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Tag: trump

  • Twitter wields big stick against Trump, bans account permanently

    Twitter wields big stick against Trump, bans account permanently

    Twitter on Friday evening wielded the big stick against outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump, suspending his account permanently.

    Announcing this in a blog post, the company said it took the decision “due to the risk of further incitement of violence’’.

    “After a close review of recent tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them, we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence.

    “In the context of horrific events this week, we made it clear on Wednesday that additional violations of the Twitter Rules would potentially result in this very course of action.

    “Our public interest framework exists to enable the public to hear from elected officials and world leaders directly.

    “It is built on a principle that the people have a right to hold power to account in the open.

    “However, we made it clear going back years that these accounts are not above our rules entirely and cannot use Twitter to incite violence among other things.

    “We will continue to be transparent around our policies and their enforcement,’’ Twitter said.

    The company cited two tweets by the president earlier on Friday that formed the basis of its decision.

    In the first post, the president said: “The 75,000,000 great American Patriots, who voted for me, America First and Make America Great Again, will have a Giant Voice long into the future.

    “They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!’’

    Shortly thereafter Trump tweeted again: “To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the inauguration on January 20th’’.

    Citing Wednesday’s attack by Trump supporters on the Capitol Hill, the company said the two tweets must be read in the context in which his comments could be used to incite violence.

    “President Trump’s statement that he will not be attending the inauguration is being received by a number of his supporters as further confirmation that the election was not legitimate.

    “It is seen as him disavowing his previous claim made via two tweets (1, 2) by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Dan Scavino, that there would be an “orderly transition” on Jan. 20.

    “The second tweet may also serve as an encouragement to those potentially considering violent acts that the inauguration would be a ‘safe’ target, as he will not be attending,’’ it added.

    Twitter had earlier suspended Trump’s account for 12 hours and threatened to ban the account permanently if he violated its rules any further.

  • Biden reacts to Trump’s decision to skip his inauguration, massive call for impeachment

    Biden reacts to Trump’s decision to skip his inauguration, massive call for impeachment

    US President-elect Joe Biden welcomed Donald Trump’s announcement on Friday that he won’t attend the January 20 inauguration, calling it a “good thing.”

    “I was told on the way over here that he indicated he wasn’t going to show up at the inauguration,” Biden told reporters in Wilmington, Delaware.

    “One of the few things he and I have ever agreed on,” Biden said. “It’s a good thing, him not showing up.”

    “He’s been an embarrassment to the country,” Biden said.

    “He’s not fit to serve,” the president-elect added of Trump, who is facing the possibility of being impeached next week for inciting his supporters to storm the US Capitol.

    “He exceeded even my worst notions about him,” Biden said. “He’s one of the most incompetent presidents in the history of the United States of America.”

    Biden said Vice President Mike Pence would be welcome at his inauguration.

    Biden’s remarks came after Trump tweeted earlier Friday that he would not attend the inauguration.

    “To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th,” Trump tweeted.

    Only congress can decide Trump’s impeachment

    Meanwhile, the President-elect on Friday strongly indicated he does not back moves to impeach President Donald Trump, saying the quickest way to get him out of office is through the transition in two weeks.

    “The quickest way that will happen is us being sworn in on the 20th,” said Biden, who will take the oath of office on January 20.

    “What actually happens before or after, that is a judgment for the Congress to make. But that’s what I am looking forward to: him leaving office.”

    Biden was addressing reporters in his hometown of Wilmington two days after Trump encouraged a mob of supporters to march on Congress.

    Democratic leaders in Congress have growing momentum for attempting to impeach Trump for the second time in his presidency. There is little support so far among Republicans, although they too have loudly condemned Trump’s behavior.

    This was Biden’s first extended reaction to the talk of impeaching Trump or trying to persuade Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th amendment removing the president from office.

    Biden’s hesitancy to support his party on impeachment reflects the fact that he already faces a mammoth task in working to heal divisions in US society.

    “We’re going to do our job and Congress can decide how to proceed,” Biden said.

