House Democrats have filed their “resolution of disapproval” challenging Donald Trump‘s decision to call a national emergency in order to build a wall on the US southern border with Mexico.
While the president has claimed there is a "crisis" of illegal immigration in the United States, Democrats have questioned his motives — and noted that Mr Trump himself has suggested that he did not need to declare the emergency.
The president on Wednesday touted the contributions of African Americans during an event to honour Black History Month. Meanwhile Ahmed Ali Muthana, the father of Alabama Isis bride Hoda Muthana, announced he is suing the administration for its “unlawful attempt” to rescind her citizenship and block a return to the US. Lawyers have told The Independent that an executive effort to revoke citizenship amounts to the act of an "authoritarian".
In Syria, the US has rowed back on its decision for a full withdrawal of troops following the apparent defeat of the Islamist militants and will now leave around 200 soldiers behind to safeguard the region.
When the House passes the resolution to end Donald Trump's executive order, the measure will go to the Senate for consideration.
There, the future of the resolution will be laid in the hands of Republicans.
Here's the main math to consider with regard to the resolution: Republicans control the chamber 53-47, meaning four Republicans would need to defect.
Either way, Mr Trump has indicated he would veto the resolution, punting it back to Congress. At that point, there would need to be a two-third vote in favour of the resolution to override Mr Trump's veto. That outcome is a much higher bar to manage.
The Trump administration is poised to mount yet another attack on abortion access in the United States, with a policy release from the Department of Health and Human Services indicating the administration would prohibit taxpayer-funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions.
The policy was quickly criticised. Here's the latest form the Associated Press:
The Trump administration says it will prohibit taxpayer-funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions, a move certain to be challenged in court by abortion rights supporters.
The policy released Friday by the Health and Human Services Department pleased religious conservatives, a key building block of President Donald Trump's political base.
The administration plan would also prohibit family planning clinics from being housed in the same location as abortion providers.
Planned Parenthood has said the administration appears to be targeting them.
The final regulation was published Friday on an HHS website. It's not official until it appears in the Federal Register and the department said there could be "minor editorial changes."
Known as Title X, the family-planning program serves about 4 million women annually, costing taxpayers about $260 million.
The policy released Friday by the Health and Human Services Department pleased religious conservatives, a key building block of President Donald Trump's political base.
The administration plan would also prohibit family planning clinics from being housed in the same location as abortion providers.
Planned Parenthood has said the administration appears to be targeting them.
The final regulation was published Friday on an HHS website. It's not official until it appears in the Federal Register and the department said there could be "minor editorial changes."
Known as Title X, the family-planning program serves about 4 million women annually, costing taxpayers about $260 million.
Donald Trump may encounter more problems than resistance from Democrats who don't want him to build his wall.
Third of money Trump plans to use to build wall has already been spent
Department of Defense's $2.5bn counterdrug fund almost completely emptyThe American Civil Liberties Union has responded to the House resolution to terminate Donald Trump's emergency declaration.
Christopher Anders, deputy director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office, issued the following statement:
“It’s not just the job of the courts to uphold the Constitution — it’s the job of every member of Congress who swore an oath to defend the Constitution. Now is the time to make that oath meaningful and for Congress to defend its constitutional role."
“President Trump’s phony national emergency declaration to secure funds for a border wall is a dangerous expansion of presidential power and an assault on Congress’ role as a co-equal branch of the government. While existing acts of Congress do not authorize Trump’s recent action, his effort to abuse those laws makes it critical for every member of the House and Senate to vote for Rep. Castro's resolution and swiftly end this constitutional crisis.”
Donald Trump's friend, and the owner of the New England Patriots, Robert Kraft was charged earlier today in Florida with soliciting a prostitute.
The alleged solicitation was discovered during a sting in Jupiter, Florida, just miles from the president's Mar-a-Lago resort.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft charged in prostitution and human trafficking ring bust
Police say they have video of Mr Kraft engaging in sex acts with a prostitute in the Orchids of Asia Day SpaSeveral times this morning, Donald Trump went out of his way to attack probes into Russian meddling in the 2016 and whether his campaign (or he himself) colluded in the effort.
The special counsel investigation is said to be wrapping up, meaning that the only remaining investigations will lie in the US Congress.
Here's a tweet from Mr Trump agreeing with the classification of a main Democratic adversary of his in the House as a "conspiracy theorist".
Here's our story on the decision by the Trump administration to keep 200 soldiers in Syria, in spite of the president's promise to remove all US military from the country.
US to keep 200 'peace keeping' troops in Syria despite Trump's withdrawal plan
Withdrawal had raised prospect of conflict between US alliesHave you heard about the White House's plan to review climate change as a national security threat?
Have you heard who is going to be contributing to that discussion?
Trump climate change panel set to be led by scientist who compared ‘demonisation’ of carbon dioxide to Holocaust
William Happer's 'false, unscientific notions about climate change represent a danger to the American people', says scientistThe president is getting some flak after a US Coast Guard member was arrested with a long hit list of Democrats and journalists, writing that indicated he wanted to murder massive amounts of people, and several weapons.
