Summary

Media caption,

'Their lives have been ruined' - President Trump defends Capitol riot pardons

  1. We are moving to a new pagepublished at 02:54 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January

    For technical reasons we are moving our live coverage of Donald Trump's first days back in the White House to a new page. Please join us there.

  2. BBC Verify

    Requiring the Federal government to use the term “sex” over “gender”published at 02:28 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January

    Can Trump do this?

    President Trump’s team could argue that current requirements to refer to people by their preferred gender pronouns in government facilities and workplaces violate the US Constitution’s first amendment on the freedom of speech and religion.

    States like Kansas and Montana have already legislated to enshrine a biological definition of sex into law.

    What are the roadblocks?

    There are likely to be legal challenges.

    The Human Rights Campaign, which represents LGBTQ+ people, stated that “we will fight back against these harmful provisions with everything we’ve got.”

    These challenges could work their way up to the US Supreme Court which, with its conservative majority, could rule in Trump’s favour.

    What is the potential real-life impact?

    Prisons and settings such as shelters for migrants and rape victims would be segregated by sex under the plans, which campaigners say will help safeguard women. Though transgender rights groups say trans women could be put at a heightened risk of violence.

    Official identification documents, including passports and visas, would have to state whether the individual was “male” or female”. US citizens would no longer be able to select “X” as their gender marker.

  3. US Coast Guard uses 'Gulf of America' in official noticepublished at 02:08 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January

    As part of a suite of executive orders signed off by Donald Trump after he was sworn in on Monday was a direction to rename the Gulf of Mexico the ''Gulf of America''.

    We've just seen the first use of the name in an official document released by a federal US agency - the US Coast Guard. You can see it here, external.

    Some context: While President Trump can change the name of the Gulf on official US government documents, he can’t force other countries or companies to do the same. BBC Verify explains why.

    A map showing the location of the Gulf of Mexico
  4. Trump mulls imposing 10% tariff on China from Februarypublished at 01:44 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January

    Joao Da Silva
    Business reporter

    Donald Trump has said he is considering imposing a 10% tariff on imports of Chinese-made goods as soon as 1 February.

    In remarks to reporters at the White House earlier, he justified the measure by claiming China was sending fentanyl - an opioid fuelling drug crises around the world - to the US, via Mexico and Canada.

    It followed threats by Trump to levy import taxes of 25% on Mexico and Canada, accusing them of allowing undocumented migrants and drugs to come into America.

    Though he did not mention the US by name, the Vice Premier of China on Tuesday said his country was looking for a "win-win" solution to trade tensions and wanted to expand its imports.

    Sweeping tariffs were a key promise from Trump throughout his campaign, and he insisted they would help the US economy. However analysts say they are likely to lead to higher prices for Americans and pain for companies hit by foreign retaliation.

    You can read more about what he's said here.

  5. Trump 'gave me my life back', freed former Proud Boys leader sayspublished at 01:26 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January

    Former Proud Boys leader Henry "Enrique" TarrioImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Former Proud Boys leader Henry "Enrique" Tarrio

    In his first interview since being released from prison, former Proud Boys leader Henry "Enrique" Tarrio speaks of "retribution" while praising Trump for pardoning him and several others.

    "I had no doubt that [Trump] was going to release us," Tarrio says in an interview with the right-wing conspiracy theorist, Alex Jones.

    "He gave me my life back."

    Tarrio had been sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy, a rarely used charge of planning to overthrow the government.

    Though he was not at the Capitol during the riot, he directed the Proud Boys members who were involved.

    "Twenty-two years is not a short sentence, that’s the rest of my life," Tarrio says.

  6. Barron Trump launches real estate venturepublished at 00:49 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January

    Tall man stands with his hands crossedImage source, Ge

    Yesterday we were able to see Barron Trump, the president's youngest son, on the big stage.

    Today, we're hearing reports the president's fifth child is starting a business venture.

    Barron Trump is reportedly launching a real estate business with two other young partners. The New York Post reports that the venture was paused during the election, but the co-founder suggests it “might relaunch” in the spring.

    Some reports say the business partners hope to one day operate as a subsidiary of the Trump empire.

  7. Trump pardons Silk Road creator Ross Ulbrichtpublished at 00:29 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January
    Breaking

    Ross Ulbricht smilingImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the website Silk Road

    Donald Trump says he has issued a full and unconditional pardon for Ross Ulbricht, who operated Silk Road, the deep web marketplace where illegal drugs were sold.

