theguardian--2020-09-04--Digested week: Trump is in a corner and he'll do anything to get out

The end of the summer is in sight , and with it come thoughts on America ’ s turn towards fascism .
“ Fascism ” is an over-used word , with a ring of the playground to it , but with the presidential election less than two months away and Trump defending violence from ersatz white militias , it doesn ’ t , for once , seem misplaced .
Until now , there has been a broad assumption that the president is too lazy and stupid to seriously threaten American democracy , but this might underestimate what he ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Like the squirrel you trap in a corner of your attic , Trump is liable to chew through anything – including you – to get out .
All of which has contributed , this week , to another round of oh-god-he ’ s-going-to-win jitters .
Most polls in the US put Biden narrowly ahead , but so it was with Hillary Clinton in the final stages of the last campaign and the Trump machine is much bigger this time .
In ordinary years , September might bring a renewed sense of purpose and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Labor Day bank holiday weekend this year , most of the US is still under at least partial lockdown .
Back-to-school optimism is hard to pull off when nobody ’ s going back to school .
On the other hand , it is in Trump ’ s political interests to fuel panic and the sense of a country on the brink – not of the real dystopia we face , in which private interests gut public life for personal gain , but the phony threat posted by “ antifa ” , Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestic terrorism of those protesting against him .
Straight from the authoritarianism play book , he is stoking instability and civil unrest , then presenting himself as the only candidate who can bring the country to order .
It doesn ’ t matter that it ’ s a fiction .
To his supporters , Trump ’ s job as president is neither a question of policies or governance , but of expressing their emotions – anger , fear , insecurity , resentment .
It is a paradox of this kind of approach that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s failure , the more broken the country and , potentially , the greater his popularity becomes .
I ’ m reading Edith Wharton and thinking a lot about etiquette , so was delighted to turn to Tatler this week for advice on how to comport myself in the Covid age .
The latest issue features what it calls the new rules of social engagement , one of those lists that , one suspects , was written with half an eye on trolling people who find Tatler unacceptable at the conceptual level .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ live-in staff ” and – what fun !
– “ tinned foods ” , while weddings abroad and “ hot tubs on skiing holidays ” are out . )
More interesting to me is the placement of “ homemade masks in floral fabric ” on the not-cool list .
Apart from the masks I ordered with the name of my kids ’ public school across the front – a smart fundraising initiative – we ’ re still on disposable blue masks in my household , along with the original pack of KN95s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which I ’ m reusing , contrary to guidelines ) .
On vacation last month , we all got quite sloppy and used whatever masks were lying around in the car to run in and out of the grocery store .
But now , with a new season under way and “ fashion masks ” popping up everywhere , I wonder if it ’ s time to branch out .
The prime real estate on one ’ s face below the eyes is a strange space to think about filling .
In my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political masks , mainly featuring Black Lives Matter or the looser slogan We ’ re in This Together , and the pale blue hospital masks prevalent in winter and spring , are increasingly giving way to floral and other designs .
Is it obscene to apply fashion criteria to a lifesaving apparatus , even if it ’ s in the middle of your face ?
Or a way of normalising a horrible situation ?
Is it like designer glasses , or sponsorship on an oxygen mask ?
Much as I hate to agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OK to accessorise masks , the only style decision to be properly made in New York is to bin the Laura Ashley florals and , in line with the rest of our wardrobes , go with plain black .
The school start date in New York has been pushed back to late September , and in despair , I put in a call to the local Catholic school .
Subsidised by the archdiocese of New York , it is a private elementary with fees that are approximately a fifth of the New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a return for most of the week .
The lady on the phone is very nice , much nicer than the expectation raised by the phrase , prominent on the school website , of the school ’ s “ Christ-centred education ” , which has me half thinking how lovely it would be to see my kids in a nativity play , and half thinking about the movie Spotlight .
“ I ’ m not a Catholic , ” I say , primly .
“ Is that going to be a problem ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she says .
“ I mean , I ’ m not … ” , I clear my throat awkwardly , “ … even a believer.
” She laughs .
“ Not a problem !
” Of course ; bums on seats has always been the Christian mission .
What I don ’ t say , because the idea sounds frankly insane in Manhattan in 2020 , is that I ’ m a single gay parent and if my kids go to your school , are you going to teach them we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It has to be done , however , and I put a note in my diary to call back later in the week and bring up the subject of my abominable lifestyle .
At last , something to feel truly , unambiguously joyous about .
This headline in the Mail Online : “ Is it a bird ?
Is it a plane ?
It ’ s David Blaine !
” David Blaine !
Where have you been all these years ?
The best thing about David Blaine is , of course , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of humour , a failure so stark it makes you wonder if he has been Tatler-style , high-level trolling us .
This week , Blaine attached himself to 52 helium-filled balloons and floated 24,000ft over the Arizona desert , before parachuting back to Earth , where , disappointingly , he nailed a perfect landing .
It was a fun stunt , riffing on the Pixar movie Up , but nothing compared with the time in 2003 when he suspended himself in a clear plastic box above the Thames , where he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24-hour crowds .
It seems magic now , the delivery , to early 2000s Britain , of one of our nation ’ s finest and most unified hours .
I made a lot of bargains with myself in August .
On holiday in Massachusetts , I got an earful of lake water and before the doctor syringed it out , promised myself if I regained full hearing , I ’ d never complain about anything again .
A few days later , I threw my back out , went to the ER in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if the pain ever stopped , I would never complain about anything again .
Now I ’ m back in New York .
God , it sucks wearing a mask outside all the time .
Why is it so hot , God the weather sucks .
And why , when everyone is supposed to have fled to New Jersey , is the playground so crowded ?
The school situation , obviously , sucks , thanks to the mayor , Bill de Blasio , who stated in a press release this week “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public school student in New York City ” , which would be true if , prior to March , there had been no public school system in existence .
Anyway , it turns out I ’ m not done complaining , although after a rough summer , at least I know what I can and can ’ t tolerate .
“ I believe in Jesus Christ , ” said one of my five-year-olds this morning , which I think means she wandered by mistake into Christian TikTok .
“ That ’ s nice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is God still alive ?
” she says .
“ Some people think so.
” “ But is he ?
” “ Well , I guess so , if you choose to believe in him.
” “ I do believe in him , but my sister doesn ’ t. ” “ Okey dokey !
” No , I can ’ t do it ; we ’ re sticking with public school .

