cnbc--2020-05-26--GOP officials pitch their states as convention sites after Trump threatens to move RNC out of North

GOP officials pitch their states as convention sites after Trump threatens to move RNC out of North Carolina

US President Donald Trump speaks at the Republican National Committee winter meeting at the Trump International Hotel in Washington , DC on February 1 , 2018 .
Several Republican officials are pitching their states as possible venues for the upcoming Republican National Convention after President Donald Trump suggested moving it out of North Carolina over coronavirus-related social distancing restrictions .
In a series of tweets on Monday , Trump said he `` will be reluctantly forced '' to move the convention , which is set for the week of Aug. 24 in Charlotte , if the state does n't ease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full attendance .
Since his tweet , multiple Republican governors and party officials have offered their states as potential hosts .
`` Texas would welcome President Trump and the RNC Convention , '' Texas Republican Party Chairman James Dickey told CNBC in a statement .
But not everyone in Texas is willing to welcome the RNC with open arms .
`` The last thing we need right now is a large gathering of nationwide visitors coming to Dallas given we are currently at 'red ' our highest threat level '' for Covid-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` No offense .
Would say the same thing to the Democrats — please go somewhere else . ''
`` It does n't matter where the RNC holds their convention , Donald Trump 's historic unpopularity is going to cause him to lose Texas , '' the Texas Democratic Party told CNBC in a statement .
`` Nobody wants Trump in Texas .
We recommend Trump host the RNC at one of his golf clubs . ''
Georgia chimed in , too .
`` With world-class facilities , restaurants , hotels , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safely host the Republican National Convention .
We hope you will consider the Peach State , @ realdonaldtrump , '' Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp tweeted Tuesday .
But Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , a Democrat , said the plan to reopen the city does not jibe with Kemp 's desire to host the RNC .
`` Like North Carolina , the City of Atlanta is following a phased , data-driven approach to reopening .
That plan does not contemplate hosting a large gathering event in August , '' Bottoms said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sponsored events have already been canceled in order to comply with CDC guidelines . ''
There is interest from Florida as well , with multiple officials in the state pushing for the convention to be held there .
Upon speculation about where the convention might be moved , Joe Gruters , chair of the Florida Republican Party , told NBC News that it `` would welcome the opportunity to host the Republican National Convention . ''
`` Florida is committed to ensuring a safe , secure and successful event for President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Tuesday , Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis echoed that sentiment .
`` Florida would love to have the RNC , '' he said during a news briefing with reporters .
Trump has reportedly asked several aides about having the GOP convention in Florida , The New York Times reported .
In a Monday tweet , though , the president denied the report and struck one Florida location from consideration – his own Doral resort .
`` I have zero interest in moving the Republican National Convention to Doral in Miami , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nytimes in order to stir up trouble .
Ballroom is not nearly big enough & would like to stay in N.C. , whose gov .
does n't even know if he can let people in ? ''
Vice President Mike Pence , siding with Trump on his push for North Carolina to relax social distancing guidelines for the convention , indicated interest in moving it to Texas , Florida or Georgia .
`` These national conventions literally take many months to organize and prepare , '' Pence said in an interview Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Friends . ''
`` And , you know , there are states around the country .
We think of Texas , we think of Florida , Georgia – the last two states I visited last week that have made tremendous progress on reopening their communities and reopening their economies . ''
Meanwhile , the city of Charlotte is doubling down on Democratic North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper 's guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
`` With the health and safety of our residents and visitors being the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to follow guidance from Governor Cooper and public health professionals in determining the best and safest way to host the Republican National Convention , '' said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles , a Democrat .
`` While I 've remained consistent in my statements regarding the RNC being held in Charlotte , the science and data will ultimately determine what we will collectively do for our city . ''
The president 's threat to potentially move the RNC out of North Carolina seemed to come as a surprise for Cooper 's office .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the state 's Department of Health and Human Services and the RNC were in the middle of discussions about going forward with the convention .
Mandy Cohen , secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services , said in the letter to RNC President Marcia Lee Kelly , that there was a call as early as Friday on the logistics of the upcoming convention .
`` The status of COVID-19 infections in our state and in the Charlotte area continues to rapidly evolve , thus , it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be deployed depending on the public health situation , '' the letter said .
The outbreak has spread to dozens of countries , with more than 5.5 million confirmed cases worldwide and over 346,632 deaths , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
There are at least 1.6 million cases in the United States and nearly 100,000 deaths , according to the latest tallies .

US President Donald Trump speaks at the Republican National Committee winter meeting at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC on February 1, 2018.
Several Republican officials are pitching their states as possible venues for the upcoming Republican National Convention after President Donald Trump suggested moving it out of North Carolina over coronavirus-related social distancing restrictions.
In a series of tweets on Monday, Trump said he "will be reluctantly forced" to move the convention, which is set for the week of Aug. 24 in Charlotte, if the state doesn't ease up on social distancing restrictions to allow full attendance.
Since his tweet, multiple Republican governors and party officials have offered their states as potential hosts.
"Texas would welcome President Trump and the RNC Convention," Texas Republican Party Chairman James Dickey told CNBC in a statement.
But not everyone in Texas is willing to welcome the RNC with open arms.
"The last thing we need right now is a large gathering of nationwide visitors coming to Dallas given we are currently at 'red' our highest threat level" for Covid-19, said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. "No offense. Would say the same thing to the Democrats — please go somewhere else."
Tweet
"It doesn't matter where the RNC holds their convention, Donald Trump's historic unpopularity is going to cause him to lose Texas," the Texas Democratic Party told CNBC in a statement. "Nobody wants Trump in Texas. We recommend Trump host the RNC at one of his golf clubs."
Georgia chimed in, too. "With world-class facilities, restaurants, hotels, and workforce, Georgia would be honored to safely host the Republican National Convention. We hope you will consider the Peach State, @realdonaldtrump," Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted Tuesday.
Kemp tweet
But Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said the plan to reopen the city does not jibe with Kemp's desire to host the RNC.
"Like North Carolina, the City of Atlanta is following a phased, data-driven approach to reopening. That plan does not contemplate hosting a large gathering event in August," Bottoms said. "In fact, several long-standing city-supported and sponsored events have already been canceled in order to comply with CDC guidelines."
There is interest from Florida as well, with multiple officials in the state pushing for the convention to be held there.
Upon speculation about where the convention might be moved, Joe Gruters, chair of the Florida Republican Party, told NBC News that it "would welcome the opportunity to host the Republican National Convention."
"Florida is committed to ensuring a safe, secure and successful event for President Trump and all attendees," Gruters said.
On Tuesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis echoed that sentiment. "Florida would love to have the RNC," he said during a news briefing with reporters.
Trump has reportedly asked several aides about having the GOP convention in Florida, The New York Times reported. In a Monday tweet, though, the president denied the report and struck one Florida location from consideration – his own Doral resort.
"I have zero interest in moving the Republican National Convention to Doral in Miami, as falsely reported by the Fake News @nytimes in order to stir up trouble. Ballroom is not nearly big enough & would like to stay in N.C., whose gov. doesn't even know if he can let people in?"
Tweet
Vice President Mike Pence, siding with Trump on his push for North Carolina to relax social distancing guidelines for the convention, indicated interest in moving it to Texas, Florida or Georgia.
"These national conventions literally take many months to organize and prepare," Pence said in an interview Monday on the Fox News program "Fox and Friends." "And, you know, there are states around the country. We think of Texas, we think of Florida, Georgia – the last two states I visited last week that have made tremendous progress on reopening their communities and reopening their economies."
Meanwhile, the city of Charlotte is doubling down on Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper's guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
"With the health and safety of our residents and visitors being the top priority, the city of Charlotte will continue to follow guidance from Governor Cooper and public health professionals in determining the best and safest way to host the Republican National Convention," said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, a Democrat.
"While I've remained consistent in my statements regarding the RNC being held in Charlotte, the science and data will ultimately determine what we will collectively do for our city."
The president's threat to potentially move the RNC out of North Carolina seemed to come as a surprise for Cooper's office. A letter obtained by NBC News indicates that the state's Department of Health and Human Services and the RNC were in the middle of discussions about going forward with the convention.
Mandy Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, said in the letter to RNC President Marcia Lee Kelly, that there was a call as early as Friday on the logistics of the upcoming convention.
"The status of COVID-19 infections in our state and in the Charlotte area continues to rapidly evolve, thus, it will be important to have several scenarios planned that can be deployed depending on the public health situation," the letter said.
The outbreak has spread to dozens of countries, with more than 5.5 million confirmed cases worldwide and over 346,632 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. There are at least 1.6 million cases in the United States and nearly 100,000 deaths, according to the latest tallies.


cnbc--2020-05-26--Supreme Court rejects Justice Department bid to halt order aimed at slowing spread of coronavirus at

Supreme Court rejects Justice Department bid to halt order aimed at slowing spread of coronavirus at Ohio prison

