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The Guardian - US
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Vivian Ho in San Francisco (now) and Joanna Walters in New York (earlier)

Supreme court to rule on release of Donald Trump's financial records – as it happened

The supreme court is to hear a case on the release of Donald Trump’s financial records.
The supreme court is to hear a case on the release of Donald Trump’s financial records. Photograph: Alexander Drago/Reuters

Live political reporting continues on Monday’s blog:

Evening summary

I was honestly just kidding when I predicted the rest of today would be quiet, but it was actually very quiet. Hope everyone has a restful weekend!

Apropos of nothing:

In case you missed it, sketch comedy group the Upright Citizens Brigade dunked on both Mike Bloomberg and Pete Buttigieg by releasing a cringeworthy Bloomberg 2020 dance that was just dorktastic enough to challenge the Team Pete dance:

Team Bloomberg was quick to disavow the dance...

...which led to some A+ commitment to the bit by comedians Nick Ciarelli and Brad Evans.

It’s really unclear how many people fully understand that this was joke, however, even after a full day. Because after all it’s 2019 and the Internet is a hellscape.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg has released the names of bundlers who have raised more than $25,000 for his Democratic presidential nominee bid as part of his promised transparency push:

“Pete’s campaign has been more transparent than any other campaign this cycle,” his team claims.

Here’s the full list.

The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, weighs in on the supreme court deciding to take up the cases involving the financial records of President Trump:

Updated

Here’s a statement from the Democratic National Committee on the Unite Here Local 11 strike and the candidates threatening to boycott next week’s debate over it:

Billionaire and Democratic presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg has added CityLab to the growing roster at Bloomberg Media, and the first order of business for the billionaire - oh sorry, did we mention that already? - will be to lay off more than half the reporting staff.

According to Mother Jones, Bloomberg Media will only bring seven people from the CityLab staff on board. CityLab, an offshoot website of the Atlantic, currently has about 13 full-time staff and three contractors.

CityLab staff writer Kriston Capps made a point that this may not all be on Bloomberg. It appears that in this acquisition, the Atlantic preemptively laid off the ENTIRE staff. Now SOME can reapply for jobs. Some cannot.

At first campaign visit to California, Bloomberg made a big deal about launching a “war on poverty”. Hope that includes something for these laid-off reporters!

Hey all, Vivian Ho with the west coast bureau taking over the blog for Joanna Walters. Since absolutely nothing newsworthy happened this week, I’m sure we’ll be in for a very quiet rest of the day.

Late afternoon summary

The US politics news has picked up considerably in the last couple of hours and there are likely to continue to be developments and reaction in the coming hours. My colleague on the west coast, Vivian Ho, will take over the blog now and bring you all the news. The main events of late have been:

  • The US supreme court will take up three separate cases all dealing with Donald Trump’s efforts to keep his tax returns and other financial details private, vs a New York prosecutor and congressional Democrats’ efforts to expose them.
  • Bernie Sanders has retracted his endorsement for the controversial Democratic congressional candidate Cenk Uygur, who is running to fill the seat in California formerly held by Katie Hill before she abruptly resigned.
  • The Democratic 2020 candidates set to debate at Loyola Marymont University in Los Angeles next Thursday have threatened to boycott the event if they have to cross the picket lines of striking workers there.
  • Six out of the seven had confirmed they will not cross the lines, and then the seventh, Amy Klobuchar, added herself to the list to make it unanimous. Looks like there’ll need to be a new labor deal struck at the uni – or a new venue for the debate, which has already been moved once over a workers’ dispute. Scramble!

Updated

Will we ever see Trump's tax returns?

A New York prosecutor (Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr) and three congressional committees have tried all legal means to force Donald Trump to make public his financial information, especially his tax returns. So far unsuccessfully.

Those running for president usually disclose their tax returns but Trump has resolutely refused to do so, first claiming during the 2016 campaign that they were being audited by the tax authorities, and therefore off limits. And later seeming to drop that spurious defense and simply use all legal tools at his disposal to defy subpoenas and demands and keep his monetary affairs private.

As well as a matter of plain transparency, questions have swirled for years about the size of Trump’s wealth and whether all his tax dealings are entirely above board, both in terms of the letter and spirit of the law.

