Donald Trump announced a ban on travel into the US from "most foreign nationals" coming from Europe, part of his administration's attempts to combat the spread of coronavirus despite warning from his own public health officials that community spread of the virus already is putting people in the country at risk.
The president's second-ever prime-time address from the White House on Wednesday announced a series of executive decisions to boost businesses and help calm US markets as virus fears grip the country.
Dow futures immediately plummeted following his address, which appears to have blind-sided European countries.
His remarks were roundly criticised for shifting blame and failing to address the lack of test kits available.
In their response, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi demanded the president sign into law a proposal to provide emergency testing, paid family leave, food assistance and other measures as communities brace for more cases and quarantines.
The president and his deputy Mike Pence have meanwhile also attracted criticism for continuing to shake the hands of supporters, despite advice to the contrary from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the interests of containing the spread of the contagion as the total number of US cases passes the 1,200 mark.
Congress also voted to support a war powers resolution, approved by the Senate, to limit the president's war actions in Iran, a measure he opposes. It now heads to his desk, where he's expected to veto it.
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Late night Trump tweet attacking Elizabeth Warren raises questions about priorities
Donald Trump was up late on Tuesday to pour scorn on ex-2020 contender Elizabeth Warren for seemingly splitting her party’s progressive vote, saying she “totally destroyed the campaign of Bernie Sanders” after the self-styled democratic socialist lost more key primaries to front-runner and moderate Joe Biden (much more on which in a moment).
Unsurprisingly, Twitter users took turns to express concern about the president’s priorities during the coronavirus outbreak.
Donald Trump was up late on Tuesday to pour scorn on ex-2020 contender Elizabeth Warren for seemingly splitting her party’s progressive vote, saying she “totally destroyed the campaign of Bernie Sanders” after the self-styled democratic socialist lost more key primaries to front-runner and moderate Joe Biden (much more on which in a moment).
Unsurprisingly, Twitter users took turns to express concern about the president’s priorities during the coronavirus outbreak.
The president's typo there - "route", when he meant "rout" - was also mercilessly picked apart by George Conway, the Washington lawyer and resistance hero married to Trump's own senior adviser and pollster Kellyanne Conway.
Trump also attempted to meddle in the Democratic primary votes by accusing the Democrats of wanting to "get rid of cars" while promising the people of Michigan a return to the auto manufacturing glory days of 1970s Detroit and the Motown era.
That one didn't go uncriticised either.
Joe Biden storms to more primary victories on 'tough night' for Bernie Sanders
Biden picked up wins in Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi and Missouri on Slightly Less Super Tuesday, another hammer blow to his last serious rival’s challenge for the party nomination.
The sweeping wins put the 77-year-old on a path to face Trump in the 3 November election,and the former vice president quickly looked ahead with a call for party unity and an appeal to supporters of Sanders.
"We share a common goal, and together we are going to defeat Donald Trump," Biden said in Philadelphia, thanking Sanders and his supporters for their energy and passion.
His wins in the four states were powered by a broad coalition of supporters, including women, African Americans, those with and without college degrees, older voters, union members and all but the very liberal, according to exit polls by Edison Research.
Two other states, Washington and North Dakota, were still too close to call, but the results narrowed the path forward for Sanders, 78, who had hoped for an upset win in Michigan to keep his White House hopes alive.
The loss in a state Sanders won during his 2016 White House campaign will increase the pressure on the democratic socialist senator from Vermont to exit the race and help Democrats prepare for a bruising campaign against Trump.
With 91 per cent of the precincts reporting, Biden had 53 per cent of the vote in Michigan, well ahead of Sanders' 37 per cent. He also won Missouri and Mississippi with 60 per cent and 81 per cent of the vote, respectively.
Sanders, who returned home to Vermont on Tuesday night, did not make a public statement after his losses, a departure from his usual practice on primary nights.
Voters across the states that voted on Tuesday said they trusted Biden more to handle a major crisis by roughly two-to-one over Sanders, exit polls showed, a possible sign the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak helped increase Biden's appeal as a steady and experienced hand.
Both candidates canceled planned rallies on Tuesday night in response to the outbreak, citing recommendations from public health officials to avoid assembling large indoor crowds.
