Biden must apologize and take back “boorish” allegations that Putin is a killer, top Russian official says, per @tonyhalpin.
Summoning their ambassador from the US “won’t be the last, unless there is an explanation and an apology from the American side.” bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
"It takes one to know one," Putin says of Biden's comment agreeing that Putin is a "killer." per @business
🚨 “I would say to him: I wish you good health,” Putin says of Biden after the US president agreed that the Russian president is a "killer."
At meeting with Chinese delegation in Alaska, @SecBlinken says US intends to discuss cyber attacks, Xinjiang, Hong Hong, Taiwan. Blinken criticizes China for taking some actions that “threaten the rule based order that maintain global stability.”
"We do not seek conflict,” Biden national security adviser @JakeSullivan46 tells the Chinese delegation at meeting in Alaska, “but we welcome stiff competition."
US and China bear great resposibility in world’s stability and peace, Yang Jiechi, a top Chinese diplomat, tells @JakeSullivan46 and @SecBlinken. He says US has American style democracy; China has its own style of democracy. But both share interest in climate, economic recovery.
Biden's inauguration speech will last 20 to 30 minutes. Theme is “unity,” his aides say.
Trump in his farewell speech will say: “I am especially proud to be the first president in decades who has started no new wars.
“All Americans were horrified by the assault on our Capitol. Political violence is an attack on everything we cherish.”
“Now, as I prepare to hand power over to a new administration at noon on Wednesday, I want you to know that the movement we started is only just beginning,” Trump will say in farewell speech.
NEW: White House sends invitations for Trump’s departure event at Joint Base Andrews—starts at 8a Wednesday.
Guests must arrive between 6a and 7:15a; may bring up to five other people; and must wear mask, the invites say, according to one shared with me by an ex Trump official.
Trump’s “ceremony” is scheduled for 8 a.m. at the military base where the outgoing president will make his final departure aboard Air Force One.
He’ll be 1st living US president in more than a century to choose not to attend regular exchange of power.
Trump and Mike Pence, spoke today, I'm told -- the 1st time since his supporters rioted at the US Capitol while the @VP was presiding over formal certification of the president's re-election defeat.
Pence and Trump in mtg today “reiterated that those who broke the law and stormed the Capitol last week do not represent the America first movement backed by 75 million Americans, and pledged to continue the work on behalf of the country for the remainder of their term,” SAO says
Key part of statement from senior admin official confirming our scoop on Pence and Trump meeting in Oval today:
They “....pledged to continue the work on behalf of the country for the remainder of their term.”
LATEST: Trump risked losing many of his White House staff to mass resignation after inciting a riot at the US Capitol Wednesday, but top officials have decided to stay on to smooth the transition to Biden’s administration.
One of Trump’s closest and longest-serving aides, Hope Hicks, has been considering resigning, sources told @nwadhams and me. She has barely been seen in the White House in recent days.
BREAKING: A top Pentagon official, retired Brigadier General Anthony Tata, has tested positive for coronavirus, sources tell me. It's the second time the coronavirus outbreak has hit senior ranks of the U.S. military.
Tata, who is performing the duties of an undersecretary of Defense, was in meetings with other top Pentagon officials this week including Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, Deputy SecDef David Norquist, Gen. Mark Milley. Miller on Wednesday visited troops at Fort Bragg.
Tata likely infected by visiting officials, I’m told. Lithuanian Embassy told Pentagon their minister of defense had tested positive for coronavirus. Raimundas Karoblis met with Tata, as well as acting SecDef Chris Miller and US secretaries of the Army and Air Force, on Friday.