The US Supreme Court is seen in Washington , DC , on May 4 , 2020 , during the first day of oral arguments held by telephone , a first in the Court 's history , as a result of COVID-19 , known as coronavirus .
The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined a Justice Department request to halt a lower court order requiring new measures to slow the spread of coronavirus at an Ohio prison where nine inmates have died from Covid-19 .
The top court announced its decision in an unsigned order that cited procedural matters .
Three of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thomas , Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch , said they would have granted the request .
The court said the DOJ could seek review of the order again `` if circumstances warrant . ''
U.S. District Judge James Gwin last month ordered the Bureau of Prisons to identify and transfer prisoners vulnerable to coronavirus at the low-security Elkton Federal Correctional Institution in Ohio .
The government identified 837 medically vulnerable inmates but did not transfer any out of the prison , prompting Gwin last week to order the government to expedite its process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bureau of Prisons , asked the Supreme Court to halt the original order .
The American Civil Liberties Union opposed the Justice Department 's request before the court .
In a statement , ACLU national legal director David Cole said he commended the top court `` for choosing to reaffirm the rights of the people incarcerated at Elkton prison , for whom a prison sentence must not become a death sentence . ''
Justin Long , a spokesperson for the BOP , declined to comment , citing a policy against commenting on pending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground for coronavirus , which spreads quickly in indoor settings in which people are gathered in close quarters .
Older people and those with chronic conditions are particularly vulnerable , health authorities say .
Those at Elkton are housed `` cheek by jowl , in dormitory-style rooms of approximately 150 persons each , '' Cole wrote in a brief submitted to the justices .
`` Though well aware that social distancing is an indispensable means of protecting themselves , they are powerless to use it , '' Cole wrote .
`` The result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months , causing the deaths — so far — of at least nine people and infecting hundreds more among prisoners and staff . ''

The US Supreme Court is seen in Washington, DC.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined a Justice Department request to halt a lower court order requiring new measures to slow the spread of coronavirus at an Ohio prison where nine inmates have died from Covid-19.
The top court announced its decision in an unsigned order that cited procedural matters. Three of the court's conservatives, Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, said they would have granted the request. The court said the DOJ could seek review of the order again "if circumstances warrant."
U.S. District Judge James Gwin last month ordered the Bureau of Prisons to identify and transfer prisoners vulnerable to coronavirus at the low-security Elkton Federal Correctional Institution in Ohio.
The government identified 837 medically vulnerable inmates but did not transfer any out of the prison, prompting Gwin last week to order the government to expedite its process.
The Justice Department, representing the Bureau of Prisons, asked the Supreme Court to halt the original order. The American Civil Liberties Union opposed the Justice Department's request before the court.
In a statement, ACLU national legal director David Cole said he commended the top court "for choosing to reaffirm the rights of the people incarcerated at Elkton prison, for whom a prison sentence must not become a death sentence."
Justin Long, a spokesperson for the BOP, declined to comment, citing a policy against commenting on pending litigation.
Prisons have served as fertile ground for coronavirus, which spreads quickly in indoor settings in which people are gathered in close quarters. Older people and those with chronic conditions are particularly vulnerable, health authorities say.
Those at Elkton are housed "cheek by jowl, in dormitory-style rooms of approximately 150 persons each," Cole wrote in a brief submitted to the justices.
"Though well aware that social distancing is an indispensable means of protecting themselves, they are powerless to use it," Cole wrote. "The result has been a severe COVID-19 outbreak lasting months, causing the deaths — so far — of at least nine people and infecting hundreds more among prisoners and staff."


cnbc--2020-05-26--Twitter refuses to delete Trump's baseless claims about Joe Scarborough

Trump 's tweets revived a baseless theory that Scarborough was allegedly involved in Klausutis ' death .
On Thursday , her widower , Timothy Klausutis , wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey requesting the company delete Trump 's tweets referencing those claims .
Earlier this month , Trump tweeted questions about when an investigation would be opened into the `` Cold Case '' of `` Psycho Joe Scarborough . ''
The unfounded accusation refers to the death in 2001 of Lori Klausutis , who was working for Scarborough when he was a Republican congressman for Florida .
At the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 , had fainted due to an undiagnosed heart condition and hit her head on the way down , finding no evidence of foul play .
Scarborough was in Washington , D.C. , when Klausutis died in his district office in Fort Walton Beach , Florida .
Twitter 's policy carve-out for world leaders is facing another test with President Donald Trump 's latest tweets resurrecting baseless claims that MSNBC host Joe Scarborough should be investigated for the death of his former staffer .
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House after arriving on Marine One in Washington , D.C. , U.S. , on Monday , May 25 , 2020 .
`` I 'm asking you to intervene in this instance because the President of the United States has taken something that does not belong to him — the memory of my dead wife — and perverted it for perceived political gain , '' Klausutis wrote in the letter , which was dated May 21 and published by The New York Times on Tuesday .
Klausutis ' request is the latest test of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company first announced last June .
The policy makes exceptions to some of its content standards for heads of state , arguing that it 's important to maintain their speech for the public to evaluate for themselves .
The policy says Twitter could still remove posts by world leaders in certain instances ; for example , if they promote terrorism or violence or post personal private information on another person .
Twitter has yet to publicly make a call on the latest series of tweets .
A Twitter spokesperson said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the pain these statements , and the attention they are drawing , are causing the family .
We 've been working to expand existing product features and policies so we can more effectively address things like this going forward , and we hope to have those changes in place shortly . ''
New York Times opinion columnist Kara Swisher reported that Twitter is considering labeling Trump 's tweets as false and linking to reputable information about Klausutis ' death that would refute his insinuations .
The company is accelerating efforts to strengthen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders ' tweets , sources told Swisher .
The Twitter spokesperson would not confirm or provide comment on Swisher 's reporting .
But any effort from Twitter to mitigate the problems caused by Trump 's tweets will likely come too late .
Meanwhile , Trump doubled-down on his claims in two more tweets on Tuesday .
Trump tweeted that the idea of an investigation into Scarborough `` was not a Donald Trump original thought '' and was `` going on for years , long before I joined the chorus . ''
`` So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I wo n't bring them up now !
Law enforcement eventually will ? ''
he tweeted .
Later in the day Tuesday , Trump said he had seen the letter , but he dismissed the request from Klausutis ' widower .
`` I 'm sure that [ Klausutis ' family ] , ultimately , they want to get to the bottom of it , and it 's a very serious situation , '' Trump told reporters at the White House .
`` It 's a very suspicious thing , and I hope someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump did not offer any evidence for his claims .
This is hardly the first time that Trump has publicly accused someone of crimes without citing any evidence .
Over the course of his career in politics , Trump has accused dozens of government officials of `` treason . ''
As president , Trump has also demanded that the Justice Department launch federal investigations into his opponents , his critics and most recently his predecessor , former President Barack Obama .
But in recent years , several legal cases have sought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families when their loved ones ' deaths are weaponized into false conspiracies .
So far , courts appear to be siding with the families .
Following the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School , conspiracy theorists including InfoWars host Alex Jones peddled for years the false theory that the murders were staged .
In response , families of the victims sued Jones and others involved in a campaign to deny that the school shooting ever happened .
Late last year , Sandy Hook parents won a defamation lawsuit against the author and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massacre never happened .
Several other cases brought by families against Jones and InfoWars are still moving through the courts .
Twitter permanently banned Jones and InfoWars from its service in 2018 , underscoring the differences between how the platform approaches regular users such as Jones and how it deals with world leaders such as Trump .
Trump and other conservatives have repeatedly accused social media companies , including Twitter , of displaying bias against conservatives through their content moderation policies .
The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday the White House is considering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bias on digital platforms .
But it 's not just the far right that has peddled the Scarborough conspiracy .
In the past , the same refuted claims about Klausutis ' death have made the rounds on the far-left fringes of the internet , where they were embraced by conspiracy theorists who objected to Scarborough 's Republican politics .
As recently as 2016 , the left-leaning website Daily Kos published a blog post raising the same baseless accusations about Scarborough .
Trump and Scarborough have a complicated personal history that has shifted over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prior to Trump 's election , the two men moved in the same New York and Florida social circles , and Scarborough , a former four-term Republican congressman , used to boast about giving Trump political advice .
During Trump 's 2016 campaign , Scarborough was criticized for having `` too cozy '' a relationship with then-candidate Trump .
Back then , Scarborough and his wife and co-host , Mika Brzezinski , were frequent guests at Trump 's Mar-a-Lago club , and they even celebrated New Year 's Eve 2017 at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Brzezinski grew increasingly critical of Trump 's presidency during his first year in office , Trump turned on them , and the relationship has only grown more bitter over time .
Last December , Scarborough wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post that after years of viewing Trump as a `` cartoonish '' character , he now sees him as something more sinister .
`` At last , I saw this reality TV president as a malevolent character , inspiring fascist chants while proving to be more hapless than any of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ versions of Trump have been cynical and manipulative , but his latest incarnation has proved to be destructive to his party , his country and the world , '' wrote Scarborough .

