<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-was-warned-of-potential-pandemic-disaster-in-september-ex-trump-economist-314352">White House was warned of potential pandemic disaster in September: Ex-Trump economist</a>

Former Trump administration economist Todas Philipson has said his team alerted the White House about the dangers of a looming pandemic outbreak almost three months before coronavirus is believed to have made its way into the United States | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-was-warned-of-potential-pandemic-disaster-in-september-ex-trump-economist-314352">READ MORE</a>

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases for the second day in a row -- 259,848 in 24 hours | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/record-daily-increase-in-global-coronavirus-cases-for-second-day-in-a-row-314375">READ MORE</a>

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US federal law enforcement officers are swooping down on protesters in Portland, Oregon, under the Trump administration’s new executive order to protect monuments in the country | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-cracks-down-on-portland-protesters-after-trump-order-to-protect-monuments-314351">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-leaders-extend-summit-as-they-grapple-over-coronavirus-recovery-plan-314359">EU leaders extend summit as they grapple over coronavirus, recovery plan</a>

European Union leaders in Brussels remained deadlocked Saturday over the COVID-19 recovery plan due to resistance from the Netherlands and its allies: Austria, Denmark, Finland and Sweden | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-leaders-extend-summit-as-they-grapple-over-coronavirus-recovery-plan-314359">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/have-been-brought-to-our-knees-by-coronavirus-says-united-nations-314360">Have been 'brought to our knees' by coronavirus, says United Nations</a>

Coronavirus pandemic and subsequently enforced lockdown could push 100 million people into extreme poverty, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Saturday | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/have-been-brought-to-our-knees-by-coronavirus-says-united-nations-314360">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-asks-japan-for-huawei-alternatives-in-5g-networks-314365">UK asks Japan for Huawei alternatives in 5G networks</a>

The British government has asked Japan to help build its 5G wireless networks without Huawei Technologies. It has cited NEC Corp (6701.T) and Fujitsu Ltd (6702.T) as potential alternative suppliers | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-asks-japan-for-huawei-alternatives-in-5g-networks-314365">READ MORE</a>

White House was warned of potential pandemic disaster in September: Ex-Trump economist Former Trump administration economist Todas Philipson has said his team alerted the White House about the dangers of a looming pandemic outbreak almost three months before coronavirus is believed to have made its way into the United States | READ MORE Record daily increase in global coronavirus cases for second day in a row The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases for the second day in a row -- 259,848 in 24 hours | READ MORE US cracks down on Portland protesters after Trump order to protect monuments US federal law enforcement officers are swooping down on protesters in Portland, Oregon, under the Trump administration’s new executive order to protect monuments in the country | READ MORE EU leaders extend summit as they grapple over coronavirus, recovery plan European Union leaders in Brussels remained deadlocked Saturday over the COVID-19 recovery plan due to resistance from the Netherlands and its allies: Austria, Denmark, Finland and Sweden | READ MORE Have been 'brought to our knees' by coronavirus, says United Nations Coronavirus pandemic and subsequently enforced lockdown could push 100 million people into extreme poverty, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Saturday | READ MORE UK asks Japan for Huawei alternatives in 5G networks The British government has asked Japan to help build its 5G wireless networks without Huawei Technologies.

White House was warned of potential pandemic disaster in September: Ex-Trump economist Former Trump administration economist Todas Philipson has said his team alerted the White House about the dangers of a looming pandemic outbreak almost three months before coronavirus is believed to have made its way into the United States | READ MORE Record daily increase in global coronavirus cases for second day in a row The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases for the second day in a row -- 259,848 in 24 hours | READ MORE US cracks down on Portland protesters after Trump order to protect monuments US federal law enforcement officers are swooping down on protesters in Portland, Oregon, under the Trump administration’s new executive order to protect monuments in the country | READ MORE EU leaders extend summit as they grapple over coronavirus, recovery plan European Union leaders in Brussels remained deadlocked Saturday over the COVID-19 recovery plan due to resistance from the Netherlands and its allies: Austria, Denmark, Finland and Sweden | READ MORE Have been 'brought to our knees' by coronavirus, says United Nations Coronavirus pandemic and subsequently enforced lockdown could push 100 million people into extreme poverty, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Saturday | READ MORE UK asks Japan for Huawei alternatives in 5G networks The British government has asked Japan to help build its 5G wireless networks without Huawei Technologies. It has cited NEC Corp (6701.T) and Fujitsu Ltd (6702.T) as potential alternative suppliers | READ MORE

Morning news brief: US cracks down on protesters, coronavirus cases continue to rise, and more

President Donald Trump issued a rare rebuke of his senior adviser Peter Navarro on Wednesday, saying Navarro should not have written a scathing opinion piece about Anthony Fauci, a top government coronavirus expert who is hugely popular.

Navarro, a trade adviser who at times has expanded his reach within the Trump White House, launched an attack on Fauci in an article for USA Today.

“Dr. Anthony Fauci has a good bedside manner with the public, but he has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on,” Navarro wrote.

The initial lack of a pushback from the White House for the article fed a belief that Navarro’s article was supported at the top levels of the White House.

But departing for a trip to Atlanta, Trump was asked whether Navarro had gone rogue.

“Well he made a statement representing himself. He shouldn’t be doing that. No, I have a very good relationship with Anthony,” Trump said.

A White House official said Trump did not endorse Navarro’s op-ed and that Navarro was told “explicitly in recent days to de-escalate the situation.” The official said that White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is “fully engaged” on the matter and that Meadows thought Navarro’s article was “unacceptable.”

Fauci is a member of the government’s coronavirus task force led by Vice President Mike Pence. The 79-year-old infectious diseases expert aided the search to treat the HIV disease in the 1980s and is a revered figure for not letting politics intrude on his judgement.

“We’re all on the same team, including Dr. Fauci,” Trump said. “We all want to get rid of this mess.”

Tensions between Trump and Fauci have emerged at times with the president focused on getting Americans back to work and school while Fauci has urged caution to prevent the spread of infection.

Fauci, in an interview with The Atlantic, said the White House’s recent attacks have been a “major mistake on their part.”

“I can’t explain Peter Navarro. He’s in a world by himself,” Fauci said.

He said he had not spoken with Trump “in a while,” but had been working with Pence on the U.S. struggle to gain control of the virus.

President Donald Trump issued a rare rebuke of his senior adviser Peter Navarro on Wednesday, saying Navarro should not have written a scathing opinion piece about Anthony Fauci, a top government coronavirus expert who is hugely popular.

President Donald Trump issued a rare rebuke of his senior adviser Peter Navarro on Wednesday, saying Navarro should not have written a scathing opinion piece about Anthony Fauci, a top government coronavirus expert who is hugely popular. Navarro, a trade adviser who at times has expanded his reach within the Trump White House, launched an attack on Fauci in an article for USA Today. “Dr. Anthony Fauci has a good bedside manner with the public, but he has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on,” Navarro wrote. The initial lack of a pushback from the White House for the article fed a belief that Navarro’s article was supported at the top levels of the White House. But departing for a trip to Atlanta, Trump was asked whether Navarro had gone rogue. “Well he made a statement representing himself. He shouldn’t be doing that. No, I have a very good relationship with Anthony,” Trump said. A White House official said Trump did not endorse Navarro’s op-ed and that Navarro was told “explicitly in recent days to de-escalate the situation.” The official said that White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is “fully engaged” on the matter and that Meadows thought Navarro’s article was “unacceptable.” Fauci is a member of the government’s coronavirus task force led by Vice President Mike Pence. The 79-year-old infectious diseases expert aided the search to treat the HIV disease in the 1980s and is a revered figure for not letting politics intrude on his judgement. “We’re all on the same team, including Dr. Fauci,” Trump said. “We all want to get rid of this mess.” Tensions between Trump and Fauci have emerged at times with the president focused on getting Americans back to work and school while Fauci has urged caution to prevent the spread of infection. Fauci, in an interview with The Atlantic, said the White House’s recent attacks have been a “major mistake on their part.” “I can’t explain Peter Navarro. He’s in a world by himself,” Fauci said. He said he had not spoken with Trump “in a while,” but had been working with Pence on the U.S. struggle to gain control of the virus.

Trump rebukes aide Navarro for attacking popular Fauci

United States President Donald Trump unleashed a torrent of criticism on his opponent in the presidential election to be held in November -- Joe Biden, turning the press conference into a campaign event.

In a long, disjointed monologue of almost an hour, Trump -- who is trailing Biden in the polls 110 days before the vote -- read out a long list of allegations against his rival, accusing him of drifting to the "radical left" and painting an apocalyptic picture of the US under his presidency.

He accused Biden of "fawning" over China and wanting to "kill" the US energy sector, said his policies would "demolish" the economy, and once again tried to implicate his son Hunter by alluding to his role on the board of a Ukrainian company accused of graft.&nbsp;

"Where is Hunter?" he asked.&nbsp;

Trump alternated his attacks with fulsome praise for what he sees as his own successes.

That included the wall built on part of the border with Mexico, which he claimed had helped to stem the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-unveils-2-trillion-climate-plan-in-new-contrast-with-trump-313335">Also read |&nbsp;Biden unveils $2 trillion climate plan in new contrast with Trump</a>

He also praised his own reaction to the global pandemic, claiming his administration's actions have saved "millions" of lives, despite the US remaining by far the most affected country in absolute terms.

When asked if he saw himself as an underdog, he said, "No, I don't."

Then, decrying the results of multiple national polls as "fake," he said "I think we have really good poll numbers."

"I think that the enthusiasm now is greater and maybe far greater than it was in 2016," he continued -- though he admitted that many voters "don't want to talk about it... and I fully understand that."

Even so, he claimed, "I think you have a silent majority the likes of which this country has never seen before. This is a very important election.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-more-white-people-than-blacks-are-killed-by-us-police-313331">Also read |&nbsp;Trump says 'more white people' than Blacks are killed by US police</a>

"I think we have a great chance."

(with inputs from AFP)

United States President Donald Trump unleashed a torrent of criticism on his opponent in the presidential election to be held in November -- Joe Biden, turning the press conference into a campaign event.

United States President Donald Trump unleashed a torrent of criticism on his opponent in the presidential election to be held in November -- Joe Biden, turning the press conference into a campaign event. In a long, disjointed monologue of almost an hour, Trump -- who is trailing Biden in the polls 110 days before the vote -- read out a long list of allegations against his rival, accusing him of drifting to the "radical left" and painting an apocalyptic picture of the US under his presidency. He accused Biden of "fawning" over China and wanting to "kill" the US energy sector, said his policies would "demolish" the economy, and once again tried to implicate his son Hunter by alluding to his role on the board of a Ukrainian company accused of graft. "Where is Hunter?" he asked. Trump alternated his attacks with fulsome praise for what he sees as his own successes. That included the wall built on part of the border with Mexico, which he claimed had helped to stem the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States. Also read | Biden unveils $2 trillion climate plan in new contrast with Trump He also praised his own reaction to the global pandemic, claiming his administration's actions have saved "millions" of lives, despite the US remaining by far the most affected country in absolute terms. When asked if he saw himself as an underdog, he said, "No, I don't." Then, decrying the results of multiple national polls as "fake," he said "I think we have really good poll numbers." "I think that the enthusiasm now is greater and maybe far greater than it was in 2016," he continued -- though he admitted that many voters "don't want to talk about it... and I fully understand that." Even so, he claimed, "I think you have a silent majority the likes of which this country has never seen before. This is a very important election. Also read | Trump says 'more white people' than Blacks are killed by US police "I think we have a great chance." (with inputs from AFP)

Trailing in the polls, Trump targets Biden at White House press event

President Donald Trump continues to see a malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, as a promising drug to be used to prevent infection with the coronavirus, the White House said on Thursday, though the US Food and Drug Administration has said its efficacy and safety were unproven.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-supreme-court-orders-release-of-trumps-tax-returns-president-calls-it-political-witch-hunt-312063">Also read: US Supreme Court orders release of Trump's tax returns; president calls it 'political witch hunt'</a> 
 
"The president has always said that he sees hydroxychloroquine as a very promising prophylactic but that every person should not take it unless they get a prescription from their doctor," White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said at a news conference.

