Here's what's happening in the world of politics Saturday, Feb. 3, 2017.
Trump says memo "totally vindicates" him
-- President Donald Trump said the GOP memo accusing the FBI of abusing its surveillance authority "totally vindicates" him from the Russia investigation.
In a Saturday tweet, President Trump said, "This memo totally vindicates 'Trump' in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!"
This memo totally vindicates "Trump" in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2018
The memo, declassified by the president on Friday, was spearheaded by GOP House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes. The memo alleged then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe told the committee no surveillance warrant would've been sought for a Trump campaign aide without a disputed opposition research dossier on Trump and Russia, CNN reported.
Trudeau warns Canada "will not be pushed around" on NAFTA
-- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned the U.S. that the country "will not be pushed around" on trade negotiations related to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Reuters reported.
“We will not be pushed around. At the same time we can remain confident about NAFTA,” Trudeau said Friday, according to Reuters. “The negotiations are complex and challenging ... I’ve said many times, we are not going to take any old deal ... Canada is willing to walk away from NAFTA if the United States proposes a bad deal.”
Both Canada and Mexico officials have said the countries are trying to address U.S. demands for NAFTA reform without disrupting the highly integrated North American economy.
UN: North Korea earned $200 million by violating sanctions
-- A United Nations report says North Korea earned nearly $200 million exporting coal and other banned commodities last year.
CNN reported a panel of experts found the country exported coal to China, Malaysia, Russia and Vietnam, and falsified documents to conceal the origin of the coal.
Investigators said North Korea "is already flouting the most recent resolutions by exploiting global oil supply chains, complicit foreign nationals, offshore company registries and the international banking system," in the document.