Trump's tweets revived a baseless theory that Scarborough was allegedly involved in Klausutis' death. On Thursday, her widower, Timothy Klausutis, wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey requesting the company delete Trump's tweets referencing those claims.
Earlier this month, Trump tweeted questions about when an investigation would be opened into the "Cold Case" of "Psycho Joe Scarborough." The unfounded accusation refers to the death in 2001 of Lori Klausutis, who was working for Scarborough when he was a Republican congressman for Florida. At the time, the medical examiner concluded Klausutis, 28, had fainted due to an undiagnosed heart condition and hit her head on the way down, finding no evidence of foul play. Scarborough was in Washington, D.C., when Klausutis died in his district office in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Twitter 's policy carve-out for world leaders is facing another test with President Donald Trump's latest tweets resurrecting baseless claims that MSNBC host Joe Scarborough should be investigated for the death of his former staffer.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving on Marine One in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, May 25, 2020.
"I'm asking you to intervene in this instance because the President of the United States has taken something that does not belong to him — the memory of my dead wife — and perverted it for perceived political gain," Klausutis wrote in the letter, which was dated May 21 and published by The New York Times on Tuesday.
Klausutis' request is the latest test of Twitter's world leader policy, which the company first announced last June. The policy makes exceptions to some of its content standards for heads of state, arguing that it's important to maintain their speech for the public to evaluate for themselves. The policy says Twitter could still remove posts by world leaders in certain instances; for example, if they promote terrorism or violence or post personal private information on another person.
Twitter has yet to publicly make a call on the latest series of tweets. A Twitter spokesperson said in a statement, "We are deeply sorry about the pain these statements, and the attention they are drawing, are causing the family. We've been working to expand existing product features and policies so we can more effectively address things like this going forward, and we hope to have those changes in place shortly."
New York Times opinion columnist Kara Swisher reported that Twitter is considering labeling Trump's tweets as false and linking to reputable information about Klausutis' death that would refute his insinuations. The company is accelerating efforts to strengthen a rubric of criteria for labeling world leaders' tweets, sources told Swisher. The Twitter spokesperson would not confirm or provide comment on Swisher's reporting. But any effort from Twitter to mitigate the problems caused by Trump's tweets will likely come too late.
Meanwhile, Trump doubled-down on his claims in two more tweets on Tuesday. Trump tweeted that the idea of an investigation into Scarborough "was not a Donald Trump original thought" and was "going on for years, long before I joined the chorus."
"So many unanswered & obvious questions, but I won't bring them up now! Law enforcement eventually will?" he tweeted.
Tweet
Later in the day Tuesday, Trump said he had seen the letter, but he dismissed the request from Klausutis' widower.
"I'm sure that [Klausutis' family], ultimately, they want to get to the bottom of it, and it's a very serious situation," Trump told reporters at the White House. "It's a very suspicious thing, and I hope someone gets to the bottom of it."
Trump did not offer any evidence for his claims.
This is hardly the first time that Trump has publicly accused someone of crimes without citing any evidence. Over the course of his career in politics, Trump has accused dozens of government officials of "treason."
As president, Trump has also demanded that the Justice Department launch federal investigations into his opponents, his critics and most recently his predecessor, former President Barack Obama.
But in recent years, several legal cases have sought to highlight the pain and hardship inflicted on families when their loved ones' deaths are weaponized into false conspiracies. So far, courts appear to be siding with the families.
Following the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, conspiracy theorists including InfoWars host Alex Jones peddled for years the false theory that the murders were staged. In response, families of the victims sued Jones and others involved in a campaign to deny that the school shooting ever happened.
Late last year, Sandy Hook parents won a defamation lawsuit against the author and publisher of a book that claimed the massacre never happened. Several other cases brought by families against Jones and InfoWars are still moving through the courts.
Twitter permanently banned Jones and InfoWars from its service in 2018, underscoring the differences between how the platform approaches regular users such as Jones and how it deals with world leaders such as Trump.
Trump and other conservatives have repeatedly accused social media companies, including Twitter, of displaying bias against conservatives through their content moderation policies. The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday the White House is considering creating a panel to review claims of bias on digital platforms.
But it's not just the far right that has peddled the Scarborough conspiracy. In the past, the same refuted claims about Klausutis' death have made the rounds on the far-left fringes of the internet, where they were embraced by conspiracy theorists who objected to Scarborough's Republican politics. As recently as 2016, the left-leaning website Daily Kos published a blog post raising the same baseless accusations about Scarborough.
Trump and Scarborough have a complicated personal history that has shifted over time according to Trump's political aspirations.
Prior to Trump's election, the two men moved in the same New York and Florida social circles, and Scarborough, a former four-term Republican congressman, used to boast about giving Trump political advice.
During Trump's 2016 campaign, Scarborough was criticized for having "too cozy" a relationship with then-candidate Trump. Back then, Scarborough and his wife and co-host, Mika Brzezinski, were frequent guests at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, and they even celebrated New Year's Eve 2017 at the Palm Beach resort.
But as Scarborough and Brzezinski grew increasingly critical of Trump's presidency during his first year in office, Trump turned on them, and the relationship has only grown more bitter over time.
Last December, Scarborough wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post that after years of viewing Trump as a "cartoonish" character, he now sees him as something more sinister.
"At last, I saw this reality TV president as a malevolent character, inspiring fascist chants while proving to be more hapless than any of his [44] predecessors. All versions of Trump have been cynical and manipulative, but his latest incarnation has proved to be destructive to his party, his country and the world," wrote Scarborough.
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WATCH: Here's how Big Tech companies are combating coronavirus misinformation


cnbc--2020-05-26--Vice President Mike Pence spokeswoman Katie Miller returns to work after bout with coronavirus

Katie Miller , press secretary for U.S. Vice President Mike Pence , helps prepare for the daily coronavirus task force briefing at the White House in Washington , U.S. March 10 , 2020 .
Picture taken March 10 , 2020 .
Vice President Mike Pence 's press secretary , Katie Miller , returned to work on Tuesday , nearly three weeks after testing positive for the coronavirus .
Miller announced her return in a tweet which said she has since had three negative tests for Covid-19 .
Miller also revealed in the tweet that she was pregnant .
She credited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior advisor to President Donald Trump , with having taken `` great care '' of her during her time away from the job .
She had disclosed on May 8 that she tested positive for the coronavirus .
The announcement came a day after news broke that a personal valet for Trump had tested positive for the virus .
Several days after Miller and the valet tested positive , White House staffers were told that they had to wear masks when they entered the West Wing of that building , which contains the @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Katie Miller, press secretary for U.S. Vice President Mike Pence , helps prepare for the daily coronavirus task force briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S. March 10, 2020. Picture taken March 10, 2020.
Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary, Katie Miller, returned to work on Tuesday, nearly three weeks after testing positive for the coronavirus.
Miller announced her return in a tweet which said she has since had three negative tests for Covid-19.
Miller also revealed in the tweet that she was pregnant. She credited her husband, Stephen Miller, a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, with having taken "great care" of her during her time away from the job.
Tweet
She had disclosed on May 8 that she tested positive for the coronavirus. The announcement came a day after news broke that a personal valet for Trump had tested positive for the virus.
Several days after Miller and the valet tested positive, White House staffers were told that they had to wear masks when they entered the West Wing of that building, which contains the Oval Office where the president works.


cnbc--2020-05-26--UK faces political crisis after apparent lockdown breach from Boris Johnson's top advisor

A political crisis is brewing in Britain after Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's closest aide defied calls to quit over an apparent breach of the country 's coronavirus lockdown rules .
Dominic Cummings defended on Monday his decision to travel 260 miles from London to Durham , northern England in March , days after the U.K. went into lockdown .
The move has provoked anger from the public and led to the resignation of a government minister .
In a press conference , Cummings said his trip to family in Durham was within the scope of the restrictions because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he and his wife fell ill .
This , he argued , was one of the `` exceptional circumstances '' allowed under the government 's lockdown measures .
His wife had symptoms of Covid-19 at the time of the journey .
The political strategist said he did n't inform the prime minister about the trip ahead of time , which he admitted was `` arguably '' a mistake .
But he said he does not regret his actions and has not considered resigning over it , insisting he `` behaved reasonably . ''

A political crisis is brewing in Britain after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's closest aide defied calls to quit over an apparent breach of the country's coronavirus lockdown rules.
Dominic Cummings defended on Monday his decision to travel 260 miles from London to Durham, northern England in March, days after the U.K. went into lockdown. The move has provoked anger from the public and led to the resignation of a government minister.
In a press conference, Cummings said his trip to family in Durham was within the scope of the restrictions because he needed to seek child care in case he and his wife fell ill. This, he argued, was one of the "exceptional circumstances" allowed under the government's lockdown measures. His wife had symptoms of Covid-19 at the time of the journey.
The political strategist said he didn't inform the prime minister about the trip ahead of time, which he admitted was "arguably" a mistake. But he said he does not regret his actions and has not considered resigning over it, insisting he "behaved reasonably."


cnbc--2020-05-26--Trump threatens to move GOP convention over coronavirus restrictions in North Carolina

