Trump news - live: President voices support for France after Notre Dame fire as first 2020 Republican challenger emerges

President Trump has pledged his support to the people of France after the iconic Notre Dame cathedral suffered a devastating fire last night. On Twitter, the president noted it was "horrible" to watch the scenes from Paris, and suggested "flying water tankers could be used to put it out." It was confirmed this morning that the fire had been entirely extinguished.

Closer to home, Trump is also facing his first Republican challenger for the 2020 presidential election in the form of Massachusetts governor Bill Weld, although is it deemed unlikely that anyone will seize the party's nomination from the incumbent.

It was also announced late yesterday that the Mueller report into Russian interference in the 2020 presidential election, and any links to the Trump campaign, would be released in a redacted form to the public this Thursday.

Read The Independent's live updates from Washington this Tuesday below.

Show latest update

2019-04-16T15:15:18.000Z

First daughter Ivanka Trump made an appearance aboard an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft to honor March 2019 crash victims.

 

 

• Sarah Harvard
• 16 April 2019 15:15

2019-04-16T15:00:40.000Z

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, who announced his candidacy as a Republican challenger to the president, said he could not — in good conscience — support Mr Trump.

 

"I could not support Donald Trump for president," Mr Weld said. "I'm not saying I would ever endorse a Democrat in this race, but I could not support the president."

 

 

 

• Sarah Harvard
• 16 April 2019 15:04

2019-04-16T14:45:40.000Z

A chicken resembling Donald Trump appeared during a protest outside the Internal Revenue Service building on Monday where progressives are demanding the president release his tax returns.

 

 

• Sarah Harvard
• 16 April 2019 15:01

2019-04-16T14:30:40.000Z

Here is audio of the president condemning Ms Omar once again: 

 

 

• Sarah Harvard
• 16 April 2019 14:53

2019-04-16T14:15:40.000Z

Republicans celebrated Cher for posting a tweet that echoes similar sentiments of their own towards refugees and migrants in response to President Trump threatening to send migrants to sanctuary cities.

 

"I Understand Helping struggling Immigrants,but MY CITY (Los Angeles) ISNT TAKING CARE OF ITS OWN," the singer wrote on a post Sunday. “If My State Can’t Take Care of Its Own(Many Are VETS)How Can it Take Care Of More."

 

 

Conservatives, like Ben Shapiro, went as far to claim that Mr Trump made his vocal critic a Republican.

 

 

• Sarah Harvard
• 16 April 2019 14:51

2019-04-16T14:00:40.000Z

The president said he will award Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom after the professional golfer won his fifth Masters title.

 

Donald Trump to honour Tiger Woods after ‘incredible comeback’ to win Masters

The IndependentThe 43-year-old broke an 11-year drought to win his 15th major championship on Sunday and is now set to be rewarded by the president

• Sarah Harvard
• 16 April 2019 15:07

2019-04-16T13:45:41.590Z

Mr Trump continues to layer on his attacks on Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar despite the death threats aimed at the congresswoman.

 

Speaking to a local news station in Minnesota, the president said Ms Omar, a black Muslim Somali refugee, "got a way about her that's very, very bad for our country."

"She's been very disrespectful to this country," he added. She's been very disrespectful, frankly, to Israel. She is somebody that doesn't really understand life, real life. What it's all about."

• Sarah Harvard
• 16 April 2019 14:45

2019-04-16T13:35:20.646Z

The president took to Twitter today to slam the special counsel investigation that looked into the Trump campaign and possible collusion with Russia. He referred to it as the "greatest scam in political history."

 

 

• Sarah Harvard
• 16 April 2019 14:35

2019-04-16T12:04:59.286Z

Speaking at an event in Minnesota last night, President Trump noted that the Notre Dame fire may have been caused by renovations, asking: "What's that all about?"

 

Describing the incident in Paris, the president said: "It's a terrible scene. They think it was caused by - at this moment they don't know - but they think it was caused by renovation. And I hope that's the reason. Renovation, you know, what's that all about? But it's a terrible sight to behold."

 

 

• ben.kelly
• 16 April 2019 13:04

2019-04-16T11:05:14.276Z

Nancy Pelosi has warned that there can be no US trade deal with the UK after Brexit, if the Good Friday Agreement is undermined.

 

Speaking to an audience at LSE in London, the speaker of the house said that the Northern Ireland peace treaty could not be "bargained away in another agreement."

 

This warning stands in contrast to the line adopted by President Trump, who has in the past expressed enthusiasm for a post-Brexit trade deal.

• ben.kelly
• 16 April 2019 12:05

2019-04-16T09:38:13.546Z

Bernie Sanders' tax returns reveal that the senator is a millionaire, and part of America's '1 per cent'.

 

 

The veteran socialist politician, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 2020 presidential election, released 10 years of his tax returns yesterday.

They confirmed that Mr Sanders' income crossed the $1m (£764,000) threshold in 2016 and 2017, although he reported less earnings in his most recent return.

Releasing tax returns has become an expected, but not official move for presidential candidates. Most notably, Donald Trump has never revealed his own.

• ben.kelly
• 16 April 2019 10:38

2019-04-16T08:51:05.866Z

President Trump is facing his first challenger from within his own Republican party, for the nomination for the 2020 presidential election.

 

 

 

Bill Weld, a former governor of Massachusetts has announced he will challenge the incumbent for the party's nomination ahead of next year's election.

 

In a statement, Weld said, "Ours is a nation built on courage, resilience, and independence. In these times of great political strife, when both major parties are entrenched in their 'win at all cost' battles, the voices of the American people are being ignored and our nation is suffering.

 

"It is time for patriotic men and women across our great nation to stand and plant a flag. It is time to return to the principles of Lincoln -- equality, dignity, and opportunity for all. There is no greater cause on earth than to preserve what truly makes America great. I am ready to lead that fight."

• ben.kelly
• 16 April 2019 09:51

2019-04-16T08:48:45.793Z

President Trump has been tweeting about the fire which devastated much of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris overnight.

 

As the fire was raging, Trump took to Twitter to say it was "horrible" to watch what was happening, and suggested water tankers should be used to put it out.

 

 

Later in the evening, Trump simply wrote, "God bless the people of France!"

 

 

It it not yet known what caused the fire to start, but it was fully extinguished by 9am UK time on Tuesday. The iconic cathedral, which is some 800 years old, is visited by 12 million people every year. You can follow our live blog on developments as France deals with the aftermath of the fire this morning.

• ben.kelly
• 16 April 2019 09:48

2019-04-16T08:43:34.936Z

Hello and welcome to The Independent's rolling coverage of the latest news coming from the Trump administration today.

• ben.kelly
• 16 April 2019 09:43