With the president in Camp David for the weekend and no official engagements on his agenda, he took the opportunity to spend much of the day on Twitter.
After retweeting his several of his followers (and himself) this morning, he also took time to ominously threaten government action to "remedy" the command and control of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google by "the radical left". He also described protesters filmed harassing a reporter as "Great people!"
Meanwhile, Senator Bob Menendez and Representative Eliot Engel have launched an investigation into Trump's late night firing of the Steve Linick, the State Department Inspector General. They have requested that both the White House and State Department preserve and produce all records related to the matter for their respective Senate and House foreign affairs committees.
The president also spent time trying to recruit support for his Obamagate theory, specifically from senior Senate Republicans. Citing an article in The Federalist that predicts the party will lose both the White House and the Senate in November if it doesn't fully address the Russia 'hoax', Trump's tweets were directed at both Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham.
Trump taking aim at social media
An ominous tweet to get things rolling this Saturday - as the president says, "stay tuned"!
"I call it the ‘super duper missile'"
President Reagan had his Star Wars program, but President Trump has his own secretive defence project, that the Pentagon reluctantly had to comment on later on Friday.
Here's the commander in chief describing the capabilities of the hypersonic missile system: “We have, I call it the ‘super duper missile’, and I heard the other night 17 times faster that what they have right now. Then you take the fastest missile we have right now. You heard Russia has five times, and China is working on five or six times, we have one 17 times, and it’s just gotten the go-ahead.”
Tom Embury-Dennis reports.
Pentagon reluctantly comments on hypersonic weapons after Trump brags about new ‘super duper missile’
US president claims rocket 17 times faster than anything in military’s arsenalDo hackers have the president's 'dirty laundry'?
Hackers that stole data from a major entertainment law firm have threatened to release Donald Trump’s “dirty laundry” unless they receive $42m (£35m) in ransom.
The group hacked law firm Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks and has already released what appears to be a contract for pop singer Madonna.
The firm has insisted the president is not one of its clients and never has been.
Conrad Duncan has the story.
Hackers who stole data from law firm threaten to release Trump’s ‘dirty laundry’
Criminal group demands £35m in ransom over supposedly damaging stolen documents'Great people!'
The president calls anti-lockdown protesters angrily confronting a TV news crew "great people" as he shares footage from News 12 Long Island's Kevin Vesey.
White House may restore WHO funding at a fraction of previous levels
Responding to a tweet from Fox Business anchor Lou Dobbs, the president mentioned one possibility for restoring funds to the World Health Organisation would be to pay just 10 per cent of previous contributions, "matching much lower China payments".
Trump fires state department official investigating Mike Pompeo
More details on the firing of Inspector General Steve Linick, which Nancy Pelosi has described as part of president’s ‘dangerous pattern of retaliation’.
Rory Sullivan reports.
Trump fires senior official investigating Mike Pompeo
Nancy Pelosi says ousting is part of president's 'dangerous pattern of retaliation'Hydroxychloroquine linked to higher death rate in coronavirus patients, research says
The drug that Donald Trump hyped as a “game changer” in the fight against coronavirus is no miracle cure after all, according to new research.
“The nice part is it’s been around for a long time,” the president said of anti-malaria treatment hydroxychloroquine in March. “So, we know that if things don’t go as planned, it’s not going to kill anybody.”
New evidence suggests it may be doing just that. Data from clinical trials, academic research and scientific analysis suggests using the drug to treat Covid-19 may significantly increase the risk of death for certain people.
Colin Drury has more on the latest research.
Drug promoted by Trump as coronavirus ‘game changer’ increasingly linked to deaths
Study showed no benefits and higher death rates among patients given controversial anti-malaria treatmentThe president also threatened social media firms a year ago
This morning's threat of upcoming action against the likes of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google follows through on comments Trump made in June 2019.
In an interview with Fox Business, he said the US government should sue social media companies for unfairly suppressing his message.
He also called Twitter "just terrible" — yet he continues to post prolifically.
If you're trying to remember where you've heard the name Michelle Malkin before, she famously attacked the ghost of John McCain in a speech at CPAC in 2019.