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters about the coronavirus in the James Brady Briefing Room of the White House , Friday , May 22 , 2020 , in Washington .
President Donald Trump on Monday said that he `` will be reluctantly forced '' to move the Republican National Convention if North Carolina does n't ease up on social distancing restrictions to allow full attendance .
The convention is set for the week of Aug. 24 in Charlotte , North Carolina .
In a series of tweets , the president said that he advocated for the Republican National Convention to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Gov .
Roy Cooper for continuing to impose restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` Plans are being made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans , and others , to head to beautiful North Carolina in August , '' Trump tweeted .
`` They must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied .
If not , we will be reluctantly forced to find , with all of the jobs and economic development it brings , another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not something I want to do . ''
Shortly after lashing out at Cooper , Trump tweeted that he had spent the Memorial Day weekend playing golf , a move that led to criticism as the number of coronavirus cases in the United States continues to rise .
Trump 's most recent threat comes amid weeks of him urging the reopening of the country .
The president has called on governors to relax social distancing restrictions and allow the reopening of small businesses to help the economy , which has been ravaged by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued to see the number of cases rise and health officials have warned that early reopening could lead to a second wave .
In the tweets Trump complained that the Republican Party might end up spending `` millions of dollars building the arena to a very high standard , '' where the convention is to be held , without knowing whether Cooper will allow full-scale attendance .
Over the weekend , North Carolina reported its highest one-day spike in confirmed cases , which comes just as the state enters its second reopening phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying officials in North Carolina `` are working with the RNC and will review its plans as they make decisions about how to hold the convention in Charlotte . ''
`` North Carolina is relying on data and science to protect our state 's public health and safety , '' Cooper tweeted .
The Republican National Committee in a statement reiterated its desire to host a convention in August in North Carolina but said it would `` need the governor to provide assurances that it can occur . ''
`` We will need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or we will be forced to consider other options , '' an RNC official told NBC News .
Upon speculation of where the convention might be moved , Joe Gruters , the chair of the Florida Republican Party , told NBC News that it `` would welcome the opportunity to host the Republican National Convention . ''
`` Florida is committed to ensuring a safe , secure and successful event for President Trump and all attendees , '' Gruters said .
Trump has reportedly asked several aides about having the GOP convention in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Trump in a tweet denied this .
`` I have zero interest in moving the Republican National Convention to Doral in Miami , as falsely reported by the Fake News @ nytimes in order to stir up trouble , '' he tweeted .
`` Ballroom is not nearly big enough & would like to stay in N.C. , whose gov .
does n't even know if he can let people in ? ''
The Democratic National Convention , which was originally set for July , is now scheduled for August a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Democratic convention said they expect the delay to provide `` more time to determine the most appropriate structure for this historic event . ''
The outbreak has spread to dozens of countries , with more than 5.4 million confirmed cases worldwide and over 345,059 deaths , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
There are at least 1.6 million cases in the United States and at least 97,000 deaths , according to the latest tallies .

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters about the coronavirus in the James Brady Briefing Room of the White House, Friday, May 22, 2020, in Washington.
President Donald Trump on Monday said that he "will be reluctantly forced" to move the Republican National Convention if North Carolina doesn't ease up on social distancing restrictions to allow full attendance.
The convention is set for the week of Aug. 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In a series of tweets, the president said that he advocated for the Republican National Convention to be held in North Carolina but railed against Gov. Roy Cooper for continuing to impose restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.
"Plans are being made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, and others, to head to beautiful North Carolina in August," Trump tweeted.
"They must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied. If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site. This is not something I want to do."
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Shortly after lashing out at Cooper, Trump tweeted that he had spent the Memorial Day weekend playing golf, a move that led to criticism as the number of coronavirus cases in the United States continues to rise.
Trump's most recent threat comes amid weeks of him urging the reopening of the country. The president has called on governors to relax social distancing restrictions and allow the reopening of small businesses to help the economy, which has been ravaged by the pandemic.
But some states have continued to see the number of cases rise and health officials have warned that early reopening could lead to a second wave.
In the tweets Trump complained that the Republican Party might end up spending "millions of dollars building the arena to a very high standard," where the convention is to be held, without knowing whether Cooper will allow full-scale attendance.
Over the weekend, North Carolina reported its highest one-day spike in confirmed cases, which comes just as the state enters its second reopening phase.
Cooper released a statement over Twitter saying officials in North Carolina "are working with the RNC and will review its plans as they make decisions about how to hold the convention in Charlotte."
"North Carolina is relying on data and science to protect our state's public health and safety," Cooper tweeted.
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The Republican National Committee in a statement reiterated its desire to host a convention in August in North Carolina but said it would "need the governor to provide assurances that it can occur."
"We will need some answers sooner rather than later, or we will be forced to consider other options," an RNC official told NBC News.
Upon speculation of where the convention might be moved, Joe Gruters, the chair of the Florida Republican Party, told NBC News that it "would welcome the opportunity to host the Republican National Convention."
"Florida is committed to ensuring a safe, secure and successful event for President Trump and all attendees," Gruters said.
Trump has reportedly asked several aides about having the GOP convention in Florida, the New York Times reported.
But Trump in a tweet denied this.
"I have zero interest in moving the Republican National Convention to Doral in Miami, as falsely reported by the Fake News @nytimes in order to stir up trouble," he tweeted. "Ballroom is not nearly big enough & would like to stay in N.C., whose gov. doesn't even know if he can let people in?"
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The Democratic National Convention, which was originally set for July, is now scheduled for August a week before the GOP convention. Organizers of the Democratic convention said they expect the delay to provide "more time to determine the most appropriate structure for this historic event."
The outbreak has spread to dozens of countries, with more than 5.4 million confirmed cases worldwide and over 345,059 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. There are at least 1.6 million cases in the United States and at least 97,000 deaths, according to the latest tallies.


cnbc--2020-05-26--Democratic bills aim at cracking down on targeted political ads on Facebook and Google

Rep. Anna Eshoo , D-Calif. , speaks during a rally in the Capitol Building to call on the Senate to vote on House Democrats ' prescription drugs and health care package on Wednesday , May 15 , 2019 .
Two new Democratic proposals aim to crack down on the ways political campaigns can target narrow groups of voters on platforms like Facebook and Google .
The latest to be announced comes from Rep. Anna Eshoo , D-Calif. , whose `` Banning Microtargeted Political Ads Act '' would place limits on how narrowly political campaigns could target their messages online .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week he would introduce a similar measure , the `` Protecting Democracy from Disinformation Act , '' on Tuesday .
Cicilline 's bill would limit targeting to location , age and gender while Eshoo 's would allow only political advertisers to target voters based on broad location-based data or those who opted into receiving targeted ads .
Both would include a private right of action , so individuals alleging a violation could file suit .
Microtargeting typically refers to the act of displaying ads to a narrow audience based on certain characteristics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The practice has drawn heightened scrutiny in the wake of the 2016 presidential election , when U.S. officials learned of targeted disinformation campaigns by Russians .
In recent years , academics and several prominent Democrats , including Federal Election Commissioner Ellen Weintraub , have called on tech platforms to revise their policies to limit the ways political campaigns can reach a subset of voters .
Those critics say that finely splicing audiences can obscure harmful messages from public view .
Tech platforms have taken steps to make their political ad processes more transparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have searchable archives where anyone can look up the people and money behind political advertisements on their services .
Facebook has remained steadfast on its policies of allowing microtargeting and refusing to fact-check ads by politicians , except for those that include coronavirus-related misinformation .
Google said it would remove the ability for advertisers to upload their own third-party lists of voters to target .
Twitter went further , banning political advertising altogether .
Sophisticated targeting tools are part of what has made digital platforms like Facebook and Google become valuable tools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to spend their limited funds more efficiently by targeting only the voters they believed would be receptive to a certain ad based on demographic traits , online interests or their location .
Such targeting tends to be much more narrow than that available on traditional channels like TV , limiting the possibility that advertisers will waste some of their dollars on nonreceptive viewers .
The bills are likely to draw scrutiny as several conservatives have previously criticized tech platform 's stricter targeting policies .
After Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its platform , President Donald Trump 's 2020 campaign manager , Brad Parscale , tweeted that it was `` yet another attempt by the left to silence Trump and conservatives . ''
With the presidential election just months away , Congress has yet to pass another proposed reform to bring political advertising laws up to speed with the digital age , the Honest Ads Act .
The bill , introduced in October 2017 , would require platforms to maintain stringent records of political advertising spend and take steps to prevent foreign actors from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last May by Sens .
Amy Klobuchar , D-Minn. , Mark Warner , D-Va. , and Lindsey Graham , R-S.C .

Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., speaks during a rally in the Capitol Building to call on the Senate to vote on House Democrats' prescription drugs and health care package on Wednesday, May 15, 2019.
Two new Democratic proposals aim to crack down on the ways political campaigns can target narrow groups of voters on platforms like Facebook and Google .
The latest to be announced comes from Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., whose "Banning Microtargeted Political Ads Act" would place limits on how narrowly political campaigns could target their messages online. Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., announced last week he would introduce a similar measure, the "Protecting Democracy from Disinformation Act," on Tuesday.
Cicilline's bill would limit targeting to location, age and gender while Eshoo's would allow only political advertisers to target voters based on broad location-based data or those who opted into receiving targeted ads. Both would include a private right of action, so individuals alleging a violation could file suit.
Microtargeting typically refers to the act of displaying ads to a narrow audience based on certain characteristics, interests and even ZIP codes. The practice has drawn heightened scrutiny in the wake of the 2016 presidential election, when U.S. officials learned of targeted disinformation campaigns by Russians. In recent years, academics and several prominent Democrats, including Federal Election Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, have called on tech platforms to revise their policies to limit the ways political campaigns can reach a subset of voters. Those critics say that finely splicing audiences can obscure harmful messages from public view.
Tech platforms have taken steps to make their political ad processes more transparent. Facebook and Google, for example, have searchable archives where anyone can look up the people and money behind political advertisements on their services.
Facebook has remained steadfast on its policies of allowing microtargeting and refusing to fact-check ads by politicians, except for those that include coronavirus-related misinformation. Google said it would remove the ability for advertisers to upload their own third-party lists of voters to target. Twitter went further, banning political advertising altogether.
Sophisticated targeting tools are part of what has made digital platforms like Facebook and Google become valuable tools for political advertisers. Advertisers enjoyed the ability to spend their limited funds more efficiently by targeting only the voters they believed would be receptive to a certain ad based on demographic traits, online interests or their location. Such targeting tends to be much more narrow than that available on traditional channels like TV, limiting the possibility that advertisers will waste some of their dollars on nonreceptive viewers.
The bills are likely to draw scrutiny as several conservatives have previously criticized tech platform's stricter targeting policies. After Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced the company's decision to ban political ads on its platform, President Donald Trump's 2020 campaign manager, Brad Parscale, tweeted that it was "yet another attempt by the left to silence Trump and conservatives."
With the presidential election just months away, Congress has yet to pass another proposed reform to bring political advertising laws up to speed with the digital age, the Honest Ads Act. The bill, introduced in October 2017, would require platforms to maintain stringent records of political advertising spend and take steps to prevent foreign actors from buying political ads. It was reintroduced last May by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Mark Warner, D-Va., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
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WATCH: Here's how Big Tech companies are combatting coronavirus misinformation


cnbc--2020-05-27--Twitter fact-checks Trump, slaps warning labels on his tweets about mail-in ballots

An election workers sorts vote-by-mail ballots for the presidential primary at King County Elections in Renton , Washington on March 10 , 2020 .
`` Get the facts about mail-in ballots , '' the tags read below two of Trump 's tweets .
Twitter 's move marked the first time that the social media giant has fact-checked the president within its own platform .
President Donald Trump 's favorite social media platform , Twitter , on Tuesday began fact-checking his posts , applying warning labels to two of his tweets that made misleading claims about mail-in voting .
`` Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I , as President , will not allow it to happen !
, '' he added in another tweet .
Trump on Tuesday night accused Twitter of interfering in the 2020 election by `` saying my statement on Mail-In Ballots , which will lead to massive corruption and fraud , is incorrect . ''
When clicked , the links lead users to a page that in part reads : `` Trump falsely claimed that mail-in ballots would lead to ' a Rigged Election . '
However , fact-checkers say there is no evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud . ''
A Twitter spokesperson told CNBC that the tweets `` contain potentially misleading information about voting processes and have been labeled to provide additional context around mail-in ballots . ''
The decision follows Twitter 's move last month to change its approach , the spokesperson added .
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC .
Later Tuesday evening , Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale accused Twitter of trying to block the president from reaching voters .
`` We always knew that Silicon Valley would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and interfere with President Trump getting his message through to voters , '' Parscale said in a statement .
`` Partnering with the biased fake news media 'fact checkers ' is only a smoke screen Twitter is using to try to lend their obvious political tactics some false credibility , '' Parscale said .
`` There are many reasons the Trump campaign pulled all our advertising from Twitter months ago , and their clear political bias is one of them . ''
In fact , Twitter last October banned all political ads from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complained about at the time .
Calls for Twitter to intervene in the president 's account grew earlier Tuesday , after Trump continued making baseless suggestions that MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough might have been involved in the death in 2001 of his former intern when he served in Congress .
The staffer 's widower wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey , asking him to remove Trump 's tweets on the matter .
`` I 'm asking you to intervene in this instance because the President of the United States has taken something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memory of my dead wife — and perverted it for perceived political gain , '' he wrote in the letter , which was published by The New York Times on Tuesday morning .
But Twitter made no commitment in its response : `` We are deeply sorry about the pain these statements , and the attention they are drawing , are causing the family .
We 've been working to expand existing product features and policies so we can more effectively address things like this going forward , and we hope to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The new labels , first reported Tuesday afternoon , only showed up on Trump 's tweets about mail-in ballots .
Twitter pushed back on multiple claims made by Trump in the tweets , calling them `` unsubstantiated '' in links attached to the labels .
The links cited reporting by CNN , The Washington Post and other news outlets .
`` Trump falsely claimed that California will send mail-in ballots to 'anyone living in the state , no matter who they are or how they got there . '
In fact , only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Twitter links said .
`` Though Trump targeted California , mail-in ballots are already used in some states , including Oregon , Utah and Nebraska , '' the links said .
Trump 's oldest son , Donald Trump Jr. , responded to Twitter 's move by asking – on Twitter – if the website is going to start `` censoring & fact-checking all the numerous blue check mark 'journalists ' & leftwing activists who falsely claimed that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government . ''
Trump has in recent weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in voting services ahead of the 2020 election .
He incorrectly claimed on Twitter last week that Michigan `` illegally '' mailed out nearly 8 million absentee ballots ahead of the state 's primary .
`` I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path ! ''
Trump tweeted .
In the Rose Garden on Tuesday afternoon , Trump claimed that Democrats are pushing for increased mail-in voting `` because in theory , it is good for them . ''
Trump 's critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action against Trump 's use of the platform .
Of the 18,000-plus false or misleading claims Trump has made as president , more than 3,300 of them were made in tweets , according to The Washington Post .
Twitter had unveiled the new warning labels in a May 11 blog post , though the tags were billed at the time as a tool to correct `` disputed or misleading information related to COVID-19 . ''
But the blog post noted that `` moving forward , we may use these labels and warning messages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situations where the risks of harm associated with a Tweet are less severe but where people may still be confused or misled by the content . ''

An election workers sorts vote-by-mail ballots for the presidential primary at King County Elections in Renton, Washington on March 10, 2020.
"Get the facts about mail-in ballots," the tags read below two of Trump's tweets.
Twitter's move marked the first time that the social media giant has fact-checked the president within its own platform.
President Donald Trump 's favorite social media platform, Twitter , on Tuesday began fact-checking his posts, applying warning labels to two of his tweets that made misleading claims about mail-in voting.
"Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President, will not allow it to happen!," he added in another tweet.
Trump on Tuesday night accused Twitter of interfering in the 2020 election by "saying my statement on Mail-In Ballots, which will lead to massive corruption and fraud, is incorrect."
When clicked, the links lead users to a page that in part reads: "Trump falsely claimed that mail-in ballots would lead to 'a Rigged Election.' However, fact-checkers say there is no evidence that mail-in ballots are linked to voter fraud."
A Twitter spokesperson told CNBC that the tweets "contain potentially misleading information about voting processes and have been labeled to provide additional context around mail-in ballots."
The decision follows Twitter's move last month to change its approach, the spokesperson added.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC.
Later Tuesday evening, Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale accused Twitter of trying to block the president from reaching voters.
"We always knew that Silicon Valley would pull out all the stops to obstruct and interfere with President Trump getting his message through to voters," Parscale said in a statement.
"Partnering with the biased fake news media 'fact checkers' is only a smoke screen Twitter is using to try to lend their obvious political tactics some false credibility," Parscale said. "There are many reasons the Trump campaign pulled all our advertising from Twitter months ago, and their clear political bias is one of them."
In fact, Twitter last October banned all political ads from the platform, a move that Parscale complained about at the time.
Calls for Twitter to intervene in the president's account grew earlier Tuesday, after Trump continued making baseless suggestions that MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough might have been involved in the death in 2001 of his former intern when he served in Congress.
The staffer's widower wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, asking him to remove Trump's tweets on the matter. "I'm asking you to intervene in this instance because the President of the United States has taken something that does not belong to him — the memory of my dead wife — and perverted it for perceived political gain," he wrote in the letter, which was published by The New York Times on Tuesday morning.
But Twitter made no commitment in its response: "We are deeply sorry about the pain these statements, and the attention they are drawing, are causing the family. We've been working to expand existing product features and policies so we can more effectively address things like this going forward, and we hope to have those changes in place shortly."
The new labels, first reported Tuesday afternoon, only showed up on Trump's tweets about mail-in ballots.
Twitter pushed back on multiple claims made by Trump in the tweets, calling them "unsubstantiated" in links attached to the labels. The links cited reporting by CNN, The Washington Post and other news outlets.
"Trump falsely claimed that California will send mail-in ballots to 'anyone living in the state, no matter who they are or how they got there.' In fact, only registered voters will receive ballots," the Twitter links said.
"Though Trump targeted California, mail-in ballots are already used in some states, including Oregon, Utah and Nebraska," the links said.
Trump's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., responded to Twitter's move by asking – on Twitter – if the website is going to start "censoring & fact-checking all the numerous blue check mark 'journalists' & leftwing activists who falsely claimed that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government."
Trump jr TWEET
Trump has in recent weeks railed against some of the states offering mail-in voting services ahead of the 2020 election. He incorrectly claimed on Twitter last week that Michigan "illegally" mailed out nearly 8 million absentee ballots ahead of the state's primary.
"I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!" Trump tweeted.
In the Rose Garden on Tuesday afternoon, Trump claimed that Democrats are pushing for increased mail-in voting "because in theory, it is good for them."
Trump's critics have long called on Twitter to take action against Trump's use of the platform. Of the 18,000-plus false or misleading claims Trump has made as president, more than 3,300 of them were made in tweets, according to The Washington Post.
Twitter had unveiled the new warning labels in a May 11 blog post, though the tags were billed at the time as a tool to correct "disputed or misleading information related to COVID-19."
But the blog post noted that "moving forward, we may use these labels and warning messages to provide additional explanations or clarifications in situations where the risks of harm associated with a Tweet are less severe but where people may still be confused or misled by the content."


