Evening summary
Wrapping up another day of he-said-and-then-denied-he-said in Washington, here’s today’s updated politics news summary:
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Mick Mulvaney, the president’s acting chief of staff, confirmed during a televised press conference that there was a political quid pro quo involved in the delay of military aid to Ukraine, contradicting the president’s repeated denials. After angry reactions from Trump advisers and allies, as well as the Justice Department, Mulvaney attempted to walk his comments back. The White House released a statement from Mulvaney claiming “there was absolutely no quid pro quo between Ukrainian military aid and any investigation into the 2016 election.”
- Mulvaney also announced the June G7 summit would be held at Trump’s resort in Doral, Florida, raising concerns that the president is trying to personally profit off his office.
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Rick Perry, Trump’s energy secretary who has become a central figure in questions over whether the president sought to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, is resigning and will step down by the end of the year. Trump said Perry’s replacement has already been chosen, and will be announced soon.
- Mike Pence announced the US and Turkey had agreed to a five-day ceasefire in Syria, but Turkey quickly clarified that it was actually just a “pause” in operations. Experts also criticized the deal for being overly deferential to the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
- The former commander of US special forces operations argued in an op-ed that Trump is a threat to American democracy, and wrote that US military personnel feel “frustration, humiliation, anger and fear” that America is “under attack, not from without, but from within”, because of Trump’s lack of leadership.
- The US ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, testified in the impeachment inquiry, privately telling House investigators that Trump delegated oversight of Ukraine policy to Rudy Giuliani, his personal lawyer.
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Fewer than half of Republicans believe that Trump has “definitely not” done things that are grounds for impeachment, according to a new poll from Pew Research Center.
- In his comments today about Kurds living along the Turkish border, Trump “is using the language of ethnic cleansing,” representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez argued.
Fox News host and Trump ally Sean Hannity called acting chief of staff Mulvaney “dumb” and “idiotic” after he said in a press conference that there was a political quid pro quo involved in the Trump administration’s holdup of military aid to Ukraine.
“I don’t even think he knows what he’s talking about. That’s my take on it,” Hannity said on his radio show, Mediaite reported.
The mayor of Doral, Florida, a small town outside of Miami, was taken by surprise by the White House’s announcement that the G7 summit would be held at one of Trump’s own resorts there, the Washington Post reports.
The announcement, a clear example of using the power of the presidency to benefit Trump’s private interests, has sparked anger and widespread criticism.
I just talked to the mayor of Doral — who now needs to plan to host 8 world leaders and thousands of diplomats.
— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) October 17, 2019
He learned this when we did, by watching Mulvaney on TV. He still hasn’t gotten a call from the White House. https://t.co/7A9AekUhoy
In his final hours, Elijah Cummings, the son of sharecroppers who became an influential Democratic congressman from Baltimore, was still working to help immigrants with chronic medical conditions.
That’s what members of his staff told Massachusetts congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, she tweeted today.
Cummings was 68.
As I was paying my respects to our forever Chairman, his staff told me that in his final hours he signed subpoenas to USCIS and ICE, pursuing justice for immigrants in my district & across the country with chronic medical conditions. A man of his word every moment of his life. pic.twitter.com/igzUPl1yPF
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) October 17, 2019
There’s been a lot of news, but the New York congresswoman wants to make sure that nobody forgets one of the president’s casual comments today.
The President of the United States is using the language of ethnic cleansing.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 17, 2019
If we allow him to continue, who would he use it on next? https://t.co/waSuNK2n3y
Elon Musk tweets that he is “going offline.” Sounds nice, doesn’t it?
Going offline for a few days
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 17, 2019
Even in the new White House statement denying that he said what he said, acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney doesn’t quite say that there was no political quid pro quo at all involved in the holdup of military aid to Ukraine, journalist Laura Rozen notes:
The careful language suggests that the walk back was motivated in particular by the Justice Department’s concerns about what Mulvaney said, Rozen argues.
Even in the walkback, Mulvaney does not say there was no quid pro quo. He says unblocking military aid was not conditioned on DNC server pic.twitter.com/0fka73G4OL
— Laura Rozen (@lrozen) October 17, 2019
Fewer than half of Republicans believe that Trump has “definitely not” done things that are grounds for impeachment, according to a new poll from Pew Research Center.
And a full 20% of Republicans said they believe that Trump had “probably” or “definitely” done things that are grounds for impeachment.
Over the past month, most Americans have not changed their opinion on whether the House should conduct impeachment proceedings against the president, according to new Pew Research Center results/
Overall, 54% of Americans support House Democrats’ decision to open an impeachment inquiry. The split is largely along partisan lines, with Democrats supportive and Republicans in opposition.
But there has been some movement: nearly 1 in 10 adults who opposed impeachment proceedings last month have changed their views to support an inquiry, Pew found.
Trump has confirmed that Rick Perry is resigning as energy secretary, and said that Perry’s replacement is a man and “we’ll be be announcing it very shortly.”
The confirmation came as Trump took questions during a visit to a Louis Vuitton workshop in Texas.
An earlier version of this post, based on updates from the White House pool reporter, said that Trump was going to announce Perry’s replacement at his rally tonight in Dallas, Texas. It’s not clear if that’s the case: Trump did say that he had planned to announce Perry’s resignation at the rally tonight.
Perry will step down “toward” or “at” the end of the year, Trump said. But the new energy secretary will not be the current governor of Texas, or the current governor of Alaska, he said.
Updated
Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney’s comments during a press conference today about the Trump administration’s political reason for delaying military aid to Ukraine sparked pushback from the Department of Justice, angry reactions from Trump advisers, and concern from a key Republican senator.