Donald Trump told reporters in May he had started taking hydroxychloroquine after two White House staffers tested positive for COVID-19.

His doctor said last month that Donald Trump had suffered from no side effects after a two-week course of the malaria drug, which can cause heart problems.

Earlier this week, another world leader, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, said he had tested positive for the virus and was taking hydroxychloroquine.

Bolsonaro has pushed his government to make the drug widely available and has encouraged Brazilians to take it both to treat COVID-19 and to prevent it.

President Donald Trump continues to see a malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, as a promising drug to be used to prevent infection with the coronavirus, the White House said on Thursday, though the US Food and Drug Administration has said its efficacy and safety were unproven.

President Donald Trump continues to see a malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, as a promising drug to be used to prevent infection with the coronavirus, the White House said on Thursday, though the US Food and Drug Administration has said its efficacy and safety were unproven. Also read: US Supreme Court orders release of Trump's tax returns; president calls it 'political witch hunt' "The president has always said that he sees hydroxychloroquine as a very promising prophylactic but that every person should not take it unless they get a prescription from their doctor," White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said at a news conference. Donald Trump told reporters in May he had started taking hydroxychloroquine after two White House staffers tested positive for COVID-19. His doctor said last month that Donald Trump had suffered from no side effects after a two-week course of the malaria drug, which can cause heart problems. Earlier this week, another world leader, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, said he had tested positive for the virus and was taking hydroxychloroquine. Bolsonaro has pushed his government to make the drug widely available and has encouraged Brazilians to take it both to treat COVID-19 and to prevent it.

Trump still sees hydroxychloroquine as promising virus cure: White House

The use of hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus patients has become highly politicised in the US but it is used widely in India, a top White House official has said, asserting latest research showed the malaria drug is highly effective in early stages of COVID-19.

"It's the politicisation of this medicine by the mainstream media and portions of the medical community that somehow made this a battle between President Trump and them and created this undue fear and hysteria over a drug, a medicine that has been used for over 60 years relatively safely and is regularly prescribed to pregnant women if they are going to a malaria zone," White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Director Peter Navarro told reporters.

"The idea that this is a dangerous drug is just silly, but if you ask the American people based on the media's coverage of it, that is kind of the state of play right now," he said.

Navarro said a day earlier four doctors at the Detroit Hospital System filed a request for emergency use authorisation for hydroxychloroquine. The request was for three things.

"One, for early treatment use in a hospital setting. Number two, treatment between a doctor and his patient in an outpatient setting. Three, not just as a therapeutic but also as a possible prophylaxis for preventative use," he said.

This request to the FDA comes on the heels of the publication of their study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases last week that showed an astonishing 50 per cent reduction in the mortality rate for patients taking hydroxychloroquine, Navarro said.

"Give hydroxy a chance, and please don't contribute to hydroxy hysteria because if it's prescribed under the supervision of a doctor, the odds that it can harm you are way, way smaller than the odds that it can help you," Navarro said.

"This has become a highly politicised, but India uses this widely for prophylaxis. There is a number of studies which point to this actually working," White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Director Peter Navarro told reporters.

The official said if he were to show any kind of symptoms, he would first ask his doctor whether hydroxychloroquine is appropriate. "And then I wouldn't hesitate to take it," he said. 
He said if one looks at the 14-day arc of the virus from the beginning of symptoms, the first seven days are critical: when a person may have fever, dry cough, possibly a profound sense of fatigue.

"At that point, your lungs are still intact, and the virus is not appreciably spread to the rest of your organs. Hydroxychloroquine, based on the science in articles like the one that originally appeared in 2005 in the Journal of Virology, works in a therapeutic way by raising the alkalinity of your cells which slows the replication of the virus and also can kill the virus," he said.

It also has an anti-inflammatory effect, which is why it is used for rheumatoid arthritis, and the drug can therefore also help manage what is called the cytokine storm, he said. 
The latest request to the FDA also comes on the heels of two decisions by the FDA over the last several months to shut down hydroxychloroquine.

"The first was what is called a black box warning, the second was a withdrawal of an EUA and what I can tell you as someone who works with the Health and Human Services Department and FEMA to manage the stockpiles of hydroxychloroquine the FDA decisions that they made which I think were precipitous and based on bad science had a tremendously negative effect on two things," he noted.

"One is the ability for American people to use this medicine to protect themselves and two, the ability for hospitals like the Detroit Hospital System to recruit patients for the kind of randomized blind clinical trials that everybody wants to settle once and for all the questions of efficacy and safety," he added.

FDA's previous decision to reject the emergency use authorisation, he said, was based on two types of studies. "One set of studies that were poorly designed and basically doomed to failure, another set of studies where if you look carefully at the data it is very clear that these were late treatment studies where the medicine would not work," he added. 
Navarro said the Detroit doctors are bringing back to the FDA a clear case for early treatment.

"If the results of the Detroit study are confirmed in later studies, President Trump was absolutely right that hydroxychloroquine can save lives and if in fact early treatment use can lead to a 50 percent reduction in mortality that is tens of thousands of American lives that are at stake by a phenomenon which I call hydroxy hysteria," Navarro said.

The use of hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus patients has become highly politicised in the US but it is used widely in India, a top White House official has said, asserting latest research showed the malaria drug is highly effective in early stages of COVID-19.

The use of hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus patients has become highly politicised in the US but it is used widely in India, a top White House official has said, asserting latest research showed the malaria drug is highly effective in early stages of COVID-19. "It's the politicisation of this medicine by the mainstream media and portions of the medical community that somehow made this a battle between President Trump and them and created this undue fear and hysteria over a drug, a medicine that has been used for over 60 years relatively safely and is regularly prescribed to pregnant women if they are going to a malaria zone," White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Director Peter Navarro told reporters. "The idea that this is a dangerous drug is just silly, but if you ask the American people based on the media's coverage of it, that is kind of the state of play right now," he said. Navarro said a day earlier four doctors at the Detroit Hospital System filed a request for emergency use authorisation for hydroxychloroquine. The request was for three things. "One, for early treatment use in a hospital setting. Number two, treatment between a doctor and his patient in an outpatient setting. Three, not just as a therapeutic but also as a possible prophylaxis for preventative use," he said. This request to the FDA comes on the heels of the publication of their study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases last week that showed an astonishing 50 per cent reduction in the mortality rate for patients taking hydroxychloroquine, Navarro said. "Give hydroxy a chance, and please don't contribute to hydroxy hysteria because if it's prescribed under the supervision of a doctor, the odds that it can harm you are way, way smaller than the odds that it can help you," Navarro said. "This has become a highly politicised, but India uses this widely for prophylaxis. There is a number of studies which point to this actually working," White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Director Peter Navarro told reporters. The official said if he were to show any kind of symptoms, he would first ask his doctor whether hydroxychloroquine is appropriate. "And then I wouldn't hesitate to take it," he said. He said if one looks at the 14-day arc of the virus from the beginning of symptoms, the first seven days are critical: when a person may have fever, dry cough, possibly a profound sense of fatigue. "At that point, your lungs are still intact, and the virus is not appreciably spread to the rest of your organs. Hydroxychloroquine, based on the science in articles like the one that originally appeared in 2005 in the Journal of Virology, works in a therapeutic way by raising the alkalinity of your cells which slows the replication of the virus and also can kill the virus," he said. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect, which is why it is used for rheumatoid arthritis, and the drug can therefore also help manage what is called the cytokine storm, he said. The latest request to the FDA also comes on the heels of two decisions by the FDA over the last several months to shut down hydroxychloroquine. "The first was what is called a black box warning, the second was a withdrawal of an EUA and what I can tell you as someone who works with the Health and Human Services Department and FEMA to manage the stockpiles of hydroxychloroquine the FDA decisions that they made which I think were precipitous and based on bad science had a tremendously negative effect on two things," he noted. "One is the ability for American people to use this medicine to protect themselves and two, the ability for hospitals like the Detroit Hospital System to recruit patients for the kind of randomized blind clinical trials that everybody wants to settle once and for all the questions of efficacy and safety," he added. FDA's previous decision to reject the emergency use authorisation, he said, was based on two types of studies. "One set of studies that were poorly designed and basically doomed to failure, another set of studies where if you look carefully at the data it is very clear that these were late treatment studies where the medicine would not work," he added. Navarro said the Detroit doctors are bringing back to the FDA a clear case for early treatment. "If the results of the Detroit study are confirmed in later studies, President Trump was absolutely right that hydroxychloroquine can save lives and if in fact early treatment use can lead to a 50 percent reduction in mortality that is tens of thousands of American lives that are at stake by a phenomenon which I call hydroxy hysteria," Navarro said.

HCQ has become highly politicised in US but India uses it widely: White House official

Canadian Prime Minister Justin&nbsp;Trudeau&nbsp;has snubbed the NAFTA&nbsp;meeting invite from Washington this week to celebrate a new North American trade pact with his US and Mexican counterparts Donald Trump and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, his office Monday.

"Despite recent discussions about Canada's possible participation, the Prime Minister will be in Ottawa this week to hold scheduled cabinet meetings and take part in a long-planned&nbsp;meeting of parliament," his office said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-row-now-china-issues-travel-warning-against-canada-311150" hreflang="en">Hong Kong row: Now, China issues travel warning against Canada</a>

The Mexican president had earlier said on Twitter that&nbsp;Trudeau&nbsp;would not be attending the event on Wednesday, but said that he had agreed to visit Mexico "as soon as possible."

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Conversamos con Justin Trudeau, primer ministro de Canadá. Coincidimos en la importancia del T-MEC. No podrá acompañarnos en Washington, pero aceptó visitar México tan pronto sea posible. Tenemos muy buena relación. <a href="https://t.co/yRsSM3VsnE">pic.twitter.com/yRsSM3VsnE</a>
— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) <a href="https://twitter.com/lopezobrador_/status/1280161345305018369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The trip to Washington will be Lopez Obrador's first official overseas visit, and he will meet Trump on Wednesday.&nbsp;

On Friday,&nbsp;Trudeau&nbsp;hinted that he was in two minds about the visit in part because of concerns about the US reimposing tariffs on Canadian aluminum.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-sign-trade-accord-with-mexico-canada-next-week-276253">Donald Trump to sign trade accord with Mexico, Canada next week</a>

Another cause for concern for the Canadian leader was "the health situation and the coronavirus" which is still sweeping through all three countries, with the US the worst-hit country in the world with 2.8 million cases diagnosed by Monday, and more than 130,000 deaths.&nbsp;

The new trade pact, known as the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, came into effect last Wednesday, when the borders between the three countries were partially closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, which came into effect in 1994.

In June 2018, while the trade pact was being renegotiated, Trump slapped punitive tariffs on Canadian aluminum, stunning the US's historic ally.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has snubbed the NAFTA meeting invite from Washington this week to celebrate a new North American trade pact with his US and Mexican counterparts Donald Trump and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, his office Monday.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has snubbed the NAFTA meeting invite from Washington this week to celebrate a new North American trade pact with his US and Mexican counterparts Donald Trump and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, his office Monday. "Despite recent discussions about Canada's possible participation, the Prime Minister will be in Ottawa this week to hold scheduled cabinet meetings and take part in a long-planned meeting of parliament," his office said. Also read| Hong Kong row: Now, China issues travel warning against Canada The Mexican president had earlier said on Twitter that Trudeau would not be attending the event on Wednesday, but said that he had agreed to visit Mexico "as soon as possible." Conversamos con Justin Trudeau, primer ministro de Canadá. Coincidimos en la importancia del T-MEC. No podrá acompañarnos en Washington, pero aceptó visitar México tan pronto sea posible. Tenemos muy buena relación. pic.twitter.com/yRsSM3VsnE — Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) July 6, 2020 × The trip to Washington will be Lopez Obrador's first official overseas visit, and he will meet Trump on Wednesday. On Friday, Trudeau hinted that he was in two minds about the visit in part because of concerns about the US reimposing tariffs on Canadian aluminum. Also read| Donald Trump to sign trade accord with Mexico, Canada next week Another cause for concern for the Canadian leader was "the health situation and the coronavirus" which is still sweeping through all three countries, with the US the worst-hit country in the world with 2.8 million cases diagnosed by Monday, and more than 130,000 deaths. The new trade pact, known as the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, came into effect last Wednesday, when the borders between the three countries were partially closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. It replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, which came into effect in 1994. In June 2018, while the trade pact was being renegotiated, Trump slapped punitive tariffs on Canadian aluminum, stunning the US's historic ally.

Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declines Trump's meeting invitation

Two sources have also claimed Mr Donald Trump often so unprepared and outplayed in conversations with world leaders that senior White House officials feared he posed a danger to the national security

Donald Trump's phone calls with world leader under question; But why?

Russian bounty reports from Afganistan have kicked up a political storm in the United States. The White House continues to defend Donald Trump over his alleged inaction. Watch report.

Russian Bounty Reports: Trump doesn't like intel briefs

President Donald Trump was not verbally briefed on a reported Russian effort to pay the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan because the allegations were not corroborated at the time, White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said on Wednesday.

O’Brien, however, declined to say whether the intelligence, which U.S. ally Britain has said it was aware of, had been included in a written presidential briefing earlier this year.

“The president’s career CIA briefer decided not to brief him because it was unverified intelligence,” O’Brien said on Fox News. He said the CIA briefer was an outstanding officer and he supported her decision.

The Republican president has faced a barrage of criticism after New York Times reports that a Russian military intelligence unit had offered bounties for U.S. and allied soldiers and that Trump received a written briefing on the matter in February.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-he-wasnt-briefed-on-russia-taliban-bounty-intelligence-309193">Also read |&nbsp;Trump says he wasn't briefed on Russia-Taliban bounty intelligence</a>

After Trump initially said he was not briefed on the matter, the White House said Trump was not “personally” briefed but did not address whether he had received a written report or read it, and why he had not responded more aggressively if so.

O’Brien told reporters later that Trump has now been briefed on the Russian bounty reports.

“The president’s been fully briefed,” O’Brien said outside the White House, “We don’t get into written classified documents.”

Democrats on Tuesday called on Trump to consider imposing new economic sanctions on Russia if the information was confirmed.

Trump has tried to deflect criticism by saying the intelligence was not conclusive enough to be brought to his attention, and by calling news reports “fake news.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/its-all-about-him-john-bolton-criticises-trumps-statement-on-russian-bounties-309243">Also read |&nbsp;It's all about him: John Bolton criticises Trump's statement on Russian bounties</a>

“I was never briefed because any info that they may have had did not rise to that level,” he wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

Democratic lawmakers have asked for more in-depth briefings on the issue. O’Brien said the Gang of Eight - congressional leaders and intelligence committee lawmakers - would be briefed by intelligence officials, possibly on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump was not verbally briefed on a reported Russian effort to pay the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan because the allegations were not corroborated at the time, White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump was not verbally briefed on a reported Russian effort to pay the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan because the allegations were not corroborated at the time, White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said on Wednesday. O’Brien, however, declined to say whether the intelligence, which U.S. ally Britain has said it was aware of, had been included in a written presidential briefing earlier this year. “The president’s career CIA briefer decided not to brief him because it was unverified intelligence,” O’Brien said on Fox News. He said the CIA briefer was an outstanding officer and he supported her decision. The Republican president has faced a barrage of criticism after New York Times reports that a Russian military intelligence unit had offered bounties for U.S. and allied soldiers and that Trump received a written briefing on the matter in February. Also read | Trump says he wasn't briefed on Russia-Taliban bounty intelligence After Trump initially said he was not briefed on the matter, the White House said Trump was not “personally” briefed but did not address whether he had received a written report or read it, and why he had not responded more aggressively if so. O’Brien told reporters later that Trump has now been briefed on the Russian bounty reports. “The president’s been fully briefed,” O’Brien said outside the White House, “We don’t get into written classified documents.” Democrats on Tuesday called on Trump to consider imposing new economic sanctions on Russia if the information was confirmed. Trump has tried to deflect criticism by saying the intelligence was not conclusive enough to be brought to his attention, and by calling news reports “fake news.” Also read | It's all about him: John Bolton criticises Trump's statement on Russian bounties “I was never briefed because any info that they may have had did not rise to that level,” he wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. Democratic lawmakers have asked for more in-depth briefings on the issue. O’Brien said the Gang of Eight - congressional leaders and intelligence committee lawmakers - would be briefed by intelligence officials, possibly on Wednesday.

Trump not briefed because Russia bounty reports uncorroborated: White House

Joe Biden trashed President Trump on Saturday for failing to respond to intelligence reports that Russia put a bounty on the heads of American troops in Afghanistan.

Biden accuses trump for ignoring intel over Russian bounty reports

Four men have been charged for attempting to remove a statue of former president Andrew Jackson from outside the White House as part of anti-racism protests in the United States.

On Monday evening, a group of protesters attacked the statue of the former president, a slaveowner who led the United States from 1829 to 1837, which stands in Lafayette Park next to the White House.&nbsp;They wrapped ropes around the monument and tried to knock it down.&nbsp;

Based on video footage, four were identified tying or pulling the ropes, or passing a hammer to another demonstrator.&nbsp;Aged between 20 and 47, they were charged on Friday with "destruction of federal property".

The charge is punishable by one to 10 years in prison.

On Friday, Donald Trump tweeted calling for arrest of protestors involved in this week's attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson from a park directly in front of the White House.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-issues-wanted-poster-for-people-who-vandalized-statues-308903">Also read | Trump issues 'wanted' poster for people who vandalised statues</a>

One of them was arrested on Friday and presented to a judge on Saturday, while the other three were named but have not yet been apprehended.

The death of George Floyd, an African-American killed by a white police officer on May 25, has ignited mass civil unrest across the country. On the sidelines of those protests, several statues, including of Confederate generals and pro-slavery leaders, have been targetted or pulled down.

Trump, who is running for a second term, on Friday signed an executive order pledging&nbsp;to enforce prosecution for protesters who vandalise public memorials.&nbsp;

Four men have been charged for attempting to remove a statue of former president Andrew Jackson from outside the White House as part of anti-racism protests in the United States.

Four men have been charged for attempting to remove a statue of former president Andrew Jackson from outside the White House as part of anti-racism protests in the United States. On Monday evening, a group of protesters attacked the statue of the former president, a slaveowner who led the United States from 1829 to 1837, which stands in Lafayette Park next to the White House. They wrapped ropes around the monument and tried to knock it down. Based on video footage, four were identified tying or pulling the ropes, or passing a hammer to another demonstrator. Aged between 20 and 47, they were charged on Friday with "destruction of federal property". The charge is punishable by one to 10 years in prison. On Friday, Donald Trump tweeted calling for arrest of protestors involved in this week's attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson from a park directly in front of the White House. Also read | Trump issues 'wanted' poster for people who vandalised statues One of them was arrested on Friday and presented to a judge on Saturday, while the other three were named but have not yet been apprehended. The death of George Floyd, an African-American killed by a white police officer on May 25, has ignited mass civil unrest across the country. On the sidelines of those protests, several statues, including of Confederate generals and pro-slavery leaders, have been targetted or pulled down. Trump, who is running for a second term, on Friday signed an executive order pledging to enforce prosecution for protesters who vandalise public memorials.

Four men charged for trying to pull down statue outside White House

United States President Donald Trump is "incredibly grateful" for the "widespread support" he has received from the people of India and Indian-Americans, the White House has said.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews made the comments while responding to a question on a recent survey results that Indian-Americans, who traditionally vote for the Democratic Party, are switching towards Trump, a Republican, in the November 3 election.

Trump is seeking re-election to the White House in the presidential election.

According to the survey results conducted by Al Mason, co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian-American Finance Committee, more than 50 per cent of Indian-Americans in the battle ground states of Michigan, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania and Virginia are crossing over to support Trump.

During his more than three and half years of his presidency, Trump has made an extra effort to reach out to the Indian-American community. His close relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- reflected in the two leaders jointly addressing massive public rallies in Houston and Ahmedabad -- has helped him make deep inroads among the Indian-Americans.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-designates-4-more-chinese-media-outlets-as-foreign-missions-307846">Also read |&nbsp;Trump administration designates 4 more Chinese media outlets as 'foreign missions'</a>

"President Trump is incredibly grateful for the widespread support he has received from the people of India and from millions of Indian-Americans across the United States. He recognises the vital role Indian-Americans play in bolstering our economy, enriching our culture, and strengthening our communities," Matthews told PTI.

During his first two years in office, President Trump led the US to its greatest economic comeback in history.

Al Mason said while the vision of Trump is the driving force in this unprecedented outreach with the Indian-Americans and a new peak in ties with India, the entire family including the First Lady Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who have recently visited India with him, shown their immense respect and love for the country.

Not to overlook son Donald Trump Jr and Kimberly Guilfoyle, senior advisor to Donald Trump for President, Inc. and national chair of the Trump Victory Finance Committee.

United States President Donald Trump is "incredibly grateful" for the "widespread support" he has received from the people of India and Indian-Americans, the White House has said.

United States President Donald Trump is "incredibly grateful" for the "widespread support" he has received from the people of India and Indian-Americans, the White House has said. White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews made the comments while responding to a question on a recent survey results that Indian-Americans, who traditionally vote for the Democratic Party, are switching towards Trump, a Republican, in the November 3 election. Trump is seeking re-election to the White House in the presidential election. According to the survey results conducted by Al Mason, co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian-American Finance Committee, more than 50 per cent of Indian-Americans in the battle ground states of Michigan, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania and Virginia are crossing over to support Trump. During his more than three and half years of his presidency, Trump has made an extra effort to reach out to the Indian-American community. His close relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- reflected in the two leaders jointly addressing massive public rallies in Houston and Ahmedabad -- has helped him make deep inroads among the Indian-Americans. Also read | Trump administration designates 4 more Chinese media outlets as 'foreign missions' "President Trump is incredibly grateful for the widespread support he has received from the people of India and from millions of Indian-Americans across the United States. He recognises the vital role Indian-Americans play in bolstering our economy, enriching our culture, and strengthening our communities," Matthews told PTI. During his first two years in office, President Trump led the US to its greatest economic comeback in history. Al Mason said while the vision of Trump is the driving force in this unprecedented outreach with the Indian-Americans and a new peak in ties with India, the entire family including the First Lady Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who have recently visited India with him, shown their immense respect and love for the country. Not to overlook son Donald Trump Jr and Kimberly Guilfoyle, senior advisor to Donald Trump for President, Inc. and national chair of the Trump Victory Finance Committee.

Donald Trump is grateful for Indian-Americans' support: White House

For those who have closely followed US President Donald Trump's journey to the top, China has not been the most heard word.

There was a time when another word followed Trump closely -- Russia!!!

Trump has been fairly obsessed with Russia. And his reasons were completely different.

Some believe Trump allegedly had Russia interfere in the 2016 presidential election. In other words, he took help from Russia to win the race to the White House.

A Mueller probe was conducted into this, which only sparked more questions than it answered.

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Four years on, elections are round the corner again. And so are reports of foreign meddling.

Apparenty, the US President is again seeking foreign help.

There's talk of another country.&nbsp;

This time it is China -- a country that gave the world 'kung flu'.

Trump only came up with this name -- at an election rally.

In the aftermath, Trump's former national security advisor John Bolton has claimed that he had asked China President Xi Jinping to help him secure 2020 elections.

Bolton was once a part of the Trump administration, and now is his biggest critic. He has come up with a tell-all book on his White House days -- 'The room where it happened: a White House memoir'.

As the title suggests, this book is a first-hand account of everything that happened inside the White House. It provides an arsenal of ammunition to hurl at the president till November.

The biggest charge is that Trump allegedly sought cover assistance for his re-election bid from Xi Jinping.

"He -- Donald Trump -- then, stunningly, turned the conversation to the coming US presidential election, alluding to China’s economic capability to affect the ongoing campaigns, pleading with Xi to ensure he’d win."

There's some proof to the validity of this statement.

Trump's dealings with China go back to pre-White House years.

In 2008, he signed a deal with the Chinese Evergrande group. In 2012, Trump inked a deal for developing a property in Beijing. Around 2016, he reportedly wanted to build Trump hotels in 20 to 30 Chinese cities.

And in 2017, Trump roped in two Chinese companies to construct a golf resort in Dubai.