Monday
The end of the summer is in sight, and with it come thoughts on America’s turn towards fascism. “Fascism” is an over-used word, with a ring of the playground to it, but with the presidential election less than two months away and Trump defending violence from ersatz white militias, it doesn’t, for once, seem misplaced. Until now, there has been a broad assumption that the president is too lazy and stupid to seriously threaten American democracy, but this might underestimate what he’ll do when he’s desperate. Like the squirrel you trap in a corner of your attic, Trump is liable to chew through anything – including you – to get out.
All of which has contributed, this week, to another round of oh-god-he’s-going-to-win jitters. Most polls in the US put Biden narrowly ahead, but so it was with Hillary Clinton in the final stages of the last campaign and the Trump machine is much bigger this time. In ordinary years, September might bring a renewed sense of purpose and order, but as we head into the Labor Day bank holiday weekend this year, most of the US is still under at least partial lockdown. Back-to-school optimism is hard to pull off when nobody’s going back to school.
On the other hand, it is in Trump’s political interests to fuel panic and the sense of a country on the brink – not of the real dystopia we face, in which private interests gut public life for personal gain, but the phony threat posted by “antifa”, Black Lives Matter and what Trump calls the domestic terrorism of those protesting against him. Straight from the authoritarianism play book, he is stoking instability and civil unrest, then presenting himself as the only candidate who can bring the country to order. It doesn’t matter that it’s a fiction. To his supporters, Trump’s job as president is neither a question of policies or governance, but of expressing their emotions – anger, fear, insecurity, resentment. It is a paradox of this kind of approach that the greater the scope of Trump’s failure, the more broken the country and, potentially, the greater his popularity becomes.
Tuesday
I’m reading Edith Wharton and thinking a lot about etiquette, so was delighted to turn to Tatler this week for advice on how to comport myself in the Covid age. The latest issue features what it calls the new rules of social engagement, one of those lists that, one suspects, was written with half an eye on trolling people who find Tatler unacceptable at the conceptual level. (In the au courant column are “live-in staff” and – what fun! – “tinned foods”, while weddings abroad and “hot tubs on skiing holidays” are out.)
‘Another six months and we can put out the perfume.’ Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters
More interesting to me is the placement of “homemade masks in floral fabric” on the not-cool list. Apart from the masks I ordered with the name of my kids’ public school across the front – a smart fundraising initiative – we’re still on disposable blue masks in my household, along with the original pack of KN95s I bought back in March (and which I’m reusing, contrary to guidelines). On vacation last month, we all got quite sloppy and used whatever masks were lying around in the car to run in and out of the grocery store. But now, with a new season under way and “fashion masks” popping up everywhere, I wonder if it’s time to branch out.
The prime real estate on one’s face below the eyes is a strange space to think about filling. In my neighbourhood, there are a lot of political masks, mainly featuring Black Lives Matter or the looser slogan We’re in This Together, and the pale blue hospital masks prevalent in winter and spring, are increasingly giving way to floral and other designs. Is it obscene to apply fashion criteria to a lifesaving apparatus, even if it’s in the middle of your face? Or a way of normalising a horrible situation? Is it like designer glasses, or sponsorship on an oxygen mask? Much as I hate to agree with Tatler, if it’s OK to accessorise masks, the only style decision to be properly made in New York is to bin the Laura Ashley florals and, in line with the rest of our wardrobes, go with plain black.
Wednesday
The school start date in New York has been pushed back to late September, and in despair, I put in a call to the local Catholic school. Subsidised by the archdiocese of New York, it is a private elementary with fees that are approximately a fifth of the New York private school average, and is promising a return for most of the week.
The lady on the phone is very nice, much nicer than the expectation raised by the phrase, prominent on the school website, of the school’s “Christ-centred education”, which has me half thinking how lovely it would be to see my kids in a nativity play, and half thinking about the movie Spotlight.
“I’m not a Catholic,” I say, primly. “Is that going to be a problem?”
“No, of course not,” she says.
“I mean, I’m not … ”, I clear my throat awkwardly, “… even a believer.” She laughs. “Not a problem!”
Of course; bums on seats has always been the Christian mission. What I don’t say, because the idea sounds frankly insane in Manhattan in 2020, is that I’m a single gay parent and if my kids go to your school, are you going to teach them we’re all going to hell? It has to be done, however, and I put a note in my diary to call back later in the week and bring up the subject of my abominable lifestyle.
Thursday
At last, something to feel truly, unambiguously joyous about. This headline in the Mail Online: “Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It’s David Blaine!” David Blaine! Where have you been all these years? The best thing about David Blaine is, of course, the absence of the tiniest shred of a sense of humour, a failure so stark it makes you wonder if he has been Tatler-style, high-level trolling us.
‘Been training for it my whole life. You just stand on one leg and ... change position.’ Photograph: Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street
This week, Blaine attached himself to 52 helium-filled balloons and floated 24,000ft over the Arizona desert, before parachuting back to Earth, where, disappointingly, he nailed a perfect landing. It was a fun stunt, riffing on the Pixar movie Up, but nothing compared with the time in 2003 when he suspended himself in a clear plastic box above the Thames, where he was pelted with food, and heckled by 24-hour crowds. It seems magic now, the delivery, to early 2000s Britain, of one of our nation’s finest and most unified hours.
Friday
I made a lot of bargains with myself in August. On holiday in Massachusetts, I got an earful of lake water and before the doctor syringed it out, promised myself if I regained full hearing, I’d never complain about anything again. A few days later, I threw my back out, went to the ER in an ambulance, and swore to myself that if the pain ever stopped, I would never complain about anything again.
Now I’m back in New York. God, it sucks wearing a mask outside all the time. Why is it so hot, God the weather sucks. And why, when everyone is supposed to have fled to New Jersey, is the playground so crowded? The school situation, obviously, sucks, thanks to the mayor, Bill de Blasio, who stated in a press release this week “it is a great day for every public school student in New York City”, which would be true if, prior to March, there had been no public school system in existence.
Anyway, it turns out I’m not done complaining, although after a rough summer, at least I know what I can and can’t tolerate. “I believe in Jesus Christ,” said one of my five-year-olds this morning, which I think means she wandered by mistake into Christian TikTok. “That’s nice,” I say neutrally.
“Is God still alive?” she says. “Some people think so.” “But is he?” “Well, I guess so, if you choose to believe in him.”
“I do believe in him, but my sister doesn’t.”
“Okey dokey!” No, I can’t do it; we’re sticking with public school.


theguardian--2020-09-04--I'm a freelance writer. A Russian media operation targeted and used me

On 8 July , I was contacted via direct message on Twitter by a man who introduced himself as an associate editor for PeaceData .
@ Alex_Lacusta described his organization as a “ young , progressive global news outlet that was seeking young and aspiring writers ” and was looking to grow its presence on social media .
Would I want to write a weekly column and be paid $ 200 to $ 250 per piece ?
My interest was piqued .
I had lost my part-time job in the food industry amid the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income and an outlet to build my portfolio .
The opportunity to write a column could be the break I was hoping for .
Yes , I thought it was odd that an international media group would be reaching out to me since I had limited national exposure in the media .
However , one of my pieces for the non-profit news organization Truthout on the Trump administration ’ s response to Covid-19 had gained traction on social media .
I assumed this was how I was discovered .
In his initial email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate to between $ 80 and $ 150 per piece , but he argued I ’ d be able to write columns about topics I was interested in as long as the pieces were focused on “ anti-war , anti-corruption , abuse of power , or human rights violations ” .
Given my prior work , I was comfortable with these issues , and I wrote on similar issues for reputable outlets .
Before accepting , though , I read the articles that had been published on the site and researched a couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a glance , the articles seemed up my alley .
They were critical of US foreign policy and the Trump administration .
Other contributors appeared to have verified Twitter accounts with tens of thousands of followers .
That PeaceData had writers with verified Twitter accounts appeared to legitimize the operation .
I ’ d end up writing three articles for PeaceData , and there were some oddities in the process .
On 22 July , I noticed Alex ’ s Twitter account and the account of another PeaceData editor , Albert Popescu , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently created .
At the time I recall thinking this was bizarre , yet chalked it up to coincidence and the fact this was a new “ publication ” .
In my email correspondence with editors , words that should have been singular were plural or a preposition would be occasionally omitted .
The errors weren ’ t widespread , and it wasn ’ t the first time an editor had sent me a note with typos .
And unlike other writers for PeaceData , I didn ’ t experience suspicious editorial suggestions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for my stories seemed reasonable .
One occurrence did shake me , though , and led me to distance myself from PeaceData .
By this time I had been paid by two separate PayPal accounts – about $ 100 per article .
I was told my first article was republished by GlobalResearch , a site I was unfamiliar with .
About a week later – between the launch of my second article and my final submission – I was torturing myself by reading incoherent QAnon conspiracy theory posts on Twitter and noticed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On the GlobalResearch home page , I found several conspiratorial articles promoting hydroxychloroquine as a Covid-19 treatment , as well as 9/11 truther articles and pro-Vladimir Putin content .
I started looking into other articles posted by PeaceData and noticed one defending Belarus ’ s dictator , Alexander Lukashenko .
It was disturbing and didn ’ t align with my values .
I realized that the opportunity with PeaceData was too good to be true and decided not to write for them any longer .
On 25 August , the day my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I learned that Twitter had suspended the editors and the main account .
It made me start connecting the dots .
But I hoped for the best – that they were just sloppy or disorganized .
One week later , I received another DM on Twitter , this time from a reporter telling me that PeaceData was potentially part of a Russian disinformation campaign .
According to Facebook , US law enforcement had provided a tip that PeaceData was connected to “ individuals associated with past activity by the Russian Internet Research Agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a post on its website , PeaceData says Facebook “ baselessly ” accused it of working with Russia . )
I was shocked and confused , but as soon as I read about it and talked to reporters , the red flags and weird occurrences began to add up .
I had been completely unaware of PeaceData ’ s links to the IRA and Russian oligarchs .
I wish this had never happened and I ’ m not proud to be associated with it .
I ’ ve lost sleep because of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and frankly angry at myself for letting the potential for a break get the best of my judgment .
It isn ’ t flattering being linked to an authoritarian regime ’ s media operation .
It ’ s even quite ironic for a progressive anti-authoritarian committed to transparency who has argued that Trump and Putin are cut from the same reactionary cloth .
This has been a defining event that I do not intend to repeat .
It ’ s given me an up-close understanding of how easy it is in journalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , making them unwitting agents for nefarious or unclear interests .
My initial advice to media consumers is to always be on guard when interacting with content and users on social media .
I would have never guessed I would be caught up in a dubious media campaign .
And as I process this , I can ’ t help but think that it ’ s important to recognize that in this competitive , politically charged and consolidated political and media environment , this probably won ’ t be the last time something @ @ @ @ @

