Donald Trump’s conduct in the Ukraine scandal has been called further into question as newly released, heavily redacted internal emails reveal the fears of defence officials and diplomats that his order to withhold military aid could breach spending laws.
Released under court order to the Centre for Public Integrity, the explosive correspondence also showed the White House asked the Pentagon to quietly suspend Congress-approved military aid to the country just 90 minutes after Mr Trump’s call with Volodymyr Zelensky.
As Democrats renewed calls for witnesses in the looming impeachment trial, the president revisited his aversion to wind turbines, claiming they create “bird graveyards” and criticising their production for “spewing” fumes and gases into the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that she is considering a run for the governor's mansion in Arkansas.
Mr Trump is in Florida for the holidays.
Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has confirmed that she is considering a run for the governor's mansion in Arkansas.
The position is one her father once held, and wouldn't be available for several years.
Ms Sanders left the Trump administration earlier this year, and was lauded by the president when she left.
Folks are gearing up for Christmas Eve, but Trump has launched his latest attack on Nancy Pelosi and impeachment.
He hasn't received the impeachment articles just yet, but BBC reports that Mitch McConnell has not ruled out the possibility of calling in witnesses to testify during the Senate trial next year.
The update comes as congressional politicians have battled over Senate trial rules, with Democrats claiming that witnesses are necessary to ensure a fair trial.
Some interesting context to ponder:
Barack Obama has apparently been talking up Elizabeth Warren with the big donors of the Democratic Party — even though she has frequently attacked millionaires, billionaires and the financial system she sees as leaving millions of lower income Americans behind.
While Mr Obama has reportedly stopped short of an all-out endorsement, he has told the donors that they should consider full throated backing for her if she wins the Democratic nomination. And, he has apparently vouched for her credentials and described her as a potentially capable president, according to the Hill.
While Mr Obama has reportedly stopped short of an all-out endorsement, he has told the donors that they should consider full throated backing for her if she wins the Democratic nomination. And, he has apparently vouched for her credentials and described her as a potentially capable president, according to the Hill.
And the assault on wine caves in America, and the access that billionaires and millionaires buy in the political system, continues:
The Trumps have been quite quiet on Twitter today, breaking from the president's recent tendency to send out dozens of mini messages a day.
As impeachment was in full effect, Mr Trump on one day retweeted and tweeted over 100 times.
Now, as he is in Florida for the holidays, Mr Trump has so-far tweeted a handful of times.
The Trumps have been quite quiet on Twitter today, breaking from the president's recent tendency to send out dozens of mini messages a day.
As impeachment was in full effect, Mr Trump on one day retweeted and tweeted over 100 times.
Now, as he is in Florida for the holidays, Mr Trump has so-far tweeted a handful of times.
The Trumps have been quite quiet on Twitter today, breaking from the president's recent tendency to send out dozens of mini messages a day.
As impeachment was in full effect, Mr Trump on one day retweeted and tweeted over 100 times.
Now, as he is in Florida for the holidays, Mr Trump has so-far tweeted a handful of times.
Texas senator Ted Cruz says that Nancy Pelosi's decision to wait to send articles of impeachment approved by the House to the Senate — which she reportedly is doing in order to glean some level of leverage — is a sign of weakness for the case against Donald Trump.
“You can’t make this up,” Mr Cruz told Fox News on Sunday. “Listen, this is a sign of weakness. This is a sign she understands just how weak these articles are. These articles of impeachment that they actually voted on were really an admission of failure.”
A very sad statistic for the US as the decade comes to an end:
Everyone appears to be feeling the holiday spirit:
Mr Trump has been mocked for starting a Space Force, but the Chinese don't think it is a joke:
China calls Trump's Space Force a 'direct threat to peace' and 'serious violation of international consensus'
Pentagon report raises concerns that China and Russia could launch space attacks in time of conflictHere's our latest on the Christianity Today saga:
Christianity Today sees jump in subscriptions amid Trump impeachment row
President labelled magazine as 'far left' after pro-impeachment articleTrump would be convicted 'in a heartbeat' and imprisoned in criminal trial, veteran prosecutor claims
Glenn Kirscher, a legal analyst for MSNBC who spent 30 years as a federal prosecutor, claims that in a criminal trial with 12 "fair and impartial citizens serving as jurors", the president would be sent to prison.
Pro-Trump news outlet used AI to create fake Facebook accounts pushing far-right stories, officials say
Facebook has removed hundreds of fake accounts created with artificial intelligence by a right-wing media company meant to promote its own content supportive of Donald Trump and critical of the Chinese government, the company said.
The campaign used artificially generated profile images and employed more than 600 Facebook accounts, 89 pages, 156 groups and 72 Instagram profiles, according to NBC News, all of which had been removed from the company’s social media platforms by Monday, Chris Riotta reports.
Researchers from New York-based Graphika and the Digital Forensics Research Lab, an arm of the Washington-based Atlantic Council, said it was the first time they had seen the large-scale use of computer-generated faces to spread disinformation on social media.
China brands new US Space Force 'direct threat to outer space peace and security'
Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters that China is "deeply concerned about it and resolutely opposed to it."
"The relevant US actions are a serious violation of the international consensus on the peaceful use of outer space, undermine global strategic balance and stability, and pose a direct threat to outer space peace and security," Mr Geng said.
China's space programme has advanced rapidly since its first crewed mission in 2003.
In a report last February, the Pentagon asserted that China and Russia have embarked on major efforts to develop technologies that could allow them to disrupt or destroy American and allied satellites in a crisis or conflict, according to the Associated Press.
Christianity Today 'sees surge in subscriptions' after calling for Trump's removal
The president's ongoing war of words with the magazine continues after the magazine came out in favour of his impeachment.
Editor Mark Galli on Sunday wrote an update on his recent editorial, reinforcing his message that evangelical Christianity in the US has been "made toxic" by its apparent marriage with Mr Trump.
"The alliance of American evangelicalism with this presidency has wrought enormous damage to Christian witness," the update said. "It has alienated many of our children and grandchildren. It has harmed African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American brothers and sisters."
Despite Mr Trump offering this swift rebuke after the editorial...
...Mr Galli told MSNBC that while they had lost subscribers, they have had three times as many start to subscribe", amid a wave of emotional responses thanking the magazine for what some allegedly described as "a watershed moment in the history of the American church".
Satellite images show North Korea expanding missile factory amid 'Christmas gift' warnings to US
A new structure is being built at a site near Pyongang used to make equipment to launch long-range missiles.
The release of several images from Planet Labs comes amid concern that North Korea could launch a rocket or missile as it seeks concessions in stalled nuclear negotiations with the United States.
North Korea has warned that what "Christmas gift" it gives the US depends on what action Washington takes.
It comes as CNN reports the dictatorship could be considering taking denuclearisation off the table, in part due to a perception of Donald Trump's current political vulnerability.
