President Trump thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a joint press conference Wednesday afternoon for working closely with the U.S. on several Middle East issues while noting the "challenges" created by Turkey's purchasing of Russian military equipment.
Among the topics the two leaders discussed at the White House was Turkey's decision to purchase a Russian missile defense program and its attacks on Kurdish forces in Syria.
The meeting comes at a low point in Turkish-U.S. relations, particularly in terms of Syria following Turkey's offensive against Kurds in the nation who had been solid allies of the U.S. On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported the existence of U.S. drone video evidence of Turkish-backed gunmen targeting civilians in October.
Turkey began launching attacks in northern Syria, almost immediately after Trump announced the U.S. would pull out remaining troops. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle condemned Erdogan's actions in Syria as well as Trump's decision to pull the troops.
"I want to thank his partnership as we work to build a safe and prosperous Middle East," Trump said Wednesday. "I'm a big fan of the president."
Erdogan called Turkey the "most reliable partner in the region" for the U.S.
While Trump and Erdogan met, lawmakers spent more than six hours in the first of public impeachment hearings on Capitol Hill. President Trump said he was "too busy" to watch but also tweeted about the events happening down the street.
When questioned about the impeachment inquiry, Trump called it "a sham" that "shouldn't be allowed."
Trump said he will be releasing a second call related to the impeachment inquiry tomorrow, which he said predates the July 25 call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
He added, "I'd much rather focus on peace in the Middle East."
Fox News' John Roberts asked the president about the phone call between Trump and U.S. ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland that Ambassador Bill Taylor recounted in his testimony earlier today.
"I know nothing about that," Trump said. "I've never heard it [...] not even a little bit."
Taylor testified today that his staffer accompanied Sondland to a restaurant on July 26, heard Trump ask Sondland about "the investigations" and, after the call, Sondland told the staffer that "President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden."
Trump joked "only friendly reporters" from Turkey could ask questions.
Nancy Pelosi and House Democratic leaders are now planning to amend the stop trading on congressional knowledge act, otherwise known as the 'Stock' Act. This 2012 law governs how members disclose the purchase or sale of stocks and amending it would close a loophole, eliminating the trading of individual stocks by members of congress. Pelosi has consistently opposed a ban on stock trading by lawmakers and congressional staff...so what's changed? Kedric Payne, Vice President of Campaign Legal Center, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
In a 5-4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed for a controversial new version of the Alabama congressional map to remain in place. The lower court had previously ordered that the state must redraw that congressional map because it violates the Voting Rights Act by diluting the political power of Black voters. Redistricting expert Yurij Rudensky joins Cheddar News to weigh in.
Florida lawmakers have introduced a controversial bill restricting some discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms with young students. Supporters say the move empowers parents to have more of a say in what their children learn. Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones joins Cheddar News to discuss more.
Congress this week passed a bill that would end forced arbitration for workplace sexual assault and harassment, one of the most significant changes to employment law in years. Cheddar News speaks with Marjorie Mesidor, Sexual Harassment Attorney, who explains that arbitrators are often retired judges or attorneys who "tends to have a more conservative view both to law and rewards."
As the situation with Russia has grown more precarious, the White House urged Americans remaining in Ukraine to leave immediately. The Biden administration that it sees continuing signs of escalation but did not have specific information detailing a timetable for a potential invasion. Kristine Berzina, senior fellow and head of the geopolitics team at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, joined Cheddar News to provide her analysis. "There's talk of an impending phone call between President Putin, President Biden," Berzina said. "That is certainly a good sign to indicate that there would be significant cost."
Terrell Starr, host of 'Black Diplomats' podcast and senior nonresident fellow at the Eurasia Center for Atlantic Council, joins Cheddar News from Kyiv, Ukraine to discuss the mounting tension there.
The White House laid out plans for a $5 billion investment into a national network of charging stations to ease EV driving anxiety. Bruce Brimacombe, CEO of EV infrastructure GOe3 joined Cheddar News to discuss how much needs to be done for drivers to get over the fear of running out of energy. "People need to be able to do what they're doing now," he said. "But that is the way that if you're going to buy an electric car, you got to feel like you're not changing your world." Brimacombe noted that building out the infrastructure between cities was GOe3's own focus.
U.S. automakers are saying that the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge, a crucial border crossing between the U.S. and Canada, is affecting their production lines. Michelle Krebs of Cox Automotive warns that the disruption "couldn't come at a worst time," amid chip and labor shortages in Detroit.
AND DETROIT-BASED AUTO MAKERS SAY THEY ARE SHUTTING DOWN PLANTS OR SCALING BACK PRODUCTION BECAUSE OF PARTS SHORTAGES.
Plans to add affordable housing to a development in Yellow Springs, Ohio, were squashed after comedian Dave Chappelle and other community members spoke out against the project. Chappelle threatened to pull the plug on his local comedy club and restaurant projects if the development had been approved.