On 8 July, I was contacted via direct message on Twitter by a man who introduced himself as an associate editor for PeaceData. @Alex_Lacusta described his organization as a “young, progressive global news outlet that was seeking young and aspiring writers” and was looking to grow its presence on social media. Would I want to write a weekly column and be paid $200 to $250 per piece?
My interest was piqued. I had lost my part-time job in the food industry amid the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, and I was in need of income and an outlet to build my portfolio. The opportunity to write a column could be the break I was hoping for.
Yes, I thought it was odd that an international media group would be reaching out to me since I had limited national exposure in the media. However, one of my pieces for the non-profit news organization Truthout on the Trump administration’s response to Covid-19 had gained traction on social media. I assumed this was how I was discovered.
In his initial email introduction, “Alex” reduced the rate to between $80 and $150 per piece, but he argued I’d be able to write columns about topics I was interested in as long as the pieces were focused on “anti-war, anti-corruption, abuse of power, or human rights violations”. Given my prior work, I was comfortable with these issues, and I wrote on similar issues for reputable outlets.
Before accepting, though, I read the articles that had been published on the site and researched a couple of their editors and writers. At a glance, the articles seemed up my alley. They were critical of US foreign policy and the Trump administration. Other contributors appeared to have verified Twitter accounts with tens of thousands of followers. That PeaceData had writers with verified Twitter accounts appeared to legitimize the operation.
I’d end up writing three articles for PeaceData, and there were some oddities in the process.
On 22 July, I noticed Alex’s Twitter account and the account of another PeaceData editor, Albert Popescu, had strikingly similar profile pictures and were recently created. At the time I recall thinking this was bizarre, yet chalked it up to coincidence and the fact this was a new “publication”. In my email correspondence with editors, words that should have been singular were plural or a preposition would be occasionally omitted. The errors weren’t widespread, and it wasn’t the first time an editor had sent me a note with typos. And unlike other writers for PeaceData, I didn’t experience suspicious editorial suggestions and the editors’ thoughts on angles for my stories seemed reasonable.
PeaceData’s website. Photograph: Screenshot
One occurrence did shake me, though, and led me to distance myself from PeaceData. By this time I had been paid by two separate PayPal accounts – about $100 per article. I was told my first article was republished by GlobalResearch, a site I was unfamiliar with. About a week later – between the launch of my second article and my final submission – I was torturing myself by reading incoherent QAnon conspiracy theory posts on Twitter and noticed that QAnon-related accounts were sharing links from GlobalResearch.
On the GlobalResearch home page, I found several conspiratorial articles promoting hydroxychloroquine as a Covid-19 treatment, as well as 9/11 truther articles and pro-Vladimir Putin content.
I started looking into other articles posted by PeaceData and noticed one defending Belarus’s dictator, Alexander Lukashenko. It was disturbing and didn’t align with my values. I realized that the opportunity with PeaceData was too good to be true and decided not to write for them any longer.
I have been confused, embarrassed, and frankly angry at myself for letting the potential for a break get the best of my judgment
On 25 August, the day my final piece for PeaceData was posted, I learned that Twitter had suspended the editors and the main account. It made me start connecting the dots. But I hoped for the best – that they were just sloppy or disorganized.
One week later, I received another DM on Twitter, this time from a reporter telling me that PeaceData was potentially part of a Russian disinformation campaign. According to Facebook, US law enforcement had provided a tip that PeaceData was connected to “individuals associated with past activity by the Russian Internet Research Agency (IRA)”. (In a post on its website, PeaceData says Facebook “baselessly” accused it of working with Russia.)
I was shocked and confused, but as soon as I read about it and talked to reporters, the red flags and weird occurrences began to add up. I had been completely unaware of PeaceData’s links to the IRA and Russian oligarchs. I wish this had never happened and I’m not proud to be associated with it. I’ve lost sleep because of it. I have been confused, embarrassed, and frankly angry at myself for letting the potential for a break get the best of my judgment. It isn’t flattering being linked to an authoritarian regime’s media operation. It’s even quite ironic for a progressive anti-authoritarian committed to transparency who has argued that Trump and Putin are cut from the same reactionary cloth.
This has been a defining event that I do not intend to repeat. It’s given me an up-close understanding of how easy it is in journalism today for entities to exploit underpaid workers, making them unwitting agents for nefarious or unclear interests. My initial advice to media consumers is to always be on guard when interacting with content and users on social media. I would have never guessed I would be caught up in a dubious media campaign. And as I process this, I can’t help but think that it’s important to recognize that in this competitive, politically charged and consolidated political and media environment, this probably won’t be the last time something like this will happen.


theguardian--2020-09-04--Voter suppression: how Trump is undermining the US election – video explainer

Americans are increasingly encountering barriers to exercising their most fundamental of democratic rights during this 2020 presidential election – the @ @ @ @ @ Guardian 's Sam Levine looks at how voter suppression has been unfolding across the US @ @ @ @ @ used in attempts to block votes , and how president Donald Trump is trying delegitimize @ @ @ @ @ US states make it hardest to vote ?
• Is America a democracy ?
If @ @ @ @ @ deny millions the vote ?

Sam Levine Nikhita Chulani Monika Cvorak Katie Lamborn

Americans are increasingly encountering barriers to exercising their most fundamental of democratic rights during this 2020 presidential election – the right to vote.
The Guardian's Sam Levine looks at how voter suppression has been unfolding across the US, four key tactics being used in attempts to block votes, and how president Donald Trump is trying delegitimize November's election


theguardian--2020-09-04--Trump attacks Nancy Pelosi over 'Salongate' – video

US president Donald Trump slammed House speaker Nancy Pelosi after the Democrat was filmed at an indoor hair salon with @ @ @ @ @ neck .
Trump , a longtime critic of Pelosi , pounced on the opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I 'll tell you what , she must have treated that beauty salon @ @ @ @ @ uses the salon and the salon turned her in ? ''
he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ that if she was set up , then she should n't be leading the House @ @ @ @ @ the salon owner to lead the House of Representatives . ''

US president Donald Trump slammed House speaker Nancy Pelosi after the Democrat was filmed at an indoor hair salon with her face covering around her neck. Trump, a longtime critic of Pelosi, pounced on the opportunity to attack her over the incident. "I'll tell you what, she must have treated that beauty salon owner pretty badly. She uses the salon and the salon turned her in?" he said. "So I just put out that if she was set up, then she shouldn't be leading the House of Representatives. I want the salon owner to lead the House of Representatives."


theguardian--2020-09-05--Trump denounced over reported war dead comments: 'He doesn't understand bravery' – as it happened

Trump thanks news media for footage he said is used to make arrests While touting the number of arrests of “ rioters , looters and domestic terrorists ” made after nationwide protests and unrest over police violence towards black Americans , Trump thanked the news media for providing footage of people that is used to charge them with crimes .
“ We get that from the media free of charge , ” the president said .
“ We ’ re working with the state and local authorities to comb through hours of videotape identifying arrest suspects and prosecute lawbreakers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in jail , ” Trump said .
“ I want to thank the media for helping us out , because they ’ re taking different angles .
We have it from every angle ... we see it from the sky and the ground and from the right and from the left , so when they say they didn ’ t do it , we say , ‘ What ’ s this ?
’ ” Activists have long highlighted the risk of photos and videos documenting protests being used by state authorities to file @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraged people documenting protests not to share images of protesters ’ faces .
In recent years , some protesters have also confronted news media covering demonstrations over concerns about having their participation documented .

Lois Beckett (now) and Lauren Gambino in Washington (earlier)

