Donald Trump has moved to soothe the tensions he inflamed with Iran by assassinating Quds commander Qassem Soleimani, saying the regime is “standing down” after fears a ballistic missile strike on two US military bases in Iraq could escalate into a full blown war.
But the president’s address to the nation on Wednesday, flanked by senior cabinet members and top generals at the White House, was criticised by many for the slurred nature of much of his speech, with commentators again questioning Mr Trump’s fitness for office after he stumbled over simple words.
As House speaker Nancy Pelosi prepares for a Thursday vote on limiting his power to launch the US military into further skirmishes overseas, her impeachment stalemate with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell continues and a new poll forecasts the president losing the 2020 election in November to a “generic Democrat” by a humiliating nine-point margin.
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The social media company has come under intense pressure to change its ways, as disinformation has spread online and helped to fracture communities and dialogues along ideological divides.
Both Democrats and Republicans have criticised the website, with progressives arguing that the false and damaging information that has been allowed to spread should be better policed. Conservatives, meanwhile, have claimed — without evidence — that their free speech is being tamped down by a liberal-leaning social media culture.
The Independent's Clark Mindock has more:
Facebook refuses to block lies and misinformation in 2020 political ads
People should be able to hear from those who wish to lead them, warts and all'Trump falsely accuses Pelosi of 'defending' Iran general Soleimani
From Andrew Feinberg, The Independent's man in Washington: Donald Trump has falsely accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats of "defending" the Iranian general who was killed in a US drone strike last week.
As Mr Trump spoke to reporters at an event to celebrate his administration's attempt to roll back environmental regulations, he was asked if he'd seek approval from Congress for additional military action against Iran.
The president replied by claiming that whether he would seek approval from Congress for future military action would "depend on the circumstances" and asserting that he doesn't need permission. He then falsely claimed that he doesn't need to seek Congress' approval before ordering US troops into battle.
Trump falsely accuses Pelosi of 'defending' Iran general Soleimani
The president was answering a question about whether he'd ask Congress for permission to attack Iran when he made the claim about Nancy PelosiTrump to 'overhaul' federal review process that would ignore climate change impacts when considering projects
As the US continues to face dramatic climate threats, Donald Trump is planning to roll back crucial environmental protections to allow oil companies and other industrial groups to break ground without meaningful federal oversight.
The president's proposed changes would remove consideration for a project's carbon footprint from federal assessments, effectively gutting the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires reviews of large-scale infrastructure projects before they're approved.
Environmental advocates, tribal groups and people living in industrial corridors have relied on the 50-year-old law to block harmful projects and pressure companies to abide by environmental regulations.
But industry groups with powerful lobby arms and sympathetic ears in Washington DC have urged politicians to ease those restrictions, which they say impede projects and burden companies with lengthy permitting processes.
Trump to roll back environmental protections, reducing oversight of oil pipelines and other projects
President proposes 'overhaul' of federal review process that would ignore climate change impacts when considering projects
Pentagon confident Iran 'accidentally shot down Ukraine jet', US media reports say
US officials are confident that an Iranian anti-aircraft missile shot down Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752 as it was leaving Tehran airport for Kiev on Wednesday, say a number of US media reports.
Ukraine says plane may have been shot down by Russian-made missile after ‘fragments discovered’ near site
Downing Street ‘very concerned’ about reports about the Ukrainian airliner ‘was shot down by a missile’On Wednesday, she joined progressive Democrats to call for peace, saying that the escalating tensions left her feeling "ill a little bit".
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