Trump news today: Latest as Capitol riot committee subpoenas ex-president’s speechwriter

US president Joe Biden on Tuesday dubbed the 6 January Capitol riot a “coup” attempt for the first time in a year, as he sharpened his attack on the former president Donald Trump.

“We’re here today to stand against the forces in America that value power over principle — forces that attempted a coup, a coup against the legally expressed will of the American people by sowing doubt, inventing charges of fraud and seeking to steal the 2020 election from the people,” Mr Biden.

His remarks came during a speech pushing for the passage of voting rights legislation in a shared Atlanta venue for historically black colleges.

The president added: “They want chaos to reign. We want the people to rule. The battle for the soul of America is not over. We must stand strong and stand together to make sure Jan. 6 marks not the end of democracy, but the beginning of a renaissance of our democracy.”

It was the first time Mr Biden referred to it as a “coup” after previously calling it an “armed insurrection”.

Addressing a fundraiser event at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, former president Donald Trump praised representative Elise Stefanik and said she could be president in about six years.

“I want to congratulate Elise on her success. Man is she moving fast. That means at this rate she’ll be president in about six years,” Mr Trump said about the US representative for New York’s 21st congressional district.

“She’s always been a friend and people would say she’s upwardly mobile. She goes to Washington as a young beautiful woman who took over and all of a sudden she becomes a rocket ship, she’s the boss. She’s been a great boss, a strong boss,” he added.

The fundraiser with 200 attendees raised $3.2 million.

ICYMI: Mary Trump, a former graduate instructor who has taught courses in trauma, psychopathology and developmental psychology and holds a PhD in clinical psychology, speaks to Andrew Feinberg.

ICYMI: The one-term president’s Arizona rally on Saturday will feature a long list of election deniers, including Kari Lake, who Mr Trump has endorsed for governor and who says she would not have certified Joe Biden’s victory if she had been in office.

Also taking part are Arizona Representatives, Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs and Debbie Lesko, who who all objected to the certification of Mr Biden’s victory on January 6.

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who says he has spent $25m trying to overturn Mr Trump’s defeat is also expected to attend.

ICYMI: Trump Organization Executive Vice President Eric Trump lashed out at New York Attorney General Letitia James’s probe into his family’s eponymous business, claiming that it is unconstitutional for her office to file lawsuits against his father, twice-impeached former President Donald Trump.

Andrew Feinberg has more.

ICYMI: Lawyers for former president Donald Trump and his eponymous real estate company have asked a federal judge to bar New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ office from investigating them or order her to recuse herself from any investigation into the Trump Organization.

Andrew Feinberg has the story.

A Georgia district attorney has claimed that a decision will soon be made over whether to bring charges against former President Donald Trump for his alleged pressuring of state officials to overturn the result of the 2020 Presidential election.

Tom Fenton has the story.

Donald Trump could not get through his latest interview, with NPR journalist Steve Inskeep.

“For about six years I’ve been asking Donald Trump for an interview. It never happened until the former president came on the line today. Tomorrow on Morning Edition we’ll hear what he said, up to the moment that he hung up on me,” tweeted Inskeep on Tuesday.

A New York state judge appeared sceptical of arguments made by lawyers for Donald Trump and his sister Maryanne Trump Barry in a bid to dismiss their niece Mary Trump’s lawsuit seeking damages and compensation for allegedly defrauding her out of millions of dollars in real estate interests from her late grandfather’s estate.

Andrew Feinberg has the story.

The House select committee investigating the 6 January insurrection has issued subpoenas for documents and testimony from two associates of Donald Trump Jr and a former White House speechwriter who reportedly helped draft former president Donald Trump’s speech on the day of the worst attack on the Capitol since 1814.

Andrew Feinberg has the story.