Biden's campaign also canceled a Thursday get-out-the-vote event in Florida, one of four states that will hold nominating contests next week. Biden said he would instead deliver an address on Thursday on the U.S. coronavirus response in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
"This whole coronavirus is a matter of presidential leadership," said Biden, the former vice president under Barack Obama.
Andrew Buncombe has this report.
Biden picked up wins in Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi and Missouri on Slightly Less Super Tuesday, another hammer blow to his last serious rival’s challenge for the party nomination.
The sweeping wins put the 77-year-old on a path to face Trump in the 3 November election,and the former vice president quickly looked ahead with a call for party unity and an appeal to supporters of Sanders.
"We share a common goal, and together we are going to defeat Donald Trump," Biden said in Philadelphia, thanking Sanders and his supporters for their energy and passion.
His wins in the four states were powered by a broad coalition of supporters, including women, African Americans, those with and without college degrees, older voters, union members and all but the very liberal, according to exit polls by Edison Research.
Two other states, Washington and North Dakota, were still too close to call, but the results narrowed the path forward for Sanders, 78, who had hoped for an upset win in Michigan to keep his White House hopes alive.
The loss in a state Sanders won during his 2016 White House campaign will increase the pressure on the democratic socialist senator from Vermont to exit the race and help Democrats prepare for a bruising campaign against Trump.
With 91 per cent of the precincts reporting, Biden had 53 per cent of the vote in Michigan, well ahead of Sanders' 37 per cent. He also won Missouri and Mississippi with 60 per cent and 81 per cent of the vote, respectively.
Sanders, who returned home to Vermont on Tuesday night, did not make a public statement after his losses, a departure from his usual practice on primary nights.
Voters across the states that voted on Tuesday said they trusted Biden more to handle a major crisis by roughly two-to-one over Sanders, exit polls showed, a possible sign the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak helped increase Biden's appeal as a steady and experienced hand.
Both candidates canceled planned rallies on Tuesday night in response to the outbreak, citing recommendations from public health officials to avoid assembling large indoor crowds.
Biden's campaign also canceled a Thursday get-out-the-vote event in Florida, one of four states that will hold nominating contests next week. Biden said he would instead deliver an address on Thursday on the U.S. coronavirus response in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
"This whole coronavirus is a matter of presidential leadership," said Biden, the former vice president under Barack Obama.
Andrew Buncombe has this report.
Trump and Mike Pence criticised for ignoring advice not to shake supporters' hands
The president and his deputy Mike Pence have meanwhile also attracted criticism for continuing to shake the hands of supporters, despite advice to the contrary from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the interests of containing the spread of the coronavirus.
Zoe Tidman has this report.
The president and his deputy Mike Pence have meanwhile also attracted criticism for continuing to shake the hands of supporters, despite advice to the contrary from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the interests of containing the spread of the coronavirus.
Zoe Tidman has this report.
US passes 1,000 coronavirus cases two weeks after Trump said number would soon be 'close to zero'
Chris Riotta has the latest from the US as the contagion continues to spread - even, potentially, to members of Trump's inner circle by way of a sickly attendee at the Conservative Political Action Conference - as the president's vague reassurances fall on increasingly deaf ears.
Chris Riotta has the latest from the US as the contagion continues to spread - even, potentially, to members of Trump's inner circle by way of a sickly attendee at the Conservative Political Action Conference - as the president's vague reassurances fall on increasingly deaf ears.
Fox mocked for claiming Trump 'holding nation together during outbreak'
The president's state TV propoganda arm Fox News is working overtime to defend Trump's handling of the coronavirus, referring to it by implicitly racist alternative names like "the Chinese coronavirus" or "the Wuhan virus" and claiming the president is in fact "holding the nation together", despite all evidence to the contrary, while inviting his less gifted son on air to disparage Joe Biden.
“If my father was making the same gaffes as he was, they would literally invoke Article 25 of the uhhhh,” says Eric Trump.
“If my father was making the same gaffes as he was, they would literally invoke Article 25 of the uhhhh,” says Eric Trump.
Petulant president endorses Jeff Sessions' rival Tommy Tuberville in Alabama Senate race
More from Trump's Twitter feed last night, where he endorsed ex-college football coach Tommy Tuberville in the Alabama Senate race to take on Demcratic incumbent Doug Jones.
The move was, of course, a calculated snub to his former attorney general Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, whom he has never forgiven for recusing himself from the Russia investigation in 2017.