5 Sept 2020 01.22 BST Evening summary We’re wrapping up our live politics coverage for tonight. Please stay safe this holiday weekend. An updated summary of key news events today: Current and former members of the military, Democrats and Biden assailed Trump over a report that he had made disparaging remarks about soldiers who had been killed or captured. Trump has denied the report.
The US economy added 1.4 million jobs in August, but that the pace of growth was slower than earlier this year and joblessness remains high.
Both Trump and Biden seized on the new jobs report to make starkly different campaign arguments. Trump pointed to the unemployment figures, which dropped below 10% this month, as a success. Biden, in a speech in Wilmington, accused Trump of deepening the economic crises by failing to control the coronavirus pandemic that has left millions of Americans out of work.
Facebook removed an image posted by Republican congressional candidate and avowed Qanon supporter Marjorie Greene, which showed her brandishing a firearm next to photos of progressive Democratic lawmakers.
Facebook also removed the page for Patriot Prayer, the far-right group linked to years of violent protests in Portland, as part of its crackdown on “violent social militias”. On Saturday, Aaron “Jay” Danielson, a man wearing the insignia of Patriot Prayer, was shot dead in Portland.
The Justice Department also announced criminal charges against two “Boogaloo Bois,” one of whom had been profiled by CNN at a protest in Minneapolis in early June.
Updated at 01.45 BST
5 Sept 2020 01.15 BST Report: White supremacists most serious US terror threat A yet-to-be-released report from the Department of Homeland Security names white supremacists as the deadliest terror threat in the United States, and a greater threat than foreign terror groups, Politico reports. Three different drafts of the same report were reviewed by Politico, and none of the drafts referred to a threat from Antifa,” the anti-fascist activists who senior Trump administration officials have described as major domestic terrorists. DHS declined to comment on “allegedly leaked documents,” Politico reported. White supremacists present the gravest terror threat to the United States, according to a draft report from the Department of Homeland Security https://t.co/t0Z6GSHbaN — POLITICO (@politico) September 4, 2020
4 Sept 2020 23.53 BST Facebook removes Patriot Prayer page as part of takedown of 'violent social militias' My colleague Jason Wilson has documented Patriot Prayer’s years of involvement in violence at protests in Portland. The far-right group’s leader, Joey Gibson, was charged with rioting, a felony, in 2019. On Saturday, a man wearing the insignia of Patriot Prayer was shot dead in Portland.
Now, Facebook has removed the Patriot Prayer page, the New York Times reports. Gibson’s page has also been removed, Reuters reports. Once again, Facebook’s action to take down a group with many previous documented links to violent behavior comes after someone has already been killed. New: Facebook has removed the pages of right-wing group Patriot Prayer. FB spox tells me, “They were removed as part of our ongoing efforts to remove Violent Social Militias from our platform.” — Davey Alba (@daveyalba) September 4, 2020
Updated at 00.06 BST
4 Sept 2020 23.40 BST Trump insults John Kelly in response to questions about him disparaging war dead Asked during the press conference about the multiple reports that he made disparaging remarks about members of the military and the war dead, Trump said the anonymous officials who spoke to media outlets about his remarks “could have been a guy like John Kelly”, a retired US Marine Corps general and his former White House chief of staff, who left the White House in 2018 and has since publicly criticized the president. Trump then personally attacked Kelly, saying that “he got eaten alive” and “he was unable to handle the pressure of this job”.
Updated at 00.10 BST
4 Sept 2020 23.03 BST Trump thanks news media for footage he said is used to make arrests While touting the number of arrests of “rioters, looters and domestic terrorists” made after nationwide protests and unrest over police violence towards black Americans, Trump thanked the news media for providing footage of people that is used to charge them with crimes. “We get that from the media free of charge,” the president said. “We’re working with the state and local authorities to comb through hours of videotape identifying arrest suspects and prosecute lawbreakers. We’ve already got over 300 in jail,” Trump said. “I want to thank the media for helping us out, because they’re taking different angles. We have it from every angle ... we see it from the sky and the ground and from the right and from the left, so when they say they didn’t do it, we say, ‘What’s this?’” Activists have long highlighted the risk of photos and videos documenting protests being used by state authorities to file criminal charges against protesters, and have encouraged people documenting protests not to share images of protesters’ faces. In recent years, some protesters have also confronted news media covering demonstrations over concerns about having their participation documented.
Updated at 00.11 BST
4 Sept 2020 22.40 BST ‘Another campaign speech as a White House “news conference”’ A journalist known for his real-time fact-checking of the president’s statements has a succinct summary of the press conference Trump is doing right now. The president is doing another campaign speech as a White House “news conference,” saying the things he says. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 4, 2020
Updated at 00.11 BST
4 Sept 2020 22.32 BST Justice Department announces charges against two ‘Boogaloo Bois’ This is Lois Beckett, taking over our live politics coverage for this evening. The justice department said it had charged two self-described “Boogaloo Bois” with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, Hamas. At least one of the men charged, 22-year-old Benjamin Ryan Teeter, had been profiled by CNN during protests in Minneapolis in early June. Back in June, CNN appears to have spoken to Benjamin Ryan Teeter, one of two "boogaloo" adherents charged today with attempting to provide support to Hamas.
He's pictured here in the center with bleached blond hair. https://t.co/GrVBRbEnua pic.twitter.com/KbYWJz0hLc — Nick Martin (@nickmartin) September 4, 2020 A confidential informant posing as a member of Hamas recorded conversations with Teeter and Michael Robert Solomon, 30, leading to criminal charges against them, the justice department said: Solomon and Teeter also expressed their desire to employ themselves as “mercenaries” for Hamas as a means to generate cash for the Boogaloo Bois/Boojahideen movement, including funding for recruitment and purchasing land for a training compound. According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, Solomon and Teeter shared with the CHS, and another individual whom they believed to be a more senior member of Hamas (and who was actually an undercover employee of the FBI), their ideas about destroying government monuments, raiding the headquarters of a white supremacist organization in North Carolina, and targeting politicians and members of the media.
Updated at 00.12 BST
4 Sept 2020 21.40 BST Jennifer Griffin, a national security correspondent for Fox News, said she has confirmed reporting by The Atlantic with two former senior Trump administration officials. One former official told her: “When the President spoke about the Vietnam War, he said, ‘It was a stupid war. Anyone who went was a sucker.’” More from her thread: This former official heard the President say about American veterans: "What's in it for them? They don't make any money." Source: "It was a character flaw of the President. He could not understand why someone would die for their country, not worth it." — Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020 Regarding McCain, "The President just hated John McCain. He always asked, 'Why do you see him as a hero?" Two sources confirmed the President did not want flags lowered but others in the White House ordered them at half mast. There was a stand off and then the President relented. — Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
4 Sept 2020 21.32 BST Afternoon summary Current and former member of the military, Democrats and Biden assailed Trump over a report that he had made disparaging remarks about soldiers who had been killed or captures. Trump has denied the report.
The US economy added 1.4 million jobs in August, but that the pace of growth was slower than earlier this year and joblessness remains high.
Both Trump and Biden seized on the new jobs report to make starkly different campaign arguments. Trump pointed to the unemployment figures, which dropped below 10% this month, as a success. Biden, in a speech in Wilmington, accused Trump of deepening the economic crises by failing to control the coronavirus pandemic that has left millions of Americans out of work.
Facebook removed an image posted by Republican congressional candidate and avowed Qanon supporter Marjorie Greene, which showed her brandishing a firearm next to photos of progressive Democratic lawmakers.
Updated at 21.34 BST
4 Sept 2020 21.00 BST Reaction to the Atlantic story continue to pour in as Trump and the White House continue to vehemently deny the report. Former Vermont governor Howard Dean was blunt. My brother was captured in Laos in September of 1974 and executed by the North Vietnamese on December 14, 1974. Fuck you, Donald Trump. — Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) September 4, 2020


theguardian--2020-09-04--'He is a coward': Trump condemned for reportedly calling US war dead ‘suckers’

Current and former members of the military , elected officials and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden reacted with outrage and sadness on Friday , as ex-Trump administration officials confirmed key details of a bombshell report in which the US president referred to fallen soldiers as “ suckers ” and “ losers ” .
The Atlantic magazine published a story on Thursday in which four sources close to Donald Trump said he cancelled a visit to pay respects at an American military cemetery outside Paris in 2018 because he thought the dead soldiers were “ losers ” and “ suckers ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mess up his hair .
Elizabeth Neumann , a former assistant secretary of counter-terrorism in the Department of Homeland Security , and Miles Taylor , a former chief of staff in that department , said the account was true , asserting that Trump ’ s low opinion of soldiers killed and wounded in combat was well known inside the administration .
The White House moved to deny the report unusually quickly and forcefully .
Trump himself dismissed it as a politically motivated “ hoax ” and claimed 11 current and former officials supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feels more strongly about our soldiers , our wounded warriors , our soldiers that died in war than I do , ” he told reporters at the White House on Friday .
“ It ’ s a hoax .
Just like the fake dossier was a hoax , just like the Russia , Russia , Russia was a hoax .
It was a total hoax : no collusion .
Just like so many other things , it ’ s a hoax .
And you ’ ll hear more of these things , totally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closer to election.
” Asked why John Kelly , a retired marine corps general and Trump ’ s former chief of staff , was not among those defending him , the president added : “ He was with me , didn ’ t do a good job , had no temperament and ultimately he was petered out , he was exhausted .
This man was totally exhausted .
He wasn ’ t even able to function in the last number of months .
He was not able to function.
” The Atlantic ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could have been a guy like a John Kelly ” .
Trump tweeted that he would not defund the Stars and Stripes newspaper , which serves US servicemen and women worldwide , after a Pentagon memo ordering its closure was reported by USA Today , causing huge controversy .
The US secretary of state , Mike Pompeo , also defended Trump , but the denials were met with widespread skepticism because of his past remarks about military veterans .
And in an unusual intervention , the first lady , Melania Trump , also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story “ was not true ” .
“ It has become a very dangerous time when anonymous sources are believed above all else , & no one knows their motivation , ” she wrote .
A visibly angry Biden called the alleged comments “ disgusting ” and said Trump was “ not fit to be commander-in-chief ” .
“ When my son volunteered and joined the United States military – and went to Iraq for a year , won the Bronze Star and other commendations , he was not a sucker , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in remarks in Wilmington , Delaware .
His son Beau , who died of brain cancer in 2015 , deployed to Iraq in 2008 .
“ If these statements are true , the president should humbly apologize to every Gold Star mother and father and every Blue Star family , ” Biden said .
“ Who the heck does he think he is ?
“ I ’ m always cautioned not to lose my temper , ” Biden said .
“ This may be as close as I come in this campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ how deeply the president and I disagree on the role of the president of the United States of America.
” On a press call hosted by Biden ’ s campaign , the Democratic Illinois senator Tammy Duckworth , who lost both her legs in combat in Iraq , accused Trump of attempting to “ politicize and pervert our military to stroke his own ego ” .
“ This is a man who spends every day redefining the concept of narcissism ; a man who ’ s led a life of privilege , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platter , ” she said .
“ Of course , he thinks about war selfishly .
He thinks of it as a transactional cost , instead of in human lives and American blood spilled , because that ’ s how he ’ s viewed his whole life .
He doesn ’ t understand other people ’ s bravery and courage , because he ’ s never had any of his own .
“ I take my wheelchair , and my titanium legs over Donald Trump ’ s supposed bone spurs any day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason Trump received draft deferments during the Vietnam war .
The call also included the congressman Conor Lamb , a marine veteran , and Khizr Khan , a Gold Star father whose son was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2004 and who was himself famously attacked by Trump during the 2016 campaign .
Khan said Trump was “ incapable – let me repeat it again – he is incapable of understanding service , valor and courage ” .
“ His soul can not conceive of integrity and honor .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In an interview with the conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt , Mike Pompeo defended the president ’ s support of the military .
“ I ’ ve never heard that , ” the secretary of state said of Trump allegedly calling the war dead “ suckers ” .
“ Indeed , just the opposite .
I ’ ve been around him in lots of settings where there were both active-duty military , guardsmen , reservists , veterans .
This is a man who had the deepest respect for their service , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that way .
He enjoys those times .
He values those people.
” The Biden campaign released a video quoting the president , based on the Atlantic story and later corroborating reports by the Washington Post and the Associated Press .
Other media outlets , Fox News among them , also corroborated the Atlantic story .
With the tagline “ If you don ’ t respect our troops , you can not lead them , ” the Biden campaign video displayed the alleged Trump quotes over images of military cemeteries .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked about his past mockery of the late senator John McCain , who served in the military and was a prisoner of war in Vietnam .
“ I say what I say , ” he told reporters .
“ I disagreed with John McCain on a lot of things .
That doesn ’ t mean I don ’ t respect him .
I respected him but I really disagreed with him on a lot of things and I think I was right .
I think time has proven me right to a large @ @ @

