Impeachment Dead – The impeachment trial of President Trump in the Senate is likely to end with a whimper on Friday night in the Senate, after Democrats failed to secure enough Republican votes to call witnesses in the trial. Democrats had been demanding that former National Security Advisor John Bolton testify after revelations that he has damning evidence against the president. But with Republicans in control of the Senate they were only able to get 50 votes to call on witnesses, effectively killing off any chance of Trump’s removal from office.
Virus Fears Spread – The United States is taking the rapid spread of coronavirus which has moved beyond China, where it originated, to other countries across the globe. The State Department issued a stern warning to Americans on Thursday, strongly urging them to refrain from any travel to China, while several major US airlines announced that they would be cancelling all flights to mainland China to combat the spread of the illness. As of Friday the coronavirus has infected some 10,000 people and killed over 200.
USMCA Signed – President Trump signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement into law this week in a massive restructure of the 25-year old NAFTA trade deal which Trump said was unfair to the United States. The White House called the deal a major win for American workers and farmers who will now have further access into Canadian markets and a more level playing field with Mexican laborers who had previously enjoyed advantages that American workers did not.
Peace Plan Unveiled – In a White House meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump unveiled his long-awaited plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The plan would provide Palestinians with a state of their own while giving Israel sovereignty over the settlements. The plan received strong approval from both Netanyahu and his political rival Benny Gantz, but Palestinians were not in approval of it at all and it is unlikely that it will ever be fully implemented.
Bloomberg Spends Massively On Ads – Democratic presidential candidate and former mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg has already spent $100,000,000 on campaign ads. The billionaire is looking to cement himself as a legitimate candidate although he has been flailing in national polls, as well as to get under the skin of President Trump in the run up to the 2020 election. Bloomberg has pledged to back any Democratic candidate against Trump and said he is willing to continue spending on ads that undermine Trump’s chances of winning reelection.