Trump denies white nationalism is growing threat – live

President disagrees far-right threat is rising when asked about deadly New Zealand mosque attack. Follow the latest US politics news

  • Sign up for the US briefing and get a new perspective

8.17pm GMT

More from Donald Trump’s remarks before vetoing the congressional resolution to block his national emergency at the southern border, where he doubled down on his portrayal of immigrants as invaders and criminals:

He called it...

Fox News condemns host Jeanine Pirro’s attack on Ilhan Omar – live

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s advisers are skeptical to say the least about his potential presidential bid.

De Blasio, who traveled to South Carolina this weekend, has said he won’t rule out jumping into the already crowded 2020 Democratic primary field.

Donald Trump will be unveiling his proposal for the federal budget today.

The president’s budget doesn’t carry the weight that it once did, Reuters reports. Congress is expected to largely ignore it. The proposed budget for 2020 comes a month after its deadline, which the White House has blamed on the government shutdown.

Trump’s plan for the 2020 budget year will propose cuts to many domestic programs favored by lawmakers in both parties but leave alone politically popular retirement programs such as Medicare and Social Security.

Washington probably will devote months to wrestling over erasing the last remnants of a failed 2011 budget deal that would otherwise cut core Pentagon operations by $71 billion and domestic agencies and foreign aid by $55 billion. Top lawmakers are pushing for a reprise of three prior deals to use spending cuts or new revenues and prop up additional spending rather than defray deficits that are again approaching $1 trillion.

Continue reading...

Pence attacks ‘hard-left’ Democrats in rant against socialism – live updates

Vice-president criticizes Green New Deal and Medicare for All and claims choice in next election is between ‘freedom and socialism’

  • Sign up for the US briefing and get a new perspective

8.47pm GMT

The Democratic-led House oversight committee has issued a warning to Donald Trump’s counsel, demanding that the White House turn over documents related to security clearances for some of the president’s close advisers.

Elija...

Ivanka Trump and Donald Jr wanted for interviews by House committee – live

  • Elijah Cummings seeks talks with Trump’s children
  • Trump’s summit with Kim Jong-un collapses after negotiations fail
  • Sign up to the US briefing and get a new perspective

9.46pm GMT

New polling out of the University of New Hampshire has neighboring senator Bernie Sanders in first place, trailed closely by Joe Biden, who still has no decided whether he will run for president.

Po...

Medicare for All: House Democrats unveil bill to expand healthcare nationwide

Measure to be formally introduced Wednesday signals party’s growing backing for once-fringe idea

House Democrats have unveiled details of their ambitious plan to expand a popular, government-run healthcare program to all Americans. The measure marks a fresh sign of the party’s growing support for a once fringe idea that will play a defining role in the 2020 presidential campaign.

The Medicare for All Act of 2019, to be formally introduced on Wednesday with 107 co-sponsors, woul...

Sanders started a revolution in 2016. In 2020, he can finish it | Bhaskar Sunkara

Without Sanders’ campaign, we would never have had Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or mainstream support for Medicare-for-All

It’s official: Bernie Sanders announced today that he’s going to run for president and lay the groundwork for transforming the economic and political life of this country. His decision comes not a moment too soon.

After all, if you think things are bad now, imagine if Bernie Sanders hadn’t run for president in 2016. Imagine if Hillary Clinton had swept the prim...

Trump ‘unhappy’ with new shutdown deal – live updates

A House vote on the border security deal to avoid another government shutdown could come as early as tomorrow according to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

Hoyer says Hse could vote on border security pkg "maybe as early as tomorrow"

A number of Democrats will unveil legislation on Wednesday that will allow people between the ages of 50-64 to buy into Medicare. The idea of expanding Medicare has long been popular among Democrats. There were past proposals to allow people over 55 to buy in and, on the left, Medicare for All has become a rallying cry.

A new name to add to your Democratic health proposal lexicon: “Medicare at 50.” pic.twitter.com/50kdCCp4MQ

Continue reading...

Trump gets ready for State of the Union address – live news

Donald Trump is expected to pick Treasury Department official David Malpass to head the World Bank, Politico reports.

The choice is a clear sign the Trump administration is looking to rein in international financial institutions, according to Politico. Malpass has been critical of the World Bank, global organizations like it “have grown larger and more intrusive” and “the challenge of refocusing them has become urgent and more difficult.”

A top aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told health insurance executives that Democratic leadership has deep reservations about single payer healthcare, the Intercept reports.

Wendell Primus, Pelosi’s top healthcare adviser, met with Blue Cross Blue Shield executives in December and told them Democrats were more focused on lowering prescription drug prices, rather than pushing for “Medicare for All” as some progressives would prefer.

Continue reading...

Sorry, Howard Schultz – America doesn’t want another billionaire president | Luke Savage

Schultz opposes Medicare for All and raising the top tax rate – his middle-of-the-road vision is not what America needs

Howard Schultz, the former Starbucks CEO, has a bold plan to rescue America, and it involves putting another billionaire in the White House to put a stop to dangerous ideas like universal healthcare and higher taxes on the wealthy.

Related: Howard Schultz heckled as 'egotistical asshole' who would aid Trump in 2020

Continue reading...