Tom McCarthy in New York and Lauren Gambino and David Smith in Washington

Current and former members of the military, elected officials and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden reacted with outrage and sadness on Friday, as ex-Trump administration officials confirmed key details of a bombshell report in which the US president referred to fallen soldiers as “suckers” and “losers”.
The Atlantic magazine published a story on Thursday in which four sources close to Donald Trump said he cancelled a visit to pay respects at an American military cemetery outside Paris in 2018 because he thought the dead soldiers were “losers” and “suckers” and did not want the rain to mess up his hair.
Elizabeth Neumann, a former assistant secretary of counter-terrorism in the Department of Homeland Security, and Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff in that department, said the account was true, asserting that Trump’s low opinion of soldiers killed and wounded in combat was well known inside the administration.
The White House moved to deny the report unusually quickly and forcefully. Trump himself dismissed it as a politically motivated “hoax” and claimed 11 current and former officials supported his account.
“There is nobody feels more strongly about our soldiers, our wounded warriors, our soldiers that died in war than I do,” he told reporters at the White House on Friday. “It’s a hoax. Just like the fake dossier was a hoax, just like the Russia, Russia, Russia was a hoax. It was a total hoax: no collusion. Just like so many other things, it’s a hoax. And you’ll hear more of these things, totally unrelated, as we get closer and closer to election.”
Asked why John Kelly, a retired marine corps general and Trump’s former chief of staff, was not among those defending him, the president added: “He was with me, didn’t do a good job, had no temperament and ultimately he was petered out, he was exhausted. This man was totally exhausted. He wasn’t even able to function in the last number of months. He was not able to function.”
The Atlantic’s source, he speculated, “could have been a guy like a John Kelly”.
Trump tweeted that he would not defund the Stars and Stripes newspaper, which serves US servicemen and women worldwide, after a Pentagon memo ordering its closure was reported by USA Today, causing huge controversy.
When my son volunteered and joined the United States military and went to Iraq for a year … he was not a sucker Joe Biden
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, also defended Trump, but the denials were met with widespread skepticism because of his past remarks about military veterans.
And in an unusual intervention, the first lady, Melania Trump, also weighed in, tweeting that the Atlantic story “was not true”.
“It has become a very dangerous time when anonymous sources are believed above all else, & no one knows their motivation,” she wrote.
A visibly angry Biden called the alleged comments “disgusting” and said Trump was “not fit to be commander-in-chief”.
“When my son volunteered and joined the United States military – and went to Iraq for a year, won the Bronze Star and other commendations, he was not a sucker,” Biden said, his voice rising, in remarks in Wilmington, Delaware.
His son Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015, deployed to Iraq in 2008.
“If these statements are true, the president should humbly apologize to every Gold Star mother and father and every Blue Star family,” Biden said. “Who the heck does he think he is?
“I’m always cautioned not to lose my temper,” Biden said. “This may be as close as I come in this campaign. It’s just a marker of how deeply the president and I disagree on the role of the president of the United States of America.”
03:06 'My son wasn't a sucker': Joe Biden reacts to report that Trump denigrated soldiers – video
Veteran Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who saved the lives of 155 people in 2009 when he guided his stricken plane onto the Hudson river, said: “For the first time in American history, a president has repeatedly shown utter and vulgar contempt and disrespect for those who have served and died serving our country.”
“While I am not surprised, I am disgusted by the current occupant of the Oval Office. He has repeatedly and consistently shown himself to be completely unfit for and to have no respect for the office he holds.”
On a press call hosted by Biden’s campaign, the Democratic Illinois senator Tammy Duckworth, who lost both her legs in combat in Iraq, accused Trump of attempting to “politicize and pervert our military to stroke his own ego”.
“This is a man who spends every day redefining the concept of narcissism; a man who’s led a life of privilege, with everything handed to him on a silver platter,” she said.
“Of course, he thinks about war selfishly. He thinks of it as a transactional cost, instead of in human lives and American blood spilled, because that’s how he’s viewed his whole life. He doesn’t understand other people’s bravery and courage, because he’s never had any of his own.
“I take my wheelchair, and my titanium legs over Donald Trump’s supposed bone spurs any day,” she added, referring to one reason Trump received draft deferments during the Vietnam war.
The call also included the congressman Conor Lamb, a marine veteran, and Khizr Khan, a Gold Star father whose son was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2004 and who was himself famously attacked by Trump during the 2016 campaign.
Khan said Trump was “incapable – let me repeat it again – he is incapable of understanding service, valor and courage”.
“His soul cannot conceive of integrity and honor. His soul is that of a coward.”
In an interview with the conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Mike Pompeo defended the president’s support of the military.
“I’ve never heard that,” the secretary of state said of Trump allegedly calling the war dead “suckers”.
“Indeed, just the opposite. I’ve been around him in lots of settings where there were both active-duty military, guardsmen, reservists, veterans. This is a man who had the deepest respect for their service, and he always, he always interacted with them in that way. He enjoys those times. He values those people.”
Mr. President, if you don’t respect our troops, you can’t lead them. pic.twitter.com/hcX9hGgdm5 — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 4, 2020
The Biden campaign released a video quoting the president, based on the Atlantic story and later corroborating reports by the Washington Post and the Associated Press. Other media outlets, Fox News among them, also corroborated the Atlantic story.
With the tagline “If you don’t respect our troops, you cannot lead them,” the Biden campaign video displayed the alleged Trump quotes over images of military cemeteries.
At Friday’s briefing, Trump was asked about his past mockery of the late senator John McCain, who served in the military and was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. “I say what I say,” he told reporters. “I disagreed with John McCain on a lot of things. That doesn’t mean I don’t respect him. I respected him but I really disagreed with him on a lot of things and I think I was right. I think time has proven me right to a large extent.”


theguardian--2020-09-04--US security adviser claims China has taken ‘most active role’ in election meddling

China has taken the most active role among countries seeking to interfere in the US election and has the biggest program to influence domestic politics , the US national security adviser , Robert O ’ Brien , said on Friday , without providing any details .
“ We know the Chinese have taken the most active role , ” O ’ Brien told reporters at a briefing .
He said China had “ the most massive program to influence the United States politically ” followed by Iran and then Russia .
US intelligence found that Russia orchestrated a cyber campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump ’ s favor and there have been reports hackers may try to influence the election on 3 November .
Trump has long rejected that conclusion , and instead portrayed himself as a victim of election meddling – from Beijing .
“ We ’ ve made it very clear to the Chinese , to the Russians , to the Iranians and others that haven ’ t been publicly disclosed that anyone … that attempts to interfere with the American elections will face extraordinary consequences , ” O ’ Brien said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on Wednesday he believed China was more of a threat than Russia when it came to election interference , also without offering details .
In August , O ’ Brien said the United States had seen Chinese hackers targeting US election infrastructure .
China has consistently denied US government charges that it hacks US companies , politicians or government agencies .
Asked to comment on O ’ Brien ’ s latest remarks , its embassy referred to a foreign ministry statement last month that China has no interest in interfering in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touted his friendly ties with the Chinese president , Xi Jinping , as he sought to make good on trade deal promises , has made getting tough on China a key part of his campaign for re-election in November and blames China over the coronavirus pandemic .
In a speech to the Republican national convention last month , Trump said that Beijing supports his Democratic opponent Joe Biden and “ desperately ” wants him to win the election .
Asked to provide specific details of Chinese election interference , O ’ Brien said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go into all the intelligence , but the massive activities of the Chinese and cyber realm , it ’ s really an extraordinary thing that we ’ re facing.
” He called the scope of Chinese activity “ relentless ” .
“ We ’ ve never seen anything like it .
It was nothing like this in the cold war with the Soviets.
” Earlier this week , Reuters reported that hackers had stepped up efforts to knock Trump campaign and business websites offline ahead of the US election , in what a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be preparation for a larger digital assault .

