Trump 'asked Whitaker to put prosecutor of his choosing in charge of Cohen probe'
The White House has also launched a major campaign to end criminalisation of homosexuality
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Donald Trump’s White House faced another day of turmoil as a new Congressional report alleged senior administration officials attempted to share information on nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia.
The House Oversight Committee announced a new investigation into the accusations, in which whistle blowers within the president’s administration described “abnormal acts” between the White House and the Middle Eastern kingdom.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump continued to lash out against former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe after the official confirmed he launched a counterintelligence investigation into the president.
Mr McCabe was fired last year after the Justice Department’s inspector general concluded that he had misled officials about his role in a news media disclosure. He has denied the allegations, described his firing as politically motivated and, in a series of interviews this week, has said he plans to sue the Justice Department over it.
Mr McCabe also said in an interview with “60 Minutes” that the FBI had good reason to open a counterintelligence investigation into whether Mr Trump was in league with Russia, and therefore a possible national security threat, following the May 2017 firing of then-FBI Director James Comey.
Will Trump fall to the 25th Amendment? The key players in the debate
Show all 7The controversies continued erupting throughout the day when an explosive New York Times report alleged the president asked his then-Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to put a prosecutor of his choosing in charge of an investigation into his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.
Mr Trump’s turmoil arrived a day after protests erupted across the country on President’s Day in opposition to his national emergency declaration.
“Trump is the national emergency!” chanted a group of hundreds lined up Monday at the White House fence while Trump was out of town in Florida. Some held up large letters spelling out “stop power grab.” In downtown Fort Worth, Texas, a small group carried signs with messages including “no wall! #FakeTrumpEmergency.”
At least 16 states have sued the president over the declaration.
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A new report indicates the president has lashed out over a federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller at least 1,100 times.
To recap on Donald Trump’s day of turmoil thus far:
The president’s former Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker has been accused of committing perjury during a controversial testimony to the US House of Representatives.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson has ordered his longtime confidant Roger Stone to return to court on Thursday to explain why he should not have his bail revoked for posting a seemingly threatening photo towards her on Instagram.
The president allegedly tried to see if one of his allies could spearhead a Southern District of New York investigation into his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, an explosive new report reveals.
Here's more from the New York Times report on Donald Trump allegedly seeing whether one of his allies could take over a widening probe into one of his former confidants and personal lawyers:
Donald Trump is reportedly set to sign a major directive surrounding his Space Force initiative, calling on the Pentagon to begin creating legislation for the US Congress.
Here's more from the president's Oval Office event signing new declarations on Space Force:
US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell will launch a global effort to end the criminalization of homosexuality, according to a new report.
Mr Grenell is the most prominent openly gay person in Donald Trump’s administration. The full announcement surrounding the campaign will arrive on Tuesday night in Berlin, Germany.
First son Donald Trump Jr has tweeted his support for the administration's new mission to end the criminalisation of homosexuality worldwide, calling the effort a "really big deal" in a tweet on Tuesday ahead of the official announcement in Berlin, Germany:
Andrew McCabe reportedly wrote the following on Donald Trump in his new book out today titled The Threat:
"The president has stepped over bright ethical and moral lines wherever he has encountered them. His unpredictable, often draconian behavior is dangerous -- a threat to both the Bureau and the nation."
Here is the introductory explanation for the formation of Donald Trump's Space Force, provided by the White House:
Space is integral to our way of life, our national security, and modern warfare. Although United States space systems have historically maintained a technological advantage over those of our potential adversaries, those potential adversaries are now advancing their space capabilities and actively developing ways to deny our use of space in a crisis or conflict. It is imperative that the United States adapt its national security organizations, policies, doctrine, and capabilities to deter aggression and protect our interests. Toward that end, the Department of Defense shall take actions under existing authority to marshal its space resources to deter and counter threats in space, and to develop a legislative proposal to establish a United States Space Force as a sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces within the Department of the Air Force. This is an important step toward a future military department for space. Under this proposal, the United States Space Force would be authorized to organize, train, and equip military space forces of the United States to ensure unfettered access to, and freedom to operate in, space, and to provide vital capabilities to joint and coalition forces in peacetime and across the spectrum of conflict.
Yet another presidential candidate as joined the burgeoning Democratic field of candidates vying to take on Donald Trump in 2020, and this one is a familiar name and face.
Here's our report on Senator Bernie Sanders jumping into the fray:
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