Trump news: President says 'Afghanistan is safe in comparison' to Chicago as key impeachment witness defies subpoena
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Your support makes all the difference.During a speech in Chicago to police brass from across the US, Donald Trump attacked the city's police chief who is boycotting the visit from the president, who used his address to law enforcement to blame so-called "sanctuary" cities for violent crime rates.
Mr Trump accused Chicago Police Chief Eddie Johnson of "not doing his job" in a city that the president has often ridiculed as a "war zone" for its high murder rate. There have been 425 homicides in Chicago so far this year.
He also said Chief Johnson is putting "criminals and illegal aliens before the city of Chicago" and that "sanctuary" cities are knowingly releasing jailed immigrants accused of violent crime.
His appeal to law enforcement arrived that morning after he was roundly booed during Game 5 of baseball’s World Series in DC on Sunday, with fans of the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros chanting “Lock him up!” as “Veterans for Impeachment” signs were held aloft by spectators, prompting the president to leave the stadium early.
His unwelcome appearance at the game followed what should have been a triumphant moment for his administration in the announcement of the death of Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi during a US-led raid that saw the terror group leader cornered in a dead-end tunnel in Syria. The president assured the world the terrorist had died “crying and screaming”.
In a Monday press conference, the president's Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mick Milley said he doesn't know where Mr Trump got that account of the operation.
The president shared a photo on Twitter of an Army Delta force dog that was critical in the operation, according to Mr Trump. The dog's name is still classified. General Milley said it returned to its military unit.
When leading Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer demanded to know why Congress had not been briefed on the operation in advance at a time when the White House’s approach to foreign policy is already under intense scrutiny, vice president Mike Pence squirmed and struggled to answer the question on Fox News.
Mr Trump later explained that the administration was going to notify Congress but "we decided not to do that because Washington leaks like I’ve never seen before. There’s no country in the world that leaks like we do, and Washington is a leaking machine."
Follow along as it happened below.
Donald Trump is attacking Chicago Police Chief Eddie Johnson, saying he has failed to combat the city's crime rates . He cited Chicago's police statistics and also mocked other liberal cities facing higher than usual crime rates.
Donald Trump is talking about a "dangerous trend of criminals assaulting police," adding: "We don't like that."
"An attack on law enforcement is an attack on all Americans," he said. "We believe that criminals who murder our police should get the death penalty."
Donald Trump has said "Afghanistan is a safe place in comparison" to Chicago, where he's speaking at a police convention.
Breaking: The Department of Justice has officially appealed a ruling from last week requiring the department to hand over grand jury information from former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Donald Trump has said he will soon be signing a new executive order on law enforcement and the administration of justice.
A commission established by the president will “provide concrete recommendations and study the best practices to recruit, train and hire” officials who can help police departments deal with systemic issues like homelessness and mental health.
Donald Trump said "human traffickers" sounds like an "ancient crime" but it has been reenergised because of "the internet".
He's now attacking "activist judges" for supposedly undermining his hardline immigration policies.
"I want to thank you, President Obama, for giving me 142 open judges," Donald Trump quipped. "Thank you, President Obama. How you allowed that to happen..."
Donald Trump is praising ICE officials while assailing undocumented immigrants in this speech:
Donald Trump said his administration has taken out "thousands of MS-13 gang members" while slamming undocumented immigrants.
Donald Trump is praising law enforcement officers for their "unwavering courage" and vowing to fight "violent crime" with the "incredible men and women in blue".
He's now inviting the attorney general and other law enforcement officials to join him on stage as he signs the executive order he discussed earlier.
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