cnbc--2020-05-27--DOJ still investigating coronavirus stock sales by Sen. Burr, but drops probes of Loeffler, Inhofe,

DOJ still investigating coronavirus stock sales by Sen. Burr, but drops probes of Loeffler, Inhofe, Feinstein

Federal prosecutors are still investigating stock sales by Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina in advance of a coronavirus-fueled share price plunge , but are dropping investigations of such sales connected to three other senators : Kelly Loeffler , Jim Inhofe and Dianne Feinstein .
Aides for Loeffler , R-Ga. , Inhofe , D-Okla. , and Feinstein , a California Democrat , confirmed to NBC News that the Department of Justice is no longer probing stock sales related to them .
The Wall Street Journal first reported the development .
The FBI earlier this month seized Burr 's cellphone at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of an ongoing criminal investigation .
The next day Burr , a Republican , stepped aside as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee .
Burr and the other three senators have denied any wrongdoing in the selling of shares from either their own or spouse 's accounts worth cumulatively millions of dollars in the weeks before stock prices collapsed as the Covid-19 pandemic began spreading rapidly in the United States .
Members of Congress are prohibited by law from using nonpublic information obtained through their official positions in order to personally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Justice , as well as a spokesman for Burr and the senator 's lawyer , Alice Fisher , declined to comment when asked by CNBC about the Journal 's report .
Burr on Feb. 13 sold stocks valued at between $ 630,000 and $ 1.7 million in 33 separate trades .
ProPublica has reported that on Feb. 13 , the same day Burr that sold his stock , his brother-in-law Gerald Fauth also sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of shares .
Fauth is a member of the National Mediation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labor relations for the transportation industry .
Fisher previously has said that Burr `` participated in the stock market based on public information , '' and that `` he did not coordinate his decision to trade on Feb. 13 with Mr .
Fauth . ''
Loeffler 's spokesman , Stephen Lawson , said in a statement , `` Today 's clear exoneration by the Department of Justice affirms what Senator Loeffler has said all along – she did nothing wrong . ''
`` This was a politically-motivated attack shamelessly promoted by the fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator Loeffler will continue to focus her full attention on delivering results for Georgians , '' Lawson said .
Loeffler only took her seat in the Senate in early January .
She was appointed to the seat by Republican Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp to succeed Sen. Johnny Isakson , who resigned for health reasons .
Loeffler is running for election in her own right this year , but faces nearly two dozen challengers , including Rep. Doug Collins , a fellow Republican whom President Donald Trump had wanted to fill Isakson 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sprecher , is CEO of Intercontinental Exchange , the company that operates the New York Stock Exchange , among other financial marketplaces .
Loeffler and Sprecher , beginning on Jan. 24 , sold shares over the next three weeks that were valued at between $ 1.3 million and $ 3.1 million , according to disclosure reports filed by Loeffler .
The couple 's sell-off began on the same day that Loeffler attended a senators-only briefing on the coronavirus .
The couple has said that the sales were handled without any input from them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Loeffler in mid-May revealed that she gave documents and information related to the sales to the Department of Justice , the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Senate Ethics Committee .
Loeffler 's office , in a statement on May 14 , said that the documents and information she had turned over established `` that she and her husband acted entirely appropriately and observed both the letter and the spirit of the law . ''
A spokesman for Intercontinental Exchange , known as ICE , declined to comment Tuesday about the Journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBC News that Feinstein was informed the Department of Justice is dropping a probe into stock trades made by her husband in the wake of coronavirus briefings .
Feinstein previously said that she had answered questions from the FBI about her husband 's stock sales and had turned over documents to the FBI .
Her husband Richard Blum sold shares of biotech company Allogene Therapeutics on Jan. 31 that were valued at between $ 500,000 and $ 1 million .
Inhofe 's office confirmed the DOJ had dropped the investigation of his stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between $ 180,000 and $ 400,000 , days after a Jan. 24 briefing for senators where lawmakers were informed about the risk of Covid-19 to the United States .
Inhofe has said that he plays no role in the management of his investment portfolio .
Infhofe himself told The Oklahoman newspaper on Tuesday that he was cleared by the DOJ , and noted that he had not attended the Jan. 24 `` briefing and do not make my own stock trades . ''
`` I did nothing wrong , and I 'm pleased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Inhofe said .

watch now
Federal prosecutors are still investigating stock sales by Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina in advance of a coronavirus-fueled share price plunge, but are dropping investigations of such sales connected to three other senators: Kelly Loeffler, Jim Inhofe and Dianne Feinstein. Aides for Loeffler, R-Ga., Inhofe, R-Okla., and Feinstein, a California Democrat, confirmed to NBC News that the Department of Justice is no longer probing stock sales related to them. The Wall Street Journal first reported the development. The FBI earlier this month seized Burr's cellphone at his home in Washington, D.C., as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. The next day Burr, a Republican, stepped aside as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Burr and the other three senators have denied any wrongdoing in the selling of shares from either their own or spouse's accounts worth cumulatively millions of dollars in the weeks before stock prices collapsed as the Covid-19 pandemic began spreading rapidly in the United States.
Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) leaves the U.S. Capitol after voting in Washington, U.S., May 14, 2020. Erin Scott | Reuters
Members of Congress are prohibited by law from using nonpublic information obtained through their official positions in order to personally profit in the stock market. The Department of Justice, as well as a spokesman for Burr and the senator's lawyer, Alice Fisher, declined to comment when asked by CNBC about the Journal's report. Burr on Feb. 13 sold stocks valued at between $630,000 and $1.7 million in 33 separate trades. ProPublica has reported that on Feb. 13, the same day Burr that sold his stock, his brother-in-law Gerald Fauth also sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of shares. Fauth is a member of the National Mediation Board, a federal agency that facilitates labor relations for the transportation industry. Fisher previously has said that Burr "participated in the stock market based on public information," and that "he did not coordinate his decision to trade on Feb. 13 with Mr. Fauth." Loeffler's spokesman, Stephen Lawson, said in a statement, "Today's clear exoneration by the Department of Justice affirms what Senator Loeffler has said all along – she did nothing wrong." "This was a politically-motivated attack shamelessly promoted by the fake news media and her political opponents. Senator Loeffler will continue to focus her full attention on delivering results for Georgians," Lawson said. Loeffler only took her seat in the Senate in early January. She was appointed to the seat by Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to succeed Sen. Johnny Isakson, who resigned for health reasons.
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) participates during the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing to examine COVID-19 and Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School on May 12, 2020 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee | POOL | Getty Images