    Ulbricht, 40, was convicted in 2015 in New York in a narcotics and money laundering conspiracy and sentenced to life in prison.

    Trump posts on his Truth Social platform that he had called Ulbricht's mother to inform her that he has granted a pardon to her son.

    "The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me," Trump says.

  8. Self-styled 'QAnon Shaman' reacts to receiving Trump pardonpublished at 00:15 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January

    Jacob Chansley, who pleaded guilty to unlawfully obstructing the certification of the 2020 presidential election, will likely be familiar to BBC audiences as the man who wore strange garb to storm the Capitol.

    "I regret nothing," the self-styled QAnon Shaman tells BBC Newsnight after being pardoned by Trump.

    Chansley says that now that his conviction has been wiped clean, he plans to exercise his right to buy guns again, and he believes that the attack at the Capitol was staged by the "deep state".

    Hear more from him in our video below:

    Media caption,

    'QAnon Shaman' says he screamed 'freedom' after Trump pardon

  9. Analysis

    Putting Trump's AI infrastructure plans in contextpublished at 23:54 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    Natalie Sherman
    New York business reporter

    The details of this AI announcement remain pretty limited so far.

    But let’s set some of these numbers in context.

    Demand for data centres has been exploding. A McKinsey report last year estimated that global demand for data centre capacity could more than triple by 2030.

    And though the numbers tossed out today sound big, other companies are investing at similar scale.

    Microsoft said, external earlier this month it was on track to invest $80bn to build out AI-powered data centres this year. Amazon announced two, externalprojects, external worth about $10bn each just in the last two months.

    OpenAI has also been calling for significant investments, and pushing the government to support the plans. It said today’s announcement was the culmination of more than a year’s worth of conversations.

    The projected surge has raised concerns about the impact on energy supplies and the role of foreign investors.

  10. Trump covers a lot of ground in wide-ranging press conferencepublished at 23:40 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    A mid shot of Trump at the lecternImage source, EPA

    In our last post we covered the key lines from Trump's announcement of additional investment in AI infrastructure.

    The president also answered a number of questions from reporters on a wide range of other issues. Here's what he had to say:

    • Trump said the Nato target of 2% of national spending on defence should be raised to 5%
    • Asked if he will continue sending weapons to Ukraine, Trump said he was "looking at that", and said his administration was talking to Zelensky and would speak to Putin very soon. He added the EU should be paying more and equalise its spending on the war with the US
    • He also said he would "probably" consider increasing sanctions on Russia if it doesn't come to the table to negotiate a ceasefire
    • Trump spoke about the potential for tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China – he was not clear on whether tariffs would definitely be introduced but, asked when they would come into effect, said "probably 1 February is the date we're looking at"
  11. Here's a recap of Trump's AI infrastructure announcementpublished at 23:24 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    Media caption,

    Watch: President Trump announces formation of Stargate AI company

    During that media conference, Donald Trump announced new investment in AI. Here's the rundown of the announcement:

    • Standing next to major tech executives Sam Altman and Larry Ellison, and Japanese tech tycoon Masayoshi Son, Donald Trump announced the formation of Stargate, a US-based artificial intelligence company
    • Trump said the company would invest $500bn (£404bn) in AI infrastructure, leading to the creation of roughly 100,000 jobs
    • Ellison of Oracle said data centres are already under construction in Texas, saying that there are 10 buildings under construction and will expand to 20
    • Altman from OpenAI said this was the "most important project of this era", adding that it wouldn't happen without Trump
    • Repeating Trump's words, Son said "this is the beginning of the golden age of America"
  12. Billions in Trump's crypto earnings 'peanuts' to tech CEOspublished at 23:17 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    Trump, in a blue suit and red tie, gestures beside him with his thumb to point at the people offscreen
    Image caption,

    Trump gestures to the tech CEOs beside him, saying billions of dollars in earnings is 'peanuts' to them

    Trump was also asked during that media conference whether he is going to continue selling products that benefit him financially - a reference to him launching his own cryptocurrency shortly before taking office.

    Trump says he doesn't know much about it other than that he launched it and heard it was very successful.

    He asks the reporters how much it is worth now and he's told it's made a lot of money.

    "How much?" Trump asks them, and is told it's several billion dollars over the past few days.

