Donald Trump abruptly ended a press conference on coronavirus testing after a testy exchange with a female reporter of Asian descent who questioned why he advised her to “ask China” about the global death rate. Trump then left the Rose Garden.
The event began with the announcement that the White House will devote $11bn to bolster coronavirus testing across the country, with officials saying 9 million new tests will be available later this month. Staff and visitors to the White House are now required to wear masks — the president still won't wear one.
Earlier, the president also refused to make clear what offence he believes Barack Obama has committed, a day after suggesting he was responsible for the "biggest political crime in American history, by far". On Sunday he sent out more than 100 conspiracy-minded tweets on a variety of themes, with many targeting his predecessor as the US coronavirus death toll passed 80,000.
Trump expressed his anger at “ObamaGate” after audio was leaked in which the 44th president was heard being highly critical of the “absolutely chaotic disaster” of the federal government’s response to Covid-19 and warning “the rule of law is at risk” over the decision to drop the criminal case against ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn for lying to the FBI.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has meanwhile admitted it is “scary to go to work” at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue just now, given that two senior members of staff have tested positive for the respiratory disease, causing vice president Mike Pence to self-isolate over the weekend.
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Trump rages at 'ObamaGate' as US death toll passes 80,000
Donald Trump spent Mother’s Day lashing out at his enemies on Twitter, sending out more than 100 conspiracy-minded tweets on a variety of themes on Sunday, with many targeting his predecessor Barack Obama as the US coronavirus death toll passed 80,000.
Trump expressed his anger at “ObamaGate” after audio was leaked in which the 44th president was heard warning “the rule of law is at risk” over the Justice Department's decision to drop the criminal case against ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn for lying to the FBI (which is apparently a perfectly OK thing to do now).
Attorney general William Barr's team announced that it would be discontinuing the prosecution against the disgraced general last Thursday “after a considered review of all the facts and circumstances of this case, including newly discovered and disclosed information”, undermining the long-running investigation into Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election led by Robert Mueller.
Flynn was accused of lying to the bureau and to vice president Mike Pence about his conversations with Russia's ambassador Sergey Kislyak in January 2017 prompting his dismissal after just 24 days as national security adviser, a Washington record for shortest tenture.
But the decision to drop all criminal charges against Flynn clearly upset Obama - and many, many other fans of democracy - who told members of the Obama Alumni Association in a web talk: "The fact that there is no precedent that anybody can find for someone who has been charged with perjury just getting off scot-free. That’s the kind of stuff where you begin to get worried that basic - not just institutional norms - but our basic understanding of rule of law is at risk."
In addition to raging against his predecessor on Twitter...
Donald Trump spent Mother’s Day lashing out at his enemies on Twitter, sending out more than 100 conspiracy-minded tweets on a variety of themes on Sunday, with many targeting his predecessor Barack Obama as the US coronavirus death toll passed 80,000.
Trump expressed his anger at “ObamaGate” after audio was leaked in which the 44th president was heard warning “the rule of law is at risk” over the Justice Department's decision to drop the criminal case against ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn for lying to the FBI (which is apparently a perfectly OK thing to do now).
Attorney general William Barr's team announced that it would be discontinuing the prosecution against the disgraced general last Thursday “after a considered review of all the facts and circumstances of this case, including newly discovered and disclosed information”, undermining the long-running investigation into Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election led by Robert Mueller.
Flynn was accused of lying to the bureau and to vice president Mike Pence about his conversations with Russia's ambassador Sergey Kislyak in January 2017 prompting his dismissal after just 24 days as national security adviser, a Washington record for shortest tenture.
But the decision to drop all criminal charges against Flynn clearly upset Obama - and many, many other fans of democracy - who told members of the Obama Alumni Association in a web talk: "The fact that there is no precedent that anybody can find for someone who has been charged with perjury just getting off scot-free. That’s the kind of stuff where you begin to get worried that basic - not just institutional norms - but our basic understanding of rule of law is at risk."
In addition to raging against his predecessor on Twitter...
...Trump also posted this threatening message on Instagram, which just looks like a poster for a new Hulu show you'd have very little interest in watching.