This history clearly involves a lot of money too. And a lot of it was apparently coming from the Bank of China.

It reportedly supplied a large funding for Trump's real-estate deals. But does a history of business with China make trump guilty of aiding election interference?

Or should one look at how the behaviour of Trump's White House has been towards China.

Since Trump entered the White House, he has been pretty harsh on Beijing. Experts say Trump has single-handedly changed the geo-political tactics.

From declaring a trade war on China and banning Huawei to calling COVID-19 a Chinese virus, Trump has spared no opportunity to take on China. He recently punished China by eliminating Washington's special treatment of Hong Kong.

Trump also sanctioned Chinese officials responsible for running Uighur camps in Xinjiang. He went to the extent of claiming that China wants him to lose the 2020 race.

In short, we still cannot be sure how true Bolton's claims in the book are. 
&nbsp;

For those who have closely followed US President Donald Trump's journey to the top, China has not been the most heard word. There was a time when another word followed Trump closely -- Russia!

For those who have closely followed US President Donald Trump's journey to the top, China has not been the most heard word. There was a time when another word followed Trump closely -- Russia!!! Trump has been fairly obsessed with Russia. And his reasons were completely different. Some believe Trump allegedly had Russia interfere in the 2016 presidential election. In other words, he took help from Russia to win the race to the White House. A Mueller probe was conducted into this, which only sparked more questions than it answered. × Four years on, elections are round the corner again. And so are reports of foreign meddling. Apparenty, the US President is again seeking foreign help. There's talk of another country. This time it is China -- a country that gave the world 'kung flu'. Trump only came up with this name -- at an election rally. In the aftermath, Trump's former national security advisor John Bolton has claimed that he had asked China President Xi Jinping to help him secure 2020 elections. Bolton was once a part of the Trump administration, and now is his biggest critic. He has come up with a tell-all book on his White House days -- 'The room where it happened: a White House memoir'. As the title suggests, this book is a first-hand account of everything that happened inside the White House. It provides an arsenal of ammunition to hurl at the president till November. The biggest charge is that Trump allegedly sought cover assistance for his re-election bid from Xi Jinping. "He -- Donald Trump -- then, stunningly, turned the conversation to the coming US presidential election, alluding to China’s economic capability to affect the ongoing campaigns, pleading with Xi to ensure he’d win." There's some proof to the validity of this statement. Trump's dealings with China go back to pre-White House years. In 2008, he signed a deal with the Chinese Evergrande group. In 2012, Trump inked a deal for developing a property in Beijing. Around 2016, he reportedly wanted to build Trump hotels in 20 to 30 Chinese cities. And in 2017, Trump roped in two Chinese companies to construct a golf resort in Dubai. This history clearly involves a lot of money too. And a lot of it was apparently coming from the Bank of China. It reportedly supplied a large funding for Trump's real-estate deals. But does a history of business with China make trump guilty of aiding election interference? Or should one look at how the behaviour of Trump's White House has been towards China. Since Trump entered the White House, he has been pretty harsh on Beijing. Experts say Trump has single-handedly changed the geo-political tactics. From declaring a trade war on China and banning Huawei to calling COVID-19 a Chinese virus, Trump has spared no opportunity to take on China. He recently punished China by eliminating Washington's special treatment of Hong Kong. Trump also sanctioned Chinese officials responsible for running Uighur camps in Xinjiang. He went to the extent of claiming that China wants him to lose the 2020 race. In short, we still cannot be sure how true Bolton's claims in the book are.

Should claims made in Bolton's new book be trusted?

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced an authorisation "effective immediately" to arrest anyone caught destroying or vandalising a commemoration to a former member of the armed services on federal land, citing the Veterans Memorial Act, which has been law for 17 years.

Trump and his fellow Republicans in Congress angrily decried efforts to remove statues and other memorials that activists consider racist, a movement that has gained momentum as part of wider national protests over racial injustice and police brutality.

Many of the statues and monuments targetted by crowds in recent weeks pay homage to the rebel Confederacy from the nation's Civil War. Democrats and other critics say such symbols wrongly honour those who perpetuated slavery.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-targets-foreign-workers-places-restrictions-on-vande-bharat-mission-308035">Also read |&nbsp;Trump administration targets foreign workers, places restrictions on Vande Bharat Mission</a>

Calls to take them down follow a wave of protests after the May 25 death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man killed in police custody in Minneapolis, that has sparked ongoing demonstrations and calls to address racism in policing and other reforms.

Trump first threatened arrest late Monday night when protesters tried and failed to topple a statue of former President Andrew Jackson near the White House. Jackson enslaved Black people as a plantation owner and is remembered for the Trail of Tears, a forced removal of Native Americans from the south that led to the death of thousands.

Protesters also declared a Black House Autonomous Zone across the street from the White House in front of St John's Church, taking over Black Lives Matter Plaza. They spray painted "BHAZ" on columns in front of the church, which had a small basement fire during earlier protests.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apple-google-amazon-take-aim-at-trump-visa-ban-308029">Also read |&nbsp;Apple, Google, Amazon take aim at Trump visa ban</a>

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced an authorisation "effective immediately" to arrest anyone caught destroying or vandalising a commemoration to a former member of the armed services on federal land, citing the Veterans Memorial Act, which has been law for 17 years.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced an authorisation "effective immediately" to arrest anyone caught destroying or vandalising a commemoration to a former member of the armed services on federal land, citing the Veterans Memorial Act, which has been law for 17 years. Trump and his fellow Republicans in Congress angrily decried efforts to remove statues and other memorials that activists consider racist, a movement that has gained momentum as part of wider national protests over racial injustice and police brutality. Many of the statues and monuments targetted by crowds in recent weeks pay homage to the rebel Confederacy from the nation's Civil War. Democrats and other critics say such symbols wrongly honour those who perpetuated slavery. Also read | Trump administration targets foreign workers, places restrictions on Vande Bharat Mission Calls to take them down follow a wave of protests after the May 25 death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man killed in police custody in Minneapolis, that has sparked ongoing demonstrations and calls to address racism in policing and other reforms. Trump first threatened arrest late Monday night when protesters tried and failed to topple a statue of former President Andrew Jackson near the White House. Jackson enslaved Black people as a plantation owner and is remembered for the Trail of Tears, a forced removal of Native Americans from the south that led to the death of thousands. Protesters also declared a Black House Autonomous Zone across the street from the White House in front of St John's Church, taking over Black Lives Matter Plaza. They spray painted "BHAZ" on columns in front of the church, which had a small basement fire during earlier protests. Also read | Apple, Google, Amazon take aim at Trump visa ban

Trump announces authorisation for arrests after statue targetted near White House

Bolton's new book contains damning claims against Trump, Judge rejects Trump's bid to ban book. Watch this video to know more.

Bolton's new book contains damning claims against Trump, Judge rejects Trump's bid to ban book

US President Donald Trump marked his 74th birthday on June 14 as protests continued to rage across the United States. Trump was seen returning to the White House for his birthday from West Point in New York where he was attending a graduation ceremony at the West Point military academy. Watch report.

Donald Trump's 74th birthday | Protestors against Trump in NYC, Washington

The White House on Wednesday defended US President Donald Trump's promotion of an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory about a 75-year-old protestor injured by police in Buffalo, saying it was Trump's "prerogative" to raise questions about the incident.

The protestor, Martin Gugino, was shoved by police and critically injured when he approached them during a march against racism and police brutality in an incident that was captured on video and led to criminal charges against the officers involved. It was one of many protests after George Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Trump, offering no evidence, tweeted on Tuesday that Gugino's fall could be a "set up" with ties to the anti-fascist movement antifa. Trump and other Republicans have sought to blame violence that has flared at some protests on antifa despite little evidence.

Trump cited a report by One America News Network, which also offered no evidence. The OANN piece was narrated by a Russian native who has worked for the Kremlin-controlled Sputnik news outlet, according to the Daily Beast and the New York Times.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Buffalo protester shoved by Police could be an ANTIFA provocateur. 75 year old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment. <a href="https://twitter.com/OANN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OANN</a> I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1270333484528214018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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To this end, White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany told Fox News on Wednesday: "The president was just raising some questions, some legitimate ones, about that particular interaction. And it's his prerogative to do so." 
&nbsp; 
Democrats and other critics have slammed Trump's tweet and urged the president to apologise, while numerous Republicans in Congress and Trump's chief of Staff Mark Meadows declined to comment.

A lawyer for Gugino called Trump's statement "dark, dangerous, and untrue," according to media reports. Gugino told USA TODAY he had "no comment other than Black Lives Matter" and that he has been released from intensive care and "should recover eventually."

Buffalo Police Officers Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe face felony assault charges over the incident.

The White House on Wednesday defended US President Donald Trump's promotion of an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory about a 75-year-old protestor injured by police in Buffalo, saying it was Trump's "prerogative" to raise questions about the incident.

The White House on Wednesday defended US President Donald Trump's promotion of an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory about a 75-year-old protestor injured by police in Buffalo, saying it was Trump's "prerogative" to raise questions about the incident. The protestor, Martin Gugino, was shoved by police and critically injured when he approached them during a march against racism and police brutality in an incident that was captured on video and led to criminal charges against the officers involved. It was one of many protests after George Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Trump, offering no evidence, tweeted on Tuesday that Gugino's fall could be a "set up" with ties to the anti-fascist movement antifa. Trump and other Republicans have sought to blame violence that has flared at some protests on antifa despite little evidence. Trump cited a report by One America News Network, which also offered no evidence. The OANN piece was narrated by a Russian native who has worked for the Kremlin-controlled Sputnik news outlet, according to the Daily Beast and the New York Times. Buffalo protester shoved by Police could be an ANTIFA provocateur. 75 year old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment. @OANN I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2020 × To this end, White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany told Fox News on Wednesday: "The president was just raising some questions, some legitimate ones, about that particular interaction. And it's his prerogative to do so." Democrats and other critics have slammed Trump's tweet and urged the president to apologise, while numerous Republicans in Congress and Trump's chief of Staff Mark Meadows declined to comment. A lawyer for Gugino called Trump's statement "dark, dangerous, and untrue," according to media reports. Gugino told USA TODAY he had "no comment other than Black Lives Matter" and that he has been released from intensive care and "should recover eventually." Buffalo Police Officers Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe face felony assault charges over the incident.

White House defends Trump's conspiracy theory tweet on Buffalo protestor

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in Washington and other cities in the United States on Saturday to demand an end to racism and brutality by US law enforcement as protests over the killing of a black man by Minneapolis police entered a 12th day.

George Floyd, the black man, died on May 25 after a Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. His killing, recorded in excruciating detail on a bystander's cellphone, has led to a wave of protests and national soul-searching over the country's legacy of violence and mistreatment of African Americans and other minorities.

As in previous days, the protests in cities from California to New York and Washington involved a series of loosely organised marches.

A second memorial service for Floyd was held in a North Carolina town where he was born. Hundreds lined up at a church in Raeford to pay their respects during a public viewing, and a private service for the family was conducted later in the day.

Floyd's first memorial was held on Friday in Minneapolis. His funeral is scheduled on Tuesday in Houston.

WASHINGTON

The protest in the nation's capital was shaping up as the largest of the marches seen this week in cities and smaller towns nationwide, as well as in countries around the world. It coincided with a second memorial service for George Floyd.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anti-racism-protestors-clash-with-mounted-police-in-britain-303913">Also read |&nbsp;Anti-racism protestors clash with mounted police in Britain</a>

As many as six buses unloaded hundreds of uniformed military personnel, most wearing body armour and carrying shields, at the White House grounds. Military Humvees were parked on tree-lined city streets.

Uniformed officers were out in smaller numbers than earlier in the week and generally assumed a more relaxed posture, wearing patrol uniforms rather than body armor and helmets.

Local media has forecast that tens of thousands would turn out in the US capital, despite the risks still posed by the coronavirus, which ravaged the country over the past two months and still presents a deadly threat.

Thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and elsewhere before converging on the White House. A moving throng of people marched past the George Washington University Hospital chanting "Hands up, Don't shoot!" "We March for hope, not for hate," and "I can't breathe!"

That last chant echoed protests from New York in 2014, when Eric Garner died in police custody after an officer used a banned chokehold on him. Garner and Floyd are part of a long line of black men and women killed by white officers.

