Donald Trump day two: spokesman says president still believes millions voted illegally in election despite lack of evidence

• Donald Trump falsely claims 3-5 million illegal immigrants voted

• Pushes ahead with Dakota and Keystone pipelines with executive action

• In auto industry meeting, says: "I'm an environmentalist, but..."

• Will keep on embattled FBI director

• Busy day two schedule included call to Indian president Modi

• Theresa May will visit Washington on Friday

President Donald Trump maintains that three to five million illegal immigrants cast fraudulent votes in the US election, his spokesman has said.

Such claims have been thoroughly debunked, but Sean Spicer said Mr Trump stands by them "based on studies and evidence presented to him".

The statements came after Mr Trump signed an executive order to push ahead with the controversial Keystone and Dakota oil pipelines during a busy second working day in the White House.

It also emerged that he would keep James Comey, the embattled FBI director, in his post despite outrage at his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails.

Mr Trump held a meeting with auto industry executives on Tuesday morning, pledging to cut regulations, and a phone call with Narendra Modi, the Indian president, in the afternoon.

9:49PM

Why all the concern about voter fraud?

Donald Trump claims millions of illegal immigrants voted in the election, and that if they hadn't done so he would have won the popular vote (he lost by nearly 3 million votes).

Mr Trump won the election, of course, but if such fraud took place it would constitute a massive scandal and expose enormous flaws in the US electoral system.

His statements threaten to undermine faith in the previous election and, more worryingly, in the next one. 

They have also been thoroughly debunked. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud, and the rumours of illegal voting that percolated after the election proved false.

So the concern is twofold- one that the president would believe and, along with his staff, spread such ridiculous claims and two, that many Americans will believe him and those that cry "fraud" in the future will not be immediately dismissed.

8:36PM

The new Thatcher-Reagan relationship

Kim Darroch, the British ambassador in Washington has said Donald Trump and Theresa May will be able to recreate "a Thatcher-Reagan relationship" when the Prime Minister meets with the American president this week.

 Mr Trump's team have said they are keen to establish the same friendship between the two leaders that was enjoyed by their predecessors in the 1980s. 

"I think there is every prospect on the basis of two very positive phone calls they've had that they can strike up a very close personal relationship," Sir Kim, said in an interview with an American media outlet. "Certainly that's the Prime Minister's intention when she comes over."

Mrs May will on Friday become the first foreign leader to hold talks with the new president.  They are expected to discuss a free trade deal between the two countries, which could be implemented once Britain is extricated from the European Union. 

They will also likely discuss the future of Nato, the bedrock Western alliance frequently attacked by Mr Trump.  Mrs May, for her part, has described as "lazy" the frequent compaisons between herself and Margaret Thatcher.

8:28PM

What Spicer said on the voter fraud claims

QUESTION: Does the president believe that millions voted illegally in this election? And what evidence do you have of widespread voter fraud in this election, if that's the case?

SPICER: The president does believe that. He has stated that before. I think he's stated his concerns of voter fraud, and -- and people voting illegally during the campaign, and he continues to maintain that belief based on studies and evidence that people have presented to him.

QUESTION: But exactly what evidence?

SPICER: I -- I -- feel --

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: Even Ryan said there's no evidence. The National Association of Secretaries of State say that they don't agree with the president's assessment. What evidence do you have?

SPICER: As I said, I think the president has believed that for a while based on studies and information he has. 

7:19PM

Trump to 'make a deal' with Russia

Sean Spicer was asked by a Russian journalist why Mr Trump had remained so positive about America's relationship with Moscow given the criticism it had brought on him from his opponents.

Mr Spicer replied that the president is looking to strike a "deal" with Russia that will be beneficial to the United States.

"The president is a great deal maker," he said, adding that this is the approach he takes when looking at his foreign and domestic agenda. "With Russia too, he'll make a deal that is in the best interest in this country."

7:03PM

Trump continues to believe there was massive voter fraud during the election

Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said of the president's claims last night that three to five million illegal immigrants had voted in the election, “it’s a belief he maintains.”

"The president does believe there was voter fraud. He continues to maintain that belief based on studies and evidence presented to him," he said.

Asked if Mr Trump would want such claims investigated, he said, "we'll see where we go from here," while adding that voter fraud was not currently the White House's primary focus.

