Trump news: Pelosi will send impeachment articles to Senate as president announces new Iran sanctions
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Your support makes all the difference.A judge in New York has refused a request by Donald Trump’s legal team to have a defamation lawsuit brought against him by the writer E Jean Carroll dismissed, ensuring her allegations of sexual assault are heard while the president seeks re-election.
Mr Trump went after his domestic rivals over the Iran crisis during a wild campaign rally in Ohio on Thursday night, suggesting House speaker Nancy Pelosi would have leaked the US plan to assassinate Qassem Soleimani to the media had she had prior warning.
The president also told his supporters in Toledo the mission that killed the Quds commander was instigated to “preserve peace”, took credit for inspiring a revival of Christian faith in America and claimed 44th president Barack Obama had played too much golf in office and “violated the carbon footprint”.
On Friday, his administration announced sweeping and "punishing" sanctions against Iran, targeting key economic drivers like manufacturing, until the country "changes its behaviour", he said.
Meanwhile, the president's impeachment trial could start as early as next week, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced that she intends to forward articles of impeachment to the Senate and end — for now — her standoff with Mitch McConnell.
The Senator Majority Leader has threatened to coordinate with the White House as the president faces trial, and Speaker Pelosi refused to send impeachment articles passed by House Democrats without assurance from Senate Republicans that witnesses could be called and evidence be presented in an impartial trial. In a statement announcing next week's plans, Ms Pelosi said "McConnell does not want to present witnesses and documents to Senators and the American people so they can make an independent judgment about the president's actions."
Read live coverage as it happened:
Report: Trump could slash disability benefits for older aid recipients
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Trump administration plans to narrow eligibility requirements for disability benefits.
The proposals to the Social Security Administration could significantly impact millions of Americans who can't work because of a disability or injury by eliminating age as a factor for receiving benefits.
Currently, workers above the age of 50 "are more likely to qualify because they are considered less able to adapt to new jobs. The proposed rule, however, would no longer assume age seriously affects a person’s ability to adapt to simple, entry-level work. It would raise the age at which education and work experience are considered in determining eligibility to 55, from 50."
Report: Trump plans to reinstate travel ban to majority-Muslim countries
Donald Trump could extend a travel ban to Muslim majority countries, according to an Associated Press report that cites a document outlining the changes circulating inside the White House. The names of the countries have been redacted, according to the AP.
Th report says the ban could cover several countries that were initially included in the president's anti-immigration plan in 2017 but were removed after intense litigation. Those countries included Iraq, Sudan and Chad.
Also on that travel ban's list of majority-Muslim countries: Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and Iran.
Report: Trump killed Iran general to gain impeachment support
Donald Trump ordered the airstrike that killed an Iranian general last week at least in part due to fears about his upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate, according to a new report.
An article in the Wall Street Journal indicates that Mr Trump has told associates that he ordered the killing of Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani amid pressure from Republicans who wanted him to take a stronger stance towards Iran.
“Mr Trump, after the strike, told associates he was under pressure to deal with Gen Soleimani from GOP senators he views as important supporters in his upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate,” the report, published Thursday, says.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story.
The Independent's Clark Mindock has more:
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