“[Mulvaney] literally said the thing the president and everyone else said did not happen,” an unnamed Trump advisor had told the Washington Post earlier today.
Now, the White House has released a statement claiming that Mulvaney did not say what he said.
“Once again, the media has decided to misconstrue my comments to advance a biased and political witch hunt against President Trump. Let me be clear, there was absolutely no quid pro quo between Ukrainian military aid and any investigation into the 2016 election,” Mulvaney said in a statement emailed to the White House press corps.
According to Mulvaney’s new statement:
“The president never told me to withhold any money until the Ukrainians did anything related to the server. The only reasons we were holding the money was because of concern about lack of support from other nations and concerns over corruption.
“There was never any connection between the funds and the Ukrainians doing anything with the server - this was made explicitly obvious by the fact that the aid money was delivered without any action on the part of the Ukrainians regarding the server.”
“There never was any condition on the flow of the aid related to the matter of the DNC server.”
The comments from Trump’s acting chief staff Mick Mulvaney earlier today about a political quid pro quo involved in the delay of military aid to Ukraine are “absolutely a concern,” Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said, according to CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz.
“You don’t hold up foreign aid that we had previously appropriated for a political initiative. Period,” Murkowski said.
The Alaska Republican, who has broken with the Trump administration at key moments, including on a crucial Obamacare vote, has been labeled “one of eight Republican senators to watch on impeachment,” according to Vox.
!! Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski: “yes, absolutely that’s a concern,” when she was told about Mulvaney. "You don’t hold up foreign aid that we had previously appropriated for a political initiative. Period,” she said.
— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) October 17, 2019
The youngest child of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King was not impressed by Mark Zuckerberg’s reference to her civil rights leader father in his speech today defending Facebook’s policies on political misinformation.
“I’d like to help Facebook better understand the challenges #MLK faced from disinformation campaigns launched by politicians,” Bernice King wrote on Twitter. “These campaigns created an atmosphere for his assassination.”
I heard #MarkZuckerberg's ‘free expression’ speech, in which he referenced my father. I'd like to help Facebook better understand the challenges #MLK faced from disinformation campaigns launched by politicians. These campaigns created an atmosphere for his assassination. pic.twitter.com/h97gvVmtSZ
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) October 17, 2019
“A feigned concern for free expression.”
That’s how former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign is responding to Mark Zuckerberg’s speech today at Georgetown, in which the Facebook CEO defended the company’s decision to allow misinformation in political advertising on the platform.
“Zuckerberg attempted to use the Constitution as a shield for his company’s bottom line, and his choice to cloak Facebook’s policy in a feigned concern for free expression demonstrates how unprepared his company is for this unique moment in our history and how little it has learned over the past few years,” Bill Russo, a campaign spokesman, told The Hill.
Retired Special Operations Commander: Trump is a threat to the Republic
This is Lois Beckett, in The Guardian’s California office, taking over this evening’s live politics coverage.
“I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!” a retired four-star general reportedly exclaimed to another retired commander last week on the parade field at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
That’s what retired Admiral William H. McRaven, who led the United States Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014, writes in a new op-ed in the New York Times that calls Trump a threat to American democracy.
At two high-profile events for American military personnel last week, McRaven writes, “there was an underlying current of frustration, humiliation, anger and fear that echoed across the sidelines. The America that they believed in was under attack, not from without, but from within.”
“If this president doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, both domestically and abroad, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office — Republican, Democrat or independent — the sooner, the better. The fate of our Republic depends upon it,” McRaven argues.
McRaven is known as the architect of the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. He has publicly attacked the president before, in a 2018 open letter to the president that ran in the Washington Post, criticizing his decision to revoke the clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, who has criticized Trump’s behavior as “treasonous” and called him “wholly in the pocket of Putin.”
“Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation,” McRaven wrote of Trump last year. “If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken.”
Updated
We’re turning over the blog to our west coast colleague, Lois Beckett, for the next hours to cover more of this very eventful Thursday.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
- Rick Perry, Trump’s energy secretary who has become a central figure in questions over whether the president sought to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, is reportedly resigning.
- Mick Mulvaney, the president’s acting chief of staff, confirmed that there was a quid pro quo involved in the delay of military aid to Ukraine, contradicting the president’s repeated denials. But Mulvaney dubiously argued the quid pro quo was acceptable because Trump was seeking an investigation of the 2016 election, not a probe of Biden.
- Mulvaney announced the June G7 summit would be held at Trump’s resort in Doral, Florida, raising concerns that the president is trying to profit off his office.
- Mike Pence announced the US and Turkey had agreed to a five-day ceasefire in Syria, but Turkey quickly clarified that it was actually just a “pause” in operations. Experts also criticized the deal for being overly deferential to the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
- The US ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, testified in the impeachment inquiry, privately telling House investigators that Trump delegated oversight of Ukraine policy to Rudy Giuliani, his personal lawyer.
Lois will have more on the news of the day, so stay tuned.
Reports emerged earlier this year that Rick Perry was planning his exit from the Trump administration, but the energy secretary’s embroilment in the Ukraine scandal may have accelerated his departure timeline.
Bloomberg News reports:
For months, Perry has been paving the way for his likely successor, Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, according to a person familiar with the matter. Brouillette has taken a bigger role in some department policy matters, such as natural gas exports, and he has more frequently served as the public face of the agency, including on diplomatic missions to tout American energy to foreign allies.
Several key Perry aides also recently departed as the secretary prepares to leave.
Trump reportedly intends to lavish praise on Perry tonight during the president’s rally in Texas, where the energy secretary previously served as governor.