cnbc--2020-05-27--Pompeo declares that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China, threatening trade with U.S.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reported to Congress on Wednesday that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China , a move that could jeopardize the special administrative region 's favorable trade relationship with the U.S. and open up Chinese officials to sanctions .
The State Department was required to issue a determination on Hong Kong 's autonomy under pro-democracy legislation passed late last year .
The law also requires the president to impose sanctions on foreigners who undermine `` fundamental freedoms and autonomy in Hong Kong . ''
Pompeo 's move comes amid a controversy in Hong Kong over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has spurred protests in the streets of the former British colony .
The proposed law from China 's National People 's Congress would effectively bypass Hong Kong 's own legislature and targets acts of sedition against the central government in Beijing .
Fears over China 's encroachment on the business center 's independence have roiled the region for months and contributed to sending Hong Kong 's economy into a recession last year .
`` No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo said in a statement .
`` Hong Kong and its dynamic , enterprising , and free people have flourished for decades as a bastion of liberty , and this decision gives me no pleasure .
But sound policy making requires a recognition of reality , '' Pompeo said .
`` While the United States once hoped that free and prosperous Hong Kong would provide a model for authoritarian China , it is now clear that China is modeling Hong Kong after itself . ''
Hong Kong has so far been exempted from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. that the Trump administration has imposed on China as part of President Donald Trump 's multiyear trade war with the country .
That exemption could be eliminated , though it 's far from certain it will be .
Business groups have warned of negative consequences if Hong Kong were to lose its special status , and experts have expressed skepticism that the U.S. will impose substantial costs on China over Hong Kong .
The U.S. has a significant financial relationship with Hong Kong .
Trade in goods and services between the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 66 billion in 2018 , according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative .
The State Department has said that there are more than 1,300 U.S. firms doing business in the special administrative region .
Natasha Kassam , a research fellow at Australian think tank the Lowy Institute , told CNBC 's `` Capital Connection '' that the U.S. could revoke some of Hong Kong 's privileges , but said such an action was the `` nuclear option . ''
`` You can only pull that lever once and it 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kassam said .
China hawks in Congress have pressed the administration to move forward with sanctions on Chinese officials .
Sen. Marco Rubio , R-Fla. , has said that if China moves forward with its national security legislation , the State Department would have no choice but to certify that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous and `` sanctions should follow . ''
`` I applaud the Trump Administration for taking the necessary step , as required under my Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act , to protect American interests and safeguard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Hong Kong , '' Rubio said in a statement Wednesday .
Trump 's own intentions remain unclear , making it difficult to predict the administration 's next steps .
The president has expressed only limited interest in the Hong Kong protests , and has so far shown little appetite for actions that could jeopardize his nascent trade deal with Beijing .
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Tensions between the U.S. and China have been rising as a result of the spreading coronavirus pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , last year .
Officials in both countries , the world 's two largest economies , have sought to pin blame for the deadly virus on each other .
An email to the Chinese Embassy in Washington was returned with a message that said the mailbox was over its capacity .
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reported to Congress on Wednesday that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China, a move that could jeopardize the special administrative region's favorable trade relationship with the U.S. and open up Chinese officials to sanctions.
The State Department was required to issue a determination on Hong Kong's autonomy under pro-democracy legislation passed late last year. The law also requires the president to impose sanctions on foreigners who undermine "fundamental freedoms and autonomy in Hong Kong."
Pompeo's move comes amid a controversy in Hong Kong over a proposed national security law from Beijing that has spurred protests in the streets of the former British colony.
The proposed law from China's National People's Congress would effectively bypass Hong Kong's own legislature and targets acts of sedition against the central government in Beijing. Fears over China's encroachment on the business center's independence have roiled the region for months and contributed to sending Hong Kong's economy into a recession last year.
"No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground," Pompeo said in a statement.
"Hong Kong and its dynamic, enterprising, and free people have flourished for decades as a bastion of liberty, and this decision gives me no pleasure. But sound policy making requires a recognition of reality," Pompeo said. "While the United States once hoped that free and prosperous Hong Kong would provide a model for authoritarian China, it is now clear that China is modeling Hong Kong after itself."
Hong Kong has so far been exempted from the punishing tariffs on exports to the U.S. that the Trump administration has imposed on China as part of President Donald Trump's multiyear trade war with the country.
That exemption could be eliminated, though it's far from certain it will be. Business groups have warned of negative consequences if Hong Kong were to lose its special status, and experts have expressed skepticism that the U.S. will impose substantial costs on China over Hong Kong.
The U.S. has a significant financial relationship with Hong Kong. Trade in goods and services between the U.S. and Hong Kong totaled more than $66 billion in 2018, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The State Department has said that there are more than 1,300 U.S. firms doing business in the special administrative region.
Natasha Kassam, a research fellow at Australian think tank the Lowy Institute, told CNBC's "Capital Connection" that the U.S. could revoke some of Hong Kong's privileges, but said such an action was the "nuclear option."
"You can only pull that lever once and it's not clear that will necessarily work," Kassam said.
China hawks in Congress have pressed the administration to move forward with sanctions on Chinese officials. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has said that if China moves forward with its national security legislation, the State Department would have no choice but to certify that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous and "sanctions should follow."
Rubio tweet
"I applaud the Trump Administration for taking the necessary step, as required under my Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, to protect American interests and safeguard the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong," Rubio said in a statement Wednesday.
Trump's own intentions remain unclear, making it difficult to predict the administration's next steps. The president has expressed only limited interest in the Hong Kong protests, and has so far shown little appetite for actions that could jeopardize his nascent trade deal with Beijing. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tensions between the U.S. and China have been rising as a result of the spreading coronavirus pandemic, which was first reported in Wuhan, China, last year. Officials in both countries, the world's two largest economies, have sought to pin blame for the deadly virus on each other.
An email to the Chinese Embassy in Washington was returned with a message that said the mailbox was over its capacity. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
-- CNBC's Christina Wilkie contributed to this report.


cnbc--2020-05-27--House sends China sanctions bill to Trump's desk as tensions escalate

People buy food under Chinese national flags in the Old City in Kashgar in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region , China .
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation calling for sanctions against Chinese officials for the detention and torture of Uighur Muslims in the country 's western region of Xinjiang as tensions between the U.S. and China continue to escalate .
The legislation was approved by a vote of 413-1 after passing overwhelmingly in the Senate earlier this month .
It will now head to President Donald Trump , who has not said whether he intends to sign it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first to take place under temporary rules established this month to allow representatives to cast their ballots by proxy , as a precaution against the spreading coronavirus .
Republicans have brought a suit against Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi challenging proxy voting as unconstitutional .
The vote comes just hours after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo targeted Beijing over its efforts to tamp down on dissent in Hong Kong , announcing that the State Department no longer viewed Hong Kong as autonomous and reiterating U.S. support for anti-government protesters there .
China has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions imposed and denies the allegations of abuse inside its reeducation camps , which are believed to house as many as a million Uighurs , ethnic Kazakhs and members of other minority groups .
The bill passed on Wednesday would give the president 180 days to put together a list of Chinese officials responsible for abuses .
Those officials would then face sanctions , though Trump could exempt certain individuals if he claims that the exemption is in the national interest .

People buy food under Chinese national flags in the Old City in Kashgar in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China. Thomas Peter | Reuters
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation calling for sanctions against Chinese officials for the detention and torture of Uighur Muslims in the country's western region of Xinjiang as tensions between the U.S. and China continue to escalate. The legislation was approved by a vote of 413-1 after passing overwhelmingly in the Senate earlier this month. It will now head to President Donald Trump, who has not said whether he intends to sign it into law. The vote was the first to take place under temporary rules established this month to allow representatives to cast their ballots by proxy, as a precaution against the spreading coronavirus. Republicans have brought a suit against Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi challenging proxy voting as unconstitutional. The vote comes just hours after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo targeted Beijing over its efforts to tamp down on dissent in Hong Kong, announcing that the State Department no longer viewed Hong Kong as autonomous and reiterating U.S. support for anti-government protesters there.
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China has warned that it will retaliate against any sanctions imposed and denies the allegations of abuse inside its reeducation camps, which are believed to house as many as a million Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs and members of other minority groups. The bill passed on Wednesday would give the president 180 days to put together a list of Chinese officials responsible for abuses. Those officials would then face sanctions, though Trump could exempt certain individuals if he claims that the exemption is in the national interest.
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cnbc--2020-05-27--Trump press secretary defends her own mail-in votes after attacking expanded absentee ballot access

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany holds her first on-camera news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House May 01 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended her decade-long record of voting by mail , arguing Wednesday that her public opposition to expanding mail-in voting for other people is not incompatible with her personal use of mail-in ballots .
`` Absentee voting has the word absent in it for a reason .
It means you 're absent from the jurisdiction or unable to vote in person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` President Trump is against the Democrat plan to politicize the coronavirus and expand mass mail-in voting without a reason , which has a high propensity for voter fraud .
This is a simple distinction that the media fails to grasp . ''
McEnany was responding to a story published Wednesday by The Tampa Bay Times , which reported that , according to state records , McEnany has voted in Florida using mail-in absentee ballots for over a decade .
A review of state records shows that McEnany has voted by absentee ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a total of 12 times , most recently this March in the 2020 presidential primary .
In addition to being an absentee voter herself , McEnany is also a high-profile defender of President Donald Trump 's recent attacks on expanding mail-in ballots .
McEnany 's claim on Wednesday that Democrats want to `` expand mass mail-in voting without a reason '' ignored the threat of the coronavirus , which has killed about 100,000 Americans in the past four months .
In Washington , Republicans have loudly opposed state efforts to expand ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus threat , and few more than Trump himself .
The standard justification for Republican opposition to voting by mail is that it presents opportunities for `` voter fraud . ''
But voter fraud , while held up as a grave threat by some , is in reality so rare that research has repeatedly shown it plays no appreciable role in American elections .

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany holds her first on-camera news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House May 01, 2020 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended her decade-long record of voting by mail, arguing Wednesday that her public opposition to expanding mail-in voting for other people is not incompatible with her personal use of mail-in ballots.
"Absentee voting has the word absent in it for a reason. It means you're absent from the jurisdiction or unable to vote in person," McEnany told NBC News. "President Trump is against the Democrat plan to politicize the coronavirus and expand mass mail-in voting without a reason, which has a high propensity for voter fraud. This is a simple distinction that the media fails to grasp."
McEnany was responding to a story published Wednesday by The Tampa Bay Times, which reported that, according to state records, McEnany has voted in Florida using mail-in absentee ballots for over a decade.
A review of state records shows that McEnany has voted by absentee ballot every time she has voted since 2008, a total of 12 times, most recently this March in the 2020 presidential primary.
In addition to being an absentee voter herself, McEnany is also a high-profile defender of President Donald Trump's recent attacks on expanding mail-in ballots.
McEnany's claim on Wednesday that Democrats want to "expand mass mail-in voting without a reason" ignored the threat of the coronavirus, which has killed about 100,000 Americans in the past four months. In Washington, Republicans have loudly opposed state efforts to expand ballot access by mail in light of the coronavirus threat, and few more than Trump himself.
The standard justification for Republican opposition to voting by mail is that it presents opportunities for "voter fraud." But voter fraud, while held up as a grave threat by some, is in reality so rare that research has repeatedly shown it plays no appreciable role in American elections.


cnbc--2020-05-27--GOP Sen. Josh Hawley asks Twitter if fact checks are meant to target Trump for 'political reasons'

A Republican senator asked Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Wednesday whether the social media giant 's decision to fact-check President Donald Trump 's tweets on mail-in voting was politically motivated .
The move by the president 's favorite social media platform to slap warning labels on his tweets `` raises serious questions about whether Twitter targeted the President for political reasons , '' Sen. Josh Hawley , R-Mo.
, said in a letter to Dorsey .
Hawley , a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee , suggested that Twitter 's intervention in Trump 's messaging may jeopardize its status under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other websites from bearing responsibility for the content posted by its users .
Calls for Twitter to intervene in the president 's account grew earlier Tuesday , after Trump continued making baseless suggestions that MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough might have been involved in the death in 2001 of his former intern when he served in Congress .
The staffer 's widower asked Dorsey to remove Trump 's tweets on the matter .
`` I 'm asking you to intervene in this instance because the President of the United States has taken something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memory of my dead wife — and perverted it for perceived political gain , '' the widower wrote in a letter to the CEO .
Twitter refused to delete those claims .
On Tuesday evening , Twitter for the first time branded two of Trump 's tweets , neither about Scarborough , with warning labels , alerting readers to `` get the facts about mail-in ballots . ''
Trump had tweeted that morning that mail-in ballots would be `` substantially fraudulent '' if their use was widespread in the 2020 presidential election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the president claimed .
When clicked , the labels led users to a page that read in part : `` Trump falsely claimed that mail-in ballots would lead to ' a Rigged Election . '
However , fact-checkers say there is no evidence that mail-in ballots are linked to voter fraud . ''
The fact-checking page pushed back on multiple claims made by Trump in the tweets , calling them `` unsubstantiated . ''
The links cited reporting by CNN , The Washington Post and other news outlets .

A Republican senator asked Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Wednesday whether the social media giant's decision to fact-check President Donald Trump's tweets on mail-in voting was politically motivated.
The move by the president's favorite social media platform to slap warning labels on his tweets "raises serious questions about whether Twitter targeted the President for political reasons," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said in a letter to Dorsey.
Hawley, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, suggested that Twitter's intervention in Trump's messaging may jeopardize its status under the decades-old law that protects it and other websites from bearing responsibility for the content posted by its users.
Calls for Twitter to intervene in the president's account grew earlier Tuesday, after Trump continued making baseless suggestions that MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough might have been involved in the death in 2001 of his former intern when he served in Congress.
The staffer's widower asked Dorsey to remove Trump's tweets on the matter. "I'm asking you to intervene in this instance because the President of the United States has taken something that does not belong to him — the memory of my dead wife — and perverted it for perceived political gain," the widower wrote in a letter to the CEO. Twitter refused to delete those claims.
TWEETS
On Tuesday evening, Twitter for the first time branded two of Trump's tweets, neither about Scarborough, with warning labels, alerting readers to "get the facts about mail-in ballots."
Trump had tweeted that morning that mail-in ballots would be "substantially fraudulent" if their use was widespread in the 2020 presidential election.
"This will be a rigged election," the president claimed. When clicked, the labels led users to a page that read in part: "Trump falsely claimed that mail-in ballots would lead to 'a Rigged Election.' However, fact-checkers say there is no evidence that mail-in ballots are linked to voter fraud." The fact-checking page pushed back on multiple claims made by Trump in the tweets, calling them "unsubstantiated." The links cited reporting by CNN, The Washington Post and other news outlets.


cnbc--2020-05-27--Trump hints at US withdrawal from Afghanistan as election looms

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is evaluating a range of options for the eventual withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Afghanistan .
It would be a colossal effort that could occur as soon as the November presidential election , according to The New York Times .
President Donald Trump , who campaigned on removing the U.S. presence in Afghanistan , took to Twitter on Wednesday to say that America 's role in the war-torn country has been reduced to a `` police force '' and not a `` fighting force . ''
`` After 19 years , it is time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bring our soldiers back home but closely watch what is going on and strike with a thunder like never before , if necessary ! ''
wrote Trump , who is facing a challenge from former vice president Joe Biden , the apparent Democratic nominee .
The Pentagon would not give specifics on how many U.S. service members were currently serving in Afghanistan nor the options under consideration by the White House .
`` I think it 's been clear for some time that the U.S. has been looking at different options and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our presence in Afghanistan , '' Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told reporters at the Pentagon .
`` I would not share with you what potential options that we would be discussing with the president though , '' he added .
`` The bottom line is , we have said for many , many months and years now that the future of Afghanistan is going to be best suited for peace when there is an agreement between the inter-Afghan parties , '' Hoffman said .
When asked by reporters during a White House event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could go back to Afghanistan if needed .
`` We can always go back if we have to .
If we have to go back , we 'll go back , and we 'll go back raging , '' he said .

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is evaluating a range of options for the eventual withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
It would be a colossal effort that could occur as soon as the November presidential election, according to The New York Times.
President Donald Trump, who campaigned on removing the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, took to Twitter on Wednesday to say that America's role in the war-torn country has been reduced to a "police force" and not a "fighting force."
"After 19 years, it is time for them to police their own Country. Bring our soldiers back home but closely watch what is going on and strike with a thunder like never before, if necessary!" wrote Trump, who is facing a challenge from former vice president Joe Biden, the apparent Democratic nominee.
TWEET
The Pentagon would not give specifics on how many U.S. service members were currently serving in Afghanistan nor the options under consideration by the White House.
"I think it's been clear for some time that the U.S. has been looking at different options and how we are going to continue with our presence in Afghanistan," Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told reporters at the Pentagon. "I would not share with you what potential options that we would be discussing with the president though," he added.
"The bottom line is, we have said for many, many months and years now that the future of Afghanistan is going to be best suited for peace when there is an agreement between the inter-Afghan parties," Hoffman said.
When asked by reporters during a White House event, Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. could go back to Afghanistan if needed.
"We can always go back if we have to. If we have to go back, we'll go back, and we'll go back raging," he said.


cnbc--2020-05-27--Op-Ed: Our city can show the rest of America how to bounce back from Covid-19

New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy hands out bags containing meals , face masks and other personal protective supplies to residents in need outside the NAN Newark Tech World during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) in Newark , New Jersey , May 6 , 2020 .
COVID-19 is testing Newark 's resilience and rise .
We are one of America 's oldest cities and home to those disproportionately affected by this pandemic—our working class , our black , Hispanic and immigrant residents , and those struggling against poverty—in percentages that far exceed those of most other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build back better : more equitable , more agile , more connected and more innovative .
Our city has wrestled with the issues of inequity for generations , which this pandemic has brought to bear .
But in recent years , once seemingly unmovable problems have begun to shift .
Crime rates are down , high school graduation rates are up , neighborhoods are vibrant , artistry abounds , and fast-growing companies are moving in .
Fueling this progress are lessons of partnership strengthened in the crucible moments of our city 's unrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1987 and 2008 , and after 9/11 .

New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy hands out bags containing meals, face masks and other personal protective supplies to residents in need outside the NAN Newark Tech World during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Newark, New Jersey, May 6, 2020.
COVID-19 is testing Newark's resilience and rise. We are one of America's oldest cities and home to those disproportionately affected by this pandemic—our working class, our black, Hispanic and immigrant residents, and those struggling against poverty—in percentages that far exceed those of most other cities.
Nonetheless, our hometown will build back better: more equitable, more agile, more connected and more innovative.
Our city has wrestled with the issues of inequity for generations, which this pandemic has brought to bear. But in recent years, once seemingly unmovable problems have begun to shift.
Crime rates are down, high school graduation rates are up, neighborhoods are vibrant, artistry abounds, and fast-growing companies are moving in.
Fueling this progress are lessons of partnership strengthened in the crucible moments of our city's unrest in 1967, the financial crises of 1987 and 2008, and after 9/11.