Here's Richard Hall's report.
Obama hits out at 'absolute chaotic disaster' of US Covid-19 response
The previous occupant of the Oval Office was arguably even more scathing about the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak in the leaked audio, despite the orange one's insistence that he is "getting great marks", as though the deaths of tens of thousands of citizens were graded like homework
Here's Danielle Zoellner.
The previous occupant of the Oval Office was arguably even more scathing about the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak in the leaked audio, despite the orange one's insistence that he is "getting great marks", as though the deaths of tens of thousands of citizens were graded like homework
Here's Danielle Zoellner.
President smashes out more than 100 tweets fuming at enemies
Here's Richard Hall to round up the rest of Trump's manic Twitter activity over the weekend, his feed featuring a call for the firing of NBC's Chuck Todd and an accusation that 60 Minutes on CBS is "doing everything in its power" to excuse China from blame over Covid-19, as well as liberal helpings of swill from the likes of The Daily Caller, Greg Jarrett and Buck Sexton.
My personal favourite was just the all-caps message "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY" though, which just reads as completely psychotic, as though Norman Bates himself were online.
Here's Richard Hall to round up the rest of Trump's manic Twitter activity over the weekend, his feed featuring a call for the firing of NBC's Chuck Todd and an accusation that 60 Minutes on CBS is "doing everything in its power" to excuse China from blame over Covid-19, as well as liberal helpings of swill from the likes of The Daily Caller, Greg Jarrett and Buck Sexton.
My personal favourite was just the all-caps message "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY" though, which just reads as completely psychotic, as though Norman Bates himself were online.
Adviser admits it's 'scary to go to work' at White House over coronavirus spread
Economic counsel Kevin Hassett admitted on Face the Nation yesterday it is “scary to go to work” at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue just now, given that two senior members of staff have tested positive for the respiratory disease, causing vice president Mike Pence to self-isolate over the weekend (although he's returning to action today, apparently).
Economic counsel Kevin Hassett admitted on Face the Nation yesterday it is “scary to go to work” at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue just now, given that two senior members of staff have tested positive for the respiratory disease, causing vice president Mike Pence to self-isolate over the weekend (although he's returning to action today, apparently).
One of those to have contracted the virus is Katie Miller, Pence's spokeswoman, who is married to Stephen Miller, the president's odious anti-immigration policy chief, a man who spends much of his time in close proximity to Trump.
The administration continues to insist both the president and Pence are in rude health but, if that's true, they must be extremely lucky...
Here's Tom Embury-Dennis with the latest.
Kamala Harris calls for William Barr to resign over Michael Flynn decision
Obama isn't the only one infuriated by last week's Justice Department ruling in favour of cronyism.
Watergate prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks called it "a clear coverup" (and she should know) on MSNBC...
...while California senator and former presidential candidate Kamala Harris, that state's former attorney general, has openly called for Bill Barr to resign in shame.
Obama isn't the only one infuriated by last week's Justice Department ruling in favour of cronyism.
Watergate prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks called it "a clear coverup" (and she should know) on MSNBC...
...while California senator and former presidential candidate Kamala Harris, that state's former attorney general, has openly called for Bill Barr to resign in shame.
Ex-White House ethics chief accuses Trump of ‘laying groundwork’ to interfere with presidential election
Also incensed by the president's recent antics is Walter Shaub, who has warned Trump may be undignified enough to refuse to leave office should he lose November's ballot.
Danielle Zoellner has more on this.
Also incensed by the president's recent antics is Walter Shaub, who has warned Trump may be undignified enough to refuse to leave office should he lose November's ballot.
Danielle Zoellner has more on this.
Trump congratulates UFC for holding fight event despite coronavirus pandemic
Another highly-questionable pronouncement of the president over the weekend was his move to congratulate Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White for restarting bouts from an empty stadium in Florida on Saturday in defiance of coronavirus concerns.
"We need sports. We want our sports back," Trump said, apparently non-plussed by the cost to the health of the combatants.
Mark Long has this one.