The New York Times provides more context on Perry’s widely anticipated resignation as Trump’s energy secretary:
The Perry resignation had been anticipated for several weeks, even before the news emerged of his involvement in efforts to pressure the new president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, to investigate a company that had worked with Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
In the ensuing weeks, Mr. Perry has been drawn deeper into the questions around the pressure campaign on Mr. Zelensky, which has spurred an impeachment inquiry that threatens to engulf Mr. Trump’s presidency. ...
It is not known exactly when Mr. Perry will leave his post, but it is expected soon. The New York Times had earlier reported he would leave by year’s end.
The New York Times is now confirming Bloomberg News’ reporting that Trump’s energy secretary, Rick Perry, has told the president he is resigning.
Perry tells president he's resigning, per administration official. Happened as POTUS headed to Perry's home state of Texas today https://t.co/Vas6sWSuxT
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 17, 2019
The Wall Street Journal reported last night that Perry called Rudy Giuliani at Trump’s direction to discuss the president’s concerns over Ukrainian corruption.
The Journal reported:
Mr. Perry, in an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal, said he contacted Mr. Giuliani in an effort to ease a path to a meeting between Mr. Trump and his new Ukrainian counterpart. He said Mr. Giuliani described to him during their phone call several concerns about Ukraine’s alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. election, concerns that haven’t been substantiated.
Mr. Perry also said he never heard the president, any of his appointees, Mr. Giuliani or the Ukrainian regime discuss the possibility of specifically investigating former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democratic presidential contender, and his son Hunter Biden. Mr. Trump’s request for a probe of the Bidens in a July 25 call with Ukraine’s president has sparked the impeachment inquiry in the House.
Mr. Giuliani, in an interview, confirmed the spring phone call and said he was telling Mr. Perry to be careful with regards to the new Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Perry reportedly informs Trump he intends to resign
Rick Perry, the energy secretary who has become embroiled in the Ukraine scandal, has told Trump that he intends to resign, according to Bloomberg News.
Scoop: Energy sec Rick Perry notified the president in writing on Air Force One on the way to Texas that he will be leaving his post soon, sources tell me, @jendeben and @AriNatter.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) October 17, 2019
Perry has become a central figure in questions over whether Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in an attempt to meddle in the 2020 election.
Updated
A Republican senator, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, told reporters that she did not think it was appropriate for Trump to host the June G7 summit at one of his Florida resorts.
Q: Is it appropriate to hold the G7 at his Doral golf club?
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) October 17, 2019
MURKOWSKI: No.
Ethics experts lambasted the decision as a classic example of self-dealing and called on lawmakers to denounce it. From the former director of the office of government ethics:
If you work in a domed building in the nation's capital, you will either call this G-7 deal corrupt or your silence will scream out your own corruption. pic.twitter.com/kJp08HPLEe
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) October 17, 2019
Trump appointed author of Illuminati books to federal education board
Just when you thought things couldn’t get weirder: A lawyer based in Colorado Springs, who has been appointed to a federal education board by Donald Trump, is a prolific writer on self-help Illuminati books.
George Mentz, who teaches an online course on wealth management for Texas A&M University School of Law, was appointed on the Commission on Presidential Scholars last week. The board, made up of leaders in education, selects distinguished high school seniors for recognition each year.
Mentz, who said he’s been a supporter of Trump for years, has written books with some eye-catching titles such as “The Illuminati Secret Laws of Money” and “The Illuminati Handbook”, according to the Denver Post. Mentz also owns a company that awards certificates to people for a fee, allowing them to take on titles like “certified political scientist” and “master Islamic financial specialist”.
During an interview, Mentz said “just because I use the word Illuminati, don’t let that get you too excited.” He further clarified: “If you look the word up, it means ‘illumination’. … References to the ‘Illuminati’ are part of the books’ marketing.”
His other books include:
— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) October 17, 2019
-- The Illuminati Secret Laws of Money
-- The Illuminati Handbook
-- 50 Laws of Power of the Illuminati
-- 100 Secrets and Habits of the Illuminati for Life Success
-- The Abundance Bible & the Secret Powers of Manifesting Wealth Health and Peace of Mind
The House of Representatives held a moment for silence for representative Elijah Cummings after the influential chairman of the House oversight committee passed away unexpectedly.
The House of Representatives stands for a solemn moment of silence—"and a lifetime of following an example"—in honor of the late Rep. Elijah Cummings. https://t.co/5V6eOJGRuS pic.twitter.com/NK5upOklcL
— ABC News (@ABC) October 17, 2019
Capitol Hill reporters said that there were many lawmakers of both parties tearing up and embracing each other on the floor after the moment of silence concluded.
It appears that Trump’s external legal team is now attempting to distance itself from Mick Mulvaney’s press briefing today, where the acting White House chief of staff acknowledged the existence of a quid pro quo in the delaying of military aid to Ukraine.
Trump outside attorney Jay Sekulow to CNN: "The legal team was not involved in the Acting Chief of Staff's press briefing."
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) October 17, 2019
Schiff: Mulvaney's quid pro quo admission makes impeachment situation 'much worse'
Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House intelligence committee, told reporters on Capitol Hill that Mick Mulvaney’s admission of a quid pro quo in the delaying of military aid to Ukraine makes the impeachment situation “much, much worse.”
Schiff when asked about Mulvaney admission of quid pro quo: The situation has “gone from very, very bad to much, much worse.” I asked if he hopes to bring Mulvaney in for a deposition. Schiff said he had “nothing further to add at this time.”
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) October 17, 2019
Mulvaney acknowledged in a press briefing earlier today that Trump withheld the military aid to pressure Ukraine to open an investigation into a debunked conspiracy theory about the 2016 election.
