'Assholes' vs 'Shitholes'
The BBC reports that after a thorough examination by the President's physician, rear admiral Dr Ronny Jackson, there is no medical reason to explain why Donald Trump is such a terrible asshole.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42708826
Trump's cognitive ability is normal, says White House doctor
Media caption - Dr Jackson on President Trump: 'He has incredible genes'
US President Donald Trump has shown no abnormal signs following a cognitive exam and is in excellent health, his White House doctor says.
"I have no concerns about his cognitive ability or neurological functions," Ronny Jackson said on Tuesday.
Last week, Mr Trump, 71, had a three-hour examination in his first medical check-up since becoming US president.
It comes after the release of a controversial book fuelled speculation about the president's mental health.
Speaking to reporters during a White House briefing on Tuesday, Dr Jackson said that the president's overall health was "excellent".
"All data indicates the president is healthy and will remain so for the duration of his presidency," he said.
"He continues to enjoy the significant long-term cardiac and overall health benefits that come from a lifetime of abstinence from tobacco and alcohol," he added.
When asked by a reporter how a man who consumes fried chicken and Diet Coke and does not exercise could be in good shape, Dr Jackson replied: "It's called genetics... He has incredible genes."
However, Dr Jackson added that Mr Trump could benefit from a lower-fat diet and more exercise.
- Trump's medical: The checklist
- The debate over Trump's mental health
- Did Trump forget the national anthem?
Among them was Dr Jackson, whose official title is Physician to the President.
A rear admiral in the US Navy, he also tended to Mr Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama.
To check for possible cognitive dysfunction, the US Department of Veterans Affairs uses the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) neuropsychological test.
The MoCA test assesses an individual's attention and concentration, memory, language, conceptual thinking, calculations, and orientation - among other functions.
Image copyright - MOCA
Questions have been raised about the president's cognitive ability, particularly with the publication of Michael Wolff's book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.
Some neurological experts had compared earlier clips of Mr Trump speaking with more recent instances in which he had used fewer words and appeared to ramble.
Wolff has alleged the president is intellectually incapable of carrying out his role and questioned his mental fitness. He claimed all of the president's White House aides saw him as a "child" who needed "immediate gratification".
Mr Trump responded by saying Wolff's book was "full of lies", while Secretary of State Rex Tillerson dismissed suggestions the president's mental health was failing.
In December 2015, Mr Trump's own long-time doctor, Harold Bornstein, declared in a pre-election assessment that his client would be the "healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency".
Trump - Bully and Ignoramus (15/01/18)
What is it with this guy - he seems unable to resist the temptation to behave like a bully and ignoramus?
As President he is supposed to represent all Americans, as best he can, even those who did not vote for him while cultivating good relations with America's friends and allies around the world.
Questions have been raised about the president's cognitive ability, particularly with the publication of Michael Wolff's book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.
Some neurological experts had compared earlier clips of Mr Trump speaking with more recent instances in which he had used fewer words and appeared to ramble.
Wolff has alleged the president is intellectually incapable of carrying out his role and questioned his mental fitness. He claimed all of the president's White House aides saw him as a "child" who needed "immediate gratification".
Mr Trump responded by saying Wolff's book was "full of lies", while Secretary of State Rex Tillerson dismissed suggestions the president's mental health was failing.
In December 2015, Mr Trump's own long-time doctor, Harold Bornstein, declared in a pre-election assessment that his client would be the "healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency".
Trump - Bully and Ignoramus (15/01/18)
First of all Donald Trump is forced to hold a press conference to deny that he's stupid - just days later he's forced to issue a statement to deny he's racist after making crude remarks in front of other senior politicians about 'shithole' countries.
What is it with this guy - he seems unable to resist the temptation to behave like a bully and ignoramus?
As President he is supposed to represent all Americans, as best he can, even those who did not vote for him while cultivating good relations with America's friends and allies around the world.
Fat chance it seems - and with this kind of boorish behaviour on an almost daily basis Trump really is making a laughing stock of himself and the office he holds.
The Sunday Times published a cartoon yesterday which sums the situation up neatly and the BBC reports below on yet another dreadful day in the White House.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42685356
Donald Trump denies being a racist after reported crude remark
Media caption - The president made the comments to White House reporters at his Florida golf resort on Sunday
President Donald Trump has denied that he is racist, after a row broke out over his alleged use of the word "shithole" to describe African nations.
Mr Trump reportedly used the term last week during a bipartisan Oval Office meeting on immigration reform.
He has now told reporters: "I am not a racist. I'm the least racist person you have ever interviewed."
It is the first time the president has responded directly to the racism accusations.
He made the denial to White House press pool reporters at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in Florida on Sunday night.
What did the president allegedly say?