    “The idea that I think he shouldn’t be out of office yesterday is not an issue. The question is what happens with 14 days to go, 13 days left to go?”

  • BREAKING: I won’t attend Biden’s inauguration – Trump

    BREAKING: I won’t attend Biden’s inauguration – Trump

    Outgoing United States President Donald Trump on Friday said he will not be attending the inauguration ceremony of his successor Joe Biden, on January 20.

    Trump made this known in a tweet on Friday. He however did not give reasons he won’t attend the inauguration.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Trump’s predecessor, Barrack Obama attended his (Trump’s) inauguration on January 20, 2017.

    “To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th,” Trump tweeted.

    More details later…

  • Just in: Speaker Pelosi demands Trump’s removal, threatens impeachment (+ Video)

    Just in: Speaker Pelosi demands Trump’s removal, threatens impeachment (+ Video)

    “If the vice president and the Cabinet do not act, the Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment,” Pelosi.

    Speaker, Nancy Pelosi has called on Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to immediately remove President Donald Trump from office following the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol.

    “If the vice president and the Cabinet do not act, the Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment,” Pelosi said.

    Pelosi joined a growing number of lawmakers in demanding the end to Trump’s presidency, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, either through the 25th Amendment or impeachment despite Trump having less than two weeks left in office.

    Democrats and many Republicans have blamed Trump for inciting his supporters to storm the Capitol Wednesday in a failed effort to block certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

    Watch video:

  • Iraq issues arrest warrant for Trump over killing of Iran’s General Soleimani

    Iraq issues arrest warrant for Trump over killing of Iran’s General Soleimani

    An arrest warrant was issued Thursday for outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump in connection with the killing of an Iranian general and a powerful Iraqi militia leader last year, Iraq’s judiciary said.

    The warrant was issued by a judge in Baghdad’s investigative court tasked with probing the Washington-directed drone strike that killed Gen. Qassim Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the court’s media office said. They were killed outside the capital’s airport last January.

    Al-Muhandis was the deputy leader of the state-sanctioned Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group composed of an array of militias, including Iran-backed groups, formed to fight the Islamic State group.

    Soleimani headed the expeditionary Quds force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.

    The arrest warrant was for a charge of premeditated murder, which carries the death penalty on conviction. It is unlikely to be carried out but symbolic in the waning days of Trump’s presidency.

    The decision to issue the warrant “was made after the judge recorded the statements of the claimants from the family of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis,” according to a statement from the Supreme Judicial Council. The investigation into the killings is ongoing, the court said.

    The killings sparked a diplomatic crisis and strained U.S.-Iraq ties, drawing the ire of Shiite political lawmakers who passed a non-binding resolution to pressure the government to oust foreign troops from the country.

    Iran-backed groups have since stepped up attacks against the American presence in Iraq, leading to threats by Washington to shutter its Baghdad diplomatic mission.

  • Trump’s favourite social media app, Twitter, others suspend his accounts over Capitol violence

    Trump’s favourite social media app, Twitter, others suspend his accounts over Capitol violence

    Twitter and Facebook suspended Donald Trump on Wednesday over posts accused of inflaming violence in the US Capitol, as social media scrambled to respond to mayhem by supporters buying into his baseless attacks on the integrity of the election.

    The unprecedented sanctions came after the president took to social media to repeat his numerous false claims about fraud and other impropriety in the election he lost to Joe Biden.

    “This is an emergency situation and we are taking appropriate emergency measures, including removing President Trump’s video,” said Facebook vice president of integrity Guy Rosen.

    “We removed it because on balance we believe it contributes to rather than diminishes the risk of ongoing violence.”

    Facebook barred Trump from posting at the social network or its Instagram service for 24 hours, saying his messages were promoting violence.

    Trump’s falsehoods, ranging from specific allegations to broad conspiracy theories, also prompted Facebook to change a label added to posts aiming to undermine the election results.