China has taken the most active role among countries seeking to interfere in the US election and has the biggest program to influence domestic politics, the US national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, said on Friday, without providing any details.
“We know the Chinese have taken the most active role,” O’Brien told reporters at a briefing.
He said China had “the most massive program to influence the United States politically” followed by Iran and then Russia.
US intelligence found that Russia orchestrated a cyber campaign to sway the 2016 presidential election in Donald Trump’s favor and there have been reports hackers may try to influence the election on 3 November.
Trump has long rejected that conclusion, and instead portrayed himself as a victim of election meddling – from Beijing.
“We’ve made it very clear to the Chinese, to the Russians, to the Iranians and others that haven’t been publicly disclosed that anyone … that attempts to interfere with the American elections will face extraordinary consequences,” O’Brien said.
The Trump-appointed attorney general, William Barr, said on Wednesday he believed China was more of a threat than Russia when it came to election interference, also without offering details.
In August, O’Brien said the United States had seen Chinese hackers targeting US election infrastructure.
China has consistently denied US government charges that it hacks US companies, politicians or government agencies.
Asked to comment on O’Brien’s latest remarks, its embassy referred to a foreign ministry statement last month that China has no interest in interfering in the US election.
Trump, who long touted his friendly ties with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, as he sought to make good on trade deal promises, has made getting tough on China a key part of his campaign for re-election in November and blames China over the coronavirus pandemic.
In a speech to the Republican national convention last month, Trump said that Beijing supports his Democratic opponent Joe Biden and “desperately” wants him to win the election.
Asked to provide specific details of Chinese election interference, O’Brien said:
“I am not going to go into all the intelligence, but the massive activities of the Chinese and cyber realm, it’s really an extraordinary thing that we’re facing.”
He called the scope of Chinese activity “relentless”.
“We’ve never seen anything like it. It was nothing like this in the cold war with the Soviets.”
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that hackers had stepped up efforts to knock Trump campaign and business websites offline ahead of the US election, in what a security firm working for the campaign said could be preparation for a larger digital assault.


theguardian--2020-09-04--Trump says he will not cut funding to Stars and Stripes newspaper

Donald Trump tweeted on Friday that he “ will not be cutting funding to Stars and Stripes ” , a newspaper that has served US armed forces since 1861 , despite a Pentagon memo obtained by USA Today saying the title would close by the end of the month .
“ The United States of America will NOT be cutting funding to Stars and Stripes magazine under my watch , ” Trump wrote .
“ It will continue to be a wonderful source of information to our Great Military !
” News that the venerable paper was in peril had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a report in the Atlantic which said the president disparaged US marines killed in France in the first world war and made disrespectful remarks about both John McCain , a late political rival and Vietnam veteran , and wounded soldiers in general .
Trump rubbished that report , insisting : “ I never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES ” .
In the case of McCain , observers pointed to a tweet from 2015 in which Trump called the senator and presidential nominee , who died in 2018 , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Atlantic , which was founded in 1857 , was “ dying , like most magazines ” , and said its report had been refuted .
Stars and Stripes traces its origins to Bloomfield , Missouri , in November 1861 , when troops under the future president Ulysses S Grant took over the printing press of a Confederate sympathiser .
It has traditionally provided news free of government censorship , often critical of military and civilian commanders , and is delivered daily to troops around the world , even on frontlines .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense ordered the publisher of Stars and Stripes to provide a plan to “ dissolve ” it by 15 September , including a “ specific timeline for vacating government owned/leased space worldwide ” .
“ The last newspaper publication ( in all forms ) will be 30 September 2020 , ” the author of the memo , Col Paul Haverstick Jr , was quoted as writing .
Haverstick is director of Defense Media Activity ( DMA ) , based at Fort Meade , Maryland .
According to the Pentagon website , DMA is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that creates and distributes Department of Defense content across a variety of platforms to audiences around the world ” .
Moves to close Stars and Stripes began in February , when the Pentagon announced plans to reallocate funding to projects including the Space Force , a much-maligned and satirised Trump pet project .
On Wednesday , Military.com reported that a bipartisan group of senators led by the California Democrat Dianne Feinstein had written to the defense secretary , Mark Esper .
“ Stars and Stripes is an essential part of our nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very population charged with defending that freedom , ” the 15 senators wrote .
“ Therefore , we respectfully request that you rescind your decision to discontinue support for Stars and Stripes and that you reinstate the funding necessary for it to continue operations.
” Tammy Duckworth , an Illinois Democrat who lost both legs when her helicopter was shot down in Iraq , signed the Feinstein letter .
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , a close Trump ally who was a lawyer in the US air force , wrote a letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not immediately comment on Wednesday , but it did share a tweet from one of its writers , Steve Beynon .
“ I read Stars and Stripes on a mountain in Afghanistan when I was a 19-year-old aspiring journalist , ” he wrote .
“ Now I work there .
This doesn ’ t stop the journalism .
I ’ m juggling three future news stories today.
” Beynon shared recent stories including a report on women commanding combat units and employees alleging “ ingrained racism ” at the Department of Veterans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School of Journalism , who published news of the memo in USA Today , wrote : “ Even for those of us who are all too wearily familiar with President Donald Trump ’ s disdain for journalists , his administration ’ s latest attack on the free press is a bit of a jaw-dropper.
” Stars and Stripes later retweeted Trump ’ s promise not to close it .
Before the presidential fiat by tweet , as news of the Pentagon memo echoed through the US media , one former cavalry officer who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guardian on condition of anonymity .
“ Having an independent media outlet focused totally on the military and its communities , ” he said , “ should be a priority for the Department of Defense , to keep these communities informed and together – even while physically separated.
” The same veteran expressed sadness about Trump ’ s reported remarks about soldiers killed in action , wounded or taken prisoner .
“ Anyone who is shocked or surprised at any of this simply hasn ’ t been paying attention , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners of war when talking about McCain .
”

Donald Trump tweeted on Friday that he “will not be cutting funding to Stars and Stripes”, a newspaper that has served US armed forces since 1861, despite a Pentagon memo obtained by USA Today saying the title would close by the end of the month.
“The United States of America will NOT be cutting funding to Stars and Stripes magazine under my watch,” Trump wrote. “It will continue to be a wonderful source of information to our Great Military!”
News that the venerable paper was in peril had landed as the White House reeled from a report in the Atlantic which said the president disparaged US marines killed in France in the first world war and made disrespectful remarks about both John McCain, a late political rival and Vietnam veteran, and wounded soldiers in general.
Trump rubbished that report, insisting: “I never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES”.
In the case of McCain, observers pointed to a tweet from 2015 in which Trump called the senator and presidential nominee, who died in 2018, a “loser”.
Trump also said the Atlantic, which was founded in 1857, was “dying, like most magazines”, and said its report had been refuted.
Stars and Stripes traces its origins to Bloomfield, Missouri, in November 1861, when troops under the future president Ulysses S Grant took over the printing press of a Confederate sympathiser.
It has traditionally provided news free of government censorship, often critical of military and civilian commanders, and is delivered daily to troops around the world, even on frontlines.
According to USA Today, the Department of Defense ordered the publisher of Stars and Stripes to provide a plan to “dissolve” it by 15 September, including a “specific timeline for vacating government owned/leased space worldwide”.
“The last newspaper publication (in all forms) will be 30 September 2020,” the author of the memo, Col Paul Haverstick Jr, was quoted as writing.
Haverstick is director of Defense Media Activity (DMA), based at Fort Meade, Maryland. According to the Pentagon website, DMA is “a mass media and education organisation that creates and distributes Department of Defense content across a variety of platforms to audiences around the world”.
Moves to close Stars and Stripes began in February, when the Pentagon announced plans to reallocate funding to projects including the Space Force, a much-maligned and satirised Trump pet project.
On Wednesday, Military.com reported that a bipartisan group of senators led by the California Democrat Dianne Feinstein had written to the defense secretary, Mark Esper.
“Stars and Stripes is an essential part of our nation’s freedom of the press that serves the very population charged with defending that freedom,” the 15 senators wrote. “Therefore, we respectfully request that you rescind your decision to discontinue support for Stars and Stripes and that you reinstate the funding necessary for it to continue operations.”
Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat who lost both legs when her helicopter was shot down in Iraq, signed the Feinstein letter. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close Trump ally who was a lawyer in the US air force, wrote a letter of his own.
Stars and Stripes did not immediately comment on Wednesday, but it did share a tweet from one of its writers, Steve Beynon.
“I read Stars and Stripes on a mountain in Afghanistan when I was a 19-year-old aspiring journalist,” he wrote. “Now I work there. This doesn’t stop the journalism. I’m juggling three future news stories today.”
Beynon shared recent stories including a report on women commanding combat units and employees alleging “ingrained racism” at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Kathy Kiely of the Missouri School of Journalism, who published news of the memo in USA Today, wrote: “Even for those of us who are all too wearily familiar with President Donald Trump’s disdain for journalists, his administration’s latest attack on the free press is a bit of a jaw-dropper.”
Stars and Stripes later retweeted Trump’s promise not to close it.
Before the presidential fiat by tweet, as news of the Pentagon memo echoed through the US media, one former cavalry officer who twice deployed to Iraq spoke to the Guardian on condition of anonymity.
“Having an independent media outlet focused totally on the military and its communities,” he said, “should be a priority for the Department of Defense, to keep these communities informed and together – even while physically separated.”
The same veteran expressed sadness about Trump’s reported remarks about soldiers killed in action, wounded or taken prisoner.
“Anyone who is shocked or surprised at any of this simply hasn’t been paying attention,” he said. “Look at his comments about prisoners of war when talking about McCain.”


