3 hours ago
Trump begins meeting with Erdoğan
Speaking in front of reporters, Donald Trump describes his strong relationship with the president of Turkey.
“When I was in exile, we were still friends,” Trump said, referring to the four years after he lost the 2020 election to former president Joe Biden.
Trump said that Erdoğan has “built a tremendous military” and they buy a significant amount of weapons from the US.
“They want to buy F-16s, F-35s and some other things, and we’re going to talk to them about that,” Trump said. “We’re just going to have, I think, a very interesting couple of hours.”
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DOJ official pushes prosecutors to investigate George Soros's foundation - report
In the latest instance of the US justice department moving against Donald Trump’s political enemies, the New York Times (paywall) reports that “a senior DOJ official has instructed more than a half-dozen US attorney’s offices to draft plans to investigate a group funded by George Soros, the the billionaire Democratic donor whom Trump has demanded be thrown in jail”.
Per the NYT report:
The official’s directive, a copy of which was viewed by The New York Times, goes as far as to list possible charges prosecutors could file, ranging from arson to material support of terrorism. The memo suggests department leaders are following orders from the president that specific people or groups be subject to criminal investigation — a major break from decades of past practice meant to insulate the justice department from political interference.
Trump has revisited his grievances with Democratic megadonor Soros, 95, in recent days, amid a backdrop of threatening to silence liberal and progressive individuals and groups in the wake of the killing of Charlie Kirk – which he has repeatedly blamed on the so-called “radical left”.
Last Friday he singled out Soros, a longtime backer of progressive causes and Democratic candidates, and his foundation, the Open Society Foundations which funds global democratic initiatives, telling Fox & Friends that “we’re going to look into Soros” for possible violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law. He also told NBC News Soros “should be put in jail”, adding: “He’s a bad guy.”
Per the NYT report:
[Soros’s foundation] provides grants to groups that work for human rights, democracy and equity, but Mr. Trump and some Republicans contend, without providing evidence, that it is a shadowy network promoting civil unrest, violent protests and property destruction. Liberals say the assertions are falsehoods aimed at stifling dissent.
Chad Gilmartin, a spokesman for the justice department, defended the move to the NYT. “This D.O.J., along with our hard-working and dedicated U.S. attorneys, will always prioritize public safety and investigate organizations that conspire to commit acts of violence or other federal violations of law,” he said.
In a statement provided to the Guardian, the Open Society Foundations denounced the accusations as “politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech.”
The organization said its work in the United States was “solely dedicated to strengthening democracy and upholding constitutional freedoms.” Saying it condemned terrorism and denying that it funded it, the group added, “Our activities are peaceful and lawful.”
'Radical left Democrats' are causing increase in political violence, says Trump
During his brief media availability before his meeting with the president of Turkey, Donald Trump once again blamed “radical left” Democrats for the increase in political violence throughout the country, after yesterday’s shooting at an Ice facility in Dallas.
One detainee was killed, and two were severely injured in the attack. Notably, no federal agents were wounded. Department of Homeland Security officials said on Wednesday it was “an attack on Ice law enforcement”. At both today’s press conference and in a statement, law enforcement said that shell casings found near the shooter had “anti-Ice” messaging on them.
In the Oval Office today, Trump said that “the radical left is causing this problem, not the right”.
I’ve been speaking with Carl Tobias, professor at University of Richmond School of Law, who told me that an indictment against Comey might be a more difficult hurdle to clear than the justice department realizes.
“Although federal prosecutors generally encounter little difficulty in securing an indictment from a grand jury, a Virginia federal grand jury, especially one in Richmond, where Comey is well respected and led the US Attorney office here, may complicate DoJ’s ability to secure an indictment,” Tobias said.
He added there is a general weakness in the case. The fact the previous US attorney for the district, Erik Siebert, found insufficient evidence to charge Comey, alongside Trump’s calls for attorney general Pam Bondi to prosecute Comey, who he proclaimed is “guilty as hell,” could taint the indictment and appear to be politically motivated.
Tobias noted that if the justice department is unsuccessful in securing the indictment, it may seek out other avenues to target Comey.
Trump stays quiet about Comey indictment, calls former FBI director a 'sick person'
The president said that he “didn’t know what was going to happen” with regard to reports of the imminent indictment of former FBI director James Comey.