Trump threatens Twitter and Facebook over 'illegal situation' as US coronavirus death toll nears 90,000
President backs controversial activist Michelle Malkin, who has spoken in defence of alleged white nationalistsTrump says 'Sleepy Joe Biden' is not who he's really running against
More from the Twitter machine as the president says that the real opposition in November's election is not former vice president Joe Biden, but the "Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats" and the "Lamestream Fake News Media".
His tweet also reposts a video a follower has tweeted of old news footage that appears to show Mr Biden caught in a lie several decades ago.
President demands Mexico do more about cross border drug smuggling
Not exactly an original way to circumvent a wall on the part of the smugglers, but certainly a bold one.
More on government action against tech firms
The Washington Post reports that the Justice Department and top state attorneys general are likely to file antitrust lawsuits against Google in the coming months, according to two people familiar with the matter, as regulators prepare to take more aggressive aim at the tech giant's search-and-advertising empire.
The federal case could come as soon as the summer, said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss a law-enforcement proceeding that had not been finalised.
Trump administration likely to sue Google in coming months, sources say
Antitrust lawsuit could be filed as early as summerSpace Force launch delayed by bad weather
The US Space Force's secret mission of a robotic X-37B space plane has been delayed at least 24 hours after bad weather thwarted a launch attempt today.
Tony Bruno, CEO of United Launch Alliance tweeted: “Darn weather. See you tomorrow. Going to need everyone to focus on those calm, clear thoughts even harder…’
I too am disappointed, but we’ll keep you posted on tomorrow’s attempt to launch.
More at Space.com
Trump tries to build support for his Obamagate theory
The president spent some time this morning attempting to get top Republicans on board with his Obamagate theory.
He cited an article in The Federalist that says the party’s chances of holding on to the Senate and the White House are in danger if it does not fully address the Russia ‘hoax’.
In series of tweets he boosted the profile of favourable reporting around the case.
Trump tweeted: “Mitch, I love you, but this is 100% true. Time is running out. Get tough and move quickly, or it will be too late.”
He continues: “The Dems are vicious, but got caught. They MUST pay a big price for what they have done to our Country. Don’t let them get away with this!”
While addressing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the president tagged Senator Lindsey Graham in the post — neither has voiced their support for pursuing the allegations the president and his supporters have leveled at the previous administration.
Senator Graham has said he wouldn't call President Obama to testify in the Senate, and Senator McConnell is described as being "uninterested" and having a "blasé" attitude towards the topic in The Federalist article.
In case you were wondering...
The president is at Camp David this weekend and a travel/photo lid has been issued by the White House, meaning there are no scheduled appearances or statements expected today.
Hence plenty of time for tweeting.
"We’ve done a GREAT job on Covid response"
Great (adjective)
Definition: remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness
Definition: remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness
Confirmed cases of Covid-19 in US: 1.45 million
Recorded deaths from Covid-19 in US: 87,841
New unemployment claims: 2.98 million (Total claims: 36.5 million)
New unemployment claims: 2.98 million (Total claims: 36.5 million)
Justin Amash will not run for president in 2020
The congressman announced on Twitter that he would not pursue a third-party candidacy in the 2020 presidential election.
Justin Amash reveals he will not stand as third-party candidate
'After much reflection, I’ve concluded that circumstances don’t lend themselves to my success as a candidate for president this year, and therefore I will not be a candidate,' he wrote.Investigation launched into Trump firing of State Department Inspector General
Senator Bob Menendez and Representative Eliot Engel have launched an investigation into the late night firing of the Steve Linick, the State Department Inspector General.
They have requested that both the White House and State Department preserve and produce all records related to the matter for their respective Senate and House foreign affairs committees.
Mr Linick was believed to be investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when he was fired.
Democrats launch investigation into Trump firing of watchdog
The lawmakers request that the White House and State Department preserve and produce all records relating to Friday night's late night firingThat's it for today's Live Blog coverage
We'll leave you with this jaw-dropping fan video that the president just retweeted that might have ruined the movie Independence Day for me forever.