theguardian--2020-09-04--Donald Trump campaign repeatedly doctoring videos for social media ads

Donald Trump ’ s presidential re-election campaign has repeatedly produced manipulated online content over the past week .
The Trump campaign published a set of Facebook ads that featured the president ’ s Democratic rival Joe Biden looking older than the 77-year-old former vice-president is .
The ads fall in line with one of the president ’ s favorite attack lines for Biden : that he ’ s too old and infirm to run for president .
( Trump is 74 years old . )
The Facebook ad read : “ President Trump knows that the Fake News Media will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the polls against Sleepy Joe .
We want the truth , and we need to hear it directly from REAL Americans , like YOU.
” The pictures , analyzed by HuffPost , show a picture of Biden had been edited to make him look older , by darkening his skin and emphasizing imperfections .
On Monday the campaign ’ s Trump War Room Twitter account tweeted a manipulated video that appeared to show Biden saying , “ You won ’ t be safe in Joe Biden ’ s America.
” The video was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The video was actually a clip of Biden quoting the Trump campaign .
“ Trump and Pence are running on this and I find it fascinating : Quote , ‘ You won ’ t be safe in Joe Biden ’ s America.
’ And what ’ s their proof ?
The violence we ’ re seeing in Donald Trump ’ s America , ” Biden said in the original quote .
Biden ’ s campaign also responded to the manipulated clip on Twitter though a senior adviser , Symone Sanders .
Dan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving as the White House deputy chief of staff for communications , posted a manipulated video that appeared to show Biden endorsing Trump .
The video was flagged by Twitter and later disabled on the site .
The Washington Post ’ s factchecker vertical gave the video four pinocchios – the highest rating for an untrue claim or argument .
The original tweet got more than 2.4m views .
The Trump campaign communications director , Tim Murtaugh , told the Washington Post that the video was “ obviously a parody ” .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign either .
A clip of the liberal activist Ady Barkan talking to Biden was manipulated and published by the House Republican whip Steve Scalise ’ s office .
The video appeared to show Biden saying he would redirect funding from police , but was taken out of context .
Barkan actually asked whether he supported redirecting some funding from police to mental health services .
Twitter flagged that video as well .
Barkan aggressively called out the ad and demanded it be taken down .
Twitter flagged it as well and Scalise @ @ @ @ @ @

Donald Trump’s presidential re-election campaign has repeatedly produced manipulated online content over the past week.
The Trump campaign published a set of Facebook ads that featured the president’s Democratic rival Joe Biden looking older than the 77-year-old former vice-president is. The ads fall in line with one of the president’s favorite attack lines for Biden: that he’s too old and infirm to run for president. (Trump is 74 years old.)
The Facebook ad read: “President Trump knows that the Fake News Media will NEVER report accurately on his standings in the polls against Sleepy Joe. We want the truth, and we need to hear it directly from REAL Americans, like YOU.”
The pictures, analyzed by HuffPost, show a picture of Biden had been edited to make him look older, by darkening his skin and emphasizing imperfections.
On Monday the campaign’s Trump War Room Twitter account tweeted a manipulated video that appeared to show Biden saying, “You won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America.” The video was labelled “manipulated media” by Twitter.
The video was actually a clip of Biden quoting the Trump campaign.
“Trump and Pence are running on this and I find it fascinating: Quote, ‘You won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America.’ And what’s their proof? The violence we’re seeing in Donald Trump’s America,” Biden said in the original quote.
Biden’s campaign also responded to the manipulated clip on Twitter though a senior adviser, Symone Sanders.
The Trump campaign manipulated a video from @JoeBiden’s speech today because they could not challenge the content of the speech. This is their game. They cannot and will not compete on the facts. — Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) August 31, 2020
Dan Scavino, a longtime Trump aide currently serving as the White House deputy chief of staff for communications, posted a manipulated video that appeared to show Biden endorsing Trump. The video was flagged by Twitter and later disabled on the site. The Washington Post’s factchecker vertical gave the video four pinocchios – the highest rating for an untrue claim or argument. The original tweet got more than 2.4m views.
The Trump campaign communications director, Tim Murtaugh, told the Washington Post that the video was “obviously a parody”.
It hasn’t just been the Trump campaign either. A clip of the liberal activist Ady Barkan talking to Biden was manipulated and published by the House Republican whip Steve Scalise’s office. The video appeared to show Biden saying he would redirect funding from police, but was taken out of context. Barkan actually asked whether he supported redirecting some funding from police to mental health services. Twitter flagged that video as well.
Barkan aggressively called out the ad and demanded it be taken down. Twitter flagged it as well and Scalise’s office eventually complied.


theguardian--2020-09-04--Trump called American war dead ‘suckers’ and ‘losers', report claims