The row broke out after lawmakers from both parties visited the president on Thursday to work on a proposal for a bipartisan immigration deal.
In recent weeks the Trump administration has been withdrawing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from a number of nationalities currently living in the country.
Reports later emerged in US media that Mr Trump had asked during the meeting: "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?"
Mr Trump was said to have told them that instead of granting temporary residency to citizens of countries hit by natural disasters, war or epidemics, the US should be taking in migrants from countries like Norway.
Media caption - President Trump honours MLK amid 'racist slur' controversy
Accounts suggest that when Mr Trump was told that the largest groups of immigrants with the status were from El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti, the president responded: "Haitians? Do we need more Haitians?"
Who backed up the claims?
The president tweeted on Friday morning that the language he used in the meeting was "tough" but disputed the wording of the reports.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42685356
Donald Trump denies being a racist after reported crude remark
Media caption - The president made the comments to White House reporters at his Florida golf resort on Sunday
President Donald Trump has denied that he is racist, after a row broke out over his alleged use of the word "shithole" to describe African nations.
Mr Trump reportedly used the term last week during a bipartisan Oval Office meeting on immigration reform.
He has now told reporters: "I am not a racist. I'm the least racist person you have ever interviewed."
It is the first time the president has responded directly to the racism accusations.
He made the denial to White House press pool reporters at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in Florida on Sunday night.
What did the president allegedly say?
The row broke out after lawmakers from both parties visited the president on Thursday to work on a proposal for a bipartisan immigration deal.
In recent weeks the Trump administration has been withdrawing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from a number of nationalities currently living in the country.
Reports later emerged in US media that Mr Trump had asked during the meeting: "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?"
Mr Trump was said to have told them that instead of granting temporary residency to citizens of countries hit by natural disasters, war or epidemics, the US should be taking in migrants from countries like Norway.
Media caption - President Trump honours MLK amid 'racist slur' controversy
Accounts suggest that when Mr Trump was told that the largest groups of immigrants with the status were from El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti, the president responded: "Haitians? Do we need more Haitians?"
Who backed up the claims?
The president tweeted on Friday morning that the language he used in the meeting was "tough" but disputed the wording of the reports.
Image Copyright @realDonaldTrump@REALDONALDTRUMP
He also posted another tweet denying he had insulted Haitians, accusing Democrats of making it up.
But Senator Dick Durbin stood by claims, and said that Mr Trump had used "hate-filled, vile and racist" language during the meeting.
He also posted another tweet denying he had insulted Haitians, accusing Democrats of making it up.
But Senator Dick Durbin stood by claims, and said that Mr Trump had used "hate-filled, vile and racist" language during the meeting.
Media caption - Dick Durbin: "Trump said these hate-filled things, and he said them repeatedly"
Several senior Republican lawmakers at the meeting, including Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, have said they do not recall Mr Trump making the remark.
But another Republican senator who was there, Lindsey Graham, did not deny the comments were made.
"Following comments by the president, I said my piece directly to him yesterday. The president and all those attending the meeting know what I said and how I feel," he said.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, a senior Republican, said that Donald Trump's immigration comments were "very unfortunate" and "unhelpful".
Asked on Sunday on whether he thought the comments had made it harder to achieve any immigration deal, Mr Trump responded: "Have you seen what various senators said about my comments? They weren't made."
Several senior Republican lawmakers at the meeting, including Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, have said they do not recall Mr Trump making the remark.
But another Republican senator who was there, Lindsey Graham, did not deny the comments were made.
"Following comments by the president, I said my piece directly to him yesterday. The president and all those attending the meeting know what I said and how I feel," he said.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, a senior Republican, said that Donald Trump's immigration comments were "very unfortunate" and "unhelpful".
Asked on Sunday on whether he thought the comments had made it harder to achieve any immigration deal, Mr Trump responded: "Have you seen what various senators said about my comments? They weren't made."
What has the reaction been?
The African Union on Friday demanded that the US president apologise expressing their "shock, dismay and outrage" at the "clearly racist" remarks.
The UN human rights spokesman, Rupert Colville, told a Geneva news briefing: "There is no other word one can use but racist. You cannot dismiss entire countries and continents as 'shitholes'."
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) accused the president of falling "deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole of racism and xenophobia".
Several Democratic representatives have said they intend to skip the president's State of the Union address later this month over the comments, accusing the president of racism.
Try and 'Spot the Genius' in this fascinating YouTube video featuring Canada's Justin Trudeau and America's Donald Trump.
I also have it on good authority, from a very reliable source, that one of these two gentlemen can fart and chew gum at the same time.
The African Union on Friday demanded that the US president apologise expressing their "shock, dismay and outrage" at the "clearly racist" remarks.