A federal judge in Manhattan in May ruled against Trump, in saying he wouldn’t block recent Congressional subpoenas that are demanding his financial records from two banks, Deutsche Bank and Capitol One. And treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin defied a subpoena from the House ways and means committee.

Now after the various appeals, the supreme court will take up the matter, hearing three separate cases involving similar issues. With Trump’s appointments of Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, conservatives are in the ascendency on the bench and one might reasonably guess they are going to come down on the president’s side - though not guaranteed, obviously.

The court will hear three separate cases and when the Supremes rule in June, smack bang in the thick of the 2020 election campaign, as the Democrats head towards their party convention in July (the GOP convention is in August).

The US supreme court says it will hear Donald Trump’s pleas to keep his tax, bank and financial records private
The US supreme court says it will hear Donald Trump’s pleas to keep his tax, bank and financial records private Photograph: J Scott Applewhite/AP

Updated

Supreme court case affects Trump tax returns, financial records

The US supreme court said this afternoon that it will hear Donald Trump’s pleas to keep his tax, bank and financial records private – a major tussle between the president and Congress that also could affect the 2020 presidential campaign.

The justices are poised to issue decisions in June, amid Trump’s bid for a second term, the AP writes.

Rulings against the president could result in the quick release of personal financial information that Trump has sought strenuously to keep private.

The court also will decide whether the Manhattan district attorney can obtain eight years of Trump’s tax returns as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

Updated

Supreme court to take up Trump finances case

The US supreme court has agreed to hear subpoena fights over Donald Trump’s financial records, with decisions expected by late June.
More details to follow.

Updated

Sanders pulls endorsement for California candidate accused of sexism

Bernie Sanders has just retracted his endorsement for the controversial Democratic congressional candidate Cenk Uygur, who is running to fill the seat formerly held by Katie Hill before she resigned a few weeks ago.

Sanders’s retraction appears to be moot, as Sanders acknowledges that Uygur is rejecting all endorsements for his campaign.

But this is another twister in a significant political storm, as there has been uproar about Uygur running for the seat of, of all people, Hill.

Hill was obliged to resign from Congress over allegations of a rule-breaking sexual indiscretion, which she has denied, and an acknowledged previous affair with a campaign subordinate – all wrapped in an atrocious onslaught of digital bullying (aka revenge porn) from her ex that garnered criticism of a double standard in Washington for female politicians.

And there had been growing disquiet about Sanders cozying up to Uygur with an endorsement yesterday. Uygur is a host of the TV commentary show Young Turks and has a long history of making wildly sexist comments. Jezebel called him “gross” earlier today.

Updated

Klobuchar joins the other candidates – won't breach picket lines

No surprise here, Senator Amy Klobuchar has just tweeted to confirm she also will not cross the picket line of striking workers at the university where the Democratic debate is due to be held next Thursday.

That’s now confirmed unanimity between the seven 2020 candidates due to debate at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles on 19 December.

Updated

Candidates threaten to boycott next week's Democratic debate

There is a workers’ strike at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, the location of next week’s Democratic debate – which has prompted, at this point, six of the seven candidates who’ve qualified to participate, to threaten to boycott the event.

They say they’ll refuse to cross the picket line. Out of Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Tom Steyer, Andrew Yang and Amy Klobuchar, who are the seven who’ve qualified for the debate, all but Klobuchar are saying this afternoon that they stand in solidarity with the workers and won’t cross their picket line. Warren was first to announce her decision.

The dispute between union cooks, dishwashers and servers at Loyola and Sodexo, the company that runs the school’s food service, is the second labor action that has threatened the Thursday debate. In November, the Democratic National Committee moved the debate to Loyola from UCLA because of a contract dispute there involving the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Updated

Out and about in New Hampshire

Representative Ilhan Omar is out campaigning with Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire today, per her Twitter account. They’re doing a town hall together.

Sanders is talking about affordable housing and a Green New Deal to address the climate crisis.

