29.03.2024

Ex-lawyer says he called countries run by black leaders ‘toilets’ and president plays golf as race protests continue

Donald Trump is facing fresh allegations of racism after his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, wrote in a new book that the US president made insulting remarks about black world leaders, including former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Mr Cohen’s memoir, due to be published next week, alleges that Mr Trump described Mr Mandela as a poor leader who “f***ed the whole country up” and said countries run by black leaders are “all complete f***ing toilets”.

The president’s ex-lawyer worked closely with him for years before turning against him, giving testimony to Congress last year in the run up to Mr Trump’s impeachment. He is now serving a three-year sentence for making false statements to Congress.

The Washington Post reported it obtained a copy of the book, in which Mr Cohen alleged that Mr Trump said: “Tell me one country run by a black person that isn’t a s***hole. They are all complete f***ing toilets.”

The White House responded by attacking Mr Cohen’s credibility, with spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany calling him a “disgraced felon and disbarred lawyer” in her statement.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump made his 295th trip to one of his own golf courses in Virginia on Saturday amid the ongoing row over his alleged remarks denigrating American military veterans.

La relación del presidente con Rusia fue investigada por el fiscal especial Robert Mueller

The president made his leisure visit against the backdrop of more unrest among American citizens, as around 2,000 Black Lives Matter protesters clashed with police as they marched through Rochester, New York, on Saturday night.

Armed police supporters and anti-racism demonstrators also clashed in Louisville yesterday.

Trump makes 295th visit to golf course amid military dead scandal

As his administration deals with the fallout around an article alleging the president called dead American military veterans “losers” and suckers”, Donald Trump made his 295th visit to one of his own golf courses on Saturday.

The alleged remarks, published in The Atlantic magazine, have been strongly denied by the White House. Mr Trump tweeted that the magazine was “dying” and had fabricated the story “in order to gain some relevance”.

The president visited the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, reported CNN, which tallies his visits to golf courses.

Anti-racism protests continue in Rochester and Louisville

Anti-racism protesters took to the streets of Louisville and Rochester, New York on Saturday, clashing with armed police supporters and police along the way.

In Louisville, hundreds of protesters marched towards the Churchill Downs trace before the Kentucky Derby horse race, changing “No Justice, No Derby” as activists called for organisers to cancel the annual race.

Louisville is where 26-year-old black woman Breonna Taylor was killed in March after police burst into her apartment using a “no-knock” arrest warrant that did not require them to announce themselves.

A group of counterprotesters, including about 250 pro-police demonstrators, clashed with the Black Lives Matter protesters. They brandished pistols and long guns.

In Rochester, New York, police used batons, pepper balls and tear gas to disperse about 2,000 protesters who marched toward the Public Safety Building.

Demonstrators there chanted “Black Lives Matter” and “Daniel Prude”, a reference to a black man who died after encountering police in March. Mr Prude’s family released body camera footage showing officers who pinned Mr Prude to the pavement and restrained him with a hood.

Elsewhere, more unrest took place in Portland, Oregon, where protests have continued for the past three months. Police arrested 27 people on Friday, mostly on charges of interfering with law enforcement or disorderly conduct.

Michael Cohen to publish tell-all memoir on Donald Trump

The US president’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen is set to publish a book next week that alleges Donald Trump is “guilty of the same crimes” that landed his former fixer in federal prison.

Mr Cohen, who worked closely with Mr Trump before turning on him, writes in his memoir ‘Disloyal: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump’ that his biggest challenge in working for the president was dealing with porn actress Stormy Daniels and her claims of an affair with him.

Mr Trump green-lighted a payment of $130,000 to silence Ms Daniels ahead of the 2016 election, which he would later deny. Mr Cohen writes that the president reasoned he would “have to pay” his wife a larger sum if the affair ever became known.

“It never pays to settle these things, but many, many friends have advised me to pay,” Mr Trump allegedly said, according to Mr Cohen. “If it comes out, I’m not sure how it would play with my supporters.

“But I bet they’d think it’s cool that I slept with a porn star.”

According to the Washington Post, which reported it obtained a copy of the book ahead of publication, Mr Cohen also alleged that Mr Trump made disparaging remarks about black leaders, including Nelson Mandela.

According to the newspaper, Mr Cohen wrote that following Mr Mandela’s death in 2013, Mr Trump said: “Mandela f***ed the whole country up. Now it’s a s***hole. F*** Mandela. He was no leader.”

Mr Cohen also alleged that Mr Trump said: “Tell me one country run by a black person that isn’t a s***hole. They are all complete f***ing toilets.”

The White House has dismissed Mr Cohen’s claims and attacked his credibility, calling him a “disgraced felon and disbarred lawyer who lied to Congress”.

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