“I can only say that Comey is a bad person. He’s a sick person. I think he’s a sick guy…he did terrible things at the FBI,” the president said, after praising Lindsey Halligan, the new US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia.
Trump appointed Halligan, a former White House staffer, after firing her predecessor, Erik Siebert, when he said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Comey.
Trump blames government shutdown on Democrats, after White House memo tells agencies to prepare for layoffs
In response to a question about the circulated memo by the OMB to federal agencies, telling them to prepare for significant layoffs in the event of a government shutdown, Trump blames Democrats for any reduction-in-force.
“This is all caused by the Democrats. They asked us to do something that’s totally unreasonable. They never change,” the president said. “This is what Schumer wants. This is what the Democrats want.”
“With all of the heavy bombardment over the last two weeks, they’ve gained almost no land. Think of that. They’ve gained almost no land,” Donald Trump said of Russia’s most recent offensive in Ukraine. “I’m not going to ever call anybody a paper tiger, but Russia spent millions and millions of dollars in bombs, missiles, ammunition and lives, their lives, and they’ve gained virtually no land.”
'We're close to getting a deal done,' Trump says on Gaza war
When asked whether Trump and Erdoğan are aligned on the war in Gaza, and foreign policy in the region, the US president said he “doesn’t know” what the leader of Turkey’s stance is.
However, he noted that his meeting with Arab leaders on Tuesday was successful, before repeating his insistence on the release of all Israeli hostages. “We want them all back, we want them back at one time,” Trump said.
Trump says he wants Turkey to stop buying Russian oil
During his spray with reporters, Trump said “I’d like to have him [Erdoğan] stop buying any oil from Russia, while Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine.”
The president repeated that the Russian economy is struggling due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. “It’s such a waste of human life, and so he ought to stop. Putin ought to stop,” Trump said.
Trump begins meeting with Erdoğan
Speaking in front of reporters, Donald Trump describes his strong relationship with the president of Turkey.
“When I was in exile, we were still friends,” Trump said, referring to the four years after he lost the 2020 election to former president Joe Biden.
Trump said that Erdoğan has “built a tremendous military” and they buy a significant amount of weapons from the US.
“They want to buy F-16s, F-35s and some other things, and we’re going to talk to them about that,” Trump said. “We’re just going to have, I think, a very interesting couple of hours.”
Trump welcomes Erdoğan to the White House
Donald Trump just welcomed the president of Turkey to the White House. They’re due to start their meeting shortly.
Controversial Oklahoma state superintendent to resign, joins conservative teachers non-profit
Ryan Walters, the controversial state superintendent in Oklahoma, announced he would resign from his position to take on a new role at a conservative teachers non-profit.
Top Democrats say they 'won't be intimidated' by White House memo ordering layoffs in event of government shutdown
Top congressional Democrats have made their feelings clear about a memo issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that tells federal agencies to brace for layoffs in the event of a government shutdown.
A partisan blame game has ensued after lawmakers failed to pass a resolution to keep the government funded beyond the 30 September deadline.
In a post on X, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries called Russ Vought, head of the OMB, a “a malignant political hack” and said that Democrats “will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings”.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, said the move to fire workers was “nothing new and has nothing to do with funding the government”.
“Donald Trump has been firing federal workers since day one – not to govern, but to scare,” Schumer added.
One key discussion area we’ll be keeping an ear out for during today’s meeting with Erdoğan is any movement on ceasefire plans in Gaza. Particularly after Donald Trump’s multilateral meeting this week with Turkey’s president and several leaders of Arab and Muslim countries.
At the meeting, the president presented the leaders with a 21-point plan for peace in the Middle East, according to special envoy Steve Witkoff. We’re hopeful – and I might say even confident – that in the coming days we’ll be able to announce some sort of breakthrough,” Witkoff told reporters on Tuesday.
Union president says 'federal employees are not bargaining chips', as government shutdown looms
Chris Stein
The president of a major union representing federal employees has called on both parties to resume negotiations and prevent a government shutdown from beginning next Wednesday.
The appeal from American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley comes after the White House warned that it would use a shutdown to begin another round of layoffs of government workers and focus on agencies that would be closed if funding lapses.