Schiff would not comment on whether he would bring Mulvaney in for a deposition, but the House committees investigating impeachment have already requested documents from the acting White House chief of staff.
DOJ denies knowledge of quid pro quo in delayed Ukraine aid
A senior justice department official said that the DOJ was not at all aware of Trump withholding military aid from Ukraine to demand an investigation into a debunked conspiracy theory about the 2016 election, as Mick Mulvaney claimed hours ago.
NEW - A senior DOJ official has now provided this statement to reporters further distancing the department from Mulvaney’s comments: “If the White House was withholding aid in regards to the cooperation of any investigation at the Department of Justice, that is news to us.” https://t.co/zMveOaEhoI
— Alex Mallin (@alex_mallin) October 17, 2019
Mulvaney said at a press briefing earlier today that there was indeed a quid pro quo involved in the delay of dispersing military aid to Ukraine, contradicting Trump’s repeated denials.
However, the acting White House chief of staff claimed that the quid pro quo was acceptable because it involved an investigation of the 2016 election, not the 2020 election – a dubious argument, to say the very least.
Updated
The blog is following news on a number of different fronts today, including the announcement that the G7 summit in June will be held at Trump’s resort in Doral, Florida.
The news immediately raised concerns that Trump was attempting to profit off the presidency, a claim that his acting chief of staff denied. Mick Mulvaney argued that Trump does not need the business boost because he is so successful in his own right.
However, a Washington Post reporter who covers Trump’s businesses noted that the president’s resort has seen a severe drop in profits since he took office, so the multi-nation summit could provide a much-needed bump in revenue.
How bad does @realdonaldtrump’s Doral need this business? Look what’s happened there during his presidency. In ONE YEAR, from ‘16-‘17:
— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) October 17, 2019
—revenue fell 13.8%
—Net operating income fell 62% pic.twitter.com/RTr9OST3wd
Mulvaney also told reporters that the 2012 summit held at Camp David was so disastrous that it required a new site, such as Trump National Doral, but an organizer for the Camp David summit fiercely disputed that.
Mick Mulvaney is wrong.
— Johanna Maska (@JohannaMaska) October 17, 2019
I led a team organizing the G8 Summit at Camp David in 2012. The summit was intimate and world leaders were happy – so much so that the UK duplicated the atmosphere a year later at Lough Erne for the 2013 summit. https://t.co/3ZVKmm2Qcc pic.twitter.com/zEIdNIhlT6
Mark Zuckerberg defends Facebook and free speech
Adding to an already eventful day, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivered a talk at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. on free speech and the dangers of government censorship.
While Zuckerberg acknowledged that Facebook needs to work on reacting quickly to misinformation spreading on its platform, he said, “I think we’re in the right place on this.” Facebook recently denied a request from former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign to remove a video, which it claims is false, that accused Biden of being corrupt over his handling of Ukraine.
“In a democracy, I think people should be able to hear for themselves what politicians are saying,” he said when defending his stance. Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify at a congressional hearing next week.
Here’s more from the Washington Post:
Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview he worries “about an erosion of truth” online but defended the policy that allows politicians to peddle ads containing misrepresentations and lies on his social network, a stance that has sparked an outcry during the 2020 presidential campaign.
“People worry, and I worry deeply, too, about an erosion of truth,” Zuckerberg told The Washington Post ahead of a speech Thursday at Georgetown University. “At the same time, I don’t think people want to live in a world where you can only say things that tech companies decide are 100 percent true. And I think that those tensions are something we have to live with.”
Graham says he still intends to introduce Turkey sanctions bill
Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who has been fiercely critical of Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from northern Syria, said he appreciated efforts by the vice president and the secretary of state to negotiate a ceasefire in the region.
But he interestingly did not refer to the agreement as a ceasefire, merely an attempt at one. The Turkish foreign minister has come out saying that the two countries only agreed to a “pause” in operations in the region.
Sounds like we may have made real progress regarding a cease-fire and hopefully a sustainable solution that will prevent the reemergence of ISIS and the abandonment of our ally, the Kurds.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 17, 2019
Turkey has legitimate national security concerns within Syria but they cannot be met by invasion and force of arms.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 17, 2019
Graham told reporters on Capitol Hill that he still planned to introduce the bipartisan bill that would enact sanctions against Turkey, which he crafted with Democratic senator Chris Van Hollen.
Lindsey Graham calls the Pence-Pompeo Syria cease-fire `encouraging,' but says he's still introducing his Turkey sanctions bill.
— Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) October 17, 2019
`We're ready to come and hit Turkey hard if they don't get out of Syria and reset the table. I appreciate what Pompeo and Pence have done.'
Trump has arrived in Texas to attend the ribbon-cutting of a Louis Vuitton workshop and speak at a campaign rally, and the president is praising the “amazing” ceasefire in Syria just announced by the vice president.
Pres. Trump praises "amazing" ceasefire and thanks Pres. Erdogan.
— ABC News (@ABC) October 17, 2019
"They couldn't get it without a little rough love, as I call it." https://t.co/lTeSbXVIGp pic.twitter.com/6g9BIKUKa7
But again, a number of experts on the region are arguing that US officials made major concessions to the Turkish president in their negotiations.
On top of that, this ceasefire (which a Turkish official said is actually just a “pause”) is meant to address violence that started after Turkey launched a military operation in the region, which was made possible by Trump’s abrupt decision to withdraw US troops from northern Syria.
The president is essentially declaring victory for making major concessions to an autocratic leader in a violent situation created by Trump’s own foreign policy.