Alex Woodward has this report.
More from Trump's Twitter feed last night, where he endorsed ex-college football coach Tommy Tuberville in the Alabama Senate race to take on Demcratic incumbent Doug Jones.
The move was, of course, a calculated snub to his former attorney general Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, whom he has never forgiven for recusing himself from the Russia investigation in 2017.
Alex Woodward has this report.
Andrew Yang endorses Joe Biden
After picking up the support of ex-rivals Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Beto O'Rourke ahead of Super Tuesday and Kamala Harris and Corey Booker over the weekend, Trump has now added universal basic income advocate Andrew Yang to the mix.
"Joe knows how serious the fourth industrial revolution is," he said, also offering his some consolation to those who supported him but also favoured Bernie Sanders, calling the latter "an inspiration to me and my entire team".
After picking up the support of ex-rivals Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Beto O'Rourke ahead of Super Tuesday and Kamala Harris and Corey Booker over the weekend, Trump has now added universal basic income advocate Andrew Yang to the mix.
"Joe knows how serious the fourth industrial revolution is," he said, also offering his some consolation to those who supported him but also favoured Bernie Sanders, calling the latter "an inspiration to me and my entire team".
'Biden has shown he can beat Sanders. Whether he can now defeat Trump depends on Bernie'
For Indy Premium, here's Andrew Buncombe with the reaction to Diamond Joe's latest primary sweep.
For Indy Premium, here's Andrew Buncombe with the reaction to Diamond Joe's latest primary sweep.
White male voters who chose Sanders over Clinton in 2016 flock to Biden, exit polls show
A little more on the breakdown on yesterday's primary voting here, with Andrew Naughtie.
A little more on the breakdown on yesterday's primary voting here, with Andrew Naughtie.
Why Bernie Sanders is so worried by long lines at polling stations
The Vermont senator has raised the alarm about voting problems in the Michigan Democratic primary, demanding the state’s authorities make sure there are no obstacles to voting and pointing to nationwide efforts at voter suppression.
Sanders’s state political co-ordinator, Abshir Omar, reported that one student voting at Michigan State University had waited for more than an hour to vote before giving up, saying “this is bulls**t, I can’t wait this long, I have to get to work”.
Here's why the party are so concerned about the issue.
The Vermont senator has raised the alarm about voting problems in the Michigan Democratic primary, demanding the state’s authorities make sure there are no obstacles to voting and pointing to nationwide efforts at voter suppression.
Sanders’s state political co-ordinator, Abshir Omar, reported that one student voting at Michigan State University had waited for more than an hour to vote before giving up, saying “this is bulls**t, I can’t wait this long, I have to get to work”.
Here's why the party are so concerned about the issue.
Bill de Blasio joins Trump in calling on Elizabeth Warren to back Bernie
The former New York City mayor, one of the few ex-2020 runners not to support Joe Biden, has called on the Massachusetts senator to join him in endorsing Sanders, which would indeed be exactly the shot in the arm the 78-year-old's flagging campaign needs at this point.
The former New York City mayor, one of the few ex-2020 runners not to support Joe Biden, has called on the Massachusetts senator to join him in endorsing Sanders, which would indeed be exactly the shot in the arm the 78-year-old's flagging campaign needs at this point.
Trevor Noah teases Kamala Harris over 'hostage-style' Biden endorsement video
"American politics is a little strange," the South African host of The Daily Show observed last night. "How is Kamala gonna endorse Joe Biden and not acknowledge that she once called him a friend of racists who opposed integrated public schools?"
It's a very good question indeed.
"American politics is a little strange," the South African host of The Daily Show observed last night. "How is Kamala gonna endorse Joe Biden and not acknowledge that she once called him a friend of racists who opposed integrated public schools?"
It's a very good question indeed.
Matt Gaetz tests negative day after travelling with Trump
The Florida congressman does not have the coronavirus after all, which is good news for the president who wil no doubt have been extremely anxious for his own well-being after flying with Gaetz on Air Force One on Monday.
James Crump has more on this.
The Florida congressman does not have the coronavirus after all, which is good news for the president who wil no doubt have been extremely anxious for his own well-being after flying with Gaetz on Air Force One on Monday.
James Crump has more on this.