    The new label reads: “Joe Biden has been elected president with results that were certified by all 50 states. The US has laws, procedures, and established institutions to ensure the peaceful transfer of power after an election.”

    An activist group calling itself a mock Facebook oversight board said sanctions against Trump at the social network were long overdue.

    “This is too little, too late,” the group said in a statement.

    “Donald Trump has breached Facebook’s own terms and conditions multiple times. His account is not just a threat to democracy but to human life.”

    The crackdown came after Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol in an attack that led to one woman being shot and killed by police, interrupting congressional debate over Biden’s election victory.

    The assault came after the president had urged supporters to march on the seat of government during a speech outside the White House in which he alleged baselessly that the election had been stolen from him.

    He later released a video on social media in which he repeated the false claim — even telling the mob “I love you.”

    YouTube removed the video in line with its policy barring claims challenging election results.

    Twitter said Trump’s messages were violations of the platform’s rules on civic integrity and that any future violations “will result in permanent suspension of the @realDonaldTrump account.”

    The messaging platform said Trump’s account would be locked for 12 hours and that if the offending tweets were not removed, “the account will remain locked.”

    Facebook said it would search for and remove content which praised the storming of the Capitol or encouraged the violence.

    The platform said it would seek to take down additional calls for protests, including peaceful ones, if they violated a curfew imposed by the city of Washington, or any attempts to “re-stage” the storming of Congress.

    “The violent protests in the Capitol today are a disgrace,” a Facebook spokesperson said.

    “We prohibit incitement and calls for violence on our platform. We are actively reviewing and removing any content that breaks these rules.”

    Facebook maintained that it was in contact with law enforcement officials and continued to enforce bans on QAnon conspiracy group, militarized social movements, and hate groups.

    A #StormTheCapitol hashtag was blocked at Facebook and Instagram, according to the internet titan.

  • U.S. Congress resumes certification of Biden’s win after Trump supporters storm Capitol

    U.S. Congress resumes certification of Biden’s win after Trump supporters storm Capitol

    Hundreds of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in a stunning bid to overturn his election defeat, occupying the symbol of American democracy and forcing Congress to suspend a session to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

    Rioters forced their way past metal security barricades, broke windows and scaled walls to fight their way into the Capitol, where they roamed the hallways and scuffled with police officers.

    Some besieged the House of Representatives chamber while lawmakers were inside, banging on its doors. Security officers piled furniture against the chamber’s door and drew their pistols before helping lawmakers escape.

    Police struggled for more than three hours after the invasion to clear the Capitol of Trump supporters before declaring the building secure shortly after 5:30 p.m. (2230 GMT).

    One woman died after being shot during the mayhem, Washington police said, although the victim was not named and the circumstances were unclear. The FBI said it had disarmed two suspected explosive devices.

    The assault on the Capitol was the culmination of months of divisive and escalating rhetoric around the Nov. 3 election, with Trump repeatedly making false claims that the vote was rigged and urging his supporters to help him overturn his loss.

    The chaotic scenes unfolded after Trump – who before the election refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost – addressed thousands of supporters near the White House and told them to march on the Capitol to express their anger at the voting process.

    He told his supporters to pressure their elected officials to reject the results, urging them “to fight.”

    Trump came under intensive fire from some prominent Republicans in Congress, who put the blame for the day’s violence squarely on his shoulders.

    “There is no question that the President formed the mob, the President incited the mob, the President addressed the mob. He lit the flame,” House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney said on Twitter.

    Republican Senator Tom Cotton, a leading conservative from Arkansas, called on Trump to accept his election loss and “quit misleading the American people and repudiate mob violence.”

    A source familiar with the situation said there have been discussions among some Cabinet members and Trump allies about invoking the 25th Amendment, which would allow the majority of the Cabinet to declare Trump unable to perform his duties and remove him. A second source familiar with the effort doubted it would go anywhere with Trump having just two more weeks in office.

    Both houses of Congress resumed their debate on the certification of Biden’s Electoral College win on Wednesday evening.