The UN human rights spokesman, Rupert Colville, told a Geneva news briefing: "There is no other word one can use but racist. You cannot dismiss entire countries and continents as 'shitholes'."
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) accused the president of falling "deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole of racism and xenophobia".
Several Democratic representatives have said they intend to skip the president's State of the Union address later this month over the comments, accusing the president of racism.
Spot the Genius! (08/01/18)
Try and 'Spot the Genius' in this fascinating YouTube video featuring Canada's Justin Trudeau and America's Donald Trump.
I also have it on good authority, from a very reliable source, that one of these two gentlemen can fart and chew gum at the same time.
Farting and Chewing Gum (13/05/17)
Is this photo proof positive of the claim, made in some quarters, that Donald Trump can't fart and chew gum at the same time?
Donald Trump calls a press conference to prove he's not stupid - then tries to convince the world that he's 'very stable genius' to boot.
Ha, ha, ha, ha - now that is funny.
Fire and Fury: Trump says book is 'fiction' and author a 'fraud'
Media caption - President Trump: "We didn't have an interview"
Donald Trump has rejected doubts over his mental health raised in a bombshell new book, describing the book as "fiction" and the author as a "fraud".
His remarks followed an earlier rebuttal on Twitter, in which the president claimed he was a "very stable genius" who was "like, very smart".
Michael Wolff's new book suggests that even the president's closest advisors question his fitness for office.
The row has overshadowed key talks on the Republican party's 2018 agenda.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with senior party members at Camp David on Saturday, the president disputed Mr Wolff's account, claiming it was a "work of fiction".
The debate over Trump's mental health
Trump's fear of poisoning and other extraordinary claims
Addressing the questions about his mental capacity, he said: "I went to the best colleges, I had a situation where I was a very excellent student, came out and made billions and billions of dollars, became one of the top business people, went to television and for 10 years was a tremendous success, as you probably have heard."
He disputed Mr Wolff's claim of a three-hour on the record interview between the two. "It didn't exist, it's in his imagination," Mr Trump said, while acknowledging that he had been interviewed by the author at some point.
The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, paints a picture of the president as impatient, unable to grasp policy, and prone to rambling and repeating himself.
The fallout from the book has loomed over the Camp David meeting - a gathering of key Republicans designed to thrash out legislative priorities for 2018.
More from the book, including Ivanka's presidential ambitions
Who are winners and losers in Trump-Bannon row?
Mr Trump gave a press conference at the presidential retreat, flanked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Vice-President Mike Pence and other senior Republicans.
The president, who has previously derided Camp David and opted instead to stay at his Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, told reporters that the retreat was a "very special place" with a "feeling you don't have in many places".
What's on the agenda?
While short on detail, the president said the gathered Republicans had "a couple of incredible meetings" and discussed "security, infrastructure, the military, all types of military situations".
On North Korea, he said he hoped rare talks between North and South Korea will go "beyond the Olympics," with the US joining the process at the "appropriate time."
He said the country would fight the scourge of drug addiction, and praised the success of countries that have treated the problem "harshly" - "those are the ones that have much less difficulty," he added.
He has previously praised the leader of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, over his drug policy. Mr Duterte has encouraged the extrajudicial executions of drug offenders by police and vigilantes.
On immigration, he said he hoped to work with the Democrats on a resolution to Daca, the so-called Dreamers programme for immigrants who came to the US as undocumented children, and reiterated that Mexico would in some way pay for his border wall.
The book everyone's talking about
Fire and Fury went on sale early on Friday, days ahead of its scheduled release, amid the president lawyers' attempts to block its publication. It has become an instant bestseller.
The book describes a Trump team shocked by their own win on election night, White House staffers saying Mr Trump's "mental powers were slipping", and senior administration officials calling Mr Trump an "idiot".
Media caption - Michael Wolff tells the BBC that Donald Trump's team came to believe he could not function as president
It has also sparked a public rift between Mr Trump and his former aide Steve Bannon, who is quoted as accusing Mr Trump's eldest son Donald Jr of "treasonous" behaviour in meeting a group of Russians.
Mr Bannon and the author have both been the target of the president's ire over the past few days - the former cried when he lost his job last year, Mr Trump said; the latter had written a book "full of lies", he added.
On Friday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told CNN that he had "no reason to question" Mr Trump's mental fitness.
Media caption - Dozens queued for the release of Fire and Fury
Trump is not letting this one go
Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC News Washington
Perceived slights, insults and questions about his intelligence. If Donald Trump's recent Twitter feed is any indication, these are the topics on the president's mind as he settles in for the night and when he rises in the morning.
Given the daunting tasks facing the administration and Congress in the coming weeks, some of his allies and aides at Camp David may view the president's concerns as misdirected.
That Mr Trump feels compelled to respond to criticism, however, should come as little surprise. This is particularly true when the topic is his intellect, the strength of which he frequently boasts.
