Oct 22, 2019

Trump: Republicans must get tougher and fight impeachment threat

President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a Cabinet meeting in the White House, Oct. 21. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

President Trump denounced Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) Monday as he said Republicans "have to get tougher and fight" because the Democrats are "trying to hurt" the GOP before the 2020 election, as the House impeachment inquiry looms.

"I think they're lousy politicians. But two things they have: They're vicious and they stick together. They don't have Mitt Romney in their midst. They don't have people like that. They stick together. You never see them break off."

— Trump speaking about Democrats

The big picture: Trump made the remarks during a lengthy Cabinet meeting, a day after "Axios on HBO" broadcast an interview with Romney during which he said Trump's appeals to China and Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden were "shocking" and a "mistake."

Go deeper: The 2 Republican senators to watch as Trump's impeachment looms

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Alayna Treene, Alexi McCammond

13 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Trump walks to historic St. John's Church outside White House as protests rage

President Trump walked to the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church, located just steps away from the White House across Lafayette Park, on Monday night as protests linked to the murder of George Floyd raged across the capital and cities around the country.

What we're seeing: Military police and park rangers used physical force and tear gas on peaceful protestors to clear the area so that Trump could "pay respects" to the church that was damaged by a fire on Sunday.

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Axios

30 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Trump threatens to deploy military amid national unrest

President Trump announced from the White House Rose Garden Monday evening that he is "mobilizing all available federal resources, civilian and military" to stop violent protests across the country, decrying "professional anarchists, looters, criminals, antifa and others" whose actions have "gripped" the nation.

The backdrop: Trump's announcement came as police clashed with protesters just outside of the White House, using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds chanting, "Hands up, don't shoot," and other slogans. Flash bangs used outside the White House could be heard from the Rose Garden.

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Axios

Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Autopsies say George Floyd's death was homicide

Police watch as demonstrators block a roadway while protesting the death of George Floyd in Miami. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Preliminary results from an independent autopsy commissioned by George Floyd's family found that his death in the custody of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was "homicide caused by asphyxia due to neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain," according to a statement from the family's attorney.

The latest: An updated official autopsy released by the Hennepin County medical examiner also determined that the manner of Floyd's death was "homicide," ruling it was caused by "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdued, restraint, and neck compression."

Go deeper (1 min. read)