutes later)
Trump speaks at the White House for the first time since his acquittal, while report shows Iowa results ‘riddled with inconsistencies’Trump speaks at the White House for the first time since his acquittal, while report shows Iowa results ‘riddled with inconsistencies’
In the latest twist of the Iowa caucuses debacle that has been unfolding this week, the DNC chairman Tom Perez has called for a “recanvass” of the vote.
After initial confusion about what a “recanvass” means, Perez then clarified:
As it stands, Buttigieg leads Sanders in the tally of state delegate equivalents by 26.22% to 26.07%. Meanwhile, Sanders leads Buttigieg in the popular vote.
Trump thanked congressman Jim Jordan, one of his closest House allies in the impeachment inquiry, by praising his workout routine
“I thought, huh, never wears a jacket. He’s obviously very proud of his body,” Trump said of Jordan, who often declines to wear a suit jacket in the House. “When he works out,” Trump added, “the machine starts burning.”
Trump also praised Jordan as a “champion top-top wrestler” and a “warrior.”
While speaking at the White House, Trump appeared to raise the possibility that he could be impeached again.
“We’ll probably have to do it again,” Trump said, claiming that his critics “have gone stone cold crazy.”
“I’ve beaten them all my life, and I’ll beat them again,” he added.
Trump told the audience at the White House that his children could “make a fortune” if Hunter Biden’s business activities in Ukraine were legal. (US and Ukrainian officials have said the former vice president’s son did not break any laws.)
“Is Ivanka in the audience?” Trump asked, looked for his eldest daughter, who was present for his remarks. “My kids could make a fortune,” Trump said of Biden’s business activities.
The Washington Post reported in 2018:
Trump is unsurprisingly lashing out against the House Democrats who led the impeachment inquiry, namely speaker Nancy Pelosi and lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff.
“Adam Schiff is a vicious, horrible person,” Trump said. “Nancy Pelosi is a horrible person.”
Trump also once again scoffed at Pelosi’s repeated comments about praying for the president.
“I doubt she prays at all,” Trump said.
Trump took a shot at Mitt Romney after the Republican senator voted to convict the president on the first article of impeachment, abuse of power.
The Utah Republican said of his decision yesterday, “As a senator-juror, I swore an oath before God to exercise impartial justice. I am profoundly religious. My faith is at the heart of who I am. I take an oath before God as enormously consequential.”
But Trump was completely dismissive of that rationale. “Then you have some who used religion as a crutch,” Trump said at the White House. “They never used it before. Never heard him use it before. ... But you know it’s a failed presidential candidate, but things can happen when you fail so badly.”
The president’s allies were silent as Trump criticized Romney and only cheered when he turned his attention to other Republican senators.
But Trump wasn’t done. As he praised Utah senator Mike Lee, Trump asked him to tell the residents of his state, I’m sorry about Mitt Romney.”
Trump addressed his controversial comments at this morning’s National Prayer Breakfast, during which he issued thinly veiled insults against Nancy Pelosi and Mitt Romney.
“I had Nancy Pelosi sitting four seats away, and I’m saying things that a lot of people wouldn’t have said, but I meant them,” Trump said.
Pelosi has repeatedly said she prays for the president, and Trump said this morning, “Nor do I like people who say, ‘I pray for you,’ when they know that that’s not so.”
Trump specifically thanked Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, who organized Republican senators to block witness testimony and ensure the president’s acquittal in the impeachment trial.Trump specifically thanked Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, who organized Republican senators to block witness testimony and ensure the president’s acquittal in the impeachment trial.
“Mitch McConnell, I want to tell you, you did a fantastic job,” Trump said, prompting another standing ovation.“Mitch McConnell, I want to tell you, you did a fantastic job,” Trump said, prompting another standing ovation.
For comparison, when Bill Clinton addressed the public after his Senate acquittal in 1999, he began by expressing how “profoundly sorry” he was for actions.For comparison, when Bill Clinton addressed the public after his Senate acquittal in 1999, he began by expressing how “profoundly sorry” he was for actions.