Demonstrators in Washington appeared to be from diverse backgrounds and were dressed for the 90 degree heat. A group wore hospital worker's clothing and held signs with slogans including "White Coats 4 Black Lives" and "I Love Being Black."

Protesters assembled on H Street NW and the newly rechristened Black Lives Matter Plaza, a strip leading up to the White House where the city painted "Black Lives Matter" in huge yellow letters on the pavement on Friday in defiance of President Donald Trump.

It was near the spot where US Park Police triggered outrage on Monday evening by firing smoke grenades and chemical irritant "pepper balls" before charging into peaceful protesters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-across-the-world-join-black-lives-matter-movement-303918">Also read |&nbsp;Thousands across the world join 'Black Lives Matter' movement</a>

Afterward, Trump walked from the White House to the front of a nearby church and posed holding a Bible, a gesture criticized by many Democrats and even some members of Trump's Republican Party.

On Saturday, the area had an atmosphere akin to a block party before the crowd marched toward downtown. People coloured in giant tributes to Floyd, while songs such as "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond and "Alright" by Kendrick Lamar blared through speakers. 
The demonstrators included families and people of all ages carrying signs saying "Fed up," "All lives do not matter until black lives do," and "My black son matters."

NEW YORK

In New York, a large crowd of protestors crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, marching up a deserted Broadway, where many of the shops were boarded up, according to social media posts.

Thousands of others gathered in Harlem near the northwest corner of Central Park to march downtown, about 100 blocks, to the city's Washington Square Park.

SAN FRANCISCO

A diverse crowd of thousands of demonstrators tied up the iconic Golden Gate Bridge with the acquiescence of authorities on Saturday.

Tow trucks held off car traffic in both directions, and police directed vehicles caught in the middle of the bridge to go around protesters who eventually moved off the roadway peacefully.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/black-lives-matter-protestors-rally-at-trump-golf-resort-in-florida-303905">Also read |&nbsp;'Black Lives Matter' protestors rally at Trump golf resort in Florida</a>

LOS ANGELES

Protestors organised by Refuse Fascism LA took over Hollywood Boulevard, chanting “Revolution, nothing less!” And in San Diego, more than 3,000 people marched downtown while a caravan of 300 cars moved past the state university there.

PHILADELPHIA

In Philadelphia, demonstrators gathered on the steps of Philadelphia Art Museum steps chanting, "No justice, No peace." Others marched along Benjamin Franklin Parkway, through John F Kennedy Plaza, and around Philadelphia City Hall.

CALIFORNIA

In California, the country's most populous state, demonstrations occurred in many cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco, where protesters briefly blocked traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge as motorists honked in solidarity.

PORTLAND

Police in Portland, Oregon, became the latest city to order a tactical change -- it won't use tear gas on the protestors -- amid the ongoing nationwide movement against police brutality.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler directed the city's police chief to stop using tear gas "unless there is a serious and immediate threat to life safety, and there is no other viable alternative for dispersal."

(with inputs from agencies)

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in Washington and other cities in the United States on Saturday to demand an end to racism and brutality by US law enforcement as protests over the killing of a black man by Minneapolis police entered a 12th day.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in Washington and other cities in the United States on Saturday to demand an end to racism and brutality by US law enforcement as protests over the killing of a black man by Minneapolis police entered a 12th day. George Floyd, the black man, died on May 25 after a Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. His killing, recorded in excruciating detail on a bystander's cellphone, has led to a wave of protests and national soul-searching over the country's legacy of violence and mistreatment of African Americans and other minorities. As in previous days, the protests in cities from California to New York and Washington involved a series of loosely organised marches. A second memorial service for Floyd was held in a North Carolina town where he was born. Hundreds lined up at a church in Raeford to pay their respects during a public viewing, and a private service for the family was conducted later in the day. Floyd's first memorial was held on Friday in Minneapolis. His funeral is scheduled on Tuesday in Houston. WASHINGTON The protest in the nation's capital was shaping up as the largest of the marches seen this week in cities and smaller towns nationwide, as well as in countries around the world. It coincided with a second memorial service for George Floyd. Also read | Anti-racism protestors clash with mounted police in Britain As many as six buses unloaded hundreds of uniformed military personnel, most wearing body armour and carrying shields, at the White House grounds. Military Humvees were parked on tree-lined city streets. Uniformed officers were out in smaller numbers than earlier in the week and generally assumed a more relaxed posture, wearing patrol uniforms rather than body armor and helmets. Local media has forecast that tens of thousands would turn out in the US capital, despite the risks still posed by the coronavirus, which ravaged the country over the past two months and still presents a deadly threat. Thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and elsewhere before converging on the White House. A moving throng of people marched past the George Washington University Hospital chanting "Hands up, Don't shoot!" "We March for hope, not for hate," and "I can't breathe!" That last chant echoed protests from New York in 2014, when Eric Garner died in police custody after an officer used a banned chokehold on him. Garner and Floyd are part of a long line of black men and women killed by white officers. Demonstrators in Washington appeared to be from diverse backgrounds and were dressed for the 90 degree heat. A group wore hospital worker's clothing and held signs with slogans including "White Coats 4 Black Lives" and "I Love Being Black." Protesters assembled on H Street NW and the newly rechristened Black Lives Matter Plaza, a strip leading up to the White House where the city painted "Black Lives Matter" in huge yellow letters on the pavement on Friday in defiance of President Donald Trump. It was near the spot where US Park Police triggered outrage on Monday evening by firing smoke grenades and chemical irritant "pepper balls" before charging into peaceful protesters. Also read | Thousands across the world join 'Black Lives Matter' movement Afterward, Trump walked from the White House to the front of a nearby church and posed holding a Bible, a gesture criticized by many Democrats and even some members of Trump's Republican Party. On Saturday, the area had an atmosphere akin to a block party before the crowd marched toward downtown. People coloured in giant tributes to Floyd, while songs such as "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond and "Alright" by Kendrick Lamar blared through speakers. The demonstrators included families and people of all ages carrying signs saying "Fed up," "All lives do not matter until black lives do," and "My black son matters." NEW YORK In New York, a large crowd of protestors crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, marching up a deserted Broadway, where many of the shops were boarded up, according to social media posts. Thousands of others gathered in Harlem near the northwest corner of Central Park to march downtown, about 100 blocks, to the city's Washington Square Park. SAN FRANCISCO A diverse crowd of thousands of demonstrators tied up the iconic Golden Gate Bridge with the acquiescence of authorities on Saturday. Tow trucks held off car traffic in both directions, and police directed vehicles caught in the middle of the bridge to go around protesters who eventually moved off the roadway peacefully. Also read | 'Black Lives Matter' protestors rally at Trump golf resort in Florida LOS ANGELES Protestors organised by Refuse Fascism LA took over Hollywood Boulevard, chanting “Revolution, nothing less!” And in San Diego, more than 3,000 people marched downtown while a caravan of 300 cars moved past the state university there. PHILADELPHIA In Philadelphia, demonstrators gathered on the steps of Philadelphia Art Museum steps chanting, "No justice, No peace." Others marched along Benjamin Franklin Parkway, through John F Kennedy Plaza, and around Philadelphia City Hall. CALIFORNIA In California, the country's most populous state, demonstrations occurred in many cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco, where protesters briefly blocked traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge as motorists honked in solidarity. PORTLAND Police in Portland, Oregon, became the latest city to order a tactical change -- it won't use tear gas on the protestors -- amid the ongoing nationwide movement against police brutality. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler directed the city's police chief to stop using tear gas "unless there is a serious and immediate threat to life safety, and there is no other viable alternative for dispersal." (with inputs from agencies)

Uniformed military personnel deployed at WH grounds as anti-racism protests in US enter Day 12

The mayor of Washington, DC, had the slogan "Black Lives Matter" painted in massive yellow letters on a street leading to the White House on Friday in tribute to victims of police brutality as she sparred with US President Donald Trump.

Streets around the White House have been a focus of demonstrations that have swept the nation to protest the May 25 death of Floyd, 46, after a white police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes.

Protests have also rocked cities including Atlanta, Denver, Detroit and Los Angeles, as well as many smaller communities.

Mayor Muriel Bowser's defiant message came as tensions remained high across the nation over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody nearly two weeks ago, prompting political leaders in the city and elsewhere to announce new restrictions on law enforcement.

"Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination," Bowser, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter in reference to a 26-year-old black woman who was shot dead by Louisville, Kentucky police in March.&nbsp;

"Determination to make America the land it ought to be."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-formally-clinches-us-democratic-nomination-303760">Also read |&nbsp;Joe Biden formally clinches US Democratic nomination</a>

Bowser and Trump, a Republican, are at odds over the president's use of federal law enforcement agencies and military police to put down demonstrations. US Park Police fired smoke grenades and chemical irritant "pepper balls" to break up a protest on Monday night so Trump could walk from the White House to a nearby church for a photo opportunity. 
"We want troops from out-of-state, out of Washington, DC," Bowser, who has called for the District of Columbia to be granted US statehood, told reporters on Thursday.

The city also installed a street sign for "Black Lives Matter Plaza" at the intersection of H and 16th Streets.

"The incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., @MayorBowser, who's budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for 'handouts', is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment," Trump responded on Twitter.&nbsp;

"If she doesn't treat these men and women well, then we'll bring in a different group of men and women!"

Bowser, who is black, represents a city that is 47% black, according to Census data.

She has said she is fine with DC National Guard helping to keep order in Washington, but is examining all legal options to reverse the deployment of federal forces from elsewhere.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stand-up-to-trump-canada-protestors-shout-to-trudeau-at-anti-racism-rally-303734">Also read |&nbsp;'Stand up to Trump!' Canada protestors shout to Trudeau at anti-racism rally</a>

Trump, who is seeking re-election in November, was cheered on Friday by an unexpected jump in US employment in May, defying predictions of further job losses inflicted by the pandemic.

"What's happened to our country and what you now see has been happening is the greatest thing that could happen for race relations, for the African-American community, for the Asian-American, for the Hispanic-American community, for women, for everything," Trump said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-its-a-great-day-for-george-floyd-in-an-unprepared-address-303748">Also read |&nbsp;Trump says it's a 'great day' for George Floyd in an unprepared address</a>

Further demonstrations were planned for Washington, DC on Saturday, and memorial services were expected over the next several days. Floyd's funeral is planned for Tuesday.

(with inputs from agencies)

The mayor of Washington, DC, had the slogan "Black Lives Matter" painted in massive yellow letters on a street leading to the White House on Friday in tribute to victims of police brutality as she sparred with US President Donald Trump.

The mayor of Washington, DC, had the slogan "Black Lives Matter" painted in massive yellow letters on a street leading to the White House on Friday in tribute to victims of police brutality as she sparred with US President Donald Trump. Streets around the White House have been a focus of demonstrations that have swept the nation to protest the May 25 death of Floyd, 46, after a white police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes. Protests have also rocked cities including Atlanta, Denver, Detroit and Los Angeles, as well as many smaller communities. Mayor Muriel Bowser's defiant message came as tensions remained high across the nation over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody nearly two weeks ago, prompting political leaders in the city and elsewhere to announce new restrictions on law enforcement. "Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination," Bowser, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter in reference to a 26-year-old black woman who was shot dead by Louisville, Kentucky police in March. "Determination to make America the land it ought to be." Also read | Joe Biden formally clinches US Democratic nomination Bowser and Trump, a Republican, are at odds over the president's use of federal law enforcement agencies and military police to put down demonstrations. US Park Police fired smoke grenades and chemical irritant "pepper balls" to break up a protest on Monday night so Trump could walk from the White House to a nearby church for a photo opportunity. "We want troops from out-of-state, out of Washington, DC," Bowser, who has called for the District of Columbia to be granted US statehood, told reporters on Thursday. The city also installed a street sign for "Black Lives Matter Plaza" at the intersection of H and 16th Streets. "The incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., @MayorBowser, who's budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for 'handouts', is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment," Trump responded on Twitter. "If she doesn't treat these men and women well, then we'll bring in a different group of men and women!" Bowser, who is black, represents a city that is 47% black, according to Census data. She has said she is fine with DC National Guard helping to keep order in Washington, but is examining all legal options to reverse the deployment of federal forces from elsewhere. Also read | 'Stand up to Trump!' Canada protestors shout to Trudeau at anti-racism rally Trump, who is seeking re-election in November, was cheered on Friday by an unexpected jump in US employment in May, defying predictions of further job losses inflicted by the pandemic. "What's happened to our country and what you now see has been happening is the greatest thing that could happen for race relations, for the African-American community, for the Asian-American, for the Hispanic-American community, for women, for everything," Trump said. Also read | Trump says it's a 'great day' for George Floyd in an unprepared address Further demonstrations were planned for Washington, DC on Saturday, and memorial services were expected over the next several days. Floyd's funeral is planned for Tuesday. (with inputs from agencies)

Street outside White House painted 'Black Lives Matter Plaza'

A massive "Black Lives Matter" mural was painted in yellow letters on a street near the White House on Friday, ahead of expected large demonstrations on Saturday to protest racism and police brutality in the United States.