Sanders and Omar in New Hampshire

Sanders and Omar campaigning for Bernie’s 2020 run, i Manchester, New Hampshire earlier today
Sanders and Omar campaigning for Bernie’s 2020 run, i Manchester, New Hampshire earlier today Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters

‘The right to vote is the most sacred American right there is’

On the campaign trail, Joe Biden is also talking about the climate crisis. He’s also concerned about voting rights. Biden is in Texas today.

He’s also talking about healthcare and workers’ rights.

Union support

Union members listening to Joe Biden on the campaign trail in Las Vegas on Wednesday
Union members listening to Joe Biden on the campaign trail in Las Vegas on Wednesday Photograph: Steve Marcus/AP

Updated

Less than a week to the next Democratic debate

Seven Democratic 2020 candidates are set to take the stage at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles next Thursday, likely just a day after the full House votes to impeach Donald Trump.

Unfortunately, Cory Booker and Julián Castro haven’t made the debate requirements, as the threshold set by the party leadership, the Democratic National Committee, continues to rise both in terms of donations and minimum support in independent opinion polls.

It will be Biden, Warren, Klobuchar, Sanders, Buttigieg, Yang and Steyer.

Today, she’s on the campaign trail in Florida but Amy Klobuchar is talking about the incessant flooding in Iowa and the climate crisis, not impeachment.

Support for Klobuchar has been rising in the first voting state, Iowa, which holds its caucuses on 3 February, prior to the New Hampshire primary on 11 February.

Klobuchar campaigning in Iowa on December 6
Klobuchar campaigning in Iowa on 6 December. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP

Updated

It has been a rather exciting morning and early afternoon – here is the interim summary

Another action-packed day in the politics blogosphere, do stay tuned. So far today:

  • The House judiciary committee voted to approve articles of impeachment against Donald Trump, charging him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his alleged political corruption in dealing with Ukraine.
  • Democratic 2020 candidate Mike Bloomberg unveiled his campaign action plan to deal with the climate crisis.
  • The full House of Representatives vote to impeach the president is expected to happen next Wednesday (one week from Christmas Day and just two days before Congress splits for the holidays) – at least on current expectations ...
  • Donald Trump indicated that, officially at least, he doesn’t care what form his impeachment trial takes as long as he can do what he wants and his lackeys kill it off quickly.
  • Soccer mega star Megan Rapinoe endorsed Elizabeth Warren for the 2020 Democratic nomination to run for president.

Updated

Megan Rapinoe: 'Consider me Team Warren'

Democratic 2020 candidate Elizabeth Warren hasn’t been talking about impeachment today, she’s been talking about the US opioids crisis and a government that’s been hijacked by the rich and powerful.

But in a splash of spirit on what’s been a rather solemn Friday in politics, Warren just received the endorsement of soccer mega-hero, the award-winning Megan Rapinoe, according to this news on social media pointed out to me by my Guardian US senior politics reporter colleague Lauren Gambino.

In this fascinating exchange by telephone, the two women share their mutual respect and admiration and Rapinoe says: “Consider me TeamWarren,” to which Warren responds: “I think we got this, Megan.”

She’s got the whole world (cup) in her hands. Footie star Megan Rapinoe.
She’s got the whole world (cup) in her hands. Footie star Megan Rapinoe. Photograph: PA Wire/PA

And in her other job ... multi-hatted ambassador

Rapinoe speaks at the Massachusetts Conference For Women 2019 at Boston Convention Center on December 12 (which just so happens to be the state Elizabeth Warren represents)
Rapinoe speaks at the Massachusetts Conference For Women 2019 at Boston Convention Center on 12 December (which just so happens to be the state Elizabeth Warren represents). Photograph: Marla Aufmuth/Getty Images for Massachusetts Conference for Women 2019

Warren on the trail

Warren speaks at a Culinary Workers Union Local 226 meeting hosted by Unite Here on Monday in Las Vegas
Warren speaks at a Culinary Workers Union Local 226 meeting hosted by Unite Here on Monday in Las Vegas Photograph: Yasmina Chavez/AP

Updated

‘They’re ugly’

There’s a campaign going on in Washington that even the most garrulous members of Congress aren’t eager to talk about: to be part of a team of uncertain size, with a risky mission, to be named by a leader who isn’t talking about what she’s looking for or when she will decide.