    Trump gestures to the tech CEOs standing beside him and says that the several billon dollars is "peanuts" for them.

  13. Trump defends end to Secret Service protection for John Boltonpublished at 23:14 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    The Trump administration announced it was ending Secret Service protection for John Bolton on Tuesday, a move which Trump defended during that media conference we've just been covering by saying: "We're not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives."

    Bolton left the Trump White House in November 2019 and has required ongoing US Secret Service protection since, due to threats made against him by Iran.

    Responding to the news earlier on Tuesday, Bolton said: "I am disappointed but not suprised."

    Trump and Bolton's relationship quickly soured after Trump fired Bolton over their many disagreements, and during Trump's campaign Bolton was a vocal critic of his former boss.

    Speaking to reporters moments ago, Trump said Bolton was "a very dumb person, but I used him well".

  14. Trump ends questions and departspublished at 23:11 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    That's the end of the media conference from President Donald Trump, who had announced new investment in AI and answered questions on a plethora of topics.

    We will continue to bring you those last few questions and further analysis, so stick with us.

  15. Tariffs to begin 'probably' within two weeks, Trump sayspublished at 23:07 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    Trump is asked about the potential for tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

    He doesn't explicitly say whether the tariffs will happen, but instead goes on to claim the countries have allowed millions of people to enter the US that "shouldn't be here" and that fentanyl, a highly addictive and dangerous opioid drug, is coming into the country.

    Asked about China, he says "we're talking about a tariff of 10% on China", claiming they are sending fentanyl to Canada and Mexico.

    He's asked how soon tariffs will come in into effect, and he says "probably 1 February is the date we're looking at", adding for Mexico and China they are "talking about approximately 25%".

  16. Would Trump sanction Russia if Putin won't negotiate?published at 22:59 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    Next, a reporter asks Trump if Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn't come to the table to negotiate a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, would he consider more sanctions against Russia?

    "Most probably," Trump says.

    He also repeats the claim that if he'd been in power, the war would not be happening at all.

  17. Trump defends pardons of Capitol riot offenderspublished at 22:57 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    Reporters are now repeatedly asking about his sweeping pardons for the roughly 1,500 people charged in connection with the US Capitol riot in January 2021.

    "Aren't you sending the message that assaulting officers is okay", one reporter asks, referring to those who have been pardoned who were convicted for assaulting Capitol police.

    Trump says that those people "spent years in jail" while "murderers don't even go to jail in this country".

    He then defends his support of police by saying he was freeing two police officers from jail who had been arrested for "going after a criminal".

    Media caption,

    'Their lives have been ruined' - President Trump defends Capitol riot pardons

  18. Oracle CEO invited to buy TikTokpublished at 22:55 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    Trump is asked if he is open to Elon Musk buying TikTok, and the president says he would be if the billionaire wanted to buy the social media app.

    He says he'd like Larry Ellison of Oracle "to buy it too", and invites him to make a deal in front of the press.

    Trump reiterates comments he has made in recent days that the app is "worthless" without what he describes as a "permit", adding he is "thinking about saying to somebody" that they should buy it and give half to the US - in return he will allow them to have the "permit".

    Ellison says it sounds like a good deal to him, with a laugh.

  19. Trump makes claims about 'valves' to solve LA wildfirespublished at 22:50 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    Trump speaks in the White House with a US flag and painting in the backgroundImage source, Reuters

    Trump next turns to the LA fires and the allocation of water resources there.

    He makes some broad and sweeping claims about valves that can be turned on to solve the problem in the Pacific Northwest, which we will look to fact check and dive into a bit later.

  20. Trump White House announcements - a different atmospherepublished at 22:48 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from the White House

    As someone who covers the White House and is sometimes on pool duties - and in the room with the President - the differences in Trump's approach to the press and Biden's are stark.

    Biden would only rarely stop and take questions, often only stopping briefly as he left the room after events and announcements similar to Trump's today. In the two years or so I covered him, I only occasionally saw him stop to answer questions in an impromptu style

    Donald Trump seems, so far, to take the opposite approach, taking questions and delivering long answers.

    He seems to relish it - including the slightly tense moments such as when he repeatedly told a reporter "no" when he asked for a follow-on question.

    It remains to be seen whether this will continue throughout the administration, but earlier today the new White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said that he would be a "transparent" president.

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