The huge mural occupies two blocks on the capital's 16th Street. The city of Washington D.C. cleared the street so muralists could complete the work.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-london-to-new-zealand-people-join-in-on-black-lives-matter-protests-302343">From London to New Zealand, people join in on 'Black Lives Matter' protests</a>

Using rollers and buckets of yellow paint, with brushes to finesse the edges of the letters, dozens of men and women, of different races and ages - some wearing roller blades, some work boots - painted the street. Many were sweating under the warm Washington sun.

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Friday that the section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially "Black Lives Matter Plaza."

The death of George Floyd, a black Minneapolis man who died on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck, has convulsed the country. As well as massive demonstrations and violent clashes with police in the biggest cities, hundreds of spontaneous demonstrations have popped up in little towns and rural areas across the nation in recent days.

A massive "Black Lives Matter" mural was painted in yellow letters on a street near the White House on Friday, ahead of expected large demonstrations on Saturday to protest racism and police brutality in the United States.

A massive "Black Lives Matter" mural was painted in yellow letters on a street near the White House on Friday, ahead of expected large demonstrations on Saturday to protest racism and police brutality in the United States. The huge mural occupies two blocks on the capital's 16th Street. The city of Washington D.C. cleared the street so muralists could complete the work. Also see: From London to New Zealand, people join in on 'Black Lives Matter' protests Using rollers and buckets of yellow paint, with brushes to finesse the edges of the letters, dozens of men and women, of different races and ages - some wearing roller blades, some work boots - painted the street. Many were sweating under the warm Washington sun. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Friday that the section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially "Black Lives Matter Plaza." The death of George Floyd, a black Minneapolis man who died on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck, has convulsed the country. As well as massive demonstrations and violent clashes with police in the biggest cities, hundreds of spontaneous demonstrations have popped up in little towns and rural areas across the nation in recent days.

'Black Lives Matter' giant yellow mural painted on street near White House

The American Civil Liberties Union&nbsp;and other civil rights groups are suing Donald Trump, William Barr and other federal officials over the&nbsp;assault on peaceful protesters near the White House on Monday, to allow the president to hold a photo op at a historic church.

<img alt="Trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb60fd71-f913-4c03-8d09-ad833af061bd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/142898-donaldt.jpg" /> 
US President Donald Trump holds a Bible while visiting St. John's Church Photograph:( AFP )

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-rebukes-trumps-photo-op-in-front-of-riot-damaged-church-302527">Biden rebukes Trump's photo op in front of riot-damaged church</a>

According to&nbsp;a release from the ACLU of the District of Columbia, the lawsuit filed on behalf of Black Lives Matter DC and individual protesters accuses Trump and the other officials are accused of ''violating their constitutional rights and engaging in an unlawful conspiracy to violate those rights.''

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/archbishop-attacks-trumps-visit-to-a-shrine-amid-civil-unrest-in-us-302758">Archbishop attacks Trump's visit to a shrine amid civil unrest in US</a>

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the law firm of Arnold and&nbsp;Porter also filed the suit.

Protesters demonstrating over the&nbsp;killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis&nbsp;were gassed, shot with&nbsp;rubber bullets&nbsp;and forcefully cleared on Barr’s orders so Trump could walk to St John’s church, the so-called Church of the Presidents, and&nbsp;hold up a Bible in a photo op&nbsp;meant to reassure evangelical supporters.

The American Civil Liberties Union and other civil rights groups are suing Donald Trump, William Barr and other federal officials over the assault on peaceful protesters near the White House on Monday, to allow the president to hold a photo op at a historic church.

The American Civil Liberties Union and other civil rights groups are suing Donald Trump, William Barr and other federal officials over the assault on peaceful protesters near the White House on Monday, to allow the president to hold a photo op at a historic church. US President Donald Trump holds a Bible while visiting St. John's Church Photograph:( AFP ) Also read: Biden rebukes Trump's photo op in front of riot-damaged church According to a release from the ACLU of the District of Columbia, the lawsuit filed on behalf of Black Lives Matter DC and individual protesters accuses Trump and the other officials are accused of ''violating their constitutional rights and engaging in an unlawful conspiracy to violate those rights.'' Also read: Archbishop attacks Trump's visit to a shrine amid civil unrest in US The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the law firm of Arnold and Porter also filed the suit. Protesters demonstrating over the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis were gassed, shot with rubber bullets and forcefully cleared on Barr’s orders so Trump could walk to St John’s church, the so-called Church of the Presidents, and hold up a Bible in a photo op meant to reassure evangelical supporters.

Civil rights groups sue Trump, Barr over assault on peaceful protesters to click picture

The US will ship next week the first batch of 100 ventilators it has donated to India to treat the coronavirus patients, President Donald Trump has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a conference call, the White House said.

Trump spoke with Modi on Tuesday and "the two leaders discussed the G-7 (summit), the COVID-19 response, and regional security issues", it said.

"The president was happy to announce that the United States would be ready to ship the first tranche of 100 donated ventilators to India next week, the White House said in a readout of the call.

India is now the seventh among the worst-hit nations by the COVID-19 pandemic after the US, Brazil, Russia, the UK, Spain and Italy.

India has reported over two lakh confirmed coronavirus cases and 5,815 deaths, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

Ventilators have emerged as a key medical device to treat critical coronavirus patients. Around 1 out of every 5 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops breathing difficulty, according to the World Health Organisation.

A ventilator takes over the body's breathing process when a disease has caused the lungs to fail. This gives the patient time to fight off the infection and recover.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi in a series of tweets on Tuesday said that he had a warm and productive conversation with his friend Trump.

''We discussed his plans for the US Presidency of G-7, the COVID-19 pandemic, and many other issues,''&nbsp;he said.

''The richness and depth of India-US consultations will remain an important pillar of the post-COVID global architecture,'' Modi tweeted.

The US will ship next week the first batch of 100 ventilators it has donated to India to treat the coronavirus patients, President Donald Trump has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a conference call, the White House said.

The US will ship next week the first batch of 100 ventilators it has donated to India to treat the coronavirus patients, President Donald Trump has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a conference call, the White House said. Trump spoke with Modi on Tuesday and "the two leaders discussed the G-7 (summit), the COVID-19 response, and regional security issues", it said. "The president was happy to announce that the United States would be ready to ship the first tranche of 100 donated ventilators to India next week, the White House said in a readout of the call. India is now the seventh among the worst-hit nations by the COVID-19 pandemic after the US, Brazil, Russia, the UK, Spain and Italy. India has reported over two lakh confirmed coronavirus cases and 5,815 deaths, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday. Ventilators have emerged as a key medical device to treat critical coronavirus patients. Around 1 out of every 5 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops breathing difficulty, according to the World Health Organisation. A ventilator takes over the body's breathing process when a disease has caused the lungs to fail. This gives the patient time to fight off the infection and recover. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi in a series of tweets on Tuesday said that he had a warm and productive conversation with his friend Trump. ''We discussed his plans for the US Presidency of G-7, the COVID-19 pandemic, and many other issues,'' he said. ''The richness and depth of India-US consultations will remain an important pillar of the post-COVID global architecture,'' Modi tweeted.

US to ship first batch of 100 ventilators donated to India next week: White House

As protests raged outside the White House over the killing of George Floyd on Friday night, US President Donald Trump was rushed to a special secure bunker be the Secret Service agents.

Floyd’s death in police custody in Minneapolis on Monday has sparked protests in several cities across the US, including Washington DC.&nbsp;

As protesters converged on the White House on Friday, the New York Times report said, “Secret Service agents abruptly rushed the president to the underground bunker used in the past during terrorist attacks.”

Hardened to withstand the force of a passenger jet crashing into the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-will-not-invoke-control-of-national-guard-amid-protests-advisor-302196">White House</a>, the bunker is the same one that sheltered vice president Dick Cheney during the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. “The president and his family were rattled by their experience on Friday night, according to several advisers,” the Times report said.

The US president has been widely criticized for his response to the protests that have rocked the nation since video of Floyd’s death began spreading on social media.

Trump has not addressed the nation since the protests and has repeatedly sent inflammatory messages over Twitter.

Late on Friday, Trump tweeted that protesters could have been attacked with “vicious dogs and ominous weapons” wielded by the US Secret Service and accused the DC mayor for supposedly not providing police to protect the White House.

“They let the ‘protesters’ <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/george-floyd-protests-spread-far-and-wide-at-least-25-us-cities-impose-curfew-302194">scream and rant</a> as much as they wanted, but whenever someone got too frisky or out of line, they would quickly come down on them, hard – didn’t know what hit them,” Trump said.

“If they had [breached the fence],” the president continued, “they would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen. That’s when people would have been really badly hurt, at least.”

As protests raged outside the White House over the killing of George Floyd on Friday night, US President Donald Trump was rushed to a special secure bunker be the Secret Service agents.

As protests raged outside the White House over the killing of George Floyd on Friday night, US President Donald Trump was rushed to a special secure bunker be the Secret Service agents. Floyd’s death in police custody in Minneapolis on Monday has sparked protests in several cities across the US, including Washington DC. As protesters converged on the White House on Friday, the New York Times report said, “Secret Service agents abruptly rushed the president to the underground bunker used in the past during terrorist attacks.” Hardened to withstand the force of a passenger jet crashing into the White House, the bunker is the same one that sheltered vice president Dick Cheney during the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. “The president and his family were rattled by their experience on Friday night, according to several advisers,” the Times report said. The US president has been widely criticized for his response to the protests that have rocked the nation since video of Floyd’s death began spreading on social media. Trump has not addressed the nation since the protests and has repeatedly sent inflammatory messages over Twitter. Late on Friday, Trump tweeted that protesters could have been attacked with “vicious dogs and ominous weapons” wielded by the US Secret Service and accused the DC mayor for supposedly not providing police to protect the White House. “They let the ‘protesters’ scream and rant as much as they wanted, but whenever someone got too frisky or out of line, they would quickly come down on them, hard – didn’t know what hit them,” Trump said. “If they had [breached the fence],” the president continued, “they would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen. That’s when people would have been really badly hurt, at least.”

Trump was 'rushed to underground bunker' as protests raged outside White House: Report

United States President Donald Trump on Saturday said demonstrators protesting the death of a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck would have been "greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons" he had ever seen had they breached the White House fence.

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday has sparked demonstrations, some of them violent, in many cities across the nation, including one in Washington on Friday. The White House was temporarily locked down as hundreds of people gathered in the afternoon across the street in Lafayette Square.

After marching away, demonstrators assembled again later and videos showed pushing-and-shoving matches between officers and protesters, who dispersed early Saturday morning.

In a series of Twitter posts, Trump praised the US Secret Service officers who guard the White House as "very cool".&nbsp;

"I was inside, watched every move, and couldn't have felt more safe," he said, adding, "big crowd, professionally organised, but nobody came close to breaching the fence. If they had they would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons," he said. "Many Secret Service agents just waiting for action."

