Trump news: President claims 'Operation Warp Speed' will find coronavirus vaccine by end of year as Space Force makes White House debut

Senate intelligence chairman steps down as FBI escalates coronavirus briefing insider trading investigation

In case you missed this yesterday, here's Griffin Connolly's report on Republican Richard Burr, who has stepped down after the feds confiscated his phone as part of its probe into whether he and several other representatives dumped stock they owned after being tipped off as to the severity of the coming coronavirus crisis back in January.

Stephen Colbert argues Trump's persona is just 'an act' and he's actually very boring

The Late Show host could be on to something here regarding the reality TV businessman famed for his WWE trash talk and Home Alone 2 cameo. 

Roisin O'Connor has this on what else he had to say.

'The coronavirus whistleblower outlined Trump's failings today, and it was painful to hear'

For Indy Voices, here's Ahmed Baba's assessment of Dr Rick Bright's appearance before Congress and what it reveals about the White House. 

Trump thanks Fox and Friends for 'supremely' covering Obamagate

Having already saluted his online "Keyboard Warriors" for pushing the "Obamagate" narrative, the president is now applauding his favourite breakfast show for similarly toeing the line before slamming their mainstream rivals who have entirely declined to give it any credence.

Kellyanne Conway has been on that very show this morning incidentally, accusing ex-CIA director John Brennan of being "butthurt" over Trump relieving him of his security clearance in 2018, among other things.

I think this about sums it up.

New York reporter abused by hostile Trump fans at anti-lockdown protest

For Indy100, here's Greg Evans on the shocking experience of Kevin Vesey, a local journalist who was chased and heckled by MAGA meatheads in Long Island when he and his colleagues attempted to cover their anti-shutdown protest.

Nice bunch.

Task force officials vanish from US TV screens as White House exerts control

Yikes. No leading American diseases expert has been seen discussing the pandemic on television since Dr Deborah Birx appeared on CNN last Thursday.

Aside from coverage of Dr Anthony Fauci and Dr Bright’s congressional testimony, we’ve been left in the dark by a White House increasingly concerned with reining in the narrative as the death toll continues to rise without let-up.

Here’s Gino Spocchia’s report.

Mike Pompeo 'rejects Trump’s plea for Senate run in Kansas'

The US secretary of state has reportedly rebuffed the president because he prefers to stay in his current role and has "'unfinished business to complete".

Mar-a-Lago to reopen after lockdown but members will have to bring their own towels

Trump's Florida club will partially reopen to members this weekend as the Sunshine State slowly reopens from the coronavirus lockdown.

An email sent out on Thursday to members says the Palm Beach resort's Beach Club restaurant, its pool and its whirlpool will reopen on Saturday after being closed two months, but its main building that includes hotel rooms, the main dining area and the president's private residence will remain closed. Members will have to practice social distancing and lounge chairs will be set six feet apart. They will have to bring their own towels.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis, a close ally of the president, has been slowly allowing the state to reopen, with the hard-hit counties of South Florida trailing the rest of the state. Restaurants in Palm Beach County, like most of the state, can operate at 25 per cent capacity indoors and must maintain six feet between tables outdoors. DeSantis is expected to soon boost the capacity limit to 50 per cent. Bars and nightclubs are closed.

Mar-a-Lago executives told Florida officials last month that it was temporarily laying off 153 workers because of the shutdown, a decision the president defended at the time.

"You can't have many hundreds of employees standing around doing nothing," he said on 21 April. "There's no customer. You're not allowed to have a customer."

The federal government's economic relief bill specifically bars Trump's businesses, as well as those with ties to other top government officials and members of Congress and their immediate families, from receiving emergency loans and other benefits meant to help businesses retain workers during the pandemic.

Palm Beach County has had nearly 4,300 confirmed Covid-19 cases since early March and at least 263 deaths.

As of 2018, Mar-a-Lago's approximately 500 members paid $14,000 (£11,500) annual dues for access to the 17-acre estate, with new members paying a $200,000 (£164,500) initiation fee that doubled after Trump's 2016 election. Members pay extra to dine and stay on the property.

Trump purchased Mar-a-Lago - "the world's most celebrated private club," according to its website - from the foundation of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post in 1985 for $10m (£8.2m) and has invested tens of millions of dollars improving the property. He opened it as a club in 1995.

The property now boasts 58 bedrooms, 33 bathrooms, a 20,000 square foot ballroom, tennis and croquet courts and three bomb shelters.

Chelsea Ritschel has this report.

Trump hotels have received nearly $1m in bills from US government

Earlier we brought you news of the revived lawsuit against the president regarding his possible abuse of the Constitution's Emoluments clause by continuing to profit from his DC hotel while in office.

Here's Andrew Naughtie with an update.

Trump using ‘sick’ strategy to embroil Biden in Flynn case, say Democrats

“He’s flailing around. The whole thing is crazy,” says Neera Tanden, a former Hillary Clinton adviser who now leads the Center for American Progress, of Trump’s attempt to whip up controversy over “Obamagate”. 

“Whatever you want to say about the attacks on Biden, they have not been working. So we just have a new one. The Biden campaign should just state the facts and move on. Trump has an insatiable appetite for lying. And the more the media responds to this, the more he’ll just keep lying.”