Trump news: President attacks Cory Booker and shares disturbing Iran tweets as Senate prepares for impeachment process

Donald Trump has been accused of “engaging in hate speech against an entire religion” after retweeting a meme of senior Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer in Muslim dress as press secretary Stephanie Grisham explained he posted it to attack the opposition for “almost taking the side of terrorists” in the Iran crisis.

A US cybersecurity firm has meanwhile alleged that Russia attempted to hack Ukrainian gas company Burisma - at the heart if the impeachment inquiry over its ties to Hunter Biden, son of Mr Trump’s leading 2020 opponent Joe Biden - suggesting it attempted to steal emails with a view to again influencing an American presidential election.

On impeachment, Republicans in the Senate appear to be backing down from the idea of dismissing the articles against the the president outright after admitting they do not have the votes to see through such a controversial move.

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Key Points

• Trump under fire over Islamophobic meme attacking senior Democrats
• Russia accused of hacking Ukrainian gas firm at centre of impeachment inquiry
• Republican senators back down from dismissing articles over lack of votes
• President insists Soleimani messaging has been ‘totally consistent’ 
• Trump planning to divert additional $7.2bn from Pentagon to border wall

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2020-01-14T09:55:00.000Z

Trump under fire over Islamophobic meme attacking senior Democrats

 

Donald Trump has been accused of “engaging in hate speech against an entire religion” after retweeting a meme of senior Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer in Muslim dress as press secretary Stephanie Grisham explained he posted it to attack the opposition for “almost taking the side of terrorists” in the Iran crisis.

 

While Speaker Pelosi has so far maintained a dignified silence on the tweet, Senate minority leader Schumer has expressed his disgust:

 

The post has attracted all manner of criticism, with the former US ambassador to Qatar Dana Shell Smith saying the racist equation of Islam with terrorism "is in our name" and "on all of us".

 

Ex-Defence Department Middle East adviser Jasmine El-Gamal added it was "deeply damaging to Muslims in the US" and to "ALL Americans" while Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League said the president had "elevated... repulsive anti-Muslim bigotry".

 

The president has also faced further calls for Twitter to remove his account after he also tweeted a graphic picture of a dead body on the same day but the Silicon Valley tech giant has previously shown reluctance to act.

 

Here's Alex Woodward's report.

 

Trump retweets image showing Nancy Pelosi in Muslim dress in front of an Iranian flag

• Joe Sommerlad
• 14 January 2020 09:52

2020-01-14T09:40:00.000Z

Hello and welcome to The Independent's rolling coverage of the Donald Trump administration.

• Joe Sommerlad
• 14 January 2020 09:41