Welcome to the race within the House to win a spot on the Democratic team that will prosecute the impeachment case against Donald Trump, the AP writes.

The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, is the sole decider, but she has offered no hints as the impeachment saga accelerates toward an expected vote next week by the full House and, in January, a Senate trial.

“When the time is right, you’ll know who the people are,” she told reporters Thursday.

The impeachment managers will have to withstand the scrutiny and risk of prosecuting the case against Trump from the floor of the Republican-held Senate, before a global audience. And be willing to face the near-certainty of defeat, as the Senate appears unlikely to convict and remove Trump from office.

“They’re ugly,” Representative Steve Chabot, Republican of Ohio, said of the Senate proceedings. He would know, as a manager of former president Bill Clinton’s trial two decades ago.

Plenty of ambitious people are quietly jockeying for the job by writing Pelosi letters nominating themselves, spreading the word or just hoping their work impresses her.

The eventual group picked seems certain to be diverse in race and gender, providing a contrast to the 13 white, male Republican lawmakers who prosecuted the case against Clinton. (Trump’s defense at the trial will be conducted by his legal team, not lawmakers.) There’ll also be a desire for a geographical spread.

The Senate informs the House when the managers can present the articles of impeachment. The House prosecutors theatrically cross the Capitol and enter the Senate chamber, presided over by the supreme court chief justice John Roberts and populated with senators who act as the jury.

The House members then read the resolution containing the articles and leave until the Senate invites them back for the trial. The prosecutors, possibly assisted by outside counsel, present the evidence against Trump and respond to any of the president’s lawyers or senators.

The US Capitol
The US Capitol. Photograph: Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images

Updated

Trump: 'I'll do whatever I want'

Most of what Donald Trump just said in the Oval Office about impeachment add up to utter rubbish, so rather than fan those flames, we’ll limit it to the most useful quote, when he was asked by pool reporters: “Do you prefer a long Senate trial or a short one?”

The president said:

“I’ll do whatever I want. Look there is – we did nothing wrong. So I’ll do long, or short. I’ve heard Mitch, I’ve heard Lindsey. I think they are very much in agreement on some concept.”

He’s referring first to the Republican Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, who will play a leading role in the expected impeachment trial, and bleated outrageously towards the base on Fox News last night that, basically, he will play it any way Trump wants and reckons there is zero chance of Trump not being acquitted.

And Lindsey refers, of course, to the Republican Senator and prominent Trump cheerleader Lindsey Graham, who wants to kill off the impeachment process as quickly as possible after it reaches the Senate.

Trump speaking in the Oval Office moments ago
Trump speaking in the Oval Office moments ago. Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Updated

Giuliani visits the White House

The president’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, was spotted arriving at the White House this morning not long before the impeachment vote on Capitol Hill, fresh from beetling around Ukraine gathering evidence against Democrats inside his and Donald Trump’s alternative universe.

Trump talks about impeachment trial

Donald Trump, in the Oval Office, just told reporters he “wouldn’t mind a long, or short impeachment trial”.

That congressional trial is expected to take place in the Republican-dominated Senate early next year, after the House almost certainly votes next week to impeach Trump over his dealings with Ukraine, which have been allegedly a threat to national security and the integrity of the US election process.

There’s been debate about whether Republicans in the Senate should try to engineer a substantial trial, with witnesses and cross examination, etc, in order to lay out a fierce defense of Trump, or try to dismiss the whole impeachment thing without such drama.

The outcome either way is almost inevitable – the Senate will not vote to oust Trump from office.

The reporters’ pool from the White House reports that Trump added: “It’s a very sad thing for our country but it seems to be very good for me politically.”

Republicans are banking on the impeachment decision backfiring on Democrats.

Trump also said: “It’s a witch-hunt. It’s a sham. It’s a hoax ... to be using this for a perfect phone call ... It’s a scam ... You’re trivializing impeachment. The people are disgusted.”

It should be noted that the country is almost evenly split but with the slight though clear majority being those who are so disgusted by the president’s actions in relation to Ukraine that they support impeachment. Fewer are more disgusted by the fact of him being impeached (though all may be forgiven for feeling disturbed and depressed by the whole sorry state of affairs!).