Updated
Here’s a copy of the US’ official statement on the agreement reached with Turkey, handed out at today’s press conference with vice president Mike Pence.
The statement says that Turkish authorities will “pause” their operations in Syria to allow the withdrawal of the Kurdish YPG forces. The pause will last 120 hours and will be “halted upon completion of this withdrawal”.
The agreement also says the US has agreed not to pursue “further imposition of sanctions”.
Text of the U.S.-Turkey Joint Statement on Northeast Syria pic.twitter.com/Bs57szLeYZ
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 17, 2019
Trump praises Syria ceasefire as criticism mounts
Trump is taking a victory lap after his vice president, Mike Pence, announced that the US and Turkey had negotiated a ceasefire in Syria.
This is a great day for civilization. I am proud of the United States for sticking by me in following a necessary, but somewhat unconventional, path. People have been trying to make this “Deal” for many years. Millions of lives will be saved. Congratulations to ALL!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2019
However, Middle East experts are criticizing the deal, arguing that US officials acquiesced to the Turkish president’s demands and essentially negotiated their Kurdish allies’ surrender.
The ceasefire deal "sounds like very good news for President Erdogan," veteran British peace negotiator Jonathan Powell tells me.
— Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) October 17, 2019
"What the Americans have actually done is facilitated the surrender of the allies, the Kurds."
"It does sound a pretty one-sided agreement.”
From a senior resident at the Middle East Institute:
#Pence & #Pompeo have repeatedly used "#YPG" & "#SDF" interchangeably.
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) October 17, 2019
That detail is crucially important.
But in short, the US just granted #Erodgan *everything* he's demanded all along, seemingly in exchange for nothing. pic.twitter.com/onYA5tgF0l
Turkish foreign minister: Agreement is not a ceasefire
Reports are coming out the Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that the agreement is not a ceasefire but a pause in operations.
Turkish FM Çavuşoğlu just now: "We will suspend the Peace Spring operation for 120 hours for the PKK/YPG to withdraw. This is not a ceasefire."
— Piotr Zalewski (@p_zalewski) October 17, 2019
The ceasefire will be 120 hours – five days. Pence seems confident that a permanent ceasefire will be in place. During the five days, Kurdish troops will withdraw from as Turkey creates a 20-mile “safe zone”.
Pence announces what he describes as an agreement with Turkey for a temporary (120-hour) "pause" in fighting in Syria, while US "facilitates" the withdrawal of mostly Kurdish forces from the area Turkey wants to control. If they do, Turkey will make pause permanent, he says.
— Oblivier Knox (@OKnox) October 17, 2019
Pence says that the US endorsed a “safe zone” as a buffer between the Kurds and Turkish troops. Pence says he got assurances from both sides that “they will be moving out”.
Pence says YPG/SDF gave the US repeated assurances they will "be moving out"
— Nick Kalman (@NickKalmanFN) October 17, 2019
Updated
Pence said because Turkey agreed to a ceasefire, the US agreed not to implement any sanctions. Once a permanent ceasefire is in place, economic sanctions will be removed.
Pence says US has agreed not to implement any more sanctions on Turkey during ceasefire and says once permanent ceasefire takes effect, the US will revoke economic punishments taken in response to Turkey's actions in Syria
— Jordyn Phelps (@JordynPhelps) October 17, 2019
Pence: US and Turkey have agreed to a ceasefire
Vice-president Mike Pence just announced a ceasefire in Syria, negotiated with Turkey. Turkey has agreed to stop fighting to allow Kurdish forces to withdraw from Turkey’s designated safe zone.
MIKE PENCE: “Today the United States and Turkey have agreed to a ceasefire in Syria.”pic.twitter.com/aSajWNbVVN
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) October 17, 2019
Updated
Trump says 'great news' coming from Pence's Turkey trip
Meanwhile, the press conference with vice president Mike Pence and the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is set to begin shortly.
Trump indicated the two leaders had reached some kind of decision on the situation in Syria and predicted “millions of lives” would be saved as a result.
Great news out of Turkey. News Conference shortly with @VP and @SecPompeo. Thank you to @RTErdogan. Millions of lives will be saved!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2019
Well, that was a whirlwind of a press briefing from Mick Mulvaney. Here are some of the key points that Trump’s acting chief of staff covered:
- The next G7 summit will be held at Trump’s resort near Miami. Mulvaney said the White House correctly predicted the selection would spark allegations of the president trying to profit off his office, but officials decided to go ahead with the decision anyway because Trump National Doral was the “perfect” site for the multi-nation summit.
- Although the G7 will be held near Miami, which is already suffering the consequences of the higher temperatures and rising sea levels, Mulvaney said that the climate crisis would not be on the summit’s agenda.
- Here’s the real kicker: after weeks of Trump claiming there was no quid pro quo involved in the delaying of military aid to Ukraine, Mulvaney confirmed that there was indeed a quid pro quo. However, he said the quid pro quo in question involved an investigation of a debunked conspiracy theory from the 2016 election and not a probe of Joe Biden. Mulvaney said this distinction made the request acceptable, but it is safe to assume that any ethics expert would take issue with that argument.
- Mulvaney said it should be taken as a given that political calculations would factor into foreign policy decisions, and he offered this advice to reporters: “Get over it.”
There will certainly be reactions to the presser rolling in, so stay tuned to the blog.
Mulvaney on politics factoring into foreign policy: 'Get over it'
Mulvaney has now concluded his press briefing, during which Trump’s acting chief of staff dismissed any notion that it was inappropriate to allow political calculations to impact foreign policy.
Mulvaney said: “We do it all the time. Get over it.”
