Trump in the news

 

Donald Trump has described attacks by insurrectionists on police officers at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, as “very minor incidents” after he offered sweeping clemency to those who took part.

Giving his first televised interview since his return to the White House to the Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday, Trump defended his decision to include those who committed violence, saying: “Most of the people were absolutely innocent. OK. But forgetting all about that, these people have served, horribly, a long time. It would be very, very cumbersome to go and look – you know how many people we’re talking about? 1,500 people.”

Trump also suggested that those who put him through “four years of hell” of criminal prosecutions should be investigated, adding ominously that his predecessor, Joe Biden, was “badly advised” not to pre-eminently pardon himself.

Why so many pardons? Media reports suggest Trump was too impatient to go through cases individually, with Axios quoting an adviser as saying: “Trump just said: ‘Fuck it: Release ’em all’.”

What other action are Republicans taking related to January 6? House Republicans will continue investigating the insurrection to try to undermine the previous inquiry that found Trump responsible for the deadly attack.

Trump’s executive orders threaten healthcare of 24 million Americans

Donald Trump has signed several executive orders that put more than 20 million lower-income and middle-class Americans’ access to healthcare in jeopardy. Within two days of his return to office, the president had ordered the repeal of Biden-era directives that had expanded Americans’ healthcare access and options. The healthcare access of about 24 million people who bought their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) this year is now at risk. Trump also repealed Biden-era orders to cut the cost of prescription drugs for people using the government health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid. The core beneficiaries are older and lower-income Americans. Which aspects of the ACA will be affected? Trump cannot repeal the act by executive order, but his directives are restricting eligibility requirements, cutting federal subsidies and affecting enrolment deadlines. Trump to sign anti-immigrant act after it passes in House

The House has passed a bill to require the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related crimes, which will now return to Donald Trump’s desk to be signed.

Under the Laken Riley Act, named after a 22-year-old murdered last year by a Venezuelan national who was in the US illegally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) must detain undocumented immigrants charged with crimes such as “burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting”. The proposal does not include new funding, despite ICE warning that the agency lacks the resources to enforce it.

Democrats argued it would “do nothing to fix the immigration crisis” and would just result in more racial profiling and fearmongering. Opponents emphasized that it ignored the principle that someone charged with a crime had not been convicted and had a right to due process.

How much did it pass by? The House vote was 263 to 158 – all present Republicans voted for it, as well as 46 Democrats.

-The Guardian