Trump was meeting with Paraguay’s president, Mario Abdo, and accompanying, looking awkward on a sofa to Trump’s left, were the vice-president, Mike Pence, the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and the acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney.

The meeting in the Oval Office moments ago.
The meeting in the Oval Office moments ago. Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Committee voted today, not yesterday after a longer than expected debate, but here are the steps going forward.

Updated

C’mon, man!

As Uncle Joe would say. Listen, Jake, the Beatles may be working class music royalty but, dispirited progressives on either side of the Atlantic, of all the things you could do, do not “Let it be!”

Feel free to tweet me with your alternative Beatles lyric of the day @JoannaWalters13.

It might even be preferable to shout: “Help, I need somebody, help!” But fighting talk is preferred ...

Updated

House rules committee to meet Tuesday to set up impeachment vote

The House rules committee said this morning that it plans to meet on Tuesday to establish procedures for the full House of Representatives to follow when it considers two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump next week.

The panel’s meeting, set for 11am ET, sets the stage for a debate before the full House of Representatives that is likely to begin on the floor on Wednesday, Reuters writes.

The committee generally sets the terms for House debates the day before action on the House floor. So, as mentioned earlier, so far the vote can be expected to take place on Wednesday, but that’s not set in stone.

Trump is charged with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in the two articles of impeachment.

The first relates to his pressuring the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, by withholding crucial military aid and effectively dangling an Oval Office meeting in return for Ukraine publicly investigating Trump’s 2020 US election Democratic rival Joe Biden, whose son Hunter previously sat on the board of a Ukrainian gas company despite not having specialist expertise in that industrial sector.

The second relates to Trump doing a very effective job at blocking most aides and administration officials from testifying to the impeachment inquiry in the House and defying subpoenas both to appear as witnesses and hand over documents and other evidence relating to the president’s allegedly corrupt dealings with Ukraine.

Here’s a reminder of the origins of the US impeachment process.

Biz as usual - at least on the surface.Trump meets with Paraguay president Mario Abdo Benitez in the Oval Office at the White House this morning. Zelenskiy, eat your heart out.
Biz as usual - at least on the surface.
Trump meets with Paraguay president Mario Abdo Benitez in the Oval Office at the White House this morning. Zelenskiy, eat your heart out.
 Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Updated

Bloomberg signals the moderate road is the best one

Recent 2020 candidate, squillionaire and former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg is campaigning in Virginia today and has just fired a shot across the bow of his more progressive rivals, such as, most notably, US Senators Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts) and Bernie Sanders (Vermont), in relation to the UK election.

Britain’s hard-left leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, went down to a heavy, heavy defeat against Conservative Boris “get Brexit done” Johnson last night.

Bloomberg talked about the environment this morning in Alexandria, Va.

Never the twain shall meet?

Some official reaction to the impeachment vote in committee.

The Democratic National Committee chair, Tom Perez:

Evidence that Trump committed multiple impeachable offenses – abusing the official powers of the Oval Office and obstructing Congress – is overwhelming and irrefutable. To preserve our democracy for now, and for future generations, our Constitution must be upheld. Congress must fulfill its constitutional obligation and move forward to hold the president accountable.”

DNC chair Tom Perez
DNC chair Tom Perez. Photograph: Ron Harris/AP

White House press office response:

Where’s the Christmas spirit?

National Christmas tree lighting at the White House, fa la la la la, la la la la
National Christmas tree lighting at the White House, fa la la la la, la la la la. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA

Updated

Helpful summary:

Updated

Full House vote expected Wednesday on impeachment

The House rules committee has outlined the schedule for the impeachment vote next week.

Following the vote to approve articles of impeachment by the judiciary committee earlier this morning, the full House of Representatives will meet next week to debate amendments to the articles on Tuesday, then vote on the floor on Wednesday.

This is now the expectation, though the committee was expected to vote at around 12.30pm yesterday and ended up almost 12 hours later abruptly deciding not to vote until the following morning. So these schedules may not be set in stone.

