WASHINGTON ā The Latest on President Donald Trump and impeachment (all times local):
5:25 p.m.
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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 Wednesdayās 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 Trumpās election loss stormed the Capitol, believing the presidentās false claims of a rigged election.
Authorities announced the death of Liebengood on Sunday. It was not clear whether his death was connected to Wednesdayās events. Two people familiar with the matter said the officerās 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 Sicknickās death.
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4 p.m.
Citigroup is pausing all federal political donations for the first three months of the year in light of Wednesdayās deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.
In a memo to employees Friday, Citiās head of global government affairs Candi Wolff said, āWe want you to be assured that we will not support candidates who do not respect the rule of law.ā
āWe support engaging with our political leaders even when we disagree, and our PAC is an important tool for that engagement,ā 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 Bidenās election, Citi says it is pausing all federal contributions.
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HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE IMPEACHMENT PUSH IN CONGRESS:
Democrats in Congress are laying plans to impeach President Donald Trump and ensure that an āunhingedā commander in chief ā in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's words ā can do no further damage in his remaining days in office. They are trying to send a message to the nation, and the world, that mob violence at the Capitol this past week that was inspired by the White House will not stand.
Read more:
ā Squelched by Twitter, Trump seeks new online megaphone
ā Pope prays for dead in Capitol rioting, appeals for calm
ā In wake of Capitol riot, Americans struggle for answers
ā No surprise: Trump left many clues he wouldnāt go quietly
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HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON:
3:25 p.m.
Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling President Donald Trump a failed leader who āwill go down in history as the worst president ever.ā
In a video posted on social media on Sunday, the Republican took solace that Trumpās presidency was coming to an end and āwould soon be as irrelevant as an old tweet.ā
He called for national unity and vowed his support for President-elect Joe Biden.
Schwarzenegger, best known for his movie roles as āConan the Barbarian,ā was elected governor in 2003 of the countryās largest state. During the video, Schwarzenegger likened American democracy to the sword he brandished in his movies.
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2:45 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 Sicknickās 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 Trumpās election loss stormed the U.S. Capitol, believing the presidentās false claims of a rigged election.
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2:30 p.m.
The trade group representing one of the nationās best known health insurance brands says itās suspending political contributions to lawmakers who voted last week to reject the Electoral College results that cemented Democrat Joe Bidenās 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 groupās CEO and president, says it will continue to support lawmakers and candidates in both political parties who āwill work with us to build a stronger, healthier nation.ā
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1:05 p.m.
Sen. Roy Blunt says he doesnāt see a need for congressional Republicans to hold President Donald Trump accountable for his role in promoting last weekās Capitol riot but warned him to ābe very carefulā in his last 10 days in office.
The Missouri Republican called Trumpās decisions and actions leading up to last Wednesdayās riot āclearly reckless.ā But he says the U.S. should be āthinking more about the first day of the next presidencyā of President-elect Joe Biden than on removing Trump from office.
Blunt says he doesnāt think Trump will act recklessly again. He told CBSā āFace the Nationā: āMy personal view is that the president touched the hot stove on Wednesday and is unlikely to touch it again.ā
Biden will be sworn in on Jan. 20.
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11:55 a.m.
Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries says President Donald Trump is out of control and should be immediately removed from office as a āclear and present danger to the health and safety of the American people.ā
Jeffries, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, says that as a coequal branch of government, itās Congressā job to keep Trump in check ā whether by impeachment, demanding his resignation or pushing Trumpās Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment declaring him unfit to serve.
The New York Democrat says while Trumpās Twitter account may now be permanently suspended, the president still has access to the nationās nuclear codes and other weapons of power.
Jeffries pointed to a āconstitutional responsibilityā to act. He told NBCās āMeet the Pressā: āDonald Trump is completely and totally out of control, and even his long-time enablers have now come to that conclusion.ā
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10:10 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 Bidenās Cabinet secretaries are confirmed for their posts.
The South Carolina Democrat says āit may be Tuesday or Wednesday before action is taken, but I think it will be taken this week.ā
Clyburn says heās concerned that a Senate trial could distract from the process of confirming Bidenās nominees.
Mitch McConnell, the Senateās Republican leader, has said an impeachment trial could begin as early as Jan. 20 ā Inauguration Day.
Clyburn says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will decide when to appoint impeachment managers and send the articles to the Senate. He says an option would be to give Biden the ā100 days he needs to get his agenda off and running, and maybe weāll send the articles sometime after that.ā
Clyburn appeared on CNN's āState of the Unionā and āFox News Sunday.ā
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9:40 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 itās Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. Heās 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 ābest path forward, the best way to get this person in the rear view mirror for us.ā But Toomey says heās not optimistic that Trump will step down before his term ends on Jan. 20.
Toomey also says that Trumpās role in encouraging the riot is an āimpeachable offense.ā
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 CNNās āState of the Unionā and NBCās āMeet the Press.ā
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12:15 a.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 Trumpās role in encouraging a deadly riot at the Capitol is an āimpeachable offense.ā
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 hasnāt committed to an impeachment vote.