Mulvaney concedes that Trump’s desire to investigate “DNC server” was part of the reason Ukraine aide was held up
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) October 17, 2019
reporter: so it was a quid pro quo
Mulvaney: we do that all the time. get over it. politics is going to be involved in foreign policy elections do have consequences
Mulvaney is still speaking at the White House, but it’s worth taking a moment to recognize what Trump’s acting chief of staff just confirmed.
Trump has insisted for weeks that there was no quid pro quo involved in the delaying of US military aid to Ukraine.
However, Mulvaney is now essentially saying that there was a quid pro quo but that the quid pro quo in question involved an investigation of a conspiracy theory linked to the 2016 election, not a probe of Joe Biden.
White House admits the quid pro quo occurred, says it’s totally cool though. >> https://t.co/yZ1zG9rS0G
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) October 17, 2019
Mulvaney says investigation of 2016 election was part of Ukraine aid delay
Trump’s acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said that the delay in distributing military aid to Ukraine was indeed connected to an investigation of the 2016 hacking of the Democratic National Committee.
Mulvaney on Ukraine: says the request for a look back to what happened in 2016 WAS part of the reason why Trump held up military aid to Ukraine. The president has previously denied that. Says “we do that all the time with foreign policy.” pic.twitter.com/Q83ZZHaqNu
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) October 17, 2019
This is only the latest in a long series of shifting explanations from the White House for why the money was held up.
Mulvaney is at the WH podium saying casually that the WH held up security money from Ukraine until Trump got assurances that the government investigate a conspiracy theory about the 2016 election and the DNC server. A conspiracy theory.
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) October 17, 2019
But Mulvaney said there was nothing improper in the president’s communications with Ukraine because the delayed aid was not at all connected to a potential investigation of Joe Biden.
However, the White House’s own memo on the president’s call with the Ukrainian president shows that Trump brought up a potential investigation of Biden and his son, despite lacking any evidence to back up his corruption claims against the pair.
Climate crisis not on the agenda for G7
The G7 summit will be hosted at one of Trump’s resorts near Miami, which is already seeing the consequences of the climate crisis in higher temperatures and rising sea levels.
But the president’s acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said the climate crisis would not be on the agenda for the multi-nation summit.
"Climate change will not be on the agenda" at next year's G-7, Mulvaney says
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) October 17, 2019
Trump was criticized earlier this year for skipping a climate session at the G7 summit in France.
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Mulvaney brushed off a question from a reporter about how Trump could criticize Joe Biden for alleged self-dealing (with no evidence) when he is hosting a G7 summit at the president’s resort.
Asked how the president can hit Joe Biden's family for profiting off his vice presidency when he's hosting the G7 at his property, Mick Mulvaney says with a chuckle: "He's going to do that extraordinarily well."
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 17, 2019
The WH announces that the absolute best place in the United States of America to host the G-7 just happens to be owned by the president. Pretty incredible given their efforts to attack Biden, with no evidence, over the appearance of getting some kind of benefit from US policy.
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) October 17, 2019
Criticism of hosting the G7 summit at Trump’s Florida resort first surfaced earlier this year, when reports emerged that the property was being considered as a host site.
Some noted that the club had previously settled a case with a guest who complained his room had beg bugs.
When reports emerged in Aug that Doral golf club could host the G7, Trump said he was "not at all" concerned about ethical implications of using a diplomatic gathering to promote club run by his own company.
— Karen Travers (@karentravers) October 17, 2019
He also denied it had bed bugs...@alex_mallinhttps://t.co/rKbpraMa0x
Mulvaney acknowledges he was initially 'skeptical' of hosting G7 at Trump's resort
Mulvaney defended the selection of Trump’s resort as the site of the next G7 summit, saying the Doral club was the best option for hosting the multi-nation event.
The acting White House chief of staff said: “It’s almost like they built this facility to host that type of event.”
Mulvaney insisted that the president would not profit off the event and has not financially benefited from his office, echoing an oft-repeated claim from Trump himself.
But Mulvaney acknowledged that he was initially “skeptical” of holding the summit at Trump National Doral because of the inevitable political fallout.
G7 summit to take place at Trump's resort
Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, announced that the next G-7 summit would be held at one of Trump’s clubs in Doral, Florida, in June.
Mick Mulvaney announces that the G7 will take place June 10-12 at Trump National in Doral pic.twitter.com/pSlmzMwFWj
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) October 17, 2019
The announcement will certainly raise concerns that Trump is attempting to personally profit off the office of the presidency.
Mulvaney arrives for pres briefing
The acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, has now taken the podium at the press briefing.
The former congressman opened his comments by mourning the loss of representative Elijah Cummings, saying his former colleague was a “classy guy” and would be missed.
Vice president Mike Pence has now been meeting with the Turkish president for about four hours in Ankara, even though the pair’s press conference was supposed to start more than an hour ago.
Food is being brought in for the reporters gathered there, indicating that the meeting could go on for a while longer.
The expanded bilat, which is the current meeting, has stretched over 2 hours. (It started at 5:12p) https://t.co/51cJmZmhCk
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 17, 2019
Carolyn Maloney to chair House Oversight Committee
In wake of US Congressman Elijah Cummings’ death, US Representative Carolyn Maloney will take over as acting chair of the House Oversight Committee. Maloney, a Democrat from New York City, was the second most senior member on the committee. The committee plays a key role in the House’s impeachment inquiry.
Expressing her sadness over Cummings’ passing, Maloney said in a statement that he was a “dear friend and mentor. ... His legacy – his fight for fairness, justice and equality – should be an inspiration to us all.”
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The White House announced that Trump’s acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, will appear at a previously unannounced press briefing in about half an hour.
