Joe Biden in Iowa: Trump an ‘existential threat’ to America – live

Biden and Trump to hold duelling rallies in key battleground state, while big tech under scrutiny at congressional hearing in Washington

Well, Donald Trump is tweeting again ... (not that he ever stopped).

The president took to his favorite social media platform on Tuesday to refer to the Russia investigation as “the Greatest Witch Hunt of all time” and once again suggest, falsely, that he had been exonerated by special counsel Robert Mueller’s report.

“Mueller has spoken. He found No Collusion between the Trump Campaign and the Russians. The bottom line is what the Democrat House is doing is trying to destroy the Trump Presidency (which has been a tremendous success), and I can assure you that we’re done with the Mueller......

....investigation in the Senate. They can talk to John Dean until the cows come home, we’re not doing anything in the Senate regarding the Mueller Report. We are going to harden our Infrastructure against 2020!” @LindseyGrahamSC

Vice president Mike Pence has defended the Trump administration’s move to bar US embassies from flying the rainbow pride flag during LBGTQ pride month as “the right decision”.

“We’re proud to be able to serve every American,” Pence said in an interview with NBC News late Monday. “But when it comes to the American flagpole, and American embassies, and capitals around the world, one American flag flies.”

At least four US embassies – in Israel, Germany, Brazil and Latvia – were denied permission to fly the pride flag. Richard Grenell, the US ambassador to Germany, is spearheading an American campaign to decriminalize homosexuality around the world and said he would be “proud” to fly the rainbow flag.

But Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, believes that embassy flagpoles should be reserved for the American flag only, according to a spokeswoman.

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Beto O’Rourke apologises for teen writings and joke about his wife

Democratic presidential contender is forced on to the defensive as he kicks off campaign in Iowa

Democratic presidential contender Beto O’Rourke has acknowledged making mistakes as a teen and as a candidate as he responded to criticism of his campaign rhetoric toward his wife as well as writings he produced online when he was young.

During a taping of the Political Party Live podcast in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he addressed criticism of his campaign-trail joke that his wife, Amy, has raised their three kids “sometimes with my help”.

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Beto O’Rourke kicks off 2020 bid in Iowa – in a voter’s living room

Texas Democrat said he has ‘some unique things’ to bring to race on his first day of campaigning to a crowd of about 125 people

Randy Naber is really a Joe Biden man, although he could also see himself voting for Kamala Harris. But here was former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke, America’s newest presidential candidate, in Naber’s living room, and the retired teacher wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Related: O'Rourke enters race with natural skills, eager support and some big challenges

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Joe Biden tops 2020 Iowa Democratic presidential poll ahead of Sanders

Des Moines Register poll puts former vice-president on 27% of likely Democratic caucus-goers, Sanders on 25%

The former US vice-president Joe Biden has topped a poll of Iowa voters on Saturday that also showed Senator Bernie Sanders gaining momentum against him in the number two spot.

Biden, who has not announced whether he is running in the 2020 election, is the first choice for president of likely Iowa Democratic caucus-goers with 27% in the Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll. Sanders, 77, got 25%.

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‘He’s a winner’: Iowa voters warm to Corey Booker as Democrat field heats up

Senator kicks off campaign in crucial caucus state as race to take on Trump in 2020 gathers steam

Democratic Senator Cory Booker kicked off his presidential campaign in Iowa with a call for unity, warning a crowd in Waterloo on Friday afternoon against “surrendering to cynicism” and calling for a revival of “civic grace”.

“I believe in this country,” he said at Hawkeye Community College, on the first day of a weekend trip to the crucial caucus state that marks a key moment in the beginning of his bid for the Democratic nomination . “I believe in us as a people. I’ve seen what can happen when we come together.”

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Congressional Black Caucus wants action against Republican Steve King

  • CBC: assignments must be stripped over white supremacy line
  • Trump ally is immigration hardliner with far-right links

The Iowa Republican congressman Steve King was under mounting pressure on Saturday, over remarks in which he asked how the term “white supremacy” came to be seen to be offensive.

Related: Trump ally Steve King: I don't know how 'white supremacist' became offensive term

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Iowa Poll: Trump has big fan base among Iowa Republicans, but they welcome challengers

DES MOINES, Iowa President Donald Trump remains popular among Iowa Republican voters , but they want the door politely held open for GOP challengers. A new Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows Trump has an 81 percent approval rating among registered Republicans in Iowa.

2020 Democrats building ties to power brokers in key states

Before he cut the $100,000 checks, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti brought the Democratic Party chairmen from Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada backstage to meet late night television host Jimmy Kimmel and superstar hip-hop producer DJ Khaled. Garcetti may not be the best-known 2020 presidential prospect, but he will not be forgotten by those who lead Democratic politics in the states most responsible for picking the party's next presidential nominee.

Sarah Sanders makes guest appearance at Harvest Festival

WEBVTT The night featured many of Iowa's Republican delegation - Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, and Representative David Young. But the star of the show, fittingly wearing red, was White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, posing with Iowans and getting in on the fu She g right down to business when she took the stage, calling out Hubbell.

Kamala Harris planning Iowa campaign trip

Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California has scheduled her first campaign trip to Iowa before Election Day, stoking speculation about a potential 2020 presidential campaign. The first-term senator plans stops on Oct. 22-23 in what will be her first visit to nation's leadoff presidential caucus state since she was elected in 2016.

Trump rally crowd chants ‘Lock her up!’ about Sen. Feinstein

Chants of "Lock her up!" rang once again throughout an Iowa arena as President Donald Trump rallied supporters Tuesday night. But this time, the staple of Trump's 2016 campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton had a new target: California Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

‘Lock her up!’ Trump crowd chants a ” but this time it’s for DiFi

Chants of "Lock her up!" rang once again throughout an Iowa arena as President Donald Trump rallied supporters Tuesday night. But this time, the staple of Trump's 2016 campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton had a new target: California Sen. Dianne Feinstein.