  • Defiant Trump: World leaders react to embarrassing chaos in U.S. Capitol, attempts to overturn election

    Defiant Trump: World leaders react to embarrassing chaos in U.S. Capitol, attempts to overturn election

    Police in the U.S. Capitol responded with drawn guns and tear gas as hundreds of protesters stormed in and sought to force Congress to undo President Donald Trump’s election loss shortly after some of Trump’s fellow Republicans launched a last-ditch effort to throw out the results.

    Here are reactions from around the world:

    SWEDEN
    Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in a tweet described the incidents as “an attack on democracy”. “President Trump and many members of Congress bear significant responsibility for what’s now taking place. The democratic process of electing a president must be respected.”

    UNITED KINGDOM
    British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a tweet described the scenes in the U.S. Congress as a “disgrace”, saying the United States stood for democracy around the world and that was it was “vital” now that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power.

    GERMANY
    German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said democracy’s enemies would be cheered by scenes of violence at the United States Capitol, and he called on Trump to accept U.S. voters’ decision.

    In a Tweet posted after protesters stormed the seat of the U.S. legislature, Maas said the violence had been caused by inflammatory rhetoric. “Trump and his supporters must accept the decision of American voters at last and stop trampling on democracy.”

    RUSSIA
    “Quite Maidan-style pictures are coming from DC,” Russia’s deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy posted on Twitter, referring to protests in Ukraine that toppled Russian-backed President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich in 2014.

    “Some of my friends ask whether someone will distribute crackers to the protesters to echo Victoria Nuland stunt,” he said, citing a 2013 visit to Ukraine when then-U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland offered food to protesters.

    NATO
    NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called the violent protests in Washington “shocking scenes” and said the outcome of the democratic U.S. election must be respected.

    SPAIN
    Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a tweet: “I am following with concern the news that are coming from Capitol Hill in Washington. I trust in the strength of America’s democracy.

    “The new Presidency of @JoeBiden will overcome this time of tension, uniting the American people.”

    CANADA
    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed concern about the violent scenes in Washington. “Obviously we’re concerned and we’re following the situation minute by minute,” Trudeau told the News 1130 Vancouver radio station. “I think the American democratic institutions are strong, and hopefully everything will return to normal shortly.”

    Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Twitter: “Canada is deeply shocked by the situation in Washington DC. The peaceful transition of power is fundamental to democracy – it must continue and it will. We are following developments closely and our thoughts are with the American people.”

    TURKEY
    Turkey’s foreign ministry issued a statement expressing concern about the violence and called for calm and common sense while urging its citizens to avoid crowds and the protest area.

    FRANCE
    French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Twitter: “The violence against the American institutions is a grave attack on democracy. I condemn it. The will and the vote of the American people must be respected.”

  • [Video]: Trump makes U-turn, sues for peace, begs protesters at US Capitol to go home

    [Video]: Trump makes U-turn, sues for peace, begs protesters at US Capitol to go home

    Hours after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building and violently clashed with police, President Donald Trump told supporters to “go home” so that there can be peace.

    In a video message shared on his Twitter account, Trump begins by again sharing claims that the election was “stolen” from him and that he won in a landslide.

  • BREAKING: Trump asks protesters to be peaceful after invasion of US Capitol

    BREAKING: Trump asks protesters to be peaceful after invasion of US Capitol

    US President Donald Trump called for “peaceful” protests on Wednesday after his supporters stormed the Capitol following a rally during which he urged Congress to reject Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.

    “Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement,” Trump said on Twitter more than an hour after protesters breached a security cordon.

    “They are truly on the side of our Country,” Trump said. “Stay peaceful!”

    The president tweeted again more than half an hour later as stunning scenes played out at the Capitol, with his supporters swarming the building and lawmakers going into lockdown.

    “I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful,” Trump said. “No violence!

    “Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order -– respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue,” he said. “Thank you!”

    The House of Representatives and Senate went into recess as protesters disrupted a session called to certify the Electoral College votes from the November 3 presidential election.