Trump news – live: President faces imminent impeachment deadline with Congress poised to launch articles next week, amid warning ‘civilisation as we know it at stake’

House Democrats have signalled they could have articles of impeachment against Donald Trump drawn up by next week as the president faces a 5pm EST deadline (10pm GMT) to indicate whether or not his team intends to mount a defence at further House Judiciary Committee proceedings.

“Civilisation as we know it today is at stake in the next election, and certainly our planet,” House speaker Nancy Pelosi ​ told a CNN town hall event in Washington on Thursday after making her historic announcement calling on Congress to commence the process.

The president was quick to lash out on Twitter, again inviting ridicule by calling for the CIA whistleblower whose initial complaint prompted the inquiry to reveal themselves, as his lawyers continue to battle to stop the release of his tax returns to Congress.

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