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Photos: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images and Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

President Trump referred to Mitt Romney as a "pompous ass" on Saturday in response to the Republican senator's criticism of Trump for his "brazen and unprecedented appeal to China and to Ukraine" to investigate the Bidens.

Why it matters: Romney, who criticized the Trump-Ukraine allegations after reading the whistleblower complaint, is one of the first Republican senators to denounce Trump's calls for China or Ukraine to investigate one of his top 2020 rivals.

Background: Trump told reporters this week that China should launch an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden, though he noted he hasn't yet asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to do so. Trump argued on Saturday that his previous statement "pertained to corruption, not politics."

  • Trump is currently facing a House impeachment inquiry following a whistleblower complaint that alleges the president used "the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 election."
  • Officials named in the whistleblower complaint drafted a statement in August committing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the Ukrainian energy company for which Hunter Biden previously served on the board.

Go deeper ... Senate's new maverick Republican: Mitt Romney and the whistleblower complaint

Go deeper

Updated 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Trump campaign asks Georgia for another election recount

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Georgia will conduct another presidential election results recount following a Trump campaign request on Saturday.

Why it matters: State election officials and Gov. Brian Kemp (R) on Friday certified Georgia's election results that show President-elect Joe Biden officially won the state by just over 12,600 votes.

Updated 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Sen. Kelly Loeffler in quarantine after mixed coronavirus test results

Sen. Kelly Loeffler addresses supporters during a rally at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agriculture Center on Thursday. Photo: Jessica McGowan/Getty Images

Sen. Kelly Loeffler's (R-Ga.) campaign announced Saturday she's following CDC guidelines and self-isolating with no COVID-19 symptoms after testing positive and then later returning an inconclusive result for the virus.

Why it matters: Loeffler has been campaigning at events ahead of a Jan. 5 runoff in elections that'll decide which party holds the Senate majority. Vice President Mike Pence was with her on Friday.

Judge tosses Trump campaign bid to block Pennsylvania vote certification

Election workers count ballots at the Philadelphia Convention Center Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

A judge in Pennsylvania on Saturday dismissed a Trump campaign lawsuit that sought to invalidate millions of votes and block the certification of President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the state.

Why it matters: The ruling is another blow to President Trump and his campaign as they seek to discredit election tallies in Pennsylvania and other key swing states, citing baseless and unproven claims of widespread voter fraud. Counties in Pennsylvania must certify their election totals and send them to secretary of the commonwealth by Monday.