6:19PM

Trump bans Environmental Protection Agency employees from publicising work

According to the Associated Press, Donald Trump has told EPA employees that they are no longer allowed to provide updates on their work on social media or through the press. 

His administration looks set to have a combative relationship with environmental regulators.

5:29PM

Have a look at this crowd

Donald Trump is placing a picture of his inauguration in the press room, providing reporters with a daily reminder of the outburst Sean Spicer, the press secretary, had over the size of the crowd.

Mr Trump was reportedly furious at coverage comparing his crowd unfavourably to inaugurations past, and deployed Mr Spicer to insist that it was the biggest audience in history. Judging by his tweet, he may not be quite over the whole thing just yet.

The date on the picture is off by a day (it was 20 January, not 21), but the crowd certainly does look impressive. 

4:49PM

Pipeline order has been signed

4:34PM

Coming next week, Trump's supreme court nominee

Donald Trump will make what could prove to be among the most lasting decisions of his campaign next week, selecting his nominee to replace the late Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.

The fight to get his pick onto the court is sure to be bitter, as Republicans refused to even hold hearings on Barack Obama's nominee for the past year.

3:46PM

Mattis calls Fallon to emphasise Nato importance

James Mattis, the new Pentagon chief, has called his British counterpart to offer reassurances about the importance the US continues to place on Nato.

The Pentagon said Mattis, "emphasized the United States' unshakeable commitment to Nato," while Michael Fallon said they discussed "modernizing the Alliance and how we ensure that all members meet the NATO 2% spending commitment alongside America and Britain."

Donald Trump expressed a great deal of scepticism toward Nato during the campaign, but Mr Mattis and Rex Tillerson, the nominee for secretary of state, have spoken about the importance of the alliance.

3:12PM

Mark your calendars- Trump to address Congress next month

Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress on 28 February, giving the equivalent of an unofficial state of the union address.

The announcement came from the office of Paul Ryan, the speaker of the House. Barack Obama gave a similar address during his first weeks in office. 

2:53PM

Today's executive action: pushing ahead with controversial pipelines

We've just been informed that Donald Trump's lone executive action today will be to move forward on the Keystone and Dakota pipelines.

Both projects drew massive protests, and were stalled under the Obama administration over environmental concerns.

It's not a surprising move from Mr Trump, who supported the pipelines during the campaign, but it will be met with backlash from Democrats and environmentalists.

2:39PM

Trump: "I am an environmentalist, but..."

Mr Trump said the US had been "very inhospitable" to car companies and others who wanted to do business in the US, but that will change under his administration.

Echoing his pledge to other business leaders yesterday, he said companies will get permits very quickly to start producing.

"I am to a large extent an environmentalist, but it's out of control," he said of government regulation.

2:06PM

You're not fired

Donald Trump is keeping James Comey, the embattled FBI director, in his post according to the New York Times.

The ten year terms for FBI directors are designed such that they serve multiple presidents, lending a degree of neutrality to the office.

But after Mr Comey's actions during the presidential election - first holding a press conference to recommend Hillary Clinton not be indicted over her handling of classified information and later announcing he was re-opening the investigation into the Democratic nominee - led to sharp criticism from both sides of the aisle.

His position seemed untenable, and there was speculation that whichever candidate won, Mr Comey would be forced out.

The ouster seemed even more likely after news leaked that Mr Comey had personally briefed Mr Trump on the dossier alleging the Russians had collected compromising information on him.

Keeping him on is the safe choice, however. It will mean one fewer confirmation process, and perhaps allow for tensions between the president and his intelligence chiefs to die down.

1:58PM

Working day two for President Trump

The president's official schedule:

• 9:00AM  (2PM GMT) THE PRESIDENT hosts breakfast and listening session with key automobile industry leaders

• 10:00AM   THE PRESIDENT meets with Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus

• 11:00AM   THE PRESIDENT signs Executive Order

• 1:00PM   THE PRESIDENT speaks with Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi

•  1:30PM   THE PRESIDENT meets with CIA Director Mike Pompeo

• 3:00PM   THE PRESIDENT meets with Key Senate Leadership

• 3:45PM   THE PRESIDENT meets with Senator McConnell