Trump also appeared to call his supporters to rally outside the executive mansion on Saturday evening, saying, "TONIGHT, I UNDERSTAND IS MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE???"&nbsp;

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Great job last night at the White House by the U.S. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecretService?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecretService</a>. They were not only totally professional, but very cool. I was inside, watched every move, and couldn’t have felt more safe. They let the “protesters” scream &amp; rant as much as they wanted, but whenever someone....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266711221191020544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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....have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen. That’s when people would have been really badly hurt, at least. Many Secret Service agents just waiting for action. “We put the young ones on the front line, sir, they love it, and....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266711223657205763?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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....good practice.” As you saw last night, they were very cool &amp; very professional. Never let it get out of hand. Thank you! On the bad side, the D.C. Mayor, <a href="https://twitter.com/MurielBowser?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MurielBowser</a>, who is always looking for money &amp; help, wouldn’t let the D.C. Police get involved. “Not their job.” Nice!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266711224391213056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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MAGA stands for Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again."

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The professionally managed so-called “protesters” at the White House had little to do with the memory of George Floyd. They were just there to cause trouble. The <a href="https://twitter.com/SecretService?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecretService</a> handled them easily. Tonight, I understand, is MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE???
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266724553620930561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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On Friday, Trump drew a warning from Twitter and condemnation from Democrats after posting a comment that "looting leads to shooting," suggesting protesters who turned to looting could be fired upon.

Trump also accused Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser of refusing to send police to help the US Secret Service, although the Washington Post reported that city officers did help control the later gathering.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/minneapolis-protests-man-killed-in-detroit-as-demonstrations-rage-across-us-302020">Also read |&nbsp;Minneapolis protests: Man killed in Detroit as demonstrations rage across US</a>

Meanwhile, protests spread across the United States over the killing of George Floyd.

From Louisville to Atlanta, the demonstrators continue to argue about police brutality with police officers in riot gear, who occasionally lunged into crowds to pluck people out for arrest.

Police made scores of arrests at Friday's massive demonstration in Brooklyn, while a diverse group of protestors at a "We can't breathe" vigil and rally in lower Manhattan pressed for legislation outlawing the police "chokehold" used by a city police officer in the 2014 death of Eric Garner, who was also black.

A 19-year-old man protesting in Detroit was shot dead on Friday night by a suspect who pulled up to demonstrators in a sport utility vehicle and fired gunshots into the crowd, then fled.

United States President Donald Trump on Saturday said demonstrators protesting the death of a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck would have been "greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons" he had ever seen had they breached the White House fence.

United States President Donald Trump on Saturday said demonstrators protesting the death of a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck would have been "greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons" he had ever seen had they breached the White House fence. The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday has sparked demonstrations, some of them violent, in many cities across the nation, including one in Washington on Friday. The White House was temporarily locked down as hundreds of people gathered in the afternoon across the street in Lafayette Square. After marching away, demonstrators assembled again later and videos showed pushing-and-shoving matches between officers and protesters, who dispersed early Saturday morning. In a series of Twitter posts, Trump praised the US Secret Service officers who guard the White House as "very cool". "I was inside, watched every move, and couldn't have felt more safe," he said, adding, "big crowd, professionally organised, but nobody came close to breaching the fence. If they had they would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons," he said. "Many Secret Service agents just waiting for action." Trump also appeared to call his supporters to rally outside the executive mansion on Saturday evening, saying, "TONIGHT, I UNDERSTAND IS MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE???" Great job last night at the White House by the U.S. @SecretService. They were not only totally professional, but very cool. I was inside, watched every move, and couldn’t have felt more safe. They let the “protesters” scream & rant as much as they wanted, but whenever someone.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020 × ....have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen. That’s when people would have been really badly hurt, at least. Many Secret Service agents just waiting for action. “We put the young ones on the front line, sir, they love it, and.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020 × ....good practice.” As you saw last night, they were very cool & very professional. Never let it get out of hand. Thank you! On the bad side, the D.C. Mayor, @MurielBowser, who is always looking for money & help, wouldn’t let the D.C. Police get involved. “Not their job.” Nice! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020 × MAGA stands for Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again." The professionally managed so-called “protesters” at the White House had little to do with the memory of George Floyd. They were just there to cause trouble. The @SecretService handled them easily. Tonight, I understand, is MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE??? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020 × On Friday, Trump drew a warning from Twitter and condemnation from Democrats after posting a comment that "looting leads to shooting," suggesting protesters who turned to looting could be fired upon. Trump also accused Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser of refusing to send police to help the US Secret Service, although the Washington Post reported that city officers did help control the later gathering. Also read | Minneapolis protests: Man killed in Detroit as demonstrations rage across US Meanwhile, protests spread across the United States over the killing of George Floyd. From Louisville to Atlanta, the demonstrators continue to argue about police brutality with police officers in riot gear, who occasionally lunged into crowds to pluck people out for arrest. Police made scores of arrests at Friday's massive demonstration in Brooklyn, while a diverse group of protestors at a "We can't breathe" vigil and rally in lower Manhattan pressed for legislation outlawing the police "chokehold" used by a city police officer in the 2014 death of Eric Garner, who was also black. A 19-year-old man protesting in Detroit was shot dead on Friday night by a suspect who pulled up to demonstrators in a sport utility vehicle and fired gunshots into the crowd, then fled.

Protestors would have met 'vicious dogs' had White House fence been breached: Trump

Several hundred people angrily protesting the death of an African-American man in police custody in Minneapolis rallied outside the White House on Friday, in tense scenes that have spread to several cities across the country.

Several hundred people angrily protesting the death of an African-American man in police custody in Minneapolis rallied outside the White House on Friday, in tense scenes that have spread to several cities across the country. President Donald Trump was in the mansion during the protest that converged on a park across the street from the White House, where several dozen Secret Service agents lined barricades. Demonstrators wielded signs saying "Stop Killing Us" and called for justice for George Floyd, who died on Monday after a white police officer pressed his knee down on the neck of an unarmed and handcuffed Floyd for several minutes. Serious clashes were largely averted outside the White House, and demonstrators marched down Washington streets towards the US Capitol. Floyd's violent arrest and death was caught on a video that went viral, and re-opened the nation's deep wounds over racial inequality. The arrest and charges of third-degree murder filed against Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin apparently have not tamped down the anger in Minneapolis, which has been rocked by three days of fiery riots that devastated parts of the city. Protesters remained on the streets Friday night, defying an 8 pm curfew. Protests had also spread to New York, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, Las Vegas, San Jose and Memphis.

Protests at White House over black man's death in police custody

After Trump’s tweet was marked by Twitter on Friday, the White House doubled down, more or less daring Twitter to block another tweet.

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“These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!” <a href="https://t.co/GDwAydcAOw">https://t.co/GDwAydcAOw</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1266342941649506304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Earlier this week, Twitter&nbsp;appended a fact check&nbsp;to one of Trump’s tweets about mail-in voting.

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I can’t stand back &amp; watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard &amp; get the job done right.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266231100172615680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Twitter didn’t block Trump’s tweet, but covered it with a warning and made it ineligible for retweets or responses.

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We have placed a public interest notice on this Tweet from <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realdonaldtrump</a>. <a href="https://t.co/6RHX56G2zt">https://t.co/6RHX56G2zt</a>
— Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) <a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterComms/status/1266267446979129345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Trump accused Twitter of ''interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election''&nbsp;and insisting ''as president, I will not allow this to happen.''

His campaign manager, Brad Parscale, said Twitter’s ''clear political bias''&nbsp;had led the campaign to pull ''all our advertising from Twitter months ago.''

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Fact check: there is someone ultimately accountable for our actions as a company, and that’s me. Please leave our employees out of this. We’ll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally. And we will admit to and own any mistakes we make.
— jack (@jack) <a href="https://twitter.com/jack/status/1265837138114830336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Trump after sharply criticising Twitter for fact-checking his tweet&nbsp;signed an executive order that intended to limit the freedom of tech organisations over the content posted on their mediums.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-says-ceo-dorsey-was-informed-in-advance-of-decision-to-hide-trump-tweet-301828" hreflang="en">Twitter says CEO Dorsey was informed in advance of decision to tag Trump tweet</a>

As he told the press on Thursday, he would prefer to delete his Twitter profile and close the company entirely; without that power, he requested that the FCC adjust Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects online platforms from liability for what their users post online.

On Friday morning, the company went further, blocking one of his tweets calling for the shooting of protestors in Minneapolis, where violence has broken out in the wake of the police murder of an unarmed, unthreatening black man named George Floyd.&nbsp;

It has taken&nbsp;Twitter three and a half years to take any action against Trump’s incendiary tweets from the White House.

After Trump’s tweet was marked by Twitter on Friday, the White House doubled down, more or less daring Twitter to block another tweet. “These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen.

After Trump’s tweet was marked by Twitter on Friday, the White House doubled down, more or less daring Twitter to block another tweet. “These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!” https://t.co/GDwAydcAOw — The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 29, 2020 × Earlier this week, Twitter appended a fact check to one of Trump’s tweets about mail-in voting. I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020 × Twitter didn’t block Trump’s tweet, but covered it with a warning and made it ineligible for retweets or responses. We have placed a public interest notice on this Tweet from @realdonaldtrump. https://t.co/6RHX56G2zt — Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) May 29, 2020 × Trump accused Twitter of ''interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election'' and insisting ''as president, I will not allow this to happen.'' His campaign manager, Brad Parscale, said Twitter’s ''clear political bias'' had led the campaign to pull ''all our advertising from Twitter months ago.'' Fact check: there is someone ultimately accountable for our actions as a company, and that’s me. Please leave our employees out of this. We’ll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally. And we will admit to and own any mistakes we make. — jack (@jack) May 28, 2020 × Meanwhile, Trump after sharply criticising Twitter for fact-checking his tweet signed an executive order that intended to limit the freedom of tech organisations over the content posted on their mediums. Also read: Twitter says CEO Dorsey was informed in advance of decision to tag Trump tweet As he told the press on Thursday, he would prefer to delete his Twitter profile and close the company entirely; without that power, he requested that the FCC adjust Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects online platforms from liability for what their users post online. On Friday morning, the company went further, blocking one of his tweets calling for the shooting of protestors in Minneapolis, where violence has broken out in the wake of the police murder of an unarmed, unthreatening black man named George Floyd. It has taken Twitter three and a half years to take any action against Trump’s incendiary tweets from the White House.

White House doubles down & dares Twitter to block another Trump's tweet

After US President Donald Trump ordered to shut down websites that he feels stifle conservative voices, White House has said Donald Trump will sign an executive order on social media companies on Thursday.

No other details were provided by the White House officials. It is still unclear as to how will the President follow on the threat of shutting down private social media giants.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/comedian-kathy-griffin-picks-up-a-beef-with-donald-trump-yet-again-301393">Also read: Comedian Kathy Griffin picks up a beef with Donald Trump, yet again!</a>

Trump was upset as Twitter, for the first time, tagged his tweets about unsubstantiated claims of fraud in mail-in voting with a warning prompting readers to fact check the posts. This warning upset Trump to a limit that he threatened the private companies.

On a similar issue, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington on Wednesday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit by a conservative group and right-wing YouTube personality against Google, Facebook, Twitter and Apple accusing them of conspiring to suppress conservative political views.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, on the other hand, feels that censoring social media platforms is not the right reflex for a government which is constantly worried about censorship.&nbsp;

Following this threat by Trump, shares of Facebook and Twitter saw a steep decline on Wednesday.

General Counsel Sean Edgett on Wednesday said, "We have a group and committee of folks who take a look at these things and make decisions on what`s getting a lot of visibility and traction."

The issue of censorship has been a topic of debate in the White House for few years now, as the President feels "Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen."

Republican and Democratic lawmakers, along with the U.S. Justice Department, have been considering changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a federal law largely exempting online platforms from legal liability for the material their users post.

(With inputs from Reuters)

After US President Donald Trump ordered to shut down websites that he feels stifle conservative voices, White House has said Donald Trump will sign an executive order on social media companies on Thursday.