Press Briefing with White House Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney at 12:30 p.m. (Mulvaney faces a Friday deadline to produce materials to the House impeachment committees.)
— Alexis Simendinger (@ASimendinger) October 17, 2019
The briefing will occur as Trump travels to Texas for a campaign rally and Pence continues his talks with the Turkish president in Ankara.
Rick Perry says Trump directed him to Giuliani
Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who was a top liaison between the Trump administration and Ukraine officials, says that Donald Trump directed him to his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to discuss Ukraine matters.
Perry has been dodging questions about the impeachment inquiry and told the Journal he has no plans of leaving the administration.
Here’s more from the Wall Street Journal’s story:
Energy Secretary Rick Perry said he sought out Rudy Giuliani this spring at President Trump’s direction to address Mr. Trump’s concerns about alleged Ukrainian corruption, a sign of how closely the president’s personal lawyer worked with the administration on Ukraine policy.
Mr. Perry, in an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal, said he contacted Mr. Giuliani in an effort to ease a path to a meeting between Mr. Trump and his new Ukrainian counterpart. He said Mr. Giuliani described to him during their phone call several concerns about Ukraine’s alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. election, concerns that haven’t been substantiated.
Nancy Pelosi has just concluded her weekly press conference, where the House speaker accused her Republican colleagues of distorting the meeting that senior lawmakers had with Trump yesterday.
Pelosi said she sometimes wished that such meetings could be recorded because her recollection of these sit-downs is always so drastically different than that of her Republican colleagues. (Most journalists would probably embrace the idea of recording meetings between Trump and congressional leadership.)
Nancy Pelosi on the instant classic photo the president tweeted of their meeting: "At that moment, I was probably saying, 'All roads lead to Putin.' " https://t.co/xY3eTlEDc5
— Francesca Chambers (@fran_chambers) October 17, 2019
Asked about the widely shared photo of her standing and pointing a finger at Trump during the meeting, Pelosi initially said she believed she was excusing herself when the picture was taken. She then corrected herself, saying she believed that at that specific moment, she was saying, “All roads lead to Putin.”
The House speaker did not specifically weigh in on the president’s alleged taunts and name-calling in the meeting, but she did criticize him and his team for lacking a plan on how to combat a potential resurgence of ISIS after the withdrawal of US troops from northern Syria.
‘Steely yet compassionate, principled yet open to new perspectives’
Former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama just released a statement on the death of US Congressman Elijah Cummings.
“True to the giants of progress he followed into public service, Chairman Cummings stood tallest and most resolute when our country needed him most,” read the statement.
NEW: Former Pres. Barack Obama on passing of Rep. Elijah Cummings: "May his example inspire more Americans to pick up the baton and carry it forward in a manner worthy of his service." https://t.co/kYpkXcbIvV pic.twitter.com/4F7KrnCIeW
— ABC News (@ABC) October 17, 2019
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Pelosi on Elijah Cummings: He lived the American dream
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is in the middle of her weekly press conference. She started it off by remembering US Congressman Elijah Cummings. She announced that the House will name a bill lowering the cost of prescription drugs, a cause Cummings was passionate about, after the late Congressman in his honor.
Pelosi remembers the late Rep. Elijah Cummings: "He lived the American dream and he wanted it for everyone else. He spoke with unsurpassed clarity and moral integrity when he spoke on the floor." https://t.co/bYrSEHy1Sm pic.twitter.com/vbxu5gGiN0
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 17, 2019
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Meanwhile, lawmakers continue to offer condolences and memories in light of Democratic representative Elijah Cummings’ unexpected death.
The flag at the White House has been lowered to half-staff, and Nancy Pelosi is expected to soon address the loss in her weekly press conference.
It was my honor to work closely with Rep. Elijah Cummings over the years. His integrity and moral vision for his community and the country were extraordinary. He will be sorely missed. Jane and I are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend. Our thoughts are with his family.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 17, 2019
Today our country lost a true leader. Congressman Elijah Cummings was a friend, a passionate fighter for justice, and a powerful voice of moral conscience in our government who served his country for decades with dignity and integrity. I’m blessed to have known him. #RIPElijah
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) October 17, 2019
Our nation has lost a mighty fighter for democracy, accountability, equity and justice with the tragic loss of Congressman Elijah Cummings. He never forgot that his was borrowed power, which he wielded in defense of the vulnerable and on behalf of the American people. #RIPElijah
— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) October 17, 2019
Press in Ankara were just briefly allowed in to the meeting between the vice president, Mike Pence, and the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
A US official told the reporters that they could not shout questions at the leaders, due to demands from Erdogan’s team.
Here is @SecPompeo and @VP and erdogan. A US official tell us pence asked @trpresidency twice to allow media in. We were allowed in — no questions allowed — for about 45 seconds. pic.twitter.com/eZESiI1iwe
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 17, 2019
Earlier this morning, when Pence and Erdogan first met, the tension between the two leaders was palpable.
There was visible tension between U.S. Vice President Pence and Turkish President Erdogan when they met in Turkey today to discuss the situation in northern Syria pic.twitter.com/6wN436SxTP
— Bloomberg TicToc (@tictoc) October 17, 2019
Pence and the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, are in Turkey to discuss the situation in Syria, where violence against America’s Kurdish allies has escalated since Turkish forces launched a military operation.
Despite the violence and harsh criticism from his own party, Trump has stood by his decision to withdraw US troops from northern Syria.
More from Sondland’s testimony
Back to Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union who’s giving a closed-door testimony to Congress right now.
In addition to telling the House committees that are overseeing the impeachment inquiry that he is “disappointed” that Donald Trump directed his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to be involved in Ukraine affairs, Sondland will tell Congress that he did not understand Giuliani’s agenda.