Not speaking to each other

Not speaking. Democrat Jerry Nadler (l) and Republican Doug Collins (r) at the judiciary committee vote this morning
Not speaking. Democrat Jerry Nadler (l) and Republican Doug Collins (r) at the judiciary committee vote this morning Photograph: Patrick Semansky/POOL/EPA

Voting to impeach

House Judiciary Committee member Pramila Jayapal (Democrat of Washington State) holds up a copy of the US Constitution as she votes to pass articles of impeachment against Donald Trump
House Judiciary Committee member Pramila Jayapal (Democrat of Washington State) holds up a copy of the US Constitution as she votes to pass articles of impeachment against Donald Trump Photograph: Patrick Semansky/POOL/EPA

Updated

Nadler declares ‘sad day’

The House judiciary committee chairman, Jerry Nadler, said of the vote an hour ago to approve two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump: “Today is a solemn and sad day. For the third time in a little over a century and a half, the House judiciary committee has voted articles of impeachment against the president - for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The House will act expeditiously. Thank you.”

The delayed vote was swift and sure this morning, 23 for, 17 against. The ranking Republican Doug Collins was incandescent when Nadler suddenly gaveled the marathon hearing closed after 11pm last night without the crucial vote.

He studiously avoided eye contact with the chairman as the two took their seats for this morning’s vote, cheek by jowl with each other, shortly after 10am. Nadler similarly ignored Collins. The cold shoulders spoke volumes.

House Judiciary Committee voted this morning to approve articles of impeachment against Donald Trump. Democratic committee chairman, Jerrold Nadler (left) and ranking Republican Doug Collins (right) both wore glasses, red ties and weary expressions but are poles apart on everything else.
The Democratic judiciary committee chairman, Jerry Nadler (left) and ranking Republican Doug Collins (right) both wore glasses, red ties and weary expressions but are poles apart on everything else. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters

Updated

Bloomberg unveils climate plan

Recent 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg has just unveiled a climate plan to slash US carbon emissions by 50% in 10 years, by slapping tougher pollution standards on new gas-fired power plants and replacing coal with cleaner energy sources, such as wind and solar.

The plan catches the billionaire former New York City mayor up to a crowded field of Democratic presidential hopefuls that have already detailed aggressive plans to eliminate US greenhouse gas emissions, Reuters writes.

The move taps into what has become a crucial issue for Democratic voters.
Bloomberg announced his candidacy last month, putting him among 15 Democrats vying to take on Republican candidate Donald Trump in the November 2020 election.
“The president refuses to lead on climate change, so the rest of us must,” Bloomberg said in a release. Trump is thoroughly skeptical about the science of the human-caused climate emergency, and has rolled back climate regulations.

He has also withdrawn the United States from the landmark Paris Agreement – the international accord to fight global heating, following through on his 2017 announcement.

Bloomberg’s plan would target 80% clean energy by 2028, and would be the first of several schemes to move the country toward 100% clean energy as fast as possible, ideally before 2045, his campaign said.

It would do so by setting stringent pollution limits on new gas-fired plants, and by ending all subsidies for fossil fuels. Meanwhile, it would create incentives to improve clean-energy technology and invest in poor communities impacted by fossil fuel pollution, or that are struggling to transition to a cleaner energy economy.

US presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg speaks during a panel at the United Nations climate change conference (COP25) in Madrid, Spain, earlier this week
US presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg speaks during a panel at the United Nations climate change conference (Cop25) in Madrid, Spain, earlier this week Photograph: Sergio Pérez/Reuters

Updated

Read the latest on the House committee vote here:

US and China said to be close to 'modest trade agreement'

The Trump administration and China are close to finalizing a modest trade agreement that would suspend tariffs that are set to kick in Sunday, de-escalating their 17-month trade war.

“We’re close to a deal,” said Myron Brilliant, the US Chamber of Commerce’s head of international affairs, who has been briefed by both sides, the AP writes.

Brilliant said the administration has agreed to suspend Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on $160 billion in Chinese imports Sunday and to reduce existing tariffs, though it wasn’t clear by how much.

In return, Beijing would buy more US farm products, increase Americans companies’ access to the Chinese market and tighten protection for intellectual property rights.

The deal awaits final approval from Donald Trump and China has not yet shown its hand, so we need to tread cautiously. The Chinese have just postponed a press briefing.

Trump tweeted early yesterday: “Getting VERY close to a BIG DEAL with China. They want it, and so do we!”’

