Officials blow big holes in Trump administration story about violent clearing of Lafayette Square : Daily Kos

The official story about the violent clearing of Lafayette Square so Donald Trump could have a photo op has changed several times, and it’s still filled with lies. Lie after lie has come from the Trump administration—Attorney General William Barr, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, the White House itself. The protesters were violent, they’ve claimed. Falsely. The protesters were warned to move, they’ve claimed. Also falsely. There was no tear gas, they said. Also falsely. There were a lot of reporters on the scene, and The Washington Post did a video reconstruction of what happened that clearly shows the lies.

But the Trump administration and U.S. Park Police (an agency with a loooong history of being the bad guys when it comes to protest) keep making those false claims. So The Washington Post went to other officials who were in on the planning, and found that, yup, the Trump administration and Park Police are lying, specifically and in particular about the claim that there was a plan in place to expand the security perimeter before Trump’s decision to do a photo op outside St. John’s Church.

 

Source: Officials blow big holes in Trump administration story about violent clearing of Lafayette Square : Daily Kos

Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | TheHill

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley said he regretted his participation in President Trump’s photo opportunity outside St. John’s Church last week.

Source: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | TheHill

Trump to withdraw from Open Skies treaty | TheHill

President Trump plans to withdraw from another major arms control agreement, the Open Skies treaty, multiple sources confirmed to The Hill on Thursday.

Source: Trump to withdraw from Open Skies treaty | TheHill

Trump says Iran ‘appears to be standing down’ in address to nation | TheHill

President Trump on Wednesday said Iran “appears to be standing down” in an address to the nation following missile attacks on two Iraqi bases housing U.S. military personnel.

Source: Trump says Iran ‘appears to be standing down’ in address to nation | TheHill

US faces new crisis in Iraq | TheHill

The U.S. mission in Iraq ended the year on a violent note Tuesday as supporters of an Iran-backed militia breached the gates of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, vandalizing the property and causing U.S.

Source: US faces new crisis in Iraq | TheHill