“I did not understand, until much later, that Mr. Giuliani’s agenda might have also included an effort to prompt the Ukrainians to investigate Vice President Biden or his son or to involve Ukrainians, directly or indirectly, in the president’s 2020 re-election campaign,” he will say, per the New York Times.
Joe Biden on Elijah Cummings: A true public servant
Former vice president Joe Biden just released a statement on the death of US Congressman Elijah Cummings, joining the flood of memories and condolences that are coming in the late Congressman’s honor.
“His example showed us how to stand firmly for our rights and for what is right, how to never back down, without turning to personal disparagement and recrimination,” Biden wrote.
Elijah Cummings was a true public servant, his life defined by the love of his community and a fierce commitment to ensuring truth wins over power. The whole Biden family sends our condolences to his wife, Maya, his children, and the entire city of Baltimore. pic.twitter.com/jYbvQwZI1a
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 17, 2019
Here’s a peek at Vice President Mike Pence meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan – looks cheery!
President @RTErdogan received U.S. Vice President Pence at the Presidential Complex. pic.twitter.com/x5xaKzjiiz
— Turkish Presidency (@trpresidency) October 17, 2019
Sondland to break from Trump
US ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland’s opening statement to Congress has been leaked, just as his closed-door testimony to Congress is slated to start.
Sondland, a wealthy hotel financier and a mega-Trump donor, is planning to break from Donald Trump in his testimony saying that Trump directed diplomats to work with Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer.
“We were also disappointed by the president’s direction that we involved Mr. Giuliani,” Sondland is prepared to say.
Sondland will say Giuliani told diplomats that a Ukrainian investigation into Burisma, the company that Hunter Biden has ties to, are “topics of importance for the president”.
Sondland said he contacted Giuliani anyway at Trump’s direction, and that Rudy drew a direct link between scheduling a White House visit for Ukraine’s newly elected president and demands that Ukraine prioritize an investigation involving former Biden, and one re: 2016 election pic.twitter.com/cQZab5Dkf7
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) October 17, 2019
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Sondland’s on the Hill
Gordon Sondland, ambassador to the European Union, has just arrived at the capitol for his close-door testimony that begins at 10am. Sondland will be testifying before the House committees conducting the impeachment inquiry.
Gordon Sondland arrives pic.twitter.com/u1dZg0VzG0
— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) October 17, 2019
Sondland – who had no diplomacy background before he took his post in June 2018 – is expected to tell Congress that he didn’t know why US aid to Ukraine was held up nor does he know who ordered it.
US Congressman Elijah Cummings was a staunch critic of Donald Trump and a key figure in Trump’s impeachment inquiry as chairman of the House Oversight Committee.
We’ll just leave this to speak for itself:
"Racist Elijah Cummings" "has done a terrible job for the people of his district." "Elijah Cummings has been a brutal bully." "Elijah Cummings spends all of his time trying to hurt innocent people." "Investigate this corrupt mess immediately!"
— Joshua Benton (@jbenton) October 17, 2019
to
"My warmest condolences" pic.twitter.com/773m7S1DLB
Capitol Hill mourns Elijah Cummings
Other politicians, Democrats and Republicans, are expressing their sadness over the death of US Congressman Elijah Cummings. “Rest in Power” is currently trending on Twitter due to the overflow of Tweets expressing sadness over Cumming’s death.
America lost a giant with the passing of Rep. Elijah Cummings, a man of principle who championed truth, justice and kindness. He fiercely loved his country and the people he served. Rest In Peace, my friend.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 17, 2019
A devastating loss for our country.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 17, 2019
Chairman Cummings was a giant: a universally respected leader who brought profound insight, commitment, and moral fortitude to Congress.
His guidance and vision was an enormous gift. I will forever cherish his example. May he rest in power. https://t.co/D0RsKsM5fh
There was no stronger advocate and no better friend than Elijah Cummings. I am heartbroken for his wonderful family and staff—please pray for them.
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) October 17, 2019
I will miss him dearly.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has just ordered flags at the US Capitol to be flown at half-mast in honor of Cummings.
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Donald Trump just tweeted out his condolences regarding the death of US Congressman Elijah Cummings.
My warmest condolences to the family and many friends of Congressman Elijah Cummings. I got to see first hand the strength, passion and wisdom of this highly respected political leader. His work and voice on so many fronts will be very hard, if not impossible, to replace!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2019
Ambassador Sondland to go before House committees
Good Thursday morning! Another busy day on Capitol Hill this morning. Gordon Sondland, US ambassador to the European Union and a key figure in the impeachment investigation, will be testifying this morning before the House committees leading the inquiry.
Sondland allegedly pushed US diplomats to get onboard with pressuring Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy for an investigation into the company that Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s son, had ties to. Today, Sondland is expected to tell Congress that he was unaware that the company was linked to Hunter Biden. Sondland’s testimony will start at 10am.
Here’s what else is happening in the world of politics today:
- The country is mourning the sudden death of US congressman Elijah Cummings. Besides being one of the most powerful Congressional members and part of leading the impeachment investigation of Donald Trump, Cummings was known for his devotion to Baltimore, his hometown and part of the district he represented, and civil rights. Many politicians have expressed their heartbreak over the news.
- Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are in Turkey today to try, against the odds, to negotiate a cease-fire in Syria. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan allegedly threw away the letter that Trump sent him asking him for peace. The letter has been described by critics as “adolescent” in its language and tone.
- Trump is flying over to Texas today where he will be attending a ribbon cutting at a Louis Vuitton factory and hold a rally in Dallas later tonight.
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