Donald Trump canceled a visit to pay respects at an American military cemetery outside Paris in 2018 because he thought the dead soldiers were “ losers ” and “ suckers ” and he did not want the rain to mess up his hair , according to an explosive new report .
At the time , Trump explained the cancellation by saying his helicopter could not fly in the rain and the Secret Service would not drive him to Aisne-Marne American cemetery , where 1,800 US marines who lost their lives in the first world war battle at Belleau Wood are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to “ four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion that day ” quoted in a new report by Jeffrey Goldberg in the Atlantic .
“ Why should I go to that cemetery ?
It ’ s filled with losers , ” the report quotes Trump as saying .
Trump also called the war dead “ suckers ” for getting killed , the report says .
Trump also asked aides , “ Who were the good guys in this war ?
” and did not understand why the United States would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Atlantic report says .
Trump denied the report on Twitter Thursday evening .
“ I never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES , ” he wrote .
“ This is more made up Fake News given by disgusting & jealous failures in a disgraceful attempt to influence the 2020 Election !
” On Friday , Trump attacked the Atlantic magazine , and accused it of “ mak [ ing ] up a fake story in order to gain some relevance.
” But the report was supplemented on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quoted “ a former senior administration official ” as saying that Trump “ frequently made disparaging comments about veterans and soldiers missing in action , referring to them at times as ‘ losers.
’ ” The Post quoted “ a person familiar with the discussion ” as saying that Trump told senior advisers he did not understand why the US government valued finding soldiers missing in action “ because they had performed poorly and gotten caught and deserved what they got.
” Joe Biden , the Democratic presidential nominee , issued a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revelations in today ’ s Atlantic article are true , then they are yet another marker of how deeply President Trump and I disagree about the role of the president of the United States.
” Democratic senator Tammy Duckworth , who lost both legs as a helicopter pilot in Iraq , tweeted that “ If [ Trump ] can ’ t bear to witness those who have sacrificed for our nation , perhaps he should avert his cowardly eyes.
” “ I ’ m not shocked but I am appalled , ” Duckworth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he thinks about war selfishly .
He thinks about it as a transactional cost.
” “ I think the American people certainly believe these stories , ” Duckworth added .
“ This is something the president has been doing all along .
He has consistently from the time he was running for office denigrated veterans.
” Support for Trump among service members had already appeared to be slipping before the new report .
Trump has a minus-12 ( 38-50 ) favorability rating among members of the military , according to a recent Military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 46-37 ) at the start of his term .
Trump avoided service in Vietnam through a diagnosis of bone spurs by a late doctor whose daughters told the New York Times that the diagnosis was granted as a favor to Trump ’ s father , Fred Trump , who was the doctor ’ s landlord .
Trump has a long history of making dismissive or insulting comments about members of the military and insulting family members of fallen soldiers .
After his impeachment hearings earlier this year , Trump attacked a star Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as having “ problems with judgment ” and “ leaking information ” – charges a Vindman lawyer denied .
Vindman was ousted from the national security council after testifying at the impeachment hearings .
During the 2016 presidential campaign , Trump attacked the gold star family of Khizr and Ghazala Khan , whose son Cpt Humayun Khan was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2004 .
The couple spoke at that year ’ s Democratic national convention in protest of the president ’ s attacks on Muslims , saying Trump did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or their sacrifice .
And Trump clashed publicly with the late senator John McCain , a navy pilot who was taken prisoner of war and tortured in a Vietnamese prison , where he was held for more than five years .
Trump was enraged that McCain criticized him publicly and voted down a Republican effort to overturn Barack Obama ’ s health care law .
“ He was a war hero because he was captured , ” Trump said during his presidential run .
“ I like people who weren ’ t captured.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ down , ” Trump added .
“ I ’ ve never liked him as much after that .
I don ’ t like losers.
” That disdain escalated to fury after McCain ’ s death in 2018 .
“ We ’ re not going to support that loser ’ s funeral , ” Trump said , according to the Atlantic report .
When Trump saw flags lowered to half-staff , he reportedly said : “ What the fuck are we doing that for ?
Guy was a fucking loser.
” On Thursday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John a loser , ” and denied objecting to the patriotic arrangements for McCain ’ s funeral .
“ The lowering of our Nations American Flags , and the first class funeral he was given by our Country , had to be approved by me , as president , and I did so without hesitation or complaint , ” Trump tweeted .
But Trump tweeted news coverage in 2015 of his calling McCain a “ loser ” .
Trump also referred to former president George HW Bush as a “ loser ” for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a navy pilot in the second world war , the Atlantic reported .
Former members of Trump ’ s sphere went public on Friday to say that his denials were a lie .
Miles Taylor , a former chief of staff for two Trump department of homeland security ( DHS ) secretaries , tweeted : “ Mr President , this is not true .
You were angry that DHS notified federal buildings to lower the flags for Senator McCain .
I would know because your staff called and told me.
” Michael Cohen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fixer , said that Trump had faked bone spurs to avoid military service in Vietnam .
“ The Atlantic article is accurate , ” Cohen tweeted .
“ I testified , Trump claimed it was because of a bone spur .
When I asked for medical records , he gave me none and said there was no surgery .
He finished with : ‘ You think I ’ m stupid , I wasn ’ t going to Vietnam ’ .
” A defence official also confirmed to the AP reporting in the Atlantic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone with his chief of staff , John Kelly , to visit the Arlington cemetery gravesite of Kelly ’ s son , Robert , who was killed in 2010 in Afghanistan , and said to Kelly : “ I don ’ t get it .
What was in it for them ?
” Mike Pompeo , the secretary of state , defended the president on Friday morning .
Speaking to radio host Hugh Hewitt , Pompeo said he had not read the Atlantic article , but insisted that the description did not comport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ ve never heard that .
Indeed , just the opposite , ” Pompeo told the radio host .
“ This is a man who had the deepest respect for their service , and he always , he always interacted with them in that way .
He enjoys those times .
He values those people .
”

Donald Trump canceled a visit to pay respects at an American military cemetery outside Paris in 2018 because he thought the dead soldiers were “losers” and “suckers” and he did not want the rain to mess up his hair, according to an explosive new report.
At the time, Trump explained the cancellation by saying his helicopter could not fly in the rain and the Secret Service would not drive him to Aisne-Marne American cemetery, where 1,800 US marines who lost their lives in the first world war battle at Belleau Wood are buried.
Neither public claim was true, according to “four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion that day” quoted in a new report by Jeffrey Goldberg in the Atlantic.
“Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers,” the report quotes Trump as saying. Trump also called the war dead “suckers” for getting killed, the report says.
Trump also asked aides, “Who were the good guys in this war?” and did not understand why the United States would intervene on the side of the Allies, the Atlantic report says.
Trump denied the report on Twitter Thursday evening. “I never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES,” he wrote. “This is more made up Fake News given by disgusting & jealous failures in a disgraceful attempt to influence the 2020 Election!”
On Friday, Trump attacked the Atlantic magazine, and accused it of “mak[ing] up a fake story in order to gain some relevance.”
But the report was supplemented on Friday morning by the Washington Post, which quoted “a former senior administration official” as saying that Trump “frequently made disparaging comments about veterans and soldiers missing in action, referring to them at times as ‘losers.’”
The Post quoted “a person familiar with the discussion” as saying that Trump told senior advisers he did not understand why the US government valued finding soldiers missing in action “because they had performed poorly and gotten caught and deserved what they got.”
03:06 'My son wasn't a sucker': Joe Biden reacts to report that Trump denigrated soldiers – video
Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, issued a statement on the allegations: “If the revelations in today’s Atlantic article are true, then they are yet another marker of how deeply President Trump and I disagree about the role of the president of the United States.”
Democratic senator Tammy Duckworth, who lost both legs as a helicopter pilot in Iraq, tweeted that “If [Trump] can’t bear to witness those who have sacrificed for our nation, perhaps he should avert his cowardly eyes.”
“I’m not shocked but I am appalled,” Duckworth separately told reporters. “Of course he thinks about war selfishly. He thinks about it as a transactional cost.”
“I think the American people certainly believe these stories,” Duckworth added. “This is something the president has been doing all along. He has consistently from the time he was running for office denigrated veterans.”
Support for Trump among service members had already appeared to be slipping before the new report. Trump has a minus-12 (38-50) favorability rating among members of the military, according to a recent Military Times poll – down from plus-9 (46-37) at the start of his term.
Trump at Andrews air force base on Thursday night after a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. He said the report was ‘a total lie’. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP
Trump avoided service in Vietnam through a diagnosis of bone spurs by a late doctor whose daughters told the New York Times that the diagnosis was granted as a favor to Trump’s father, Fred Trump, who was the doctor’s landlord.
Trump has a long history of making dismissive or insulting comments about members of the military and insulting family members of fallen soldiers. After his impeachment hearings earlier this year, Trump attacked a star Democratic witness, Lt Col Alexander Vindman, as having “problems with judgment” and “leaking information” – charges a Vindman lawyer denied. Vindman was ousted from the national security council after testifying at the impeachment hearings.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump attacked the gold star family of Khizr and Ghazala Khan, whose son Cpt Humayun Khan was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2004. The couple spoke at that year’s Democratic national convention in protest of the president’s attacks on Muslims, saying Trump did not understand their son’s service or their sacrifice.
And Trump clashed publicly with the late senator John McCain, a navy pilot who was taken prisoner of war and tortured in a Vietnamese prison, where he was held for more than five years. Trump was enraged that McCain criticized him publicly and voted down a Republican effort to overturn Barack Obama’s health care law.
“He was a war hero because he was captured,” Trump said during his presidential run. “I like people who weren’t captured.”
“He lost and let us down,” Trump added. “I’ve never liked him as much after that. I don’t like losers.”
That disdain escalated to fury after McCain’s death in 2018. “We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral,” Trump said, according to the Atlantic report.
When Trump saw flags lowered to half-staff, he reportedly said: “What the fuck are we doing that for? Guy was a fucking loser.”
On Thursday night Trump tweeted, “I never called John a loser,” and denied objecting to the patriotic arrangements for McCain’s funeral. “The lowering of our Nations American Flags, and the first class funeral he was given by our Country, had to be approved by me, as president, and I did so without hesitation or complaint,” Trump tweeted.
But Trump tweeted news coverage in 2015 of his calling McCain a “loser”. Trump also referred to former president George HW Bush as a “loser” for being shot down by the Japanese as a navy pilot in the second world war, the Atlantic reported.
Former members of Trump’s sphere went public on Friday to say that his denials were a lie.
Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff for two Trump department of homeland security (DHS) secretaries, tweeted: “Mr President, this is not true. You were angry that DHS notified federal buildings to lower the flags for Senator McCain. I would know because your staff called and told me.”
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, said that Trump had faked bone spurs to avoid military service in Vietnam.
“The Atlantic article is accurate,” Cohen tweeted. “I testified, Trump claimed it was because of a bone spur. When I asked for medical records, he gave me none and said there was no surgery. He finished with: ‘You think I’m stupid, I wasn’t going to Vietnam’.”
A defence official also confirmed to the AP reporting in the Atlantic that Trump on Memorial Day 2017 had gone with his chief of staff, John Kelly, to visit the Arlington cemetery gravesite of Kelly’s son, Robert, who was killed in 2010 in Afghanistan, and said to Kelly: “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?”
Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, defended the president on Friday morning. Speaking to radio host Hugh Hewitt, Pompeo said he had not read the Atlantic article, but insisted that the description did not comport with what he knew about Trump.
“I’ve never heard that. Indeed, just the opposite,” Pompeo told the radio host. “This is a man who had the deepest respect for their service, and he always, he always interacted with them in that way. He enjoys those times. He values those people.”
Keith Kellogg, national security adviser to Vice-President Mike Pence, tweeted Thursday: “The Atlantic story is completely false. Absolutely lacks merit.”