Beijing had threatened to retaliate if Trump proceeded with plans to raise tariffs on $160 billion of Chinese imports Sunday.

The two sides are negotiating a so-called Phase 1 agreement as part of the effort to resolve their sprawling trade dispute.

Still, the truce leaves unsettled the toughest and most complex issues that have divided the two sides. You can follow more aspects of this story via the Guardian’s business live blog out of London here.

Court sparring over Trump profiting from the presidency

A divided federal appeals court spent more than three hours Thursday sparring over whether Donald Trump is illegally profiting from the presidency through his luxury Washington hotel.

The state of Maryland and the District of Columbia asked 15 judges on the fourth US circuit court of appeals to reconsider a ruling by a three-judge panel directing a federal judge in Maryland to dismiss their lawsuit against the president, the Associated Press writes.

The two jurisdictions allege Trump has violated the emoluments clause of the constitution by accepting profits through foreign and domestic officials who stay at the Trump International hotel, which sits rather majestically in a historic building on Pennsylvania Avenue and has become the “see and be seen” venue for Trump allies in the capital.

Maryland’s Aattorney general, Brian Frosh, and district attorney general, Karl Racine, have argued that hotels in their jurisdictions suffer “competitive injury” because officials hoping to curry favor with the president are more likely to stay at his hotel.

A three-judge panel of the fourth circuit ruled in July that the two jurisdictions lack standing to pursue their claims against the president and granted a rare writ of mandamus, directing US district court Jjudge Peter Messitte to throw out the lawsuit.

The three judges on the panel who ruled in Trump’s favor were all nominated by Republican presidents. But on Thursday, in arguments before the full court, a mix of 15 judges nominated by both Democrats and Republicans got into a spirited debate about Trump’s business interests and whether the panel should have taken the unusual step of overturning Messitte’s ruling allowing the lawsuit to move forward.

Deputy Assistant Attorney General Hashim Mooppan said the three-judge panel was within its authority to issue its ruling: “We think it is clear and indisputable that you cannot sue the president of the United States in his official capacity without at a minimum having an express statement authorizing such a suit by Congress.”

Judge James Wynn Jr grilled Mooppan about whether he was arguing that the judiciary has no remedy when a president violates the emoluments clause and that the president is above the law. Mooppan said Messitte committed “multiple, fundamental errors” in refusing to dismiss the suit.

Judge J Harvey Wilkinson III defended Trump’s arguments during the hearing, saying the court cannot treat the case as if it’s an “ordinary, run-of-the-mill case”.

He said the judiciary is “seeking to assert over the presidency of the United States authority that has never been asserted or claimed before”.

In October, Trump’s company said it is exploring the sale of the hotel.

The Trump International Hotel near sunset in Washington in 2019.
The Trump International Hotel near sunset in Washington in 2019. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

Committee votes on articles of impeachment

Good morning, bewildered politics watchers, there has already been action on Capitol Hill this morning, so please do tune in for a lively Friday.

  • The House judiciary committee just voted in favor of the two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump, setting the stage for a vote by the full House of Representatives next week to impeach the president.
  • The back ground is that after 11pm ET last night, the judiciary chairman, Jerry Nadler (Democrat of New York), gaveled the 14-hour-plus tense hearing closed without a vote on the two articles of impeachment before them.
  • Republicans erupted in shock and rage, but Nadler was clearly intent on avoiding being accused of holding a vote at dead of night when America wasn’t watching. The vote had been expected yesterday morning!
  • The committee moments ago voted to approve two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. It’s the equivalent of congressional indictments for high crimes and misdemeanors, almost certainly triggering a Senate trial in January.
  • Meanwhile, Donald Trump is expected to make an official announcement today about progress in the direction of a trade deal with China. He signed off on a tentative agreement yesterday, though the Chinese were silent. And we have been to this brink before only for Trump to retreat, so expect it when you see it, folks. You can follow more aspects of this story via the Guardian’s business live blog out of London here.
  • And our colleagues in the UK are tracking all the news on the unexpected landslide victory for Conservative “Brexiteer” Boris Johnson in the election last night. Follow our fulsome coverage here.

Updated

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