Trump swaps pleasantries with California governor he usually prefers to insult
We've mostly seen retweets only from Trump this morning - from Ivanka, Eric, Ronna McDaniel and the White House - but there is this, a rare expression of humility towards California's Democratic governor Gavin Newsom, whom he has often sparred with on social media and likes to deride as a "do nothing" over his opposition to the Mexico border wall and other matters.
Admittedly it only comes in response to generous praise from Newsom on his handling of the Grand Princess cruise liner situation but still...
We've mostly seen retweets only from Trump this morning - from Ivanka, Eric, Ronna McDaniel and the White House - but there is this, a rare expression of humility towards California's Democratic governor Gavin Newsom, whom he has often sparred with on social media and likes to deride as a "do nothing" over his opposition to the Mexico border wall and other matters.
Admittedly it only comes in response to generous praise from Newsom on his handling of the Grand Princess cruise liner situation but still...
Trump rages at Vanity Fair and says it 'will soon be out of business'
Ah and there I was thinking he was in a good mood.
Ah and there I was thinking he was in a good mood.
Here he is going after Vanity Fair in furious style for its critical article on his cack-handed handling of the coronavirus yesterday.
'These results mean Bernie Sanders needs to step aside. It’s painful but it’s true'
For Indy Voices, Holly Baxter calls time on the Vermont senator's race.
For Indy Voices, Holly Baxter calls time on the Vermont senator's race.
Trump plans campaign event despite White House telling public to avoid crowds
Vice president Mike Pence said Trump would schedule rallies on a “day-to-day” basis.
Graig Graziosi reports.
Despite his own administration advising people to avoid events with large crowds to help stop the spread of coronavirus, Trump has announced he’ll hold a campaign event in Wisconsin.
Trump will attend a “Catholics for Trump” event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 19 March. The event is apparently not a typical campaign rally, so the number of expected attendees is not yet known. Just an hour before, the White House held a briefing from the coronavirus task force which included a recommendation that people “avoid crowding.”
Trump announced these rallies just hours after Senator Bernie Sanders and vice president Joe Biden cancelled duelling campaign rallies in Cleveland, Ohio. Three cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and governor Mike DeWine declares a state of emergency on Monday.
Vice president Mike Pence said Trump would schedule rallies on a “day-to-day” basis.
Graig Graziosi reports.
Trump Treasury considers extending 15 April income tax return deadline because of Covid-19
US Treasury officials are talking over the possibility of pushing back the date on which American citizens must file their income tax returns by as the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc with everyday routines, according to The Wall Street Journal.
No decision has yet been made on when the new date would be but Steve Mnuchin and his minions are reportedly working through the logistics.
Americans are typically required to their pay taxes by 15 April or face penalties and interest charges but the Internal Revenue Service also grants taxpayers the option to file for a six-month extension.
Such a delay would force the Treasury to borrow money to cover the considerable bureaucratic costs, although precisely how much is also unknown. The department collected some $333bn (£258bn) in April 2019.
US Treasury officials are talking over the possibility of pushing back the date on which American citizens must file their income tax returns by as the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc with everyday routines, according to The Wall Street Journal.
No decision has yet been made on when the new date would be but Steve Mnuchin and his minions are reportedly working through the logistics.
Americans are typically required to their pay taxes by 15 April or face penalties and interest charges but the Internal Revenue Service also grants taxpayers the option to file for a six-month extension.
Such a delay would force the Treasury to borrow money to cover the considerable bureaucratic costs, although precisely how much is also unknown. The department collected some $333bn (£258bn) in April 2019.
(Carolyn Kaster/AP)
Vanity Fair publisher hits hack at Trump and champions 'speaking truth to power'
Roger Lynch of Conde Nast has this response to the president's vicious attack on his "third rate Fake reporters" earlier.
Since Trump is hitting out at the media once again and questioning the accuracy of its reporting on his government, it's worth pointing out that it is the one-year anniversary of his administration's last "daily press briefing".
Dust continues to gather on the White House podium.
Roger Lynch of Conde Nast has this response to the president's vicious attack on his "third rate Fake reporters" earlier.
Since Trump is hitting out at the media once again and questioning the accuracy of its reporting on his government, it's worth pointing out that it is the one-year anniversary of his administration's last "daily press briefing".
Dust continues to gather on the White House podium.