Trump’s remarks after his Senate acquittal is turning into a screed against all of the probes into his administration, starting with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference.Trump’s remarks after his Senate acquittal is turning into a screed against all of the probes into his administration, starting with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference.
“We first went through Russia, Russia, Russia,” Trump said. “It was all bullshit.”“We first went through Russia, Russia, Russia,” Trump said. “It was all bullshit.”
That last comment will likely rankle the television networks who are carrying Trump’s remarks live.That last comment will likely rankle the television networks who are carrying Trump’s remarks live.
Even Trump described his remarks not as a speech but as a “celebration” after the Senate acquitted him in the impeachment trial.
“This is really not a news conference, it’s not a speech,” Trump said. “It’s not anything. It’s just we’re sort of ... it’s a celebration, because we have something that just worked out. I mean, it worked out. We went through hell unfairly, did nothing wrong.”
“I’ve done things wrong in my life, I’ll admit,” Trump continued. “But this is what the end result is,” he added, holding up a copy of the Washington Post’s front page, reading, “Trump Acquitted.”
Trump immediately launched into attacks on his critics as he started delivering his remarks on the Senate impeachment trial.
“It was evil, it was corrupt, it was dirty cops, it was leakers, it was liars,” Trump said.
The president even mentioned former FBI director James Comey, who was fired by Trump nearly three years ago.
“Had I not fired James Comey, who was a disaster by the way, it’s possible I wouldn’t even be standing here right now,” Trump said.
Trump has arrived in the East Room to deliver remarks on his acquittal in the Senate impeachment trial and was greeted with a prolonged standing ovation from his allies sitting in the audience.
The president’s legal team, who defended him during the Senate impeachment trial, was greeted with a standing ovation as they arrived to witness Trump’s remarks.
As we await the president’s arrival for his remarks on the impeachment trial, Capitol Police issued a statement saying officers responded to a report of a suspicious substance in the Rayburn House office building.
According to Politico, the suspicious substance was near the office of lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff.
In just a few minutes, the president is scheduled to deliver remarks about his acquittal in the Senate impeachment trial at the White House.
Some of the members of Trump’s impeachment defense team have already arrived to witness the speech.
During her press conference, Nancy Pelosi said House Democrats “have no plans right now” to subpoena former national security adviser John Bolton.
The former Trump administration official said he would testify in the Senate trial if subpoenaed, but the Senate voted against calling new witnesses in the trial.
House judiciary committee chairman Jerry Nadler said yesterday that his panel “will likely” subpoena Bolton.
Nancy Pelosi brushed off a question about whether she had stepped on her own message about Democrats remaining composed in the face of Trump’s taunts when she ripped up the president’s State of the Union address.
“That was not a state of union, that was his state of mind.” Pelosi said, arguing her actions were “entirely appropriate.” She added that Trump’s apparent rejction of her handshake at the onset of the speech meant “nothing to me.”
“I feel very liberated,” Pelosi said. “I feel I’ve extended every possible courtesy, I’ve shown every level of respect.”
When she was earlier asked about whether she can still work with Trump, Pelosi said, “That would be up to him. ... We’ve had a strained relationship for a while, and we were able to keep the government open.”
Nancy Pelosi was particularly critical of Trump’s comments this morning at the National Prayer Breakfast, where he implicitly insulted the House speaker and Republican senator Mitt Romney.
Pelosi has said she prays for the president, and Trump seemed to take a shot at that when he said at the prayer breakfast, “Nor do I like people who say, ‘I pray for you,’ when they know that that’s not so.”
On Romney, who invoked his faith yesterday to explain his vote to convict Trump, the president said, “I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong.”
Pelosi said Trump’s comments about Romney were “particularly without class.”
“I dont know if the president understands about prayer or the people who do pray,” Pelosi said. “He’s talking about things he knows little about: faith and prayer.”
Speaking to reporters at her weekly press conference, Nancy Pelosi applauded Republican senator Mitt Romney for voting to convict Trump on the first article of impeachment.
“God bless him for his courage,” the House speaker said of Romney.
Pelosi also reiterated that Trump would be impeached “forever,” arguing the president’s legacy would be permanently marred by the House vote. “You’re never getting rid of that scar,” Pelosi said.