Nato members must “contribute their fair share” to fight terror, immigration & threats from Russia – President Trump https://t.co/Q8qmAhhkn7 pic.twitter.com/iPWMCEmQ79
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) May 25, 2017
Awkward faces all round as Trump named and shamed Nato under-payers this afternoon…
The PM lets the President know her feelings about those eight intelligence leaks.
Theresa May is protesting to President Trump over the slew of leaks from US officials which British police say are “undermining” the Manchester bombing investigation. Ministers and Whitehall officials are openly briefing against Washington, the National Police Chiefs Council said trust has been “breached” and things are so serious the US Ambassador has had to take a phone call from Andy Burnham. The BBC is reporting that police have stopped passing them information on the Manchester attack…
Here’s a rundown of the leaks so far:
The FT reports today that bomb site analysis is shared between a select group of allies via an encrypted portal. It is never intended to appear in public…
#ManchesterAttack victims “murdered by evil losers”: says @realDonaldTrump, expressing “absolute solidarity” with the UK pic.twitter.com/Iu8vlhZy5f
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 23, 2017
“So many young, beautiful, innocent people living and enjoying their lives, murdered by evil losers. I won’t call them monsters because they would like that term. They would think that’s a great name. I will call them, from now on, losers, because that’s what they are. They’re losers. We’ll have more of them, but they’re losers. Remember that.”
Attacking the media, “failing elites” and the “rigged system” – Corbyn’s campaign launch this morning was straight out of the Trump playbook. Jez had clearly had his Weetabix, he was energetic, punchy, pumped up and even Dan Hodges reckons he did alright. It was better than a Miliband speech…
Donald Trump on Steve Bannon’s infighting…
“Steve is a good guy, but I told them to straighten it out or I will.”
President Trump receiving a briefing on the Syria military strike from his National Security team in a secure room in Mar-a-Lago.
VIDEO: U.S. Department of Defense releases footage of a Tomahawk missile launch from tonight’s airstrike in Syria. https://t.co/ArLoi4uBSt pic.twitter.com/w2sJe111Lw
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 7, 2017
The US has launched 59 Tomahawk missiles at the Syrian air base used during this week’s gas attack. President Trump said in a statement:
“It is in the vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons. Tonight I call on all civilized nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria, and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types.”
Number 10 said:
“The UK Government fully supports the US action, which we believe was an appropriate response to the barbaric chemical weapons attack.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the airbase was “almost completely destroyed”. At least four Syrian soldiers were killed in the strike. At last the west stands up to Assad…
David Cameron is heading to Las Vegas next month to speak at an exclusive conference for hedge fund managers founded by a top ally of President Trump. Corporate delegates will pay up to $7,500-a-ticket to hear the former PM in conversation with the American financier David Rubenstein at the SALT hedge fund congress. Held over three days at the opulent Bellagio – of Ocean’s Eleven fame – Dave will speak for 35 minutes. His fee has not been disclosed…
SALT was founded by Anthony Scaramucci of investment firm SkyBridge Capital. Scaramucci was tipped for a senior Trump administration post after serving in the President’s transition team and donating during last year’s campaign. Dave “putting some hay in the barn“…
In Washington D.C. on St Patrick’s Day the Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny made his point firmly, politely, with some class.
The Donald didn’t flinch…
“The economy is teetering on the brink of collapse – all it takes is one bad day to bring the overly-inflated stock market bubble down. Meanwhile, our government doesn’t have the capacity – let alone the unity – to protect and provide for all in the event of a major crisis. That’s why every responsible citizen needs to take it upon themselves to prepare while there’s still time.”
“The time for trivial fights is behind us”…
Trump on his first month as president:
“In terms of achievement, I think I’d give myself an A.”