“The truth is simple: Republicans cannot fund the government without Democratic votes. That means the only path forward is compromise. The president and congressional leaders must sit down and negotiate in good faith to keep the lights on for the American people. Nothing less is acceptable,” Kelley said in a statement.
“Federal employees are not bargaining chips. They are veterans, caregivers, law enforcement officers, and neighbors who serve their country and fellow Americans every day. They deserve stability and respect, not pink slips and political games.”
Republicans have demanded that Democrats agree to extend government funding through 21 November. But the minority party has balked, and insisted that the GOP agree to undo cuts to Medicaid and public media funding approved earlier this year and extend subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans.
The two sides do not appear to be negotiating. At the Capitol on Wednesday, Democratic House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries said he had last talked to Republican speaker Mike Johnson last week about “logistics around the government funding vote, but had no discussion about substance.”
Trump due to welcome president of Turkey to the White House
At 11am EST the president is due to welcome the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. We’ll bring you the latest lines as that happens.
Federal judge rules that fired inspectors general can't be reinstated
A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that she won’t reinstate several inspectors general who were fired by Donald Trump earlier this year.
But noted that the administration’s actions likely violated the Inspectors General Act, which requires the president to give Congress at least 30 days notice and provide detailed reasoning behind the termination of a government watchdog.
When Trump took office he cleared house, firing 17 inspectors general – whose job is to monitor agencies for waste, fraud and abuse – with two-line emails.
Eight of the fired inspectors general filed a lawsuit, asking to be reinstated to their positions.
“President Trump violated the IGA. That much is obvious,” judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee, wrote. However, she noted that the court cannot “provide the plaintiffs more”.
“If the court reinstated plaintiffs, the president could refire each of them by providing the required notice and rationale. And that ‘rationale’ could well cause the very reputational harm they seek to avoid,” Reyes added. “They sacrificed much to take on the role of an IG and its many demands – no doubt including substantial time away from family and far larger paychecks available in the private sector. They deserved better from their government. They still do.”
Tom Ambrose
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas is now addressing the floor via video link.
A reminder, that the Trump administration barred Abbas and his senior aides from traveling to New York for the gathering of world leaders.
Abbas says that Israel have “imposed a stifling siege on an entire people” and says that it is “not merely an aggression; it is a war crime and a crime against humanity”.
He adds that Israel continues to illegally expand its settlements. He says Palestine rejects and “completely deplores” plans for a “Greater Israel”.
Our dedicated liveblog will be covering the latest developments.
Federal prosecutors presented newly minted US attorney with memo suggesting not to file charges against Comey
Regarding James Comey’s expected criminal charges, ABC news has reported that federal prosecutors in the eastern district of Virginia presented the newly minted US attorney, Lindsey Halligan, with a memo earlier this week that detailed why not to file criminal charges against the former FBI director.
ABC cites sources familiar with the memo, who also noting that justice department lawyers would be unable to secure a conviction of Comey by proving the claims “beyond a reasonable doubt”, and they couldn’t reach a significantly lower standard to secure an indictment.
A reminder, Donald Trump fired Halligan’s predecessor, Erik Siebert, after he said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Comey, and Letitia James, the New York attorney general and longtime Trump adversary.
White House budget office tells agencies to prepare for mass firings in event of government shutdown - report
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), managed by Russell Vought, is instructing federal agencies to prepare “reduction-in-force” plans for mass firings during a possible government shutdown, according to a report by Politico.
A reminder that government funding expires on 30 September, and congressional lawmakers have yet to pass any kind of funding extension.
According to a memo shared with Politico, federal programs which did not benefit from “mandatory appropriations” will bear the brunt of the firings should a continuing resolution, to keep the government funded, fail to pass. Agencies have been instructed to submit plans for layoffs to OMB, and to issue notices to employees even if they would otherwise be excepted or furloughed during a lapse in funding, according to the report.
The memo notes that reductions in force will be in addition to furloughs in the event of a government shutdown.
According to an official granted anonymity to speak with Politico about plans not yet public, programs that will continue regardless of a shutdown include “Social Security, Medicare, veterans benefits, military operations, law enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and air traffic control”.
“We remain hopeful that Democrats in Congress will not trigger a shutdown and the steps outlined above will not be necessary,” the memo reads. As of now, leaders on Capitol Hill are continuing the blame game if a shutdown comes to pass.