Alec Baldwin revives Trump impersonation to swill bleach on Saturday Night Live
The actor brought back his grotesque parody of the president for the legendary comedy show's season finale over the weekend to glug Clorox and send up The Donald's hapless nonsense-peddling over Covid-19 with a high school graduation speech.
Arguably even more brutal is this REM parody taking on Trump and Pence: "Losing My Civilians".
The actor brought back his grotesque parody of the president for the legendary comedy show's season finale over the weekend to glug Clorox and send up The Donald's hapless nonsense-peddling over Covid-19 with a high school graduation speech.
Arguably even more brutal is this REM parody taking on Trump and Pence: "Losing My Civilians".
Clemence Michallon has more on SNL.
China hits back at 'preposterous allegations' from Trump and allies over coronavirus
Beijing has posted a 30-page, 11,000-word rebuttal of American claims - cheerled by the president and secretary of state Mike Pompeo - that the country is to blame for Covid-19 on the foreign ministry website, a document that also shoots down the idea the disease started as an experimental weapon of biowarfare that was developed in a Wuhan laboratory before getting out of hand.
John Oliver rebukes Trump for not wearing a face mask
Louis Chilton has the latest from the late night satirist who says of the president: "He’s never used protection – and he’s never not been an a***hole about it afterwards.”
Louis Chilton has the latest from the late night satirist who says of the president: "He’s never used protection – and he’s never not been an a***hole about it afterwards.”
Woman who survied Spanish flu outbreak in 1918 now battling coronavirus
A 105-year-old New Mexico woman who beat back the 1918 flu that killed millions, including her mother and infant sister, is battling Covid-19.
A 105-year-old New Mexico woman who beat back the 1918 flu that killed millions, including her mother and infant sister, is battling Covid-19.
The Gallup Independent reports Lubica "Luby" Grenko, who will turn 106 in August, has been fighting the new coronavirus since being diagnosed April 29 at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Gallup, New Mexico.
Grenko was born when the First World War began and survived the 1918 flu before enduring the Great Depression and the Second World War.
The flu took the lives of her mother, Marijeta Kauzlaric, 28, and younger sister, Annie Kauzlaric, just one month old.
Grenko's granddaughter, Misty Tolson, says her grandmother remembers her mother going into the hospital and never coming out.
But Tolson says she doesn't think her grandmother understands the current virus because she told one of the aides who walked in with protective gear on, "What the heck do you have on?"
But Tolson says she doesn't think her grandmother understands the current virus because she told one of the aides who walked in with protective gear on, "What the heck do you have on?"
Iowa meatpacking plant reopens despite more than 1,000 coronavirus cases
A Tyson Foods plant in Waterloo, Iowa is open again despite coronavirus cases among its workers surging into four figures and new data from the Centres for Disease Control that shows that meatpacking facilities are uniquely vulnerable to Covid-19 outbreaks.
The reopening comes as the state confirms that more than 250 Iowans have died from coronavirus, with around 12,000 confirmed cases. Of those, some 1,493 were in Black Hawk County, where the plant is the largest employer by far.
The reopening comes as the state confirms that more than 250 Iowans have died from coronavirus, with around 12,000 confirmed cases. Of those, some 1,493 were in Black Hawk County, where the plant is the largest employer by far.
Andrew Naughtie has more on this one.
Trump posts graphic 'exposing' personal ties between media and political establishment
The president has been busily retweeting his "greatest hits" from the weekend so far today - ObamaGate, fire Chuck Todd etc - but he's just given us this visual prop detailing personal relationships between members of the press and Capitol Hill.
He no doubt imagines this is very damning but you could easily make the equivalent charting the massive cross-pollination between his administration and Fox News.
The above account, incidentally, openly promotes the QAnon conspiracy theory about Democrats running a child sex ring right there in its bio.
The leader of the free world has now moved on to simply retweeting attacks on Todd from random Twitter accounts. "Twinkie" (42 followers) thinks the NBC man is a "hack", for instance.
The president has been busily retweeting his "greatest hits" from the weekend so far today - ObamaGate, fire Chuck Todd etc - but he's just given us this visual prop detailing personal relationships between members of the press and Capitol Hill.
