The Latest: Trump orders US flags lowered to honor officers

The Associated Press
An American flag flies at half-staff above the White House in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. [Patrick Semansky/Associated Press]

The Latest on President Donald Trump and impeachment (all times local):

4:25 p.m.

President Donald Trump is ordering the U.S. flag to be flown at half-staff as a sign of respect for two U.S. Capitol Police officers who have died since last Wednesday’s violent protests at the Capitol, as well as all members of law enforcement across the nation.

In a proclamation Sunday, Trump says the show of respect will take place at the White House and all federal buildings through sunset on Wednesday.

The proclamation makes no mention of the rioting at the Capitol.

Trump cites Capitol Police Officers Brian D. Sicknick and Howard Liebengood.

Sicknick joined the U.S. Capitol Police in 2008, serving until his death Thursday after being attacked as rioters seething over Trump’s election loss stormed the Capitol, believing the president’s false claims of a rigged election.

Authorities announced the death of Liebengood on Sunday. It was not clear whether his death was connected to Wednesday’s events. Two people familiar with the matter said the officer’s death was an apparent suicide. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and requested anonymity.

There were increasing calls for Trump to order flags to be flown at half-staff on federal facilities after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered the same for the Capitol following Sicknick’s death.

3 p.m.

Citigroup is pausing all federal political donations for the first three months of the year in light of Wednesday’s deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.

In a memo to employees Friday, Citi’s head of global government affairs Candi Wolff said, “We want you to be assured that we will not support candidates who do not respect the rule of law.”

“We support engaging with our political leaders even when we disagree, and our PAC is an important tool for that engagement,” Wolff wrote, adding that the company previously donated $1,000 to the campaign of Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri in 2019, who represents a state in which Citi has a lot of employees.

Unlike other companies, which have announced pausing donations to the 147 Republicans who opposed certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s election, Citi says it is pausing all federal contributions.

2:25 p.m.

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling President Donald Trump a failed leader who “will go down in history as the worst president ever.”

In a video posted on social media on Sunday, the Republican took solace that Trump’s presidency was coming to an end and “would soon be as irrelevant as an old tweet.”

He called for national unity and vowed his support for President-elect Joe Biden.

Schwarzenegger, best known for his movie roles as “Conan the Barbarian,” was elected governor in 2003 of the country’s largest state. During the video, Schwarzenegger likened American democracy to the sword he brandished in his movies.

1:45 p.m.

The U.S. flag at the White House is now flying at half-staff after calls for the flag there and at other federal locations be lowered to honor U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had already ordered flags at the Capitol lowered to half-staff in Sicknick’s honor and calls were growing for President Donald Trump to do the same at the White House.

Sicknick joined the U.S. Capitol Police in 2008, serving until his death Thursday after being attacked as rioters seething over Trump’s election loss stormed the U.S. Capitol, believing the president’s false claims of a rigged election.

1:30 p.m.

The trade group representing one of the nation’s best known health insurance brands says it’s suspending political contributions to lawmakers who voted last week to reject the Electoral College results that cemented Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over President Donald Trump in the November election.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association represents 36 regional and local insurers who use the brand, together covering about 1 in 3 Americans.

In a statement, Kim Keck, the group’s CEO and president, says it will continue to support lawmakers and candidates in both political parties who "will work with us to build a stronger, healthier nation.”

12:05 p.m.

Sen. Roy Blunt says he doesn’t see a need for congressional Republicans to hold President Donald Trump accountable for his role in promoting last week’s Capitol riot but warned him to "be very careful" in his last 10 days in office.

The Missouri Republican called Trump’s decisions and actions leading up to last Wednesday’s riot "clearly reckless." But he says the U.S. should be "thinking more about the first day of the next presidency" of President-elect Joe Biden than on removing Trump from office.

Blunt says he doesn’t think Trump will act recklessly again. He told CBS’ "Face the Nation": "My personal view is that the president touched the hot stove on Wednesday and is unlikely to touch it again."

Biden will be sworn in on Jan. 20.

10:55 a.m.

Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries says President Donald Trump is out of control and should be immediately removed from office as a "clear and present danger to the health and safety of the American people."

Jeffries, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, says that as a coequal branch of government, it’s Congress’ job to keep Trump in check — whether by impeachment, demanding his resignation or pushing Trump’s Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment declaring him unfit to serve.

The New York Democrat says while Trump’s Twitter account may now be permanently suspended, the president still has access to the nation’s nuclear codes and other weapons of power.

Jeffries pointed to a "constitutional responsibility" to act. He told NBC’s "Meet the Press": "Donald Trump is completely and totally out of control, and even his long-time enablers have now come to that conclusion."

9:10 a.m.

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn says the House could vote this week to impeach President Donald Trump but delay sending the legislation to the Senate until after many of incoming President Joe Biden’s Cabinet secretaries are confirmed for their posts.

The South Carolina Democrat says "it may be Tuesday or Wednesday before action is taken, but I think it will be taken this week."

Clyburn says he’s concerned that a Senate trial could distract from the process of confirming Biden’s nominees.

Mitch McConnell, the Senate’s Republican leader, has said an impeachment trial could begin as early as Jan. 20 – Inauguration Day.

Clyburn told CNN’s "State of the Union" that McConnell was trying to be "disruptive" but that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will decide when to appoint impeachment managers and send the articles to the Senate.

Clyburn says an option would be to give Biden the "100 days he needs to get his agenda off and running, and maybe we’ll send the articles sometime after that."

8:40 a.m.

A second Republican senator has called for President Donald Trump to step down in the wake of the Capitol rioting this past week.

This time it’s Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. He’s calling on Trump to resign for what Toomey says would be the good of the country after the Capitol riot that was carried out by supporters of the president.

Toomey says resignation is the "best path forward, the best way to get this person in the rear view mirror for us." But Toomey says he’s not optimistic that Trump will step down before his term ends on Jan. 20.

Toomey also says that Trump’s role in encouraging the riot is an "impeachable offense."

Toomey is the second GOP senator to call for Trump to step down, joining Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

Trump supporters who were angry over his loss to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden stormed the Capitol on Wednesday. Five people were killed.

Toomey was interviewed Sunday on CNN’s "State of the Union" and NBC’s "Meet the Press."

11:15 p.m.

President Donald Trump is facing growing Democratic momentum to impeach him a second time.

And a top Republican, Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, says he thinks Trump’s role in encouraging a deadly riot at the Capitol is an "impeachable offense."

But Toomey is stopping short of saying he’d vote to remove Trump from office.

A Democratic congressman, David Cicciline of Rhode Island, says an impeachment proposal already has 185 co-sponsors. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is telling Democratic colleagues to be prepared to return to Washington this coming week.

Pelosi says Trump should be held accountable but she hasn’t committed to an impeachment vote.