After US President Donald Trump ordered to shut down websites that he feels stifle conservative voices, White House has said Donald Trump will sign an executive order on social media companies on Thursday. No other details were provided by the White House officials. It is still unclear as to how will the President follow on the threat of shutting down private social media giants. Also read: Comedian Kathy Griffin picks up a beef with Donald Trump, yet again! Trump was upset as Twitter, for the first time, tagged his tweets about unsubstantiated claims of fraud in mail-in voting with a warning prompting readers to fact check the posts. This warning upset Trump to a limit that he threatened the private companies. On a similar issue, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington on Wednesday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit by a conservative group and right-wing YouTube personality against Google, Facebook, Twitter and Apple accusing them of conspiring to suppress conservative political views. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, on the other hand, feels that censoring social media platforms is not the right reflex for a government which is constantly worried about censorship. Following this threat by Trump, shares of Facebook and Twitter saw a steep decline on Wednesday. General Counsel Sean Edgett on Wednesday said, "We have a group and committee of folks who take a look at these things and make decisions on what`s getting a lot of visibility and traction." The issue of censorship has been a topic of debate in the White House for few years now, as the President feels "Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen." Republican and Democratic lawmakers, along with the U.S. Justice Department, have been considering changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a federal law largely exempting online platforms from legal liability for the material their users post. (With inputs from Reuters)

Donald Trump  to sign executive order on social media on Thursday

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany revealed a little too much on Friday, when she disclosed President Donald Trump's bank information.

It so happened that she had to display a cheque donating his quarterly salary to the Department of Health and Human Services.

As McEnany held the cheque to show it to the reporters on Friday, it not only had the USD 100,000 amount to be given to the HHS but also displayed the president's private bank account and routing numbers, The New York Times reported.

The donation was as per the quarterly tradition of Trump to forgo his USD 400,000 salary and donate it.

"Here is the cheque," McEnany said as she held the cheque, which appeared to be a real Capital One bearing not just the president's name and signature, but also his bank information.

The address of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and other personal details, like accounting and routing numbers, were also visible on the cheque, the nbcnews.Com report said.

In the past, Trump has donated to the Small Business Administration initiative to help veteran entrepreneurs, to the Office of the Surgeon General to fight the opioid epidemic, and to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, among other places.

According to the nbcnews.Com, the donation to HHS is being made to develop new therapies for treating and preventing coronavirus.

However, there were concerns over the revelation of the president's bank details in the media.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany revealed a little too much on Friday, when she disclosed President Donald Trump's bank information. It so happened that she had to display a cheque donating his quarterly salary to the Department of Health and Human Services.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany revealed a little too much on Friday, when she disclosed President Donald Trump's bank information. It so happened that she had to display a cheque donating his quarterly salary to the Department of Health and Human Services. As McEnany held the cheque to show it to the reporters on Friday, it not only had the USD 100,000 amount to be given to the HHS but also displayed the president's private bank account and routing numbers, The New York Times reported. The donation was as per the quarterly tradition of Trump to forgo his USD 400,000 salary and donate it. "Here is the cheque," McEnany said as she held the cheque, which appeared to be a real Capital One bearing not just the president's name and signature, but also his bank information. The address of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and other personal details, like accounting and routing numbers, were also visible on the cheque, the nbcnews.Com report said. In the past, Trump has donated to the Small Business Administration initiative to help veteran entrepreneurs, to the Office of the Surgeon General to fight the opioid epidemic, and to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, among other places. According to the nbcnews.Com, the donation to HHS is being made to develop new therapies for treating and preventing coronavirus. However, there were concerns over the revelation of the president's bank details in the media.

White House press secretary reveals a little too much -- Trump's bank details

Former White House butler,&nbsp;Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, who had served 11 US Presidents, has died after contracting the deadly coronavirus.

His death was confirmed by his&nbsp;granddaughter, Shanta Taylor Gay. She said in an interview that, ''he was authentic. He was a quiet but stern man. Very giving, never fussed or complained. Always said he lived a blessed life.

Gay said the family is "taking it day by day" in light of her grandfather's death.

<img alt="Wilson Roosevelt Jerman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dcf3a201-8749-49c7-9404-169cd36ca491" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/_112408264_wilsonrooseveltjerman01-2.jpg" /> 
Wilson Roosevelt Jerman

The long-serving employee began working in the White House in 1957 under then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a cleaner. He was promoted to butler under former President John F. Kennedy.

Jerman initially retired from the White House in 1997 but went back to the White House in 2003.

Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush&nbsp;said he was one of the reasons the White House felt like home.

<img alt="Wilson Roosevelt Jerman " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d3269fb5-02f1-47fb-92e3-53cb9013f3f3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2894%29_0.jpg" />

Former White House butler Wilson Roosevelt Jerman with ex-President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush.

He left the White House in 2012 as maître d' under then-President Barack Obama.

A photo of Jerman standing in an elevator with Barack Obama and Michelle Obama was included in the former first lady's memoir, "Becoming."

Paying tribute after his death, she&nbsp;said her family was&nbsp;"lucky to have known him".

Former first lady Hillary Clinton&nbsp;tweeted&nbsp;that she and former President Bill Clinton are saddened by his death.

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Bill and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Wilson Roosevelt Jerman at the age of 91 from COVID-19. Jerman served as a White House butler across 11 presidencies and made generations of first families feel at home, including ours. Our warmest condolences to his loved ones.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1263541820254019589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Former White House butler, Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, who had served 11 US Presidents, has died after contracting the deadly coronavirus. His death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Shanta Taylor Gay.

Former White House butler, Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, who had served 11 US Presidents, has died after contracting the deadly coronavirus. His death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Shanta Taylor Gay. She said in an interview that, ''he was authentic. He was a quiet but stern man. Very giving, never fussed or complained. Always said he lived a blessed life. Gay said the family is "taking it day by day" in light of her grandfather's death. Wilson Roosevelt Jerman The long-serving employee began working in the White House in 1957 under then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a cleaner. He was promoted to butler under former President John F. Kennedy. Jerman initially retired from the White House in 1997 but went back to the White House in 2003. Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush said he was one of the reasons the White House felt like home. Former White House butler Wilson Roosevelt Jerman with ex-President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush. He left the White House in 2012 as maître d' under then-President Barack Obama. A photo of Jerman standing in an elevator with Barack Obama and Michelle Obama was included in the former first lady's memoir, "Becoming." Paying tribute after his death, she said her family was "lucky to have known him". Former first lady Hillary Clinton tweeted that she and former President Bill Clinton are saddened by his death. Bill and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Wilson Roosevelt Jerman at the age of 91 from COVID-19. Jerman served as a White House butler across 11 presidencies and made generations of first families feel at home, including ours. Our warmest condolences to his loved ones. — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 21, 2020 ×

Former White House Butler who served 11 Presidents dies due to coronavirus

Former White House butler, Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, who had served as many as 11 US Presidents, has died of COVID-19.

His death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Shanta Taylor Gay. She said in an interview, "He was authentic. He was a quiet but stern man. Very giving, never fussed or complained. Always said he lived a blessed life."

Gay said the family is "taking it day by day" in light of her grandfather's death.

The long-serving employee began working in the White House in 1957 under then president Dwight D Eisenhower as a cleaner. He was promoted to butler under former president John F Kennedy.

Jerman initially retired from the White House in 1997, but went back in 2003.

Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W Bush and former first lady Laura Bush said he was one of the reasons the White House felt like home.

"He was a lovely man. He was the first person we saw in the morning. And the last before we went to bed. He was the reason the White House felt like home," she said.

He left the White House in 2012 as maître d' under then-President Barack Obama.

A photo of Jerman standing in an elevator with Barack Obama and Michelle Obama was included in the former first lady's memoir, "Becoming."

Paying tribute after his death, she said her family was "lucky to have known him".

Former first lady Hillary Clinton tweeted that she and former president Bill Clinton were saddened by his death.

"Bill and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Wilson Roosevelt Jerman at the age of 91 from COVID-19. Jerman served as a White House butler across 11 presidencies and made generations of first families feel at home, including ours. Our warmest condolences to his loved ones," she wrote.

Former White House butler, Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, who had served as many as 11 US Presidents, has died of COVID-19. His death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Shanta Taylor Gay.

Former White House butler, Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, who had served as many as 11 US Presidents, has died of COVID-19. His death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Shanta Taylor Gay. She said in an interview, "He was authentic. He was a quiet but stern man. Very giving, never fussed or complained. Always said he lived a blessed life." Gay said the family is "taking it day by day" in light of her grandfather's death. The long-serving employee began working in the White House in 1957 under then president Dwight D Eisenhower as a cleaner. He was promoted to butler under former president John F Kennedy. Jerman initially retired from the White House in 1997, but went back in 2003. Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W Bush and former first lady Laura Bush said he was one of the reasons the White House felt like home. "He was a lovely man. He was the first person we saw in the morning. And the last before we went to bed. He was the reason the White House felt like home," she said. He left the White House in 2012 as maître d' under then-President Barack Obama. A photo of Jerman standing in an elevator with Barack Obama and Michelle Obama was included in the former first lady's memoir, "Becoming." Paying tribute after his death, she said her family was "lucky to have known him". Former first lady Hillary Clinton tweeted that she and former president Bill Clinton were saddened by his death. "Bill and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Wilson Roosevelt Jerman at the age of 91 from COVID-19. Jerman served as a White House butler across 11 presidencies and made generations of first families feel at home, including ours. Our warmest condolences to his loved ones," she wrote.

Former White House butler who served 11 presidents dies of COVID-19

Three key US officials including&nbsp;Anthony Fauci, a high-profile member of the White House coronavirus response team,&nbsp;have been self-quarantined after being in&nbsp;contact with&nbsp;a person who tested positive for coronavirus.&nbsp;

Fauci,&nbsp;a well-known member of White House's coronavirus response team, has tested negative for coronavirus but is constantly being tested for the virus. The 79-year-old National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director has been considered to be a lower risk based on his exposure.

According to the Washington Post, Robert Redfield, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be "teleworking" for the next two weeks after a low-risk exposure.&nbsp;

US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn is the third person&nbsp;in self-quarantine after the&nbsp;60-year-old came in contact with a person who was tested positive for coronavirus.&nbsp;

All three key members are set to testify on Tuesday to a Senate committee looking at state and federal government are taking to reopen business sectors and schools that have been shut to curb the coronavirus spread.&nbsp;

The FDA spokesman Michael Felberbaum in an emailed statement said that Hahn took a diagnostic test for the coronavirus and the results were negative. He wrote: "As Dr Hahn wrote in a note to staff today, he recently came into contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. Per CDC guidelines, he is now in self-quarantine for the next two weeks."

Politico had reported that Hahn came in contact with US vice president Mike Pence's press secretary Katie Miller.

Miller is the wife of one of Trump’s senior advisers Stephen Miller, tested positive on Friday, raising alarm about the virus’ potential spread within the White House’s innermost circle.

White House immigration adviser and speechwriter Stephen Miller, was revealed by Trump in a meeting with Republican lawmakers on Friday. A valet for Vice President Mike Pence has also tested positive for coronavirus.

Three key US officials including Anthony Fauci, a high-profile member of the White House coronavirus response team, have been self-quarantined after being in contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus.

Three key US officials including Anthony Fauci, a high-profile member of the White House coronavirus response team, have been self-quarantined after being in contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus. Fauci, a well-known member of White House's coronavirus response team, has tested negative for coronavirus but is constantly being tested for the virus. The 79-year-old National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director has been considered to be a lower risk based on his exposure. According to the Washington Post, Robert Redfield, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be "teleworking" for the next two weeks after a low-risk exposure. US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn is the third person in self-quarantine after the 60-year-old came in contact with a person who was tested positive for coronavirus. All three key members are set to testify on Tuesday to a Senate committee looking at state and federal government are taking to reopen business sectors and schools that have been shut to curb the coronavirus spread. The FDA spokesman Michael Felberbaum in an emailed statement said that Hahn took a diagnostic test for the coronavirus and the results were negative. He wrote: "As Dr Hahn wrote in a note to staff today, he recently came into contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. Per CDC guidelines, he is now in self-quarantine for the next two weeks." Politico had reported that Hahn came in contact with US vice president Mike Pence's press secretary Katie Miller. Miller is the wife of one of Trump’s senior advisers Stephen Miller, tested positive on Friday, raising alarm about the virus’ potential spread within the White House’s innermost circle. White House immigration adviser and speechwriter Stephen Miller, was revealed by Trump in a meeting with Republican lawmakers on Friday. A valet for Vice President Mike Pence has also tested positive for coronavirus.

Fauci among 3 key US members of White House response team in self-quarantine after COVID exposure

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