He no doubt imagines this is very damning but you could easily make the equivalent charting the massive cross-pollination between his administration and Fox News.
The above account, incidentally, openly promotes the QAnon conspiracy theory about Democrats running a child sex ring right there in its bio.
The leader of the free world has now moved on to simply retweeting attacks on Todd from random Twitter accounts. "Twinkie" (42 followers) thinks the NBC man is a "hack", for instance.
Trump trade adviser whines about Disneyland closure
This is a staggeringly asinine line of argument fromRon Vara Peter Navarro on Fox and Friends this morning.
This is a staggeringly asinine line of argument from
US to accuse China of trying to hack vaccine research amid surge in cybertheft
Trump is currently resuming his never-ending assault on the media in retaliation for fairly holding his lies to account and makes a highly spurious claim about the coronavirus fatality rate:
Meanwhile, America's security agencies are preparing to issue a warning that Beijing’s most skilled hackers and spies are working to steal US research in the effort to develop vaccines and treatments for the coronavirus.
California rodeo attracts thousands despite social distancing orders
We're already seeing horror stories of overcrowded venues and event spaces as the states start to reopen.
This restaurant in Colorado opened its doors for Mother's Day in defiance of a governor's order that eateries only offer takeaway and drew a huge crowd, with few patrons bothering to wear a mask.
Here's Tom Embury-Dennis with a news of another: Cottonwood Rodeo in rural Shasta County, California, pressed ahead yesterday with no regard for concerns about the spread of the virus among visitors.
We're already seeing horror stories of overcrowded venues and event spaces as the states start to reopen.
This restaurant in Colorado opened its doors for Mother's Day in defiance of a governor's order that eateries only offer takeaway and drew a huge crowd, with few patrons bothering to wear a mask.
Here's Tom Embury-Dennis with a news of another: Cottonwood Rodeo in rural Shasta County, California, pressed ahead yesterday with no regard for concerns about the spread of the virus among visitors.
Twitter president finally loses mind
Trump may just have issued his most idiotic hyperbole yet in his frantic determination to make "ObamaGate" a thing. It is very much not a thing.
And the above is really saying something when you consider he already called the matter "The biggest political crime in American history, by far!" just yesterday.
Ready? Here it is:
Trump may just have issued his most idiotic hyperbole yet in his frantic determination to make "ObamaGate" a thing. It is very much not a thing.
And the above is really saying something when you consider he already called the matter "The biggest political crime in American history, by far!" just yesterday.
Ready? Here it is:
Told you.
He's now speaking for the people of Pennsylvania and volunteering them for the oncoming bullet train that is a second wave of coronavirus.
South Dakota tribes reject governor's request to remove coronavirus checkpoints
Two Native American community leaders in South Dakota have denounced the state governor’s demand they dismantle checkpoints designed to stop coronavirus spreading through their lands.
Gino Spocchia has the full story.
Two Native American community leaders in South Dakota have denounced the state governor’s demand they dismantle checkpoints designed to stop coronavirus spreading through their lands.
The heads of the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes issued separate statements over the weekend that criticised Republican governor Kristi Noem’s ultimatum.
The tribal leaders, who have defended their rights to protect their own people during the pandemic, said that Noem’s actions ignored health concerns.
Gino Spocchia has the full story.
Man who recorded Ahmaud Arbery's death says he was in 'complete shock'
The man who who recorded a viral video that showed a white father and his son seemingly shooting a black 25-year-old named Ahmaud Arbery while he was out jogging has spoken out about the fatal incident.
William Roddie Bryan said in a new interview he was in “complete shock” when he witnessed the shooting in Brunswick, Georgia, on 23 February and said he has since received threats after his video drew national media attention.
Chris Riotta has the latest on a truly shocking crime.
The man who who recorded a viral video that showed a white father and his son seemingly shooting a black 25-year-old named Ahmaud Arbery while he was out jogging has spoken out about the fatal incident.
William Roddie Bryan said in a new interview he was in “complete shock” when he witnessed the shooting in Brunswick, Georgia, on 23 February and said he has since received threats after his video drew national media attention.
Chris Riotta has the latest on a truly shocking crime.