In Fire and Fury, Michael Wolff recounts tales by White House aides of a president with a short attention span, bouncing from issue to issue like a pinball. In recent interviews, the author has said the president's aggressive reaction to his book proves this point.
It seems, however, that Mr Trump's counterattack is just getting started.
Stupid Is As Stupid Does (07/01/18)
Donald Trump calls a press conference to prove he's not stupid - then tries to convince the world that he's 'very stable genius' to boot.
Ha, ha, ha, ha - now that is funny.
Fire and Fury: Trump says book is 'fiction' and author a 'fraud'
Media caption - President Trump: "We didn't have an interview"
Donald Trump has rejected doubts over his mental health raised in a bombshell new book, describing the book as "fiction" and the author as a "fraud".
His remarks followed an earlier rebuttal on Twitter, in which the president claimed he was a "very stable genius" who was "like, very smart".
Michael Wolff's new book suggests that even the president's closest advisors question his fitness for office.
The row has overshadowed key talks on the Republican party's 2018 agenda.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with senior party members at Camp David on Saturday, the president disputed Mr Wolff's account, claiming it was a "work of fiction".
The debate over Trump's mental health
Trump's fear of poisoning and other extraordinary claims
Addressing the questions about his mental capacity, he said: "I went to the best colleges, I had a situation where I was a very excellent student, came out and made billions and billions of dollars, became one of the top business people, went to television and for 10 years was a tremendous success, as you probably have heard."
He disputed Mr Wolff's claim of a three-hour on the record interview between the two. "It didn't exist, it's in his imagination," Mr Trump said, while acknowledging that he had been interviewed by the author at some point.
The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, paints a picture of the president as impatient, unable to grasp policy, and prone to rambling and repeating himself.
The fallout from the book has loomed over the Camp David meeting - a gathering of key Republicans designed to thrash out legislative priorities for 2018.
More from the book, including Ivanka's presidential ambitions
Who are winners and losers in Trump-Bannon row?
Mr Trump gave a press conference at the presidential retreat, flanked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Vice-President Mike Pence and other senior Republicans.
The president, who has previously derided Camp David and opted instead to stay at his Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, told reporters that the retreat was a "very special place" with a "feeling you don't have in many places".
What's on the agenda?
While short on detail, the president said the gathered Republicans had "a couple of incredible meetings" and discussed "security, infrastructure, the military, all types of military situations".
On North Korea, he said he hoped rare talks between North and South Korea will go "beyond the Olympics," with the US joining the process at the "appropriate time."
He said the country would fight the scourge of drug addiction, and praised the success of countries that have treated the problem "harshly" - "those are the ones that have much less difficulty," he added.
He has previously praised the leader of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, over his drug policy. Mr Duterte has encouraged the extrajudicial executions of drug offenders by police and vigilantes.
On immigration, he said he hoped to work with the Democrats on a resolution to Daca, the so-called Dreamers programme for immigrants who came to the US as undocumented children, and reiterated that Mexico would in some way pay for his border wall.
The book everyone's talking about
Fire and Fury went on sale early on Friday, days ahead of its scheduled release, amid the president lawyers' attempts to block its publication. It has become an instant bestseller.
The book describes a Trump team shocked by their own win on election night, White House staffers saying Mr Trump's "mental powers were slipping", and senior administration officials calling Mr Trump an "idiot".
Media caption - Michael Wolff tells the BBC that Donald Trump's team came to believe he could not function as president
It has also sparked a public rift between Mr Trump and his former aide Steve Bannon, who is quoted as accusing Mr Trump's eldest son Donald Jr of "treasonous" behaviour in meeting a group of Russians.
Mr Bannon and the author have both been the target of the president's ire over the past few days - the former cried when he lost his job last year, Mr Trump said; the latter had written a book "full of lies", he added.
On Friday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told CNN that he had "no reason to question" Mr Trump's mental fitness.
Media caption - Dozens queued for the release of Fire and Fury
Trump is not letting this one go
Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC News Washington
Perceived slights, insults and questions about his intelligence. If Donald Trump's recent Twitter feed is any indication, these are the topics on the president's mind as he settles in for the night and when he rises in the morning.
Given the daunting tasks facing the administration and Congress in the coming weeks, some of his allies and aides at Camp David may view the president's concerns as misdirected.
That Mr Trump feels compelled to respond to criticism, however, should come as little surprise. This is particularly true when the topic is his intellect, the strength of which he frequently boasts.
In Fire and Fury, Michael Wolff recounts tales by White House aides of a president with a short attention span, bouncing from issue to issue like a pinball. In recent interviews, the author has said the president's aggressive reaction to his book proves this point.
It seems, however, that Mr Trump's counterattack is just getting started.