President Trump starts his CPAC speech attacking media for “fake news”
"It's fake, phony, fake…They are the enemy of the people." pic.twitter.com/2supMCpyJB
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) February 24, 2017
“I love the First Amendment. Nobody loves it better than me.” pic.twitter.com/Hxq6KD8fzJ
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) February 24, 2017
President Trump says…
“I love the First Amendment… after all who uses it more than me?”
This is a weird one: a co-conspirator has noticed that large numbers of pro-Trump Twitter bots are endlessly pumping out links to the Guardian‘s website. Accounts with names like @TroopsTrump, @ViewTrump, @TrumpNoticie and @DonaldsNewws have been programmed by unknown persons to automatically tweet out Guardian stories, often about Brexit. The accounts have real human followers, meaning the automated tweets will be driving traffic towards the Guardian’s website, as well as inflating their social media sharing stats. Guido is stumped as to why someone controlling pro-Trump accounts would want to do this. Putin knows Seumas has left the Guardian, right?
Robert Mugabe praises Donald Trump…
“Well, America for America, America for Americans — on that we agree, Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans.”
If you are going to organise a rally protesting against Donald Trump, you should probably try to make sure it isn’t hijacked by cranks, extremists and anti-Semites. Alas, the speakers at this afternoon’s “Stop Trump” rally in Westminster are a roll call of wrong ‘uns…
Salma Yaqoob
While a Respect Party councillor in Birmingham, Yaqoob infamously refused to join applause for George Cross-winning war hero Lance Corporal Matt Croucher. L/Cpl Croucher threw himself on top of a Taliban grenade in Helmand in 2008, saving the lives of his colleagues. As decorated Croucher entered the council chamber, Yaqoob sat with her arms crossed.
Malia Bouattia (NUS President)
Disgraced Bouattia says the government’s anti-terror programme Prevent is fuelled by a “Zionist lobby“, has ranted about the “Zionist-led media” and has described the University of Birmingham as a “Zionist outpost“. She also refused to acknowledge the right of the State of Israel to exist during a Channel 4 News interview last year. Professor Carol Baxter, the NHS’s former head of equality, diversity and human rights, carried out a probe into Bouattia’s comments and found they “could be reasonably capable of being interpreted as anti-Semitic”. Rumours are circulating that she could be ousted from the NUS this week.
Asad Rehman (Friends of the Earth)
Asad Rehman is Friends of the Earth’s “international climate campaigner” but he engages on a variety of issues outside his realm of expertise: Rehman has tweeted his belief that Netanyahu and Israel are “best pals” with ISIS. He advocates banning “Zionist organisations” from climate change events. Real piece of work.
Murad Qureshi (Chair, Stop the War Coalition)
The West-hating Stop the War has praised the “internationalism and solidarity of ISIS”, blamed the French for the Paris terror attacks and refuses to oppose Russian bombing of Syria. Qureshi feebly claimed his organisation could not protest against Putin because the Russian Embassy is on a private road. As Peter Tatchell says of Qureshi’s group: “The Stop the War Coalition is in moral meltdown… over its one-sided Syria protests and its persistent failure to listen to appeals from democratic, anti-war and civil society activists inside Syria.”
Way to completely discredit your anti-Trump protest.
The Petitions Committee has decided to merge the pro and anti-Trump state visit petitions and hold a single Westminster Hall debate on Monday:
To all Members
The Petitions Committee has scheduled the following debate in Westminster Hall on two petitions relating to a state visit by President Donald Trump…
Monday 20 February
Motion: “That this House has considered e-petitions 171928 and 178844 relating to a state visit by President Donald Trump.”Petition 171928 ‘Prevent Donald Trump from making a State Visit to the United Kingdom.’
Petition 178844 ‘Donald Trump should make a State Visit to the United Kingdom.’
Bit of a cop out…[…] Read the rest
Philip Hammond uses a trip to Berlin to mock the Foreign Secretary:
“A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece. Wise words with some applicability to the Brexit negotiations although I try to discourage talk of “cake” amongst my colleagues.”