Donald Trump has frequently labeled the press as the enemy of the people, but White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders sought Friday morning to downplay that rhetoric. She claimed falsely that the president has only condemned violence against journalists and others.
That is far from the truth.
Here is one of the latest lines from the Russia investigation.
Investigators chasing Moscow-based Trump ally over president’s 1996 trip to Russia
Investigators want to know more about the president's dealings in Russia in the 1990sThe House resolution challenging Donald Trump's emergency declaration was filed by Texas Representative Joaquin Castro.
Here's a tweet from Mr Castro with the resolution:
We have been talking quite a bit about the Democratic field shaping up to take on Donald Trump in 2020, but not as much has been said about potential primary challenges for the president.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is among a small — admittedly, very small — contingent of Republicans who have been flirting with the possibility. And, in an interview with Politico published yesterday, Mr Hogan claimed that the Republican National Committee is taking extraordinary steps to shield Mr Trump from any danger of a primary challenge.
“I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’ve been involved in the Republican Party for most of my life. It’s unprecedented,” Mr Hogan said. “In my opinion, it’s not the way we should be going about our politics.”
Even though the special counsel investigation appears to be winding down, Donald Trump is not taking a break from his insistence of innocence in Russia's involvement in the 2016 election.
Mr Trump tweeted on Friday morning that the Senate Intelligence Committee — run by Republicans — has already exonerated him. Democrats and Republicans have disagreed about what the committee's findings actually prove or do not prove. Republicans say they have found no concrete proof of collusion. Democrats, meanwhile, say that concrete proof aside, there is a lot of evidence that something untoward went down.
Here's an excerpt from Donald Trump's remarks last night to honour Black History Month:
Today, we are here to honor the extraordinary contributions of African Americans to every aspect of American life, history, and culture. From the earliest days of this nation, African American leaders, pioneers, and visionaries have uplifted and inspired our country in art, in science, literature, law, film, politics, business, and every arena of national life. The depth and glory of these contributions are beyond measure. You know it. I know it. And everybody knows it.
We especially pay tribute to the African American heroes who have sacrificed in the name of freedom, equality, and dignity for all Americans. Thank you.
Every citizen alive today, and generations yet unborn, are forever in debt of the brave souls who stared down injustice and championed the eternal cause of civil rights.
We especially pay tribute to the African American heroes who have sacrificed in the name of freedom, equality, and dignity for all Americans. Thank you.
Every citizen alive today, and generations yet unborn, are forever in debt of the brave souls who stared down injustice and championed the eternal cause of civil rights.
Here's some less-reported news on the Trump administration — Just months after the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside a Saudi Arabian embassy in Turkey, White House adviser Jared Kushner is set to travel to the Middle East and meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
The crown prince, who is often referred to as MBS, was determined by the US CIA to have ordered Khashoggi's murder.
Mr Kushner is expected to spend several days in the Middle East meeting with diplomats and leaders, discussing possible routes to peace in the region.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has indicated a vote on the disapproval resolution challenging Donald Trump's emergency declaration will be held on Tuesday.
The measure is expected to fly through the House, but its future in the Senate is uncertain.
While many senators — including Republicans — have said they are uncomfortable with the president's tactics here, it remains to be seen whether they would vote to send the resolution to Mr Trump's desk. If they did, his inevitable veto would be the first of his presidency.
So far in the presidency of Mr Trump, Republicans in Congress have proved to be pretty ardent supporters of his agenda.
Here's more on the House resolution challenging Mr Trump's national emergency that was filed this morning, from the Associated Press:
House Democrats have introduced a resolution to block the national emergency declaration that President Donald Trump issued to fund his long-sought wall along the U.S-Mexico border.
House Democrats have introduced a resolution to block the national emergency declaration that President Donald Trump issued to fund his long-sought wall along the U.S-Mexico border.
Friday's move sets up a fight that could result in Trump's first-ever veto. It starts the clock on a constitutional clash between Trump and Democrats and sets up a vote by the full House as soon as next week.
The Democratic-controlled House is sure to pass the measure and the GOP-run Senate may adopt it as well despite Trump's opposition.
Any Trump veto would likely be sustained but the upcoming battle will test Republican support for Trump's move, which even some of his allies view as a stretch — and a slap at lawmakers' control over the power of the federal purse.
Yesterday, senior administration officials held an on-background briefing ahead of Donald Trump's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong un next week in Vietnam.
The Independent was on that call, where the officials signaled that Mr Trump and Mr Kim are expected to meet one-on-one and also share a meal. Those officials also said that they believe the North Koreans are so far arguing in good faith, and that they hope to build on last year's Singapore summit.
Here's our report:
Trump and Kim Jong Un to meet one-on-one at Vietnam summit
US president has been criticised for getting little out of first meetingAs Donald Trump has mentioned Richard Burr, here's something the committee he chairs is looking into. The Senate investigators are hoping to speak with David Geovanis, a US businessman who has held a Russian passport since 2014 and was last seen by his family in the US in 2017, about his relationship with Mr Trump, according to a new report.
Here's why...
As one journalist has pointed out...
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