Lawyer for Li Yang: 'She was fascinated with Donald Trump the way a lot of people are'
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox
Get our free Inside Washington email
Donald Trump and Brazil‘s far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro held a joint press conference in the White House Rose Garden, in a show of unity between the two nations.
President Trump said he told Mr Bolsonaro he would make Brazil a major non-Nato ally, with the possibility of supporting a campaign to make it “maybe a Nato ally”.
In turn, the Brazilian leader went on to praise Mr Trump for changing the United States, echoing Mr Trump’s “fake news” slogan.
“Brazil and the United States are tied by the guarantee of liberty, respect for the traditional family, the fear of God our creator, against gender identity, political correctness and fake news,” Mr Bolsonaro.
The far-right leader has been an avid supporter of President Trump, with their mirroring speeches sharing conservative views.
Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet
Show all 20
The press conference came after Donald Trump was drawn into a Twitter spat with George Conway, husband of adviser Kellyanne, over questions around the president’s mental health.
The argument comes as the FBI investigates the president's ties to the owner of a chain of massage parlours in Florida at the urging of House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer.
The Democrats have asked the bureau to look into “public reports about alleged the activities by Ms Li ‘Cindy’ Yang and her apparent relationship with the president”, who has been the subject of allegations relating to human trafficking, prostitution and promising Chinese businessmen access to Mar-a-Lago to meet Mr Trump, who denies knowing her despite their being photographed together.
Reports have meanwhile emerged suggesting the president obtained $2bn (£1.5bn) in loans from Deutsche Bank over two decades, allegedly exaggerating his personal wealth and promising bankers weekends at his Florida retreat in exchange for their help in securing the funding.
Read events from the day as they happened
Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events
Although Mr Trump typically gives the first question to Fox News, he called on Reuters to make the first ask.
He is asked about "losing momentum" against Venezuelan leader Maduro and how long he's been told it'll take. Mr Trump says there's no specific time frame, saying it'll happen "at some point" and that "things will change."
Mr Trump expressed disappointment in the economic decline in Venezuela, saying there is "no food, no water, no air conditioning, no anything, no power for a long time last week, no power.
Adding, "It's very sad, Roberta, very sad to see."
When asked about military intervention in Venzeuala, President Trump said "all options are open...we'll see what happens."
The US president then turns to Mr Bolsonaro's son and praised him. "Would you please stand up? The job you've done during a very tough period of time is just fantastic."
Mr Bolsonaro says he spoke to the US president about Brazil being a potential launching pad for military action in Venezuela.
He mentions the value of secrecy, noting how Mr Trump said during the 2016 presidential campaign that he wouldn't televise or telegraph his strategy in combatting ISIS.
When asked how his relationship with the US will be affected if it elects a socialist in the 2020 presidential election, Mr Bolsonaro said he'll respect the outcome and that it will be an internal matter.
He also said he believes Trump will be re-elected.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments